Chapter 9: Setting Off from Yun Jing Pavilion

A BYD electric car arrived, and Li Yan and Wang Zhen got in, heading to the driving school. Meanwhile, Shen Qingyue was already in the midst of her driving practice.

Sitting in the back seat, Zhang Xinshuai looked at Shen Qingyue, who had changed into a beautiful white short dress after returning that afternoon, feeling a bittersweet ache in his heart.

"Qingyue, are you really going to have dinner with that Li Yan tonight?"

"Qingyue, are you really going to the bar with him afterward?"

"Qingyue, you’re not going to skip going home tonight, are you?"

Zhang Xinshuai’s silent thoughts echoed continuously, yet he lacked the courage to speak to Shen Qingyue. There was some heartache and a sense of helplessness.

Their classmates often teased him as a hopeless romantic, but Zhang Xinshuai believed his feelings were pure love. How could one not pursue someone they liked for more than half a year?

Ignoring him, Shen Qingyue remained indifferent. Li Yan stood under a sun umbrella, watching the scene unfold.

When the two arrived at the driving school, Li Yan didn’t head straight to practice but accompanied Wang Zhen to the training grounds nearby, intending to offer some support.

Watching Shen Qingyue get out of the car in her changed outfit, Li Yan noticed the tall, slender boy he didn’t know still trailing behind her.

Wearing a white short dress, with loosely curled hair flowing down, Shen Qingyue’s new makeup gave her a distinctly fresh and innocent look.

Li Yan recognized this as the trendy "pure and alluring" makeup style recently popular.

A small beauty mark beneath her eyelid added a subtle hint of charm.

Wang Zhen was somewhat stunned, but Li Yan was used to it.

Not just with current high school seniors but even with middle school students, Li Yan had seen one more stylish than the other.

At First High School, which housed both middle and high school students, the middle schoolers he occasionally saw were so well made-up and dressed that it was hard to tell their age.

Who would guess she was a 15-year-old middle schooler?

Li Yan thought what attracted him most about Shen Qingyue was probably those long, snow-white legs beneath the short skirt.

Paired with a pair of white sneakers and lace-trimmed mid-calf socks, those slender and straight legs truly drew attention.

The morning’s sun protection outfit was for the morning, but this afternoon, clearly heading to an appointment, Shen Qingyue naturally dressed up nicely.

As a wealthy second-generation heir, Li Yan seemed somewhat unpredictable to Shen Qingyue.

Her best friend, despite her stunning figure, had still been dumped.

Moreover, Li Yan’s reputation at First High School was quite notable.

Shen Qingyue felt she needed to prepare herself early.

The best friend Li Yan saw was Shen Qingyue’s backup.

As for introducing the boy named Wang Zhen?

Shen Qingyue felt her best friend and this seemingly honest boy were from different worlds.

But since Li Yan requested it, and she needed a backup herself, Shen Qingyue invited her best friend along.

Yes, Li Yan was Wang Zhen’s backup, and Shen Qingyue had her own backup too.

“When do we leave?”

Shen Qingyue didn’t feel awkward at all; she simply sat in the empty seat beside Li Yan.

Wang Zhen looked around expectantly, trying to spot Shen Qingyue’s best friend.

“We leave at 5:30. Where’s your best friend?”

Li Yan naturally wanted to help Wang Zhen. Though he didn’t think Wang Zhen could win over Shen Qingyue’s best friend, he felt he should at least contribute.

“She’s staying home. She’ll come over when we leave.”

Shen Qingyue handed a bottle of water to Li Yan, who took it but set it aside without drinking.

Zhang Xinshuai’s feelings were complicated because that bottle of water was the one he had bought and given to Shen Qingyue.

The afternoon’s driving practice was nothing special. Li Yan parked the car, greeted the instructor, and checked his watch.

It was already past five o’clock — time to leave.

“Let’s go, time to head out.”

Li Yan walked over to the nearby training grounds, glanced at Wang Zhen who had just gotten out of the car, and at Shen Qingyue sitting under the sun umbrella, holding her phone.

The three stood up and walked out, while Li Yan, Shen Qingyue, and Wang Zhen didn’t notice Zhang Xinshuai’s complex expression as he practiced driving inside the car.

“What are you looking at? Keep your hands on the wheel! If you don’t practice properly, you’re the next one out!”

The instructor was strict.

Yunjingxuan was an upscale Cantonese restaurant with a starting price of two thousand yuan per person, located beside a quiet suburban park lake.

Far from the bustling city center, the environment was elegant and lush, with the lake’s reflections blending with the architecture.

The restaurant featured a pure wooden structure combined with glass walls, floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the lake. At night, soft music and warm lighting merged diners with the natural scenery.

Li Yan had already called in the morning to reserve a private room, as he was acquainted with the restaurant manager.

The reason was simple: over the past two years, Li Yan had often brought different girls here, becoming well-known to the manager.

According to Li Yan’s experience, young girls liked this kind of upscale atmosphere.

Taste wasn’t the priority; expensive prices, beautiful scenery, perfect for casual photos showing off the exquisite dishes and the bill — that was ideal.

When the three took a taxi to Yunjingxuan, Wang Zhen and Shen Qingyue were both captivated by the scenery and the refined architecture.

This was precisely the effect Li Yan intended.

Luzhong City was most famous for its barbecue and glazed tiles but was only a fourth or fifth-tier city.

Truly upscale places were rare; Yunjingxuan was one of them.

After getting out of the car, Li Yan didn’t rush the others. Shen Qingyue had already taken out her phone to start taking pictures.

Even Wang Zhen couldn’t help but snap photos of the nearby lake and the restaurant.

The parking lot was filled with luxury cars from small cities.

What counted as luxury cars here?

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche Cayenne, and Land Rover.

As for sports cars, there were none.

Many might think BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi aren’t luxury cars, but Li Yan knew better.

These brands were definitely luxury cars.

In a small city, if a family could afford to spend two or three hundred thousand yuan on a car, their household was considered quite well-off.

Of course, loans taken just for appearances were another matter.

“My best friend is still on her way, about ten minutes away. Let’s go in first.”

Shen Qingyue caught Li Yan’s glance and spoke.

Wang Zhen seemed somewhat relieved, though still nervous despite his anticipation.

Li Yan nodded and led the two into the restaurant’s foyer.

The waiter recognized Li Yan, greeted him softly, and personally guided them through a curved corridor to the reserved private room.

“Yan Ge! You’re here! The private room is ready for you, Room 008!”

The young restaurant manager, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, spoke.

Though calling the eighteen-year-old Li Yan “Yan Ge” felt a bit awkward, they were accustomed to it.

Li Yan had dined here seven or eight times, a regular and valued guest, so the manager made sure to provide excellent service.