Chapter 44: Is the Eldest Young Master Angry?
For the past year, whenever Jin Yan Ting had to attend an event requiring a female companion, he would bring Lian Li.
She met some people through this, but none of them were named Wen Zhixing.
Although people in the circle would often get involved in scandals with beautiful celebrities, in formal occasions, their male or female companions were always highly educated individuals.
Based on the chat content in the group and his ability to mingle with Zhong Yang and the others, Wen Zhixing must have an extraordinary background. His girlfriend…
Lian Li couldn’t figure it out, so she sent a message to Xue Shufan: 「I know?」
Xue Shufan replied almost instantly: 「Your roommate, Meng Yi.」
Shang Lingyu had mentioned that Meng Yi had a boyfriend with a background in the Prosecutor’s Office.
But Lian Li hadn’t expected him to be one of Zhong Yang’s close friends from their drinking sessions.
In the small group chat, everyone asked Wen Zhixing to bring his girlfriend along for horse riding in the Capital Suburbs.
Wen Zhixing said he had to ask his girlfriend’s opinion first, and the others teased him about his girlfriend being the boss.
Xue Shufan: 「Lili, are you interested?」
Lian Li’s profile was illuminated by the desk lamp, her eyelashes like a delicate little fan, resting on her fair cheek. She replied: 「I’m not going. It’s so cold, I just want to lie down and slack off.jpg」
Xue Shufan said expressionlessly: 「When it’s not cold, you say the weather is so nice, perfect for staying home and sleeping.」
Lian Li smiled: 「Spring drowsiness, summer fatigue, autumn weariness, winter hibernation. The four seasons are like a dream, and dreams come true.」
Xue Shufan protested: 「Sophistry, sophistry!」
Lian Li bid her goodnight. In the small group chat, Zhong Yang was tagging Jin Shi Yue.
「@1 Do you have time?」
Lian Li just glanced at it and then put down her mobile phone to sleep.
As Christmas approached, the Capital City was adorned with dazzling lights, and Christmas elements could be seen everywhere in the ancient hutongs.
The Wen Gang Orchestra’s rehearsal training ended early at 3 PM. The musicians were excited and quickly packed their things, eager to leave.
Lu Dieyi put her violin into its instrument case and sighed, “I’m so envious of you all. When you leave the orchestra, you don’t have to play the violin if you don’t want to.”
Lian Li lowered her eyelashes and unhurriedly put on her bracelet, “Did your mother hire a new violinist for you?”
“Yes!” Lu Dieyi said, “I was supposed to study outside, but my mom heard that a girl was being bullied while learning the violin at a teacher’s house. She was so worried I’d be bullied too that she hired the teacher to come to our home and watched over everything herself.”
Lu Dieyi’s mother was also a violinist in her youth. After marrying her father, she gave up her career for the family and placed her hopes on her daughter, wishing for Lu Dieyi to stand on a bigger stage.
When Lian Li first heard this, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander. If her mother had been a cellist, would she also have hoped for her to stand on the most prominent stage?
“Are you aware that Chen Siyang plans to enter the entertainment industry?” Lu Dieyi whispered, looking around.
Lian Li: “No.”
“He’s been quite popular on social media lately. One video has tens of millions of likes, and netizens are calling him a once-in-a-century piano prince,” Lu Dieyi said, scrolling through her mobile phone.
Lian Li slung her crossbody bag over her shoulder, clutching her mobile phone, and left the orchestra with Lu Dieyi.
“Are you still going to church this year?” Lu Dieyi asked Lian Li, seeing her own driver and turning back, “I can give you a ride.”
“No need,” Lian Li waved her hand, declining.
Lian Jingcheng sought out her mother; in times of desperation, people always place their hopes in gods, Buddhas, and spirits. When she was young, he often took Lian Li to temples and churches to pray.
The church, with its blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles, featured four tall spires, 80 stained-glass windows, and a stone tablet in front of the hall inscribed by Qianlong himself.
As night fell, the giant Christmas tree in front of the church instantly lit up, adorned with sparkling and various festive decorations.
By the time Lian Li arrived, the church was full. She found an empty seat and sat down to listen to the church docent on stage introduce the stories behind the stained-glass paintings.
After staying for a full two hours, Lian Li finally left.
She walked along the festively decorated street, looking down at her mobile phone, contemplating whether to ask Pei Qingji for help.
Xue Shufan had said that Pei Qingji’s mother studied geology and had considerable research on jade.
She wasn’t sure if he would know the origin of the red jade bracelet her mother had left behind.
Although Lian Li didn’t care about others’ opinions, she also disliked troubling people.
There was a gathering at the restaurant today. Jin Shi Yue ascended the white jade steps as if he were the center of attention. His peripheral vision swept by chance, and he caught sight of a figure with her head down, a slight frown on her face.
He watched for a moment, and when someone called him, he told them to go in first.
A new message popped up on her mobile phone, and Lian Li was a little surprised. It was from Jin Shi Yue:
「Where are you going to eat?」
How did he know she was going out to eat?
Lian Li was puzzled but still replied: 「I’m planning to eat beef noodles.」
Jin Shi Yue: 「The same place as last time?」
Lian Li: 「Mm.」
Jin Shi Yue: 「I’m hungry too.」
Lian Li blinked, suspecting she had misread.
What did his hunger have to do with her? Why was he telling her?
The Eldest Young Master must have sent it by mistake. Lian Li wasn’t going to reply and was about to put her phone away when a voice call suddenly came through.
Lian Li was bewildered and, after a two-second hesitation, answered the call from the God of Wealth Master.
“Brother Shi Yue,” Lian Li said, “Is something wrong?”
“Can’t I call you if there’s nothing wrong?” Jin Shi Yue’s voice was casual.
The Eldest Young Master wasn’t busy with state affairs at all; he was always teasing her.
“I’m busy. If there’s nothing important, I’ll hang up now.” Lian Li wasn’t in the mood to play with him.
“Busy with what,” Jin Shi Yue said, “Busy stealing a Christmas tree?”
Lian Li looked at the Christmas tree in front of her, paused, and with her phone pressed to her ear, instinctively looked back. Across the wide road and the speeding vehicles, she saw Jin Shi Yue standing at the entrance of the restaurant.
One hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone to his ear, his figure was sharp and unrestrained. The light fell behind him, as if casting a soft, non-blinding glow on him.
The Capital City was vast, and Lian Li hadn’t expected to run into Jin Shi Yue, let alone be caught in her lie.
Lian Li fell silent for seven or eight seconds. She heard Jin Shi Yue on the other end of the line say, “Come over.”
Lian Li looked at the man’s exceptionally handsome face and didn’t really want to go over.
On Christmas Eve, she felt anything but peaceful.
Lian Li adopted a respectful tone: “Is there something you need?”
“You” again.
“Treat me to a meal,” Jin Shi Yue said.
“…”
What kind of person was he? Who would shamelessly ask someone else to treat them to a meal?
The wind carried fine snowflakes, and Lian Li felt a chill on her neck. She raised her hand to tighten her scarf. She was cold and hungry now and didn’t want to talk to him further: “Another day.”
With that, she hung up the phone.
On such a festive occasion, the Eldest Young Master shouldn’t be angry…
Lian Li put her phone in her bag and, instead of crossing the road, walked forward.
Without looking at the man across the road.
The street was long. After walking for a while, a black Phantom drove up behind her and stopped beside her.
Immediately, a loud and obnoxious honk sounded, nearly startling Lian Li.
She looked over.
The driver’s side window rolled down, revealing Jin Shi Yue’s excessively handsome face.
