Chapter 115

In the taxi

Hui Liyi leaned against the window, gazing intently outside; Lu Mingfei felt her long hair soft and smooth, irresistibly pleasing to touch.

"Sir, we've arrived."

The taxi stopped before a white French-style villa; beside it, a sign planted in the grass read chateaujoelrobuchon.

A waiter in black uniform and white gloves respectfully opened the door; Hui Liyi's toes lightly touched the ground, her high heels clicking sharply.

Hui Liyi stared at the restaurant's sign, her face puzzled; Lu Mingfei felt awkward—there was nothing he could do, this place was, to her, a cafeteria-level spot.

But this time, Uncle and Aunt probably hadn't reserved a table; Lu Mingze wouldn't pull another stunt like this.

"Mr. Lu, I'm sorry, but it seems you haven't made a reservation." The waiter spoke with a hint of apology.

"??? " Lu Mingfei was baffled.

On the second floor of chateaujoelrobuchon, Lu Mingfei's uncle's family of three and Director Chen's family of three were all dressed in formal attire.

Beneath the candlelight, crystal glasses clinked with a crisp ding.

Uncle felt he'd met a benefactor—an elegant man who had chatted warmly with him in the airport lounge's tea room and, upon learning they were flying to Tokyo, recommended this restaurant.

"We're truly grateful to Mr. Zhong—he's young, accomplished, handsome, and generously booked us a table."

"The manager, upon hearing he was Mr. Zhong's friend, charged us only half the price."

Uncle beamed inwardly, his admiration for Mr. Zhong rising another notch.

This trip was meant to bring Lu Mingze and Director Chen's daughter, Chen Jiajia, together; they'd found no suitable chance—this restaurant gave Uncle immense face.

As the dining atmosphere grew pleasant, a waiter led a man and a woman past their table.

Lu Mingfei, seeing the waiter didn't stop, was startled—wasn't this Uncle's group? He'd just come upstairs thinking history was repeating itself, that Lu Mingze had arranged this again.

Uncle glanced beside him; the moment he did, he froze—"Lu Mingfei?!"

Everyone froze.

Aunt hadn't expected Lu Mingfei to appear here—"Aren't you in America?"

Wang Xiaopang's gaze was glued to Hui Liyi; Lu Mingfei subtly blocked the chubby boy's stare.

Today, Hui Liyi wore a blue-purple dress with black gauze overlay, surrounded by luxurious lace and ribbons, tall and cold like a Bourbon princess, yet timidly clinging to Lu Mingfei's arm.

"Haha," Lu Mingfei chuckled awkwardly, "Uncle, Aunt, what a coincidence."

"Old Lu, is this your nephew?" Director Chen asked.

"Yes, my nephew Lu Mingfei—he's studying in America," Uncle replied. "Hey, wait—you're in America, when did you get to Japan?!"

As he spoke, his eyes fixed on Hui Liyi's hand linked with Lu Mingfei's, then on her beautiful face; he beamed. "Who is this? Mingfei, don't you want to introduce her?"

Hui Liyi nodded politely to Uncle.

"I…" Lu Mingfei had meant to say she was his classmate, but his face flushed, his mind heated—he wanted to say she was his girlfriend.

"Lu Mingfei!" A clear voice rang out—in Chinese.

Lu Mingfei instinctively turned—good grief, wasn't this his old classmate Su Xiaoqiang?

He stared blankly; Su Xiaoqiang wore a white gown, radiant as a white orchid in full bloom, having just stepped out from behind an ornate screen—her seat was right beside Uncle's table.

"Su Xiaoqiang?" Why was she here? Lu Mingfei was confused; whether it was an illusion or not, he felt his old classmate looked more beautiful than before—"What a coincidence."

Wang Xiaopang's mouth hung open—he stared at the campus goddess he'd once idolized, never imagining he'd meet her abroad.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Su Xiaoqiang said, not merely greeting—when she saw Hui Liyi's arm linked with Lu Mingfei's, her smile stiffened slightly, then returned to normal.

"I've been looking for you for a long time~."

"Looking for me?" Lu Mingfei was baffled—why was Su Xiaoqiang looking for him? Wait—was this scene in the original?

"I flew all the way from China to Japan to find you—I've been searching for nearly ten days!" Su Xiaoqiang's tone was natural, but her words carried a hint of complaint, mostly concern—like a girlfriend's scolding: "You didn't answer calls or reply to messages—I walked my legs off, thought you were in danger."

Uncle, Aunt, and Director Chen's family all widened their eyes—this couldn't be a TV drama plot, could it?!

"Let's all eat together—sit at my table."

Director Chen remembered where he'd seen this girl—"You're Su Xiaoqiang?"

"Yes, hello, Uncle Chen," Su Xiaoqiang replied with a polite smile—her father had brought her to an investment promotion meeting.

In Lu Mingfei's dazed gaze, she walked to Uncle's table and greeted politely:

"Uncle, Aunt, hello—I'm Su Xiaoqiang, Lu Mingfei's classmate. This is Mingze, right? Mingfei mentioned you—he shared a dorm with you."

Su Xiaoqiang wanted to make a good first impression on Lu Mingfei's uncle and aunt, warmly greeting them—she was about to exchange a few more pleasantries and take Lu Mingfei to her own table when

"Forgive me for interrupting your reunion—I need to borrow him for a moment." A familiar, cool voice spoke; a hand like jade curled around Lu Mingfei's neck.

Why was the person he'd nearly forgotten here?

Senior sister?!

Lu Mingfei turned slightly and saw Nono in a purple dress; her expression was calm as she scanned the others, a faint smile curling her lips as she looked at the stunned Lu Mingfei and said:

"I sneaked away from my fiancé to find you—come with me first."

Seeing Nono suddenly make this move toward Lu Mingfei, Hui Liyi panicked—her grip instinctively changed from linking to embracing, her eyes turning icy as she stared at the girl who resembled her.

Crash—

Wang Xiaopang's newly bought phone slipped from his hand, hitting the wooden floor with a heavy thud.

Director Chen's gaze flicked between the three girls—Su Xiaoqiang, of course, was top-tier in looks and family background, but the other two girls radiated unmistakable wealth and status, and one was someone else's fiancée?!

He suddenly felt a flicker of admiration for Old Lu, then switched to wariness—if his nephew living under his roof was already like this, what about his own son?

"Lu Mingfei!" Aunt's shrill voice rang out: "Are you trying to fly to heaven?! What's your relationship with these girls?! Explain yourself!"

Her tone carried an air of command, but mostly panic—"How long have you been abroad? And you've turned into this?!"

"It's not—" Lu Mingfei tried to defend himself, but his mind was a tangled mess.

The opposite side fell silent; Aunt's eyes widened, her pupils trembling as if shaken by an earthquake, fixed on the side.

A girl in a black evening gown approached Lu Mingfei like a princess, unhurried—golden hair, blue eyes, an icy aura that repelled all at a distance, her exquisite face like a doll's.

She simply walked over quietly and took Lu Mingfei's other free hand in hers.

"Let's go, my king."

Lu Mingfei felt his breath catch, his brain overloading at that moment.