The Lu family only invited their own relatives to celebrate Duoduo's first birthday.
The banquet was held at the old Lu family residence. It wasn't grand, but it was warm and cozy.
Su Lin, as the uncle, of course, couldn't miss it.
He had been working 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 had been surrounded and hounded 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 itinerary, 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 swarmed by a sea of fans. He didn't know where those fans got their strength, but they clung to his clothes, tearing them to shreds.
If he had known about the fan reception, he would have taken the VIP passage and wouldn't have been in such a sorry state.
"Here, Duoduo's birthday gift." Su Lin was in a bad mood but didn't forget the main reason for his visit.
Su He opened it and took a look. It was a golden longevity lock. It felt heavy and substantial in her hand.
"Thanks! I'll accept it on behalf of Duoduo!" Su He closed the lid and placed the gift on a table nearby. It was already piled high with various boxes, all birthday presents from relatives.
Su He had other guests to attend to, so after a brief chat with him, she went back to her hosting duties.
Su Lin, not liking crowds, chose a quiet corner to sit.
"Hey, hey, isn't that superstar Su Lin? He's actually here!"
"Seeing him up close, he's even more handsome than on TV!"
"Should we go ask him for an autograph?"
"He looks quite aloof. What if he refuses?"
"Isn't he the cousin's younger brother? If you think about it, he's family. He wouldn't refuse this favor, would he?"
The young girls, upon noticing his presence, immediately became excited.
Many of them were fangirls whose greatest hobbies were collecting celebrity autographs or taking photos with them. With such a golden opportunity right in front of them, how could they miss it?
Thus, a few of them mustered up their courage and walked towards the garden corner.
"Su Lin, I'm your fan. Can I take a photo with you?" A girl in a pink dress, pushed forward by her companions, timidly asked him.
Su Lin was looking down at his phone playing a game, not even lifting his eyelids. "What's the title of the lead song from my first album?"
"Huh?" The girl was taken aback by his sudden question and was completely stumped. How would she know which albums Su Lin had released? She wasn't a fan of his career.
Seeing that she couldn't answer, Su Lin righteously 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 and turned to run away.
Seeing her embarrassed, the others naturally didn't dare to approach and disturb him further. They all slunk away dejectedly.
Su Lin's ears finally had some peace.
However, his style of behavior was bound to stir up trouble. Moreover, these girls were mostly from wealthy families, having been pampered since childhood and never having experienced any hardship. Being so bluntly rejected by Su Lin, their self-esteem was wounded, and they appeared to have suffered a great humiliation.
"How could he be like this! It's one thing not to agree, but to insult someone!"
"Exactly! Are celebrities so great!"
"He's so arrogant! They say fans are like their idols, no wonder his fans are so obnoxious!"
"Someone with such character can still maintain his position as a top star, it's simply ridiculous! They should have filmed that scene just now and shown it to those brainless fans!"
The girls, in an effort to comfort their friend, gossiped about Su Lin in a flurry of words.
As fate would have it, Su He overheard these remarks.
Out of consideration for the family ties, Su He didn't lash out 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, these people would definitely not be invited.
After the banquet, Su He discussed the matter with Su Ying, sounding quite indignant. "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you! Is Su Lin wrong for refusing to take photos with them? It's simply unreasonable!"
Su Ying, with her four-month pregnant belly protruding, teased, "What's the use of saying all this now? If it were me, I wouldn't have tolerated it. I would have directly called security to throw them out."
"Do you think I don't want to? I'm 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 status, it also imposed many restrictions on her.
Although Lu Yanbei said he had her back and that she didn't need to hold back, and could do as she pleased, she couldn't always have Lu Yanbei clean up her messes.
She wanted to be his capable wife, so she couldn't add to his troubles.
Even though these things weren't trouble at all in Lu Yanbei's eyes.
"You think too much," Su Ying said, picking up a piece of fruit with her fork and eating it slowly. "You are Mrs. Lu! If you are more assertive, people will respect you more!"
Su He was slightly taken aback.
She hadn't thought of it that way.
"Your concessions will only make them think you are weak and easy to bully, and they will become even more presumptuous," Su Ying, being a few years older and having worked in the outside world for many years, saw things more comprehensively than her.
Su He fell silent, not speaking for a long time.
"Alright, I'm not criticizing you," Su Ying said, seeing her dispirited expression. She reached out and put an arm around Su He's shoulders. "You have your reasons, and what I say might not be entirely 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, turned his head, and nodded. "Yes, I can handle it."
Looking at his earnest face, 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 participating in events abroad recently and hadn't rested well. Holding on until now was his limit.
For safety reasons, his assistant offered 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, it was followed by fans.
Su Lin didn't notice at first. It wasn't until he stopped at a red light and casually saw someone taking out a camera and snapping photos of him that he became alert.
He frowned impatiently and changed his route, heading towards the riverside avenue.
He couldn't reveal his address, to avoid being harassed.
However, the car behind him kept up, and he couldn't shake them off. In desperation, Su Lin had to drive his car into the underground parking lot of a nearby shopping mall and then leave through the emergency exit.
To his surprise, he encountered Han Yutong, who was also being chased by fans, in the same place.
If they were spotted together, who knew what rumors would spread.
Seeing that the fans were getting closer, Su Lin decisively pulled Han Yutong into a clothing store's fitting room.
Han Yutong felt the warmth on her wrist, and her heart involuntarily quickened.