invitation

The engagement date has been set for the day before school starts.

When Xu Feifei returned, there were only five days left before school started, so time was very tight, but the preparations for the engagement were proceeding in an orderly manner.

She's been incredibly busy these past few days, being dragged around by Gao Lan to choose dresses and jewelry, and familiarizing herself with the engagement process. The matter of finding Su Huan has been stalled by various trivial matters, leaving her too exhausted to even begin.

"Feifei, most of the invitations were sent out a few days ago. Mom forgot to ask you, are there any classmates you'd like to invite?"

Xu Feifei immediately thought of Lin Yuan and asked, "Did Lin Yuan invite him?"

Gao Lan looked at the list of invitations in her hand and said, "Yes, we have sent invitations to the Lin family. Lin Yuan should come with them."

Xu Feifei frowned subconsciously and asked, "Didn't you invite someone separately?"

"No."

"How about giving Lin Yuan a separate one? I think it's better to give her a separate one; it shows more respect."

Given Lin Yuan's personality, it's highly likely he won't come with the Lin family. To show her respect and just in case, she still wrote Lin Yuan a separate invitation.

"Okay, I'll ask Xiaoli to send Zhang over in a bit."

"No, I'd like to write one myself and send it to Lin Yuan later."

Taking advantage of the opportunity to deliver the invitations, she could also sneak off to the address where Su Huan had been imprisoned, to see if it was a misunderstanding or if Lin Yuan had really done it.

Hearing that she would go personally to deliver it, Gao Lan frowned, feeling uneasy. After all, Xu Feifei's previous disappearance was related to Lin Yuan, and she was afraid that delivering the invitation to Lin Yuan might cause some further problems.

"Feifei, you've been so busy these past few days, I'm sure you're exhausted. Why don't you take this opportunity to rest? Sending out invitations isn't a big deal, let someone else do it."

"It's okay, I'm not tired. Don't worry, Mom, I'll come home right after I deliver the invitations and I won't linger outside any longer."

Xu Feifei could see her mother's worry, fearing that she would disappear for several days like before.

Gao Lan's brows remained furrowed as she looked at her with concern.

Xu Feifei knew her mother was worried, so she held her hand and said, "Mom, don't worry. I was immature and thoughtless before, and I didn't consider your and Dad's feelings. This time, I won't disappear without a reason."

Seeing that she was determined, Gao Lan said, "Since you've put it that way, I agree to let you go. But I have one condition: you must have someone accompany you when you deliver the invitation to Lin Yuan."

Xu Feifei thought for a moment and nodded in agreement, "Okay."

"Besides Lin Yuan, is there anyone else you'd like to invite? Do you need to invite any of your classmates to attend?"

"No, the engagement invitation list can be as you have it."

She decisively rejected the proposal. The success of the engagement party was already questionable. If she invited her classmates, what if Nangong went on a night run? Wouldn't she become one of the most gossipy and frivolous people in the class?

"Wait, can I see the guest list for the engagement party?"

"Of course, it's all here."

The engagement party was quite large, with a long guest list. Xu Feifei quickly scanned the information but couldn't find the bride's name on it.

"Are all the invited people here? Or did Nangong Ye's family receive a different set of invitations?"

"No, most of it is here. But there might be some additions later, since it's not the last day yet."

Xu Feifei nodded, agreeing. She had just added Lin Yuan's name, and Nangong Ye would likely invite the female lead.

After the new invitations were written, Xu Feifei took them to her car and prepared to deliver them to Lin Yuan.

After she was seated, the driver asked, "Miss, where are we headed now?"

"go......"

When Xu Feifei gave the address of the suburban villa she had originally chosen, the words Lin Yuan had said to her a couple of days ago suddenly came to mind: "We'll meet soon."

"Wait, let's not go there yet, let's go somewhere else instead."

"Yes, miss."

Perhaps today we will find out the answer that has been lingering in her heart, which will alleviate her sorrow.

Xu Feifei sighed, watching the scenery outside the window recede little by little.

After a long while, she opened the invitation in her hand, and what came into view were the names of her and Nangong Ye, separated by a large double happiness symbol, which was particularly eye-catching and so red that it was dazzling.

She never expected the engagement party to be a success, knowing the tropes of novels. But others might not know the plot of the novel, or how it would unfold.

Would this invitation be too cruel to Lin Yuan? Or would it be better to send the invitation online? That way, they could avoid contact and an awkward situation for both parties...

Xu Feifei leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes listlessly. In crucial moments, she always felt an urge to retreat, to escape.

She remembered that she wasn't like this before; she used to make decisions very quickly. When did she become like this?

After an unknown amount of time, the car stopped.

The driver in the front seat turned around and said to her, "Miss, we've arrived."

Xu Feifei nodded, opened the car door, got out, and looked at the small detached house in front of her. Her feelings were complicated; she stood in front of the door, hesitant to ring the doorbell.

After struggling internally for a long time, I closed my eyes and mustered up the courage to press the doorbell.

The moment the button was pressed, a bell rang in the air, and a moment later the door slowly opened.

"You were a little later than I thought of it."

Xu Feifei opened her eyes and clearly saw Lin Yuan standing in front of her. His hair had been cut short, giving him a neat and tidy hairstyle, and he was smiling gently at her.

The youthful exuberance and gentle warmth were perfectly blended in him, making him seem like a completely different person from the first time I met him.

"Is it really you?"

Su Huan walked out from the side and exclaimed with delight when she saw Xu Feifei, "Feifei, you're finally here!"

The last glimmer of hope that Xu Feifei had held onto vanished the moment she saw Su Huan.

"Let me put it this way, it's inconvenient to do it outside."

Lin Yuan instinctively took her hand and walked inside, followed by the two bodyguards behind him. He stopped and stood there, looking at the two bodyguards with a displeased expression.

Seeing this, Xu Feifei said to the two of them, "You two wait for me outside."

The two bodyguards looked at each other, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "But Madam instructed us to stay with Miss at all times and not to leave her side."

"It's alright, I'll take responsibility if anything happens. Besides, this isn't something you can just walk away on your own; it's my order for you to leave, so it's none of your business."

Having said that, the two bodyguards had no choice but to agree and leave.

After the door closed again, Su Huan walked up and touched her arm, saying, "Cool! Why are you all dressed up like this with bodyguards?"

Xu Feifei broke free from Lin Yuan's grasp and coldly pointed at him, saying, "Ask him, the instigator."

Lin Yuan was taken aback when his hands were empty, but he quickly recovered and smiled at her, saying, "It's my fault for making you suffer."

After Xu Feifei sat down, Lin Yuan went to the bar and poured her a glass of orange juice, saying, "Fresh orange juice, just squeezed."

Su Huan chimed in, "I can vouch for that. Lin Yuan said you were coming so he could make orange juice beforehand, and you arrived right after he finished. Did you two communicate beforehand?"

Xu Feifei took a sip of orange juice, suppressing her displeasure, and frowned as she asked, "No, what exactly happened?"

Su Huan didn't reply, and looked towards Lin Yuan.

"Because I want to help you find a way back."

Going back, of course, means returning to the real world.

When did you find out?

"I overheard Su Huan talking to you about a week before the exam."

Xu Feifei frowned as she looked at him. Based on the timeline, this was the last time she saw Su Huan before he disappeared, before the summer vacation.

She took a breath, preserving the last vestiges of her sanity, and asked, "So, you were the one who kidnapped Su Huan back then?"

Su Huan pursed her lips and remained silent.

A brief silence fell over the air, and after a long while, Lin Yuan hummed in agreement.

Hearing him admit it himself, Xu Feifei's eyes immediately reddened, and she angrily questioned, "Why did you do this? You clearly knew I was looking for her, but you didn't tell me anything and even lied to me, saying you were helping me find Su Huan? Do you think I'm stupid? You've completely fooled me?"

Even though she was mentally prepared, when she actually received the answer she expected from Lin Yuan, the feeling of being deceived by the best and closest person was so wronged and painful. Her emotions were like a flood that had burst its banks, so powerful and overwhelming that they could not be suppressed or contained.

Lin Yuan panicked the moment he saw her eyes redden and quickly said, "No, I really didn't think you were a fool."

Su Huan hadn't expected things to take such a sudden turn, and quickly comforted her, "Feifei, it's okay, I'm fine now, aren't I?"

"Lin Yuan, do you know what? You make me feel like a fool! You imprisoned me twice back then, and I didn't hold it against you. At the time, I thought you did it for my own good and because you liked me. I not only forgave you, but I also spoke well of you to my family, afraid that you would leave a bad impression on them. It turns out I was too naive. It turns out you're a repeat offender."

Xu Feifei vented her anger at him, each word a sharp knife piercing Lin Yuan's heart.

The more he talked, the more excited he became, and tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his face.

The situation had spiraled out of Lin Yuan's control, and he hurriedly grabbed her hand, saying, "I'm sorry, Feifei. I was so afraid you would leave me that I did it. I promised you I wouldn't do this again. Please forgive me."

Xu Feifei shook off his hand and said angrily, "Don't hold me, I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Feifei, I..."

Xu Feifei fiercely wiped away her tears, suppressing her emotions to the extreme, and forced herself to calm down, saying, "Alright, I'm here to deliver your invitation. Tomorrow is my engagement banquet with Nangong Ye, it doesn't matter whether you come or not."

He took the invitation out of the bag and threw it on the table, glanced at Su Huan, and said, "My mission is complete. I'm leaving. Do you want to come with me?"

Su Huan immediately said, "Let's go."

Lin Yuan ran up to her, stopped her, and pleaded, "Feifei, please let me explain. Let's discuss when you should go back, okay? Please don't go, I beg you."

"I need some time to calm down and sort out my thoughts. Don't say anything more to me, let's leave it at that for now."

He resolutely walked out the door and pulled Su Huan into the car.