When Worlds Apart Collide

Back when I was 20, I supported a girlfriend.

I paid for her education and even found the best doctors for her mother, who had cancer. The sweet, brilliant girl stayed with me for four years.

However, my family went bankrupt after my parents died. I even injured my eyes and broke my legs.

I watched her have a heart-to-heart talk with her childhood friend, tears in her eyes. I left without a word, and she never sought me out.

Years later, I saw her again while picking up trash outside a hotel. She had become a wealthy CEO and was about to marry her childhood sweetheart. Her gaze at me was cold and indifferent.

I bitterly asked, "Do you still hate me?"

Yet, with tears streaming down her face, she replied, "Yes… I wish you were dead."

Back when I was 30, I became homeless, picking up trash for a living.

That day, I was picking up trash on the streets with a woven sack as usual.

It was only 10:00 AM, but that street was particularly lively. Yet, everyone who walked past me would cover their nose in disgust.

I knew they despised me, but I had long been used to this sort of gaze.

Slightly lowering my head, I continued picking up trash from a trash can in front of a hotel.

The trash reeked, but I still rummaged through it, wearing rough gloves and straining on tiptoe.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the hotel entrance.

A luxury car slowly pulled up at the hotel entrance. The staff stood in a line, hands clasped before them, greeting the guests with utmost respect.

The next second, a familiar figure got out of the car.

I narrowed my eyes, and the moment I made out that face, a sharp jolt ran through my chest. I almost lost hold of the bag in my hands.

It was Joey Taylor.

Joey wore a custom-made wool coat, the tiny gems on her high heels were like sparkling stars beneath her feet, while priceless jewels swayed around her ears.

She was still as beautiful as she was 6 years ago, but her face now bore the proud bearing of a noble.

A man was standing beside her. It was Marcus Gray, Joey's childhood friend.

Marcus wore a perfectly-tailored suit, and the watch on his wrist gleamed in the sunlight.

Perhaps the drive tired her out, Joey seemed quite exhausted, and even her long brown hair was a little messy.

Marcus gently tucked her loose hair behind her ear. Then, he held her hand, and they smiled at each other.

Their lovey-dovey scene was like a thin needle stabbing into my heart.

Nonetheless, I still kept my eyes wide open, greedily taking in every view of Joey's face. I knew this might be the last chance I'd see Joey in real life.

She was now a CEO and one of the wealthiest people in the world. She was no longer a person living in the same world as me.

Soon, she'd be moving her company headquarters overseas, and moving overseas with Marcus.

If I wanted to see her, I could only see her through public advertisement screens, and only know about her situation through the news.

Thinking about this, my heart hurt so badly that I could barely breathe.

Not far away, Joey straightened up, then bent down again to carry a little girl about 5 years old out of the car.

The little girl had just woken up, rubbing her eyes while calling out to her, "Mom!"

I stood in the corner, feeling the cold wind blowing through my tattered cotton jacket, then piercing into my heart.

When I saw Marcus gently protecting Joey and her daughter, tears welled up in my eyes.

It turned out that their kid was already this big.

"Are you crazy?"

A strong force rushed toward me. It turned out that while I was looking at Joey, I had subconsciously taken a few steps toward her.

I ended up bumping into a security guard and stepping onto his polished leather shoes.

I staggered a little, then finally fell onto the ground from the heavy shove.

With a loud crash, the soda cans in my woven sack all rolled out.

The security guard I had bumped into saw the footprint on his polished shoes and kicked me in a fit of rage.

I curled up helplessly, guarding the most fragile part of my body.

The commotion on our side drew everyone's attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Joey and Marcus looking in my direction as well.

I quickly wrapped my arms around my head, covering my face. I was afraid that Joey would recognize me. I didn't want her to see how I had become a beggar, someone anyone could bully.

The security guard's kick landed on my soft abdomen, and the pain made me break out in cold sweat. A cry of agony escaped my lips, but I quickly bit my lips together to silence myself.

As Joey saw this scene, her brows furrowed and she strode toward me with the little girl in her arms.

My heart was in my throat. Did Joey recognize me? The thought alone made me feel uncomfortable, and a sudden feeling of inferiority washed over me.

The sound of Joey's footsteps came closer, and the unease in my heart grew along with it. An overwhelming sense of humiliation engulfed me, filling me with the urge to escape.

However, the moment I tried to get up, a crushing pain spread throughout my body, as if I had just been run over by a car.

While I was still figuring out what to do, Joey had appeared in front of me.

Joey looked at the security guard sternly. "How could you hit someone?"

Under Joey's sharp gaze, the security guard's face turned bright red, and he apologized repeatedly.

After warning the security guard not to let it happen again, she reached out her hand, wanting to help me up.

I stayed on the ground, burying my face deep in my arms. Those were the hands I had once longed for so desperately, yet I didn't dare touch them.

At that moment, Marcus had finished giving his instructions and walked over to Joey, breaking the tension. "What happened?"

The security guard quickly explained everything.

Marcus furrowed his brows as he looked at me. His eyes were filled with disgust and disdain, as if looking at plain trash.

He said to Joey, "You shouldn't blame the security guard. This is a luxury five-star hotel, so having a beggar here would only hurt the hotel's reputation."

Hearing Marcus' words, Joey frowned. The little girl in her arms suddenly said in a childish tone, "Mom, this person is so weird! His whole body is trembling. He's so pitiful."

It was at that moment that I realized my body couldn't help but tremble.

Joey seemed like she still wanted to say something, but Marcus interrupted her. "The weather is cold, so bring Nina in. She only recovered from her cold. I'll handle things over here, okay?

"Although this person is affecting the hotel's image, hitting someone is never acceptable… I'll give him proper compensation."

Hearing Marcus' words, Joey finally felt at ease and left with the little girl in her arms.

Once Joey left, Marcus put away the warm expression on his face. He took out two 100-dollar bills and lightly tossed them to me, then turned around and left.

These two light bills weighed like two mountains, suffocating me.

My hands trembled as I picked up the 200 dollars, then stuffed them into my pocket.

… I had nothing left, so pride was no longer important.

Joey didn't walk into the hotel as the little girl in her arms was attracted by the two potted plants by the entrance. Joey held the little girl patiently with a gentle smile on her face.

I stared at her in silence, the wind carrying away the tears on my face.

I suddenly remembered the first time I saw Joey.

She was out under the blazing sun, wearing a heavy mascot costume. She sat in a corner of the mall, her hair soaked with sweat, gulping down bottle after bottle of water. Although she was exhausted, the light in her eyes shone like stars.

I was captivated by the starlight in that girl's eyes. I watched her put her headpiece back on, then continued interacting with passing customers.

As the mall was about to close, she suddenly walked up to me and gave me a lollipop.

I took it anyway, and instinctively peeled away the brightly colored wrapper.

The weather was hot, so the lollipop had melted a little, yet it still had the usual cheap taste as it hit my tongue. It was cloyingly sweet, yet strangely intoxicating.

I later learned that Joey was a university freshman, a poor student who had just left the mountains. Her father had died early, and she had a sick mother at home. The tuition fees and her mother's medical bills had all landed on Joey's frail shoulders.

Nonetheless, she always had a smile on her face and never complained about the unfairness of the world. She quietly accepted society's prejudices and injustices.

I gradually started to have feelings for her. I would visit her part-time workplace and act as if I were also a hardworking student.

However, I had grown up without worry and lived a life of comfort, so I naturally couldn't get used to this type of work.

When I accidentally broke a plate, Joey looked at me with worry. At first, I thought she was afraid of being dragged down by my mistake since we were on the same team. Surprisingly, she quietly cleaned up the mess and even paid the fine for me.

Joey even comforted me and said, "It's alright. Just be careful next time."

Her clean, gentle smile touched a soft spot in my heart.

I never told her that I was the sole heir of the Smiths. I was scared that she would treat me like everyone else, flattering me because of my background and wealth.

As we spent more time together day after day, I found myself caring for her even more. Until one day, I realized that just hearing the name "Joey Taylor" would bring an inexplicable sweetness to my heart. I knew that I had fallen for this pure, friendly girl.

However, I saw her hugging a boy in a plain white shirt and sharing a small cake when I arrived at her dormitory one day. It was only then that I learned that she had a childhood friend.

He was her first love, the one she liked. They had promised they would start dating after graduation, once they could support themselves.

Seeing the happiness and ment on Joey's face, I forced a bitter smile, quietly left, and quit my part-time job.

I thought our connection had ended there. Yet, when I passed by a hospital one day, I heard Joey's heart-wrenching cries.