Chapter 12: New Year’s Eve Party
After the rehearsal that afternoon, Lu Li went out of his way to a flower shop and bought a bouquet of light blue roses. The sky-blue petals were perfect for the cold weather. Giving flowers to a girl was a delicate matter, but also not. It was delicate because no girl disliked receiving flowers, and it wasn’t delicate because most girls didn’t particularly like flowers. They found them inconvenient to carry and a pity to just leave them sitting. What they truly appreciated wasn’t the flowers themselves, but the thoughtfulness and affection from their loved ones.
Lu Li sat in Sister Yameng’s apartment, pondering how to broach the subject. Giving her flowers directly seemed too abrupt. Confessing his feelings bluntly felt a bit creepy. Being too casual would seem insincere. He was stuck in a dilemma. Fortunately, Lu Li’s struggle didn’t last long. He received a text message from Sister Yameng, saying that she wouldn’t be coming home for the next few days and was staying at Zhou Wen’s place. He couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or relieved. He took a picture of the roses and sent it to Sister Yameng, then found a plastic bottle, filled it with water, and placed the flowers inside. The thorns on these roses had been trimmed, and the stems were damaged. He didn’t expect them to last long anyway.
Sister Yameng replied with a heart emoji but didn’t type any words. She probably didn’t know what to say either. Lu Li was worried that his sister hadn’t brought her toothbrush and towel, then remembered that Zhou Wen’s family were all girls, so they shouldn’t be lacking any necessities. He rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Lu Li, why are you so hesitant?”
Days passed by. The news reports about the Mulan City outbreak became less frequent, and the lockdown measures were gradually relaxed in various regions. Lu Li finally saw his future father-in-law on the news again. He was giving his usual official speech, and a group of middle-aged men in suits applauded enthusiastically.
The New Year’s Eve party was approaching, and the rehearsals for Sleeping Beauty were in full swing. During breaks, Lu Li could hear students excitedly discussing the upcoming party. Some talked about how good someone looked in their costume, some talked about which freshman was the most uninhibited, and some talked about which class was doing a maid cafe…
Chuanhai Women’s Sports School was also holding a New Year’s Eve party. Sister Yameng told him that she had been invited to be a judge, and that she would be coming home after the party.
New Year’s Eve, huh?…
Lu Li stared blankly at the row of colorful balloons on the stage. “What are you doing?”
The girl who was decorating the stage turned around and saw Lu Li in his costume. Her face flushed slightly. “Prince, oh, I mean, Lu Li… Shouldn’t you be getting ready in the dressing room?”
“The Class Monitor asked me to check if you need more balloons.” Lu Li felt uncomfortable with the makeup. The classmate who did his makeup used too much foundation, making it too heavy. “Why are you putting up so many balloons?”
“Oh, this was a last-minute idea. After the performance, all the actors will come on stage to bow, and then the balloons will explode. It’ll add to the effect.”
Lu Li nodded, but weren’t there too many balloons? The railings on the stage couldn’t possibly hold them all, right?
“Does Jingyi know about this?” Lu Li asked.
“The Class Monitor doesn’t know yet, but she definitely won’t object.” So it was a unilateral decision.
The girl suddenly asked shyly, “Lu Li, can I take a picture with you?”
“I’m busy, maybe next time.” It was best not to. Who knew what kind of trouble it would cause if Yi Bao saw it. Lu Li shook his head decisively. Silly Goose was usually dignified and generous, but when it came to relationships, she was quite possessive. She could barely tolerate An Baili. If any other girl in their class dared to approach Lu Li, Silly Goose would sulk for a long time, making his deskmate afraid to even talk to him.
Walking around the stage in his custom-made costume, Lu Li saw actors dressed as Frankenstein’s monster. That must be Class 1 of the science program’s performance, right? He saw more than a dozen girls in maid outfits, clumsily brewing instant coffee. They were students from Class 3 of the liberal arts program, trying to win the “Best Class” award through “seduction.” He also saw a young man nervously muttering “Deep breaths, deep breaths” in a corner of the stage. Was it really necessary to be so nervous about going on stage?
Before the sun had fully set, students started pouring into the gymnasium, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.
“Li~” A sweet voice called out from behind him. Lu Li turned around and couldn’t help but smile. It was An Baili, the clingy one, as expected.
An Baili’s eyes lit up. Seeing that no one was looking, she happily hugged Lu Li, rubbing her face against his. “Honey, you look so handsome in that outfit.”
“I thought you were sleeping again.”
“I’m not a pig, sleeping after eating and eating after sleeping.” An Baili said with mock annoyance. “Your Highness, can you kiss this poor Cinderella? Just one little kiss~”
“Not now, this makeup took forever to do. I’ll kiss you after the performance.” Lu Li rubbed An Baili’s cheek. “There’s a surprise for you after the party.”
“Okay…” An Baili pouted. “I’m going to find Jingyi, I don’t need you anymore.”
“Go ahead, go ahead.”
After sending An Baili away, Lu Li returned backstage and saw the actors for Sleeping Beauty pacing nervously, reciting their lines. Where was Wen Hupo? Lu Li left the gymnasium through the back door and, as expected, saw Wen Hupo standing alone in a secluded corner. She was wearing a gorgeous and elegant princess gown, her blonde hair gleaming under the setting sun. She was also wearing makeup today, her lips red, her teeth white, her eyes bright and alluring. The pink eyeshadow added a touch of feminine charm to her appearance.
Wen Hupo had that kind of aura. Standing alone in the scenery, she added an ethereal touch to it, making people reluctant to disturb the tranquility.
The prince didn’t speak, silently admiring the beautiful scene.
“Outstanding representative, why aren’t you saying anything?” Wen Hupo turned around. Her snow-white skin and bright red lips made even the sunset in Chuanhai pale in comparison.
“I’m speechless.” Lu Li walked to Wen Hupo’s side. “You’re too beautiful.”
“Save your sweet talk for Jingyi.” Wen Hupo’s expression remained unchanged. “She’s been very busy lately.”
The sky was dim, and the world was silent. At that moment, a brilliant stream of light rose from the distant city, exploding into colorful fireworks high in the sky. It must be some impatient children setting off fireworks. The colorful lights reflected on Wen Hupo’s face. She smiled faintly, seemingly thinking of something pleasant. “What beautiful fireworks.”
“Don’t you have fireworks where you’re from?”
“We do, but we’re not allowed to set them off in the castle.”
“You live in a castle?”
“Not for long.” They chatted casually, the atmosphere relaxed and comfortable. Lu Li enjoyed this kind of atmosphere. He wondered if Wen Hupo did too.
The sound of microphone testing came from the gymnasium behind them. “Hello, hello, testing, testing.” Then came the school principal’s slow and deliberate voice. “Uh… Please… students… take your seats… The New Year’s Eve party… is about to… begin…”
The voice was so comical that Lu Li and Wen Hupo exchanged glances and laughed in unison. She looked beautiful when she laughed. Lu Li was mesmerized. It was a perfect smile, even the curve of her lips was flawless. It lingered in his mind, unforgettable.
“Happy New Year, outstanding representative.” Wen Hupo said with a smile.
It was still six hours until New Year’s Day.
But Lu Li still replied, “Happy New Year, Miss Hupo.”
Bang!
Another firework exploded in the sky, brilliant and dazzling.
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