The class reunion is set for the 28th of the month, at the Huatian Hotel in the city center, and almost everyone from the class will be attending.

During high school, Zhu Shiyu’s class had a great atmosphere, and everyone got along well. Even Zhu Jinxiu, who transferred out in the second year of high school, still has a good relationship with his former classmates.

Zhu Shiyu was the study committee member back then, a kind and good-tempered person who often helped classmates. Although she wasn’t very active in social interactions and has been low-key over the years, with infrequent contact, many classmates still specifically messaged her to invite her.

Everyone was saying that it had been many years since they last saw each other, and it was a rare opportunity to gather, even if she had broken up with Lu Ge, they were still friends.

Lu Ge is definitely going to attend. He was the class monitor for all three years of high school and always had a kind of invisible leadership. Those male classmates who were close to him back then directly said that the class reunion would be set on the day Lu Ge was available.

Zhu Shiyu declined all the invitations sent to her phone.

【Battle Robe】

That afternoon, Zhu Shiyu was shopping for New Year’s goods on the street with Zhou Zhen and the others when a photo popped up on her phone.

In the full-length mirror, Zhu Jinxiu was wearing a black high-slit dress, with sky-high heels, and a well-structured coat draped over her shoulders, exuding a queenly aura.

She had meticulously dressed up from head to toe today, aiming to stun everyone.

【Is that necessary?】 Zhu Shiyu glanced at it and took a moment to reply.

【Why not? I’m going to see He Xiang today, let’s see if I don’t dazzle him.】

He Xiang was Zhu Jinxiu’s ex-boyfriend from eight hundred years ago. They had a brief relationship during their youthful ignorance, which ended in their second year of high school when He Xiang said he wanted to focus on his studies.

Since then, he has been a dead black moonlight in Zhu Jinxiu’s heart.

Whenever the two of them appeared together, a fierce battle would ensue.

Zhu Shiyu replied with a string of ellipses, put away her phone, and focused on choosing the style of the Spring Festival couplets in front of her.

The hospital had started its New Year’s holiday two days early, so the 28th was already a rest day. Meng Siyi usually spent the New Year either at his uncle’s house or on duty at the hospital, but this year was a bit different.

After learning about his arrangements, Zhou Zhen and Zhu AnYuan enthusiastically invited him to spend the New Year at their house, saying:

“From now on, we’re family, Xiao Meng. Your uncle and I both consider you half a son.”

“Don’t be polite, we happen to have an extra room at home. The three of us always feel lonely during the New Year, so it’s great to have an extra person to liven things up.”

Meng Siyi hesitated and politely declined, “That wouldn’t be appropriate, Uncle. My uncle’s family invited me to their house for dinner on New Year’s Eve.”

“That’s fine, you can go there for dinner later. It’s important to spend time with family during the New Year,” Zhu AnYuan replied, feeling relieved and patting him on the shoulder with a hearty laugh.

“Xiao Meng, it’s settled then. Pack a few clothes and come over. Stay with us for these few days during the New Year.”

Everyone was basically aware of Meng Siyi’s situation.

Although he had been living with his uncle’s family since high school, he moved to the dormitory after starting university and only returned during holidays.

His uncle’s family also had a son, who in the past couple of years had found a girlfriend and occasionally brought her home. Meng Siyi, after all, was still an outsider.

So, after he started working, he rarely stayed over at his uncle’s place. Even during the Spring Festival, a time for family reunions, he preferred to be alone at home.

Every New Year’s Eve, he would only go over for a meal as a matter of routine.

Since Zhu AnYuan had said so much, Meng Siyi seemed to have no reason to refuse. He hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.

After Zhu Shiyu and Zhou Zhen finished shopping for New Year’s goods, they went to the supermarket on their way home. Zhou Zhen pushed the shopping cart and brought her to the daily necessities section.

“Pick a set of toiletries for Xiao Meng. We don’t have any new ones at home. Which one do you think is better?”

Because of Meng Siyi’s presence, or perhaps because Zhu Shiyu had decided to get married, the atmosphere at home had improved significantly lately. At least she and Zhou Zhen could now talk normally without any resentment.

“This one.” Zhu Shiyu casually took a pure cotton dark blue towel from the shelf and placed it in the shopping cart.

Zhou Zhen looked at it without saying anything and continued pushing the cart forward. Zhu Shiyu then picked up a toothbrush, cup, and other items in the same style. Following Zhou Zhen’s suggestion, she even chose sleepwear and slippers.

Coincidentally, Zhu Shiyu’s slippers were also bought casually from this supermarket when she first returned. The men’s and women’s styles were displayed in the center of the promotional area. She picked them up without thinking, and only at the checkout did she hesitate for a moment before deciding to go ahead with the purchase.

Meng Siyi arrived before dinner. He carried a simple travel bag, and as usual, he brought gifts. When he bent down to change his shoes at the door and saw the new slippers on the floor, he was visibly startled.

“We bought them this afternoon while shopping at the supermarket,” Zhu Shiyu explained from the side.

“My mom specifically asked me to buy some daily necessities for you.”

“Thank you, Auntie,” Meng Siyi said after changing into the slippers.

“No need to thank me, Xiao Meng. Have a seat first. Dinner will be ready soon,” Zhou Zhen said, coming out from the kitchen to greet him.

“I’ll take you to the room to put your things away first,” Zhu Shiyu said, leading him inside. The Zhu family’s house was allocated to Zhu AnYuan for his work more than a decade ago. It was a standard three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, with one room serving as a guest room. Zhou Zhen had specially cleaned it up for Meng Siyi to stay in.

The bedsheets and covers were newly changed, in a light blue checkered pattern, and still smelled of laundry detergent.

Meng Siyi put away the few clothes he had brought. Turning around, he saw Zhu Shiyu still standing there, wearing a pair of slippers in the same style as his but in a different color.