Ding—
The notification sound of a phone message came from beside Luo Yun.
She picked up her phone, unlocked it, and glanced at the screen.
It was from He Rou.
‘Ignoring me for so long, and now what do you want?’
Feeling some resentment, Luo Yun didn’t really want to open the chat.
She decided to make He Rou wait, to let her know that waiting was unpleasant.
But that punishment immediately flew out of her mind the moment she saw the image and the caption that came with it.
It was a selfie of a person, accompanied by a text: “Happy birthday, Xiaoyun. I’m already on my way over.”
But Luo Yun didn’t notice the text below, because her entire attention had been captivated by the person in the photo.
She had never seen He Rou dress up like this before. Never.
In the years they had known each other, every day it was either a plain shirt with shorts or a puffy down jacket with hideous pants, and always season-specific.
But the person in the photo now looked as if she had stepped straight out of some distant fairy-tale dream.
A pure white dress, layer upon layer of thin tulle like the lightest clouds at the edge of dusk, and there, among those clouds, the fairy revealed her face.
Her jet-black hair fell softly to her shoulders, and there was a hint of shyness and unease in her eyes, as if she had never taken a picture before and was doing this just for someone special.
But from Luo Yun’s perspective, she was completely drawn to that face.
That face, which usually went without makeup, was now as exquisite as someone from a painting.
She tilted her head slightly and gave a shallow smile at the camera.
Luo Yun stared at the photo for a long time—so long that the screen went dark automatically, only for her to turn it back on again.
It seemed that today, she was getting to know He Rou all over again.
On the way to the birthday banquet, she kept looking at the photo.
A string was plucked in her heart, making her experience a feeling she had never felt before: love.
She wanted to see her as soon as possible, to hold her hand right away, to have everything about her.
But those thoughts were suppressed once she arrived at her grandparents’ estate.
All the excitement from the journey drained away.
Even though she couldn’t get enough of the photo, her proud heart quickly reminded her of her standing.
She was the one in the superior position.
He Rou was only taken in as her follower because she had that face—originally it was supposed to be as a pet, but she had never actually treated her that way.
The one who falls in love first is always in the inferior position.
So Luo Yun would never show this love in front of He Rou, unless she became the one who was loved.
“Hmm… it’s still early. Xiaoyun, go on in and check if the venue is satisfactory. If there’s anything, tell them early so they can make changes.”
Her mother, sitting beside her, spoke as she took her hand and led her out of the car.
Luo Yun followed her mother into the estate.
Everything here was luxurious, as if the sun had risen just for her today.
But having seen many grand occasions since childhood, she felt no particular stir.
All the way, she was searching for someone.
But she couldn’t find her after a long time, so obviously that person hadn’t arrived yet.
The banquet started in the evening.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, refracting colorful light.
Thick carpets covered the marble floors, making footsteps almost inaudible as she walked.
Famous paintings adorned the walls, each worth a fortune.
The courtyard and the hall were filled with flowers, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air.
Long tables were set with delicate pastries and drinks, and uniformed waiters carried trays as they moved through the crowd.
All kinds of people mingled there.
It seemed less like someone’s birthday party and more like a large-scale business networking event.
So many unfamiliar faces made Luo Yun feel a bit displeased, but among those “unfamiliar” people were many relatives, and their presence was always troublesome.
Luo Yun didn’t like socializing, but due to her status, she was forced to endure it many times throughout the year.
As her father would say, these people were family assets.
She stood in the hall, and soon many came up to chat.
Her mother pressed her shoulder, signaling her to step back.
On a normal day, her mother would never miss a chance to let her hikikomori daughter socialize, viewing it as a future investment.
But today was her daughter’s birthday, so she didn’t want any bad moods to arise.
Seeing her mother leave, Luo Yun lifted her skirt and headed toward the art studio.
Outside were all kinds of annoying people, and the person she was waiting for still hadn’t come.
Everything here was boring.
Soon, she arrived at the studio.
Looking at everything there, she couldn’t help but recall the moments she had spent with He Rou in this place.
She gazed at the central wall, where He Rou’s first painting hung.
It looked very ordinary, even flawed, but that didn’t stop her from liking it.
But she didn’t know if she liked the painting or the person who painted it.
Still, given two choices, she was more than happy to pick the former.
Luo Yun crouched in the middle of the studio.
Her skirt spread out neatly in a circle, the layers of tulle and jewels resting on it like a blooming lily.
Daydreaming was a good way to kill time.
Finally, after who knows how long, the door to the studio opened.
“Xiaoyun… are you in here?”
The voice came before the door was fully open.
Luo Yun turned her head and watched the door slowly open, finally seeing the person she had been waiting for.
He Rou stood at the entrance, wearing a pure white dress.
She looked exactly like in the photo—no, even more beautiful than the photo.
Luo Yun felt her heartbeat skip a beat.
Her wavering pride was on the verge of crumbling, and she didn’t know when it would disappear.
He Rou also saw her.
Their eyes met.
A trace of shyness flickered across He Rou’s face, and then she slowly walked toward her.
“Xiaoyun.”
He Rou stopped in front of her, her voice very soft.
“Happy birthday.”
“Mm.”
Luo Yun responded, trying to keep her tone calm.
“Why did you come so late?”
“Sorry.”
He Rou grasped her hand helplessly.
After all, she wasn’t the Flash, and Luo Yun’s complaint left her unsure of what to do.
“Forget it.”
Luo Yun held her hand and stood up.
“Let’s go out. I hope today will be more interesting than usual.”
Then, the two went outside and began to play as ordinary girls do on birthdays.
At that time, the sun was hanging in the west.
There were many people at the banquet: strangers, acquaintances, those who should have come, and those who shouldn’t have—all were present.
Who knows whose doing it was?
It was supposed to be just a girl’s birthday, yet so many people had come.
Guests chatted in small groups, and children chased each other around the villa’s garden.
After the cake was cut, the climax of the day was about to arrive.
Countless fireworks bloomed with the estate at their center.
But in an unnoticed corner, a spark from a firework that hadn’t fully burned out left a tiny flame behind.
This estate, built mostly from wood for aesthetic reasons, would soon face a disaster because of it.