Chapter 40 Gathering

Lian Yi has always been like this; whatever she wants to do, she always strides forward with boundless energy, completely unconcerned about whether those behind her can keep up with her pace.

Xie Ling got out of the car and stood there, looking up at the club's stylish signboard. In the dim twilight, the platinum lights were already on, highlighting its elegance.

Just as Lian Yi was about to reach the door, she was surrounded by the staff waiting at the entrance. She seemed to sense something and turned her head to look at them, tilting her head in confusion.

Xie Ling's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she had no choice but to keep the questions she wanted to ask her to herself for the time being.

The club manager and his staff personally led the way for this renowned young master of Yunhai, speaking in hushed tones about who had arrived and what the dinner menu was. As for the person next to Lian Yi, who should have been a stranger but looked somewhat familiar, he didn't give him a second glance as they walked.

Upon reaching one of the only two private rooms on the top floor, as the staff opened the doors to the left and right, Lian Yi said calmly, "Alright, let's serve the food in ten minutes."

"Yes, Miss Lian," the manager nodded.

This private room is very large and fully equipped, resembling the size of a small club.

Once inside, in addition to the spacious lobby, there are also KTV, sauna, tea room, Chinese and Western restaurants, etc.

Even the lobby's decor is based on a style suitable for parties and banquets.

As the door slowly closed, the smiling faces of the staff and manager disappeared outside.

Lian Yi turned her head and glanced at Xie Ling, who had been silent the whole way, then smiled at him and said, "Let's go."

Although it was a last-minute arrangement, she still put a lot of thought into preparing a surprise for Xie Ling.

I had only walked a few steps forward when a young man came out from the sink outside the restroom on the right, wiping his hands with a towel.

Upon seeing Lian Yi, the man's eyes lit up, and he flashed a hearty smile. "You called out so urgently, you finally remembered us, didn't you? Everyone has a lot of opinions today, so watch out when you play the game later and you might get targeted."

Lian Yi curled her lips slightly and scoffed, "Pei Tu'an, stop pretending. Who was it that got the script and read out the line that they were the murderer and needed to hide their identity?"

“…Thank you so much for remembering this every time.” Pei Tu’an’s face darkened, he rolled his eyes at her, and his gaze naturally turned to Xie Ling behind her.

His expression immediately turned slightly strange.

Lian Yi was close enough to hear him instinctively exclaim "Holy crap!"

"Can't you have some manners?" she retorted sarcastically, then introduced, "This is my classmate, Xie Ling. This is my friend, a lazy, good-for-nothing rich kid, Pei Tu'an."

Xie Ling nodded slightly, meeting the young man's somewhat surprised and inquisitive gaze, and said frankly, "Hello."

"Hello, hello." Pei Tu'an coughed lightly, concealing the surprise and doubt in his eyes, and a warm smile appeared on his face. "Don't listen to Lian Yi's nonsense. I am a promising young man, and I have nothing to do with being lazy and good-for-nothing."

"Come on, let's go inside and talk. Everyone's waiting inside."

Seeing that Xie Ling had a rather aloof personality, he naturally invited the two of them to go inside.

As they walked around the giant peach tree sculpture, Pei Tu'an lowered his voice and leaned closer to Lian Yi, asking, "This person is just your classmate?"

Lian Yi glanced at him sideways, "What, it's not okay?"

“…No, it’s just that I’m a little curious,” Pei Tu’an said with an awkward smile.

It was surprising enough that Lian Yi would bring a new face alone, let alone the feeling this person gave him...

Lian Yi chuckled and said, "We're just classmates now, but who knows what will happen in the future?"

"Wait, Li Xilai said you've been pursuing someone lately... cough, pursuing someone, is it him?" Pei Tu'an remembered this and became even more enthusiastic, "Is it him?"

Lian Yi said impatiently, "You're so noisy, what's it to you?"

"Oh, I was just concerned about your love life." Pei Tu'an wasn't annoyed at all by the retort, and with a grin, he glanced at Xie Ling, who was keeping a respectful distance behind him.

"Hmm...this looks pretty good." He lowered his voice considerably. "I understand, but just play around with it and don't get too involved."

This sounds familiar; Li Xilai has said something similar.

Lian Yi was baffled. "What are you all worried about? Or do I look so stupid that you think I'll do something foolish?"

"Well, whatever." Pei Tu'an rubbed his nose, glanced around, and couldn't help but look at Xie Ling behind him again, trying to cover up his misunderstanding, "Just pretend I didn't say anything, okay? Who dares to think you're not smart? I'll be the first to punch them!"

The lobby was already quite lively, and the sounds of people playing games and chatting became clearer as they approached.

Seven young men and women, all around the same age, were scattered throughout the brightly lit and exquisitely decorated hall. It didn't feel crowded at all. When they noticed someone coming in, everyone, whether they were sitting on the sofa, on the open terrace a little further away, or in small groups at the bar, seemed to turn their attention to them.

"Hey Lianyi, you finally remembered to invite your sisters out for fun?"

"Oh dear, why do you say that as if Lian Yi is deliberately ignoring us?"

"How could I dare? I'm already used to being relegated to the sidelines by Lian Xiaoyi, okay? Surely there's someone who isn't used to it yet?"

Pei Tu'an heard their habitual, cheeky greetings. In the past, he would have joined in, no matter who he was, even if it meant getting a glare from Lian Yi.

But right now, he had a lot to say to his friends, but since Lian Yi was still around, he could only wink at the three people in the hall, then turn to the side to clear his view.

"Alright, Lianyi brought a new friend over today, so watch your words and don't leave a bad impression."

"Who is it, putting on airs like that?"

"A new friend, that's quite a novelty."

Pei Tu'an's words elicited a chuckle from the crowd. The two people who were chatting on the terrace came out, and the three people at the bar also cast curious glances at them.

When they finally saw the tall, slender figure behind Pei Tu'an, their expressions immediately turned strange, because they were all so similar that they could not be ignored.

Everyone quickly realized this and began to chatter and laugh, asking Lian Yi to introduce her new friend.

Lian Yi scoffed. It had been a while since they had all gotten together to hang out, and she felt that the naive stupidity of these friends had reached a new level. Too lazy to pay them any attention, she beckoned to Xie Ling and told him to follow her.

“He’s Lian Yi’s classmate,” Pei Tu’an quickly introduced, adding with a wink, “He’s the one with pretty good grades.”

"oh……"

"It's him."

Everyone suddenly realized, but their expressions were all a bit strange. Although they tried to hide it well, their restlessness and the fact that they had so much to say still betrayed their thoughts from time to time.

"Why hasn't Li Xilai arrived yet?" Lian Yi didn't care about their reaction. Anyway, these people were always like this, their thought processes were all quite inexplicable.

She found a place to sit down, and Xie Ling silently followed suit, taking a seat nearby, seemingly out of place with the lively atmosphere around her.

A young woman from the bar brought over a mixed drink and placed it in front of Lian Yi. Taking the opportunity of asking, she quickly scanned Xie Ling from head to toe, then smiled and said, "Ah, what would you like to drink, classmate? A soft drink or an alcoholic beverage?"

"No, thank you," Xie Ling replied politely.

However, his aloof and cold voice gave people a very cold and indifferent feeling.

The woman smiled politely, seemingly forgetting to even speak to Lian Yi, and then quickly walked back to the bar. She glanced back and saw Lian Yi talking to someone, while Xie Ling also looked down with a cold and indifferent expression. So she quickly sat down on the bar stool and nodded affirmatively to the two curious-looking people inside.

"I think it does!"

"I thought it was just my imagination from this distance. How similar are they? Even from this distance, I almost thought it was..." The man behind the bar paused, then whispered, "Lian Yi isn't using him to distract herself, is she?"

The other person stared wide-eyed in astonishment, "What does it look like?"

"I'll talk to you later, it's not convenient now." The woman spoke very quickly: "If you ask me, it would be better if that were the case. He's been gone for two years, and I think Lian Yi has never really let go."

"Huh?" The man remained bewildered.

“Yes, how can you so easily let go of feelings built up over childhood?” The man lowered his voice so that only the three of them could hear. “But I think Lian Yi is just playing herself. She says she’s not serious, but does she really think she can do it?”

"People can't control their emotions the most. They say it's just to distract themselves or to have some fun, but who knows what will happen in the end? You're all girls, why don't you go and try to persuade them?"

The woman rolled her eyes. "Why don't you go and say that if Lian Yi were so easy to persuade, she wouldn't be herself? Besides, if you ask me, it's good to have someone like that to distract us. We can just keep her as a pet; it's not like Lian Yi can't afford to support her."

"Besides, Jiang Yu has been gone for two years, so why can't Lian Yi move on?" she said, dissatisfied.

"Keep your voice down!"

The man glanced nervously over there, frowning as he said, "That's not what I meant. I just think that given Lian Yi's personality, if she takes this seriously, it will be hard to handle. She's already brought people to our party; what about later?"

"Huh??" The man was confused.

"Let's wait and see. Maybe she just thinks they look somewhat alike and is just looking for some fun." The woman said nonchalantly, "Don't always assume that we women are all love-struck. Besides, I think that guy is cold and arrogant. Lian Yi hates people like that the most. After a while, she probably won't be interested anymore."

The man fell silent, seemingly helpless. "Logically, I don't agree, but what you said does make some sense."

They spoke freely here, taking advantage of the distance.

On the other side, the two who came out of the terrace wished they could turn back and have a long chat, but since they had already come over, they could only glance at Xie Ling with veiled eyes while sitting down and talking to Lian Yi with smiles.

They thought their eye contact was subtle, but not only Lian Yi and Xie Ling, but even Pei Tu'an wanted to slap his forehead and speechlessly beg these young masters and ladies to tone it down.

"Xie Ling, is that right? I've heard of you."

One of the girls laughed and said, "I also participated in the physics competition before, but unfortunately I didn't win any prizes. But you won first prize that time, right?"

"Mm." Xie Ling nodded slightly.

"So, how did you and Lian Yi meet?" someone started the conversation, and the others immediately followed suit, laughing as they said, "You're the first person Lian Yi has brought to play with us."

"Yeah yeah."

"If you're too embarrassed to say it, Lian Yi can say it instead."

The boy with dyed blue-black hair joked with a smile, "No wonder I couldn't get her to agree to meet me these days. Turns out you've found someone new."

They couldn't hide their curiosity and stared at Xie Ling with expressions of interest.

Xie Ling frowned slightly. Lian Yi and her friends seemed to be a little too enthusiastic, completely disregarding the natural exclusion that small circles have towards strangers. Being stared at by a group of people without any malice was completely different from the situation he had originally thought he was in.

However, the reason he met Lian Yi was somewhat unusual and not something that could be discussed with these people.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward due to Xie Ling's silence.

"Why do you all have so many questions?" Lian Yi chuckled, her eyes slightly narrowed, and said lazily and relaxedly, "It's personal privacy, so stop asking."

"It's just curiosity..." the boy with blue-black hair muttered.

Pei Tu'an glanced at him, gave him a meaningful look, and then changed the subject, saying, "What's wrong with Li Xilai? He's late again. Hey, how about we play some games so we don't get bored while waiting?"

"You guys have fun."

Lian Yi noticed Xie Ling's silence throughout and knew that he was in a bad mood because he was forced to come into contact with unfamiliar people and things, but she didn't care too much about it.

She stood up and said lazily, "Xie Ling, come on, let me take you to see the night view."

"..."

After Lian Yi finished speaking, she walked straight to the terrace, completely disregarding whether he agreed or not. Xie Ling sat in the chair, feeling the subtle probing gazes, and finally got up and walked over.

As soon as the tall figure stepped onto the terrace, Lian Yi, who was standing there, smiled and pushed the glass door in the middle, quickly closing it to separate the two spaces.

The people who had been sitting upright on the sofa immediately relaxed.

Pei Tu'an crossed his legs and instinctively reached for a cigarette, but remembering that Lian Yi and the others would be coming in later, he could only sigh and spread his hand to the side.

"No, none of you are going to say anything?" The boy with the blue-black hair was about to burst out, seeing his other friends lounging lazily on the sofa, he was the first to lose his composure.

The three people behind the bar also came over.

"What can I say? What can I say?" Pei Tu'an exhaled and shook his head, saying, "This is really hard to judge."

The excitement on their faces gradually subsided after those words.

"Actually, it's not that similar, although it did startle me at first glance." The man in the floral shirt touched his nose and looked at the three girls present. "I trust your judgment, what do you say?"

"I don't remember that person at all... but when I suddenly saw this person just now, I really felt, uh... that they looked alike."

The boy with blue-black hair clenched his fist and said, "See? So what exactly does Lian Yi mean by this?"

“I know why it looks so similar now, it’s the eyes!” The woman who had been at the bar suddenly said with certainty, “The way he looks at us is exactly the same as that person’s.”

Her words caused everyone to gasp in shock.

Only the person who had been sitting at the bar looking completely bewildered remained staring blankly at the moment, pleading, "Could someone please tell me? Please stop playing games with me."

"Don't pry into things you shouldn't," Pei Tu'an waved his hand at him, his expression surprisingly serious.

An inexplicable silence fell over the crowd.

This incident had a significant impact on them.

When they first heard that Lian Yi was pursuing a poor boy from a poor family, they thought it was a joke and didn't pay much attention.

Even with Yi's personality and temper, if she gets too angry, she might end up killing someone.

But now that they've met the person in question, they really don't dare say it anymore, and can still treat it as a joke.

“It’s been two years since he left, hasn’t it?” Pei Tu’an suddenly spoke up, paused, and said, “Actually, we don’t need to worry too much about whether Lian Yi will take it to heart. If things really get out of hand, we’re still here for you.”

His words were followed by another moment of silence from the crowd.

"Do you think Jiang Yuzhen is dead?" Suddenly someone lowered their voice to a whisper, glancing cautiously at the terrace as they spoke.

"Otherwise what?"

“He said he was going for treatment when he left. If something hadn’t happened… how could we have had no news of him for the past two years?”

"Besides, although I don't really like Jiang Yu, you've all seen how much he cares for Lian Yi. I've never seen anyone serve someone like that. You could say that half of Lian Yi's temper today is because of his spoiling."

"Yes, indeed."

"Besides, although Yi-yi seems carefree, she's actually more thoughtful than anyone else." Pei Tu-an pointed at the boy with blue-black hair. "Xiao-hai, remember?"

"When you were nine, some idiot chased you all the way around your villa with his dog. You finally managed to get rid of it by throwing stones at it. Your parents forced you to apologize to that family because they were influential."

"I think it was more than half a year later when Lian Yi found out about it. She went to his house and locked him up with that dog for an entire afternoon."

"When her parents asked her why she did it, what did she say?"

"You don't need a reason if you don't like an idiot."

Pei Tu'an let out a breath and frowned, "Jiang Yu has been taking care of her all the time. They've had a relationship for almost ten years. Why do you think she hasn't mentioned it at all since, as if she's forgotten about it?"

This is actually why they never mention that name in front of Lian Yi.

In their view, how could they not care if someone they've known since childhood suddenly disappeared without a trace?

Lian Yi was just putting on a brave face and pretending not to care.

She didn't want to show it, and everyone naturally cooperated, acting as if this person had never existed, not mentioning anything related to him in front of her, not even just his name.

Before seeing Xie Ling, everything was fine, but after seeing him, the sudden sense of déjà vu made everyone feel worried.

Even though Lian Yi's tone was casual and flippant when she said it was just for fun, they always had a completely different understanding of it.

The person who was completely stunned finally realized that he had only been truly integrated into this circle for a little over a year. Before that, he could be said to have a friendly relationship with Lian Yi and the others, but they were not exactly close confidants.

Only then did he show a look of sudden realization, and then asked in confusion, "Do they look alike? He and that... cough, they are both quite handsome, I admit that, but their temperaments are completely different."

The group, having withdrawn their threatening gazes, snorted coldly and remained silent.

That man always had a smiling and good-natured demeanor in front of Lian Yi, but they were fortunate enough to see him with a cold face once.

"Feelings, do you understand feelings?" Pei Tu'an said speechlessly, unwilling to recall the past.

"What if Xie Ling had a beauty mark under her eye?" the woman suddenly said.

"Hmm... I'll wear brown contact lenses."

"Make the chin a little more pointed, and the features a bit softer..."

"His clothing style is still too youthful, and his voice isn't cold enough. If it were a bit gentler, it would be perfect."

Pei Tu'an quickly stopped them, "Stop, stop, don't say anymore. I'm afraid Lian Yi might actually dress him up like that one day. Anyway... let nature take its course. Just keep a close eye on Lian Yi these days."

Feeling a bit of a headache, she said, "She'll be graduating soon, as you all know. She's an only child, and she's destined to inherit the family business. Don't let this cause trouble..."

What kind of plot is it that after you left, everyone I loved resembled you?

Everyone shared the same idea, and Pei Tu'an didn't finish speaking before falling silent with everyone again.

"...Li Xilai knew about this all along, but she didn't tell us?" Someone gritted their teeth and said, "No, I have to call her right away and urge her to come over for interrogation!"

"The banquet is about to start and she still hasn't arrived. What's with this big attitude? Hurry up and make the call."

"Come on, let's go mix some drinks. What do you all want to drink?"

The group moved on from the topic with perfect coordination, as if it had never been mentioned at all.

…

The night view of the sea of ​​clouds is beautiful, and Qinghe Club naturally wouldn't miss this advantage, using floor-to-ceiling windows to make the very spacious terrace seem to lose its boundary with the outside sky.

Lian Yi closed the door, put her hands behind her back, and slowly took two steps inside.

"Teacher Xie, are you really, really unhappy?" She turned her head, a faint smile on her fair face illuminated by the bright light.

Behind Xie Ling was a glass door that isolated all the sounds inside, and in front of her stood Lian Yi in the center of an exquisitely dreamlike terrace.

After a moment, he said calmly, "I wouldn't say I'm unhappy, I'm just not used to this kind of socializing."

"Oh, okay."

With her back to Xie Ling, Lian Yi's eyes reflected the bustling night scene outside. A comfortable, warm breeze blew gently from an unnoticed corner, and she couldn't help but be lost in this tranquil moment.

"You called me over, is there something you want to say?" Xie Ling asked in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Lian Yi snapped out of her reverie, turning to look at him. A slight smile played on her lips, amused. She was somewhat surprised by Xie Ling's initiative in asking, but since he had already spoken—

Lian Yi turned around, nodded, and said, "Of course!"

Xie Ling looked at her quietly without saying a word.

“I’ve introduced you to all my friends, now you’ll believe I’m sincere, right?” Lian Yi took a few steps closer to him, her gaze, with a faint smile, fixed on his face.

She counted on her fingers, "I did everything: delivering milk and cakes... creating opportunities to be alone with you... and using questions as a pretext to get close to you."

Do you still hate me? You don't, do you?

Lian Yi was asking the question very sincerely. Based on her experience, if you want to pursue someone, you should give them whatever they need.

But Xie Ling definitely wouldn't want anything expensive.

She used all the tips and tricks she learned for pursuing someone.

So he looked at Xie Ling expectantly.

Xie Ling, who had expected Lian Yi to say something, fell silent, finding it difficult to describe her feelings.

Xie Ling looked at Lian Yi, her beautiful amber eyes still waiting for an answer, staring at him without blinking.

The way she often appeared gave people a casual and unrestrained feeling, a temperament that came from being pampered. Xie Ling used to dislike Lian Yi's lack of discretion.

Or rather, he subconsciously resented such naive ignorance of hardship.

Therefore, Xie Ling watched Lian Yi say and do those things with a cold eye, clearly believing that it was just a momentary pastime for her.

But looking into her earnest and pure eyes, Xie Ling felt somewhat at a loss.

"Do I have to write love letters again?" Lian Yi took a few steps closer to him, looking somewhat troubled. "That's so cliché, and love letters are really cheesy. Xie Ling, do you really want to receive love letters?"

Xie Ling instinctively wanted to take a step back, but she held back.

"No need to write it down."

He turned his face to one side, paused, and said, "Lian Yi, you don't need to do these things..."

"Sigh." Lian Yi sighed, "Are you going to reject me again?"

"I just wanted to say that there are less than half a year left until the college entrance examination." Xie Ling pursed her lips, her voice a little low. "Maybe you don't need to worry about what kind of university you go to, and you don't need to care about your grades, but you said you wanted to work hard in this last period of time, right?"

Lian Yi tilted her head slightly and looked at Xie Ling.

His handsome face was calm, except for the faint red tinge on the outline of his ears, which were slightly translucent under the light.

Given Xie Ling's personality, he would say such a thing instead of frowning and speaking coldly.

Lian Yi's smile deepened, with an excitement like seeing a progress bar successfully pushed forward.

"So, at least we're friends now, right?"

Lian Yi never cared whether or not she could win Xie Ling's heart.

Whether it's love or friendship, all she wants is for him to think she's a certain kind of person, and then, according to her assumptions, to completely despise her after learning the truth.

As for those flirtations, they were just some mischievous pleasures outside of Lian Yi's plan. After all, seeing that handsome and refined face showing a look of embarrassment and annoyance was truly enjoyable.

"Hmm." Xie Ling breathed a slight sigh of relief, looked at Lian Yi, and nodded.

Then, remembering what the head of the teaching department had said earlier that day, he frowned slightly and asked, "Do you still remember Song Qiqi?"

"Of course I remember, it left a deep impression on me." Lian Yi thought he was about to say something, then turned and walked towards the French windows. "What's wrong? Did you look so preoccupied last night because of her?"

When Song Qiqi was mentioned, the first person that came to Lian Yi's mind was a girl named Zhao Yannan.

“In the past few days, some rumors about her have been circulating at the school.”

Xie Ling frowned as she thought of those vulgar words and unbridled malice. "It's still unclear who started the rumors, but many people have used her time at the Qinghe Club to fabricate rumors."

"Spreading rumors?" Lian Yi turned around to look at him in surprise, then seemed to realize something and sneered, "Saying she has a messy private life? Or saying she's being kept by someone?"

Xie Ling's expression changed slightly, and she asked, "You already know?"

"I only found out about this because you just told me." Lian Yi curled her lips into a mocking smile and said disdainfully, "What original things can these people come up with? I bet they can describe how many abortions Song Qiqi has had as if they witnessed it firsthand."

Her tone was so nonchalant that Xie Ling felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Perhaps because it concerns the reputation of an innocent girl, given his personality, he wouldn't be able to say it so easily and casually.

Seeing the change in his expression, Lian Yi lowered her eyes nonchalantly, "Xie Ling, do you know what kind of things I've heard before?"

"……What?"

“When I was in junior high school, someone spread rumors about me in private, saying that my dad was doing business with people, drinking and socializing, and that he was going to give me to a boss with special fetishes as a gift.”

Lian Yi chuckled, "How hilarious! Tell me, how can someone whose entire world consists only of school, internet cafes, and home be so capable, knowing everything about things outside his own world?"

"I'm sorry." Xie Ling pursed her lips and looked at her. "I just feel that this matter has become very serious now, and it will have a great impact on Song Qiqi."

His apology was somewhat abrupt, but Lian Yi understood what he meant.

She smiled nonchalantly, "I know what you mean by telling me this. Although I'm not familiar with Song Qiqi, we're still somewhat connected."

Looking at the bustling night view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Lian Yi sighed.

She originally thought that in the last days of high school, all she needed to do was catch Xie Ling and take advantage of her, but she didn't expect that there would actually be someone so blind to come to her.

Doing bad things on her turf is like provoking a major disaster.

Lian Yi doesn't consider herself to possess any qualities of truth, goodness, or beauty. To her, these mindless rumor-mongers are not worth reasoning with; they are just a bunch of rats in the gutter who think they have something to hide and start squeaking around.

Then we'll pick them out one by one, put them in the sun, and let them air out to dissipate their odor.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this. I love joining in the fun." The glow of countless lights reflected in Lian Yi's eyes, their brilliance swirling within her clear pupils.

"After all, Song Qiqi is like a matchmaker between us, so it's something I should do."

"I'm telling you this not so that you can handle it alone."

Xie Ling's ears turned bright red, but his cool face remained serious as if he were unaware of his own presence. He and Lian Yi were both present at the time, and these rumors were so outrageous that they claimed Song Qiqi looked innocent and pure, but was actually a gold digger in private.

If he and Lian Yi come out to clarify things for Song Qiqi, these rumors will surely fall apart on their own once they become unfounded.

"Oh." Lian Yi nodded. "But I can handle it. So, Teacher Xie, could you please agree to go on another date with me next time, considering how hard I've worked?"

"The kind where it's just the two of us."

"..."

The blush on Xie Ling's ears seemed contagious, spreading from her ears to her neck, staining her fair skin with a light red hue.

"Lian Yi, can you be serious for once?"

"I'm very serious, okay?"

Seeing that his face was blushing excessively, Lian Yi toned it down a bit. "Alright, alright, I'll find someone to handle Song Qiqi's matter after the party. Don't worry, I'm very experienced in this kind of thing, and I guarantee I can keep those restless rats in check."

“But…” Xie Ling frowned slightly, realizing that Lian Yi’s solution was not the same as what he had thought.

Rather than silencing the rumors, letting the wise stop them is actually the best solution. Otherwise, when the next semester starts, those subtle rumors will still exist in some people's eyes and whispers.

There was a sudden knock on the glass door, and through the glass, they could see Li Xilai looking at them with a meaningful expression.

Lian Yi walked towards him, urging him impatiently, "No buts. Since you've told me you want my help, then do it my way. Don't overthink it."

"By morning at the latest, I will make all these rumors you see now disappear completely."

She stopped in front of Xie Ling, her smile innocent and somewhat naive. "As for those who spread rumors, they will all pay the price."

Xie Ling was still somewhat hesitant, but seeing the gradual change in Lian Yi's dissatisfied expression, she sighed inwardly, "But I still want to clarify things. At least, she shouldn't have to endure these rumors and slanders."

"Sure, whatever you want." Lian Yi nodded indifferently, but then she thought of something and said thoughtfully, "But if we do that, won't everyone know that you're working part-time at the club?"

She knew very well that Xie Ling's speaking out was merely a way to divert the attention of those bored people.

Xie Ling should be aware of this.

"Hmm." Xie Ling lowered her gaze slightly, landing on her face, and said calmly, "This is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Yes, but I feel that if other people know that Teacher Xie is not only excellent in character and academics, but also good at making money and managing a household well," Lian Yi smiled at him, her eyes crinkling. "I feel like that would make it harder for me to pursue Teacher Xie."

"..."

Xie Ling avoided her gaze, turned around, and reached out to open the glass door.

She suddenly moved closer from behind, and then Lian Yi's hand suddenly reached out from behind him. Her fair hand was smaller than his, and she placed it on his hand with a clear purpose in his sight.

Because it was so sudden, for a moment, Xie Ling almost lost the will to react.

The clubhouse pays great attention to detail; the warm air permeates the entire space almost imperceptibly.

Xie Ling inexplicably felt a gentle, undeniable warm breeze patting her from her waist up her back, then softly swirling around her.

Whether it was skin-to-skin contact between a man and a woman, or the shocked expression on Li Xilai's face behind a glass door that offered no privacy, or the changing expressions of the figures standing and waiting behind her, their eyes shifting from boredom to wide-eyed disbelief, it was all a matter of what could be considered a genuine connection.

Xie Ling's usually calm and organized mind seemed to stop working for a moment.

"Thank you, Teacher Xie." Lian Yi was behind him, very close, but her clear and bright voice seemed to come from a very far place.

She must have been smiling; the laughter in her voice was so obvious.

"This door actually requires you to press a switch. Look, like this, it will open automatically."

Lian Yi skillfully pressed the seemingly decorative bird on the metal frame of one of the glass doors, and the glass door slowly opened in front of Xie Ling.

Waiters were going in and out of the living room, preparing for dinner later.

The two spaces became connected as the glass door opened, and all sorts of sounds instantly flooded into Xie Ling's ears.

Lian Yi, with a faint smile in her eyes, walked past him and went inside.

As Lian Yi passed by Li Xilai, she saw Li Xilai quickly give her a thumbs up. Lian Yi raised an eyebrow and smiled smugly, then reached out and took her hand, leading her towards the private dining room.

As for Xie Ling, and the other friends who were in a daze, they were not within Lian Yi's consideration.

"Holy crap, bro, did you see that...?" Xiao Hai looked at Xie Ling on the other end of the line, speechless.

“I saw it… I’m only in my twenties…” Pei Tu’an muttered. “Damn it… I really did put my feelings on him. You guys should be more serious when you talk to him in the future, so as not to upset Lian Yi.”

It's hard to say whether Lian Yi would betray her principles for the sake of beauty.

But they believed that their relationship with Lian Yi was so profound that they felt they had to help her keep this boy who could make her happy.

Didn't you see that he took the initiative to touch her hand? I don't think anyone else gets this kind of treatment.

It really is making up for past regrets, waaaaah—

It wasn't until Xie Ling, who had regained her usual calm expression, passed by them that the group suddenly seemed to wake up from a dream.

"Xie Ling!"

Hearing the man named Pei Tu'an call his name loudly, Xie Ling stopped and turned around slightly to look at him with a hint of doubt. "Is there something you need?"

"Uh, is this your first time here?"

Pei Tu'an strode over, laughed twice, and instinctively reached out to pat his arm.

But when she met Xie Ling's indifferent gaze, she forcefully hugged her outstretched hand to her chest.

"That's the restroom over there. Didn't we meet there when you came in? How could you forget so quickly... The restaurant is this way. Come on, I'll take you there!"

When they first met, this man named Pei Tu'an was not unfriendly, but he wasn't as enthusiastic as she was now. Xie Ling couldn't find a suitable and polite adjective to describe him.

He subtly avoided Pei Tu'an's attempt to formally acknowledge their acquaintance with a handshake, paused slightly, and then proactively raised his right hand to shake hands with him.

"Thanks."

"You're too kind!"

Pei Tu'an looked sincere, shook his hand up and down, and led the person to the restaurant.

The woman who had been staying at the bar was named Gu Xin. She pouted and said, "Brother Tu'an really is... no wonder he's the most successful among us."

"She's flexible and adaptable," Xiao Hai remarked beside her.

"Alright, hurry up and go eat. Remember not to turn the table when your brother Xie is picking up food!" Gu Xin glanced at him. "Also, when we find out that Lian Yi is using him as a substitute for meals, don't let it slip."

Xiao Hai looked indignant and grief-stricken. "How could I possibly let it slip!"

"Okay, okay, just remember this: if he can make Lian Yi happy, then show him some respect."

Gu Xin patted his shoulder and said perfunctorily, "If all else fails, pretend you're knowledgeable and ask people some questions. That way, you'll leave them with the impression that Lian Yi's friend is studious and intelligent."

Do you know what we are now?

"wingman!"

Xiao Hai nodded in deep agreement, then froze for a moment.

"I'm a freshman already, what kind of question do I need to ask?!"