Chapter 3: Ran Away?
Seeing Li Ye push open the door and get out, she thought he was going to handle personal matters, so Lian Li relaxed and leaned back against the seat.
Her peripheral vision swept to the side.
Jin Shi Yue’s high-bridged nose divided the light and shadow flowing into the carriage, his eyes closed, likely resting.
Six minutes later, Li Ye returned carrying a bag with a pharmacy logo, and handed it directly to Lian Li.
“Miss Lian.”
“Thank you.” Lian Li took it subconsciously.
She opened the bag and used the faint streetlights to see the bottles and jars inside.
Swelling relief ointment and ice packs.
Lian Li found it strange.
After a few seconds of thought, she suddenly understood.
It was probably Jin Yan Ting who instructed them, otherwise how would they have known her hand was injured.
The pure black luxury car merged with the dense night, speeding along the elevated highway, and finally stopped downstairs from Lian Li’s apartment.
“Thank you for tonight.” Lian Li got out of the car and thanked him sincerely.
“Close the door.” Jin Shi Yue didn’t open his eyes, his posture quite languid, and he spoke with a cool and casual tone.
Lian Li closed the car door and stood there watching the car speed away.
A fully armored, extended Hongqi L9, with a pure digital consecutive license plate at the rear.
…A noble moving emblem.
At a red light ahead, Li Ye handed a document to the man in the back seat.
“As you predicted,” Li Ye said, “it was Miss Lian who persuaded Elder Mei to sign and agree to the demolition.”
The group had long coveted the relocation project in the Bei Tang Lane area, but it had been met with resistance and could not proceed smoothly.
At the beginning of the year, Elder Mei, the leader of the resistance to the demolition, wrote a lengthy letter to the authorities, using tiny regular script, each stroke carefully drawn, with a powerful and solemn style.
Old Master Jin then personally intervened, saying not to touch the Bei Tang Lane area for the time being.
It’s unknown what method Miss Lian used to break down this tough nut like Elder Mei.
Li Ye raised his hand and wiped his nose.
Would the boss think he was useless and tell him to pack his bags and go sleep at the construction site?
Jin Shi Yue’s expression remained largely unchanged, he flicked the document with his long finger and casually tossed it aside.
It was precisely the seat Lian Li had occupied not long ago.
The red light turned green, but the boss still gave no instructions. Li Ye started the car, letting out a sigh of relief.
*
The pain-relieving effect of the ointment was immediate. In just two days, Lian Li’s hand had already swollen by more than half, and there was no more pain when she moved her limbs.
She was still studying and, for convenience, mostly lived in the apartment.
On Monday, Lian Li returned to school to take her major course’s final exam. After completing this course, her credits would be almost sufficient.
After the exam, she left the Science Teaching Building and headed to the nearest Xueyi Canteen for a meal. After eating, she placed her meal tray at the collection point and planned to return to her dormitory.
There were two Chinese scholar trees at the south entrance of the Xueyi Canteen; this place was once the entrance to the Grand Council of State Affairs in the late Qing Dynasty.
Lian Li stood under the shade of the trees when her Senior Sister Xue Shufan sent a WeChat message asking where she was and if she was free, urgently needing help.
Lian Li replied that she was at the Xueyi Canteen and was free.
Xue Shufan called her to the auditorium.
A distinguished guest was visiting the Dean today, donating a large sum of money, and needed student volunteers. The outstanding Xue Shufan stood out and was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but she suddenly remembered that a paper for a course was due in two hours. She rushed to find a study room, grabbed her laptop, and furiously typed a 3,000-word essay.
“Lili, the leader remembers my name. If I leave a bad impression on him, I’m afraid it will affect my selection for awards. Please help me handle it, I’ll treat you to a meal another day, please!” Xue Shufan’s voice message was spoken at an extremely fast pace.
“Will my appearance give me away?”
“No, he’s face-blind and doesn’t remember faces well!”
“Okay, I’m heading over now.”
She had gone out casually today and hadn’t dressed up much, wearing a simple linen white shirt and jeans.
It was convenient now.
The Xueyi Canteen was about 500 meters from the auditorium, and Lian Li arrived quickly. After the volunteers gathered, preparations were made, and the procedures and tasks were clearly understood, she entered the auditorium with several other volunteers.
Men in suits and ties, high-ranking officials, were surrounding a man like stars around the moon. He sat relaxed on a black sofa, his sharp and neat suit outlining his broad shoulders and long legs, effortlessly handling conversations from all sides.
Streamlined light strips, like golden water ripples, flowed over Jin Shi Yue.
The boys and girls around them quietly cast their gazes at him, not daring to look too long, then withdrew their eyes.
The Jin Family and Principal Pu’s families had some historical ties; it was said their ancestors had served in the same military unit, and the two families were close.
On the surface, this was just a charity donation, but in reality, it could be considered a political alliance.
Normally, such events would be prepared with mineral water, but this time the guest was too important to be served cold drinks.
Lian Li held the purple clay teapot, pouring tea with a focused mind.
She noticed Jin Shi Yue’s gaze inadvertently fall upon her, then suddenly linger.
In her field of vision were fair and slender fingers, with nails as round and lustrous as mother-of-pearl. Slightly above, a delicate wrist was loosely adorned with a bracelet featuring two red jade pendants.
The shape and color of the jade pendants strongly resembled sweet and crisp cherries.
Jin Shi Yue’s eyelids gently lifted, his gaze slowly shifting from the documents in his hand to her face.
His gaze was too strong; Lian Li tried her best to steady herself.
“Sneaking out?” His cool, indifferent voice was spoken with a lazy articulation, subtly mixed with playful interest.
Lian Li raised her eyelashes, quickly met Jin Shi Yue’s gaze, and then lowered her head again.
The man was wearing a custom black suit today, tied with a neat and beautiful Eldredge knot. His brow bones were sharp, his eye sockets deep, and his pair of dark pupils held a hint of a smile, like a noble and indifferent CEO.
Lian Li had stayed by Jin Yan Ting’s side for nine years. Their statuses were vastly different, and some rumored that she was Jin Yan Ting’s kept canary, worthless.
As the Second Young Master of the Jin Family, Jin Shi Yue represented the Jin Family, so it was reasonable for him to dislike her.
Lian Li’s long eyelashes trembled imperceptibly, and she said calmly, “As a student, I am naturally at school.”
“When do you graduate?”
Lian Li didn’t understand why he was asking this, but she still answered honestly, “Next year.”
Upon hearing this, Jin Shi Yue seemed to smile.
Lian Li returned to the assembly room 909, where the volunteers inside were chatting enthusiastically.
“That man is truly one out of four sets of three sets of handsome!”
“He immediately made me think of those male celebrities who make a living from their looks, but he pales in comparison; he’s much more handsome and distinguished than them!”
“He’s indeed good-looking, stunningly handsome. Even as a man, I’m smitten.”
“Oh~”
“What ‘oh~’, I’m not gay, I’m terrifyingly straight!”
The gossip continued unabated, creating a lively atmosphere.
In contrast, Lian Li calmly drank her mineral water, showing no curiosity at all.
“Lian Li, you’re here too, that’s great!”
The speaker was Shang Lingyu, who had been a member of the traditional Chinese music orchestra with Lian Li, and they had performed together at the school anniversary ceremony. She was also one of Lian Li’s roommates.
Once, Jin Yan Ting came to school to find Lian Li, and Shang Lingyu bumped into them. Shang Lingyu knew that Lian Li and Jin Yan Ting had a close relationship.
“Can you help confirm if that person is Jin Shi Yue, the Second Young Master of the Jin Family?”
