After changing her clothes, Lu Mingjun put on a floral dress she rarely wore.
Her long hair flowed like a waterfall, and she used only a simple hairpin to fix the bangs on the right side.
Her bare face was lit up with a hopeful smile.
Lu Mingjun looked around and, after making sure everything was in place, slung her canvas bag over her shoulder and headed out.
Li Hao and Wang Yue had already finished their meal and packed up, both having left the house.
Walking in the lakeside park opposite the residential area, Lu Mingjun suddenly remembered that this area had once been a filming location for a popular TV series in later years!
Right now, the housing price was just over 6,000 yuan per square meter. Within five years, it would shoot up to over 70,000 yuan per square meter.
Lu Mingjun's heart stirred—she wanted to buy a house for herself.
A small house with a reasonable layout and plenty of sunlight. It would be perfect if it had a spacious balcony where she could sit and enjoy the lake view nearby.
Lu Mingjun daydreamed as she strolled along. The breeze from the lake brushed her cheeks, making her feel incredibly comfortable.
System:Host, you should keep working hard and stop daydreaming! You don't have that much money in your pocket!
Just as Lu Mingjun was immersed in her fantasy, the system's voice snapped her back to reality.
She was stunned for a moment, then sighed softly, a helpless smile spreading across her face:
Lu Mingjun:System, sometimes, dreams are what push people to work harder!
System:It's good to dream, but don't lose yourself in daydreams. The system is worried you'll develop the bad habit of having high hopes with low skills!
Lu Mingjun:Pretty good system... but very noisy!
Back in reality, Lu Mingjun quickened her pace. She planned to buy a new bag and watch a movie tonight.
Although it felt a bit lonely to watch a movie alone, in her previous life, she hadn't even been entitled to such loneliness.
Lu Mingjun followed the boardwalk by the lake to her destination: the Marriott Shopping Center.
As luck would have it, just as she was hurrying along, she had a close encounter with a short-haired girl coming from the opposite direction!
In short, the girl was on roller skates and couldn't brake in time—she collided straight into Lu Mingjun!
The girl, who had fallen to the ground, didn't even check herself first. She panicked and asked, "Hey beauty, are you okay? I'm so sorry! I didn't hurt you, did I?"
She was clearly anxious, her tone filled with genuine worry.
Lu Mingjun was dazed by the collision but quickly came to her senses. She sat up, brushed the dust off her dress, and looked at the girl, who was also still sitting on the ground.
The girl seemed to be about her age. Her short hair fluttered in the wind, making her look lively and energetic.
Though her tone was panicked and her face apologetic, her eyes were calm and rational.
With just one glance, Lu Mingjun felt certain—this girl might be the same kind of person as her.
Thinking that, Lu Mingjun smiled and said, "I'm fine. What about you? Do you need help?"
"I'm okay, just fell down." The girl breathed a sigh of relief, then stood up and patted the dust off her body. "I'm really sorry—I didn't see you just now."
"It's okay, I didn't see you either." Lu Mingjun stood up and straightened her dress. "Just remember to watch the road next time."
"Yeah, I will." The girl nodded repeatedly, then seemed to suddenly remember something. "By the way, you were walking so fast—where were you headed?"
As she spoke, she rubbed her arm discreetly. "I drove here—let me take you there, as an apology!"
"No need, I'm going to the Marriott Shopping Center. It's not far from here," Lu Mingjun replied politely.
"No way—that won't do! I hit you, so I have to take responsibility for you forever!" the girl said with a grin, her short hair dancing in the lake breeze.
Seeing her like this, Lu Mingjun felt a once-empty space in her heart quietly fill up.
This feeling was... wonderful. She didn't want to refuse.
So she nodded and said, "In that case, let's go together!"
Upon hearing that, the girl plopped back down on the ground. Under Lu Mingjun's curious gaze, she pulled her backpack around, took out a pair of sneakers, removed her roller skates, and changed shoes on the spot.
Lu Mingjun laughed. "So you carry all your gear with you?"
The girl slung her backpack on and waved. "Of course not!"
With that, she stepped off the boardwalk, and Lu Mingjun followed closely behind.
As they walked, the girl said, "My name is Jin Xuejiao, but everyone calls me Xiaoxue. What's your name?"
Upon hearing that name, Lu Mingjun's expression subtly changed.
Jin Xuejiao?
If she remembered correctly, that was the name of the tax department representative listed in the invitation letter Jiang Xinxin had given her.
But Lu Mingjun immediately replied playfully, "I'm Lu Mingjun. You can call me Xia Ming."
"Hahaha!" Jin Xuejiao burst into laughter. "I'd better call you Xiaojun—you're hilarious!"
Her laughter, clear and musical like a bell, seemed to have some kind of magic. Bit by bit, it filled the empty spaces in Lu Mingjun's heart.
Soon, they reached Jin Xuejiao's car—a pristine white Volkswagen POLO.
Jin Xuejiao said proudly, "Well? Doesn't my car look a little out of place in S City? Let me tell you—I bought this with my own salary. I saved up for two whole years!"
Lu Mingjun genuinely praised her. "That's amazing! Have you bought a house yet? If you've got the funds, I'd recommend buying property first."
Jin Xuejiao shook her head. "Not yet. I haven't saved enough. My family's situation is complicated, so they can't support me. I have to rely entirely on myself."
With that, the two of them drove toward the Marriott Shopping Center.
On the way, Jin Xuejiao suddenly asked, "Xiaojun, what do you do?"
Lu Mingjun replied without hesitation, "I just graduated. I'm working as an intern lawyer at Xinxing Law Firm."
Hearing this, Jin Xuejiao exclaimed dramatically, "Oh my god! You're already a lawyer? I seriously admire you!"
Lu Mingjun nodded and said sincerely, "Xiaoxue, becoming a lawyer was my dream."
Jin Xuejiao nodded in return but didn't say anything else.
A dream?
She had dreams too—but she didn't dare chase them.
They soon arrived at the Marriott Shopping Center. After parking the car, Jin Xuejiao asked about Lu Mingjun's plans, then pulled her toward the first floor.
Once there, she pointed excitedly to a light luxury brand store and said,
"Xiaojun, as your new friend, I have to introduce you to this treasure shop!"
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