Chapter 56

On New Year’s Eve, the Lu Group hosted a grand party.

The guests were the upper echelons of Beicheng, famous and influential figures, with people dressed in fine clothes, their movements elegant and their glasses clinking.

Lu Yan changed into a beautiful evening gown and quietly sat by a white grand piano in the corner, playing a tune as if no one else was around, passing the time.

Lu Yan disliked attending such parties, she would rather stay at home alone reading.

As long as Lu Jian didn’t push her into socializing and let her stay quietly, she would be content.

Ye Jiaqi held a champagne glass and leaned against a white, carved pillar.

There were countless high-society ladies present, but Ye Jiaqi seemed equally uninterested in socializing. His eyes were fixed entirely on the young girl by the piano.

She wore a light white dress, her figure slim and delicate, with a waist no wider than an A4 sheet, and a beautiful butterfly bone showing at the back of her dress.

Under the lights, her face was dusted with a honey-colored powder, her expression gentle and serene.

Over the past two years, she had become even more graceful and charming, especially her eyes—those mesmerizing peach blossom eyes—one glance from them could make all the stars in the sky pale in comparison.

But at this moment, she was still a young girl.

Sometimes, Ye Jiaqi would wonder what she would look like when she truly grew up and matured—what kind of beauty would she possess.

Lu Yan originally wanted to pretend she didn’t notice, but after ten minutes, then twenty, then half an hour, Ye Jiaqi still hadn’t moved, staring at her… Lu Yan couldn’t take it anymore. She stopped playing the piano, turned slightly, and met Ye Jiaqi’s gaze.

They stared at each other for over ten seconds, and Ye Jiaqi finally shifted his gaze, downing his champagne in one go, before walking over to her.

“What are you looking at me for?” He set the champagne glass on her white piano.

“What are you looking at me for?” Lu Yan retorted.

“You’re beautiful.”

“There are plenty of beautiful people.”

“But you’re the most beautiful one.”

“I’m not!”

Please, look at the other girls! Stop bothering me!

Lu Yan stood up, took two steps toward the door, and opened the glass door. A gust of cold wind rushed in.

Ye Jiaqi quickly followed and called out, “It’s cold outside, don’t go out.”

“I’m so bored, I want to go home. Where’s Lu Zhen? Lu Zhen! Let’s go home!”

Lu Zhen, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, was focused on a small notebook, diligently noting down the outfits, accessories, and makeup of the socialites present.

As a result, Lu Jian had originally wanted to introduce him to his business partners and company board members, but Lu Zhen kept mingling with the girls and couldn’t be called over.

He was handsome and came from a prestigious family, making him very popular among these socialites. They were all too happy to answer his questions and chat with him.

Some of the uncles nearby joked, “Little Zhen really has charm, so popular with the girls.”

Lu Jian rubbed his forehead, completely uninterested in dealing with him, and turned to look for Lu Yan.

Lu Yan hurriedly ran off. She didn’t want to get caught by her grandfather—listening to him and the others talk business and cooperation was the most boring thing in the world.

She was like Cinderella at midnight, rushing out of the Century City Hotel.

Ye Jiaqi quickly followed, taking out his car keys and calling out, “Little Yan, I’ll drive you home.”

Lu Yan was wearing a thin evening gown, and as soon as she stepped outside, the biting cold wind almost made her lose her balance. She hid in a corner, waiting for Ye Jiaqi to bring the Mercedes over.

At that moment, she looked up and saw a familiar figure under a streetlight not far away.

The man was wearing a black cashmere coat, the collar open, revealing a dark V-neck sweater underneath. The streetlight illuminated his tall, upright figure, casting a slanted shadow that blended into the night.

He was slightly looking down, his deep brows shadowing his eyes, with his pale skin standing out in the light.

It had been half a year since they last met, and Shen Kuo had become even more distant and steady, exuding the air of someone maturing.

Lu Yan stood in front of the black Mercedes, staring at him in a daze.

One of his hands was behind his back, hiding something, but Lu Yan had already seen the gift box and the ribbon caught by the wind.

Ye Jiaqi, seeing her stunned, walked out of the car and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Brother Jiaqi, I won’t ride in your car tonight.”

She finished speaking and ran across the street toward the young man.

Ye Jiaqi, from a distance, saw Shen Kuo standing at the corner, and his gaze subtly shifted, a ripple of emotion rising within him.

Shen Kuo saw her thin clothes and frowned. Without any concern for surprise, he stuffed the gift box into her arms, then took off his own large coat and draped it over her shoulders.

Lu Yan, holding the bouquet and gift box, allowed him to wrap her tightly in his coat.

The coat carried his warmth, and the heat spread through her body.

Under the streetlight, the two of them stood facing each other in silence for a few minutes. Lu Yan was the first to speak. “You’re back.”

“Mm, just got off the plane.”

“Was it… fun abroad?”

Shen Kuo smiled faintly. “I didn’t go for leisure. I followed my teacher for academic visits and attended a few exchange meetings.”

“Oh.”

Lu Yan lowered her head, looking at the delicately wrapped gift box in her arms, and softly asked, “Who is this for?”

“For Lu Zhen.”

Lu Yan looked up in surprise, stunned for a moment, and let out a soft “Ah.”

A smile spread across Shen Kuo’s face, and he reached out to ruffle the top of her head.

Her hair, styled into an elegant updo, was slightly disheveled by his touch. But the gesture made both of them feel as though they had returned to the intimate moments of the past.

The distance between them closed significantly.

Lu Yan gently ran her fingers over the gift box, and quietly asked, “What did you buy for Lu Zhen?”

“Fool,” Shen Kuo muttered. “Open it and see if you like it.”

Lu Yan’s heart filled with sweetness as she unwrapped the gift box. Inside, she found a women’s wristwatch, with a light pink leather strap shaped like petals and a patterned watch face that looked like cracks, giving it a very tactile feel.

She gasped. “It’s so beautiful.”

Shen Kuo took the watch out and fastened it onto her slender left wrist.

“I’ve never given you a gift before. I saw this in a vintage department store in Boston. It’s not expensive, but I thought it was pretty.”

“It’s beautiful!” Lu Yan nodded repeatedly, gently caressing the watch face. “I love it.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.”

The two of them became polite again. After all, this was their first meeting in half a year, and their relationship… seemed to have not completely thawed yet.

Shen Kuo glanced back at the brightly lit World City Hotel, where Ye Jiaqi stood at the entrance, watching them from a distance.

“Shall we take a walk?” Shen Kuo asked her. “I’ll drive you home?”

“Sure.”

Shen Kuo turned and walked down the street, with Lu Yan, dressed in his heavy coat, following closely behind him.

At this moment, Shen Kuo naturally slowed his pace, allowing Lu Yan to walk beside him.

“How’s your studying going?”

“Okay.”

“Do you think you’ll make it into Q University?”

“What?”

Shen Kuo turned to look at her, his eyes full of a subtle eagerness. “Do you think you’ll get into Q University?”

Lu Yan bit her lip but didn’t answer him. Instead, she said, “Shen Kuo, how’s college life? I heard you’re very popular, and that girls confess to you every day… So… have you found anyone you like?”

He smiled faintly. “Yes.”

Lu Yan’s expression changed slightly, but she heard him continue, “But it’s hard to meet anyone better than my ex-girlfriend.”

Her steps halted. “But you don’t want her.”

Her voice was a little heavy, and there was a hint of moisture in her gaze. “You lied to her. You made her sad for so long…”

Shen Kuo’s heart seemed to shatter. He didn’t say anything, but took her hand and quickened his pace, leading her to an empty alley.

Before Lu Yan could react, Shen Kuo pressed his hand on her shoulder, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.

Lu Yan’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at the handsome features of the man, feeling the overwhelming mix of both roughness and tenderness from his kiss.

The stars seemed to fall from the sky, and Lu Yan felt her body go soft, her lips tingling from his kiss…

It was so sudden.

After a long moment, Shen Kuo finally pulled away, breathing heavily, his warm breath brushing against her face. “Every day, every night when I lie in bed, I ask myself, how am I supposed to live without Lu Yan in my future…”

She turned her face toward him. “Do you have an answer?”

“Yes.”

The young man’s lips were slightly reddened, still carrying a moist sensation. He exhaled, and the white mist quickly dissolved into the cold winter air.

“The moment I realized you might be ill, I had my answer.”

“What is it?”

He kissed her lips again, this time prying open her teeth…

“I can’t live without you.”

Lu Yan’s hand gripped the edge of his coat tightly, pulling it into folds.

“I want you, Lu Yan. Every single day from now on, I want you—your heart, your body… everything. I want it all.”

He gently took her hand, pried her fingers apart, and intertwined them with his.

In the deep blue of the night sky, fireworks exploded in the distance.

When the year 2003 arrived, Lu Yan couldn’t remember anything except the warmth of the young man’s lips, burning hot against hers.

–

The afternoon before school started again, Lu Zhen found Jian Yao.

Jian Yao had just washed her hair and hadn’t had time to dry it. Her damp hair hung over her beautiful shoulders, which looked like graceful mountains.

Jian Yao lived in a three-story apartment building. Once, after a night performance, Lu Zhen had accompanied her home, so he knew her address.

“Is something wrong?”

Jian Yao was wearing a thin, tight-fitting white sweater and holding a towel to dry her damp hair.

At this moment, without any makeup, her pale skin gleamed softly under the gentle winter sunlight, making her even more beautiful.

Lu Zhen stared at her for a while, his cheeks flushing with a natural redness. He quickly pulled a pink and white external earphone from his backpack and handed it to Jian Yao.

“I bought this for you.”

Jian Yao didn’t take it, instead saying, “I already have earphones.”

“I know you already have them,” but I still wanted to give them to you…

She smiled, took the earphones, and tried them on. The ear cushions were very soft, covering her ears completely, and the soundproofing effect was excellent.

She hung the earphones around her neck and said, “Thanks, Lu Zhen, but don’t buy me anything in the future. Your money is your dad’s money. Using your dad’s money to buy gifts for girls isn’t cool at all.”

Lu Zhen, who was being lectured, nodded repeatedly, obediently saying, “I’ll figure out a way to earn some money myself in the future.”

Shen Kuo was poor, yet he could still save money by eating steamed buns at the cafeteria, get free soup, buy expensive plane tickets, and even buy Lu Yan a watch…

Lu Zhen thought he could do the same.

“Which school are you planning to apply to?”

Jian Yao jumped up onto the roadside steps, casually saying, “I’m studying art.”

“Oh, so which city are you planning to go to?”

The girl squinted at him with her narrow, almond-shaped eyes. “I haven’t decided yet. Do you have any suggestions?”

“I suggest you come to the south. Our school is right across from Nancheng Media University, one of the top art schools. Want to give it a try?”

Jian Yao smiled faintly, a slight curve at the corner of her lips. “It depends on my scores.”

“You’ll definitely make it.”

The two of them fell into silence for a few seconds, no more words.

Lu Zhen’s left hand was behind his back, nervously tugging at the corner of his shirt. He asked with a hint of anxiety, “Jian Yao, can I call you Yaoyao?”

Jian Yao looked at the shy boy, his face full of embarrassment, and his eyes not daring to meet hers.

“You can call me whatever you want.”

Lu Zhen felt something inside him explode, a tingling sensation spreading all over his body.

“Yaoyao, then I’ll call you that from now on…”

The girl seemed a little embarrassed too. She averted her gaze and stopped looking at him.

The two of them slowly walked along the narrow alley, both wishing that this road could stretch on forever, all the way to the end of their lives.

“Yaoyao, actually, I wanted to say…”

“Don’t say anything.” Jian Yao smiled, “Listen to me, don’t speak now. If you want to say something… say it later.”

Lu Zhen immediately understood what she meant and nodded. “Then… I’ll wait until Yaoyao finishes the college entrance exams to say it.”

“Mm.”

The warm afternoon sunlight spread across the land, bathing everything in a gentle glow.

Jian Yao squinted her eyes and tilted her head to look at the sun, her curled eyelashes glowing under the sunlight.

“Yaoyao, look over there.”

Taking advantage of Jian Yao’s momentary glance, Lu Zhen quickly pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

Jian Yao froze.

The kiss came quickly, and in his nervousness, Lu Zhen seemed to have accidentally left a little bit of saliva on her cheek.

He didn’t even dare look at her reaction, both his ears and face turning bright red.

Jian Yao instinctively reached out her hand, and Lu Zhen immediately took a few steps back, afraid she might slap him again.

But Jian Yao didn’t hit him. She wiped her face with her sleeve, both amused and a bit shy, her cheeks flushing.

“That trick is outdated!”

Her words carried a hint of playful anger, but Lu Zhen knew she wasn’t mad. “You’re being a rascal.”

“I’m not being a rascal,” Lu Zhen replied. “You’re my wife.”

After saying this, he turned around and ran off.

Jian Yao wiped her face, watching his awkward retreating figure with a faint smile at the corners of her lips.