Chapter Two
The drive from the City South High-Speed Rail Station to the North Star Lake Villa area took almost two hours, but it wasn’t awkward at all.
Pei Yue was a very enthusiastic and fashionable elder, she knew everything that was currently popular.
After only a short time in the car, Shen Xingruo was pulled into taking selfies together. After they finished taking pictures, Pei Yue took out a photo editing app that was popular among Instagram influencers and taught Shen Xingruo some tips and tricks while editing their photos.
By the time they got off the car, it was already late at night. A gentle night breeze blew from the North Star Lake, and as they looked around, they could see the low-rise and scattered villas by the lake, with cobblestone paths winding into the flower-decorated iron gates. The English-style courtyard and streetlights created a warm yellow glow, and Shen Xingruo couldn’t help but think of the one-legged lamp that would bow to people in “Spirited Away.”
Speaking of which, Pei Yue was also like a one-legged lamp, constantly emitting goodwill to her, who had come alone to a strange city.
Driver Liu helped with the luggage, while Pei Yue led her into the house.
The Lu family’s house was a three-story detached villa with a lawn, a swimming pool, and a small garden outside. The interior decoration was different from what Shen Xingruo had imagined in terms of luxury, but it was exquisite and warm, with a very homey feel.
Pei Yue led her around, introducing every detail inside and outside the house. “After dinner, you can take a walk by the lake. There’s also a music hall, an art center, and the Star City Library moved over here last year, and it only takes seven or eight minutes to walk there.”
“Your room is on the third floor, and I’ve already arranged everything for you. By the way, you can see the North Star Lake from your room, and it’s very comfortable to open the window and let in the natural breeze at night. Come, let me show you your room.”
“Aunt Pei, you don’t have to go through so much trouble.”
Shen Xingruo was pulled upstairs and realized that the situation was not quite what she had imagined. She had originally thought that she was just a guest at the Lu family’s house for two days and would move into the dormitory once the school started, but now…
“Just treat this place as your own home and don’t be too formal. Although etiquette requires us to offer accommodations, there won’t be any extra classes on weekends for high school sophomores. After school on Fridays, I’ll have driver Liu come and pick you up,” Pei Yue sighed. “I’ve always wanted a daughter, but I had some health problems when I gave birth before, and now I’m getting old.”
She paused for a moment before laughing, “Your dad said he would send you here before the new year, and I waited for you day and night. Finally, you’re here. Your Uncle Lu is busy, and Lu Xingyan isn’t attentive enough. Look at him, he went out with his friends during winter break and disappeared for ten days or half a month. He only texted me after he returned, asking me to pick him up. I didn’t even bother to respond.”
“Lu Xingyan,” Shen Xingruo repeated the name in her mind.
Pei Yue opened the door and waved at her, “Come over here and take a look at your room.”
Shen Xingruo walked to the door as instructed.
The room was filled with a dreamy combination of pink and white, and the decor was not too flashy. On the table was a crystal vase with a few fresh and delicate lilies, as if welcoming the new owner. The room was also equipped with a white Steinway grand piano in the shade.
“No one in our family can play the piano. It used to be a decoration in the living room, but Uncle Lu specially instructed someone to move it here for you. Do you like it?” Pei Yue said.
She used to have a Steinway grand piano too, but she hadn’t seen it for a long time, so it was particularly familiar.
Shen Xingruo nodded, “Thank you, Aunt Pei. Thank you, Uncle Lu.”
“What’s with the thank yous? You’re just too polite,” Pei Yue looked at Shen Xingruo with loving eyes, unable to hide her smile.
Everything Pei Yue had said before was true. She had always wanted a daughter, after all, a daughter was a close-knit little cotton jacket. As for her son, he was barely even a pair of long johns. Compared to Shen Xingruo, this beautiful, well-behaved, well-mannered, and intelligent young girl, it was as if she had been given a down jacket on a silver platter.
Considering that Shen Xingruo had been traveling all day, Pei Yue didn’t say much more and just asked her to wash up and rest early.
Shen Xingruo agreed and escorted Pei Yue to the door before gently closing it. It seemed that no one else in the Lu family was home, so she leaned against the door for a while before closing it completely.
At 10:15 pm, at the Zhangling Sports Center in Star City, the “Say I Love You” national concert tour of the popular idol singer Lin Yu ended abruptly 15 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Lin Yu had already left the venue quickly under the arrangement of his team, leaving behind chaos and cries of despair inside the sports center.
The wine-red glow sticks that represented Lin Yu’s fan support were thrown all over the place, torn hand banners and broken lights lay scattered on the ground, creating a mess.
Finally squeezing out of the sports center, several boys felt a sense of relief as if they had survived a disaster. They looked up and took deep breaths of fresh air, but they still couldn’t escape the deafening noise of the concert.
Chen Zhu was so angry that she tore her t-shirt with her bare hands and shouted, “I don’t want to like him anymore! After all the effort I put into camping for a VIP ticket, I have to see him proposing to other women! Aaaaaah!”
The white concert merchandise t-shirt she bought at the entrance for 81 yuan was of good quality and didn’t tear easily, but Chen Zhu bit and pulled at it for a long time, causing her carefully crafted hairstyle to come undone, and she wailed and trembled in perfect demonstration of what it meant to be a crazy fan.
Several other girls, who were also genuine fans and girlfriend fans of Lin Yu, were already in tears and had blurred vision. They wiped their tears and snot with tissues.
One of the girls shouted in agreement, “But that woman is so mean-looking! Why is she with Mu Mu? Aaaaaah, I’m so angry! How could he do this?!”
“Exactly! She’s even five years older than Mu Mu! I’m going crazy!!”
Bian He, who was always honest, pushed his glasses and muttered quietly to Xu Chengzhou next to him, “Didn’t they praise the male lead for singing and confessing to the female lead during the concert in that movie we watched a few days ago?”
The girls jumped up and down in unison, “Shut up!”
Bian He instantly quieted down like a yellow braised chicken.
Xu Chengzhou was speechless, “I mean, are you guys ever going to stop?”
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