Chapter 5

Gu Jialuo wore a particularly eye-catching coat adorned with dense tropical floral patterns, underneath which she donned a black long dress, raising concerns about whether she might trip over the hem while walking. However, this was not the most surprising aspect of her outfit; it was only when she sat down that Jin Chenye noticed she was actually wearing a pair of sneakers

What is this

Three completely disparate elements, when worn by her, create an indescribable sense of appropriateness

What he is least willing to admit is that even as an adult, Ye Zhao Jue often evokes similar feelings in him

After an unknown amount of time, Shao Qingyu took a deep breath, picked up her bag, put on her shoes, and left Ye Zhaoju's home without looking back. As she left, she deliberately slammed the door shut to express her anger

Ye Zhao observed the small square box in his palm intently

In the past, when Ye Zhao Jue came to her house, witnessing this scene nearly made him spit blood in anger. The stench of wine and meat from the wealthy is unbearable. Shao Qingyu, could you not consider the feelings of us poor people a little?

You should take a look at your own miserable situation; how can you still have the energy to meddle in other people's affairs

Among them is a drowsy white rabbit, who usually cannot be bothered to even glance in that direction

He is not skilled at interacting with the opposite sex, a point in which he has always been inferior to Min Lang since childhood

Go for it. She heard herself let out a soft murmur.

She remembers the clear eyes and smile of the youth at that time, and also recalls the temperature of the bowl of noodles that her hand touched through the porcelain bowl

After the call was disconnected, Ye Zhao felt his forehead with his hand and realized that there was a thin layer of sweat.

Qiao Chu adheres to the principle of helping friends to the very end, having eaten a total of three, to the point where he could no longer speak due to being overly full

There was something profound in Ye Zhaoju's eyes as she gazed deeply at Shao Qingyu, not intending to engage in any argument with her

Do they not understand that these insidious boys are only telling half the truth

Ye Zhao Jue did not have time to elaborate on this topic; she eagerly asked, "Are you free? Accompany me to a few places, let's go now."

Jian Chenye thought to himself: This is probably what I used to hear Ye Zhao and the others say, that a person wears clothes, not the clothes wearing the person

On the way here, Qiao Chu carefully inquired about the situation. At first, she thought Ye Zhao Jue was joking, but once she confirmed that she was serious, she immediately put on a serious expression: "I will go buy rice balls, and you will take a seat. Your task is to count the foot traffic during a specific time period. With the data, we can then go back and thoroughly study whether this is feasible."

They went to two stores and did not return home until evening

However, Shao Qingyu felt extremely innocent; what you perceive as luxury, waste, and squandering is truly my everyday life

Yes, back then I used dropping out as a threat to force my dad to find a way to get He Tiantian out of the picture, so what? So many classmates watched me roll down the stairs, didn't I feel embarrassed? What were you doing during class? You know, I was lying in the hospital! That scar is still on the back of my head to this day. Ye Zhaoju, don't pretend to be the good person here. If it were you, wouldn't you want to vent your frustration?

Jiang Yi is skilled at everything he plays, effortlessly mastering any game he encounters. No matter which arcade machine he stands in front of, there is always a crowd of strangers behind him, expressing their admiration with exclamations like "Wow!" As his girlfriend, Shao Qingyu feels a sense of pride standing beside him.

It has been a long time since she engaged in normal communication with the outside world, and in a state of unconsciousness, she has been tensing her body. Compared to her previous agility and cleverness when she was busy with work all day, she must admit that she truly feels quite useless now

Did you not say that you would take the initiative to find me? Gu Jialuo could not be bothered to maintain even a semblance of modesty or subtlety, saying, "What does it mean when someone does not keep their word?" and then referring to the book.

Moreover, how can these "straight men" possibly discern whether a girl is wearing makeup or to what extent it is applied

These matters, which she had thought she had completely forgotten, all returned to her mind.

When she recalled these matters, she couldn't help but smile gently

After carefully finishing the eyebrows, everything else becomes much simpler. Just apply some mascara, sweep a bit of blush on the apples of the cheeks, and put on some lip balm. These few simple steps are already enough to give a girl a completely new look

Shao Qingyu thought resentfully: You are not me, none of you are me, you cannot possibly understand my feelings, so each of you occupies the moral high ground, hypocritically condemning and denouncing me.

Hello, I haven't had breakfast, did something happen? Gu Jialuo's gaze swept around, showing no interest in the outside.

She knew that they wanted to make her miserable, but she never expected that she would actually feel so sad

Her room is always like this; even the most expensive items become ordinary here. What Shao Qingyu finds most annoying are those who buy a bag and treat it like a revered ancestor. Is that really interesting? Are you serving it, or is it serving you?

Perhaps I am smarter than you

"No need." Gu Jialuo raised her eyebrows, and then she did something that left him utterly bewildered.

Why? Why cry because of the actions of those wretched poor souls

"Counter, you fool!" Under the twilight, Qiao Chu smiled like a sprite, "Tomorrow we will visit the remaining few places. You can use this counter, so you won't have to count them one by one like a silly person."

She once loved him so deeply; during the years when she was extremely deprived of familial warmth and lacked companions and friends, it was because of this boy that she felt loved, and it was because of this person that she felt she was not so alone

An idea burrowed into her mind, like a firefly burrowing into the dark night

However, compared to Jiang Yi, she is completely an idiot when it comes to video games. No matter what game she plays, she will hysterically scream within a few minutes: "Ah! Ah! Come save me!"

Every time I see her, she always presents a kind of innocence that is inconsistent with her actual age, and even her indifference is an innocent indifference

In this society, there are many young women who appear more mature than their actual age, but Gu Jialuo is completely the opposite. She possesses a youthful spirit in her demeanor, exuding a particular kind of youthful bravado, one that conveys an attitude of knowing about wealth and fame yet not caring about them.

Time was of the essence; she only had time to apply some sunscreen before Ye Zhao Jue dragged her out of the house. However, the passersby who secretly glanced at her along the way were no less than those who admired her when she was meticulously crafted.

Aren't you cold? This was their first meeting after returning from France, and Jian Chenye couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, so he could only ask questions that were essentially trivial.

What are the essential things a girl must do before going out

This young lady, it is like this, the amount of ten thousand yuan we mentioned is merely an approximate figure, and this fee is limited to the franchise and technical training. Other expenses incurred in opening the store are not included. As for whether it can be operated by a single person, it depends on your operational ability and energy

Jiang Yi has completely left me, and this matter became more vivid and acute on the night she received the invitation.

Since her university days, she often heard many boys say that they liked girls who did not wear makeup. That would have been one thing, but what pained Ye Zhao the most was that some girls actually believed it

You people will never win against me. She sniffed disdainfully, thinking that you would use the news of your marriage to provoke me, ha ha, you are not worthy!

She had just bathed, her loose hair still exuding the fragrance of sage shampoo. She sat on the floor, motionless, staring blankly at the invitation.

Upon hearing her tone, Jian Chenye realized that this phone call was entirely a reprimand, so he quickly admitted his mistake: "Then may I invite you to come to my studio today? Is it still possible?"

That was many years ago, during the time when they all still enjoyed playing video games

After a brief moment of embarrassment, Jian Chenye suddenly felt an inexplicable emotion, and he could not articulate why.

He thought to himself, "It's over; the fate of those who stand up a girl is usually quite miserable," while simultaneously feeling an inexplicable sense of joy: "I was very busy when I first returned, and later I wanted to wait for a suitable opportunity to invite you out."

Before Jian Chenye could respond, she had already walked to the dining table and saw the half-eaten whole wheat toast: "Is this all there is?"

From the afternoon until the evening, after spending tens of thousands of yuan in the shopping mall, upon returning home, Shao Qingyu still could not calm her emotions

She does not smile often, but once she does, it can be described as "a smile like the opening of the heavens"

On a spring evening, even with the wind blowing, it does not feel cold. Behind her, there are a few small pink clouds in the vast sky, and along the roadside, many flowers bloom abundantly, their names unknown to her, yet they appear rich and beautiful.

Her smile, the occasional display of her aloofness and arrogance, and her expressions of love and hatred towards all things are all completely natural

Indeed, this is all that remains. He seemed quite embarrassed, saying, "Let's go out to eat."

I saw on the brochure that it starts from ten thousand yuan and can be operated by a single person, is that the case

The commotion was so great that even the indoor plants shook their leaves

Her bed is adorned with freshly changed Egyptian cotton bedding from a few days ago, clean and elegant

When she came out, she was holding a small object and waved it at Ye Zhao Jue.

Over time, it is not without a sense of frustration and disappointment

Ye Zhao Jue originally wanted to ask: Did you not feel happiness when you were with Min Lang? However, she quickly realized that this was not a pleasant topic.

The phrase "girls who do not wear makeup" actually expands to "girls who do not wear makeup but are also very beautiful"

The atmosphere had grown extremely cold, and neither of the two spoke any further, merely staring at each other in silence with a hardened gaze

The world is so lively, and material wealth is so abundant. Moreover, her new romance has come at such a timely moment. Wang Ge is more suitable to be a boyfriend than Jiang Yi, who is always dazed and looks like a child who has not grown up.

If you ask Ye Zhaoju this question, she will definitely answer you immediately, "Draw the eyebrows"

However, it was not until many years later that she finally realized that it was truly their last time.

He smiled and recalled that phrase, um, perfectly natural.

In the early stages of their breakup, she firmly believed that he would definitely come back to reconcile with her, while she resolutely refused to give him that opportunity

Ye Zhaoju raised her head to look at Su Qin, and with her keen eyes, she immediately discerned, is this what one calls refreshing

Even after so many years have passed, the aroma of that fried egg seems to linger at the tip of her nose

She sits on the soft carpet, also sitting in the swamp of memories

Yet Ye Zhao Jue had no time to speak; she stared at the rice ball grill like an elementary school student, murmuring to herself: "Seven, eight, nine, ten ... ... "

However, Gu Jialuo is different from all the girls he has known before

Following the contact number provided on the flyer, Ye Zhao Jue dialed it directly

Qiao Chu shouted, "You dressed up so beautifully and yet you didn't leave any time for me to put on my makeup! Do you have no shame!"

The gray cashmere coat that I bought just last month, along with several limited edition designer scarves, has been rolled up and placed in the laundry basket by her, and the maid will come tomorrow to collect them for washing

During that period, although I was subjected to various difficulties, there were still enjoyable moments.

The person answering the phone had a sweet voice, tinged with a somewhat deliberately cultivated Taiwanese and literary accent, yet it was not off-putting

However, it can be proven that she still does not play this well

Just as she was about to set off, she was caught by Qi Tang, who gave her a good scolding: "You are only going to deliver some documents, is it really necessary to wear heavy makeup? Aren't you firmly opposed to the unspoken rules of the workplace?"

Shao Qingyu felt very dissatisfied with Ye Zhaoju's attitude, her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Ye Zhaoju: "Aren't you on my side?"

No matter how close the doll she had her eyes on was to the hole, and no matter how determined she was to get it, each time she would shout "Oh my gosh" while watching the doll steadily land just a few centimeters away from the hole.

"It's not cold at all," Gu Jialuo made a move that Jin Chenye never expected. She lifted her skirt and said, "Look, I'm wearing leggings underneath, isn't that clever? Hahaha..."

She decided to believe in this simple truth

The warm, sweet, yet sorrowful moments she shared with Jiang Yi, those years filled with hope yet fraught with imperfections and unease

If you can't make money anymore, then just go die.

In his past life, apart from Ye Zhaoju, the young women he had more frequent interactions with were none other than Shao Qingyu, Xu Wanlai, and Qiao Chu among a few others

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Gujialuo: "The so-called most opportune moment is often just an excuse to brush the other party off"

However, this does not mean that one has not loved him, nor does it mean that when witnessing him about to become someone else's husband, one's heart can remain completely unperturbed

It was only then that she realized she rarely thought of this person anymore, and suddenly she might even struggle to recall his appearance

But everyone knows that Qiao Chu's beauty does not rely on various makeup techniques to be beautiful

For Shao Qingyu, this invitation was the most perilous nightmare she had faced since reaching adulthood

The two individuals stared at each other, their eyes shining with brilliance. Oh, it really is delicious!

Until she received this wedding invitation

That long-lost voice emerged once again from the depths of her heart. Somehow, when she felt the force of the thorns striking her back once more, her first reaction was not one of immense pressure, but rather a feeling of almost joy.

She wiped her tears fiercely, completely unconcerned that pulling her skin too hard could lead to facial sagging. At that moment, her gaze fell upon a large pile of plush toys in the corner.

They brought back rice balls and each of them held one. On the count of one, two, three, they all took a bite together

In her view, claw machines are much simpler than those games that involve a lot of "bangs and crashes".

Jian Chenye has yet to comprehend that many male animals, upon reaching the pinnacle of their lives, are willing to pay a great price in exchange for a smile

After parting ways with Shao Qingyu on bad terms once again, Ye Zhao felt angry with himself for several consecutive days

It was not until she was with Wang Ge that this scene still did not occur

Later, she became clever and only played the claw machine

But what did I do wrong

The night is long and dreams are many; she can no longer remain indecisive, hesitating and looking back and forth. She has decided to follow the suggestion of the customer service representative and go to scout the situation.

When Ye Zhao was still working as an assistant to Qi Tang, one day he was temporarily assigned to deliver materials to a client

After all, one must represent the company's image, so it is best to avoid bringing shame to the company. Before setting off, she took a spare lipstick, a bright red one, from the drawer. After applying it, her entire aura was instantly elevated.

She thought that everything had long since passed, the good, the bad, the joyful, and the utterly broken, all had long since gone.

Miss Shao, who had thrown her game coins into the machine without any return, was filled with rage. Ignoring the disdain of those around her, she kicked the machine several times with great force

If it were changed to Ye Zhaoju, there would only be two possible responses: good or bad

At midnight, everyone else in the house had already fallen asleep, and only her bedroom remained illuminated by the yellow light

After that, they indeed did not visit Electric City again, as there were always new and exciting things emerging, and she was so wealthy, with so many opportunities to try fresher and more interesting experiences

The words spoken by Ye Zhaoju in the afternoon echoed in her mind once again: Everyone must bear the corresponding consequences for their actions

Jian Chenye looked at her seriously for a while, confirming that she had not given any hints

Ke Gujialuo possesses a completely different logical system from other girls: "This call was made by me to you, and your invitation during this conversation is insincere. If you were sincere, it should be you calling me." After saying this, she actually hung up the phone.

After all these years, she has long since become accustomed to Shao Qingyu's set of principles for dealing with the world: what others owe me, I must get back; what I owe others... ? ... But how could I possibly owe anyone?

He harbors no prejudice against any of them, yet he is acutely aware of the sense of distance that exists between himself and these young women

Without exception

She picked up the two pieces of torn toast, spread a little butter on them with a dinner knife, and took a big bite without a care in the world

Jian Chenye had a piece of toast stuffed in his mouth and struggled to swallow it several times before finally getting it down

Qiao Chu opened the door, and his eyes brightened: "Ah, finally back to life! You should have done this long ago. I tell you, a woman who gives up on self-image management has no future!"

She has truly become accustomed to being proud, spoiled, and arrogant, living all along in a world above the clouds, never touching the dust, and has never considered that such traps in life were waiting for her.

Ye Zhao Jue was so angry that he was speechless for a long time

She hates He Tiantian, also hates Jiang Yi, and even harbors some resentment towards Ye Zhaoju. All of you are bastards, you have all wronged me

Especially when she appeared before him again, sitting in his most familiar studio, cheerfully lifting her skirt, this seemingly rude action performed by her was entirely unrelated to sensuality and lust

She was taken aback when she realized that she was crying

She remembered

Is this the place..." Ye Zhao Jue held a notebook, which contained several addresses provided by the customer service representative. "She said it is on the B1 level of the shopping mall. Let's go down and take a look

It is as if one has abandoned their own deity, only to return to the original position.

I do not know why, but it seems that no matter how outrageous the things this girl does, they all appear to be quite normal.

In Jian Chenye's exceedingly simple life experiences, he encountered a girl like Gu Jialuo for the first time, whose thoughts were fanciful and far-fetched.

"Hey, wait a moment." Qiao Chu released her hand and slipped into a small shop by the roadside

That faint, elusive glimmer of light attracted more scattered points of illumination, and when they gathered in clusters, a monumental decision was born in her heart

All healing films and inspirational stories repeatedly convey a single theme: even if you lose everything, as long as you have the courage and perseverance to start anew, your life is not yet a complete failure

This provided Gu Jialuo with a very specific scale for his reappearance in life

Jian Chenye was having breakfast. Just as he took a bite of whole wheat toast, his phone rang. He looked up and happened to see that the wall clock indicated 9:15.

They will not have a good ending! In a fit of rage, Shao Qingyu spoke without thinking, "These dead broke people, how dare they get married without money? Can Jiang Yi afford a diamond ring? When he was with me, I paid for everything. He couldn't even afford to go to a decent restaurant. Moreover, what will He Tiantian wear for the wedding? I fear she can't even buy a slightly decent wedding dress. Someone like her is only fit to rent a yellowed, tattered dress from a shabby photo studio to make do with."

Qiao Chu linked arms with Ye Zhao Jue, gently stroking her round little belly, feeling a long-lost sense of satisfaction. She sighed and said, "When a person is well-fed, the feeling of happiness is the strongest."

Curiosity sparks interest, and interest fosters affection. During this period, he has yet to clarify the subtle, almost imperceptible feelings between himself and Gu Jialuo, which are gradually intensifying in a push-and-pull dynamic.

Just then, Su Qin passed by, and Qi Tang casually grabbed her to use as a positive example: "Su Qin is so fresh and clean, that's great! Hurry up and wipe the blood off your mouth."

At the moment he dialed the phone, what he thought was simply that this girl was quite special

After Ye Zhaoju recounted everything that He Tiantian had said, Shao Qingyu not only did not shirk responsibility, but instead openly and confidently admitted to it

As the old saying goes, only those who are well-fed have the leisure to meddle in others' affairs, yet Ye Zhaoju felt that she was on the verge of not being able to eat her fill.

Eyebrows, eyeshadow, mascara, highlighter, contour, and blush are all present; she simply did not apply a brightly colored lipstick

Ye Zhao felt he could no longer listen: "I am only responsible for delivering the invitation to you; everything else is none of my concern. Please leave."

"Why is it that I have tried so many times without success, yet you manage to succeed on your first attempt!" Years later, Shao Qingyu still remembers the frantic tone he had at that time

And this white rabbit was obtained by Jiang Yi during one occasion when he used the last few game tokens he had in his possession to comfort her

I also wish to stand by your side..." Ye Zhao Jue said softly, "But I am also the kind of person you mentioned, a dead broke.

But at that moment, she remembered

I see... Is this risky? Ye Zhao felt a bit dazed by the series of "ohs" that came at him. He clearly had many questions he wanted to ask, but he didn't know how to start. So, he decided to be bold and asked the most straightforward one.

Several first-tier brand bags are carelessly piled in the corner of the room, these are a few that she has been frequently carrying recently, in addition to a large number in the wardrobe behind.

Ye Zhao Jue fell silent for just a second, then erupted: "Qi Tang! Are you blind?"

While his parents were away, he hurriedly cooked something for her in the kitchen, frying the last egg in the refrigerator into a sunny-side-up and burying it under a bowl of instant noodles, watching her with a cheerful smile beside her

During the holidays when she was unwilling to stay at home facing Aunt Yao, she hid in Jiang Yi's small bedroom, reading comic books, playing video games, and when tired, would lie down on his wooden bed for a nap

Oh my God

Everything has been messed up

This is not the first person she has liked in her life, but he is the first person she has seriously considered marrying and starting a family with. He is a genuine hope for her future during her youth spent in open and covert struggles with her stepmother, yet...

She possesses an exceptionally candid aura, and at this moment, Jian Chenye finally understood why he was drawn to her

If you are concerned about this issue, I suggest that you, Miss Ye, visit a few of our franchisee stores to observe the situation and also taste our rice balls. I believe that after your observation, you will have greater confidence in our brand

A strange expression appeared on her face: a hint of tears, a hint of laughter, as if she was about to sneeze but held it back, and her eyes, with each rapid breath, grew increasingly bright

Shao Qingyu was so angry that she could not speak, tightly clutching the little rabbit, vowing never to return to such a chaotic and noisy place again

She washed her face, applied some primer and foundation, and was truly fed up with everyone telling her, "Your complexion doesn't look good, you look quite unwell," as if their own complexions were so perfect!

In that moment, Ye Zhao Jue suddenly realized that Qiao Chu was not merely a beautiful woman with an attractive appearance

She suddenly felt that the harsh winter had truly come to an end, and in her heart, all things had finally awakened and begun to grow anew