Chapter 27: Relatives and Friends Arrive

  Based on my understanding of Jian and the BFFs' friendship over the years, I'm sure they'll scold He Mochen severely after watching the video, and then praise me to high heavens. So while suppressing the joy that's bursting out from within, I've also prepared myself for their grandiose speeches after they're done ranting, and will casually say "It's nothing, you guys know I've always been decisive like this" as my closing remark.

  But I soon discovered that friendships and understanding are no match for the passage of time... and a woman's changeability.

  Because my dear girlfriends all fell silent at the same time after watching the video.

  I coughed discreetly twice.

  No response.

  "That," I chose my words carefully, "don't you guys have anything to say?"

  They remained silent.

  I took a deep breath, and still couldn't help but say: "Can you guys please speak up? You're all putting on such serious faces, are you trying to mourn or what? Wasn't my performance last night impressive enough? I've really come to regard Hei Mian Tian as nothing, got it? Nothing, not microscopic!"

  They didn't respond to me, but instead exchanged a glance with each other, and their eyes flickered with an inexplicable light, which suddenly gave me a start.

  "Didn't you notice the key?" Haiying said with a frown.

  "I don't know if you've noticed the key point that I've noticed, are they the same?" Ah Qian also furrowed her brow.

  "This is a last-minute escape!" Xiao Yu's eyebrows were even more knotted.

  "Xiao Qiao would never do something so humiliating!" Mu Mu retorted fiercely, pouting her cheeks. The next second, she looked crestfallen and said, "But why didn't he rush up to He Mo Tian for a showdown, instead...he left halfway?"

  "Maybe he thinks it's not the right time?" Ah Qian suddenly seemed to remember something, "Right, Mu Mu, has He Mòtiān seen Xiao Qiao at school?"

  "Of course, who doesn't know that students will..."

  Before she could finish speaking, Haiying interrupted: "That's it, Xiaoqiao must be worried about this."

  Xiao Yu suddenly became excited: "So Xiao Qiao... Ahhh... Can't take it anymore! I'm so looking forward to the future live broadcast!"

  "But," Haiying hesitated for a moment, "I always feel that He Mottian is somewhat off."

  "You've noticed it too?" A shallow raised an eyebrow.

  "Haiyan asked, 'Yao Yao, you were in close proximity to He Mochen yesterday. Didn't you notice anything unusual about him?' She paused and then said, 'Alright, we know you're here, so please don't give us that inexplicable look.'"

  I glared at her: "Your expression is inexplicable! Your whole family's expressions are inexplicable! What I just had was a poker face, okay?!"

  A Shallow frowned: "This line is so familiar."

  "That's enough!" I continued with a poker face, "I'll say it again, I liked He Mian Tian to the point of no return, that was in the past. His betrayal was also in the past. So, I don't care if he's strange or perverted now, to me, he's just a thing of the past, you guys should understand what 'past tense' means?!"

  A moment of silence.

  I was stunned, as Ah Qian, who usually expresses her emotions with her eyes, suddenly raised the corners of her mouth and smiled at me. This smile was truly captivating, a hundred times more beautiful than any other expression, and I was immediately stunned, what's going on?

  "Then we'll go back first," she said softly.

  Others also laughed and echoed.

  Seeing their faces with an unprecedentedly pure and kind smile, I was stunned for a moment, suddenly feeling a warmth in my chest, and my whole body felt warm and burning.

  "Good grief, you guys..."

  I was halfway through speaking when Ah Qian took the lead and turned around to walk towards the door, with everyone else following suit without hesitation.

  My emotional expression is frozen on my face.

  But then I immediately remembered something and chased after him: "Hey, wait!"

  Mumu turned around happily and asked me: "What's wrong Yayou?"

  "It was clearly my business just now, but why are you all discussing Xiao Qiao?"

  She hesitated for a moment before being suddenly hugged by A Qian: "Because we are also helping Xiao Qiao find a blind date."

  I was stunned for a moment and glared at A-Qian in anger: "How can you guys be like this!"

  She raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "You mind?"

  I got even angrier: "Of course I care! You guys didn't even tell me about this kind of thing, and I've always wanted to help Xiao Qiao find a partner too!"

  Others cast ambiguous glances at me, while Ah Qian looked deeply into my eyes.

  "In that case, take your time to look for it, good luck, little sister."

  Watching their carefree backs, I covered my chest and returned to the store with a sense of desolation. It seems this is what they call the feeling of loving and hating at the same time.

  When closing the door at night, Aunt suddenly asked me why Xiao Qiao didn't come today. I thought for a moment: "His aunt's husband came again, right?"

  Auntie rubbed my hair for a while before saying: "Yao Yao, when are you planning to give your mom a grandson?"

  I pulled back the key, a bit unable to keep up with her train of thought: "What?"

  She smiled at me: "I want to be a grandma now."

  I paused for a moment: "If I'm not mistaken, didn't I just turn 20 this year?"

  "In ancient times you would have been the mother of three kids already."

  "Oh, I'm really glad I live in a new China with late marriage and late childbearing policies."

  She suppressed her smile and said seriously: "Yao Yao, no matter what happens in the future, don't ignore your truest feelings because of some well-intentioned lies. Love is built on all sorts of lies. Without lies, love can't form a complete system that makes you infatuated. In other words, whether it's pretending or real love, lies are always intertwined, the difference lies in the other person's true intentions. Remember?"

  I nodded very seriously at once.

  She smiled softly: "Then tell me your thoughts after listening."

  I hesitated for a moment, looking at her with tears in my eyes: "Aunt... don't force me."

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  The author has something to say: "Relatives and friends (upper) (lower)" These two chapters are warm and fuzzy, so there aren't many humorous or satirical parts. Actually, the main goal is to let everyone have a deeper understanding of Bai Yaoyao's family and close friends, and then like this big family even more, and also lay some groundwork for explaining their unusual attitude towards Bai Yaoyao in the future... (Author laughs slyly) I don't know if the goal has been achieved...