Early in the morning, Chu Yue left home, took three subway transfers, then took a taxi, and finally arrived at the designated location within the agreed time. There was actually a direct bus, but Beijing’s traffic was terrible, with buses constantly stuck in traffic, so the subway was faster. Therefore, Chu Yue always preferred taking the subway when going out. In recent years, she had spent all her savings on buying a house and had no extra money to buy a car.
The gathering place was a manor called “Peach Blossom Spring” built against a mountain, with walls and gates constructed from thick bamboo and wood, exuding a rustic, original wooden charm. The buildings inside were antique, with pavilions, bridges, flowing water, rockeries, and strange stones, giving a strong sense of imitation of ancient style.
As soon as she got out of the taxi, someone approached and asked, “Are you Miss Shen Chu Yue?”
She nodded, and before she could respond, the young girl exclaimed and turned around, shouting, “Everyone, Miss Shen is here!”
With a whoosh, a large group of people surrounded her, with smiling faces, enthusiastic greetings, and self-introductions. The scene was somewhat like welcoming a star, which made Chu Yue very uncomfortable. Overwhelmed and unable to keep up, she could only keep smiling and let them come forward to shake hands and chat.
After finally getting through the “audience”, Chu Yue was sweating. Du Moli had been standing nearby, smiling, and only approached after everyone had finished introducing themselves, giving Chu Yue a warm hug: “Sister Chu Yue, you’re much more beautiful than I imagined!”
“Hehe,” Chu Yue laughed, “That’s the effect I was going for, otherwise, wouldn’t the preventive shot be in vain?”
Du Moli also laughed.
“Sister Chu Yue, let me introduce you to a friend—” she said, pulling over a tall girl beside her, “Song Lian Yan, my colleague. When she heard we were coming here, she wanted to join!”
Song Lian Yan was a girl about the same age as Chu Yue, tall with a round face. Chu Yue extended her hand friendly: “Hello!”
“Miss Shen Chu Yue, I’ve heard so much about you!” Song Lian Yan’s mouth curved with a meaningful smile, and she suddenly increased her grip while shaking hands. Chu Yue was stunned and somewhat displeased.
