After hanging up the phone, Qin Nuan enthusiastically started arranging the day’s activities. What could be more important than a birthday that would be unforgettable?
Actually, Luo Qianqian was somewhat resistant inside; after all, this was the first birthday after she and Luo Yanran had gotten together. But the thought of spending it alone truly frightened her.
Elvis finished making breakfast but didn’t call Luo Qianqian right away. Only after hearing Luo Qianqian hang up the phone did he start bringing the food to the table.
"Time to eat." Calling out , he poked his head out, only to see Luo Qianqian seriously comparing a photograph with the image on the computer screen, which was clearly showing the internal structure of the Grand View Accord villa complex.
"Yeah, I’ll be right there." After comparing them several times and assuring there were no discrepancies between the photo and the scene, she breathed a sigh of relief. By doing this, the chances of going to the wrong place would be avoided.
Closing the laptop, Luo Qianqian walked to the dining room and, seeing the food laid out on the table, she widened her eyes in surprise, "Didn’t you say bacon and eggs with fruit yogurt? Why is there also bread, meat buns, and porridge?"
"Those were all ready-made; just needed heating up," Elvis responded with a hooked lip. "If there’s anything you need help with, just tell me."
Luo Qianqian paused, then smiled sheepishly, "Although you might be just being polite, I do actually need your help with something." Despite the awkwardness shown on her face, her expression was very serious; she understood that she couldn’t let momentary embarrassment stand in the way. "This afternoon, we need to go and check the place in the photograph."
"Then you have to take me with you." Before Luo Qianqian could finish her statement, Elvis immediately said.
Luo Qianqian’s face relaxed, and she nodded. Elvis smiled as he ate; when Luo Qianqian was nervous, it really showed on her face.
"Ah, delicious," Luo Qianqian said as she first tried the fruit yogurt. Though it looked like a salad with fruits piled on top, the yogurt beneath was still rich and creamy.
"I’m having the plain flavor. Yours is strawberry," Elvis winked. "Moved?"
Luo Qianqian stuck out her tongue and continued eating.
After eating, with a face of composure, she gathered the dishes and bowls from in front of Elvis and carried them into the kitchen, "Although I can’t cook, I can still wash these."
Elvis’s face was filled with a smiling consent to her actions.
"Oh, remember to take out my clothes from my bag," Luo Qianqian reminded Elvis without forgetting.
After Elvis acknowledged, he picked up Luo Qianqian’s backpack, deftly opened it, and seeing the neatly folded suit inside, smiled and took it out. As he did so, Luo Qianqian’s phone came out as well.
Seeing the phone on the table and then the one stuffed in the bag, Elvis laughed silently, showing understanding toward her action.
He casually took out his phone, adeptly dialed a number, and noticed that the phone that had fallen out earlier lit up, his expression turned a bit unsightly.
He stuffed that phone back into the bag, then took the one from the table—the phone Luo Qianqian had just used to call Qin Nuan—and expertly dialed his own number and saved his name.
He didn’t look at the contents of the phone; privacy is privacy after all.
After Luo Qianqian had finished washing the dishes and came out, she saw Elvis wearing a different outfit, "Are you going out? Not going to class today?"
Elvis looked puzzled, then glanced at Luo Qianqian’s expression and laughed, "It smelled of cooking fumes; it was uncomfortable to wear."
Luo Qianqian heard this and had a strange look on her face, but she quickly returned to normal, "Won’t you spray some perfume?"
Elvis’s mouth twitched slightly, "I’m not that..."
"I get it, I get it, so shall we go now?" Luo Qianqian flipped her hand to check her wristwatch, and the time was about right; they could make some progress toward the classroom before class began.
Elvis nodded; he didn’t mind either way.
"But seriously, how did you learn? Your Mandarin is so smooth; I can’t even reach that level with my English." Luo Qianqian, despite working hard, had only managed to learn enough to scrape by in exams. She could understand conversations, but whenever she spoke, it always came out with strange accents.
"Practice makes perfect; just need to speak more," Elvis said, awkwardly averting his gaze toward the roadside, completely missing the unnatural look on his face.
"It’s not a high school English class; there’s no environment for dialogues." Luo Qianqian pouted. Was this a regret from missing out on high school courses? She never got the chance to practice speaking.
Elvis remained silent; he couldn’t continue this line of conversation.
"Nuannuan even suggested that I try taking the level six test this year, but I’m not my brother. I’d be thanking my lucky stars if I can just pass level four," Luo Qianqian complained, her face twisted in frustration, embodying a student struggling with foreign languages.
After all, she was facing a foreigner, and it was her first time being alone with Elvis. She really didn’t know what to talk about.
Elvis wanted to say, if you’ve got nothing to talk about, don’t force a conversation—there’s nothing I can reply to here.
"Huh? Cao Yingying? Why are you back so early?" Before they crossed the street, Luo Qianqian saw Cao Yingying getting out of a cab at the school gate.
Watching her rush into the school, she glanced puzzledly at the traffic light, which hadn’t changed in ages: "What’s gotten into her?"
"She’s probably back to give a gift," Elvis responded calmly, observing Cao Yingying dart into the school, "After all, it’s hard to overlook such a big gift box in her hands."
Uh-uh-uh, Luo Qianqian could only feel that she must have had a brain fart. This was an obvious problem, wasn’t it?
Finally, the light turned green. They crossed the road, entered the school, and Luo Qianqian didn’t head toward the dorms. Instead, she followed Elvis straight to the building where they had classes, because, while Cao Yingying could be seen anytime, being late to class was a different tale...
It seemed to also not matter that much.
Just as Luo Qianqian was about to speak, she heard Elvis say, "I’ve heard that not having enough attendance can affect your credits."
Luo Qianqian hesitated for a moment, but after hearing that, she promptly followed Elvis.
Elvis sighed. A troubled Luo Qianqian was an open book, except for the one thing on her mind; everything else was written all over her face. It was a sign of immaturity, no different from a middle schooler, even though she was already in college.
Luo Qianqian’s mind was really in a mess; after all, her previous life ended on campus, without any exposure to society.
This time around, even though she had grown up faster and had the support of the Luo Family, the experiences had already overwhelmed her. Now, in regards to the Han Family, she was completely baffled. She just couldn’t figure out the reason for this tit-for-tat confrontation.
And then there was Han Lei, who she hadn’t contacted in a long time, also a member of the Han Family. How could the same family have such different people in it?
Did the same environment raise children who turned out so differently? Was it the children’s fault or the environment’s?
Looking at Luo Qianqian’s face, now creased with concern, Elvis sighed. "Everything will turn out alright."
Some people wish for the Luo Family to disappear, while others hope for Luo Qianqian to grow up healthy, happy, and well. That’s what led to the current situation.