Lu Xunli was actually quite adept at handling interpersonal relationships and meticulous in his actions.
Upon returning home this time, he not only brought a greeting gift for Lu Jiaoyue but also prepared a present for Lu Xiaoxiao, intending to make both sisters feel comfortable.
However, in the original host's eyes, this wasn't the case at all. She only noticed that Lu Jiaoyue's gift was more expensive than hers, felt that her eldest brother was treating them differently, and harbored resentment in her heart.
But Lu Xiaoxiao would never think this way—her mindset was utterly zen.
Well, thousands wouldn't be too much, but even a penny shows love. Having anything at all is pretty good.
These past few days, the System hadn't assigned her any tasks, so Lu Xiaoxiao was enjoying her leisure time, often holed up in her room playing games.
However, in three days, the Lu Family would host a grand recognition banquet to announce Lu Jiaoyue's identity to everyone.
The short preparation time was actually somewhat rushed, but Lu Yuan and Song Zhilan felt their daughter had suffered enough after being lost for so many years and were eager to compensate her with the affection she'd missed, hence the hurry to hold this banquet.
Lu Xunli's return at this time was also to help the family manage the recognition banquet affairs. The guests attending would all be dignitaries from upper-class circles, so no detail could be treated carelessly.
The System informed Lu Xiaoxiao that during the recognition banquet plot, her task was to ruin the event.
Lu Xiaoxiao asked: "How should I ruin it?"
The System replied: "For example, tamper with Lu Jiaoyue's dress to make her embarrass herself publicly and lose face."
Lu Xiaoxiao: "Seriously? Such an old-fashioned method again. Completely unoriginal."
The System: "…Then what would count as original?"
Lu Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and said enthusiastically: "I have a plan!"
"Please elaborate."
"Get me some fast-acting strong laxatives. I'll trick Lu Yubai into drinking them, and then we'll watch him poop in public! The guests would definitely be scared away!"
The System: "?"
The System: "Host, would you like to carefully listen to what you're saying?"
Lu Xiaoxiao coughed and reluctantly changed her tune: "I was just being humorous."
The System: "…"
It felt this kind of humor was better avoided—it was truly terrifying.
Lu Xiaoxiao was somewhat troubled: "But damaging clothes is really too vulgar. I can't bring myself to do it."
The System tried to persuade her: "But the female lead won't actually be exposed! The male lead will protect his woman in time! No one else would get to see anything!"
"You mean Lu Jiaoyue would only be seen by Gu Sipei?"
"That's correct."
Lu Xiaoxiao was furious: "Then I disagree even more!!!"
The System had a headache: "But the relationship plot needs to advance. How will they cross paths without creating some chaos?"
"Don't worry, I'll create chaos."
"What are you planning to do now?"
"I'll keep it secret for now."
The System let out a helpless sigh, unable to do anything about her.
What to do when this host is too strong-willed? Waiting online, quite urgent!
On the day of the recognition banquet, Lu Xiaoxiao was brought early by the driver to the hotel that the Lu Family had booked entirely.
The parking lot was completely full—Ferraris, extended Lincolns, and other luxury cars that ordinary people rarely saw were as common here as cabbages in a supermarket.
While the Lu Family members were busy receiving guests, Lu Xiaoxiao secretly slipped away.
Lu Jiaoyue, who had been keeping an eye on her sister's movements, felt somewhat puzzled. Though she wanted to chase after her to ask, as today's main character she couldn't leave the venue, so she had to continue accompanying her parents in receiving the stream of guests approaching to chat.
Lu Xiaoxiao carefully avoided prying eyes and slipped into the hotel corridor.
She had deliberately dressed modestly today, paired with flat shoes, all for the sake of moving around conveniently.
Lu Xiaoxiao had a well-laid plan: first locate the power supply room, then find a way to distract or bribe the staff there. When the banquet was in full swing, she would suddenly pull the switch, causing a blackout at the venue.
She believed that given the powerful connection between the male and female leads, even in pitch darkness they would inevitably bump into each other precisely.
The hotel had numerous floors, each with particularly spacious layouts. Unsure of the power room's exact location, Lu Xiaoxiao could only grope around blindly.
As she reached a corridor near a stairwell, she suddenly heard what sounded like voices not far away.
Afraid of being recognized by someone familiar, Lu Xiaoxiao immediately halted and pricked up her ears to listen.
What reached her ears next was a sharp female voice, tinged with faint sobs.
"Ji Yunhuai! What exactly do you mean by this?"
Ji Yunhuai?
The name sounded quite familiar to Lu Xiaoxiao – she remembered him as the original story's second male lead.
If one were to ask which prominent family in the Imperial Capital could compare with Gu Sipei's Gu Family, the only answer would be the Ji Family.
The Ji Family's Old Master had retired from the military with illustrious achievements, commanding respect wherever he went. The family had profound foundations, involvement in both business and politics, and their influence was not to be underestimated.
Old Master Ji had several sons, but nearly all his grandchildren were girls. Only his second son's child was a boy.
It was precisely because of this grandson's birth that Old Master Ji resolved to designate his second son as his successor.
And this boy was the original story's second male lead, Ji Yunhuai.
He wasn't the traditional devoted second male lead archetype. On the contrary, he was a typical playboy – cynical in his ways and doing everything solely for his own amusement.
As the Ji Family's only direct male descendant and Old Master's most favored grandson, he certainly had the capital to be arrogant.
However, the original story didn't devote much description to Ji Yunhuai's plotlines, focusing most ink on the interactions between the male and female leads. Therefore, Lu Xiaoxiao's impression of him wasn't too deep, only remembering some basic character settings.
Lu Xiaoxiao began to grow curious about the woman's identity.
"You said you wouldn't attend the Lu Family's recognition banquet today! If I hadn't grown suspicious and come to check, I wouldn't have known you deceived me again!"
Facing the woman's angry questioning, Ji Yunhuai's voice remained light and airy, as if he couldn't care less.
"So what if I deceived you?" he asked. "Don't you think you're meddling a bit too much?"
Hearing his words, the woman's tone grew more agitated: "What do you mean meddling too much? I just want to honestly know your whereabouts – how is that excessive!"
Ji Yunhuai's tone remained indifferent: "Oh? Am I your boyfriend?"
The woman speaking with him seemed momentarily stunned by this retort, but the words that followed became even more shrill and piercing, almost shouted.
"Ji! Yun! Huai! Don't forget, it was Aunt Yan who told you to take care of me! This is what your mother owed mine, but they both died young, so now it's your turn to owe me! Playing dumb won't help!"
Ji Yunhuai didn't respond, his gaze drifting elsewhere with an almost weary expression. One hand tucked in his pants pocket, he made a show of cleaning his ear with the other, saying nothing yet conveying through body language alone how thoroughly he found the noise bothersome.
The woman across from him seemed genuinely furious, viciously hurling one last remark: "Anyway… anyway, next time I need you, you'd better be there! If you keep avoiding me, I swear I'll still be angry!"
With that, she spun around and stormed off.
The stiletto heels of her sky-high pumps hammered "clack-clack-clack" against the floor, echoing loudly in the confined space, the sound taking a long while to fade completely.