The Lu family only invited their own relatives for Duoduo's first birthday celebration.
The banquet was held at the old Lu family residence. It wasn't grand, but it was filled with warmth.
As Duoduo's uncle, Su Lin naturally couldn't miss it.
He had worked overtime for days and finally managed to return on his nephew's first birthday. He went straight to the old Lu family residence from the airport, not even having time to change his clothes.
He was mobbed by fans at the airport, and his clothes were torn.
"Tsk tsk, did you get mugged?" Su He couldn't resist teasing him when she saw him.
Speaking of which, Su Lin couldn't help but frown. "I don't know who leaked my travel plans, causing me to be mobbed at the airport."
Only a few people close to him knew about his return.
His original plan was to return three days later.
But as soon as he landed, he was surrounded by a swarm of fans. He didn't know where they got their strength, but they grabbed his clothes and wouldn't let go, tearing his nice outfit.
If he had known about the fan reception, he would have used the VIP channel and wouldn't have been so disheveled.
"Here, Duoduo's birthday gift." Su Lin was in a bad mood but didn't forget the main purpose.
Su He opened it and saw a golden longevity lock. It felt heavy in her hand, not light at all.
"Thanks! I'll accept it on Duoduo's behalf!" Su He closed the lid and placed the gift on a table nearby. A pile of boxes already sat there, filled with gifts from relatives.
Su He had other guests to attend to, so after a brief chat with him, she went back to her duties.
Su Lin didn't like crowds, so he chose to sit in a quiet corner.
"Hey, isn't that big star Su Lin? He's actually here too!"
"Up close, he's even more handsome than on TV!"
"Should we go ask for his autograph?"
"He looks quite aloof. What if he refuses?"
"Isn't he cousin-in-law's brother? That makes him family, right? He won't refuse us, will he?"
The young girls became excited when they noticed him.
Many of them were avid fans whose biggest hobbies were collecting celebrity autographs or taking photos. Such a great opportunity was right in front of them, how could they miss it?
So, a few of them mustered up the courage and walked towards the corner of the garden.
"Su Lin, I'm your fan. Can I have a photo with you?" A girl in a pink dress, pushed by her companions, walked up to him and asked softly.
Su Lin was looking down at his phone, playing a game, and didn't even lift his eyelids. "What's the title of the lead song from my first album?"
"Huh?" The girl was caught off guard by his sudden question. How could she know which albums Su Lin had released? She wasn't a fan of his career.
Seeing that she couldn't answer, Su Lin unceremoniously refused. "I'm sorry, I only take photos with my fans."
The implication was that he didn't acknowledge her as his fan.
The girl was instantly embarrassed and angry. She stamped her foot, turned around, and ran away.
Seeing her rebuffed, the others naturally didn't dare to approach and disturb him further, all leaving dejectedly.
Su Lin's ears finally had some peace.
However, his style of behavior was bound to cause trouble. Moreover, these girls were mostly from wealthy families, raised in pampering environments, and had never experienced any hardship. Being so directly rejected by Su Lin had damaged their self-esteem, making them appear greatly humiliated.
"How could he do that! If he doesn't agree, fine, but he insulted me!"
"Exactly! Are celebrities so amazing?"
"He's so arrogant! They say fans are like their idols, no wonder his fans are so obnoxious!"
"Someone with such character can still be a top-tier star, it's outrageous! We should have recorded that moment and shown it to those brainless fans!"
The girls, to comfort their friend, gossiped about Su Lin.
Unfortunately, Su He overheard their conversation.
For the sake of family ties, Su He didn't retaliate on the spot. However, she was petty and held grudges. Those who had spoken ill of Su Lin behind his back were now on her blacklist. The next time there was a gathering, they would definitely not be invited.
After the banquet, Su He spoke to Su Ying about the matter, sounding very indignant. "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you! Is it wrong for Su Lin to refuse to take photos with them? It's simply unreasonable!"
Su Ying, with her four-month pregnant belly, teased, "What's the use of saying this now? If it were me, I wouldn't have tolerated it. I would have called security to kick them out."
"Do you think I didn't want to? I was giving Lu Yanbei face. After all, they are his relatives." As the mistress of the Lu family, Su He couldn't do whatever she pleased.
While the Lu family brought her wealth and glory, it also imposed many restrictions on her.
Although Lu Yanbei said he would back her up and she didn't need to tolerate anything and could do as she pleased, she couldn't let Lu Yanbei clean up her messes every time.
She wanted to be his capable wife and couldn't cause him trouble.
Even though these things were not troublesome at all in Lu Yanbei's eyes.
"You think too much," Su Ying said, picking up a piece of fruit with a fork and chewing it slowly. "You are Mrs. Lu! If you are strong, people will respect you more!"
Su He was slightly taken aback.
She hadn't thought about it that way.
"Your concession will only make them think you are weak and easily bullied, and they will push their luck even further," Su Ying said. After all, she was a few years older than Su He and had been in the business world for years, so she had a more comprehensive view of things.
Su He fell silent, not speaking for a long time.
"Alright, I'm not criticizing you," Su Ying said, seeing her dejected expression. She reached out and put an arm around Su He's shoulder. "You have your reasons, and what I'm saying isn't necessarily all correct."
"Besides, Xiao Lin is not a child anymore. He can handle his own affairs."
Su Lin, who was not far away, heard their conversation and turned his head to nod. "Yes, I can handle it."
Looking at his serious expression, Su He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
*
Su Lin drove his sports car out of the old Lu family residence at eleven o'clock at night.
He had been attending events abroad recently and hadn't rested well. Pushing himself this far was his limit.
For safety reasons, his assistant wanted to pick him up, but he refused. It was only a twenty-minute drive, and he could make it home if he persevered.
Little did he know, his whereabouts had already been leaked. As soon as his car drove out of the community gate, he was followed by fans.
Su Lin didn't notice at first. It wasn't until he was waiting at a red light that he inadvertently saw someone taking out a camera and snapping photos of him, that he became alert.
He frowned impatiently, changed his route on the spot, and headed towards the riverside avenue.
He couldn't expose his home address, to avoid being harassed.
However, the cars behind him kept a tight tail, and he couldn't shake them off. In desperation, Su Lin drove his car into the underground parking lot of a nearby mall and then got out, leaving through the emergency exit.
What he didn't expect was to encounter Han Yutong, who was also being hounded by fans, here.
If the two of them bumped into each other, who knew what rumors would spread.
Seeing that both their fans were closing in, Su Lin decisively grabbed Han Yutong and hid in a fitting room of a clothing store.
Han Yutong felt the warmth from his wrist, and her heart involuntarily quickened.