Now, she was walking in a place she had tried every means to enter before she turned 18, yet her heart remained utterly calm.
She followed Tan Si through the long corridor. There were men and women indulging in debauchery coming and going. She couldn't help but frown slightly.
Chen Yu'an actually liked this kind of place.
Tan Si in front stopped, pushed open the heavy door in front of him, stepped aside to make way for Qing Mian, and made a gesture of invitation. "Miss."
Qing Mian walked into the room and immediately saw Lu Wenxuan with red hair and dressed in a racing suit.
On the sofa opposite Lu Wenxuan, Chi Yu was reclining with his eyes closed. It was hard to tell whether he was asleep or not.
She withdrew her gaze, walked to Lu Wenxuan's side, and with a smile on her face, said to Lu Wenxuan, "Brother Wenxuan, long time no see." Then she nodded at Ji Bai beside him. "Brother Ji Bai."
Ji Bai smiled at her but said nothing. In her memory, Ji Bai always seemed so aloof. It seemed that nothing could stir his emotions.
Hearing the voice, Lu Wenxuan turned his head. The next second, he immediately shouted at her exaggeratedly.
"Little Qing Mian! Brother misses you so much!"
Just as Lu Wenxuan was about to give her a big hug, Tan Si reached out his hand to block him.
He gave Tan Si a resentful look and pulled Qing Mian to sit in the empty seat beside him.
He picked up the empty glass in front of him, poured a glass of juice, and put it in Qing Mian's hand.
"Why didn't you call your Brother Wenxuan even once during your years abroad? Do you know how much we missed you?"
Suddenly, a bitter feeling welled up in Qing Mian's heart. Among the days she had returned to the imperial capital, Lu Wenxuan was the first person to say that he missed her.
Even Chen Yu'an had never said such words.
He had a fiancée. Presumably, he no longer needed her as a younger sister. Otherwise, why would he have sent her abroad for so long? Of course, he wouldn't miss her.
"Let me tell you, your brother is really something. Why did he have to send you to Mexico? He said he wanted you to get some good training. What's there to train for? Although the Day of the Dead in Mexico is quite interesting, it's still too dangerous there. It's good that you're back. From now on, you're not allowed to go anywhere else."
Qing Mian didn't say a word. She just smiled indifferently.
Lu Wenxuan kept chattering on and on, but somehow Qing Mian didn't feel annoyed at all. It had been a long time since she had experienced the feeling of being cared about. At this moment, she suddenly hoped that Lu Wenxuan in front of her could keep talking to her for the whole night.
"You're just as stubborn as your brother. Once you went abroad, it was as if you had disappeared. You didn't even call us. Xiaoxi misses you so much that she's sick."
Hearing this, Qing Mian then noticed that only the three of them were in the room. Lu Wenxi wasn't there, nor was Chen Yu'an.
"Where's Wenxi?"
Qing Mian asked.
Lu Wenxi was her best friend. Back then, she was suddenly sent away by Chen Yu'an. She didn't even have the time to say goodbye to Lu Wenxi.
After not seeing each other for three years, Lu Wenxi should be even more beautiful now.
Unlike Qing Mian, Lu Wenxi was the apple of the Lu family's eye. She had loving parents and an elder brother. So, she had developed a fearless personality since childhood. She always made everyone call her Sister Xi.
Lu Wenxi was two years older than Qing Mian, but she never let Qing Mian call her Sister Xi. So, Qing Mian always called her Wenxi.
"She just went to the toilet before you came. She should be back soon—"
Before Lu Wenxuan could finish his sentence, the door was pushed open from the outside. Lu Wenxi was holding a bottle of brandy in her hand and staggered in.
Seeing what was in her hand, Lu Wenxuan snatched it away. "You've really got some nerve! Sneaking off to drink!"
Lu Wenxi had long red curly hair and was wearing a tight - fitting long dress that perfectly showed off her figure. The shy girl in Qing Mian's memory now stood in front of her, extremely mature.
Lu Wenxi had just met a company client when she went out. She had no choice but to accompany them for a couple of drinks. She had a good drinking capacity, but the after - effect of that alcohol was really strong. At this moment, she was staggering as if she could faint at any time.
"You..." Lu Wenxi's vision was blurry. When she looked at Qing Mian, it was as if there were double images. She stretched out her finger and walked in Qing Mian's direction.
"What do you mean by 'you'?" Lu Wenxuan gently patted Wenxi on the head. "I think you're really drunk! That's Little Qing Mian!"
"Qing Mian..." Lu Wenxi looked at the girl sitting beside Lu Wenxuan in disbelief.
She stood still on the spot, blinked her eyes hard. After her vision cleared, tears welled up in her eyes. She opened her arms and hugged Qing Mian.
Lu Wenxi hugged her tightly with both hands, sniffed, and shouted at her with a sob. "Why did you come back so late! You bad woman! How could you just leave me without saying a word? I'm going to punish you!"
Qing Mian raised her hand and patted her on the back, consoling her. "I'm back now, aren't I?"
Lu Wenxi raised her head from her embrace. "You're not allowed to leave without saying a word again. Do you hear me!"
"If there's a next time, I'll never talk to you again!"
Qing Mian said, "I won't leave. I'm not going anywhere after I'm back this time."
Lu Wenxi didn't believe her. Now she thought this woman was a heartless liar. She pestered her. "No. You have to swear."
Qing Mian smiled. Lu Wenxi was still the same as before. It was really nice.
She cooperatively raised three fingers. "I swear that if I leave without saying a word again, I'll lose Lu Wenxi forever."
Lu Wenxi was amused by her serious look and couldn't help but burst out laughing. "That's more like it. I'll forgive you this time."
Lu Wenxi didn't pester her to say more. She had joined her family's company before graduating and had received hundreds of clients. She had long developed the ability to judge people. Coupled with her understanding of Qing Mian, she clearly felt that Qing Mian had changed. She was different from before.
Her eyes were no longer as bright as before. Now there was more indifference in them. She also didn't smile as much as before and talked less.
In the past, when everyone got together, she and Qing Mian talked the most. But now, except when talking to her, Qing Mian seemed to have lost the desire to express herself for the rest of the time.
She had heard some things about what happened back then from Lu Wenxuan, but she didn't know the details. She only knew that An Ya received a message from Qing Mian and then something happened. After that, Qing Mian was suddenly sent abroad by Chen Yu'an. She didn't know the details and didn't dare to ask.
She didn't want to uncover Qing Mian's wounds with her own hands. At least she was back now. That was enough. The past was in the past.
"Give me the wine." Lu Wenxi stretched out her palm towards Lu Wenxuan.
Lu Wenxuan put the wine behind him. "I think you've really grown bold. How dare you talk to your brother like this."
Ji Bai in the distance suddenly burst out laughing.
Lu Wenxuan looked up. "What are you laughing at, Ji Bai?"
"Nothing. It's just a bit funny to see an incompetent elder brother lecturing a female CEO." Ji Bai's voice was lazy. Even the unpleasant words seemed not so unpleasant coming from his mouth.