Chapter 66

Lu Yuezhi knew Quan Ruiyu must have pestered Xiao Luyan for a long time, but she had no idea exactly how long or to what extent, as Xiao Luyan still hadn’t gone into details.

She didn’t deliberately pry into it, afraid of stirring up bad memories for Xiao Luyan. She never expected that just one engagement banquet could make Xiao Luyan visibly happy.

Yet Lu Yuezhi’s heart ached. It wasn’t that Xiao Luyan was easy to please; it was that the shadow loomed so heavily that even a slight improvement brought immense relief.

Seeing the sorrow and deep tenderness in her gaze, Xiao Luyan’s heart suddenly jolted. She instinctively restrained her smile and dropped the topic.

She could say plenty about Quan Ruiyu, but it would only sour her mood.

In any case, everything was progressing according to her plan, everything was getting better—this person wasn’t worth mentioning further.

Preparations for the Touring Exhibition entered a brand-new phase, and Xiao Luyan often worked overtime until late at night before coming home. Even when she made it back on time, her face was full of exhaustion.

Lu Yuezhi cared about her but couldn’t bring herself to say empty words like “don’t work so hard.” She herself often spent entire nights outdoors waiting for the perfect shot, which seemed exaggerated to outsiders.

She wouldn’t be the outsider who held things back at a critical moment.

The night before Quan Ruiyu’s engagement banquet, Xiao Luyan came home very late again from overtime. Lu Yuezhi heard the noise and came out of the study, only to see her propping herself up against the shoe cabinet with one hand.

She rushed over and supported her with one hand. “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Luyan frowned, her voice low. “Feeling a bit dizzy.”

Without thinking twice, Lu Yuezhi lent her other hand too, half-holding her as she guided her to the living room sofa.

“Take it easy first.” She pressed her hand to Xiao Luyan’s forehead. “Good thing it’s not a fever.”

Xiao Luyan closed her eyes and curved her lips. “I thought you’d gotten used to it.”

This often happened after she overworked herself, and it wasn’t the first time Lu Yuezhi had seen it.

“How could anyone get used to this!” Lu Yuezhi frowned, looking like she wanted to be angry but couldn’t bear to.

Xiao Luyan didn’t have the energy to talk much, so she just raised her hand and gently pushed her. “Could you get me a glass of honey water?”

Lu Yuezhi huffed in annoyance. “What good is just drinking that!”

For all her words, she got up right away and headed to the kitchen, soon returning with a cup.

Xiao Luyan felt especially unwell today but held back, afraid Lu Yuezhi would worry more. But not long after drinking the honey water, she threw up.

That truly scared Lu Yuezhi. She gently patted her back and quickly handed over some water. “You really look sick this time. Can you stop pushing yourself?”

Xiao Luyan hadn’t eaten much at dinner during the auction house shift; she’d already felt queasy with no appetite. Now it was mostly dry heaving, her entire face flushed red.

Her loose hair covered her profile, but when she looked up, she seemed even more disheveled. She felt too pathetic like this and didn’t want Lu Yuezhi to see.

“I’m fine. You go back to your room first.”

Lu Yuezhi was stunned. “How could I leave you alone at a time like this?”

Her mind was entirely on Xiao Luyan’s face, terrified of missing any change.

The more intently she stared, the more embarrassed Xiao Luyan felt. But she couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsh; she knew Lu Yuezhi was genuinely worried, not mocking her.

Still, the shyness and awkwardness welling up from deep inside were unbearable. The flush on Xiao Luyan’s ears and cheeks grew more obvious.

Seeing the change up close, Lu Yuezhi panicked. “Luyan, let’s go to the hospital and get checked out?”

The redness spread too quickly; she feared it was some illness she’d never heard of. When it came to the person she cared about most, reason and common sense could be tossed aside.

Lu Yuezhi’s flustered panic left Xiao Luyan at a loss for how to explain. How could she say it? Tell her to stop staring because she was embarrassed!

She washed her face with warm water and neatly pinned up her long hair, steadily calming her mind until she gradually regained her composure.

Her cheeks had returned to normal, though her ears still held a faint pink—much better than before.

Lu Yuezhi breathed a sigh of relief but couldn’t resist lightly touching her ear with a fingertip to check the temperature.

The moment she did, both of them shuddered.

Lu Yuezhi felt like she’d been shocked; just brushing it sent numbness straight to her heart. Xiao Luyan, caught completely off guard on her sensitive spot, felt even weaker in her already frail state.

From the mirror, Xiao Luyan shot her a not-too-light glare, but the one being glared at was lost in regret and self-reflection, missing the “dagger stare” entirely.

After vomiting, Xiao Luyan was half-carried back to the sofa. This time, the symptoms were clearer—likely a cold.

With the engagement banquet the next day, they couldn’t chat too late. Lu Yuezhi, still worried, said, “Call me if you feel the slightest bit off.”

“Mm.”

Lu Yuezhi pressed, afraid she’d be polite about it. “I stay up on my phone until midnight all the time.”

Xiao Luyan felt a bit groggy and wasn’t sure if she’d caught the implication, but she nodded anyway. “Got it. Good night.”

Watching her frail figure disappear behind the bedroom door, Lu Yuezhi curled the hand hanging at her side.

In that moment of the door closing, she actually wanted to block it. She didn’t feel right leaving Xiao Luyan alone, but barging into her bedroom uninvited wasn’t appropriate.

Lu Yuezhi sighed softly. If only she could stay by her side openly in the future, taking care of her at night.

The next day, Xiao Luyan’s condition had improved a lot, but she still needed medicine to consolidate it. Lu Yuezhi knew how important this engagement banquet was and that if Xiao Luyan skipped it claiming illness, it would become fodder for gossip.

No need to guess what the Quan Family thought—those looking for drama wouldn’t let it go easily, leaving her truly unable to defend herself.

Lu Yuezhi straightened her gown in the mirror, ensuring it was appropriate. She took a deep breath and reminded herself: today, she had to be the perfect guardian and not let Xiao Luyan suffer anymore!

They weren’t the stars today, so their gown choices avoided ostentation. But their purpose in coming together was clear—not showing off some affection, how else to shut up those gossips?

They wore low-key couple-style outfits in matching tones, reminiscent of the guest-sending set from the wedding banquet.

When the two appeared at the engagement banquet venue arm in arm, they immediately drew plenty of eyes. Quan Ruiyu and his fiancée put on polite smiles to greet them. “Welcome, you two.”

Lu Yuezhi felt a sense of déjà vu, as if the wedding banquet scene had flipped. She was the one crashing, and Quan Ruiyu had to endure it.

But she couldn’t say anything sleazy or shameless. Falsely praising him as handsome wouldn’t work, and complimenting his fiancée’s beauty felt unfair to Xiao Luyan. In Lu Yuezhi’s eyes, no one looked better than Xiao Luyan—flattery like that was hard even if forced.

She hadn’t forgotten Wu Hengnian’s reminder, though, so she smiled politely and offered a blessing. “Congratulations.”

Xiao Luyan was even cooler. “Congratulations.”

Plenty of people nearby watched closely, hoping for some dramatic showdown. Who knew Xiao Luyan and Lu Yuezhi would linger less than a minute, like queuing for tickets.

After they went in, Quan Ruiyu’s expression soured. His fiancée standing beside him had heard about his failed engagement to Xiao Luyan. Though uncomfortable inside, she kept a gentle face.

“Are you okay?” she asked considerately, worried he’d scowl through the whole event.

She didn’t want to lose face alongside him or let the marriage alliance become a joke.

Quan Ruiyu didn’t like Lin Zhaozhao, but it was a family arrangement—he had no say. He’d hoped to turn things around at this engagement banquet, but Xiao Luyan didn’t engage at all, brushing him off completely.

Recalling her successive displays of affection at the wedding banquet that had shocked everyone, the stifled frustration in Quan Ruiyu grew even heavier.

Seeing him silent, Lin Zhaozhao subtly reminded him. “Ruiyu, the guests are still here.”

Quan Ruiyu snapped back and gave her a fake smile. “I know.”

Once Xiao Luyan was seated, people came over to chat. She was always aloof, and they knew better than to expect much conversation, so the topics gradually shifted to Lu Yuezhi.

Their envy, jealousy, and hatred from the wedding banquet toward Lu Yuezhi lingered. Just thinking it was this woman cuddling and kissing the ice queen, now constantly appearing together with her—it was enough to make them green with envy!

What charm did this young, pretty thing have anyway!

They hadn’t gotten a real chance to probe at the wedding banquet, and the photography studio was just a front. To test the waters, they had to deal with the real person.

So quite a few approached under the guise of greeting Xiao Luyan, really there to get a good read on Lu Yuezhi.

From initial polite questions about basics, the inquiries grew sharper—short of asking outright what skills or achievements she had, where her confidence came from.

Normally, Xiao Luyan could fend off some for her. But today she was ill and didn’t want it noticed, so she spoke as little as possible. Plus, Lu Yuezhi had emphasized before they left: she had this, so Xiao Luyan shouldn’t worry.

Thus, as their ill intent showed and Xiao Luyan’s expression darkened, the hand under the table was gently held.

That soft, warm palm transmitted steady heat, thoroughly dispelling the early autumn chill. But what Xiao Luyan felt was confirmation.

Confirmation she was there, confirmation of their agreement—no need to worry today.

Xiao Luyan glanced up slightly, a hint of smile in her eyes.

She said nothing, but her gaze held rich emotion.

Lu Yuezhi just gave her a gentle smile before turning back to handle the group.

They’d thought the eye contact meant Lu Yuezhi seeking backup, with Xiao Luyan stepping in next. So they followed the usual script, blocking the retreat first.

“Luyan, you can’t always shield her—it makes her too mysterious.”

“Yeah, rare chance to chat properly with Yuezhi. Don’t let our knowledge of her stay at hearsay.”

“I heard Yuezhi’s great at shooting famous landmarks. My family’s film city is due for renovation; I’d love some advice.”

Xiao Luyan curled her lip disdainfully. “You all chat then.”

She acted like it was none of her business and calmly sipped her tea.

They probably hadn’t expected her to wash her hands of it so completely and were momentarily stunned.

In the pause, Lu Yuezhi answered each of their earlier questions straightforwardly—neither exaggerating nor hiding about herself. She knew they’d long since dug up everything on her; they were just waiting to expose any boasts publicly.

Sure enough, faced with someone this brutally honest—something they’d never encountered—their prepared skepticism and mockery had nowhere to land.

Xiao Luyan listened quietly from the side, occasionally sipping hot tea, in a great mood.

Lu Yuezhi was just like that—unpredictable, sometimes flipping the table outright. She was an outlier in this circle full of schemes and pretense. When she charged in with pure sincerity, Xiao Luyan saw her as the true master.

Suddenly recalling their first meeting at the Cairo bar, Xiao Luyan had been wary of this bold stranger yet drawn to her pure aura.

She thought that even then, she’d felt Lu Yuezhi was different from anyone she’d met before.