Lila handed Lu Zhe his jacket as he adjusted his tie, ready to rejoin the gala. "Get home early. I'm staying out tonight," he said.
"So, you're sticking with those women?" Lila's voice was low, edged with irritation. "Serving them your charming gentleman smile?"
Lu Zhe smirked coldly. "Why not? I'm chasing deals. They're just gossiping."
Lila bit back her retort, storming toward the door. Wendy, concerned, asked what was wrong, but Lila only shook her head.
That night, alone at home, Lila was still reeling. She opened WeChat to find a friend request from a teen with a flashy, edgy avatar.
The message read: Hey, sis-in-law! Can I hang at your workplace sometimes?
Lila had no strong feelings about Lu Yun—neither fondness nor dislike. His dramatic entrance earlier was surprising but tolerable. Lu Zhe saw him as a delinquent, and Lila had some preconceptions, but they weren't close. Her first instinct was to say no.
Yet, knowing he'd already tracked her job, she figured rejecting him might invite trouble. Better to play nice for now. She replied: Sure, but don't pull stunts like today or cause a scene.
Got it. Don't nag like my brother—annoying, he shot back.
Their chat fizzled, and Lila, unsure what to say, let it drop.
Lu Zhe didn't come home that night. Lila received Chen Yu's payment, divvied it up with her team, and checked his next message: Not swamped today? How's the sandalwood carving?
Done. Stop scheming, she teased. I'm onto you.
Chen Yu sent a smirking emoji, then got serious: I want to borrow your project's lead developer.
Deal, Lila replied instantly. If it helped her senior land a job—especially with his mom's medical bills piling up—it was a win.
She pushed her senior's contact to Chen Yu, then, with nothing else to do, stared at her Ji Zi Lan. Its bloom was imminent, maybe days away. She wanted to witness its glory.
Leaning by the pot, Lila tallied her savings. Her mother's case couldn't wait—vegetative states grew harder to reverse over time. She'd always wanted to uncover the truth behind that car crash, but as a kid, her memories were fragmented, her resources limited, and someone had buried the case. It went cold.
Her funds—$100,000 saved, plus $2 million from recent gigs and wages—totaled just over $2 million. Hospital costs ran $10,000 daily; she could cover six months, but actual treatment would demand more.
What if the crash hadn't happened? Would her life be entirely different?
Lost in thought, Lila dozed off.
Morning came, and the Ji Zi Lan had bloomed. Vibrant blue petals flared, their purple-blue centers subtle, exuding a soul-soothing fragrance. A noble flower, thriving despite Lila's haphazard care.
She snipped a few blooms, pairing them with the sandalwood carving. The blue's boldness and the wood's rich red clashed beautifully—vibrant yet serene, elevating the gift's allure.
With the gift set, Lila's friend Su Xiaojin had picked a song for the birthday performance. With no plans, Lila grabbed her yun, practicing the score. After a few tries, it felt off—lacking the grand polish of a piano.
What was missing? She couldn't pinpoint it.
Chen Yu texted: Deal's done with your senior. He's a gem. Whatcha up to?
Lila sent him a yun clip. He replied: Dang, you're a pro! But it's missing… something. Try singing? Or a piano solo—you're killer at that.
Vanessa's attending, Lila shot back. She'd love me playing piano so she can hog the spotlight. I'm better, but I'm not mimicking her vibe.
She wanted to shine, not chase someone else's glow.
"Add some EDM?" Chen Yu suggested.
But where'd she get EDM? Hiring help would give Vanessa ammo to slander her. "I'll figure it out," Lila said, diving back into the score.
An electric guitar could work—its pulse paired with the yun's ethereal tone would slay. As she brainstormed, Lu Yun messaged: Sis-in-law, free this afternoon? Let's hang.
Lila hesitated, wary of trouble but curious. She agreed.
Lu Yun showed up, and Lila was ready, dressed to kill: black cargo pants, cropped black tee, high ponytail, shades, cap, and black combat boots—sexy and fierce.
Lu Yun's jaw dropped. "Sis-in-law, you robbing a bank? Total badass queen vibes!"
Lila rolled her eyes but warmed to him. He wasn't as prickly as Lu Zhe claimed.
"Pretty dope, though," he grinned, striking a cheesy pose. "Come on, I'll show you something cool."
He unveiled a sleek black motorcycle. "Hop on. Not my brother's Rolls-Royce, but this baby's a lightning rush." He tossed her a helmet.
Lila caught it, strapped in, and they sped off. After a wild forty-kilometer ride, her legs wobbled as they dismounted. Kid drives like a maniac.
They'd stopped at… a net café?
"Net café?" Lila raised a brow.
Lu Yun scoffed. "This is my dream's launchpad. You wouldn't get it."
He rambled excitedly, then clammed up when Lila didn't react. Inside, gamers greeted him loudly—"Big Bro!"—but the place was clean, no smoke or booze, not the thug den she'd imagined.
What was Lu Yun up to?
A blue-haired guy in a leather jacket jogged over, offering drinks. "Yo, Big Bro, new sis-in-law?"
Lu Yun shot him a look, chuckling awkwardly. "Chill, she's family." He swatted the guy. "This is Lila, my brother Lu Zhe's fiancée."
Lu Zhe's name carried weight here—Lu Yun's "brother" was a legend. Lila caught a flicker of pride in Lu Yun's eyes, fleeting but real.
"So… why bring me here?" she asked, testing.
Lu Yun's face turned serious. "I wanna prove to my brother I'm not a screw-up. This is my future, my dream. I tried showing him, but he wouldn't come."
He trailed off, guarded. Lila pieced it together: Lu Yun, barely nineteen, should be prepping for college exams but had dropped out, roaming free. The family wrote him off.
"This place? It's gonna be the base for my esports team. We'll make waves, let the world hear our name," Lu Yun declared, his voice brimming with fire.
Lila's brow lifted, her calm masking a spark of intrigue. "You're aiming for the esports scene?"
His eyes blazed, craving validation. She sensed he'd faced rejection before.
So, his cash grabs from Lu Zhe were for building a team?
"Do it. Give it everything. I believe in you," Lila said, measured but sincere.
Her words lit him up. He jumped, hugging his crew. "Hear that? My family's got my back! I'm gonna show 'em I'm the best!"
Lila smiled, caught in his enthusiasm. "Why me, though?"
Lu Yun grinned, softer now. "I've heard about you forever—saw you at my brother's school back in the day. I always liked you, y'know? You've got this… easy, cool vibe."
He rambled, and Lila listened, vague memories stirring but too faint to grasp. Mid-speech, he sighed, shrugging. "Too bad you're into my brother."
Lila coughed, dodging. "What else you got besides gaming?"
"Music," he said, scratching his head. "Used to rock a band—drums, electric guitar. Family thinks it's a waste."
"Electric guitar? That's sick," Lila said. "Musicians score points—though that rainbow hair's… bold."
Lu Yun froze, and Lila backpedaled, guessing he was touchy about his style. "Try a single color—sunlit gold, mystic blue-purple. Rainbow fades tacky."
She avoided suggesting plain black, knowing a rebellious teen would hate being tamed.
Lu Yun stayed quiet, and Lila worried she'd overstepped. "Just a thought. Dark brown's sharp too—gentlemanly."
He whipped out his phone. "Mystic blue-purple? If it's cool, I'm in!" He scrolled, then lit up. "This teal's fire!"
Lila smirked. Whatever makes you happy.
Lu Yun dragged her to a mini-concert—his crew's classic rock set. The electric guitar's pulse and raw vocals from passionate teens rocked the room, electrifying the crowd.
Lila grinned, zoning in on Lu Yun's guitar riffs. The rhythm was tight, the tone perfect—ideal for her yun's ethereal vibe.
He seems like a delinquent, but he's a musician with dreams of an esports empire. Hot-headed, a bit cheesy, but good at heart. That was her take after half a day.
"Sis-in-law, jump on stage and vibe with us!" Lu Yun hollered.
Lila shook her head, feeling eyes on her, but couldn't help smiling at his infectious energy.