The crowd dispersed, leaving only Xiang Wan and Lu Mingzhe in the room. Xiang Wan lay down beside Lu Mingzhe and fiddled with her phone, saying she wanted to unblock Xiang Yang from her blacklist and meet him to have a good talk.
She asked Lu Mingzhe if she could have Xiang Yang visit her in the hospital room.
Of course, she could.
No matter how much unpleasantness he and Xiang Yang had before, it was all for Xiang Wan.
Now that he and Xiang Wan were back together, it was only a matter of time before the siblings reconnected. What right did he have to stop them?
He just wondered if Xiang Yang had gone back to school…
Thinking that once they reconnected, they would inevitably share the events of the past year, and Xiang Yang would definitely tell his sister. Lu Mingzhe didn't pry further.
As it turned out, Xiang Wan unblocked him and sent him a WeChat message. Several hours passed without a reply.
"Is he in class and hasn't seen it? But it's been so long, class should be over. Should I call him?"
During dinner, Xiang Wan called him twice.
No one answered.
"Could something have happened to him?"
Lu Mingzhe was also startled.
After all, this was Xiang Yang's first love. He didn't know how Chen Jiaojiao broke up with him. If there was any unpleasantness, and this kid was prone to overthinking…
He secretly messaged a friend, asking if Xiang Yang had returned to school.
His friend sent a voice message.
"Your brother-in-law is quite something. He's entered the entertainment industry to become a star, what school is he going to?"
"Not everyone can be a star. Seizing the opportunity while the momentum is high is great. If you ask me, you shouldn't interfere."
"I tried calling him twice before, but I couldn't get through. Later, his agent answered and said he joined some training camp to become a trainee and is preparing to debut in a talent show. As his brother-in-law, how come I know less than you?"
Lu Mingzhe breathed a sigh of relief.
So nothing had happened. He had gone for intensive training to become a trainee. That was really something.
Seeing Xiang Wan starting to overthink, and knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, Lu Mingzhe handed her his phone.
As expected, Xiang Wan was greatly surprised.
"He's not going to school anymore? He dropped out for half a year? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I couldn't reach you before. I thought the school had arranged everything for him, and he would definitely go back. Who knew this kid…"
"If you ask me, you shouldn't interfere either. He's an adult now and can take responsibility for his actions. Becoming a star isn't a bad thing. After all, he's a man. If he gets taken advantage of, he doesn't lose anything."
Xiang Wan had been through thick and thin since childhood and knew how important opportunities were to a person. Xiang Yang's path was also his own cultivation.
As long as he was happy and could live a good life in his happiness, she supported him whatever he did.
It was just a pity that after all his hard work to get into university, he had thrown away his education like this. What if his star career wasn't smooth sailing in the future?
"When we can contact him again, I still want to persuade him. Having an extra diploma in hand can never be wrong."
"Ask your friend to help again and arrange for him to take a leave of absence first."
A week later, Lu Mingzhe was discharged from the hospital.
To thank his friends for visiting him in the hospital, he decided to host a banquet.
Since he couldn't go out conveniently, and Xiang Wan didn't want to face his friends alone, she decided to cook at home and invite them over.
Lu Mingzhe, doting on her, wanted to call the housekeeper to help, but Xiang Wan refused.
After all, she wasn't familiar with Lu Mingzhe's mother yet, and using his housekeeper already felt a bit strange.
Lu Mingzhe then messaged Zhou Jinbei, asking her and Chen Jiaojiao to come and help.
Zhou Jinbei was naturally happy to do so and immediately called Chen Jiaojiao.
As a result, Chen Jiaojiao refused to go.
"Why not? Do you feel awkward about your status and feel embarrassed?"
Chen Jiaojiao retorted, "Shouldn't I be embarrassed?"
"You shouldn't. Even though you were his first ex-wife, you attended his wedding with Fang Shuya. What's one more person like Xiang Wan?"
"..."
Chen Jiaojiao wanted to reach through the phone and slap her. She shouldn't be so mean.
Zhou Jinbei chuckled again, "As long as you're not embarrassed, it's others who will be. This is your life principle, Chen Jiaojiao. I know you well enough, don't try to fob me off with this."
"Tell me the truth, did Lu Mingzhe upset you again recently?"
Chen Jiaojiao didn't tell the truth, "What could he do to upset me? I don't contact him in private."
"Then you have even fewer excuses. He didn't provoke you, and he's kindly inviting you to dinner. We're all friends, and we'll see each other around. If you break the ice this time, you'll never be awkward again. This day will come sooner or later."
"It's not that I'm not going, it's that I'm busy and can't get away."
"Chen Jiaojiao, can you come up with a better excuse to fool me? Stop rambling, it's decided. I'll drive to pick you up."
Zhou Jinbei didn't give her a chance to refuse and dragged Chen Jiaojiao into the car.
On the way, Chen Jiaojiao tried to speak several times, wanting to tell Zhou Jinbei about her and Xiang Yang.
But she felt too ashamed.
She had single-handedly made the relationships within this small circle extremely awkward.
She really had no face to say anything.
They arrived at Lu Mingzhe's house like this.
Upon opening the door and seeing Xiang Wan, Zhou Jinbei hugged her very familiarly.
Chen Jiaojiao watched and realized she had been blind.
Xiang Yang and Xiang Wan looked so alike, the curve of their profile, those affectionate peach blossom eyes when they looked at someone, how similar they were!
How had she never realized they were siblings before?
She had truly been blinded by male beauty.
Chen Jiaojiao, Chen Jiaojiao, don't be so lovestruck anymore. When will you ever grow up?
Everyone was getting better and better, but you were the only one stumbling again and again with men. Sigh.
Seeing that Chen Jiaojiao had no intention of hugging her, Xiang Wan smiled and let her in.
They discussed dinner and went to the kitchen to prepare the dishes.
As Chen Jiaojiao picked up a bunch of greens, Zhou Jinbei asked her.
"Aren't you going to see Lu Mingzhe first? When he married Fang Shuya, I remember you made a bet with me at the wedding. Now that you've won, shouldn't you go and mock him a bit?"
Was it really okay to say this in front of Xiang Wan?
Chen Jiaojiao subtly kicked Zhou Jinbei, but Zhou Jinbei acted as if no one could hear her.
"Why kick me? It's true. Xiang Wan isn't that easily angered."
"Right, Sister Wan? You and Brother Mingzhe are back together, so he won't mess around anymore. We won't have a chance to laugh at him again, so we have to seize every opportunity, right?"
Xiang Wan, of course, wouldn't be angry.
They had grown up together and knew each other thoroughly.
She envied Lu Mingzhe for having such friends, and for bringing his friends to her.
Since Xiang Wan said she didn't mind, it would be really unreasonable for Chen Jiaojiao not to go and see him.
She could only take the greens in her hand and go to the bedroom.
On the bed, Lu Mingzhe, with a bandage on his shoulder, leaned against the headboard, watching a movie on the projector screen.
Seeing her enter, he raised an eyebrow.
"You've come at the right time. I have something to ask you. Close the door."