Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 466 Penetrating to the core, emotions piercing to the very heart.

August 25, 2008, was Liu Yifei's fourth birthday since she came of age.

Aside from the tragic scene at her first coming-of-age ceremony where Liu Yifei transforms into Don Quixote Fey and crashes into a windmill, the surprise drone at 19 and the top-tier yellow diamond she wore at 20 were all undeniably romantic.

From this perspective, the washing machine, which is accustomed to focusing on one central point or two basic points in bed, is also adept at seizing opportunities in life.

If you can appease Liu Xiaolv on important days, won't he be able to take whatever he wants from you in other aspects?
Maybe it can be unlocked...

However, on her birthday this year, Liu Yifei considerately did not have any expectations for her boyfriend, after all, he had been busy with the Olympics for the past six months, but the young woman had her own plans.

The afternoon heat was intense, and the incessant chirping of cicadas tore at the air on Deshengmen West Street.

The brick and gray tile pavement is laid out under the dense shade of Chinese locust trees. Sunlight struggles to penetrate the branches and leaves, casting swaying and broken spots of light on the stone pavement.

The air is filled with the unique scent of old book pages, ink sticks, and dust; time seems to slow down here, thick and lingering.

"How did you end up here?" Boss Lu got out of the car looking dazed. This whole area is full of antiques and crafts. When did his fiancée develop this hobby?

"Why ask so many questions? You can just be a big shot, I don't need you to worry about me, isn't that better?" Liu Yifei adjusted her black hat and large sunglasses, trying her best to disguise herself.

As she led him through the alleyways, vines climbed the gray walls, forming green waterfalls, and cicadas sang, creating a fine net.

Ah Fei stayed a safe distance behind the two of them, neither too close nor too far.

"Stop fiddling around, with your perfect figure, who wouldn't recognize you?" Washing Machine flattered, "A woman as outstanding as you shines brightly and stands out like a firefly in the night, no matter where you are."

"Now you know how to say nice things, but you pretended to be dead when I asked where the gift was?"

Xiao Liu looked at him with a coquettish expression, affectionately hugging her boyfriend's arm. The soft touch stirred up a romantic feeling in Xi Shi.

However, he wasn't exactly flattering her; no matter how much Liu Yifei disguised herself, it would be difficult for passersby to recognize her now.

Today she wore a loose white short-sleeved shirt with a simple design and a naturally draped hem. She wore a white tube top underneath, revealing her slender neck, exuding a pure yet slightly sexy vibe.

His clothes were simple, but his temperament and appearance were far superior to those of ordinary people, and he could be recognized at a glance.

Lu Kuan denied it: "I wasn't pretending to be dead. My attitude has always been very proper!"

The two reached the intersection, Liu Yifei took out her phone, glanced at it, pointed in a direction, and continued walking.

The problem is that there are few young people in this kind of place. Occasionally, a few elderly men who look familiar will glance at the young couple and then lose interest.

"arrive!"

Looking up from the wide road, there's an old ebony plaque with four simple, unadorned characters in clerical script: "Shangpin Jiqing" (尚品吉磬).

Looking through the glass windows of the quaint facade, one can see some antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and gold and silver products inside, which don't seem too conspicuous.

"This is... a tomb raiding job?"

"What tomb raiding! You must have been reading too much of the 'Ghost Blows Out the Light' script last night!"

Liu Yifei covered her mouth and laughed, "This is a silverware shop. I asked a lot of people to find out about it. Today I'm bringing you here to do some handicrafts!"

"What the hell?" Boss Lu frowned. "I make millions a minute, and you're taking me to experience a primary school craft class?"

Liu Xiaolv raised his eyebrows arrogantly: "A few million, right? My shares in Haidilao are worth almost 100 million now. You can have them all as payment for today's prostitution."

"I don't want that, I want you to pay for it with your body!"

With a cold face, Xiao Liu threatened, "You'd better behave today, and be patient later."

"I've been preparing for this day for over two months, don't force me to beat you up on my happiest day!"

"What do you mean?" Lu Kuan really didn't understand.

"You need a ring for the wedding, right? That yellow sapphire you bought in the US last year was too expensive. I'm thinking of making one myself this time, what do you think?"

Liu Yifei said smugly, "You're so lucky to have married a wife like me. Now I know how to save you money. I even pay you for sex, haha!"

A gust of wind blew in from the alley entrance, and stray hairs blurred the girl's vision. Along with her little tiger teeth that showed when she smiled, she was indescribably cute and charming.

That's why it really depends on who you're dating.

The reason why green tea can attract men is because it fulfills all of a man's fantasies.

But falling in love with a girl like Liu Yifei is a double feast for the soul and the senses.

She doesn't know anything about tea ceremony, but her top-notch appearance and interesting soul far surpass those of a pretentious green tea.

Whether it's accompanying her boyfriend to watch a football match he's interested in, or displaying the fiery courage to write for her loved one in the public sphere;
On her 21st birthday, she chose the romantic economics of replacing expensive jewelry with a wedding ring she forged herself.
This contradictory yet vibrant vitality, compared to her gentle and refined appearance, allows mature men to enjoy the satisfaction of being admired while also experiencing unexpected surprises.

Liu Yifei's appeal to Lu Kuan and the top tier lies in her ability to always break the stereotype of what a beautiful woman should be—

When discussing art, she is as eager to learn as a female student; when defending her own, she is as fierce as a lioness; yet when interacting with others, she retains the cunning and innocence of a young girl.

This multi-dimensional personal charm creates a unique vortex of emotional value, making even the most seasoned and resilient person willingly succumb to it.

When a woman's beauty becomes her least remarkable asset, the relationship transcends the conventional tale of a talented man and a beautiful woman, evolving into a conspiracy between two fascinating souls.

When the amusing Liu Xiaolu led Lu Kuan by the hand and pushed open the gate, the copper bell jingled, stirring up the dust. Behind the counter, the old silversmith Meng Dongming, with his white hair and beard, looked up, and the deep lines on his forehead, like those carved by a knife, slightly appeared.

"Is this... Miss Liu?"

“Yes! It was me, introduced by Mr. Jing.” Liu Yifei stepped forward and shook hands with him: “Master Meng, right? Thank you so much for coming all the way to the shop.”

Meng Dongming is a veteran craftsman whose ancient filigree inlay and engraving techniques have very few living successors and have not yet been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Last year, when Aunt Jingtian celebrated her 50th birthday, the family sought out Master Meng to make some jewelry as a gift. Coincidentally, Liu Yifei wanted to experience the romance of handmade crafts with her boyfriend, so she had arranged to come over today.

Without an appointment, this experienced driver might have gone to pick up another customer's order.

The clothes and accessories worn by wealthy people that are recognizable as brand names are ultimately considered inferior.

Ah Fei gently closed the door and stood still. Through the glass in the door, he observed whether the people who had just cast their gazes at him were approaching. Lu Kuan looked around and roughly understood the situation.

He casually sat down in the chair, deciding to make the best of it and let his wife do as she pleased for the day.

Meng Dongming didn't bother with the formalities of serving tea first, nor did he have the time to try and build rapport with the two celebrities. He said in a calm and unhurried tone, "Miss Liu, please take a look at what you ordered."

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up: "Great!" She then pulled her boyfriend, who had just sat down, up: "You nouveau riche, come and see for yourself."

"Don't act like a rip-off every time you buy something, and stop buying those ridiculously expensive pieces of junk!"

Boss Lu helplessly rubbed his nose, watching Meng Dongming open the sandalwood box wrapped in velvet that had been prepared on the table. Two strands of small-leaf sandalwood and two conch beads lay quietly, like yin and yang fish lying on a brocade quilt.

He asked with great curiosity, "What is this?"

Meng Dongming smiled and said, "According to the requirements of our traditional filigree inlay technique, these are the materials Miss Liu requested for making the ring—"

“Our rings have a special craftsmanship, called ‘wood core with gold body’, plus a main stone.”

He explained them one by one: "The wooden core is made of precious wood for the inner ring, and gold and silver are used for the outer ring. Finally, the men's ring is set with cool-colored crystals or plain rings, while the women's ring is set with warm-colored settings."

"Among the materials Ms. Liu chose, the wood is small-leaf sandalwood, the metal is 18K white gold, the women's ring is set with a conch bead, and Mr. Lu, your men's ring is a plain ring."

The nouveau riche was truly stunned.

How could he possibly know any of this? In this life, having money only means buying regular luxury goods like Western tycoons do. He had never really had access to these kinds of "old Chinese money" items before.

"Sissi, how did you know all this?"

"You asked, of course. I've been researching this for a month or two." Liu Yifei smiled brightly. "Let me calculate the price for you, so you don't come back later saying I'm a spendthrift before we're even married."

She walked to the box and pointed to the small-leaf sandalwood: "This is the most expensive in terms of unit price, around 100 million per ton, but we rarely use it for making rings, so I bought more to prevent waste."

"This is the most expensive item in the box," Xiao Liu said, pointing to the conch pearls inside.

A pink bead with iridescent flame patterns shimmered with a silky luster under the light, like a treasure formed from clouds soaked in the sunset.

"It is said to grow naturally in the shells of conch shells in the Caribbean Sea, and there is currently no way to artificially intervene. Only one out of 5 queen conch shells can be found."

Xiao Liu picked it up and showed it to him: "The red patterns on it look like natural flames, aren't they beautiful?"

"I asked Bronjour to buy this for me from the US. It cost about $4 per carat. The one you have is less than two million RMB. Is that alright?"

Lu Kuan chuckled and said, "Giselle Bündchen? You're still in contact with her? Didn't she break up with Leonardo DiCaprio the year before last?"

"What does that have to do with me? Supermodels like them have channels to buy these things, and they're guaranteed to be authentic." Liu Yifei said in a low voice, "Because they all trick rich people into paying for them, they know where to find good stuff, hehe."

Mr. Lu said thoughtfully, "Your social skills aren't bad either."

"Of course." Xiao Liu raised his eyebrows proudly: "Anyway, that's all the ingredients. Master Meng will teach us how to make it later, so you should learn well."

"This is the first time we've made something for each other by hand."

Lu Kuan was surprised: "The master craftsman just mentioned the ancient filigree inlay technique. Can we learn that in a short time?"

"Idiot!" Liu Yifei said disapprovingly, "Of course we can't learn it. Master Meng can handle that one part. It's already quite an achievement if we can get the others done well."

Unable to find another excuse, the washing machine rubbed its hands together helplessly: "Okay, how do I do it?"

Making a ring is like making clothes; the first step is definitely taking the measurements.

Liu Yifei had been studying it for more than two months and had visited the shop several times. She skillfully picked up the silversmith's ring bar engraved with the standard size and then used the cotton thread to calibrate the difference between the joint and the base of the finger.

Having obtained the finger circumference measurements of the two individuals, Master Meng asked them to sit down at their workstations while he took out the small-leaf sandalwood:

"I dealt with this yesterday. Now I need to cut it first and then soak it in beeswax for a while so it won't crack when it's baked and set. Please wait two minutes."

The master craftsman was highly skilled, and soon returned: "Miss Liu, if you want to do it yourselves, I'll explain what you can do first, mainly a few things."

"The first step is to lay the foundation ring; you have to hammer it in one by one yourself."

"The men's ring, which is the mold in Miss Liu's hand, you need to make sure to cut a groove on the inside. I told you about it last time."

"Mr. Lu, you need to make sure to press the women's ring into an arc shape, because I'm going to fill in the filigree along the edge later."

Mr. Lu seemed to understand but not quite, while Xiao Liu responded and started operating the machine.

The so-called base ring is made by placing a thin platinum bar on a special tool and hammering it into a circle.

Later, after softening the soaked sandalwood by roasting it, place it on the inner ring, just like a collector playing with a string of sandalwood beads. The wood is inlaid on the inside of the ring, and it feels warm and smooth to the touch, even better than metal.

This is one of the characteristics of Master Meng's craft, full of oriental charm.

Smashing the ring into a round shape is a physically demanding task, aided by special tools. After hammering for a while, Liu Yifei turned her head to look at her boyfriend's focused expression, which was almost identical to his in front of the camera. She felt an indescribable joy in her heart.

Even a yellow sapphire necklace worth tens of millions of dollars wouldn't feel as comfortable on her as this simple bracelet in front of her.

In terms of personal consumption, money is just a number to him, but the only things that can get him to focus and spend time on are movies and himself.

Master Meng inspected the two's "first drafts" and nodded, saying, "Good, the next step is to cut the small-leaf sandalwood into thin slices, soften them by baking, and then attach them to the inner band of your rings. Please note—"

"The wood grain on the men's ring should be arranged vertically, which is called 'rising step by step'."

"The wood grain on the women's ring should be horizontal, which symbolizes gentleness."

Upon hearing this, Lu Kuan laughed and said, "That's really great! You could totally turn this into an experience center. I bet a lot of wealthy people would love to come and have fun."

Master Meng smiled, his wrinkles widening into a smile: "To be honest, these nice words were passed down from one old craftsman to another, and there's a lot more to them than meets the eye."

"In ancient times, this was the trick used to please the ladies and young women in their secluded courtyards."

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "Master Meng is a very honest man, but we both like to hear nice things. Please don't hold back anything, just say it!"

"Haha, okay, okay."

The second step requires more patience. The couple first applies edible glue to the sandalwood, then inserts it into the groove of the platinum ring, and then gently taps it with a leather hammer.

This process requires great care; too much force will deform the ring. Just keep hammering it until the wood and metal are firmly joined together.

Boss Lu had never done such meticulous work before, but Liu Yifei was thoroughly enjoying it.

He carefully hammered for a while, wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, and turned to chat with the old craftsman: "Master Meng, do some narration, otherwise it won't feel right."

Meng Dongming smiled and shook his head, finding the mainland's richest man quite approachable: "There is indeed something to say, but I'm afraid it's not to your liking. And you two are about to get married..."

Lu Kuan waved his hand: "It's okay, let me listen."

Meng Dongming pondered for a few seconds: "Metal and wood are inherently incompatible; they only become useful through patient shaping. Marriage is the same."

"That's a brilliant point." Boss Lu smiled. "The mutual restraint between metal and wood is a natural law. This kind of hardness and gentleness can only achieve a higher level of harmony through collision."

"How come you have such a complete set of steps?" Xiao Liu finished first and showed his work to the two of them.

The master craftsman exclaimed in amazement, "Miss Liu is very skillful; she's quite remarkable."

Liu Yifei smiled and said, "There will definitely be flaws in what we make ourselves, unlike what you made, which is perfect. But that's okay, it's meaningful precisely because it's something we made ourselves."

The washing machine remained expressionless; the dog of a man was already somewhat bored after experiencing the first two stages.

I really miss the days when you could just throw money at women!

After the first two steps are completed, it is up to Master Meng to take charge, which is the core of this craft called "ancient filigree inlay and engraving".

In short, it involves twisting platinum wire into a spiral or other pattern using three strands of wire, and then decorating the ring band with it.

With tools such as an eight-hole wire drawing plate, tweezers, and a miniature welding gun, the first step is to roll and braid the wire.

Men's rings should not be too fancy, with decorations only applied to the sides of the ring band, 3mm wide.
Women's rings are even finer, with platinum wires threaded through a drawing plate, almost thinner than a human hair, and then the filigree is coiled into a scroll pattern using tweezers.

Once the gold threads are woven, a paste made from Bletilla striata powder is used as a glue to temporarily fix the gold threads to the ring.

The next step involves laser welding to spot and shape the ring, then immersing it in alum water and boiling it. Only rings that do not come off are considered securely welded.

Liu Yifei looked around with her beautiful eyes. It was the first time that she and Lu Kuan had seen this kind of intangible cultural heritage handicraft up close, and it was simply breathtaking.

Welding is dangerous, and the young couple are talking quietly nearby.

"The road is wide, is there any way to promote it? I feel like foreigners would be amazed."

Mr. Lu nodded: "This needs to be planned carefully. Cultural and creative products are different from cultural products. We need to let the world see them first, then let the market recognize them, and finally form a closed loop of transactions and circulation."

“If there’s an opportunity, we could collaborate with the Palace Museum to do something similar…” He paused for two seconds, “Something like ‘Oriental Craftsmanship’.”

"Remember the Biennale we went to Italy last time? The Biennale is like a 'film festival' for crafts from all over the world."

"But all our good things are too complicated. I seriously doubt whether foreigners can understand them."

Xiao Liu chuckled to himself, "That's indeed the case."

"Let me think about it some more, and see how to integrate it with Wenjie Mall. Just making a name for ourselves isn't enough."

Master Meng spent nearly two hours on this operation before finally letting out a long sigh of relief and gesturing for the two men to come forward: "I've already applied borax solution to the weld. You two can check the melting of the weld joint; you shouldn't be able to see any flaws."

As instructed, Liu Yifei observed under the magnifying glass that the filigree was as solid as gold thread embroidery, with platinum, filigree, and sandalwood almost blending together, creating an extremely beautiful effect.

The craftsman picked up the men's ring again and said with a wry smile, "Miss Liu, there's a small gap in the men's ring, which was hidden by the sandalwood and I couldn't see it. This caused a tiny crack during the welding process. Would you like me to make a new one for you later?"

"No need, as long as she made it, it's fine." Boss Lu waved his hand with a smile, and a cheesy pickup line came out of his mouth: "Tears of silk and jade are fine, as long as you and I are torn together."

"Cough..." Ah Fei, standing in front of the door, suddenly felt a tickle in his throat.

It's embarrassing that the boss doesn't know when to be carefree when he's having fun.

Master Meng paused for a few seconds, then said with some admiration, "Boss Lu is a brilliant man. You've figured out all the rhetoric we use in this line of work."

"Hahaha!" Liu Yifei happily hugged her boyfriend's arm. If they were at home, she would have kissed the handsome face of the washing machine.

Only one step remained in the process, which was once again done by Master Meng: to make a claw-shaped setting for Xiao Liu's ring to inlay the conch bead.

It still uses platinum wire to form a six-pronged bamboo-joint setting, which looks like a small cage woven from bamboo branches, and then the bead is set at a 30-degree angle.

If Boss Lu himself weren't a little disgusted by cheesy pickup lines, a line like "Setting beads is like crowning love" would surely win over his girlfriend's every whim tonight.

Unfortunately, he couldn't do it.

"Gentlemen, this lettering..." Master Meng explained, "We can do hand carving or laser engraving. What do you think?"

Liu Yifei was already overjoyed: "Let's do it ourselves!"

The "LU" on the men's ring and the "LIU" on the women's ring serve as the maker's signature, essentially a personal stamp for the recipient.

The old craftsman brought out two carving knives and inserted the ring into the peach wood recess: "The strength lies in the wrist, not the fingers. Use skillful force and be careful not to hurt yourself."

"Okay, I'll try it first." With the delicate side of a young girl, Xiao Liu understood Meng Dongming's instructions and carefully began to cut.

After being treated, the sandalwood became as hard as iron, and she carefully laid out the stitches.

A few wisps of hair fell across her forehead, framing her brows. The harsh afternoon sun streamed in, casting dappled shadows on her porcelain-white cheeks. Occasionally, when she reached a turning point in her calligraphy, she would unconsciously bite her lower lip, revealing her little canine tooth, or raise her hand to wipe the fine sweat from the tip of her nose.

"Phew...not bad, right?" Liu Yifei, having successfully completed her task, turned around to show the audience her work.

Boss Lu took it and examined it closely: "Luckily it's not Chinese characters, otherwise Liu Hao would have been carving them, and you, Lu, would have been exhausted."

Master Meng slowly said, "For Chinese characters, only I can do it, or we can use laser equipment."

He took the ring from Lu Kuan and put on his glasses to examine it.

"The key to engraving is to make the lines as rhythmic and abrupt as bamboo knots, and the finishing strokes as light and graceful as sword tassels. Miss Liu's engraving is quite proper and not bad at all, with some of it even showing a deep and penetrating quality."

Liu Yifei raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend smugly: "What? Have artists run out of mushy things to say?"

hooligan:?
Please don't provoke him!
"Hehe." The washing machine replied nonchalantly. Wasn't this kind of smug talk just coming out of his mouth?
He sat down at the workbench with Liu Yifei's women's ring in his hand, imitating her style to secure the ring, before finally uttering a leisurely remark after a long while.

"The engraving is so deep it penetrates three inches into the wood, and the affection is so profound it pierces the heart."

Perhaps only Liu Yifei didn't feel awkward, and excitedly cheered him on: "This is great, this is great! I've got the caption for my Weibo post!"

Bring it to you!

A sweet, sour smell of love is spreading, and two interesting souls begin their spiritual union without a care in the world.

Years later, the rings on their hands at this moment will become famous relics of public displays of affection.

"LIU" is just one letter more than "LU". With the experience of observing Liu Yifei's engraving, Boss Lu completed it naturally and with an even higher level of completion.

After a long while, the task was accomplished.

Meng Dongming chuckled as he accepted the pair of rings, preparing to boil them in alum water to remove the soldering slag, then scrape them with an agate knife for final finishing touches.

It's equivalent to a full-body wash, cut, blow-dry, and polish.

In the eyes of this intangible cultural heritage craftsman, this handmade ring has countless flaws, but it is also filled with emotions that outsiders cannot connect with, which is extremely precious.
-
This preciousness naturally made the person involved even happier, so until the dinner party at home that evening, Liu Yifei was still showing off the ring to her best friend and Liu Xiaoli and others.

"See this crack? It was deliberately cracked!" Little Liu imitated, "It's called 'Whether it's gold or silk, the two people involved must be torn together!'"

"Ugh!" Su Chang pretended to vomit, which made Yao Beina, Zhang Liangying, Tong Liya and others at the table laugh.

Only Jing Tian pursed her lips and remained silent. Every time she saw Liu Yifei showing affection, she did feel a little disappointed.

Tang Yan and Yang Mi were filming in another city, and they both sent gifts over.

Liu Xiaoli had just arrived home in the afternoon and had been busy preparing a table full of dishes with the nanny and Chef Qiao. She couldn't stop smiling.

"Alright, alright, I've heard enough. How many times are you going to repeat yourself?" The dancer lied; in reality, she hadn't heard enough, but she wanted to be considerate of others' feelings.

"Sisi, go see if Xiaolu has finished his meeting and is coming down for dinner."

"I'll go." Afei got up and went upstairs, and about twenty minutes later he came down with Lu Kuan.

While everyone else remained relatively casual, several female celebrities unanimously stood up and watched the powerful figure in a dark gray linen shirt descend the stairs.

With his handsome features and agile physique, the depth of his eyes was even more apparent under the projection of the crystal chandelier in the living room.

He smiled and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, his forearm muscles still showing a firm curve as they hung down naturally: "Don't be so polite, sit down and eat."

There were no outsiders around today, so Liu Yifei got up and poured drinks for everyone: "Drink or not, drink whatever you like, if you get drunk, just sleep here."

She walked to one end of the table, where Boss Lu sat down as if it were a matter of course. Besides, it was a gathering of relatives and friends, so who could really not care about these table manners?

"what do you drink?"

"White." Lu Kuan put down his phone, watching the beauty pour him wine, and leaned in with a smile to whisper in his ear, "You spend your days with me enjoying romance, and now it's your turn to indulge in debauchery with me at night?"

Liu Yifei glared at her boyfriend: "I'll drink you under the table later and see if you still have the guts to cause trouble."

Boss Lu smiled and said, "Come on, you can all come at me together—"

"I meant drinking!"

"Virtue!"

In the dining room of the Wenyuhe Villa, a crystal chandelier cast a warm yellow glow on the long dining table. Liu Xiaoli was directing the nanny to serve the last dish, and then the small-scale birthday banquet would begin.

The cake was purchased by Da Tian Tian herself. The main body is made of vanilla chiffon and raspberry jam, and the outer layer is covered with light pink matte fondant. The top is engraved with the words "XiXi21" in white chocolate, and the sides are made of silver sugar beads to form a simple wave pattern.

Minimal but not simplify.

After everyone sang "Happy Birthday," Liu Xiaoli said with a smile, "Blow out the candles and make a wish!"

Liu Yifei didn't care about these formalities: "Stop making promises, I've already made many at the Beiding Niangniang Temple this month!"

"I've been starving myself every day this month for the performance, so let's indulge ourselves today and start eating and drinking!"

The girl looked at her boyfriend with a smile, teasing him mischievously, "Boss Lu, why don't you offer a drink first? Nobody dares to touch their chopsticks unless you say so?"

Lu Kuan, holding his wine glass, said modestly, "Aunt Liu is an elder, so please let Aunt Liu host the event."

Liu Xiaoli hurriedly waved her hands to decline, saying, "I'm in charge of logistics for everyone today, so I need to make sure you're all well taken care of. As long as you young people are happy, that's all that matters."

Xiao Liu readily agreed, picked up his glass of baijiu, and walked to Liu Xiaoli's side, his expression solemn:
"Mom, thank you for bringing me into this world 21 years ago."

"My aunt said that I used to cry a lot at night when I was little, so you would carry me and walk back and forth under Wu Ge's old dormitory building. The moonlight stretched our shadows very long."

"When I'm a little older, I'll sit on the back of your bicycle, following you as you travel to various theater companies, watching the world you show me..."

Liu Xiaoli's eyes reddened, and she stroked her daughter's fair face with her right hand. Then she saw the engagement ring on her daughter's hand, and suddenly the image of that little bundle of flesh wearing a pink plastic wristband in the neonatal ward 21 years ago flooded her mind.

Suddenly a world away.

Liu Yifei's confession was deeply moving: "Mom, thank you for raising me. I can never repay this kindness."

"No need! No need... As long as you're happy and healthy, that's all that matters. I hope you and Xiaolu will continue to be happy together."

The atmosphere was somewhat melancholic. Liu Xiaoli didn't want to shed tears on this occasion, so she tilted her head back and drank the wine in her glass, the burning sensation in her throat turning into warmth in her heart.

Her daughter's career and love life were beyond her reach, leaving her with no more expectations.

But those who have been through it know how big the gap is between dating and marriage, and Liu Xiaoli only hopes that the warmth she has now can last forever.

Several actresses and singers drank some red wine, while Jing Tian chose to numb herself with foreign liquor. Only Liu Yifei, Lu Kuan, and Liu Xiaoli, who was also drinking freely today, drank baijiu (Chinese liquor) at the table.

Lu Kuan deliberately lowered his stance, making jokes from time to time to avoid making Zhang Liangying and the others too reserved. The atmosphere at the table was quite pleasant, with toasts being exchanged frequently.

The girlfriends were all aware that they shouldn't be third wheels, so they all said goodbye and left when it was almost time, except for Jing Tian who stayed.

She neither wanted to leave, nor could she leave.

Da Tian Tian got drunk.

The process of getting drunk was full of twists and turns. Lu Kuan found all sorts of excuses and reasons to persuade her to toast Liu Yifei.

For example, he would take her out for morning exercises and do live broadcasts with her. Jing Tian didn't dare to go against his wishes. She was too embarrassed to think about how she had been seen naked from head to toe last time, so she had no choice but to do as he said.

Conversely, Xiao Liu cunningly arranged for her to be his bar girl, and also made up a bunch of reasons to get her to toast Lu Kuan more often.

There's not much reason needed; just one thing—that Jing Tian be given a role in the next movie—would make her incredibly happy.

She's now somewhat confused about who she's actually infatuated with.

Or both.

The beautiful and wealthy woman was mercilessly toyed with by a couple like a football, until she was drunk and her face was flushed. When everyone said goodbye and left, she was still lying on the sofa, fast asleep and unconscious.

Liu Xiaoli was also too happy to drink much today. Someone mentioned that Jing Tian had studied at the Beijing Dance Academy. The dancer kept rambling on about "the key to this arabesque" until the end.

It's so funny that you can't help but laugh.

So, the couple who had been up to no good today looked at Jing Tian on the sofa and were in a bit of a dilemma.

To be more precise, Xiao Liu was having some trouble because she needed to find a way to get Jing Tian to sleep next door, at least to give her a quick wipe of her face and body.

The girl's beautiful eyes darted around, and she suddenly looked at her boyfriend and said, "Why don't you go through the trouble and carry Sweetie to the next room?"

The washing machine glanced at Jing Tian, ​​who was leaning against the sofa. Her face was flushed with intoxication, like jade bathed in the sunset. Her chest was swollen and trembled slightly with her uneven breathing. Occasionally, a few indistinct murmurs escaped from her lips.

"A clumsy attempt." The washing machine struggled against its male instincts, then leisurely poured itself another cup of tea.

Liu Yifei laughed and said, "It's not a test. I can't carry her, you can. Anyway, she can't object if she finds out, and besides—"

The girl gently wrapped her arms around Lu Kuan, who was sitting at the dining table, from behind, her arms entwined around his chest like vines.

She rested her chin on her boyfriend's shoulder, her cheek pressed against his freshly shaved cheek, his warm breath carrying her fragrance brushing against her ear: "Last time I saw you looking at other girls' naked bodies with such enthusiasm, what are you pretending for now?"

Liu Yifei, like a seductive little fox, deliberately pressed her body close to hers. After being united in body and soul for so long, she was almost certain that her boyfriend was now somewhat agitated.

"This is your only chance, are you going or not? A sweet, soft... and big little beauty, huh?"

"Since you've spent the whole day with me, I'll give you a little treat."

Jing Tian: ?
Liu Yifei! You're so arrogant! You're so great! You...

You did a good job, please keep it up!

Mr. Lu, with his back to her, looked at her with amusement. Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the table, stood up, turned around, and pinned his girlfriend against the edge of the dining table, pressing his body against hers!

"This is outrageous! What do you take me for? Get her sorted out right now, then let me take care of her."

Liu Yifei felt a strong tactile sensation, and when she turned her head, her eyes sparkled like honey, and her red lips curved into a sly smile.

The crystal chandelier cast a shadow on her eyelashes, concealing a hint of provocation and a touch of coquettishness, allowing the man to clearly see the enchanting curves of her swan-like neck extending to the edge of her strapless bodice.

As she was about to become a wife, Xiao Liu deliberately slowed down her movements, tucked her stray hairs behind her ears, and even mischievously pushed her delicate little buttocks back, exuding allure without any restraint.

The young woman, after drinking, was also somewhat aroused and couldn't wait to have a wild time with the man in front of her.

"Let Tian Tian sleep in the guest room on the first floor. No one has slept there before, and it's quite clean."

The washing machine couldn't wait any longer. It planted a poke on his forehead and headed upstairs, saying, "Whatever, I'm going to take a shower first."

Xiao Liu was very responsible in making simple arrangements for her best friend, and then went upstairs overjoyed, pushing open the door to the bathroom.

A startled cry of "Ah!" was heard, followed by soft, intoxicating music that could not be spoken of to others.

After an unknown amount of time, Jing Tian downstairs gradually woke up due to thirst from drinking, with a dull ache still lingering on her forehead from the alcohol.

She struggled to sit up, glanced at the time on her phone and her surroundings, and then realized her situation.

There was some water left for her by Liu Yifei on the bedside table. Da Tiantian drank it all without warning and went out barefoot.

The dim yellow light from the corridor wall lamps cast a long, thin shadow of hers.

suddenly!

A "heavenly sound" drifted from the second floor, sounding like both crying and laughing.

To the still somewhat dazed Da Tian Tian, ​​it sounded like a dream.

The voice was like a key, suddenly unlocking the floodgates of memory. The nightmare from a year ago in a New York hotel seemed vividly present, especially the painting on the wall that trembled slightly.

Jing Tian was on the verge of tears, feeling as if Xiao Liu's faint voice was like a cat's claws, tickling her unbearably from the inside out.

The memory of being seen by Lu Kuan that night suddenly flashed through my mind again...

Da Tiantian's throat grew increasingly dry. Frustrated that she couldn't drive after drinking, and with it already past midnight, she could only fum and return to her room.

Then, with a loud "bang!", the door slammed shut.

Ugh! You two are such a scumbag!
The "cheating couple" upstairs received an emotional attack from the young woman.

Liu Yifei suddenly stopped her alluring waist movement like a startled little fox: "What was that sound?"

"I don't know, keep going!" The washing machine remained unmoved, looking at its charming girlfriend in front of it. Even if the house was on fire, it would put out its own fire first.

Liu Yifei wasn't as obsessed as him. After all, she had already been with him twice, and now she was simply selling herself and paying the price for the romance she had during the day.

She propped herself up on her arms and said, "I hope something has happened to Tian Tian. I'll go check on her."

The washing machine watched helplessly as his girlfriend got out of bed and put on her pajamas: "What am I supposed to do?"

The girl glanced at his embarrassing state, covered her mouth and giggled, then lifted the blanket to cover herself, saying sweetly, "Darling, enjoying the process is more important than the result."

"Boom boom boom!"

"what?"

"Are you alright, Sweetie?"

Jing Tian poked her head out from under the covers, her tone wistful: "What could possibly be wrong? But I'd be better off if you kept your voice down!"

Liu Yifei pushed open the door and turned on the desk lamp. Under the dim light, the sweetness of the well turned into bitterness, somewhat reminiscent of the sad frog.

Sister Liu was very considerate: "Would you like me to pour you another glass of water?"

Unable to contain her bitterness, Da Tiantian retorted sarcastically, "Look at you, all rosy-cheeked, I think you're about to melt into a puddle of water!"

"Hahaha!" Liu Yifei was not ashamed but proud, completely unguarded against the harmless Jing Tian.

"You don't understand now, but you will in the future."

Jing Tian looked disdainful but didn't dare to talk back. She was under someone else's roof now, and she was no match for them in terms of intelligence or strength. She didn't want to be bullied anymore; even if she screamed her lungs out, it would be useless.

Of course, if she's really bullied and can't fight back, she can only silently endure it.

"Alright, alright, go back to doing your good deeds, I'm going to sleep!" Da Tiantian reached out to push Liu Yifei's thigh, which was pressed against the quilt, and suddenly felt something sticky.

She subconsciously brought it to her nose and smelled it. A scent she had never experienced before suddenly entered her mind.

This flavor is so childlike.

So much so that she couldn't forget it for many years afterward.

"Huh! What is this?!"

Liu Yifei was taken aback, then suddenly remembered that she had finished her work clothes for the day, so she simply...

"It's nothing, just wipe your hands and go to sleep!"

She pulled out a piece of paper, both amused and exasperated, and quickly stuffed it into Jing Tian's hand. Even the boldest person wouldn't dare to stay any longer, so she hurriedly pushed open the door and left.

Jing Tian was left completely bewildered, but she quickly identified the biological characteristics based on her limited knowledge of physiology.

Ahhhhh!
. . .

"Why are you in the study?" On her way back to the bedroom, Xiao Liu discovered that her boyfriend had moved to the study and was sitting at the desk looking quite dashing, exuding an artistic aura that captivated her once again.

This stands in stark contrast to the debauchery that just occurred.

Mr. Lu glanced at her helplessly, his eyes filled with a deep sadness.

"When I woke up, I found the whole world was asleep."

"Haha, what kind of 'scar literature' is this?" Liu Yifei hugged him from behind: "Come on, let's go back and I'll heal your wounds."

"Is Jing Tian alright?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine. I just woke up thirsty to get some water." Xiao Liu said calmly, too embarrassed to tell him about the embarrassing incident.

The washing machine raised an eyebrow, its enthusiasm interrupted and unable to pick it up for a while: "I'll draw some storyboards and then go rest. Jing Tian saved you today, so I'll let you off the hook."

Liu Yifei giggled and kissed him on the cheek, acting like a devoted wife and mother, saying, "Come on, I'll go with you, otherwise you'll feel uncomfortable."

The girl, intoxicated by alcohol, was at her most aggressive, acting like a master manipulator. She took his hand and pulled him behind her back, saying, "Look at this new nightgown, the material is so slippery it can't even hold up the straps..."

She then turned her boyfriend's chair around, pressing her knees against the seat between his legs, revealing her fair skin through the slit in her skirt.

"Why are you drawing sci-fi? Draw me! Give me a close-up shot."

As she spoke, Xiao Liu's nail-painted toes hooked around his calf and climbed up: "For example... the camera starts slowly from here..."

When the girl's nails dug into her shoulder blades once again, it truly echoed what she had said during the day when she was working on the ring.

Penetrating to the core, revealing profound emotion.

(End of this chapter)