Chapter 5 [05]
Friends
Luo Qingyue never hesitates to spend real money on the people and things she likes.
In his early years, he followed comic book serializations and helped the author reach the top of the site's sales chart by tipping millions of yuan. His name still circulates online to this day.
When a talent show is held, if your favorite idol is ranked in the middle, spend your own money to vote and support them, and promote them all over the internet to help them debut in a high position.
When she said she wanted to buy the magazine, her purpose was simple: to give Lu Mingxiao the greatest support she could.
Fearing that Lu Mingxiao would think it was too exaggerated, she deliberately omitted a zero. Unexpectedly, he cared about her quite a bit and was even concerned about how to handle the magazine.
In the evening, Luo Qingyue sat on the beanbag chair in her bedroom.
Recalling what happened in the coffee shop that afternoon, a ripple of emotion stirred within me.
Pingtan Road is the most famous pedestrian street in Dongchuan. Luo Qingyue's Western restaurant used to be located here.
She hired people to hand out flyers, opened a WeChat group she had created, sent a red envelope, and booked their schedules for the following month.
When asked if she had switched to a new project, Luo Qingyue said she was just helping a friend.
The road to entrepreneurship has been too bumpy, and she has decided to give up and become a couch potato, so she has no more aspirations.
A green cashmere blanket fell from beside my legs, and a chilly night wind blew in through the window.
Luo Qingyue shivered and got up to close the window tightly.
She stood by the window, gazing at the courtyard lights that were on, and stretched her arms, doing some stretching exercises.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated and a new message popped up on WeChat. It was from Jingxi's uncle.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: I just finished organizing the interview transcript when I remembered something important.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: Xiaoyue, thank you for helping to make coffee and supporting my business.
[Uncle Jingxi]: [Red Envelope] Wishing you prosperity and good fortune x20
Lu Mingxiao made all the coffee; she just played the role of creating a lively atmosphere.
Luo Qingyue didn't tap the red envelope, but then remembered something important and her fingers flew across the screen.
【Crescent Moon】: Uncle, you know I don't lack money.
【Crescent Moon】: If you really want to thank me, how about doing me a small favor?
The other end replied quickly.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: No problem.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: If you want the stars in the sky, your uncle will pluck them down for you.
She wasn't interested in the stars in the sky; what she was interested in was...
【Crescent Moon】: I want Mr. Lu's WeChat.
Having met someone in the afternoon and being so captivated by male beauty, Luo Qingyue hadn't even thought about this matter.
Of course, having been rejected once, she couldn't be sure if Lu Mingxiao would give it to her the second time she asked.
If her uncle could act as a go-between, Lu Mingxiao might add her on the list out of courtesy, which would be a worthwhile attempt.
To avoid making the statement seem too abrupt, Luo Qingyue added a couple more sentences.
【The crescent moon】: My brother always says I'm not doing anything productive.
【Crescent Moon】: Through my meeting with Mr. Lu today, I found my life's ideal—to become a top barista, and I want to learn from him.
[Uncle Jingxi]: Mr. Lu said that coffee is just his hobby.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: If you want to pursue a professional path, wouldn't it be more suitable to find Li Hua?
【Crescent Moon】: Li Hua can chop a brick with his bare hands. I'm scared when I see him.
Luo Qingyue sent a voice message directly: "Editor-in-Chief Liu, you have to keep your word. You promised me you'd be fine."
As Luo Qingyue had planned, her uncle handed her the business card.
She pressed the add button, Lu Mingxiao accepted, and they could chat happily.
However, the uncle's aggrieved emoji made the matter more complicated.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: Xiaoyue, it's not that your uncle doesn't want to help you.
[Jingxi's Uncle]: Mr. Lu has closed all ways to add you. If you want to become his friend, he can only add you by taking the initiative.
"..."
She tried searching for Lu Mingxiao's phone number, but couldn't find it.
It turns out it wasn't just one thing, but all of them.
Luo Qingyue's pupils dilated as she knelt on the sofa, feeling a profound sense of tragic grandeur.
She sent her uncle an emoji, then lay down on her side, looking up at the ceiling.
Should we let Lu Mingxiao take the initiative?
Being the favored party is nothing short of a fantasy.
But what kind of person is Luo Qingyue? She loves to go wherever there is trouble.
Moreover, after their conversation that afternoon, she was convinced that Lu Mingxiao had been won over by her personal charm.
After thinking it over, Luo Qingyue decided to send a text message first to shorten the distance between them.
What should she say? Just then, a pop-up ad appeared, and a brilliant idea struck her, a sly smile playing on her lips—
[Century Romance Network] A thousand-mile journey begins with a single step; cherish this bond. Dear Mr. Lu, I am your exclusive relationship consultant, Cici. Add my WeChat: luoqingyue666 to unlock more romantic benefits for free [starry-eyed].
Lu Mingxiao is single, so how could he miss such a good opportunity?
The message was sent successfully, but Luo Qingyue waited for more than ten minutes without receiving a reply.
Her eyes were too sleepy to keep open, so she decided to give him some more time. She would check again the next day.
She rushed to bed, closed her eyes, and filled with anticipation.
The first thing I do when I wake up is open WeChat to see if there are any new friend requests.
Holding her breath, she carefully reached out and tapped the green icon.
He squinted his eyes, then slowly opened them until he saw that the message board was empty, and stared wide-eyed like a copper bell.
Lu Mingxiao didn't reply to that text message; reality starkly showed that she was being ignored.
Luo Qingyue was not giving up, and sent another message at the same time that night—
[Cherish Love & Marriage Network] The most beautiful encounter in this world is meeting you in the vast sea of people. Dear Mr. Lu, I am your exclusive relationship consultant, Merry. Add my WeChat luoqingyue666 to unlock more cherished love secrets for free [heart emoji].
So, was it added or not?
The following evening, Jingxi sent a voice message to inquire about her well-being, and Luo Qingyue replied with a smiling emoji.
Jingxi, unsurprised, offered her advice: "Why don't you introduce yourself and tell him who you are? Going through all this trouble will only make people think it's a bait ad. Anyone with a sound mind wouldn't dare to add you."
"You don't understand, this is called romance."
Luo Qingyue said matter-of-factly, "I specially changed my WeChat ID to make it easier for him to find out."
Jingxi continued her analysis: "Then there's only one possibility left: he doesn't remember your name."
"You wouldn't make dark chocolate for someone whose name you don't know?"
Luo Qingyue didn't believe it and couldn't help but complain, "I suspect he's a blockhead. No matter how I try to flirt with him, I can't get him to cooperate. He's so hard to handle!"
"What kind of flirting is this?"
Jingxi retorted, "However, he won't add points to just anyone he meets. It's a plus, at least it confirms that he's not a player."
"Then I'll try one last time, just once."
Luo Qingyue nestled on the beanbag chair, picked up a can of beer from the coffee table, and twisted it open. "It's all or nothing! I'm going all in!"
——
On Friday afternoon, Lu Mingxiao, representing Mingyue, signed a strategic agreement with the partners.
A reception dinner was originally planned, but the person in charge had to rush to the airport due to unforeseen circumstances.
After sending the person over, Lu Mingxiao made a last-minute decision to go to Xinglan Island.
Xinglan Island is an island in the sea.
After Lu Mingxiao's mother passed away, his father moved here alone and began a reclusive life.
Whenever he had free time, he would bring good wine and food and sit on the terrace with Lao Lu for a drink.
Lu Mingxiao arrived at the dock in his private yacht. Night had fallen, and Xinglan Island was lit up with twinkling lights.
The sea breeze carried a refreshing coolness. He stepped onto the boardwalk, took the rope, secured the yacht to its berth, and quickly walked up the steps toward the island's residential area.
Xinglan Island has a varied terrain with crisscrossing roads and detached, self-built houses.
There is no nightlife here. By 7 p.m., there are hardly any people on the streets. It is quiet and peaceful, with only the rustling of leaves and the chirping of insects.
Lu Mingxiao walked up the slope past a large banyan tree, and a familiar voice came from the terrace of a house on the left.
"Ah Xiao is back!"
Lu Mingxiao looked in the direction of the sound and called out, "Uncle Ping."
He had only taken two steps forward when he heard someone call out, "Ah Xiao, have you had dinner yet? Want to come to my house?"
This time it's Aunt Fang.
Lu Mingxiao showed the wine and dishes he had brought for Lao Lu, politely declining her kindness.
Next came Uncle Song, Brother Zhang, Aunt Liu... Each of them poked their head out of their own house and chatted with him for a few words, full of enthusiasm.
Old Lu's house is at the highest point of the slope.
The two-story Chinese-style building has two loquat trees that extend beyond the courtyard wall, their dense foliage like an umbrella.
Under the dim light, Lu Mingxiao knocked twice on the courtyard gate and found that it was not closed.
It seems that Lao Lu heard the conversation along the way and knew he had arrived, so he pushed open the door and entered.
Lao Lu is a paper-cutting artist who enjoys the reputation of being an "intangible cultural heritage inheritor".
When Lu Mingxiao found him, he was in the study on the second floor, organizing paper-cutting tools.
On the table was his latest completed work – "The Twenty-Four Solar Terms".
Lu Mingxiao greeted Lao Lu and brought wine and dishes to the terrace, where he set up a wooden square table.
Old Lu brought over a steamed seafood platter and placed it in the center of the square table: "Your Uncle Song brought this; it's fresh out of the oven. I have to let you try it."
Last summer, Uncle Song suffered a sudden heart attack.
Lu Mingxiao contacted the most authoritative cardiology expert in Dongchuan to help him with coronary artery bypass surgery.
The surgery was successful, and Uncle Song recovered well. His two sons, who made a living by fishing, would bring Old Lu fish and seafood every few days.
Pour plum wine into the glasses, and Lu Mingxiao and Lao Lu clink glasses.
Old Lu downed his drink in one gulp, then his phone rang with several WeChat messages.
"Director Qian said he'll come over tomorrow morning to present you with a banner to thank you for investing in and building the fitness park, which has enriched the daily lives of the residents. Director Zhao also invited you to his house for lunch tomorrow to thank you for building roads and renovating the dock on the island."
Director Qian and Director Zhao are the two leaders of the neighborhood committee.
Lu Mingxiao picked up a piece of salmon, dipped it in sauce, and said, "It was nothing, please thank them for their kindness. Mingyue's new delivery center will be put into use tomorrow, and I have to go on a business trip; my flight is early in the morning."
"Then why don't you rest properly instead of making this special trip?"
Old Lu was peeling shrimp when he suddenly realized something. "Could it be that something's up? Did he meet a nice girl who came to ask me for a red envelope?"
Lu Mingxiao reached out his hand and said casually, "Yes, surname Kong, given name Qi."
Old Lu slapped his hand back hard: "With such a talent for telling lame jokes, you'll end up alone!"
Lu Mingxiao didn't say anything, but peeled the clams and scallops and put them in Lao Lu's bowl.
Thankfully, he didn't hear it. Instead, he heard Lao Lu's accusation: "You brat, you've never been nice to girls since you were a kid."
"In kindergarten, someone was bouncing a ball with you, but you threw the ball to them and ran off to play on the slide. In elementary school, your female classmate asked if you could walk home together after school, and what did you say? The constitution says boys can only walk with boys. In middle school, it was even worse. A girl kindly offered you a bottle of water, and you said drinking someone else's water would give you kidney stones. Where did you learn these distorted facts? I didn't teach you any of that."
Lu Mingxiao had no recollection of it and was quite surprised that Lao Lu knew it so well.
"How old am I this year?" he asked.
"Thirty-one," Old Lu blurted out.
Lu Mingxiao said seriously, "As an adult with full civil capacity, I do not accept meaningless complaints about bringing up old stories."
Old Lu refilled his empty glass: "I'm just reminding you that it's time to think about settling down!"
Speaking of this, Lu Mingxiao remembered that he had received text message advertisements from dating websites for two consecutive days.
A text message pop-up appeared, and as usual, he chose to ignore it because he didn't have OCD about it. The red unread notification in the upper right corner of the message had reached 999+.
After finishing his drinks, Lu Mingxiao tidied up the wooden square table and put it back in the storage room.
He went downstairs to get a glass of water from the kitchen, his phone ringing with a notification.
Lu Mingxiao glanced at the lock screen, his gaze suddenly stopping as he swiped to open the message details—
Hello Lu Mingxiao, I am Luo Qingyue.
You must remember me well. That's right, I'm the kind person who helped you deal with the traffic accident and reminded you not to let your house collapse recently.
I never imagined that adding you on WeChat would be harder than Tang Sanzang's journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. I'll try one last time.
WeChat is a bridge for building friendships. The fact that we met twice without warning is enough to lay a solid foundation for our friendship. I want to become friends with you to record this wonderful encounter. Rest assured, I will only send greetings during holidays and will not disturb your normal life. My WeChat ID is luoqingyue666. I look forward to your visit.
The number of characters displayed in the SMS pop-up window is limited.
Looking up, Lu Mingxiao realized that the advertisements for "Century Romance Network" and "Cherish Wedding Network" were also from the same number.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, he went to the kitchen to drink some water and then reread all three messages one by one.
This girl's thought process is truly unique.
I've been working on this for three days and typed so many words, but I'm not tired at all.
Lu Mingxiao leaned against the kitchen counter and opened WeChat, his thousand words condensing into one sentence.
A moment later, Luo Qingyue received a friend request.
Postscript: Thank you for your hard work, kind person.
[Author's Note]
Xiao: The biggest house I've ever collapsed is the one where you collapsed into my heart! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
Old Lu: If you'd known how to tell cheesy pickup lines earlier, you wouldn't still be single.
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