Chapter 114 Reunion
He was shaken...
He's back?
Didn't you say you'd be back in a week? Why is it earlier?
Lu Yinzhao didn't know what her emotions were right now.
There was joy, shock, and even a little bit of helplessness.
He could count the number of times he and Bian Ji had met over the years on one hand.
This liar... said he would come back every year for Chinese New Year, but he hasn't come back in the last two years.
Lu Yinzhao stood there, lost in thought.
At that moment, the dormitory door suddenly opened.
The three roommates outside the door had just returned from the library. As soon as they entered, they saw Lu Yinzhao inside, sometimes laughing, sometimes frowning, and sometimes looking angry.
"Lu Yinzhao, are you...are you alright?" Xu Zishi pushed up his round-framed glasses and asked, squinting.
Jiang Yi, who was behind him, went over and righted the overturned chair. "What happened?"
Song Shuye put his crossbody bag on the table and said casually, "If I had known you were in the dorm, I would have asked you to come to the library with me. Anyway, none of us have classes this afternoon, so how about we go to karaoke?"
Lu Yinzhao was brought back to his senses by his roommates' words. He quickly closed his laptop and stuffed it into the quilt on the upper bunk.
"Sorry, something came up at home, so I won't be going." After saying that, Lu Yinzhao picked up her phone and went straight out of the dormitory.
The three looked at each other, completely bewildered.
"Xiao Lu's expression was so strange just now..." Jiang Yi stroked his chin.
"Perhaps something really happened at home; he seemed very anxious," Xu Zishi said, shrugging.
"So he's not going, what about you two? Are you going to karaoke?" Song Shuye stared at the two of them, his eyes full of anticipation.
"I'm not going either. I'll just stay in my dorm and read some books this afternoon. I'm too lazy to go anywhere." Jiang Yi changed his clothes and climbed straight into bed.
“I don’t like singing. Why don’t you ask the people in room 507 next door?” Xu Zishi sat down, took a piece of compressed candy from the table, and threw it into his mouth.
Song Shuye rolled his eyes. "Am I the only one with boundless energy? I haven't even explored enough of the area around the school yet! Forget it, I'll go by myself!"
Xu Zishi: "Bye-bye."
Jiang Yi: "Please close the door when you leave, thank you, Xiao Song."
Song Shuye: "..."
...
Lu Yinzhao knew that the dessert shop near the East Gate was very famous.
The shop is called "Honey Abode," which sounds rather sweet.
Lu Yinzhao had only glanced at it from afar before, and had not gone inside.
He had run all the way from the boys' dormitory and was slightly out of breath when he stopped in front of the store.
He calmed himself down, adjusted his breathing, and pushed open the glass door.
Bian Ji, who was inside the store, had already spotted Lu Yinzhao.
He was sitting in a corner, where he could see clearly outside, but people outside couldn't see him immediately.
Seeing that the other person had run to see him, Bian Ji felt a barely perceptible sense of pleasure.
"Lu Yinzhao, over here."
As soon as the boy entered, Bian Ji called out to him in a clear and calm voice, not loud, but loud enough for Lu Yinzhao to hear immediately.
Because that was the voice he was most familiar with.
He walked step by step to Bian Ji's side, his mind preoccupied with some things.
I wanted to ask many, many questions, but I could only manage to utter one word.
"elder brother……"
Bian Ji found it amusing: "Lu Yinzhao, why are you so reserved in front of me now?"
"I...nothing happened." Lu Yinzhao's ears turned red, and she plopped down opposite Bian Ji. "Why did you come back early?"
"I've finished my work and am back now. Aren't you happy to see me?"
"Of course I welcome it!" Lu Yinzhao said eagerly, his voice rising slightly.
Bian Ji stared at Lu Yinzhao, as if trying to imprint the boy's current appearance deeply into his mind.
The boy had grown taller, and his jawline was more defined than when we last met. His features, now fully grown, combined the best of Yin Song and Lu Wenyan, making him incomparably handsome.
Those eyes were as bright and dark as ever, captivating all who looked at them. Her smile was as radiant as ever, infectious to those around her.
While Bian Ji was observing the changes in Lu Yinzhao, Lu Yinzhao was also observing Bian Ji.
Bian Ji had returned once two years ago, and Lu Yinzhao only met him briefly before he went elsewhere the next day.
They never met again after that.
When Bian Ji first went abroad, he used to video call her quite often. Later, Lu Yinzhao was worried about disturbing Bian Ji's studies, so he gradually switched to voice and text messages. Now he doesn't even send text messages often.
Unlike when he was a child, he used to want to send Bian Ji every day's events as soon as possible.
Today, Bian Ji wore a dark brown trench coat over a light-colored turtleneck sweater. If she were to add a pair of thin-rimmed glasses to the outfit...
That's the quintessential urban elite style, exuding a refined and intellectual air.
Dressed so handsomely, who are you trying to seduce?
Lu Yinzhao silently complained to himself.
In just a short while, he had already seen several girls looking in their direction.
"Hello, this is your strawberry mousse and iced Americano. Please enjoy." The waiter politely brought the food over.
Bian Ji pushed the pink strawberry mousse in front of Lu Yinzhao, "They just recommended it to me, saying it's the store's signature dish, so I took the liberty of ordering it. You should try it."
Lu Yinzhao pursed her lips, her mood suddenly brightening.
This guy hasn't forgotten his love for these little desserts after all.
Lu Yinzhao picked up a small fork, took a bite, and put it in her mouth. The strawberry-scented mousse was cool and smooth.
"It's delicious!" Lu Yinzhao exclaimed with delight.
"As long as it tastes good." Bian Ji couldn't help but smile.
The person in front of me is still the same as before; when she eats something she likes, her whole face is as bright and beautiful as a blooming flower.
After the initial awkwardness of not seeing each other for a long time and then reuniting, Lu Yinzhao opened up completely while eating strawberry mousse.
"You didn't see how I beat those senior students this morning..."
"I didn't even use my full strength. Do you think I'm being disrespectful to my seniors?"
"Will I be targeted in the future? Also, you don't know how ruthless my roommates are, they..."
"..."
Bian Ji listened attentively as the boy talked incessantly about what he had seen and heard at school.
Bian Ji was happy to listen to Lu Yinzhao talk; the young man had probably been holding back for years.
Bian Ji felt a pang of guilt; he hadn't failed to notice the nervousness the other person had shown when they first entered.
When did... they have to be so nervous when they meet?
Is Lu Yinzhao worried that her personality will change? Or will she become fierce towards him?
Bian Ji would never have such feelings towards Lu Yinzhao.
He didn't even have time to rest after returning to China before rushing to Lu Yinzhao's school so he could see her immediately.
If these six years have ultimately caused their feelings to grow distant and indifferent, then he must be the one to take the initiative to repair them.
Bian Ji has never forgotten the past, and he still wants Lu Yinzhao to treat him the same way he used to.
Cling to him, depend on him, and trust him wholeheartedly.
As Lu Yinzhao was talking, a plate of strawberry mousse was unknowingly eaten up.
"Would you like any other flavors?" Bian Ji asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
Lu Yinzhao waved her hand, "No, no, I need to maintain my figure now and can't eat too many sweets. This meal is enough for me today."
Bian Ji looked Lu Yinzhao up and down. "Figure? You're going to participate in a beauty pageant?"
"Pfft—" Lu Yinzhao almost spat out the mouthful of water he had just drunk.
He quickly covered his mouth, swallowed, and wiped it with a tissue. "Brother, how did you learn these dry jokes after studying abroad? You almost choked me to death."
Bian Ji hesitated for a moment and said, "Why don't you call me Brother A-Ji like you did when we were little?"
“…” Lu Yinzhao paused.
Why? Of course, it's because he's grown up.
Lu Yinzhao couldn't quite remember when he changed how he addressed Bian Ji.
When I was little, I didn't think it was a big deal to call him "Brother Aji" or "Brother" all the time, but if I do it now... won't it seem a bit pretentious?
And that day he saw online that people like that are considered "green tea bitches"...
"What? Can't you say it?"
"No, we're outside..."
Bian Ji seized on the linguistic loophole, "So you can call me that when you get home?"
Lu Yinzhao gulped down water, deliberately avoiding looking at Bian Ji's slightly mocking gaze.
Bian Ji stopped short of making a move, and only after seeing that the other person's ears had turned red did he get up to pay the bill.
"Come on, take me for a walk around your school."
"Okay, I'll be your tour guide today, don't worry!"
Huaxing University is famous for its large area, roughly the size of over 600 standard football fields.
Lu Yinzhao memorized the routes inside and outside the school during his first week after entering the school.
For him, who is passionate about photography, it is essential to check out the campus environment.
Lu Yinzhao had scouted out all the scenic spots and photo opportunities.
He knew very well what to take Bian Ji to see.
"If you walk any further, there's a big lake where a pair of black swans live. They just had a litter of babies this year," Lu Yinzhao told the other person as they walked.
Are you adjusting well to university life?
After all, Lu Yinzhao had been a day student for more than ten years, never leaving home or living in a dormitory.
For children who have never lived in a dormitory before, it may not be so comfortable at first.
"I adapted! I adapted very quickly!"
Lu Yinzhao knew what Bian Ji was worried about, but he couldn't tell Bian Ji; he had already gotten used to it in his previous life.
He used to be a university student in another city, far away from the dean and others.
Huaxing University is now located in Xingbei City, so it's very convenient for him to go home occasionally on weekends.
"I'll be busy with something soon, so I might not be able to reply to your messages right away," Bian Ji said.
"What's wrong?" Lu Yinzhao asked curiously.
To be honest, he really didn't know what Bian Ji's next plan was after returning to China.
He had been talking about his own affairs the whole time, without asking about Bian Ji's recent situation.
"I want to participate in a music program..."
Bian Ji then took the opportunity to mention that he was going to perform on the "Tian Sheng Grand Stage".
Upon hearing this, Lu Yinzhao exclaimed excitedly, "You're finally going to be on a big stage! That's fantastic! When it airs, I'll definitely cheer for you every single episode!"
Lu Yinzhao was reminded of this, and only then did he remember that there was such a thing.
In the original world, the all-around singer "Bian Ji" became an instant sensation through this program, and her career took off rapidly, quickly becoming incredibly popular.
Lu Yinzhao knew that now was the crucial moment.
His "star-making plan" is finally about to come true.
Although he only played an "encouraging role" in it, it was still incredibly satisfying to witness a musical genius's gradual rise to prominence!
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Author's Note: Zhao Zhao: I'm playing an idol-raising game [sunglasses]
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