When Worlds Apart Collide

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.

I followed the sound of her cries, walked into the hospital, and found her at a corner. Joey was hugging her knees and wailing on the floor.

In her hands were a critical illness notice and a medical bill. Her face was pale, and her lips were tightly pursed. The light in her eyes was long gone, completely replaced by despair.

The way she was crying so miserably did not look good at all.

Seeing how sad Joey was made me feel really uncomfortable.

Her mother's critical illness needed a large sum of money. What was worse was that she didn't have any connections.

Joey cried so hard that she was shaking and retching. Her hands trembled as she took out her phone and called a loan shark.

I heard her say that she was willing to do anything, even if it meant becoming a collateral or selling her body. As long as she could get the money, she was willing to do absolutely anything.

I finally couldn't bear the pain in my heart and slapped her phone away.

Joey's eyes were filled with shock when she saw me.

Seeing how fragile she looked, I mustered up the courage and hugged her. She didn't struggle, but simply grabbed my sleeves and burst into tears.

Joey was really skinny. She kept asking me what she should do.

Listening to her cries, it was the first time I felt lucky for having the wealth and power to help her.

I patted her long black hair and said gently, "Don't worry, I'll help you."

When Joey's mother was transferred to a luxury ward and surrounded by famous doctors, Joey finally let out a sigh of relief.

She looked at me with a face brimming with gratitude. Instead of blaming me for hiding my identity, she repeatedly thanked me.

However, Joey's mother's condition was very critical, and she had to be in constant, meticulous care. Every time Joey saw the medical bills, her face would turn pale.

I looked at her and suddenly said, "Joey.

"I don't need you to write a promissory note. I really like you, so please be my girlfriend.

"I can let you continue studying and find the best doctor for your mother."

With the Smiths' status, I had gotten everything I wanted since I was a child, so nobody had taught me the proper way to confess to a girl.

That was also why I had no idea how much my words had devastated Joey. Back then, I watched as Joey stayed silent for a long time before finally nodding and agreeing to be with me.

Lost in happiness, I didn't notice Joey's disappointed gaze.

Once we were a couple, she always treated me with care. She never asked for anything, but would also never reject the luxurious cars and jewelry I gave her.

I thought we would continue living happily together, but it seemed like God didn't want my life to be smooth sailing.

While my parents were on a business trip, they got into an accident and died on the spot.

The company's stocks tumbled overnight. Once the Smiths went bankrupt, I was thrown out of the house by wicked relatives. Then, I got my leg broken and my eyes injured by thugs.

When I was deep in despair, I suddenly thought of Joey's smile.

However, when I arrived at Joey's place, I saw her and Marcus having a heart-to-heart talk, tears welling up in their eyes. I finally understood everything.

I used the little amount of money I had left and bought a train ticket to the South.

The Joey in my memories and the one before me gradually overlapped.

I felt the chill all over my body, and though I couldn't bear to look away from Joey, I still staggered away.

If I continued to stay there, I'd die.

My vision turned blurry after only taking a few steps, and I collapsed heavily on the ground.

As I sank into darkness, it felt as if I caught a glimpse of Joey's anxious expression.

When I finally woke up, I found myself lying on a hospital bed.

Seeing that I was awake, the doctor gave me a check-up and said sternly, "Due to your irregular diet and long-term consumption of unhealthy food, your digestive tract was bleeding, and your stomach was filled with pus. If you don't get proper treatment soon, it could develop into cancer.

"Moreover, your legs haven't been properly treated. You might only be limping now, but in the future, you'd risk losing both legs!"

I clenched my pocket, which still contained the two 100-dollar bills.

I was well aware of what the doctor said. However, simply surviving was hard enough for me, let alone getting treatment.

Perhaps in another year or two, I'd need to resort to begging on the streets.

Looking at the doctor's stern expression, I couldn't help but recall what happened earlier when I ran into Joey and Marcus.

My once numbed heart throbbed faintly with pain, and a long-lost sense of dignity suddenly welled up within me.

My face flushed with embarrassment as I said, "I don't have much money, so can you just prescribe some cheap painkillers?"

The doctor frowned and, with a helpless look, wrote me a prescription.

I hobbled my way to the pharmacy, only to find that even the cheapest painkillers cost about 70 dollars. I stood in silence for a long time before walking out of the hospital.

Then, I picked up some cheap painkillers for 15 dollars from a small clinic by the road. That was enough. It'd last me quite a few days.

With a wretched life like mine, I'd just do whatever I could.

Night fell, and snowflakes drifted from the sky.

I squatted under a dim streetlamp, wrapping myself tightly in my tattered cotton jacket.

While wondering where I could spend the night, I swallowed a pill, washing it down with snow.

As it slid down, my throat churned, and the cold snow I gulped spread a bitter taste into my stomach.

The pain in my legs was unbearable, and my stomach felt as if it were burning.

Exhausted, I collapsed headfirst into the snow.

The icy flakes brought a bit of clarity to my muddled mind, but my face burned with heat.

Maybe I got a fever. What bad luck. How'd I have the money to treat it?

I sank weakly to my knees on the ground, while snowflakes fell onto my head and shoulders.

All I felt was cold, and yet unbearably hot. Maybe I wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

Who knew that I'd be able to see Joey during the last moments of my life? Being able to see her happy was not bad either. It seemed like she had become even happier and after leaving me.

I let out a slow breath. A faint sound echoed in my ears, soon swallowed by the heavy snow.

However, the snowflakes were no longer falling on me. Had the snow stopped?

My vision darkened again, and I instinctively lifted my head. It was Joey, standing behind me with an umbrella.

People said that you'd see the person you longed for the most before you die… Apparently, it was true… It seemed like I could finally see the one I loved before my death.

My dry lips cracked into a faint smile.

Joey let out a sigh and said, "It's been six years since we last met, so have a meal with me."

I quickly snapped back to my senses. This wasn't an illusion. The Joey standing before me was the real deal.