webnovelfull Chapter 88 Birthday Party
Chapter 88 Birthday Party
As evening quietly approached, Xu Lingjing's birthday party was about to begin.
Not long after Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian left the central shopping mall, Xu Lingjing sent Lu Yuan a message to confirm whether he would attend her birthday party.
Lu Yuan gave an affirmative answer, and she then instructed Lu Yuan to make sure to bring Ye Yixian along.
Xu Lingjing's birthday party was held at a KTV. Her family took it very seriously and personally booked a luxurious private room for her and her friends to enjoy themselves and spend money as they pleased.
Ye Yixian had never been to a KTV before, and Xu Lingjing was worried that Ye Yixian would get lost if she went alone, so she specially asked Lu Yuan to take her along.
Lu Yuan didn't say much, but directly sent a photo of himself and Ye Yixian walking side by side to prove that he was leading Ye Yixian to the scene.
Xu Lingjing replied sarcastically: "Heh, you even made a date."
Clearly, this statement was laced with jealousy.
Lu Yuan didn't understand why Xu Lingjing was jealous.
In his past life, he had asked Xu Lingjing out on weekends, but she always refused with various flimsy excuses.
She herself gave up such an opportunity.
Whether she genuinely had reservations or simply didn't want to keep the appointment, Lu Yuan didn't want to delve into it now, because she was no longer someone he could truly connect with.
Lu Yuan did not reply to Xu Lingjing again, and took Ye Yixian to the KTV that had been booked in advance.
Having just tried the perfume, Ye Yixian was surrounded by a faint fragrance. Lu Yuan, walking beside her, felt that the surroundings were full of sweet scents and couldn't help but lean closer, indulging in the pleasant aroma.
Ye Yixian noticed his subtle movements but did not stop him, letting him approach.
The two walked slowly without taking a taxi.
They both understood each other implicitly and slowed down, wanting to take this journey a little longer so they could openly accompany each other and enjoy leisurely time that belonged only to the two of them.
Along the way, Lu Yuan tried to take Ye Yixian's hand several times, their fingertips touching, but being on the street, he was afraid that his rash action would frighten her.
He was afraid that if he suddenly grabbed her hand, she would panic and cry out, making the situation too awkward.
This hesitation was not due to Lu Yuan's cowardice, but rather because he cherished Ye Yixian so much and did not want her to think he was impatient and frivolous.
But he didn't know that Ye Yixian had already sensed his feelings, and in fact, she longed for it too. Several times their fingertips touched, and she deliberately didn't pull away, silently hoping that he would take her hand.
I long to stroll hand in hand with a couple on the street, walking along the familiar streets of this little town.
Unfortunately, the two didn't manage to hold hands as they walked to the KTV entrance.
Lu Yuan was filled with remorse, blaming himself for being too cowardly.
Ye Yixian was secretly annoyed, regretting that she hadn't taken the initiative. If she had reached out first, Lu Yuan certainly wouldn't have refused, right?
Even if she was rejected, it wouldn't matter. She could simply use the excuse that she was afraid of getting lost and grab his arm. In her opinion, this reason was perfectly reasonable.
"Lu Yuan, and Ye Yixian."
Before the two even entered the door, shouts came from behind them.
Looking back, he saw Lu Yuan's classmates, who had also been invited to the birthday party.
Lu Yuan greeted them with a smile. Everyone knew that Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian were now close, but they were still surprised that Ye Yixian would attend Xu Lingjing's birthday party.
Everyone knows that Xu Lingjing has been feeling depressed lately because of Lu Yuan's matter.
In previous years, Xu Lingjing only invited this group of close friends to her birthday celebration, but this year Ye Yixian, an outsider, was also invited.
When Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian entered the private room, Xu Lingjing, Jiang Yiqing, and a group of familiar or unfamiliar girls were already singing and having fun inside.
There were several boys present, including Li Xian.
The gifts from everyone were piled up on the table in the corner by Xu Lingjing, already piled up like a mountain, which shows that she is very popular. Even people who were not invited made a special effort to find out where to send their gifts.
Xu Lingjing has always had many suitors, which is common knowledge. She always receives countless gifts on holidays or birthdays.
The moment Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian pushed open the door and entered, the previously noisy and bustling private room suddenly fell silent, and everyone turned their attention to the two of them, while the background music continued to play.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Xu Lingjing immediately looked at the two clasped hands and breathed a slight sigh of relief when she saw that they were not holding hands.
This was Ye Yixian's first time attending such a lively gathering. Faced with such an awkward and oppressive atmosphere, she felt uneasy and subconsciously lowered her eyes.
After a brief silence, Xu Lingjing broke the awkward silence by standing up first: "Oh dear, look who's here!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she quickly stepped forward to greet him warmly, and took Ye Yixian's hands in a seemingly intimate manner, pretending that the two were very familiar with each other: "Ye Yixian, why are you so late? I thought you weren't coming."
"Well……"
Ye Yixian was at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond to Xu Lingjing's seemingly genuine enthusiasm.
Fortunately, Lu Yuan was by her side and spoke up in time to defuse the situation: "It's still early, the party hasn't even officially started yet. In previous years, people were still debating whether to drink Sprite or Coke at this time."
Back when everyone was still a minor, they couldn't go to KTV or drink alcohol. Lu Yuan remembered all these little things clearly, which was enough to prove that he always cared a lot about Xu Lingjing's birthday.
Since meeting Xu Lingjing, Lu Yuan has never missed her birthday, and this is the second time he has celebrated her eighteenth birthday with her.
"Then you can decide what to drink this year," Xu Lingjing said with a smile as she turned to look at Lu Yuan.
Her expression was calm, showing no sign of displeasure whatsoever.
Lu Yuan smiled faintly, took out an exquisitely wrapped gift box from his pocket, and handed it over: "Happy birthday."
Wow, you even prepared a gift for me!
Xu Lingjing pretended to be pleasantly surprised as she accepted the gift box and examined it carefully.
Lu Yuan explained softly, "This gift was picked out by Ye Yixian and me together. I hope you like it."
Upon hearing this, all the smiles on Xu Lingjing's face vanished instantly, and her disappointment was palpable.
The onlookers were also filled with astonishment.
Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian actually gave each other a gift?
This is tantamount to publicly announcing that the two are together.
This news elicited various expressions from everyone present, who secretly speculated about its implications.
"That's wonderful, this gift...it's very meaningful." Xu Lingjing took a deep breath and said calmly, her voice slightly low, "I will definitely cherish it."
Ye Yixian was closest to Xu Lingjing and could see everything clearly. At this moment, Xu Lingjing was filled with sorrow, as if she had lost her most precious treasure.
If it weren't for the large number of people present, she probably would have already burst into tears.
"Since you're here, don't just stand there." Xu Lingjing quickly composed herself, pulled Ye Yixian to a seat, and said warmly, "Come sit down, Ye Yixian, is this your first time at a karaoke bar? Since it's your first time, you should sing a few songs. What do you like to sing? I'll pick some for you..."
Xu Lingjing's deliberate enthusiasm seemed more like the powerless bravado of a defeated person. Everyone present was a long-time friend, and it was clear to everyone that she was full of grievances.
The root cause of all this is Lu Yuan.
For a moment, everyone's gaze toward Lu Yuan became increasingly strange.