Chapter 960: Alone, Afraid or Not

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Shen Li walked over.

“Aunt Bella, Uncle Carroll.”

Bella looked her up and down.

“Are you tired from the international flight?”

“I’m fine.” The corners of Shen Li’s lips curled up. “Why did you come here personally?”

“You’re here to hand in the membership information. Of course, I have to accompany you,” Bella said matter-of-factly.

Oh, right, she was also one of the thirteen members.

Bella asked, “Would you like to go to the association first, or would you like to rest first?”

Shen Li said, “Let’s just go there first. I’ve already discussed it with Mr. Ronai.”

Bella saw that she was indeed in good spirits, so she nodded.

“Okay.”

…

Shen Li left the airport with Professor Carroll and his wife. They then headed to the Bai City Fashion Association Center.

Professor Carroll drove while Shen Li and Bella sat in the backseat.

This was the first time she had come back to Bai City since the end of Fashion Week.

In fact, it had only been more than a month, but so many things had happened during this time.

Bella and Professor Carroll chatted with her along the way, and just like that, they arrived at the Bai City Fashion Association Center.

The Bai City Fashion Association Center had its own independent building here, and it was located not far from the Bai City Cathedral.

Shen Li entered with Bella.

She met some people along the way who were surprised to see Shen Li, but they all greeted her respectfully.

Shen Li’s face was very well-known in Bai City.

During the last fashion week, she had won endless applause and praise for her “Embrace of a Star” collection. Now that she had been selected as the thirteenth member of the Bai City Fashion Association, everyone’s attitude towards her was naturally more polite and cordial.

When they arrived at Ronai’s office, he was already waiting.

The moment he saw Shen Li, his face a smile spread out on his face and he once again expressed his welcome to Shen Li.

In the next half an hour, Shen Li, accompanied by Ronai and Bella, added her own information.

That included her personal history, fingerprints, and so on.

At 5 o’clock in the afternoon, Bai City time, a photo of the thirteenth member, Shen Li,finally appeared on the official website of the Bai City Fashion Association.

In the evening, Ronai specially organized a welcome dinner for Shen Li.

In addition to him and Bella, there were four other members of the association who also came.

The rest of them were not currently in Bai City, so they could not meet with them.

Ronai had originally wanted to wait for the exhibition to begin so that he could invite Shen Li to go to Leland where she could officially get to know these people.

Unfortunately, Shen Li was not able to make the time, so he had no choice but to wait for the next opportunity.

By the time the dinner ended, it was already nine o’clock in the evening.

Both Bella and Professor Carroll warmly invited Shen Li to stay at their house as a guest, but Shen Li had declined.

In the end, they sent her back to her residence on Corning Street.

Although she lived alone, the security here had always been very good. After the couple had repeatedly reminded her to have a good rest, they left.

After a long day, Shen Li was also tired. After taking a bath, she went to the study to get a book and went back to her bedroom to read.

She was alone in the villa, but she did not feel lonely.

She sat behind the desk and looked up to see the camellia trees in the yard outside the window.

At this time of the year, the flowering period had passed. The red camellia trees that were once in full bloom had withered, leaving only lush green leaves that swayed with the evening wind.

Shen Li observed them quietly for a long time.

In the long years that had passed, she did not know how many times Zhen Shijin had stayed here alone and looked at the camellia trees silently and alone.

In fact, she had rarely taken the initiative to think about this, because she was reluctant to.

But now, sitting alone in the dark and quiet night, the gentle and slightly cool wind, the rustling leaves and shadows, all of these things made her subconsciously think of many things.

He had spent many such nights.

But… what about his previous life?

Shen Li fixed her gaze in front of her, her eyes dark and calm.

Her breathing was so light that it was almost impossible to catch.

Suddenly, her phone lit up. Lu Huaiyu was calling.

Shen Li deliberately looked at the time again.

It was 10 pm in Bai City and 4 am in the Capital.

She answered the call.

“Second Brother?”

A deep voice came from the receiver.

“Ah Li.”

Shen Li could not help but say, “Second Brother, why aren’t you sleeping at this time of the night?”

Lu Huaiyu seemed to laugh.

“Aren’t you also not asleep?”

Shen Li paused.

It was only ten o’clock at night here, so it was not unusual that she was not asleep yet. However, it was already way past midnight where he was.

Lu Huaiyu lowered his voice again and said, “Are you afraid of being alone?”

Shen Li’s heart trembled slightly.

So, he had called at four o’clock in the morning to ask this question.

She looked at the camellias in the courtyard, and the corners of her lips curled up.

“How can that be? Aren’t you on the phone with me?”

There was a hint of a smile in Lu Huaiyu’s voice.

“Then you should sleep early.”

She would be traveling back and forth to Bai City in the span of two days. She might encounter many difficulties, so it would be better to get some rest if she could.

He coaxed her in a low voice, “Good night, Ah Li.”

Shen Li’s ears tingled.

She lowered her voice.

“Good night, Second Brother.”

…

Because of Lu Huaiyu’s phone call, Shen Li did not think too much further. She quickly closed her book and climbed into bed to sleep.

She slept very soundly this time. When she woke up in the morning, it was already past seven o’clock.

She would need to be on the plane at 9:30 in the morning.

Bella had sent her a message ten minutes prior, saying that she had already departed from home and would be coming to pick her up at the airport very soon.

By her estimation, they should be arriving soon.

Shen Li woke up very quickly.

Fortunately, she did not have many things, so she did not need to pack much. This saved a lot of time.

After she zipped up her backpack, her phone rang.

“Ah Li, we’re already here. Please come out.”

Shen Li carried her backpack and walked out.

Professor Carroll’s car was parked by the side of the road. Shen Li walked over there.

As a young man on a skateboard passed by, he looked at Shen Li with a surprised gaze and whistled.

Shen Li was not bothered by it and got into the car.

The young man had not expected her to not have any reaction at all. He could not help but be stunned.

Bella, who was in the car, took everything in. She raised her eyebrows and smiled.

“Ah Li, you are as likable as your mother.”

Back then, many people had chased after Gu Tingyin as there were carps crossing the river.

As for Shen Li, it was probably due to her cold personality that most people did not dare to chase after her. They did not even dare to express their feelings.

Of course, Lu Huaiyu was also an extremely important reason.

Shen Li’s eyes curved into a beautiful arc as she lowered her head to look at her phone.

Wei Songze had sent a photo over. It was of an event at the Xijing Art School.

Bella looked to her side and suddenly smiled.

Shen Li asked curiously, “Aunt Bella, you’re smiling because…”

Bella raised her chin at the photo on her phone.

“Yes, this one in the photo. He wrote a love letter to Yin Yin back then.”

Shen Li lowered her head as her eyelids twitched.