Chapter 66

She drifted off to sleep with a sweet smile, but the next morning, there was a knock on her door.

"Lili, get up!" There was another knock on the door. Mother Chen said, "I have a Peking Opera performance to watch today. Get up and come with me."

"I understand." Shen Li sat up in bed without opening her eyes, buried her head in the blanket, and after a while, got out of bed and went to the wardrobe to pick out clothes. She chose a set of new Chinese-style short shirt and skirt.

After washing up and getting ready, Shen Li walked out of the bedroom and couldn't help but glance at Luo Mingxiu's room, where the door was tightly closed.

She raised her hand and sent him a message: Are you up yet?

Pear's Little Dog: I'm already at the beach.

Pear's Little Dog: My godfather called me early this morning to leave. He rented a yacht and wanted me to go sea fishing with him and his friends.

Luo Mingxiu sent another crying puppy emoji.

Shen Li laughed: Why are you crying? Sea fishing is so much fun!

Pear's puppy: I thought you guys were going to come too.

Shen Li: We're going to see a Peking Opera performance. It's been a long time since I've spent time with your godfather, so you should just keep him company.

Pear's puppy: Yes, ma'am. A fish has taken the bait. My godfather is calling me. I'll talk to you later.

Chen Li: OK, OK

The villa wasn't close to the theater, and fearing they wouldn't make it in time, Shen's mother instructed the housekeeper to pack breakfast for Shen Li to eat on the way.

As Shen Li ate her breakfast in the car, her mother said, "After we finish watching the show, we'll go to the dress shop to pick out a couple of dresses. We have a banquet to attend tonight."

"What kind of banquet?" Shen Li asked, turning her head with half a cake in her mouth.

Mother Shen: "It's the birthday banquet of the Song Group's daughter. You must know her, the one who was trending on social media a few days ago."

Shen Li asked in confusion, "Dad doesn't seem to have any business dealings with the Song family, does he? Why did he invite us?"

“It’s me.” Mrs. Shen laughed as she said this. “It’s all fate. I met a music teacher at school before, and after we got to know each other, I found out that she was Chairman Song’s wife.”

Shen Li: "Did Madam Song invite you to her daughter's birthday party? Why didn't you go with Dad? We'll be dancing there, right?"

Mother Shen nodded: "She said I could bring a family member, and I thought this was a good opportunity. Since you're coming back, I'll bring you."

"The Song family's daughter has encountered such a terrible thing, so the family is throwing a big birthday party for her in order to cheer her up. Many conglomerates and families have been invited to the birthday banquet, and those rich young masters will also attend."

Shen Li, you probably understand what your mother means: "So you think this is a good opportunity for me to meet men?"

“Yes,” Mrs. Shen said without any objection. “Look at you, it’s been so long since your divorce, it’s time to start dating again. After seeing what’s been happening in the entertainment industry lately, I don’t think it’s reliable for you to date someone in the industry. I’ll take you to a banquet, what if you meet someone you like?”

“I’m not going,” Shen Li said. “I’ll go home after the show and let Dad keep you company.”

Mother Shen: "Why are you so stubborn? It's just asking you to go and have a look, not a blind date. Just see if there's anyone you click with, and get to know them slowly."

"If you really don't like them, there are so many rich girls at the banquet. You can network with them and expand your connections."

Shen Li: "How long will the banquet last?"

"It starts at 6 p.m., but they didn't say exactly when it would end. It'll probably be quite late. Don't worry, I've already told your dad beforehand." After saying that, Chen's mother glanced at her. "Aren't you usually not averse to this kind of thing? Why are you acting so strange today?"

"I..." Shen Li stopped speaking, wanting to say "I'm in a relationship" several times, but swallowed the words back.

Talking about it now won't change anything.

Shen Li sighed. Since she had already told her father about attending the banquet, she had to tell Luo Mingxiu herself before her father spoke, so as not to upset him.

I opened WeChat, tapped the puppy icon, and just then, a message came in.

Pear's puppy: We just caught a really big fish. My godfather and uncle are really amazing.

I also took a picture of a big, fat fish.

Shen Li typed with a smile: So, where did you catch it?

Pear's puppy: I haven't caught anything yet. I'm such a novice when it comes to fishing.

Shen Li pondered for a moment, then typed out a long string of words.

Just as she was about to send it, her mother suddenly leaned her head closer, and Shen Li hurriedly pressed delete.

"What are you laughing at? Oh, your dad has had a great haul this time."

Shen Li quickly covered the top of the phone, saw Luo Mingxiu's contact name, and observed her mother's expression.

You probably didn't see it, right?

Mother Shen didn't react much, leaning on her shoulder: "I'm going to take a nap, wake me when we get there."

"Hmm." Shen Li breathed a sigh of relief.

The mother slept soundly against Shen Li's back the whole way, and Shen Li dared not make any big movements, so she also became drowsy.

It wasn't until she got off the bus that she remembered to tell Luo Mingxiu quickly.

She took her mother's hand as they walked, and with her other hand she typed: I have to go to a banquet tonight, so I might be back late.

The reply came the instant it was sent.

Pear's puppy: I know, my godfather told me everything.

Pear's Little Dog: Are you going to meet other men?

Shen Li: How could that be! That was my mom's idea. I'm just informing you. I think my mom really doesn't know anything about it. We'll be honest with each other tomorrow.

Puppy cheering.jpg

Puppy Sending a Heart.gif

After sending two happy emojis, Luo Mingxiu sent a crying puppy two seconds later.

Shen Li chuckled and typed: "Why are you sad again? Don't send this emoji, it looks more and more like you."

She was so engrossed in looking at her phone that her mother patted her and said, "We're going into the theater. Don't look at your phone while walking."

"Okay." Shen Li silenced her phone and put it in her bag.

.

After the event ended, Shen Li finally saw Luo Mingxiu's reply.

Pear's puppy: I feel exactly the same way this crying dog does right now.

Pear's Little Dog: I feel sad when I think about my sister wearing a beautiful dress to a banquet and being looked at by so many other people.

Shen Li didn't reply immediately. When she arrived at the dress shop, she picked out a dress, changed into it, took a picture of herself in the mirror in the dressing room, and sent it to him.

Shen Li: Okay, don't be sad, I'll take a picture and show it to you.

On the other end, Luo Mingxiu placed his phone on the table, tapping his fingers as he waited for a reply, when a message notification sound rang out.

Luo Mingxiu immediately clicked on the photo, which he zoomed in on and looked at again and again.

In the photo, Shen Li is holding her phone up to take a picture in front of a mirror, covering half of her face. She is smiling with her delicate eyebrows slightly raised, her bright eyes and white teeth visible, and her hair is styled in an updo.

It's clear that she's already done her makeup and styling; even under the harshest overhead lighting, she still looks radiant and beautiful.

She wore a layer of shimmering pink lip gloss, and her off-the-shoulder light pink dress was layered with lip gloss, revealing her slender white neck and shoulders.

She's so dazzling; she looks like a peach fairy who descended from the sky.

This outfit reminded Luo Mingxiu of Shen Li's eighteenth birthday. She was also wearing this pink outfit on her coming-of-age ceremony, radiating light. Over the years, she seems unchanged, yet she also seems to have changed, becoming more and more captivating to him.

Seeing that there had been no response for a long time, Shen Li asked him: How is it?

The other party is typing...

Shen Li waited patiently, watching him type for two minutes without sending it.

Shen Li: Stunned?

Pear's puppy: Mmm, so beautiful, no words of praise can describe it.

Pear's Little Dog: I'm so jealous! I wish I had the ability to teleport so I could be by your side immediately and go to the banquet with you.

Shen Li: Then you'll need an invisibility cloak, since they only gave us two invitations.

The mother and daughter changed into their formal attire and set off. Upon arriving at the Song family's territory, they found that the Song family's wealth was even more extravagant than they had imagined.

The Song family estate is staffed with a row of nannies and bodyguards to greet and receive guests.

The estate is very large; after the car enters, it's quite a long drive before passing the owner's castle-like residence.

Then the convoy led them across a bridge to a place that looked like a garden, with a European-style building behind the flower bushes.

After parking their car, several expensive luxury cars arrived with them. The butler who guided them said that it was a place where the Song family held banquets.

Shen Li finally understood why someone like Jiang Mingyi couldn't find the Song family; there was always someone more powerful than the last.

Shen Li got out of the car first and helped her mother hold the hem of her skirt. After the two stood up straight, they attracted a lot of people to turn around and stop. A tacit exclamation came from the crowd.

Shen Li is, after all, a person who has won numerous awards and whose status in the entertainment industry remains unshaken. Amid the exclamations in the video, there were also several admiring glances directed at her.

But it also carried the disdain of some older men, as some men from traditional families have always looked down on actors.

Those people didn't care about her, and of course, Shen Li didn't care about them either. She looked at the people getting out of the older man's luxury car, including several familiar celebrities, and felt a wave of irony.

"Oh! You've finally arrived." As she walked to the door, Shen Li saw a woman with a similar temperament to her mother, who must be Madam Song.

Shen's mother went over and hugged her, then turned to introduce her: "This is my daughter, Shen Li."

Mrs. Song smiled gently: "I know, she's a big star, she's even prettier in real life than on screen."

"Thank you, Madam," Shen Li greeted politely.

Then a woman who bore a resemblance to Madam Song walked over, her slender figure accentuated by a red dress.

As the heiress of the Song Group, her official website features her publicly displayed image; she is the Song family's daughter.

She wore the same red dress, a similar outfit to Jiang Mingyi's that day, but her temperament was completely different; she possessed a flamboyant beauty that emanated from within.

"Hello, Song Ting," she said as she walked up to Shen Li.

"Hello, Shen Li." The two shook hands, exchanged glances, and smiled at each other.

Song Ting: "Want to chat? Sit over there."

Shen Li nodded when she saw that her mother and Madam Song had already sat down to chat.

She sat down with him and said, "My mom often says that she met a good friend at school, but she never expected that her friend's daughter would become the famous movie star."

Shen Li: "That was all in the past. You flatter me. Miss Song is the one with the best qualities to manage such a large group."

“Different fields.” Song Ting smiled, clearly appreciating her words, and the two exchanged pleasantries for a while.

Song Ting added, "Regarding my ex-boyfriend, I heard that because of his affair with that woman, your artists have also suffered as a result. I apologize for this."

“There’s no need for an apology; that’s the punishment they deserve,” Shen Li said. “I really admire your efficiency and decisiveness.”

Shen Li: "To be honest, it was because you exposed that woman Jiang Mingyi that my artist was not implicated."

"Hmm?" Song Ting looked at her. "She's also harassing your male celebrities?"

Shen Li: "Yes, you almost lured my artist into the production team. I should thank you for that."

Song Ting: "Oh, I see. That's great, everyone's happy."

The phone on her side lit up. Song Ting looked at it and stood up: "I'm going to speak on stage now, Ms. Shen. I feel very compatible with you. Let's add each other on WeChat. If your company has any film and television projects to collaborate on or invest in, you can contact me."

"Thank you so much." Shen Li stood up and glanced at her.

Adding the Song family's daughter on WeChat made this trip truly worthwhile.

Shen Li took a sip of tea and then picked up a dessert from the plate to try.

"Happy birthday, Miss Song!" After a burst of cheers, Song Ting walked forward with a smile and announced the start of the ball.

As the most beautiful protagonist of the night, a long line of people invited Song Ting to dance. Song Ting glanced at them indifferently, did not accept any invitations, and instead danced with her father.

It seems she was heartbroken by that scumbag boyfriend, Shen Li sighed.

A message popped up on the phone on the table: Sister, is the banquet over?

You could feel Luo Mingxiu's anxiety even through the screen.

Chen Li typed: The ball has only just begun.

Pear's puppy: Don't dance with other people.

Shen Li: Jealousy! I didn't even glance at the man.

Pear's Little Dog: What if someone invites you?

As they were talking, Shen Li saw two men looking in her direction, approaching her from different directions.

Shen Li quickly lifted her skirt, sat down in a corner, then lowered her head to eat, pretending to frown while looking at her phone, acting as if she was dealing with work.

The phone screen continued to display messages, with Luo Mingxiu asking why she wasn't saying anything.

Of the two men who approached, one retreated, while the other, oblivious to her polite refusal, still stepped closer: "Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of inviting you to dance?"

"Excuse me, sir, I'm a little hungry and don't want to dance." Shen Li directly refused the man.

But he didn't give up and continued to ask, "Would you like to add me on WeChat, Mr. Shen?"

"I am from the Wang Group..." he began to introduce his family background, his eyes no longer concealing their desire, which were mixed with a hint of contempt as he looked at her. "Although my father forbids me from associating with actors, I am making an exception for you and allowing you to contact me privately."

Shen Li laughed out loud as she listened, and got up to leave. Her phone on the table lit up. She saw that it was Luo Mingxiu calling, and not wanting to be polite to him, she answered the phone right in front of him.

He was completely ignored.

The man awkwardly scratched his head and left dejectedly.

"Chen Li, was someone bothering you just now?" As soon as the call connected, Luo Mingxiu's anxious voice seemed to burst out.

"It's nothing, just a small fry, it's been taken care of."

As Shen Li spoke, she glanced in her mother's direction and saw that her mother was dancing with Madam Song and not looking in her direction. Shen Li then crouched down and slipped out through the side door.

After chatting on the phone with Luo Mingxiu for a while, I took a stroll outside and only went in around mealtime when the banquet started.

The banquet ended at nine o'clock, and we returned to the Shen family home.

At the entrance, Shen's father and Luo Mingxiu stood there. After they got out of the car, Shen's father was the first to come over, take the bag from his wife's hand, and help her lift her skirt.

After the two entered the room, Luo Mingxiu stepped forward and lifted the hem of Shen Li's skirt.

Shen Li glanced at her mother's back and felt that something was wrong.

The mother didn't say much the whole way. She had thought she would face a lot of questions at the wedding banquet, such as whether she had a man she liked. She didn't ask any questions.

"What's wrong?" Luo Mingxiu asked, looking at her.

"It's nothing." Shen Li shook her head and prepared to go upstairs.

Luo Mingxiu watched as the skirt slipped slowly from his hands. When it was completely gone, he darkened his eyes, reached out and grabbed her, pulling her back into his arms.

A delicate fragrance wafted into his nose, and Luo Mingxiu hugged Chen Li tightly, burying his head in his mouth to inhale deeply.

"What are you doing?" Shen Li hit him, then looked up. "The upper and lower floors are open-plan. What if someone sees us?"

Luo Mingxiu didn't let go of her. He led her to the back of the stairs, where the view was limited. He hugged her again, nuzzled her affectionately, and lowered his head to lightly touch her lips.

Shen Li could also smell his scent, a fresh fragrance after a bath, and she let him hug her for a while.

"Thump—" A sound suddenly came from upstairs. Shen Li straightened her back, immediately pushed him away and looked up.

She breathed a sigh of relief when no one was there.

"Sister, was the banquet fun?" Luo Mingxiu asked, taking her hand again.

“It’s so boring,” Shen Li said, prying his fingers apart and taking a step back. “It’s getting late, go to sleep. Goodnight.”

Luo Mingxiu gave an "oh," his shoulders slumped, and his expression was one of utter disappointment.

Looking at his appearance, Shen Li said, "I'm going to take a shower and change my clothes first. You go back to your room first, but leave the door open for me."

Upon hearing this, Luo Mingxiu's eyes lit up instantly, and he nodded emphatically: "Yes."

After taking a shower, Shen Li stayed in the room for about two hours. When it was late at night, she opened the door and found the villa completely dark.

She walked from one side of the corridor to the other, and checked each restroom, but no one was there.

Relieved, she walked in the dark to Luo Mingxiu's door and pushed it open through the crack.

The next moment, she fell into a firm embrace. Smelling the familiar scent, Shen Li gently nudged her heels back and closed the door.

"Sister, I've kept you waiting for so long," Luo Mingxiu said softly, his breathing becoming hot as he lowered his head to kiss her.

An even hotter breath enveloped her, and Shen Li raised her head to kiss him. A tingling sensation ran through her heart, and she couldn't help but laugh. Even though she was in her own home, it felt like she was having an affair.

Luo Mingxiu kissed her, and Shen Li was forced into a corner against the wall, her back against the wall, unable to retreat any further.

The light was also knocked on. Shen Li opened her eyes halfway and saw that the person in front of her had a red neck, and the buttons of his pajamas had been torn open, with the neckline as low as it could possibly be.

What a beautiful scene!

"That's enough, I'm going back to my room." Shen Li touched his chin, smiled, and her eyes were full of allure.

Luo Mingxiu's Adam's apple bobbed heavily, and he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again.

His eyes were misty and wet, giving him an unsatisfied look.

Shen Li was captivated by him and fell into his arms again, kissing him deeply for a while until she felt Luo Mingxiu's hands encircle her, preparing to pick her up.

"That's enough, I really want to go back." Shen Li pounded on the ground.

However, his strong arms still lifted her onto the bed. Luo Mingxiu licked and bit her lips, his eyes filled with intense emotions: "I'm sorry, I haven't had enough yet."

...

That night, Shen Li bit her lip tightly, and later bit Luo Mingxiu's arm and back. She dared not make a sound, both afraid and sinking into despair.

The next day, Shen Li woke up with a start from her bed. She glanced at the time and kicked the person next to her.

Luo Mingxiu hummed in agreement and turned over to hug her.

"Get up quickly, it's 6:30. My parents will be getting up soon, and I have to go back to my room. Get up and go out and check it out for me."

"Okay." Luo Mingxiu replied groggily, grabbed the clothes from the bedside and put them on, while the dog sneakily went to open the door.

The door opened, and outside, Mother Shen stood with her hand raised, in the gesture of knocking.