Wu Haoran was somewhat baffled and even naively asked, "What? Aren’t we waiting for Senior Brother Shi?"
Ignoring his question, Ling Chuxia hitched up her dress and strode directly into the elevator. With Ling Chuxia silent, Wu Haoran, though a bit puzzled, didn’t ask further and followed her into the elevator.
The elevator doors closed and began to ascend slowly.
Wu Haoran turned his face to look at Ling Chuxia. The excitement in his eyes faded, leaving only sheer admiration. "Xiaoxia, I really hadn’t expected this. You’ve become so beautiful, not at all inferior to your elder sister!"
Ling Chuxia thought back. Since middle school when she cut off her long hair with a pair of scissors, up until university, she had always sported shoulder-length short hair, while her elder sister perpetually had long flowing hair.
Her personality had also always been a bit forthright—direct and a little tomboyish—so she naturally couldn’t compare to her elder sister. Even if they looked the same, people automatically gravitated toward the goddess-like Ling Yunshu, and she was naturally overlooked.
Even at the class reunion three years ago, though she had attended, her hair had only just started to grow out, and her personality hadn’t changed much; it wasn’t much different from her university days, so she didn’t evoke any sense of amazement from her classmates.
Wu Haoran seemed genuinely taken aback, incessantly lavished praise on her. "Ah, we all really misjudged you. Back then, everyone was fixated on your sister. We missed seeing you as the swan you are. If I had realized it then, I would have pursued you, and perhaps by now you’d be my wife!"
Wu Haoran babbled on, while Ling Chuxia remained silent, merely lifting her eyes slightly to watch the numbers on the elevator panel climbing steadily upwards.
After talking for a while, Wu Haoran realized Ling Chuxia’s silence. He stopped too, looking at Ling Chuxia’s exquisite features, his voice suddenly lowered. "Xiaoxia, how have you become so quiet? You’re not at all like yourself. If you stood here without speaking, you’d really look exactly like your sister."
Wu Haoran’s words struck deep into Ling Chuxia’s heart.
Why have you become so quiet... You’re not at all like yourself...
Ling Chuxia’s hand, which was holding the dress, unconsciously clenched tight, her expression slightly dazed. But soon, she lowered her eyes again, curved her lips into a smile, and spoke with a calm and indifferent voice, "Is that so?"
Day after day, simple and uneventful.
Wu Haoran seemed to realize Ling Chuxia’s lack of warmth too, and with a forced chuckle, he closed his mouth and said no more. The two stood in silence in the elevator, the atmosphere gradually becoming a bit awkward.
Fortunately, the elevator soon arrived at the VIP room floor. The doors opened, and both of them walked out.