mesbooks Chapter 32, First Group Photo
Chapter 32, First Group Photo
The sun shines brighter and brighter, winter in Jiangcheng is gradually fading away, and the days to come will only get warmer.
For Ye Yixian, the future will also be better.
Just like now, the ninety-nine beautiful roses that Lu Yuan gave her made her the focus of the entire room.
In the past, being stared at by so many people would have made her feel extremely embarrassed and helpless.
At that time, she was so ordinary that she was unremarkable. She had an average appearance and dressed simply. Most of the people who looked at her looked at her with pity or undisguised disdain.
But now everything is different; all the gazes from those around me are filled with envy and jealousy.
Vanity is a human trait.
If adults who have experienced the world are like this, how much more so Ye Yixian, who is in the sensitive period of adolescence.
This was the first time she had truly experienced being admired and noticed, a scene she had never dared to dream of before.
Holding that large bouquet of blooming roses, she undoubtedly became the most dazzling presence in the class group photo.
Lu Yuan stood outside the camera's view, smiling as he quietly watched her.
In his past life, he also sent flowers to Ye Yixian before the class of 22 took their group photo, so that she wouldn't feel awkward and uneasy taking the photo empty-handed.
Although it was an unintentional act on his part, to Ye Yixian at that time, that bouquet of flowers was not just a bouquet of flowers, but a fig leaf that could cover up her poverty and inferiority complex and resolve all her embarrassment.
That's why she kept Lu Yuan, who sent her flowers, firmly in her heart, a memory that lasted her entire youth.
Lu Yuan understood better than anyone the significance of this bouquet to Ye Yixian, so in this life, he didn't treat it perfunctorily at all.
Initially, he planned to choose bouquets of flowers that symbolize friendship, such as lisianthus and lilies, with a low-key and casual style that would suit most people's tastes and wouldn't be too flashy.
When Gao Zhe went to the florist to order flowers, he casually remarked to the red roses next to him, "The roses are really quite pretty."
It was this unintentional remark that made Lu Yuan wonder: must we just go with the flow?
Since you know that this bouquet of flowers is of great importance to Ye Yixian, why be as ordinary as others?
If you want her to remember this day, then make sure it's unforgettable for her, and for everyone present.
Therefore, Lu Yuan resolutely chose the most flamboyant ninety-nine red roses.
The current situation undoubtedly proves that the bouquet of roses achieved the effect he wanted.
In Lu Yuan's view, Ye Yixian had been aloof and introverted for too long, and this state was ultimately not conducive to her growth.
Only by giving her appropriate exposure, allowing her to feel kindness and attention, can she gradually regain her confidence, open her heart to make friends, and truly muster the courage to embrace a bright future.
After the group photo of Class 22 was taken, the students did not disperse immediately. Several girls, led by Wang Qingyu, took the initiative to invite Ye Yixian to take a group photo together.
Whether it was to take a photo with ninety-nine roses or to deliberately curry favor with Ye Yixian.
At least for now, they no longer rejected her; on the contrary, they were exceptionally enthusiastic, and the atmosphere seemed very harmonious.
After finally taking all the group photos, Ye Yixian, holding the flowers, walked up to Lu Yuan, who had been silently watching her.
Many classmates around them were still curiously observing them, and they speculated in private whether the two were dating.
Otherwise, why would Lu Yuan send her such a large bouquet of red roses with such a meaningful message?
"Do you like the flowers?" Lu Yuan asked with a smile.
Ye Yixian felt a little awkward. The bouquet was far too large, so she could only hold it carefully in front of her, trying to calm herself down, and softly replied, "It's beautiful."
"If you like it, that's good. Come here, it's time to take a picture with me." Lu Yuan gestured for her to follow.
Ye Yixian was both surprised and delighted, never daring to hope for a chance to take a photo with Lu Yuan alone.
She paused for a few seconds before clutching the bouquet tightly and quickly following behind Lu Yuan.
On the other side of the playground, most of the students from Class 5 were still there. Gao Zhe was taking pictures with his close friends, and his sister Gao Ya was in charge of taking the photos.
Lu Yuan's parents were also present, chatting and laughing with other parents.
Everyone already knew that Lu Yuan had given Ye Yixian ninety-nine roses.
In the students' eyes, these ninety-nine roses represent prestige, romance, and cherished memories of their youth.
But in the eyes of the parents, this bouquet of roses showcased the Lu family's wealth and power.
Even though it's 2010 now, a few hundred yuan isn't a huge sum for most families, but most parents would be more or less unhappy if they knew their child spent a few hundred yuan just to buy a bouquet of flowers.
But Lu Yuan's parents didn't mind.
Lu Yuan's mother, Huang Li, was beaming with joy and kept praising her son for being romantic and having a good sense of style.
This attitude made everyone present realize that the Lu family was well-off and didn't care about this expense at all.
Many parents approached Lu Yuan's father, Lu Xin, and mother, Huang Li, and subtly inquired about the Lu family's situation.
When everyone learned that the Lu family ran a large garment factory with annual profits of over a million, they understood the situation.
For students' parents, participating in these kinds of campus activities is also an open secret: to make connections with wealthy and influential people.
Immediately, many parents of students in Class 5 found excuses to exchange contact information with Lu Xin. Some said they would supervise their children's studies together in the future, while others mentioned that their families might have a need for custom-made clothing.
Everyone used their unique skills, all in an effort to first establish a connection with the Lu family.
Most of his classmates were simple-minded and couldn't see through these social dynamics, but Lu Yuan, who had been reborn, could see them clearly.
He didn't interfere with the parents' socializing, but went straight to Gao Zhe and the others, ready to take a picture.
This was the first time Ye Yixian had met Lu Yuan's parents, and her heart began to race. She was filled with trepidation.
Fortunately, Lu Yuan's parents were focused on talking to others and didn't pay much attention to the children; otherwise, she really wouldn't know how to face them.
When Gao Zhe and the others saw Lu Yuan leading Ye Yixian over, they immediately started making a fuss. They didn't say anything, but they all had a knowing smile on their faces.
This made Ye Yixian's cheeks burn, and she became even more embarrassed.
"Ignore them."
Lu Yuan, fearing that Ye Yixian would feel embarrassed, gently comforted her.
Although Ye Yixian was shy, she didn't act too coy and tried her best to calm herself down.
Lu Yuan looked at Gao Ya and said, "Sister Ya, could you please touch up Ye Yixian's makeup?"
Ye Yixian simply applied a natural makeup look, and since she wasn't good at makeup, her face still had some blemishes.
Back then, photo editing technology was far less advanced than it is now, and makeup was all that mattered in taking photos. Lu Yuan sincerely wanted Ye Yixian to be in her most perfect condition for this group photo.
"No need for that trouble..." Ye Yixian quickly declined.
However, Gao Ya readily agreed and, without further ado, pulled her to a shady spot, took out her makeup bag, and in just a few minutes, applied a delicate and light makeup to her face.
After finishing her makeup, Ye Yixian stared blankly at her refreshed self in the mirror for a long time.
Gao Ya reached out and gently touched a tuft of blond hair on her forehead, smiling as she said, "It's just that this tuft of blond hair is a bit unsightly, otherwise you would be even prettier."
Ye Yixian subconsciously touched his hair. At this moment, the hair color that represented his youthful rebellion was indeed particularly glaring.
There's no time to think about that right now; taking photos is already on the agenda.
First, Lu Yuan, Ye Yixian, Gao Zhe, and others took a group photo together. In the end, only Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian were left to take a group photo.
Ye Yixian held the huge bouquet of roses tightly, standing slightly reservedly beside Lu Yuan. She felt as if she were in a dream, filled with excitement and trepidation, and forgot to smile.
It wasn't until the photographer, Gao Ya, smiled and reminded her, "Little sister, don't be so stiff, smile. You look even prettier when you smile."
Ye Yixian suddenly realized what was happening and hurriedly composed herself, afraid that others would see through the stirrings of her heart.
"There will be many more moments like this. Don't be nervous. Just look at the camera and smile."
Lu Yuan didn't look at her, but smiled and looked directly at the camera, gently reminding her.
These words enlightened Ye Yixian.
Yes, she and Lu Yuan have a long time ahead of them, so why be so nervous as if missing this moment would mean never having another chance?
It's all because the beauty before her eyes is too unreal, making her fear that this is just a fleeting dream, and after today, everything will be back to zero.
After figuring things out, Ye Yixian gradually relaxed, moved her feet slightly, quietly approached Lu Yuan, faced the camera, and smiled slightly as she took her first photo with Lu Yuan.
……
Xu Lingjing was not on the playground at this time.
Upon learning that Lu Yuan had given the much-anticipated bouquet of roses to Ye Yixian, she felt utterly humiliated and extremely embarrassed.
The more triumphant she was when she was surrounded by people and full of expectations, the more disheveled she became at this moment.
Even without witnessing the scene on the playground, she could imagine that those who had congratulated her before must be secretly laughing at her now.
Embarrassment, sadness, anger...
A mix of complex emotions swirled together, making her feel suffocated.
Standing by the teaching building, watching Lu Yuan and Ye Yixian taking photos side by side on the playground, only fueled her anger.
Her eyes were filled with jealousy and hatred. She hated Lu Yuan's favoritism and hated Ye Yixian even more for stealing the spotlight that should have belonged to her.
Standing to the side, Jiang Yiqing not only did not comfort Xu Lingjing, but secretly rejoiced:
Fortunately, Lu Yuan didn't give the roses to Xu Lingjing, otherwise, given her personality, she might have become so smug that she looked down on everyone else.