Chapter 253: Three Girls, One Stage

On the third day of the lunar new year, early in the morning, Li Dao knocked on his son's door and woke him up.

Li Xiang got up half-asleep, washed his face and brushed his teeth, then followed his parents to the next room for breakfast.

While drinking porridge, his father Li Dao said, "Your mother and I are leaving this morning—we still have factory matters to attend to, so we won't stay longer here."

"Do you want to go back with us now, or stay here a few more days?"

"If you're coming, pack your things."

At this, Li Xiang immediately shook his head: "You guys go ahead—I'm definitely staying here to keep Grandpa and Grandma company."

If he went home, he'd be nagged by his parents; but if he stayed here, with his parents gone, wouldn't he be free?

Grandpa and Grandma spoiled him terribly.

Seeing him say this, Li Dao nodded, finished breakfast, and drove off with his wife.

At that moment, Ying Chanxi also got up and came downstairs for breakfast.

Lin Xiuhong wasn't there, so Auntie and Li Xuexian warmly greeted the girl and served her porridge.

As soon as Ying Chanxi sat down, Li Xiang quietly leaned over and whispered, "Auntie, have you read my uncle's draft chapters?"

"Huh?" Ying Chanxi, still half-asleep, instinctively shook her head, "I haven't read them—I've only gotten to three hundred chapters. Wait… what did you just call me?"

"Auntie." Li Xiang said boldly.

"You…" Ying Chanxi realized, her cheeks flushing slightly, and whispered, "Don't say things like that."

"I'm serious."

"Still no." Ying Chanxi clenched her lips tightly to suppress her smile, her face stiffening, "Don't talk nonsense—I'm not your auntie, you're three years older than me."

"So what?" Li Xiang shook his head eagerly, desperate to make progress, "Didn't you give me a red envelope on New Year's Eve?"

"That was Li Luo who told me to give it to you."

"Auntie, think about it—why did my uncle make you give it to me? Why didn't he give it himself?" Li Xiang whispered, coaxing, "Isn't that obvious?"

Ying Chanxi was swayed by his words; hearing the term "auntie," she found it growing strangely pleasant.

"Anyway, don't call me that—especially not when Li Luo is around," Ying Chanxi said sternly, "He'll be back soon. If you want the draft, go ask him yourself."

As she spoke, her phone vibrated.

She picked it up, puzzled, then her expression hardened as she answered the call.

Li Xiang sipped his porridge, occasionally glancing at Ying Chanxi's face, and noticed her expression had grown serious, no longer relaxed.

He didn't know who she was talking to.

It certainly wasn't Li Luo.

"Alright, I understand. When you're almost here, call me again—I'll go meet you at the village gate."

After hanging up, Ying Chanxi sighed, suddenly looking gloomy.

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Seeing this, Li Xiang asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ying Chanxi forced a smile, "Two friends are coming to visit—I'll go pick them up."

…

Li Xiang didn't think much of it, assuming they were just ordinary friends; but it was unusual for someone to travel far to the countryside on the third day of the new year just to visit a classmate.

What Li Xiang didn't expect was that the two friends Ying Chanxi brought back were just as beautiful and well-built as his auntie!

Soon after breakfast, Li Xiang saw Ying Chanxi rise and hurry toward the village gate.

Curious, Li Xiang leaned on the balcony railing on the second floor, from the same spot where he'd watched Li Luo and Ying Chanxi set off fireworks on New Year's Eve, watching the courtyard gate.

In the next few minutes, bored, he opened his phone and checked the latest novel update—just then, the scene where all three heroines appeared together was being written.

Chongran described the three heroines' features in detail.

Shen Dongdong was cute and playful, with the most balanced figure among the three—petite, sweet, her skin as pale and translucent as a freshly peeled boiled egg, glowing with health, making one want to take a bite.

Mo Qinghan had a delicate face, an ethereal aura like a lotus emerging from clear water; when she walked, her long legs gave her an air of cool detachment, and she usually wore a blank expression.

On the other side was Jiang Ming, whose full figure radiated elegance and reserve in every smile and frown, subtly seductive in ways only the unaware could miss.

Li Xiang sighed softly, thinking his uncle really knew how to write—look at those little phrases.

Especially with Shen Dongdong—since he'd just seen Ying Chanxi at breakfast, his mind automatically pictured her.

Comparing them, he was certain: Li Luo had written this based entirely on real people.

But the descriptions of Mo Qinghan and Jiang Ming were just as detailed—he wondered how his uncle had gotten inspiration for them.

As he thought this, Li Xiang noticed Ying Chanxi returning with two people.

At that moment, Ying Chanxi walked along the snow-covered country path, flanked on either side by two unfamiliar figures.

But as the two women drew closer and reached the courtyard gate, Li Xiang clearly saw their faces and aura—and suddenly shuddered, struck by an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

He looked down at his phone's novel, then up at the two girls climbing the steps into the courtyard—and for a moment, he was dazed.

He could barely tell fiction from reality!

When Yan Zhusheng and Xu Youyu followed Ying Chanxi up to the second-floor balcony and stood before Li Xiang,

Li Xiang stared at them, involuntarily swallowing hard; the characters Mo Qinghan and Jiang Ming, still mere fantasies in his mind, suddenly became real.

"This is Li Luo's nephew, Li Xiang," Ying Chanxi introduced, "Though he's older than us, he's junior in辈分—he's already in university. This is Yan Zhusheng, Li Luo's desk partner. This is Xu Youyu, our senior."

Li Xiang stared at the three of them, stunned, barely reacting.

Until Yan Zhusheng looked at him blankly and said, "Hello."

Xu Youyu waved enthusiastically, smiling brightly, "Hi there!"

Li Xiang snapped back to himself, instinctively stepping back half a pace, unsure what to say.

"Uh… h-hi."

In the living room, Auntie and Li Xuexian rose to greet the visitors, curious and eager to ask questions.

Ying Chanxi introduced them all one by one.

Yan Zhusheng politely greeted each one, listening carefully and silently memorizing the identities of these elders as Ying Chanxi introduced them.

Xu Youyu, though appearing casual, easily memorized the relationships between these elders and Li Luo, and warmly greeted them all.

After the people in the living room who had already woken up and eaten breakfast were introduced, Ying Chanxi led the two of them upstairs to the third floor.

"This is Li Luo's bedroom; that master bedroom is where his parents sleep," Ying Chanxi said, walking to the door at the very corner, opening it, and turning to Xu Youyu: "Senior, you'll sleep here tonight. You can put your luggage down first, then we'll go to my place to arrange something for Zhusheng."

"OK." Xu Youyu placed her luggage down, glanced around, then stepped back out of the room, glanced at Li Luo's bedroom next door, and nodded with a satisfied smile: "Let's go, let's check out your place."

Soon after, Li Xiang, still stunned in the living room, saw Ying Chanxi lead two girls toward the neighboring house.

"These two girls are truly beautiful," Auntie said on the sofa, chatting with Li Xuexian.

Li Xuexian nodded: "Yes, just like Xixi—they're all stunningly pretty."

"Just now, when Xixi introduced them, were they classmates?"

"Yes, that tall girl is Li Luo's desk partner," Li Xuexian said, nodding. "The one with the good figure is the senior who lives with them—you should see her, she looks like she'd be great at bearing children."

"They're still children," Auntie laughed. "You say such things."

"What's wrong with that? When we were sixteen or seventeen, plenty of us already had marriage arrangements arranged. I'm just talking."

Listening to the elders' idle chatter, Li Xiang finally snapped out of the surreal feeling that a novel had stepped into reality.

He'd been puzzled before—how had Li Luo written three vivid, lifelike female leads, each so well-developed?

So they were all based on real people?

Not just Shen Dongdong, the childhood friend—but even the cold little pop star and the voluptuous senior woman? They all had real-life prototypes?!

And they were all people Li Luo knew well!

Are you even writing a novel anymore?

Isn't this just an autobiography?

Li Xiang was now too drained to complain; his heart was filled only with envy and respect for Li Luo.

It was only seven in the morning.

Ying Chanxi brought the two girls to her own house on the third floor and assigned Yan Zhusheng to the bedroom next to hers.

After watching Yan Zhusheng put her luggage away, Ying Chanxi nodded, thoroughly satisfied with her arrangements.

"Alright, I've settled you both in. Now…" Ying Chanxi thought for a moment, unable to think of anything to do, "Li Luo won't be back anytime soon—should I take you two for a walk around the neighborhood?"

Xu Youyu quickly shook her head: "I was woken up early by Zhusheng knocking on my door—I haven't had enough sleep. Let me go back and nap first, or I'll drop dead."

"Oh, then go rest, Senior," Ying Chanxi nodded, leading the two toward the neighboring house, first escorting Xu Youyu back to her room, then turning to Yan Zhusheng: "What about you, Zhusheng? Shall I take you for a walk around?"

"Oh, okay," Yan Zhusheng nodded obediently, curious about everything around her.

After escorting Xu Youyu back to her room, the two descended the stairs together.

"Where are you two going?" Li Xuexian asked curiously.

"We're just walking around nearby," Ying Chanxi said. "She's here for the first time—I'll show her around."

"Should Li Xiang go with you?" Auntie suggested.

"Sure!"

Before Ying Chanxi could reply, Li Xiang had already jumped up, hurried over to the two of them, and smiled: "Auntie—"

"Stop!" Ying Chanxi glared at him and quickly said, "Let's go, let's go—Li Luo will probably be back soon. We'll just stroll around nearby."

Following Ying Chanxi and Yan Zhusheng out of the courtyard, Li Xiang studied Yan Zhusheng curiously, then cautiously struck up conversation, asking many questions.

After a few minutes, Li Xiang had gathered several valuable pieces of information.

For example, this girl was Li Luo's desk partner—and the sports committee member.

She was also the lead singer of the Fuyi High School rock band and played instruments extremely well.

Li Xiang had graduated from Fuyi High too, so he was very familiar with the rock band.

After all, at every major school event, unless they couldn't gather enough members, the rock band always appeared on stage, stealing the spotlight.

And yet, the lead singer of such a school band was this girl standing beside him, expressionless and quiet.

Li Xiang simply couldn't imagine what she looked like when singing.

But he didn't need to imagine.

Li Luo had already written it down.

【Mo Qinghan usually looked stern and expressionless, a result of emotional stagnation caused by her childhood family environment】

【But once she entered performance mode, she became like a bursting firework—briefly brilliant, utterly transcendent, completely transformed, her gaze sharp and aggressively radiant】

【That unrestrained demeanor, like a昙花 blooming for an instant, vanished the moment the song ended; when you looked at her face again, it was as if nothing had ever happened】

Recalling Li Luo's description, Li Xiang had once marveled at this unique characterization.

Who could have imagined he'd actually meet the novel's female lead in real life?

Well, he'd already seen her before.

Li Xiang glanced at Ying Chanxi and chuckled, shaking his head.

Little uncle, you really are something.

Suddenly, Li Xiang felt energized again, remembering the Gao Er senior Ying Chanxi had mentioned—Xu Youyu.

If Yan Zhusheng corresponded to Mo Qinghan, then Xu Youyu corresponded to Jiang Ming.

So did Jiang Ming's personality match Xu Youyu's too?

Thinking of this, Li Xiang's spirits lifted—his faith, crushed moments ago by Li Luo and Ying Chanxi's morning bed photo, now seemed to have a chance of Chongran again!

Damn it!

I surrendered too early!

Could my Jiang Ming still be salvaged?

I really should have held out a bit longer the day before yesterday!

How did it come to a rebellion just like that...