Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Such an Unexpected Meeting
You Shuyang stood aside a little, his gaze following Lu Yiyun’s moving figure.
Soon, he saw their target for this trip, but his expression turned stiff and strange for an instant.
Didn’t Xue Jiarui say that Xue Xianglan was on a date with someone? Why is there a woman by her side!
And this woman, she looks so familiar!
You Shuyang was a bit taken aback.
What is this all about?
He sneaked a glance at Young Master Tang, it was said he would come out to find some psychological solace from Xiang Linghao because of being hurt by someone, but now, that certain someone was right ahead, an encounter was inevitable.
So, would he feel comforted, or would he be even more hurt?
You Shuyang suddenly felt expectant.
On the other side, Xue Xianglan and Gu Yan were planning to find a restaurant to eat, chatting and laughing, when their eyes suddenly caught sight of a petite, baby-faced, innocent and adorable girl, both of them were startled.
Lu Yiyun looked very surprised and delighted, "Sister Xue? Do you remember me? I’m Yiyun, Lu Yiyun, we used to play together a lot when we were kids."
Lu Yiyun approached them familiarly, full of enthusiasm.
But what she said was true, back in the day, playing with them included Xue Jiarui, naturally also Xue Xianglan, but later, Lu Yiyun was sent abroad, and because of matters with Xiang Linghao, she distanced herself from that circle, so relatively speaking, she wasn’t as close, and their relationship wasn’t deep.
However, when she was a child, she quite liked her, Xue Xianglan was righteous, bold and generous, unpretentious, all traits she admired, sometimes she regretted leaving their circle, leaving just one girl struggling alone among insensitive men.
Xue Xianglan gazed at the girl in front of her, recalling the name Lu Yiyun and the person.
In fact, it didn’t take long to remember, she almost recalled it in an instant.
"Yiyun? When did you come back? You’ve grown so much!"
Lu Yiyun nodded innocently, "Yes, it’s been many years, a girl changes eighteen times before reaching womanhood, Sister Xue, how come you keep getting more beautiful."
No one dislikes being complimented on their beauty, Xue Xianglan smiled openly, "Yiyun, you too, and you’re getting more and more adorable."
As a child, she thought she was a precious child, like a Barbie doll, now she’s even more beautiful and cute, infinitely charming.
"Sister Xue, you’re too kind."
Lu Yiyun’s eyes shifted and landed on Gu Yan, wasn’t Xue Xianglan supposed to be on a date? Why is she with a girl, and, at that, it’s Gu Yan?
The world is so small, such a coincidence can happen.
"Sister Xue, who is this?"
"This is my friend, Gu Yan." She also introduced to Gu Yan, "This is Lu Yiyun, known since childhood, a very cute little sister."
Gu Yan smiled, "I can see that. Hello, I’m Gu Yan."
"Hello, Sister Gu, you can just call me Yiyun."
Lu Yiyun’s enthusiastic and familiar approach didn’t offend Gu Yan, instead, she felt relaxed, it’s this laid-back personality that made interactions pressure-free.
"Alright."
Lu Yiyun’s eyes twinkled mischievously, and she blinked, "Have the two sisters eaten yet? Why don’t you join me for a meal, I just returned and am fretting about having no company."
Facing a girl like Lu Yiyun, her proposal seemed hard to refuse, without even thinking, Xue Xianglan and Gu Yan agreed.
"We’re more than happy to have someone join us."
"Really?" Lu Yiyun repeated, dragging out the last syllable, "Then, do you mind a few more people?"
Xue Xianglan and Gu Yan did not react immediately to what she meant, when she grabbed their arms and led them into the crowd.
Passing through a line of people, several tall men were waiting on the other side.
Lu Yiyun let go of the two and greeted them, "I brought two beauties, come and take a look."
The men’s gazes shifted over, except for Xiang Linghao, seeing Xue Xianglan wasn’t surprising, but everyone found it strange seeing Gu Yan by her side.
Xue Jiarui widened his eyes, "Sis, weren’t you out on a date, why are you with..."
Tang Yu’s woman!
Sis, could it be because back then Xiang Linghao triggered you, that even your sexual orientation changed!
However, Xue Xianglan at this moment had no mind to care about Xue Jiarui’s words or his thoughts, instead, her gaze became slightly unfocused looking at the person next to him.
Xiang Linghao, from the moment Xue Xianglan appeared in his line of sight, was completely stunned, his awareness lost mostly, feeling nothing.
After seven years, meeting once again, neither expected such a scene.
Seven years of avoiding and pretending not to see, like strangers, thinking this lifetime would be spent going opposite ways, but this moment’s encounter came so unexpectedly.
Not a bit of preparation.
After seven years, they have all changed. They’ve grown, become more mature, both in appearance and personality. The naivety and innocence of the past are nowhere to be found, replaced by thoughts and responsibilities that have pressured them to become who they are now.
Time flies, and as the youthful looks fade, all that’s left is the familiar strangeness between them.
After a slight confusion, Xue Xianglan shifted her gaze, seemingly indifferent, and said blandly, "Yiyun, it’s been years since we last met, and the first thing you do is plot against me. I’ll settle this account with you next time."
"Sister Xue, please don’t hold it against me. I’m giving you an opportunity to face this. Life is long, and you can’t evade Brother Xiang forever, staying stuck in the past. If you want to move forward, you have to confront past issues, step out from the past to see the future ahead."
"I’ve always been moving forward. Whether or not I’m avoiding something doesn’t matter, I just don’t want to see him. It doesn’t stop me from looking ahead."
"Sister Xue, are you deceiving yourself, or have you truly let it go?"
"Whatever it is, Yiyun, as a bystander, it’s not your place to meddle."
"I don’t intend to meddle. You and Brother Xiang, after all, are both my friends. If you two aren’t well, I won’t be too well either. So, I just want you to sit down face-to-face, and talk calmly. So many years have passed, I’m not very clear, nor have I been in love, but I know that some people, some things, if missed, are missed for life.
"Looking at your current situation, if you continue to never speak to each other, no one can untie the knots in your hearts. You might grow old and lonely, which is something none of us want to see."
Xue Xianglan looked at Lu Yiyun with a half-smile, "Little girl, you’re getting more articulate."
Even though these matters don’t concern her, she can speak so logically about them.
"If I can’t speak well in moments like this, I’d regret it." Lu Yiyun blinked playfully.
Xue Xianglan chuckled softly, "Alright, you said it, I’ll consider it."
"Consider it for yourself."
Xue Xianglan’s smile paused, she nodded slightly, "Of course."
Her gaze swept over the others, treating Xiang Linghao just the same, then turned to Gu Yan, saying, "Yanyan, let’s go."
"Sister Xue, you’re not having dinner with me?"
"You have these people with you, you’re not missing me. We’ll go out to eat next time."
Xue Xianglan still felt a bit resentful in her heart. Seeing Xiang Linghao in front of so many people, only she knew how embarrassed she felt.
Lu Yiyun, that mischievous girl, with her innocent look, really didn’t think much of it.
Still, she couldn’t bring herself to blame her.
Xue Xianglan and Gu Yan left.
Xiang Linghao looked at her back, somewhat lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Young Master Tang was also lost in thought.
Originally out to find balance, he unexpectedly ran into someone who made him uncomfortable, and the balance was completely shattered.
The key issue was that whenever Gu Yan appeared in front of him, he couldn’t suppress his dissatisfaction. Besides her initial surprise at seeing him, she never glanced his way again!
Now she’s bold enough to ignore him!
If they weren’t outside, and if they weren’t in a cold war, he’d definitely teach her a lesson when they got back.
But this situation where he could only look but do nothing frustrated him even more.
"In this world, truth is stranger than fiction," Second Young Master Tang commented blandly.
The woman in Xiang Linghao’s heart, and the woman in Young Master Tang’s heart are friends. Could it be that birds of a feather flock together, and even people end up together?
Why hasn’t his person had any contact with them?
Second Young Master Tang suddenly felt a bit depressed too.
Lu Yiyun looked at Xiang Linghao, "Doctor, come back to reality. Sister Xue said she’d consider, which means there’s a chance to change the current state."
Xue Jiarui also earnestly comforted him, "Yeah, and the matter has been over for so many years. My father and the others have changed their views. The main issue is the hurdle in both of your hearts. Once you get over it, everything else is negotiable."
Xiang Linghao sighed sorrowfully, "Easier said than done, it’s not that simple to get over."
"It’s not a matter of life and death. If you still have feelings for her, keep trying, don’t give up. There’s always a chance to start over."
"Among us, who retreats in the face of difficulties? The more unattainable something is, the more you want to have it. Being stubborn and a little domineering isn’t a bad thing."
Xiang Linghao glanced at Xue Jiarui, "Like Young Master Tang?" Low emotional intelligence, who can push his woman to take sleeping pills and such, he couldn’t do that.
Tang Yuxiu was still grappling with his own feelings, suddenly hearing his name, he looked up coldly at them, snorted, and turned away.
Everyone, "..."
"He’s an exception, can be ignored."
"Oh, like Lu Fusheng?" Being in a love-hate relationship, unable to say anything loving, still playing a cat-and-mouse game now.
They paused again, "His case is different, but if it really came down to it, he’d definitely break her leg to keep her by his side."
"That’s too violent, I definitely couldn’t do that!" Xiang Linghao immediately retorted. He would never do that to Xue Xianglan, he’d feel too heartbroken.