"Hungry, aren't you? Grab whatever you want to eat here."
Ruan Qinghuan waved to the two of them, letting them help themselves.
Gu Xiao took two trays, handed one to Lu Li, and the two of them selected a few dishes, then each took a basket of soup dumplings and went to the dining table.
"Yueyue, do you want to eat more?"
After sitting down, Gu Xiao waved to Gu Yue.
"I'm full, big sister, Sister Lu, you two eat."
Gu Yue waved her hands at them, then turned and ran off to play.
"After you're full, come sleep here."
Taking a bite of a bun, Gu Xiao looked up and said to Lu Li.
"Okay."
Lu Li nodded with a smile. The two of them often spent the night at each other's homes when they were young, but as they grew up, such occurrences gradually decreased.
Mainly, Gu Xiao often avoided it, which made Lu Li sad for a while, thinking there was a rift between her and her good friend.
Fortunately, Gu Xiao discovered Lu Li's emotional changes in time, and after some explanation, dispelled Lu Li's misunderstanding.
Although Gu Xiao tried her best to explain that it was because they had grown up and could no longer be so intimate, in Lu Li's understanding, her childhood friend had simply become tsundere.
In the following days, Gu Xiao stayed at home to cultivate, making her final sprint for the Professional Trial... Central District
A Jing Family manor is located where buildings become sparse at the edge of the city.
The interior of the manor is decorated in an ancient and grand style, with various flowers and trees planted in different places according to their characteristics, competing in beauty.
In the center of the manor, several ancient-style small buildings are situated, with swaying tree shadows cast on their walls.
Not far from the small buildings, a ten-meter-square pond glistened in the sunlight, with a few red fish occasionally surfacing to blow bubbles.
Two or three meters from the pond, Jing Yuan was meticulously reading a copy of "Travels of the Universe."
Beside him, a white-haired young man with a refined demeanor and a handsome, almost feminine appearance was brewing tea.
He wore a white shirt, with the sleeves rolled up halfway to his forearms, his movements skilled and graceful, more like a performance.
One of Jing Yuan's brothers from childhood, the second son of the Ye Family in Tianyuan City, Ye Tianying.
To his left sat a handsome, black-haired young man wearing a black cashmere sweater and gold-rimmed glasses.
He sat with his legs crossed on a chair, always with a casual smile on his face, looking at the major events that had happened these days on his smart wristband.
The third son of the Xiao Family in Tianyuan City, Xiao Bai, and also one of Jing Yuan's four brothers.
"Xiao Yuan, Xiao Bai, we're back, come quickly and give us a hand."
Along with a voice, two young men walked in from outside.
The one walking in front was dressed very flashily, his handsome appearance always mixed with a hint of roguishness, making one instinctively feel he was unreliable upon first meeting.
One of Jing Yuan's four brothers, the second son of the Yan Family in Tianyuan City, Yan Lin.
He was also Jing Hanshuang's "bad influence" and often went racing and frequented nightclubs, even declaring himself a dashing young gentleman among Jing Yuan and the others.
Boasting, passing through a field of flowers without a single petal sticking.
Behind him was a brave and resolute young man, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt.
His exposed arms showed perfect muscle definition, exuding a masculine aura.
His expression was honest and simple, a complete opposite to Yan Lin in this regard.
He was also the last of the five brothers, the fifth son of the Liu Family in Tianyuan City, Liu Zhen.
Both of them were carrying two large bags each, filled with various ingredients.
"By the way, why do you never ask Tianying for help when you call for it?"
Xiao Bai turned off his smart wristband and looked at Yan Lin, who was walking towards them.
"Sigh, I can't help it," Yan Lin said, placing the items on the table and sighing, "While rationally I know Ying Zi is a boy, with that face of his, I really can't bring myself to ask him to do heavy work."
"So I should thank you?"
Ye Tianying put down his tea set and came forward to help take everything out of the bags and arrange them.
He had long been accustomed to such remarks; his appearance was often brought up when the brothers joked with each other.
Yan Lin once even encouraged Ye Tianying to put on women's clothes, then sneak into The Girls' dormitory to take a look. After coming out, he was to tell him what it was like inside.
Finally, Yan Lin's father, upon hearing the news, tied him to a tree and whipped him. As for who reported it, that remains unknown.
"No need, next time I make a purchase, just pay for me, that way my old man won't be able to figure out what I'm doing based on my spending."
"Why don't you just fly to the heavens?"
With the five of them tidying up, the barbecue was quickly set up.
The five of them disliked being disturbed by others during their gatherings. After arriving, Jing Yuan had instructed the manor's butler not to send anyone to serve them.
"Xiao Yuan, why did your family leave the Central District before?"
There was a hovercar exhibition at the time, and Yan Lin had originally planned to invite Jing Yuan to go see it together, but upon arriving at the Jing Family residence, he was told that Jing Yuan's family had all gone out.
"We went to Yunqi City to visit an old friend of my father's."
Jing Yuan did not intend to expose his relationship with Gu Xiao to anyone except their respective elders.
"By the way, that uncle's daughter and her friend will be coming here to stay for a while after the Professional Trial, until the Professional Academy starts."
"I'll introduce you all then. If you see them in trouble, lend them a hand."
Although Gu Xiao would enter this circle as the daughter of Jing Dongfeng's close old friend, ordinary people wouldn't dare to cause them trouble.
But he was afraid of encountering a few arrogant oddballs who might think that since she was just a friend's daughter, the Jing Family wouldn't turn hostile over her.
The more top-tier the resources, the more limited they are. This isn't a problem that can be solved by whether you provoke others or not; it's that if you take it, others won't get it.
Neither Jing Yuan nor Gu Xiao feared anyone in contests among their peers; they were just worried that some people might disregard propriety and call their parents.
Of course, compared to his female body, Jing Yuan wanted them to help take care of Lu Li more.
In their circle, Lu Li was the true commoner.
"Don't worry, Xiao Yuan's friends are our friends. When they come to the Central District, us brothers will look out for them; there will definitely be no problems."
As soon as Jing Yuan finished speaking, Yan Lin patted his chest and guaranteed.
Jing Yuan had no doubts about Yan Lin's words. Although he seemed unreliable, he was actually very dependable in his actions.