"Mei Lin, could you help me with this math problem?" Xiao Fen’s voice was as sweet as ever, her expression hopeful as she slid her notebook across the desk.

"Sure, let me see." Mei Lin took the notebook and glanced at the equation, her pencil tracing over the numbers absent mindedly. This wasn’t the first time Xiao Fen had asked her for help, but she couldn’t remember a time when they’d just talked, like real friends would.

"Thanks! I knew I could count on you." Xiao Fen grinned, leaning back. "Honestly, Mei Lin, I don’t know how you do it. You’re smart, pretty, good at everything! Every guy here is practically in love with you!"

Mei Lin gave a polite smile, but the words struck something inside her. Smart, pretty, perfect…words that only painted her exterior. None of them knew what it felt like to be Mei Lin.

She let out a quiet sigh, looking out the window. Her thoughts wandered to her family. Home wasn’t exactly a comfort zone, either.

"Mei Lin, have you seen the new book Mom got Chen Yu?" her mother, Zhen Hua, had asked the other night, pride beaming in her voice as she flipped through pages filled with illustrations. "He's so lucky to have such a bright future ahead of him. You should be more like him, you know?"

The reminder had stung, but Mei Lin had merely nodded and forced a smile, like she always did. To her parents, Chen Yu, her younger brother, was their little prodigy, the one who would achieve everything they’d dreamed of.

"Mei Lin? Hello?" Xiao Fen’s voice brought her back to reality.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Got a bit distracted."

"Thinking about the career day tomorrow?" Ling Jie piped in, a hint of excitement in her voice. "I heard the chief guest is some big-shot doctor from the city. Imagine having a job like that!"

Career day. Mei Lin felt a pang in her chest at the thought. “I mean, I guess,” she mumbled, not wanting to reveal that she actually had no idea what she wanted to do.

"Oh, come on!" Xiao Fen nudged her playfully. "I bet you’ll end up being, like, a famous author or maybe a scientist. You can do anything, Mei Lin."

"Yeah…" Mei Lin said softly. "Anything."

As the bell rang, the other students filed out of the classroom, leaving Mei Lin to gather her things slowly. She walked through the hallways, past groups of friends chatting about their dreams, their goals, everything they were excited about. Mei Lin wished she could feel the same. Instead, she was left with a quiet envy she never spoke of.

When she got home, her mother was in the kitchen preparing dinner.

"Mei Lin," her mother called out without looking up, "did you remind Chen Yu about his piano lesson tonight? Your father’s counting on him to excel."

"Yes, Mom," Mei Lin replied, feeling a familiar sting. Even her responsibilities were centered around Chen Yu.

“Good.” Her mother’s voice softened, but it wasn’t for her. “We’re just so lucky to have a talented son.”

Mei Lin simply nodded and climbed the stairs to her room. She placed her bag down, looking at the walls covered in certificates and awards she’d earned over the years. Each one a piece of evidence of how hard she’d worked to earn their approval, only to feel invisible.

As Mei Lin sat by her window, she whispered to herself, “Maybe… maybe one day, I’ll figure out what I want to be.”

But for now, all she could do was keep pretending.

---

Mei Lin scrambled down the stairs, grabbing her bag in a rush. The clock showed 7:15—she was late, again. She barely had time to eat breakfast, let alone walk to school on foot. Her only hope was to catch the bus.

“Bye, Mom!” she called, but her mother’s voice drifted faintly from the kitchen, too absorbed in reminding Chen Yu about his homework to notice her departure.

Mei Lin ran to the bus stop, her heart pounding as she watched the bus pull away in the distance. She let out a sigh, knowing she’d have to wait for the next one, which meant she’d definitely be cutting it close. Standing there, her mind wandered to the career guidance program. Despite her own uncertainty about her future, she was excited. Maybe today, she’d hear something that would spark inspiration.

Just then, a small boy across the street suddenly fell to the ground. Mei Lin’s eyes widened as she watched, unsure of what to do.

Out of nowhere, a tall man appeared, rushing to the boy’s side. Without hesitation, he knelt and checked the boy’s breathing. Mei Lin watched, heart racing, as the man started performing CPR. Each movement was calm and sure, as though he’d done it a hundred times. The tension around the boy slowly faded as he began to respond, his color returning.

The boy’s mother, who had been nearby, rushed over in tears, hugging her son tightly as he began to stir. Mei Lin couldn’t tear her eyes away from the man. He was like a hero from a story, the kind that always seemed a little too good to be real.

“Wow…” she whispered to herself, captivated by his calm presence and skill. "He’s… amazing."

Before she knew it, her bus had arrived, and she quickly climbed aboard, still glancing back toward the man. Who was he? She couldn’t help but wonder.

When she arrived at school, the assembly hall buzzed with excitement. Students filled the rows, and Mei Lin found her seat with her friends Xiao Fen and Ling Jie. They were both chatting animatedly about the chief guest who’d been invited to speak. Rumor had it he was some well-known doctor from the city.

“Mei Lin! Did you know the chief guest saved a child once?” Ling Jie whispered, wide-eyed. “I heard he’s a real-life hero!”

Mei Lin’s thoughts instantly flew back to the man at the bus stop. Could it be… him?

The program started, and as the principal began introducing the chief guest, Mei Lin’s curiosity grew. “Today, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Wu Han, a renowned emergency doctor and expert in critical care…”

As the applause filled the room, Dr. Wu Han walked onto the stage. Mei Lin’s heart skipped a beat. It was him—the same tall, calm man she’d seen that morning.

“Its him,” she whispered, a sense of awe in her voice.

Dr. Wu began speaking, his voice carrying across the room with a warmth that made everyone lean in to listen. He spoke of the challenges and rewards of his career, describing moments that tested his resilience and compassion. Mei Lin could feel herself drawn to every word.

“For me,” he said, looking out over the crowd, “it was never just about a career—it was about knowing that every day, I’d have a chance to help someone in need. Saving lives became my dream, and it gives me purpose.”

His words hung in the air, and Mei Lin found herself lost in thought. For the first time, the idea of having a purpose felt real, tangible. She didn’t have to be a doctor, but maybe… she could find something that gave her life the same kind of meaning.

As Dr. Wu left the stage, the students clapped enthusiastically, but Mei Lin sat quietly, feeling a shift within herself.