Chapter 325

After meeting Lawyer Tian at the milk tea shop, Li Luo repeatedly urged the three of them not to spread any news about Chongran outside.

Only after receiving their firm assurances did Li Luo flee back to Bihai Lanting.

The next day, Li Luo brought his parents along, plus Lawyer Tian, and had talks with representatives from Huayue Film and Television and Wenxue Group.

All three parties reached a fairly satisfactory outcome regarding the collaboration between Yuan Wanqing and Chongran.

As for the contract with the grandmaster-level author Chongran, progress on both sides was also relatively smooth.

However, on certain specific details, the two sides had minor disagreements.

Fortunately, Li Luo had already enlisted Lawyer Tian's help in advance, done extensive preparation, and avoided being misled by Wenxue's copyright department head; through relentless negotiation, he secured considerable rights.

If he had come to negotiate the contract with just his parents and no lawyer, he might have signed it blindly.

Professional matters truly must be entrusted to professionals.

After reaching preliminary agreement, both sides scheduled to finalize the contract during the mid-month writer's salon, leaving ample room for further negotiation.

The basic framework was now set; for minor contractual details, Li Luo entrusted Lawyer Tian to handle them.

After settling these matters, Li Luo quickly returned to his summer studies.

Being an online novel author earning hundreds of thousands per month while still diligently studying for the upcoming fall exams felt somewhat disjointed.

But with sufficient financial support, Li Luo truly experienced the pure joy of studying purely for the sake of enjoyment.

This kind of stress-free studying is what true enjoyment of learning really means.

Li Luo felt that if he'd had this level of study efficiency in his past life, even without the Memory Palace, he could've easily gotten into university.

Sometimes, it's precisely because of such differences that a person's life takes an entirely different path.

And the most tragic part is that no one can know what kind of life the version of themselves on that alternate path might have lived.

Li Luo was lucky.

He had been given a second chance, and could now examine and choose his future life from a far more relaxed perspective.

…

August 13th, evening.

Lin Xiuhong and Cui Suling were cooking in the kitchen.

After five in the afternoon, Li Luo declared the day's studies over.

Since they were departing for Changning City the next noon to attend the writer's salon, Li Luo informed everyone present that Friday's study group would be temporarily suspended.

They would resume on Monday.

Xu Yinghuan and the others expressed understanding, then sat on the sofa to rest, waiting for dinner.

At that moment, Xu Yinghuan looked at her phone and suddenly said to Li Luo: "Monitor, your song seems to have gone viral again—have you noticed?"

"Huh? What happened?" Li Luo asked, puzzled. "Which song are you talking about?"

"That one—'Wait for You After Class,'" Xu Yinghuan said. "There's a TV drama airing now, and your song's used as its insert theme. You didn't know?"

"Oh." Li Luo recalled and nodded. "'In the Rest of My Life'—right? I know."

"I'm jealous," Xu Yinghuan couldn't help asking. "Do you get paid for this?"

"I do, but I won't say how much—I'm afraid you'll get jealous."

"I even bought you monthly tickets this month!" Xu Yinghuan grumbled. "But speaking of which, Li Luo, going to Changning for the writer's salon won't affect the rest of us studying, right? Why don't you need to come tomorrow either?"

"I'm going home after dinner," Yan Zhusheng said beside them. "My mom's assistant will pick me up soon—we're flying to Hulan to film a show with my mom."

"So Yan Zhusheng's leaving too?" Xu Yinghuan exclaimed.

"I need to go home for a few days too," Xu Youyu coughed twice, speaking softly as if afraid Cui Suling in the kitchen might hear. "I'm leaving tomorrow, returning next week."

"Are you going home to stay, Senior?" Ying Chanxi asked, puzzled.

"Yeah," Xu Youyu nodded, smiling as she hugged Ying Chanxi and pressed close to her. "Since none of you are around, I'm bored alone—might as well go home and keep my mom company, so she stops nagging me about never being home."

"But then," Li Luo crossed his arms and grinned, "even though we're all gone, our Junge still has time."

"Xu Yinghuan, Qiao Xinyan—if you two still want to study, why not just go to Junge tomorrow?"

"His grandpa's house is big enough—three of you won't even fill it."

Hearing this, Zhao Rongjun panicked before Xu Yinghuan or Qiao Xinyan could respond: "What are you talking about?! It's just one day—why do I have to go to my grandpa's…?"

"Actually…" Qiao Xinyan tilted her head. "I did plan to advance part of my study schedule tomorrow. Being alone at home is kind of boring."

"Then that's settled!" Xu Yinghuan waved her hand. "If Monitor and the others don't want us, we three should stick together. Zhao Rongjun, if you're not willing, you can come study at my place—I've got plenty of room."

At this, Zhao Rongjun stammered helplessly.

As for studying, he had no resistance—he always showed up immediately whenever Li Luo called.

After so long of desensitization training, he no longer stuttered constantly around these excellent girls.

But if Li Luo wasn't there, and he was alone with Qiao Xinyan and Xu Yinghuan studying, Zhao Rongjun felt he'd die.

"What's the big deal?" Li Luo patted Zhao Rongjun's shoulder. "You'll just study together in the morning. In the afternoon, you and Qiao Xinyan still have to go to your competition classes, right?"

"W-what about Ying Chanxi?" Zhao Rongjun hurriedly asked. "Aren't you going to competition class too?"

"Me?" Ying Chanxi blinked. "I'm taking Li Luo to the high-speed rail station tomorrow morning—I won't have time to join you."

"Enough already," Li Luo waved his hand. "Stop dithering. We're not getting involved—just work it out among yourselves on QQ tonight."

After finalizing the plan, dinner was nearly ready.

Yan Zhusheng and the other three rushed to the kitchen to help carry out the dishes.

Soon, a lavish meal appeared on the table.

The nine of them enjoyed a cheerful dinner; not long after, Yuan Wanqing's chauffeur-driven car arrived at the entrance of Bihai Lanting.

Yan Zhusheng received the message, winked at Li Luo, and stood up. "My mom's here—I'm off."

Li Luo caught Yan Zhusheng's signal and stood up too: "I'll walk you down."

He took the suitcase Yan Zhusheng dragged from her room, followed her to the door to change shoes, and stepped out of the house.

Yan Zhusheng walked with light steps to the elevator door and pressed the button.

After stepping into the elevator with Li Luo, Yan Zhusheng turned and threw herself into his arms the moment the doors closed, hugging him tightly.

"A farewell hug from a good friend?" Li Luo held her soft body and had already learned to answer before she spoke.

After Li Luo preempted her words, Yan Zhusheng froze for a moment against his chest, then burst into laughter: "Mm, Li Luo, you've gotten smarter."

"Coming from you, that doesn't sound like a compliment."

They held each other until the elevator reached the first floor, when Li Luo finally let go of Yan Zhusheng, continued dragging his suitcase, and led her to the gated entrance of the compound.

At that moment, Yuan Wanqing's chauffeur-driven car was already waiting there.

The driver saw Yan Zhusheng approach the car and immediately got out to help load the suitcase into the trunk.

Yuan Wanqing rolled down her window and looked toward Li Luo beside the car: "Has Zhusheng told you everything?"

"Mm." Li Luo nodded, smiled and greeted Yuan Wanqing, then said, "I'll wait in Changning for good news from Aunt Yuan. Go knock 'em dead."

"I'll take your good wishes." Yuan Wanqing smiled and waved at him. "Hope I can perform normally."

Yan Zhusheng secretly grabbed Li Luo's hand by the car door; since Yuan Wanqing was inside, Li Luo couldn't pull away, so he let her get away with it.

Only after they finished talking did Yan Zhusheng finally release Li Luo, get into the car obediently, and wave at him: "See you the day after tomorrow."

"Mm." Li Luo stood at the compound gate, waving goodbye until the chauffeur-driven car vanished from sight, then turned and strolled slowly back home.

Not long after, Lin Xiuhong and Cui Suling finished washing the dishes and took their leave.

Before leaving, Lin Xiuhong told Li Luo: "Tomorrow morning, I'll drive with your dad to pick you up and take you to the high-speed rail station."

"Got it." Li Luo replied. When Zhao Rongjun and the other two returned home around eight that night, he went to his bedroom and started typing.

Xu Youyu, after returning to his room, locked the door, took out his suitcase from the closet, and quietly began packing—without letting Ying Chanxi know.

Ying Chanxi noticed nothing of Xu Youyu's movements; after bathing around ten at night, she went to Li Luo and asked him to blow-dry her hair.

After he finished drying her hair, Ying Chanxi obediently pulled out Li Luo's suitcase and carefully prepared his luggage for the trip to Changning City.

After finishing his writing, Li Luo saw the suitcase near the wardrobe was nearly packed, and a soft smile appeared on his face.

Watching Ying Chanxi, dressed in a panda pajama set, focus intently, he rose and walked over to the suitcase, gently stroking her head as she pondered what else to pack.

"That's enough. Go to sleep early," Li Luo said. "The high-speed train leaves at nine tomorrow—we need to wake up by eight."

"Then… will we still go for a morning run?" Ying Chanxi bit her lip, remembering Yan Zhusheng was no longer there, and asked.

"Sure," Li Luo nodded. "Morning runs are still a must."

"Then… then…" Ying Chanxi opened her mouth to say more, but stopped mid-sentence, jumped up, and dashed off.

Soon after, Li Luo saw her return carrying a laptop, her cheeks slightly flushed as she asked him: "It's still early—want to watch a movie together tonight?"

"Uh…"

"If you don't object, that means you agree." Ying Chanxi gave him no time to think; she scrambled onto Li Luo's bed, slipped under his covers, opened her laptop, and handed him the charger. "Plug it in for me."

"Mm, alright." Li Luo, seeing she was already in bed, stopped resisting, took the charger, plugged it in, then asked curiously, "Where did you get this laptop?"

"I bought it myself," Ying Chanxi whispered. "Just watch the movie first—if you think it's good, you can use it whenever you need a laptop on the go."

"Mm…" Hearing this, Li Luo felt a mix of amusement and exasperation—he thought Ying Chanxi really had to claim everything.

Whether it was the sneakers, the gloves, the apron, or now the laptop.

Anything Yan Zhusheng gave him, Ying Chanxi seemed determined to get him a duplicate.

She was really foolishly adorable.

Li Luo climbed onto the bed and sat beside Ying Chanxi.

The two leaned against each other on the bed; Ying Chanxi picked a sci-fi movie specifically to match Li Luo's taste.

But she wasn't particularly interested in such films; barely halfway through, she was already half-asleep, her head resting drowsily against Li Luo's chest.

After finishing the movie, Li Luo glanced at Ying Chanxi in his arms, chuckled softly, closed the laptop and set it aside, then gently laid her head on the pillow.

The movement made Ying Chanxi murmur softly, her cheeks puffed out, looking utterly adorable.

Li Luo smiled and poked her cheek, then pinched it lightly—careful not to wake her.

He rolled over and went to sleep.

When Li Luo woke again, it was already the middle of the night.

He opened his eyes, saw his own side of the bed was bare, then turned to see Ying Chanxi wrapped tightly in the blanket like a little dumpling. He sighed softly.

He fumbled under the covers, found the edge, and slowly tugged it back from her grasp, pulling it over himself.

But whether from pulling too hard, he startled her awake.

"W-what are you doing?" In the dim light, Ying Chanxi turned her head toward Li Luo, still half-asleep, murmuring in confusion.

"You keep stealing my blanket when you sleep," Li Luo sighed. "I'm freezing with the AC blowing."

"Oh… oh… sorry," Ying Chanxi whispered. "I can't control it when I'm asleep—it's all subconscious."

"I've got a solution."

"No," Ying Chanxi whispered. "One blanket's enough. Why don't you just press down on it with your body? Then I won't pull it over when I'm asleep."

"I didn't say I wanted another blanket," Li Luo chuckled. Then he leaned close to Ying Chanxi, lifted his arm over her head, and said, "Lift your head a little?"

"Huh?" Ying Chanxi blinked, but obediently lifted her head.

The next second, she felt Li Luo pull her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Better now?" Li Luo whispered softly into her ear. "When I saw you sleeping with Zhusheng during the New Year, she held you like this—you never stole her blanket."

Ying Chanxi's face was already flushed crimson, half of it buried in Li Luo's shoulder, her mind blank—she hadn't even heard what he said.

All she knew was that she was lying in bed with Li Luo, and he had hugged her on purpose.

Her dazed head felt her ears burn, her cheeks flush, her heart pounding fiercely.

Neither of them knew when they fell asleep.

When they woke again, the alarm clock on his phone was ringing at seven.

Li Luo forced his eyes open and tried to reach with his right hand for the phone on the left nightstand.

The next instant, he sucked in a sharp breath—"hiss"—and felt as if his entire arm no longer belonged to him.

Ying Chanxi was also woken by the alarm, drifting up in a daze. Hearing Li Luo's voice, she turned her head and looked at him: "What's wrong?"

"Hiss... don't move, don't move..." Li Luo's arm went sore and numb the moment her head pressed down on it. "My arm's gone numb. Don't wiggle around—let me pull it out."

"Oh, oh..." Ying Chanxi blinked her eyes and obediently lay still.

Soon, Li Luo twisted his body and slid his arm out from under Ying Chanxi's head. After a good while, it gradually returned to normal.

Ying Chanxi also climbed out of bed, scooted over to Li Luo's side, and attentively helped him knead and relax it.

When she followed Li Luo into the bathroom to wash up and saw in the mirror the two of them brushing their teeth side by side, the realization finally hit Ying Chanxi.

It seemed she had slept with Li Luo last night, hadn't she?

Not the innocent kind of sharing a bed between ordinary friends.

But the kind... very intimate, holding each other... eek~

The moment Ying Chanxi thought of this, the tips of her ears began to burn.

But then she remembered it was only because she kept stealing the blankets in her sleep that Li Luo had resorted to this last resort, and she immediately felt a bit embarrassed again.

Even so, Ying Chanxi was thrilled to death inside—she was just short of humming a little tune.

While brushing her teeth, she couldn't help sneaking glances at Li Luo from the corner of her eye. With a toothbrush still in her mouth, she could barely hold back the smile tugging at her lips.

After finishing washing up, the two went downstairs together, jogged a few laps around the Bihai Lanting residential compound, and once their bodies were nicely warmed up, they ate some breakfast and brought a portion back for Xu Youyu as well.

But when the two got home and Li Luo carried the breakfast to Xu Youyu's door, knocked, and pushed it open to look inside, he was instantly dumbfounded.

The room was completely empty.

Li Luo pulled out his phone and saw that Xu Youyu had sent him a message a little past six in the morning.

It wasn't sent via QQ, but as an SMS.

【Xu Youyu】: I'm heading off first. I'll wait for you at the high-speed rail station's waiting hall. No need to reply when you see this, and remember to delete it—don't leave any evidence.

Li Luo: "..."

Reading the second half of Xu Youyu's instructions, Li Luo's eye twitched as he thought, What on earth is all this about?

Acting like some underground party members holding a secret rendezvous.

"Huh?" Ying Chanxi in the living room noticed he hadn't come out after delivering the breakfast, so she walked over to take a look, then asked in surprise, "Did senior go home first thing in the morning?"

"Mm... yeah." Li Luo silently deleted Xu Youyu's text message, then pocketed his phone. "Let's rest a bit and wait for my parents to come over."