“University C毕业 is so impressive, huh.” Sitting next to Mason Scott, May immediately grumbled in dissatisfaction. She had always been at odds with Taylor Jensen, and now she was egging on Ruby, “Ruby, why don’t you take it? Why let someone like her steal the spotlight?”

Perhaps because she was too aloof and always in the limelight, Taylor Jensen wasn’t very popular at the magazine, and quite a few senior colleagues intentionally or unintentionally isolated her. Ruby and Mason Scott had always stayed out of it, and now Ruby just jokingly declined, “No way, if I take this, my boyfriend will definitely suspect I’m cheating.” She glanced at the handsome guy’s photo, “Huh, why does that Handsome Mitchell look so familiar to me? Mason Scott, don’t you think so?”

Mason Scott forced a smile. “All the handsome guys in the world look familiar to you.”

While they were talking, the editor-in-chief had already decided on Taylor Jensen. “Jensen, I’ll leave this to you, then. I trust you’ll do a great job. Haha, I wonder if this counts as using a beauty trap.” The editor-in-chief joked.

Everyone burst out laughing, and a male colleague teased, “If our Miss Taylor can win over that lawyer, maybe our magazine can save on legal fees in the future.”

“Ash... Ash?” The editor-in-chief called her.

“Huh? What?”

“This feature’s photography part is pretty easy. Try to make some time to cooperate with Jensen.”

Mason Scott was taken aback, unable to find a suitable excuse to refuse, so she could only nod and agree for now, planning to swap with Old Ben later in private.

She probably wasn’t suited to appear in front of him.

Currently, the only overlap in work between Mason Scott and Taylor Jensen was a column called “White Collar Apartments,” which introduced the living environments of single white-collar workers as a way to discuss their lifestyle. Mason Scott was in charge of photography, and Taylor Jensen handled the writing. That morning, after wrapping up work, Taylor Jensen said, “Let’s have lunch together, but I’ve invited a friend. You don’t mind, do you?”

“You have a friend, I’d better head back first.” Mason Scott felt a bit awkward.

“It’s fine. If you go back alone, it’ll be hard to get the cab fare reimbursed.”

Since Taylor Jensen put it that way, Mason Scott could only nod.

It wasn’t until they got to the restaurant that Taylor Jensen’s friend turned out to be Grace Miller, the female host of “Legal Time.”

“Senior, this is my colleague Mason Morgan, she’s the photographer for this interview. Ash, this is my senior from the journalism department at University C, Grace Miller, who now hosts ‘Legal Time.’”

“Hello.” Grace Miller nodded gracefully in greeting.

“Hello.” Mason Scott returned the greeting, feeling the urge to leave. The world really was small.

Grace Miller was the typical elegant white-collar beauty—fashionably dressed, poised, always wearing a host’s friendly smile. After a bit of small talk, she got to the point: “Jensen, you said your magazine wants to interview Ian Mitchell?”

Taylor Jensen nodded. “Yes, senior, could you help connect us?”

“Connect you? Why do you need me? Don’t you already know each other?”

“We just co-hosted a freshman welcome party a few years ago, that’s all. He graduated soon after, and he probably doesn’t even remember my name now.” A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes, and seeing her wistful expression, Mason Scott felt a pang in her heart.

“You never know, beauties always leave a deep impression.” Grace Miller teased.

“Senior!” Taylor Jensen protested, “Will you help or not?”

“I’ll help, I’ll help.” Grace Miller still smiled ambiguously. “But Ian Mitchell doesn’t have a girlfriend yet, so you’d better seize the opportunity. Don’t let a good catch slip away—he’s a real golden bachelor, and his character is impeccable. I guarantee it.”

“Senior! Don’t talk nonsense in front of my colleague!”

“Alright, I’ll stop.” Grace Miller finally remembered there was someone else present. “Miss Morgan, don’t mind us, we always joke around like this.”

“Oh, it’s fine.” Mason Scott smiled faintly and lowered her head to stir her coffee.

“Jensen, what made your magazine decide to do this?”

“Senior, if a magazine featured a young, successful, handsome graduate from a prestigious university, would you buy it?”

“I’d buy it—secretly, so my husband wouldn’t know.” Grace Miller played along. “But Jensen, knowing Ian Mitchell’s personality, he probably wouldn’t want to appear in a women’s magazine. You have no idea how hard it was for me to get him to be a guest host back then.” She paused, hesitating a little. “But then again, maybe... he’d be willing to stand in a prominent place.” She sounded uncertain.

Mason Scott’s hand stirring the coffee suddenly froze. Taylor Jensen glanced at her and asked Grace Miller, “Senior, how did you persuade him back then?”

“Back then...”

Grace Miller recalled the first time she met that young alumnus who had just made a name for himself in the legal world. When she proposed a collaboration, his usually calm expression seemed a bit dazed and distracted. She vaguely remembered hearing him say, “Does this count as standing in a prominent place?”

There was another time that made her feel this young lawyer might not be as reserved and low-key as people said. He once asked her about the show’s ratings, and she casually told him it was quite high for that type of program.

Then she heard him mutter softly, “That means a lot of people will see...”

“Yes, a lot of people will see.” She had echoed him at the time. Thinking back now, maybe this lawyer actually liked public attention?

“Maybe he’ll agree. I’ll talk to him for you.” Grace Miller finally said.

The restaurant wasn’t accessible by taxi; they had to cross a plaza. At this time, the plaza was the most crowded, with many companies setting up promotional booths.

Taylor Jensen noticed Mason Scott was walking slower and slower, and couldn’t help urging, “Hurry up, we’re almost late for work.”

“Oh.”

Seeing her distracted look, Taylor Jensen couldn’t help but ask, “What are you thinking about?”

“Huh?” As if startled awake, Mason Scott’s tone was a bit downcast. “Nothing, just remembered that I once got separated from a classmate here and searched for him for a long time before I found him. I told him, if I couldn’t find him again, I’d have to climb up on the display stage.”

“Why?”

“He asked me that too.” Mason Scott gave a sad little smile. “I said, since I couldn’t find you, I’d have to stand somewhere obvious so you could find me.”

Did Ian Mitchell appear on TV hoping she’d see him and come find him? This time, is it his turn to stand in a prominent place?

Or is she just being self-indulgent again?

“The person you like?” Taylor Jensen asked.

Mason Scott didn’t answer. After a long while, Taylor Jensen seemed to hear her say, “...someone I really liked.”

Chapter Five: Looking Back

In the days that followed, Mason Scott was out on location shoots and didn’t ask about the interview again. She had already arranged with Old Ben to swap CASEs, so it shouldn’t concern her anymore.

The shoot went smoothly that day, and Mason Scott returned to the magazine early. While washing her hands in the restroom, she was pulled aside by Amy and a few other female colleagues for some gossip.

“Ash, you probably won’t have to do that elite man’s interview anymore.”

“Why?”

“Taylor Jensen didn’t even get to meet him—she was rejected outright. It’s hilarious. She talked so big before, and now she’s embarrassed.” Amy sounded a bit gloating.

“Yeah, I heard she called the law firm, but only the assistant answered, saying Lawyer Mitchell was sick.”

“Sick?” Mason Scott was about to leave, but stopped in her tracks when she heard that. “Is that true?”

“Of course not. I saw him on a show just yesterday.”

Those shows are usually pre-recorded. Ian Mitchell, could he really be sick?

Sitting in the office, she still felt uneasy, and after a while, she laughed at herself. Mason Morgan, what right do you have to care about him now? It’s not your place anymore.

“Ash, phone call!” Old Ben transferred the call to her. “I think they already called twice this morning.”

“Okay, I’ll take it.” Mason Scott picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Is this Mason Morgan?” A gentle male voice came from the other end. “This is Henry Wilson.”

She arranged to meet Henry Wilson at a café in the east of the city called “Silent Realm.”

After a bit of small talk, Henry Wilson said, “You’re really hard to find. Luckily, Ian Mitchell once mentioned you work as a photographer at a magazine.”

Seeing Mason Scott look at him in surprise, Henry Wilson smiled. “What’s with that look? Is it so strange for Ian Mitchell to mention you?” Ian Mitchell really wouldn’t say much, but with Old Wilson, the middle-aged gossip in their group, you could always dig up some tidbits.

A waiter came over with the menu.

After ordering drinks, Henry Wilson got to the point. “You’re probably wondering why I asked you out.”

It was indeed strange. Although Mason Scott knew the handsome, refined man in front of her, they weren’t close. For a long time, her impression of him was just “one of Ian Mitchell’s roommates,” and she wasn’t even sure of his name. Until one time, she went out for hotpot with their dorm group. It was supposed to be a couples’ event, but only Henry Wilson was single. Someone teased him, “Henry Wilson, even Ian Mitchell has been taken, how long are you going to stay a bachelor?”

Henry Wilson sighed, “Easy for you to say. Where am I supposed to find a Mason Morgan who’s brave, persistent, and never gives up to win me over?” His tone was full of playful teasing.