The wind rustled the leaves and vines, and the system's voice and Xu Shiyue's voice were imprinted in Lu Shizhen's mind with unparalleled clarity.
Qiuqiu was overjoyed, jumping around on her head and shouting excitedly, "Host! Host! We got points!"
Lu Shizhen was taken aback when she heard Qiuqiu's cheers.
Xu Shiyue's answer was devoid of emotion, calm and composed, and even lacked the joy that should be present in the word "like." However, the crisp "+1" from the points system was undeniably real.
The crystal chandelier in the living room swayed, illuminating the girl's clean profile.
Her raven-feather-like eyelashes lowered her already empty pupils, and her long hair fell down, revealing no emotion.
Her slender fingers lightly brushed against the dog's short fur, never leaving, gently stroking its back.
The dog sat obediently on the ground, its tail dangling and wagging uncontrollably, as if the person's touch brought it an exceptionally comfortable experience.
She seems to genuinely like it.
The surroundings were quiet for a while, and the system announcement did not sound again.
Perhaps because of the previous experience, Lu Shizhen paused for a moment before she was truly sure that the bonus points were real.
She squatted down next to the dog and gently rubbed its head.
Hiding her overwhelming joy, she said to the dog in front of her, and also to herself, "Did you hear that? She really likes you."
As if the dog understood, it barked crisply after Lu Shizhen finished speaking.
Lu Shizhen has loved animals since she was a child. Seeing how cooperative the dog was, she couldn't help but talk more: "From now on, she will be your owner. She can't see, so you have to help her well and not let her get hurt, okay?"
"You're officially starting work today. Remember to protect your master and you'll get jerky. I'll also buy you lots and lots of toys, whatever you like."
The setting sun peeked out from a small, incandescent semicircle on one side of the window, and a circle of light and shadow coincidentally fell on the girl's head.
Her voice had a touch of childishness, yet it was just right; her earnest and gentle admonitions were like her rambling in front of the plants.
They are all doing it for themselves.
As Xu Shiyue felt the dog being gently stroked by another person, the warm fur warmed her usually cold fingers, and this thought suddenly popped into her relaxed mind.
Unnoticed by others, a small furrow appeared between the girl's otherwise smooth brows.
This idea came out illogically, and Xu Shiyue felt that she shouldn't waver because of these minor points of convergence.
Lu Shizhen's goal was simply to regain my trust in her...
As Xu Shiyue lowered her eyes and pondered this, she suddenly noticed Lu Shizhen looking in her direction.
She subtly shifted her gaze back to the present, and then she heard the person's voice in her ear: "Xu Shiyue, do you want to give it a name?"
The girl's voice was hesitant, yet still full of expectation.
Before Xu Shiyue could respond, the voice continued to describe the dog's appearance in her ear: "Its fur is lighter than that of a typical Labrador, white with a golden sheen..."
Even though this dog was a gift from this person, she is more enthusiastic about it than she is.
These dense words, at first glance, sounded like they were trying to control her, just like in the past, yet they didn't seem to be controlling her.
The stacked words describe something quietly piled up to the side, waiting to be chosen.
She was waiting for her answer.
A sudden gust of wind blew outside the dimly lit window, causing the osmanthus tree to sway and create ripples on the windowpane.
The golden stamens, not yet fully bloomed, blurred into a single mass in Xu Shiyue's vision. As she looked at the girl in front of her, she inexplicably uttered two words: "Yuanzi".
I want to call her Yuanzi.
"Yuanzi?" Lu Shizhen found the name strange, and after thinking for a while, she asked, "Is it the kind of edible glutinous rice ball? Tangyuan? Nuomiyuan? Do you like to eat glutinous rice balls?"
Overjoyed, Lu Shizhen couldn't help but ask a barrage of questions in one breath.
Xu Shiyue watched as the person and the dog squatted together, their long, thick tails swaying behind Lu Shizhen.
He paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "Mm."
Even if that's true.
On a quiet weekend morning, all was still.
A sliver of light shone through the crack in the door in the quiet corridor, and then the slender figure of a young girl emerged from the room.
Xu Shiyue continued to take care of Rose as Lu Shizhen had instructed in the past, without letting Yuanzi follow her.
Firstly, to prevent Yuanzi from being scratched by rose thorns; secondly...
Luo Ji sent her a message asking her to meet him here.
Xu Shiyue knew that unless it was something particularly important, she wouldn't easily ask to meet with her.
After confirming that no one else was in the greenhouse, Xu Shiyue asked, "Is there something you need that you're in such a hurry to see me about?"
“Your uncle found me last night, and he knows you’re here now.” Luo Ji emerged from the shadows, his voice low.
Xu Shiyue frowned slightly, as if she had thought of something: "Because I was at school last time."
“Yes.” Luo Ji nodded. “When he checked and found that I was here too, he became even more certain.”
Xu Shiyue remained vigilant and cautiously asked, "What does he want to do?"
“He really wants you to go back with him,” Luo Ji replied. “He promised me that he would not mistreat you. He guarantees that you will continue to receive the best education and enjoy the best treatment, just like before. Most importantly, he will not allow Xu Shouxian to threaten you.”
"Miss, blood ties are ultimately better than this madman's infatuation and covetousness."
Luo Ji's voice was less indignant than before, and more sincere in its persuasion.
Upon hearing her last sentence, Xu Shiyue's already dim eyes darkened.
Indeed, she had a very close relationship with her uncle. When she was little, she often rode on his shoulders and frequently stayed at his house.
The two families were much closer than Xu Shouxian was; they could be considered reliable relatives.
But……
Xu Shiyue hesitated for a moment for some reason, and Luo Ji's voice rang out again: "Miss, even if your uncle tries to cover it up for you, Xu Shouxian will find out about your appearance at the school soon."
“This may sound disheartening, but the failure of the last operation was ultimately due to us…” Luo Ji choked up for a moment, “It was difficult for us to protect you. We need to rely on a third-party force.”
Xu Shiyue understood the implication in Luo Ji's words and asked proactively, "So you want to cooperate with your uncle next?"
Luo Ji nodded: "Your uncle has dealings with Xu Shouxian and is much more adept at tracking Xu Shouxian's movements than we are now. The more information we get from them, the better our chances of getting back the family property that was taken from us."
“I know Miss doesn’t like these things, but they belong to the master and mistress. Just last week, Xu Shouxian’s daughter took away the jewels that the mistress had stored in the bank safe.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Shiyue's empty eyes trembled violently.
It was as if a lifeless person had finally come to life; hatred and resentment spread even more rapidly.
Those were her mother's private belongings.
They actually dared to do that!
"Have you set a time?" Xu Shiyue asked in a low voice.
“No. But the villa holds a meeting every Tuesday afternoon, when there are very few people at the villa, which is a good time,” Luo Ji said. “As long as Miss nods, we can leave.”
That is, three days later.
Hearing Luo Ji's crisp reply, Xu Shiyue knew that she was ready to take her away.
She should go too...
He left Lu Shizhen.
Leave this unpredictable madman...
Xu Shiyue thought to herself, but her tightly furrowed brows did not relax at all.
She never considered herself an indecisive person, yet she hesitated inexplicably: "Let me think about it."
"Okay." Luo Ji nodded.
She stopped bothering Xu Shiyue; she knew she had wavered.
The roses swayed in the cool breeze as Xu Shiyue, carrying a straw basket, circled back to the backyard.
From afar, she could hear the girl's unrestrained laughter carried on the wind, and on the green lawn, a dog was chasing something, having a great time.
Aunt Sun came over at some point and took the basket from Xu Shiyue's hands, smiling as she said, "Miss really likes Miss Xu."
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