Chapter 145: Where is My Girlfriend?
Lian Li sat cross-legged, accepted the scriptures handed to her by the monk, lowered her gaze, and her fair, jade-like fingers held the corner of the page, turning it with extreme gentleness and slowness.
“You’re the only one who can calm your heart to worship Buddha with me.” Mrs. Lu beside her had her eyes slightly closed, not opening them, yet she clearly knew who the other person was.
Mrs. Lu’s father had served in Taipei, and she had lived with her father in Taipei, so Taipei was considered her second hometown.
Therefore, she felt an instant connection with Lian Li a few years ago.
Mrs. Lu’s two children.
Lu Hansheng, as the person in power of the Lu Family, was surrounded by power and lived an extravagant and decadent life; he did not believe in Buddha, let alone worship him.
Lu Yan Ying, a little princess, came from a legal background, and her dream was to be the head of the court; she preferred reading legal texts to scriptures.
Lian Li’s fingertips lightly lifted the yellowed scripture paper, tilted her head slightly to look at Mrs. Lu, a faint smile on her face, “I can’t sit still, so I can’t be Professor Lu’s student.”
A mathematician in the field of theoretical mathematics cannot solve the world’s problem of the “Calabi Conjecture” without a stable mind.
“She came to Shanghai last month to attend an academic seminar, but unfortunately, we didn’t meet,” Mrs. Lu brushed her red sandalwood prayer beads, her tone calm.
“You and the Professor both have each other in your hearts,” Lian Li lowered her gaze, a few strands of hair falling onto her swan-like neck, “The Professor also said it was a pity he didn’t meet you.”
She spoke softly, her voice pleasant, her speech always unhurried and very organized.
The temple halls were surrounded by a faint scent of sandalwood and soft Buddhist music. Mrs. Lu never opened her eyes and continued to chat with Lian Li about everyday matters.
Mrs. Lu had tried to set up Jin Yan Ting with Lu Yan Ying, and also Lian Li with Lu Hansheng.
Unfortunately, none of the four were interested, and Lu Yan Ying liked Jin Shi Yue.
Mrs. Lu was well aware that these individuals all had their own agendas. While arranged marriages were out of the question, they couldn’t be allowed to do as they pleased.
Although freedom of love and marriage was advocated during their time abroad, with current interests at stake, ideology had to take a backseat.
However, the Lu Family could manage Lu Hansheng and Lu Yan Ying, but they couldn’t interfere with the Jin Family’s affairs.
Given Jin Yan Ting’s status and position, his personal visit was already a sign of condescension, considering the long-standing friendship between the two families.
In the past, when the Crown Prince made private tours, which local officials didn’t eagerly fawn over and serve him?
Half an hour later, Lian Li helped Mrs. Lu step over the threshold as they left the main hall.
The thresholds of ancient temple halls were very particular; they could only be stepped over, not on.
The ancient temple was vast and empty, with the sound of the Great Compassion Mantra faintly emanating from the bell tower, becoming clearer as they approached.
Lian Li helped Mrs. Lu as they walked and talked towards the vegetarian restaurant. Nanhua Temple’s vegetarian noodles were a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage; the taste was light yet a delight to the palate.
The bodyguards who had been waiting outside the hall followed them at a distance.
Passing through the ancient corridor, they were about to reach the vegetarian restaurant when, at a turn, Lian Li caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in her peripheral vision, and she paused almost imperceptibly.
Mrs. Lu waved to a servant and asked where Mr. Jin and the young master and lady were, instructing them to be called over for a meal.
Lian Li heard that the location was not far from here and smiled brightly, “I’ll go.”
Those noble young masters had bad tempers; a servant might not be able to persuade them.
Mrs. Lu nodded and let her go.
Lian Li turned and walked towards the back of the temple courtyard with unhurried steps, like a passerby.
However, she hadn’t expected to see such a scene.
Lu Hansheng’s face was shrouded in a cold, fierce gloom as he stared intently at his younger sister, Lu Yan Ying, who was not far away, and walked towards her step by step.
“Lu Yan Ying!”
His temples throbbed, his eyes were dark, with a hint of red, he took the cigarette from his mouth, threw it on the ground, and impatiently crushed it out.
Lu Yan Ying hid behind a tall figure, scared, and whispered, “I’m not here, I’m not here.”
Lian Li’s apricot eyes sparkled like stars. She took two steps forward before she could clearly see who was standing in front of Lu Yan Ying.
—Jin Shi Yue.
Why was he here?
Lu Hansheng’s brows showed a hint of ferocity. He grabbed Lu Yan Ying, “Others don’t turn back until they hit a brick wall, but you hit a brick wall and are still grateful, refusing to stop until you’re dead!”
He dragged Lu Yan Ying, whose pupils were wide with shock, and pulled his own sister from behind Jin Shi Yue.
As if sensing something, Jin Shi Yue lightly raised his chin and casually looked towards the eaves.
Falling leaves fluttered in the wind. Lian Li and Jin Shi Yue each raised their eyelids, their gazes meeting in the fine incense mist, intertwining for a moment before silently looking away.
The gentle breeze stirred her smooth long hair, like thick, beautiful seaweed from the ocean. Her dark, bright eyes were soft and calm.
Jin Yan Ting returned after finishing his phone call and saw Lian Li standing quietly by the corridor, looking at something.
He followed her gaze.
Lu Hansheng’s face was tense, as hard as stone, his eyes dark and gloomy, his brows deeply furrowed:
“When has he ever lacked women? Countless women throw themselves at him. We dote on and protect you so you can cling to men?”
Lu Yan Ying pouted, “You speak so nastily, always talking about clinging to men. Am I a band-aid?”
Lu Hansheng’s face was frosty, grinding his molars, looking like he was disappointed in her.
Beside them, Jin Shi Yue stood with his hands in his pockets, his tall figure in a lazy posture, appearing indifferent and languid.
“Why are you standing here?” Jin Yan Ting walked towards Lian Li and asked her.
Lian Li came back to her senses, her autumn-water eyes sparkling, “Mrs. Lu is in the vegetarian restaurant, I came to call you to eat noodles.”
The three people over there noticed them and looked over.
Jin Shi Yue narrowed his long, narrow eyes, his gaze faintly sweeping over Lian Li and Jin Yan Ting.
“Brother, Brother Shi Yue is here to visit Auntie, not me,” Lu Yan Ying said with a bright smile, “I wish he would come to see me, but he’s not.”
Lu Hansheng looked around and picked a fault, “Visiting Auntie, why are you running here instead of the back of the temple?”
Jin Shi Yue’s expression was cold, and he opened his lips with arrogant disdain, “Stupid.”
“You old bastard,” Lu Hansheng cursed and rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight Jin Shi Yue.
Lu Yan Ying quickly grabbed her brother, “Brother, Brother, we just saw Auntie, and Auntie asked me to see the guests off. We met you when we walked here. He really came to visit Auntie, you can ask Auntie if you don’t believe me!”
Only then did Lu Hansheng back down.
Seeing that they had temporarily calmed down, Lian Li took the opportunity to say that Mrs. Lu was waiting for them at the vegetarian restaurant for noodles.
Lu Yan Ying, being lively, immediately turned to Jin Shi Yue and asked, “Brother Shi Yue, are you hungry?”
“Lu Yan Ying,” Lu Hansheng uttered the three words through gritted teeth in a low voice.
“Guests are guests,” Lu Yan Ying used a provocative tactic, “Brother, you wouldn’t be afraid to be with Brother Shi Yue because you can’t beat him, would you?”
The Jin and Lu families were on good terms, and the two siblings of the Lu family and the two brothers of the Jin family had a close relationship since childhood. It was just that Lu Yan Ying later liked Jin Shi Yue, and Jin Shi Yue rejected Lu Yan Ying’s confession.
The sister-complex Lu Hansheng couldn’t stand to see his precious sister hurt, so he fought with Jin Shi Yue, forcing Jin Shi Yue to accept Lu Yan Ying’s confession.
Brothers turned into sworn enemies; only one sister-complex was allowed.
Lu Hansheng rolled his eyes, “Who’s afraid of him.”
“That’s good,” Lu Yan Ying said excitedly, “Let’s go, brothers.”
The three walked up to Lian Li and Jin Yan Ting and exchanged simple greetings.
Lu Yan Ying, like a little sun, was full of energy and walked at the front, linking arms with Lian Li, chattering non-stop.
The three tall men maintained a three-step distance, walking calmly behind them. Jin Shi Yue and Lu Hansheng couldn’t stand together, so Jin Yan Ting stood in the middle.
The two girls had a harmonious atmosphere; as for the men… they didn’t care.
The three noble young masters dined at the vegetarian restaurant, all maintaining impeccable aristocratic etiquette.
Lian Li sat at a table with Lu Yan Ying and Mrs. Lu, quietly and elegantly eating noodles.
At another dark wood dining table, Jin Shi Yue put down his bamboo chopsticks, held his mobile phone in one hand, and slowly typed a message.
The next second, Lian Li received a new message.
「Where is my girlfriend.」
