C17 A Small Accident at the School Reunion

Ruan Shiyu realized that her editor already had a certain image of her, and she couldn't help but sweat nervously. "Who said I'm a chronic procrastinator? I just got stuck on the plot, so I was drawing slowly."

"Really? Is that true?" Little Mango immediately called her out. "You've been stuck since the series started, and now it's almost over, and you're still stuck?"

*Cough, cough, cough...* "Anyway, I've finished. I'm shutting down my computer now. Bye."

"Hey, wait a minute," Little Mango said from the other end of the line. "Do you have time this month? How about drawing one more?"

Before Little Mango could finish, Ruan Shiyu decisively refused, "No, I'm going to a class reunion. I won't have time these next couple of days. If I draw more, it'll have to be after I submit next month's work."

With Ruan Shiyu having plans, Little Mango had no choice but to drop it.

After saying goodbye to Little Mango, Ruan Shiyu turned off her computer and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already past ten in the morning, and Moo Xiaoxiao still hadn't arrived.

Today was the day of the class reunion, and Moo Xiaoxiao had promised to pick her up.

Ruan Shiyu stood up from her desk and walked to the window to look outside.

It had been raining since dawn, and the rain was getting heavier. The ground was covered in puddles, and the sky had turned gloomy.

Because of the rain, Ruan Shiyu hadn't gone for her morning run.

"Hope nothing's happened," Ruan Shiyu mumbled to herself as she was about to grab her phone to call Moo Xiaoxiao, but then her phone rang.

Seeing Moo Xiaoxiao's name on the screen, Ruan Shiyu quickly answered, "Hey, Xiaoxiao, where are you?"

Moo Xiaoxiao's voice came through, slightly distorted, "Sorry, Shiyu, my car broke down on the way. I'm trying to get it fixed, so I can't pick you up. I'll send you the address for the reunion, and you can head over yourself."

"Car trouble? Are you okay?" Shiyu frowned, a bit worried about Xiaoxiao's situation.

Xiaoxiao's voice remained cheerful. "I'm fine, just the car broke down and I can't move it. You should head out now; it's getting late. You have to go! Don't be lazy and skip it!"

"Oh, okay, I'm leaving now." Shiyu grabbed her bag and changed her shoes at the door, asking curiously, "You were never this excited about reunions before. Why is it so important for me to go this time?"

Xiaoxiao had already insisted multiple times, as if she was afraid Shiyu wouldn't show up.

On the other end, Xiaoxiao said, "Because of Zhan..." She stopped after saying just three letters, then laughed, "Ah, it's nothing. It's just been so long, and I thought you'd like to see some old classmates."

Shiyu wasn't naive. She caught the hint and immediately frowned. "Is Zhan Ann going to be there?"

"No, why would you think that?" Xiaoxiao laughed exaggeratedly, but her voice betrayed her.

Shiyu fell silent for a moment, and Xiaoxiao couldn't keep up the charade. She reluctantly admitted, "Yes, he's going too. Our Shiyu is so wonderful; why should he get to decide not to see you? Shiyu, I want to make you look stunning so he'll regret it!"

Listening to Xiaoxiao's words, Shiyu felt a wave of gratitude, understanding her friend's intentions.

After Xiaoxiao finished speaking and Shiyu didn't respond, Xiaoxiao cautiously asked, "Shiyu, are you upset? Are you still going to the reunion?"

Having been found out, Xiaoxiao lost her initial confidence.

Shiyu replied, "Yes, of course, I'm going. Why wouldn't I?"

Just because Zhan Ann would be at the reunion didn't mean she couldn't go.

"Why should I?"

Shiyu had nothing to hide. Hearing her say this, Xiaoxiao felt relieved and immediately laughed, "That's my girl! We need to show him he's not good enough for you!"

"Ugh, you're always teasing me," Shiyu joked. "Alright, I'm hanging up now. I need to head downstairs."

"Okay, okay." Xiaoxiao's voice faded as the call ended abruptly due to poor reception.

Shiyu glanced at her phone screen, sighed, and put it away. She had been so confident while talking to Xiaoxiao, but now she felt a bit unsure. She looked down at herself, wearing the dress Xiaoxiao had helped her pick out. It was nice, but only she knew the truth about her situation.

She rarely went out, was a bit of a homebody, and her figure wasn't great—she relied on clothes to cover it up. Her only striking feature was her shiny black hair, which she maintained with a little help from some tricks.

Thinking about all this, Shiyu felt a pang of doubt. Could she really impress Zhan Ann at the reunion? He was so full of himself and macho. If anyone asked about their breakup, he would probably have no qualms about pointing out her flaws, leaving her with no way to defend herself.

The thought made her want to back out. But remembering her promise to Xiaoxiao, Shiyu forced herself to take a step forward and open the door. No backing down now; she had to follow through.

Taking a deep breath, Shiyu stepped out, locked the door, and headed downstairs without looking back. But once she reached the bottom, she started to worry again. The rain was pouring, and even with an umbrella, she'd likely ruin her outfit just getting to a cab outside the complex.

Her new dress was so pretty; she couldn't bear the thought of it getting dirty. As she hesitated, a familiar voice called from behind, "Shiyu, what are you doing here?"

Ruan Shiyu turned around and saw Mrs. Shih watching her from upstairs. Recognizing a familiar face, Ruan Shiyu showed a frustrated expression. "Mrs. Shih, I... I need to go out, but my friend's car broke down and can't pick me up."

"Heading out, huh?" Mrs. Shih glanced at the pouring rain outside, concerned. "How are you going to get there?"

"I don't know." Ruan Shiyu stood helplessly at the door, unsure of what to do.

As the minutes ticked by, she grew more anxious. Seeing Ruan Shiyu's worried expression, Mrs. Shih said, "Don't worry, I'll think of something."

Even though Ruan Shiyu hadn't met Mrs. Shih many times, her kindness felt comforting. Hearing her words, Ruan Shiyu instinctively relaxed.

However, a moment later, Mrs. Shih's suggestion made Ruan Shiyu's eyes widen. "Qian upstairs seems to be on vacation these days. I remember he has a car. How about asking him to give you a ride?"

"This..." Ruan Shiyu was taken aback. "How can I trouble him like that?"

They weren't even close! Could Hsu Xiangqian really help?

Ruan Shiyu couldn't help but think of his friendly smile, feeling a bit shy for no reason.

Mrs. Shih clapped her hands and said, "Don't worry, I'll talk to him. I have a good relationship with him, and Qian is a good kid. He won't refuse me."

With that, she came downstairs, took Ruan Shiyu's hand, and led her upstairs.

Since Mrs. Shih insisted, Ruan Shiyu couldn't refuse. She returned to her own floor and watched as Mrs. Shih knocked on the door across the hall.

After just two knocks, the door opened, revealing Hsu Xiangqian's handsome face.

Seeing Mrs. Shih and Ruan Shiyu outside, Hsu Xiangqian looked a bit surprised. "Mrs. Shih, Miss Ruan, is there something you need?"

Mrs. Shih explained Ruan Shiyu's situation. "Qian, do you have some time? If you do, could you help out? You see, Shiyu is all dressed up and must be looking forward to the reunion. It would be a shame if she couldn't go because of the rain."

Hearing Mrs. Shih's words, Xiangqian couldn't help but glance at Shiyu. Today, she seemed a bit different.

Her light green dress was playful and cute, and her hair was styled in a seemingly simple bun that was actually quite thoughtful. The hair was perfectly voluminous where it needed to be and sleek where it should be, clearly showing effort. Though she wore no makeup, her eyebrows were neatly groomed, and she sported mint leaf-shaped earrings that were both pretty and playful.

This look suited Shiyu's style but was also a departure from her usual appearance. Xiangqian found himself looking a bit longer than usual until Mrs. Shih's prompting brought him back to the moment. "Of course," he replied.

"See, I knew Qian would agree," Mrs. Shih said happily, turning to them. "You young folks should spend more time together. Who knows, something good might come of it!"

Shiyu felt a bit embarrassed, realizing Mrs. Shih was still hopeful about the past. Having just received help from both of them, Shiyu didn't want to refuse, so she kept her head down, pretending to be shy.

Xiangqian said, "I'll let my parents know." He turned and called inside, "Mom, I'm heading out for a bit."

"Okay," a voice responded. A moment later, a middle-aged woman appeared. Her hair was graying at the temples, and her simple yet tasteful outfit showed she had a good sense of style. This was Xiangqian's mother, Shiyu's landlord.

Seeing her, Shiyu quickly greeted, "Hello, Mrs. Qian."

"Oh, it's Shiyu," Mrs. Qian smiled. "Are you two going out?"

Just as Shiyu was about to shake her head, Mrs. Shih chimed in, "Shiyu has a class reunion and wants Qian to give her a ride, just to help out."

The neighbors upstairs and downstairs all knew each other well. Hearing Mrs. Shih's suggestion, Mrs. Qian quickly nodded, "You better get going, don't let anything hold you up."

As she spoke, she even gave Xiangqian a gentle push towards the door.

Xiangqian sighed, "Mom, at least let me change my clothes."

He was still in his loungewear and felt a bit embarrassed to stand next to the elegantly dressed Shiyu.

Mrs. Qian seemed to catch on to something in his words. She glanced at Shiyu with a knowing smile, pulled her son back, and said to Shiyu, "Come on in and have a seat. Let Xiangqian change his clothes."