Chapter 4 Dinner Party
When Ling Wei led Lu Yan into the private room reserved by Lu's parents, the Lu family members, who had initially been somewhat skeptical, instantly dispelled most of their doubts.
There's no other reason than that it's just too natural.
If the young couple were all lovey-dovey from the moment they came in, they would suspect something was amiss, because given Lu Yan's childhood absence and his somewhat aloof personality upon his return, it would be impossible for him to act that way.
Now, after his girlfriend greeted them obediently, she naturally and affectionately bossed around their precious son, whom they had only recently found.
"Ayan, I'm a little cold." Lu Yan got up to adjust the air conditioner temperature.
"Ayan, I don't really like this tea." Lu Yan stood up and gestured to the waiter to get her a glass of warm water.
Her movements were fluid and natural, leaving the waiting waiter completely bewildered.
"Ayan..." Ling Wei leaned closer and called his name softly.
Lu Yan immediately leaned down slightly and whispered in her ear. Ling Wei seemed to only then realize the probing gazes of Lu's parents. She smiled shyly and waved her hand, saying, "It's nothing, it's too much trouble for you!"
Mr. and Mrs. Lu: "..."
Shouldn't this be said when you first start ordering someone around?
At the prompting glance from his mother, Lu's father coughed lightly, adopting the demeanor of a kind elder: "Xiao Ling, right? Don't be so reserved, just relax at home..."
It suddenly occurred to me that this girl treated her son like a servant.
It provides an incredibly relaxing feeling.
Mr. Lu forced himself to finish his sentence: "...The uncles and aunts who are coming later are our old friends. They are all very easy-going. Just relax and get along with them normally."
Ling Wei immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice, looking like she was saying, "I'm very good and obedient."
Then Li Man's parents brought her in.
Riemann has a head of glamorous, wavy hair, wears a stylish shirt and skirt, has exquisite makeup, and exudes a powerful aura.
After she appeared, she briefly greeted Lu's parents, then glanced at Ling Wei and Lu Yan with a calm expression, nodded, as if it were just a casual greeting, and then sat down on her own, took out her phone, and seemed uninterested in any further communication.
After that, the two sets of parents chatted, mostly about business, current situations, and health.
Ling Wei sat quietly next to Lu Yan, her eyes filled with a thoughtful expression.
Li's parents quickly steered the conversation towards Lu Yan and Ling Wei.
Li's parents remained very welcoming. Li's mother gently took Ling Wei's hand and smiled warmly: "Ah, this must be Xiao Ling? She's so pretty, look at those eyes, they seem to speak volumes. Standing next to our Lu Yan, they're a perfect match, it's a joy to see them together."
Father Li smiled and nodded, his tone gentle and filled with the loving kindness of an elder: "You're all studying? That's great. It's the best situation for young people to be together, to have common ground, to encourage each other, and to make progress together. Seeing you all reminds me of when we were young, and we went through the same process step by step."
After the compliments were finished, the two families chatted again in a harmonious atmosphere, showing no inclination to force a marriage.
Ling Wei quietly leaned close to Lu Yan's ear, lowered her voice, and her warm breath brushed against his earlobe: "Ayan."
Lu Yan felt a tickle in his ear and tilted his head slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable, but he didn't move away.
Ling Wei continued whispering in his ear, "It seems a little different from what I imagined."
Lu Yan turned his head to look at her, his eyes clearly asking: What's different?
Ling Wei continued in a voice only the two of them could hear: "I thought they would first look me up and down three times with that critical eye, and then let out a disdainful snort."
Then, starting with my appearance and fashion sense, she went on to comment on my family background and school, finally condescendingly ending with, "I've seen plenty of pretty girls like you who're trying to climb the social ladder," accompanied by a classic sarcastic emoji.
Lu Yan: "..."
He looked at Ling Wei with a very curious expression.
Ling Wei looked at him innocently.
What's wrong with that? That's how it's always portrayed in TV dramas.
Now it seems like just an ordinary greeting between two close elders.
Meanwhile, the younger generation, whom they weren't very familiar with, were each doing their own thing.
For example, Ms. Li Man kept her head down playing on her phone throughout the conversation, her fingers flying across the keyboard without ever looking up. She clearly had little interest in the elders' reminiscing about the glorious past.
Seeing that her elders' attention was temporarily not on her, Ling Wei decided to follow suit.
She took out her phone, intending to watch some short videos to pass the time, since not everyone had arrived yet and they couldn't start eating.
I just opened Douyin:
"When you experience Prince Guo's story through Wen Shichu's eyes, it's truly..."
The sound was amplified, and the scene fell silent.
Ling Wei quickly turned down the volume.
All eyes were on her, and I felt it would be very awkward if I didn't do something.
She looked up at Lu Yan beside her and invited, "Want to watch it together?"
When Imperial Physician Wen opened the door to Prince Guo's room, something seemed amiss.
Lu Yan: ...slowly shook his head.
Ling Wei casually uttered an "oh," pretending not to notice the stares of others, and continued fiddling with her phone.
This quickly brought the adults' attention back to them.
Seeing that there was still a younger person on the field who wasn't using his phone, the Li family parents turned the topic to him again, saying with emotion, "It's good that your Lu Yan has been found. He's just like Ah Zhao. They're both good kids."
Lu's mother nodded, her tone tinged with unconscious pride: "Ayan is sensible; he doesn't need anyone to worry about him. But Zhao is just too headstrong! He refuses to study business and insists on becoming an idol trainee, practicing dancing and singing every day, which has left him covered in injuries. His father and I are at our wits' end..."
Mentioning this, Li's mother also got excited, complaining about her own daughter: "Who says otherwise! Mine is the same, she doesn't study properly..."
The conversation gradually swirled around Riemann, who was playing on her phone, and Lu Zhao, who had yet to appear.
Lu Zhao, Lu Yan's twin brother, is another significant fish in Su Yuqing's fishpond.
According to the system, he is a future top star in the Chinese entertainment industry, destined to become incredibly famous.
He was born to be a performer on stage. He has top-notch singing and dancing skills and an excellent sense of camera presence. Although his acting skills are currently lacking, he has great future resources. His agency will be selective about the scripts he gets, giving him roles that fit his cool yet innocent nature. He can gain countless fans just by playing himself.
According to the timeline projection, he will debut as the center of the group in the talent show next year, and then he will be on a winning streak, winning awards left and right, and quickly rising to become an unparalleled top star. His fans' fighting power is legendary in the Chinese entertainment industry.
Right now, he's just a nobody trainee who left home in a huff because his family objected, signed with a small company, and is working hard day and night waiting for his chance.
Deep down, they crave recognition, yet harbor a sense of resentment and rebellion at not being understood.
Su Yuqing precisely grasped this psychological vulnerability in him.
Taking advantage of her rebirth, she staked out the location beforehand, pretending to be a kindred spirit who was accidentally attracted by his talent.
When he needed affirmation the most, they praised him to the point of ecstasy; when he lacked resources, they packaged the opportunities that belonged to Lu Zhao in his previous life as their own connections and gave them to him...
She transformed this naive boy into her number one fan, devoted to her and obedient to her every word. In his heart, Su Yuqing was like a gentle and understanding mentor, not to be defiled in the slightest.
At this point, the system sighed again: "The Lu family has two fish, one to bestow favors and the other to act as a talent scout. She has seized all the opportunities."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com