Chapter 3: Should I Go Back or Not
1014 Words
As the crowd watched the two figures leave, one after the other, they gradually let out a sigh of relief.
Zou Jin was still in a state of shock, muttering to himself, "That's not right, isn't Yu an only child? How did he suddenly get a sister?"
He suddenly noticed Chen Yi standing nearby and quickly grabbed his arm, eagerly asking, "Chen Yi, you're so close to Yu, you must know some inside scoop, right? Who is that girl? Is she really Yu's sister?"
Chen Yi's lips curved into a mischievous smile, deliberately playing coy.
"As for the inside scoop, I'm afraid I'm not quite sure. But what I do know is that you guys... heh, you're in for it now." He said, pointing at them one by one with a look that seemed to be announcing some unfortunate news.
Zou Jin almost stumbled from the shock, his body lurching backward.
An Lan was a bit tipsy, and her steps were unsteady. The man's strides were long, and soon there was a noticeable distance between them.
She looked up at his back, noting his tall, well-tailored suit, a stark contrast to his casual demeanor at school.
At this moment, he looked more like an upper-class elite who had just stepped out of a business gala and into a friend's birthday party. He exuded an air of carefree indulgence and a playful attitude towards life when interacting with the women around him.
However, when he turned to look at her, his gaze was as cold as a stranger's.
Soon, the two arrived at the hall.
The man stopped, slowly moved to the sofa on the side, and sat down. The tense line of his jaw slightly rose, and his eyes signaled her to come closer.
An Lan locked eyes with him, and the words he spoke to her on the first day of freshman orientation echoed in her mind.
"The words 'big brother'," he turned around, his tightly pressed lips slightly parting, "are not for you to say."
The implication was clear, whether on campus or outside, he expected them to be... like strangers.
An Lan averted her gaze, her steps faltering as she walked towards the corner of the wall. She leaned her head lightly against the wall, curling into a ball, choosing to escape in this manner.
Ling Yu, seeing this, remained silent, only turning his gaze towards Mr. Zhang, the manager, who was rushing over, and a male student.
Mr. Zhang caught sight of An Lan's drunken state and looked worried. "Master Yu, what are your instructions?"
The male student hurriedly stepped forward and helped An Lan to her feet.
The man's gaze inadvertently swept over the two of them. "I'm taking her with me now."
"I'm afraid that's not appropriate," Mr. Zhang replied with some alarm. "Master Yu, An Lan is our employee, and we have a responsibility to ensure her safety. What you're doing puts me in a difficult position."
Ling Yu looked at Mr. Zhang and a smile curved at the corner of his lips. "I'm her brother. Can't I even take her away?"
"Ah?"
Mr. Zhang was about to inquire further when Ling Yu stood up and strode towards the two of them.
"Anlan, are you okay?"
Anlan struggled to steady her footing and looked up towards the source of the voice.
It was Zhang Yun, her classmate.
It had only been a month since the start of school, and she still felt unfamiliar with many people in the class. When the manager, Mr. Zhang, introduced Zhang Yun to her, she just found him slightly familiar. Later, through Zhang Yun's reminder, she realized they were in the same class.
"How could those people be so overbearing, forcing you to drink so much!" Zhang Yun said angrily.
Drunk, Anlan seemed unusually docile, merely shaking her heavy head gently, her voice laced with alcohol, soft and blurred.
"No, no one bullied me. I...I accidentally broke their wine, I...I have to pay for it..."
Zhang Yun sighed, reaching out to support her arm, intending to lean her against his shoulder. "I'll take you back tonight."
"No need."
A sudden voice interrupted Zhang Yun's action, and a hand quickly grabbed his wrist. Before Zhang Yun could react, the hand forcefully pushed him away.
Zhang Yun stumbled backwards from the sudden force.
He looked up to see a tall man standing there, almost half a head taller than him. The man had one hand in his pocket, his eyelashes lowered, and his gaze carried a condescending scrutiny as it landed on Zhang Yun.
Zhang Yun's expression immediately soured.
Although he was unfamiliar with this man, he had just witnessed Manager Zhang treat him with the utmost respect, even obsequiously addressing him as "Mr. Yu," which was enough to indicate that this man was of high status and not to be trifled with lightly. He quickly regained his composure, put on a smile again, and politely inquired, "Excuse me, who are you?"
A mischievous smile curved the corner of Ling Yu's lips, but his eyes revealed a chill that could not be ignored. He slowly uttered a few words, "Her, elder brother."
"Elder...brother?" Zhang Yun was taken aback.
Ling Yu glanced at him briefly before turning his gaze to An Lan, who stood quietly to the side.
"Are you coming back or not?" His voice was low and forceful.
An Lan looked up and met his gaze, only to find that beneath his fierce eyebrows, his eyes were deep and cold. She unconsciously took a step back, trying to create some distance between them, unwilling to cause him any trouble.
"Thank you, I'll go back by myself later..." she said softly.
However, before she could finish her sentence, a sudden force gripped her collar. An Lan turned around in surprise to see Ling Yu's face darkening ominously.
Ling Yu's eyelids drooped slightly, and his tongue lightly touched his cheek, clearly showing that he had lost patience.
"Such a bother," he muttered, then promptly lifted her off the yacht.
- Writer
