"Sis, where do you want to go first?" In the car, Yi Shaoqing sat in the backseat warmly chatting with Yi Luowa.
"To buy a phone first." Yi Luowa turned her head to look at the bustling streets outside, still feeling a bit unaccustomed to her brother's enthusiasm.
"There's a big phone store just ahead, I'll take you there." Yi Shaoqing patted the seat of the driver's chair. "Uncle Wu, drive faster."
Uncle Wu responded and picked up the pace.
"Please drive slower." Although the car wasn't going very fast, having Yi Shaoqing inside made Yi Luowa inexplicably tense.
Uncle Wu chuckled, "Young lady, no need to worry. I've driven Madam's car for 15 years and have never been in an accident."
"If you'd been driving for the Yi family 18 years ago, you'd understand why there's reason to be afraid," Yi Luowa muttered internally.
The car soon arrived at the store. Seeing the long line outside, Yi Luowa furrowed her brows slightly. "So many people! What's going on?"
Yi Shaoqing craned his neck to take a look, pointing at the massive poster hanging in front of the store. "Mi Chenshuo is endorsing the phones; today's promotion. But if you're buying a different brand, you don't need to queue. Sis, they have phones from all brands inside—take your pick, I'll buy it for you."
"I don't need you to buy it for me, I have money." Yi Luowa glanced at the promotional benefits on the poster and smiled, "Buy the same phone as Mi Chenshuo, and lucky numbers can get a photo with the celebrity!"
Yi Shaoqing stared blankly at his sister. Turns out, she looked even better when she smiled.
"Ao Lie, I want to buy the same phone as Mi Chenshuo." Yi Luowa patted Ao Lie's shoulder.
Ao Lie smiled and nodded, then opened the car door and got out.
"Sis, are you a fan of Mi Chenshuo?"
Yi Luowa nodded, "I just recently converted to being one."
Yi Shaoqing let out a long sigh of relief. "That's good, at least you're not overly obsessed. But before you buy this phone, I need to tell you something."
Yi Luowa glanced at him. "Go ahead."
"This phone is produced by Zhuoyuan Group. Do you know who Zhuoyuan Group belongs to?"
Yi Luowa shook her head. She wasn't into business, so what did it matter who owned it?
Seeing her reaction, Yi Shaoqing continued, "The hidden boss behind Zhuoyuan Group is Mi Chenshuo's uncle, and his family holds shares in the company. Although there's no direct conflict between Zhuoyuan and our family, I know Mom absolutely hates them. When this phone first came out, both my... second sister and I wanted to buy it, and Mom scolded us severely."
Yi Luowa tilted her head and chuckled, "Thanks for the heads-up. But you don't need to worry about your mother scolding me—I'm only staying here for a few days before heading back to Country F."
"Sis, why are you leaving right after getting back?" Yi Shaoqing suddenly grew anxious.
"This isn't my home." Yi Luowa curved her lips into a grin, "If you like that phone, I'll buy one for you too."
"I don't want it! I just want you to stay with us." Yi Shaoqing puffed his cheeks, pulled out a bank card from his pocket, and handed it to Yi Luowa. "It's from Mom. She told me that whatever you want to buy, I should use this to pay for it. Everyone's treating you so well—why do you still want to leave?"
"If you miss me, come visit me in Country F." Yi Luowa smiled lightly and put the card back into his pocket. "I'm simply used to living with Second Uncle; there's no deeper meaning behind it."
Yi Shaoqing gave his sister a deep look. He thought he couldn't keep her here, but surely their mother would have a way to make her stay.
"Luowa." Ao Lie was back by the car, holding a bag and beaming.
"With such a long line, how did you get it so fast?" Yi Shaoqing eyed the bag in Ao Lie's hand, skeptical.
Yi Luowa smiled as she took the bag. "There are always scalpers anywhere."
Yi Shaoqing chuckled knowingly.
"I'll keep an eye out for you. They draw every three hundred phones, and yours is number 266," Ao Lie said, then headed back into the store.
Yi Luowa eagerly opened the packaging, inserted her phone card, and exclaimed, "Phones used by celebrities truly are different—so shiny!"
"You're just like my second sister—such a fangirl!" Yi Shaoqing pouted in dissatisfaction.
Yi Luowa started fiddling with the phone, unfazed by his remark. While she liked seeing big-name stars, she wasn't obsessed to the degree of being a fangirl. "Your second sister seems to dislike me."
Yi Shaoqing pouted. "She's just like that. When she sees someone prettier, she wishes she could ruin their face. And besides, before you came back, she was the family's precious darling. Ever since hearing you were coming back, Mom has prioritized everything about you. How could she not be upset?"
"Makes sense!" Yi Luowa pursed her lips and smiled. "But she's the family's beloved; what about you? You're the only boy in the family."
"I'm just a blade of grass. Mom says I'm not as smart as Second Sister, my grades are poor, and she wouldn't dare hand over the family business to me in the future." Yi Shaoqing displayed an expression of complete defeat, lazily leaning back against the seat.
Yi Luowa glanced at him sideways, "Why do I sense you've reached some level of enlightenment beyond worldly concerns?"
Yi Shaoqing pressed his palms together, "Amitabha, my Buddhist name is Hongchen."
"Hahaha..." Yi Luowa laughed uncontrollably. "Stop joking around; no monk would call themselves 'Worldly'!"
Yi Shaoqing chuckled and gestured outside the car. "Ao Lie's back."
Ao Lie opened the car door with a wide grin, "Luowa, get out quickly! Your number has been drawn!"
"You're not lying to me, are you?" Yi Luowa could hardly believe her ears.
"I'm not lying. Hurry up and go in." Ao Lie pulled Yi Luowa and led her toward the back entrance.
"Where are we going?"
"Mi Chenshuo is in the office at the back. You can't even get through the crowd at the front right now."
Yi Luowa looked back at Yi Shaoqing, who was still seated in the car. "Are you coming?"
Previously feeling dejected, Yi Shaoqing perked up when his sister invited him but smiled and shook his head. "I'm not interested in guys. Go ahead; I'll wait for you in the car."
Yi Luowa followed Ao Lie through twists and turns until they reached the back office. Outside its doors stood over a dozen bodyguards dressed in black. Ao Lie handed the numbered ticket to one of the guards.
The guard glanced at it. "Only one person can go in."
Ao Lie hesitated for a moment before turning to Yi Luowa. "Can you go in by yourself?"
"No problem." Yi Luowa, brimming with excitement, strode in.
A celebrity! Mi Chenshuo! He was even more handsome than on the big screen!
Yi Luowa looked up and down at Mi Chenshuo, who was busy taking photos with fans. The longer she stared, the more his image started morphing into someone else, someone she never wanted to see again in her entire life.
Instinctively, Yi Luowa rubbed her hand hard against her collar, turned, and walked away.
Mi Chenshuo caught sight of the girl in a fleeting moment and called out with a smile, "Miss, leaving without taking a photo?"
His voice, elegant like a cello, was nothing like that person's.
Yi Luowa snapped out of her daze and quickly ran back. "What kind of fool would leave without taking a photo after finally getting the chance!"
Mi Chenshuo looked at the petite girl who barely reached his shoulders and smiled.