The Stars In Your Eyes

Feng Mian looked at the photos taken, and a radiant smile bloomed quietly over her lips. She was satisfied to see her face in those photos. As expected, her right side is the best angle when photographed.

In that photo, she was sitting beside Bai Yutang. If a stranger saw these photos, they must have thought that they're couple. A very harmonious couple, with a matched outfit. If she cropped the others, it was perfect for their very first couple photos.

Well, he hasn't said anything to her though. But Feng Mian doesn't mind his shyness. She enjoys their interaction so far. And maybe one day, he will realise that she was really like him. Feng Mian hoped that day would not take too long. Even though she was not in a hurry, it would be better if they could be in a relationship sooner..

She was heartbroken when Bai Yutang said he had someone he liked. She thought she didn't have any chance anymore. She was trying to smile and act like a friend in front of him every time they met. 

She was curious, who is the girl Bai Yutang liked. She wants to know whether that girl is truly better than her. If not, then why Bai Yutang didn't want to give her a chance?

At first, Feng Mian thought that girl was Ling Yue. That's why she always pays attention to her, and smiles bitterly everytime they have lunch together in the cafeteria. Feng Mian was confused, she didn't think she was inferior to Ling Yue in any aspect.

But, as time passed by, she never saw their interaction like a couple. She never saw Bai Yutang pay attention to Ling Yue like a man towards the woman he liked. Feng Mian also never saw any girl around Bai Yutang.

She was confused, and glad at the same time. It means she still has a chance. She really likes this guy. He was cute and smart. Most importantly, he looks like a nice guy.

Unlike her father.

Feng Mian was born from a middle class family. Her father owned a few stores in the city, and her mother was an ordinary housewife. Her good look comes from her grandmother and her parents.

Her grandmother was an extremely beautiful woman. Unfortunately, her rich husband was not satisfied with her face. Or maybe her grandfather was just an ungrateful man. Even with a woman as beautiful as her grandmother, Feng Mian's grandfather has many mistresses, and children from his mistress.

Feng Mian's father was the youngest son from her grandmother. They dote on him too much. Luckily her grandfather is rich, so her father still can live leisurely and feed his children well even though he was a bad businessman.

His father earned money from the stores given to him, but he never could expand the business. Unlike his other siblings. Well, at least he was not bankrupt like Feng Mian's uncle. Thanks to these stores, Feng Mian still could live a decent life. Even though she did not live like her cousins who pampered like princesses.

His grandfather's debauchery seems to be a genetic inheritance, because his father also has many mistresses. Luckily his father is smart enough not to spread his seeds around. At least, Feng Mian never heard she had any stepbrothers or stepsisters from these mistresses.

Her parents fought a lot every time her mother found that her father had another mistress. Those fights will last for weeks until his father breaks up with his mistress. Then they will have a calm period before the storm repeats once more.

Sometimes Feng Mian wonder, why her father was so stupid to let her mother know about his infidelity. If he was smart enough, her mother will not know. Since her mother only stays at home and does her job as an excellent housewife, and a wonderful mother.

Her mother usually cries to her, and can only talk about her broken heart to Feng Mian. It was too humiliating to talk about her unfaithful husband to her parents. Moreover to other people. Her mother didn't have many friends. 

Since Feng Mian turned 10 years old, she already heard those miserable words from her mother's lips, accompanied with her mother's tears running like a waterfall to her pale cheeks.

"Feng Mian my daughter, you have to be a smart woman and you have to graduate from university. Don't let any man trample and ridicule you like your father did to me."

"Feng Mian my darling, you have to work, and earn your own money. Don't be like your mother, who needs to depend on your father."

"Feng Mian, never find a handsome man as your husband. Better you find an ordinary man who loves you, who adores you, and be faithful to you."

Feng Mian can only nod her head obediently to her mother's words. She took her extra lesson diligently, and studied well. It's a good thing that her brain was inherited from her mother.

Her mother used to be a star in her school days. She always got first rank, and very smart. But one day, her brother who was studying in university, introduced his friend to her. This man is so handsome, and wealthy. He was the youngest son of Mr. Feng, the one who had many mini markets and stores in their city.

Her mother only knows how to study, and never knows what it feels to be in love. This handsome man showering her with affection and gifts, blinding her. This gentleman picks her up from school everyday, making her friends envy her so much.

As a young girl, she knew nothing. She was lost in love, and gave this man her most precious thing she should have kept until they married. It was no surprise that she got pregnant. She was still in her first semester at that time, and had to drop out from university.

They were married, because her mother was pregnant with Feng Mian. Not because her father loves her mother and proposes to her.

It was a good thing that his father was still responsible and wanted to marry her mother. Maybe it was because her grandmother pushed him. As a woman who had an unfaithful man as her husband, her grandmother could relate to her mother. Both of them are women after all.

Her grandmother often said similar words like her mother. 

"Don't marry a wealthy man, just look for an ordinary man who is kind and loves you. A wealthy man tends to cheat on their wives."

When Feng Mian was still a young girl, no one thought she would be a pretty girl. Compared to her aunt and her cousin, she was the ugliest.

She was tall, but very skinny.

Her eyes are big, but too big for her small face.

Her skin is smooth, but dark. A result from her martial arts lessons. 

Her mother wanted her to be strong, so she was not trampled by those ungrateful bastards out there.

Her beautiful aunts and cousins sometimes laugh at her when they gather on Chinese New Year, or on any family occasion. Her clothes are not as good as them. She was once envious of them so much. She felt like an ugly duck among these swans. At first she looked at them in awe and used to follow their words, hoping she could be as pretty and as dazzling as they were.

But then, she started to see their real personality. Shallow girls who only think about their appearance. She was glad that her mother always flaunted her achievement at school in front of them.

Feng Mian holds her mother's words in her heart. Even though she was not pretty, at least she was smart. She always ranked first at school. She was the smartest among her cousins. And she was proud of that.

She starts to listen to her aunt and cousin with a blank face. Obediently nod her head like before, but no longer stupidly hung her mouth wide open in awe to hear their nonsense.

"Feng Mian, why is your hair so coarse? I'll give you the rose oil I used for my hair. It was very good, and not expensive."

'Yeah right, it was just your way to flaunt your wealth. That rose oil is more expensive than my monthly allowance.'

"Feng Mian, you should treat your hands and nails better. Look at these, aren't these very cute? Boys like girls with cute nails, you know?"

'I don't think there's anything wrong with my nails. And the teacher at school will chop my hands if I ever show up with those paints on my nails.'

"Feng Mian, i was so confused. There's four guys pursuing me. Oh i don't know which one i had to choose."

'Oops, it's time to run away. Before you start to talk about these four guys for three hours like last time we met.'

When Feng Mian was in her high school, suddenly she was changed. Because she needed to prepare for Gaokao1, she stopped her martial arts lesson. Her dark skin gradually returned to her original shade. A milky white jade.

Because she rarely goes out, her hair gradually smoothes and longer. Her breast also grows into a size that makes other girls envy her. Thanks to her martial arts lesson, her muscles are well defined and will turn every boy's head every time they see her walk.

Feng Mian was changed from an ugly duck, into the swan. Most of all, she also learned from the magazine how to dress, how to talk, how to smile. She learned how to apply thin makeup, and learn how to stand as a proud and confident woman.

With that help from magazines, her big eyes start to mesmerise every person she looks at. Her clear voice start to enchant every boy she talked to. Her soft lips start to bewitch every one she smiled to.

And still the things that make her proud was her brain, and her Gaokao score that definitely the highest among her cousins. So high until they were shut out and said nothing. Not even a single congratulatory word spoken from their mouth.

She received much attention from boys. In her first year in high school, she was charmed with this handsome boy. He was introduced by her friends. Feng Mian was studying in one of the best high schools in B city. This handsome and wealthy boy was not as smart as her, studying in the third rate high school.

He was very attentive to her. At that time, Feng Mian still feels like an ugly duck, not yet realizing her charm. She was drunk with his affection. This boy confessed his love to her, and she happily received that boy as her first lover. They were a couple for one month, before Feng Mian's friend told her that this boy already had a girlfriend.

Feng Mian was shocked, and tried to find the truth. Once she found out that this boy truly has a girlfriend before her, and still in relationship with her, she was raged. It means she was the other woman in their relationship.

She was ashamed, and broke up immediately. Since then, she has become paranoid with handsome and wealthy guys. Just like her mother told her, better to find an ordinary person but kind enough.

Someone that respects her as a woman, and loves her. Only her. For a lifetime.