Chapter 52.2
The situation continued to deteriorate, and Mr. Lu, who seemed to be disdained, had a barely noticeable curve at the corner of his mouth.
He didn’t sulk or stay silent when displeased; he knew how to take advantage of the situation to vent his frustrations, which was commendable.
And his serious, picky attitude was really cute, making Lu Ye itch to hug him.
He was in a good mood, but Lu Xingxing was almost in tears. It seemed there was no hope; Yu Le didn’t seem to like her brother at all!
“I’m sorry if I came across as too blunt; I hope I didn’t offend.”
Yu Le looked at Lu Yao, “But I think Mr. Lu probably wouldn’t like someone like me, otherwise, he wouldn’t have dragged this blind date to today.”
The rejection was too obvious, and Lu Xingxing couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
She covered her face, thinking of sending her brother a message to withdraw if things were looking bleak, as Yu Le clearly had no interest in him. It was just short of being said outright.
Although she really liked Yu Le, she couldn’t let her personal feelings get in the way of her brother’s dignity.
Then, something magical happened—she heard her brother say something she never imagined coming from his mouth.
Lu Yao, “I hadn’t thought about it before, but now that I know, I think Mr. Yu is just right.”
Yu Le, “What does Mr. Lu mean by that?”
Lu Yao looked at Yu Le warmly and slowly, “What I mean is, Mr. Yu, I really like you. May I ask if you could give me a chance?”
“!”
Lu Xingxing hugged her drink tightly, her chin trembling with excitement.
Wow!!!
Big Boss Lu, you’re amazing!
Alright!
For that one line, no matter how much disapproval there is, I, Lu Xingxing, will empty my brain and help you win them over!
Yu Le, “You have too many shortcomings.”
Lu Yao sincerely replied, “Sorry, I can work on them.”
Yu Le, “How can you change your looks and height? Through plastic surgery or amputation?”
Lu Yao, “If needed, I can consider it.”
Yu Le’s lips twitched, momentarily at a loss for words. He glanced at the untouched dessert in front of him and deliberately found fault, “I don’t like sweet food.”
Lu Yao pushed the dessert toward Lu Xingxing, “Alright, I won’t eat it anymore.”
Yu Le: “……”
Repeatedly hitting a wall, Yu Le ground his molars, realizing this person had a thick skin.
Meanwhile, Lu Xingxing, eating her double portion of cake, was internally weeping.
Was this really the same Big Boss Lu who couldn’t even make a move earlier? This unexpected true love…
So humble, so touching!
The three of them, each with their own thoughts, finished their meal and headed to Cultural Street.
In Xuan City’s Linjiang District, the old town has long preserved the tradition of the Autumn Festival. Over time, local cultural exhibitions have been added to the ritual activities, and the street shops have started offering various related trinkets and souvenirs. Over the years, it has become a must-visit spot for autumn tourism in Xuan City.
As the sun set and the sky darkened, the large red lanterns hanging high on Cultural Street began to light up one by one.
People were coming and going along the riverbanks. Besides the shops, many temporary stalls were set up selling all sorts of interesting items. In the distance, the faint sound of gongs and drums could be heard, indicating that the festival parade was ready to start.
Yu Le had never been here before and had never heard of it. He initially thought it was just an ordinary ancient town, but he found the real scene to be much more vibrant and interesting than he had imagined.
As for Lu Yao’s request for a “chance,” he neither agreed nor disagreed. He comfortably enjoyed the company of a certain attendant who was glued to his side, peeking at every stall and finding everything quite novel.
When they passed a stall selling masks, Yu Le spotted a green-faced, fanged ghost mask hanging on a rack. A cursory glance revealed that it bore a striking resemblance to Lu Yao’s mountain god mask.
“Hey, look at this—”
He picked up the mask and turned to find Lu Yao. When their eyes met, he suddenly realized something was off and quickly withdrew his smile, “Forget it, it’s nothing.”
“Yes, it’s quite similar.” Lu Yao tried to stifle a laugh and took the mask, inspecting it from all angles, “Shall I buy one for you to play with?”
“What’s similar? I don’t understand.”
Yu Le’s stubborn refusal to accept the comparison didn’t stop Lu Yao from paying for it.
“Here comes the performance troupe! Make way, make way!”
“Where? I don’t see it. I only hear the gongs and drums.”
“There’s a lion dance. I see the lion head.”
“Hey, don’t crowd, brother. I’ve got people behind me!”
People around them suddenly moved back, while the crowd behind started pushing forward. Yu Le, who was squeezed in the middle, was about to be trampled. Fortunately, a hand reached out and pulled him to the side.
Lu Yao held one person with each hand and retreated to a less crowded area, protecting them from being squeezed by the backward-moving crowd.
Wow, a hero saving the day!
Lu Xingxing was just about to praise her brother for his perceptiveness when she turned and found him still holding someone’s waist.
Damn, Lu Xingxing clenched her teeth and poked his shoulder discreetly, whispering, “What are you doing? Didn’t we emphasize this point earlier? No touching or making a move, or you’ll lose all your points!”
Just then, the performance troupe arrived, complete with lion dances, palanquins, acrobatics, and juggling. It stretched out in a long line, so long that it was impossible to see the end. The clamor of gongs and drums drowned out Lu Xingxing’s scolding.
They were at the end of the crowd, surrounded by layers of people. Yu Le was on tiptoe, barely able to see the top of a palanquin and the occasional glimpse of the lion’s tail.
A bit disappointed, Yu Le turned to look at a child happily clapping on their father’s shoulders and envied him deeply.
“Hold on tight to me.”
Before Yu Le could react, he was suddenly lifted off the ground. His view became instantly clearer as he found himself securely seated on Lu Yao’s arm.
The scene in his memory briefly overlapped. Yu Le looked at the bustling street, but in his mind, he saw the locust trees in the small courtyard.
The lazy big yellow dog, wagging its tail, lay on a tree branch, looking up at him with a mournful expression when he was picked up.
Lu Xingxing’s suppressed exclamation reached his ears. Yu Le, with one hand on Lu Yao’s shoulder and the other holding the mask, secretly smiled at the corners of his mouth.
This person.
After a while, the performance troupe left, and the crowd dispersed.
Lu Yao set Yu Le down and continued to walk with him, eventually stopping at the entrance of a temple. Looking inside, there were devotees coming and going, with smoke from incense filling the air.
Yu Le looked up at the plaque that read “Great Compassion Temple.”
They followed the crowd inside, burning incense at each incense burner in front of every hall according to the established rituals, and then entered the halls to pay their respects.
The city’s temples were different from those in the mountains. Besides the heavy flow of people, the internal decor was luxurious, and even the clay statues of the Bodhisattvas exuded a new and opulent air.
Lu Xingxing took out her brother’s wallet, put a few bills into the donation box, knelt on the cushion, and prayed with clasped hands, hoping that the Bodhisattva would bless her with admission to a good local university in the coming college entrance exams.
Yu Le moved to a corner, looking at the kind-eyed Bodhisattvas, and suddenly remembered something, “Mr. Lu, is it necessary to speak out loud when making a wish here?”
Lu Yao, seemingly not noticing the sarcasm in his tone, calmly nodded, “Perhaps.”
Yu Le crossed his arms, “Oh, then I didn’t hear what Mr. Lu just wished for.”
Lu Yao, “I hope Mr. Yu will give me his contact information.”
Yu Le, “……”
Lu Yao looked down at him, with a lazy and gentle smile at the corner of his eyes, and made a request, “May I, Mr. Yu?”
Lu Xingxing, having just finished praying, was shocked by her brother’s direct approach. She turned sharply, her eyes bright with anticipation, focusing intently on Yu Le, “Say yes! Hurry, say yes!”
Not only Lu Xingxing, but several nearby young women also heard and kept glancing over. One incense stick was still being inserted into the burner after three minutes.
What do you mean, “yes”?
It felt almost like a proposal, even though it was just a request for contact information.
Feeling awkward, Yu Le was overwhelmed by the incense-filled atmosphere and regretted digging this hole for himself.
Wanting to pull away, he found Lu Yao blocking the exit, insisting on waiting for a response.
Yu Le, not as thick-skinned as Lu Yao, could not handle such public scrutiny. He gritted his teeth and reluctantly retrieved his phone, putting back the person he had blocked just yesterday.
Lu Xingxing made a surprised face. Keeping her promise, once she got the contact information, she immediately found an excuse to retreat, skipping happily back to share the good news with her mother.
After Lu Xingxing left, Yu Le turned and walked towards the backyard.
Lu Yao followed leisurely.
The path through the small pine forest led to the dining hall, and the aroma of vegetarian food filled the area.
Instead of continuing on the path, Yu Le veered into the adjacent small pine forest midway.
Lu Yao did not correct him but followed quietly.
When they reached a dead end, Yu Le was about to speak up but was suddenly pushed against a tree trunk by Yu Le’s unexpected turn.
Immediately, his jaw was nipped in a fit of frustration, and the sharp pain made Lu Yao’s brow furrow slightly. He instead gently embraced Yu Le.
He had wanted to do this since their meeting earlier in the afternoon.
Yu Le was annoyed and looked up to see the laughter in Lu Yao’s eyes. He clicked his tongue, “You seem quite pleased, huh?”
This was a tricky question. Lu Yao denied it outright, “No.”
Yu Le, “Are you trying to embarrass me again after I just got even with you?”
Lu Yao protested, “Le Le, I just wanted my boyfriend’s contact information.”
Yu Le, “Le what?”
Lu Yao quickly adapted, “Mr. Yu.”
Yu Le, “Let go.”
Lu Yao did not move, leaning down to touch his forehead, “I miss you, Mr. Yu.”
Yu Le immediately leaned back, “Stop trying to get close.”
Yu Le’s temper was quite fiery, and he was all bristled up, making it hard for anyone to pacify him.
Lu Yao chuckled and sighed, burying his face in Yu Le’s shoulder, “I know I was wrong. When will you cool down, Mr. Yu? Do you want to scold me a bit more, or should I just take a beating?”
The gentle, submissive tone made Yu Le’s ears warm. He muttered, “With such thick skin, I’m too lazy to deal with you.”
Lu Yao interpreted this, “So you’re not angry anymore?”
Before Yu Le could respond, he felt a peck on his neck, startling him. He quickly pulled away and covered Lu Yao’s mouth, “This is a sacred place. Can you be more respectful?”
Lu Yao kissed his palm, “It’s a sacred place, but I’m not a monk, and neither are you.”
Yu Le pressed against his shoulder, forcing a smile, “I’ve never heard of making out on the first day of a blind date. Mr. Lu, are you a rogue?”
“……” Lu Yao paused for a moment, “Are we still on a blind date?”
He thought it was over.
Yu Le raised an eyebrow, “You thought that?”
Lu Yao felt a bit of a headache, rubbing his temple, and was about to speak when his phone vibrated.
He slid to answer and, after a few exchanges, suddenly looked at Yu Le and asked the caller, “Can I bring a family member?”
Yu Le: “?”
Lu Yao hung up, unable to kiss Yu Le, so he squeezed his face instead, “Since we’re still on a date, would you like to meet my comrades?”
