Chapter 10: A Galaxy of Stars
Before parting, He Peiru earnestly entrusted Feng Shiqi to convey her gratitude to those who had shown her kindness in the past.
However, words alone are not very meaningful; she should take some concrete actions. So she considered the possibility of telling Jiang Yici her idea and putting it into practice.
Feng Shiqi couldn't help but sigh, "Since the Jiang family treats you so well, the neighbors who know this news will definitely be very happy."
Since the Jiang family's car was right next to her, she moved closer to He Peiru and whispered, "From now on, I'll wait for you to tell me what a life of extravagance and debauchery is like."
He Peiru was both amused and exasperated, and frankly said, "I don't even know if I can fit into this circle."
She was telling the truth.
Feng Shiqi knew she was powerless to help, so she hugged her and continued, "There may be many things I can't help you with, but you have to remember that we are friends. You can tell me anything."
"It will definitely be the same as before." He Peiru gently patted her back, as if to assure her, "That's settled then, and I still need to think about how to thank you."
She didn't say anything more, but let go of his hand first: "You should go back quickly, it's not good to go back too late."
Then she pushed and shoved him into the car.
He Peiru is used to dressing as casually as possible. Apart from the school's requirement to wear a school uniform every day, she rarely wears a skirt.
She has always prioritized convenience.
Wearing a dress today feels completely different from before.
It's as if she grew up in a pampered environment.
Feng Shiqi's words reminded her.
The first thing she did when she got home was to glance into the kitchen. Once she was sure the maid was still preparing dinner, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She was afraid that if she came back late, the Jiang family would be waiting for her to cook dinner, which might cause them dissatisfaction.
She continued walking towards the living room and found Jiang Yaozong and Zheng Wanqiao looking at her happily. They asked, "Did you have fun going out?"
Meeting the concerned gazes of the two elderly people, an indescribable bittersweet feeling welled up in He Peiru's heart. She pursed her lips to suppress the emotion and forced a smile, saying, "Happy."
The answer seemed a bit lukewarm, so he added, "I went out for cake with a friend."
Jiang Yaozong gripped his cane and tapped the floor lightly: "If you don't have enough money, just tell us. Buy whatever you want. Don't even think about saving money."
She just wanted to put the two elderly people at ease, so she deliberately made her tone lighter and replied, "I know, you can rest assured."
All the warmth that was once missing has now been made up for for her.
Zheng Wanqiao gestured for her to sit down next to her and placed her hand over hers: "In a few days, the Jiang family will hold a banquet for you so that everyone will know that our Aru is a member of the Jiang family."
He Peiru had heard about these rules of wealthy families to some extent; they were all procedures that could not be omitted, and if she refused, she would appear petty.
After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Then... what do I need to prepare?"
“You don’t need to prepare anything.” Zheng Wanqiao smiled with relief and told her, “Don’t worry, Aci will take care of it.”
"good."
That's true. She knows nothing about these things and might even cause more trouble.
Just then, Jiang Yici's voice came from behind: "You can observe the development of Qide..."
Then, he vaguely heard Gu Zhaoqian's casual tone: "Anyway, there's no certainty about where I choose, so I might as well just give it a try."
The two voices grew closer and closer.
Jiang Yici asked, "Didn't you plan to consider this project later?"
"Heh." Gu Zhaoqian snorted coldly, "I don't know what my dad is planning, but these past two days he suddenly had the idea of arranging a blind date and marriage for me."
Jiang Yici laughed and said, "You didn't refuse? Now he can't influence your plans anymore."
“But that doesn’t stop him from taking advantage of being my dad. He’s not only nagging, but he’s also setting me up on a blind date.” Without turning around, you could tell that Gu Zhaoqian was very impatient with this matter. “If the project turns out well, then I can shut him up.”
Jiang Yici cautioned, "But it's only temporary."
“Then…” he seemed to be thinking, “we’ll take it one step at a time.”
As the two walked into the living room, Jiang Yici finally saw He Peiru and said, "Aru, there will be evening gowns delivered to your door in the next few days for you to choose from. If the style you like doesn't fit, have Sophia contact a tailor to come and alter it for you."
The moment he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and quickly added, "Don't be too polite at home, and you don't need to say thank you."
“…Okay.” He Peiru swallowed the words she almost said. “I’ll talk to Sophia if there are any problems later.”
He nodded in agreement and said, "That's more like it."
Gu Zhaoqian seemed to only then come to his senses and looked at her: "You're back?"
"Um?"
Jiang Yici frowned, puzzled by the familiar tone of the voice.
Gu Zhaoqian replied, "I just ran into Ah Ru and her friend in Tsim Sha Tsui."
She did give him a choice, and then said, "Speaking of which, at the banquet, you can help Aru get acquainted with everyone, otherwise she won't know anyone."
“Since you’ve spoken up, how could I possibly refuse?” Gu Zhaoqian smiled. “Just leave it to me then. Let’s see who dares to cause trouble.”
He Peiru stuck out her tongue, hoping that she wouldn't hold Gu Zhaoqian back when the time came.
And since things had already come to this point, she was afraid of forgetting the plan she had just discussed, so she didn't dwell on it any longer and hesitantly said, "Uncle, I think..."
Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Yici added the second half of her sentence: "Uncle Zhang has already told me that you want to thank the neighbors who helped you in the past in person, right?"
"I've roughly thought about what practical actions would be appropriate. I'll let you know once I've decided in the next few days. Let's not talk about anything else now, let's eat first."
The presence of her family gave He Peiru an unprecedented sense of security.
It turns out that many things not only don't require her to face alone, but she can also enjoy the fruits of her labor surrounded by the love of her family.
The next day.
She left the Jiang family home to return to school.
Jiang Yici had already helped her complete the procedures for moving out of the dormitory and back to the Jiang family home. Now that she had no burdens, she no longer needed to occupy the free accommodation spot.
She took advantage of the time before class started and hurried to Liang Wenlei's office.
“Aru.”
Liang Wenlei looked up and seemed completely unsurprised to see He Peiru in the office, which indirectly confirmed her suspicions.
She took a deep breath and asked, "Teacher Liang, did you know why you were looking for me all along?"
Liang Wenlei smiled and nodded, replying, "That's right. Mr. Jiang first asked me about you, and later, perhaps after they confirmed it, he told me the whole story."
"From any perspective, I think it's a good thing, so I hope you think so too."
He Peiru smiled frankly: "Thank you, teacher. Now I can give up my sponsorship spot."
"You're so thoughtful."
Perhaps it is because she has experienced enough hardships that He Peiru cares so much about these things.
After class, she brought all the things she had cleared out of the dormitory back to the Jiang family ancestral home. Sophia picked up the rickety suitcase and told her as they walked, "Miss, everyone else has made arrangements to go out. The dress you wear to the banquet has been delivered to your room. You can go and try it on first."
She couldn't deny the anticipation for the styles of those dresses, especially since she had fantasized about what she would look like in a gorgeous gown. Suppressing her excitement, she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go now."
Several boxes of different sizes were arranged in the closet cabinets.
He Peiru opened them one by one and examined them closely, discovering that the dresses inside were vastly different in both style and color.
Sophia explained from the side, "The old gentleman, the old lady, and Mr. Jiang did not rashly determine the young lady's preferences. They did this to give you more options."
They were so smitten with her, and the more they looked at these dresses, the more they liked them.
You can't choose just by looking at them; the best solution is to try them on and see how they look.
She turned to Sophia and asked in a consultative tone, "Sophia, could you help me see which one suits me better?"
“Of course, no problem.” Sophia took a few steps back and walked out of the dressing room. “You can call me in after you’re dressed.”
Although it was clear that these dresses were chosen to suit He Peiru, she didn't want to appear too naive or flamboyant at the banquet. She changed into almost every dress, but none of them seemed quite right.
After putting on the last one, Sophia walked back into the dressing room and said without hesitation, "I think this one suits you best!"
He Peiru nodded in agreement.
Sophia was genuinely happy for her and told her about the things Jiang Yici had arranged beforehand: "There's also jewelry to match this dress; Mr. Jiang will have someone deliver it later."
Although He Peiru was still somewhat uncertain about the banquet, she was starting to look forward to it because of the dress.
On the day of the dinner.
Jiang Yici came up with a stylist, but her words were apologetic: "There aren't many women in the Jiang family to begin with, and your grandparents and I were worried that the ones we chose might not be to our liking. From now on, you can make more decisions on your own."
He Peiru nodded: "I will try to learn."
The stylist brought by Jiang Yici was very gentle, and He Peiru only knew how to apply light makeup, so she naturally let her apply and style her makeup as she pleased.
The stylist's arrival seemed to be more than just styling her hair; her busy hands didn't hinder her from speaking: "You can try out more skincare products and body lotions that suit you. I've prepared some gentle products for you, and we'll customize a treatment based on your skin type later..."
He Peiru listened patiently, afraid of missing any important words, as she realized that life after returning to the Jiang family was so meticulous.
Before she knew it, the preparations were almost complete. After He Peiru changed into her dress, the stylist helped her put on her jewelry.
The distinct weight she felt in her ears and neck at that moment was a constant reminder to pay attention to her posture.
We can't lose in terms of momentum, at least not.
This halter-neck, rhinestone-studded gown made her look elegant and poised, perfectly complemented by the matching high heels.
He Peiru seemed to see a galaxy of stars in the dressing mirror.
A note from the author:
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Ah Qian's role will be more prominent in the next chapter! qwq
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