Chapter 189: Your Second Brother
Ning Li considered it for a while.
[Hazelnut praline chocolate.]
Lu Huaiyu quickly replied.
[Secretly playing with your phone in class again?]
Ning Li snorted.
[It’s just P.E.]
Lu Huaiyu did not reply.
About half a minute later, just as Ning Li was about to put away her phone, he called her.
Ning Li looked around and saw about a dozen students sitting on the bleachers. They were all scattered and far away from her, so she answered the call.
“Hello, Second Brother?”
A lazy voice came through, “Just one chocolate for doing so well in the exam? You’re too easily satisfied.”
Ning Li kicked the bleachers lightly.
“I think it’s fine.”
There was nothing she wanted, so Lu Huaiyu’s candy was enough for her.
“Do you have time this Saturday?”
“Probably not.”
“Do you have something to do?”
Lu Huaiyu was a bit surprised. Ning Li had just finished the provincial competition and achieved such good results, so she should be relatively free this week.
Ning Li replied and looked forward, just in time to see Cheng Xiangxiang and Ye Ci walking past the field not far from her.
It looked like they had just finished playing badminton.
A flash of contempt appeared on Cheng Xiangxiang’s face as she spoke. She then smiled faintly, but it looked more bitter rather than happy.
“The Ye family is having a celebration party on Saturday,” Ning Li said.
Lu Huaiyu could already guess what was going on when he heard this.
“For Ye Ci?”
Ning Li replied, “I’m going too.”
Lu Huaiyu smiled.
Knowing the Ye family’s style, they would certainly insist on Ning Li’s attendance.
After all, she was the Ye family’s adopted daughter on paper.
Ye Ming liked to keep up his reputation. Regardless of whether he accepted Ning Li as his own, the party had to be so impeccable that no one would be able to pick a fault.
However, this celebration was mainly for Ye Ci.
Even though Ning Li had gotten first place in the province, to the Ye family and many people in the upper society of Yunzhou, she still could not compare to Ye Ci, who had placed fifth in the province.
After all, Ye Ci was the legitimate daughter of the Ye family.
On the other hand, Ning Li would always be just an outsider.
Lu Huaiyu suddenly chuckled. “If you go, someone would be unhappy, right?”
Ye Ci was very competitive and arrogant. Since young, she had been coddled by her family.
Now that she was being pressured by Ning Li, she would not be happy.
The corners of Ning Li’s lips curved up. “Maybe, but they seem quite sincere in inviting me.”
‘Especially Ye Ci.’
Ye Ci certainly did not want Ning Li to steal her limelight, but that was precisely why Ye Ci had to invite Ning Li.
She wanted Ning Li to know who the true host of the party was.
‘So what if Ning Li is number one in the province?’
Ning Li’s background had already determined that she would never be able to be on the same level as Ye Ci.
“So, you’re going?” Lu Huaiyu had already guessed what Ning Li wanted to do and asked casually, “Will it be at the Jinsheng Hotel?”
Jinsheng Hotel was the property of the Ye family. Su Yuan’s birthday party had also been held there previously.
Ning Li answered, “Mm, so I don’t think I can hang out with you, Second Brother.”
Lu Huaiyu laughed and said, “It’s alright. You have fun then! I’ll give you the chocolates the next time we meet.”
Ning Li smiled lightly, “Okay.”
“Ning Li!” He Xiaochen came up the stairs from the stands, speaking as she walked. “I’ve been looking for you all day! Pei Song and the others are playing basketball, do you want to…”
Ning Li turned to her and pointed at her phone.
Only then did He Xiaochen notice that Ning Li was on the phone, so she lowered her voice and put her hands together.
“Oops, I’m sorry! I didn’t know that you were on the phone. Whose call is it that is better than watching our class monitor play the game…”
“A game?”
A cool and deep, nonchalant sounding male voice that could be heard.
He Xiaochen stopped talking abruptly and froze in place.
‘What kind of divine voice was that?!’
Ning Li coughed and said, “Second Brother, my deskmate is looking for me, so I’ll hang up now.”
Lu Huaiyu said, “Mm. Watching a basketball game sounds good. Go have fun.”
Ning Li looked at her phone. ‘Why did something sound…off?’
He Xiaochen was shocked.
“My Goddess Ning Li, was that your second brother?!”
Right after she blurted it out, He Xiaochen immediately covered her mouth.
‘OMG! I got too excited and carelessly blurted out my secret nickname for Ning Li… This was so humiliating!’
Lu Huaiyu suddenly laughed.
Even though he did not say a word, his low chuckle still made the tips of Ning Li’s ears turn red.
Ning Li did not know if it was because He Xiaochen called her goddess or whether it was because of something else.
She was inexplicably embarrassed.
“My deskmate likes to joke around. Second Brother…”
“Is it the one you bought an ice cream for previously?”
Ning Li sighed in her heart.
Lu Huaiyu was too smart for his own good.
Whatever he wanted to know, he would definitely find out.
“Yeah, it’s her.”
He Xiaochen stood by the side, dumbfounded.
‘Wait a minute, these two celestial beings seem to be talking about me! Ice cream? Was it the one I ate last time?’
Lu Huaiyu spoke in a light tone, “Cool, this deskmate of yours is quite interesting.”
Since Ning Li was quiet, introverted and kept everything to herself, it was good for her to have more bubbly friends.
Ning Li breathed a sigh of relief.
“Then Second Brother, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now.”
After Ning Li hung up, she put away her phone.
“OMG…” He Xiaochen suddenly crumbled.
Ning Li was startled and turned to see He Xiaochen’s grieving face.
“Ahhhhhhhhh! That’s your second brother?! He’s so handsome and he even has such a sexy voice?!’
He Xiaochen wanted to pull her hair out from feeling so ashamed.
Initially, she had wanted to make a good impression on this handsome hunk, but now her dreams were shattered.
Ning Li said, “Don’t worry, Second Brother doesn’t care about these things…”
He Xiaochen grabbed her hand and asked, “Did you guys just talk about ice cream? How does your second brother even know about that?”
Ning Li honestly said, “I clicked on the post you shared that day and he happened to see it.”
He Xiaochen thought, ‘Thanks. I can die in peace now that the gods saw my meager post…’
How could she ever imagine that such godly people would see such earthly things?
‘I don’t deserve it!’
Ning Li gently patted her back. “Are you…okay?”
He Xiaochen held her chest and spoke with difficulty, “I’m fine… I can take it…”