Chapter 90: [Embracing the Moon I]

On September 20, 2018, Lin Jiayu finished her book signing event and walked out of the bookstore with Lu Ji.

Today’s book signing event had quite a few items for Lin Jiayu to carry—two large bags. She had just picked them up when Lu Ji took them over. Lin Jiayu didn’t say anything; he had always been like this in high school. When they did cleaning duty together, he always let her do the lighter tasks. He had always taken good care of girls.

There were still some young readers who hadn’t left at the entrance. Seeing Lin Xing and a handsome man walk out, their eyes widened with excitement as they asked, “Miss Lin, is this your boyfriend?”

Lin Jiayu smiled and said no. The readers looked slightly disappointed. She turned to look at Lu Ji, “Can I tell the truth?”

Lu Ji glanced at her and softly said, “Lin Jiayu, you’ve stripped me down to my underwear. Leave me some dignity.”

Lin Jiayu: “...”

What had she stripped him of? Didn’t she just write realistically in her book?

After waving goodbye to the readers, the two walked towards the nearby parking lot. Only then did Lin Jiayu speak, “Why did you come to the bookstore?”

Lu Ji unlocked the car from several meters away, his hands in his pockets, his tone calm, “Xu Xiangyang told me. You were having a book signing event. As I drove past the bookstore entrance and saw the promotional photos, I suddenly wanted to go in and take a look.”

Lin Jiayu paused and said, “Did you read that book?”

Lu Ji nodded, “I couldn’t resist in the afternoon and read it. I wanted to know what you wrote about me.”

That book...

It recorded many things he didn’t know, whether about Jiang Tu or Lin Jiayu’s inadvertent teenage thoughts.

Lin Jiayu tightened her lips, her feelings complex. She opened the passenger door and only then realized, looking up at Lu Ji, “I can sit in the front seat, right?”

Lu Ji threw her things into the backseat and looked over, “If you want to sit in the back, that’s fine too.”

Lin Jiayu quickly opened the car door and got in, “No, I still prefer sitting in the front. Isn’t it said that the front seat is special? Women shouldn’t sit there casually. I’m afraid you might be particular about these things.”

“Isn’t this kind of talk written by romance novel authors like you?” Lu Ji snorted lightly.

Lin Jiayu: “...”

She turned to look at him.

Lu Ji glanced at her, “Put on your seatbelt.”

Lin Jiayu pouted, lowering her head to fasten her seatbelt. The car soon drove off. She looked out the window and heard Lu Ji ask, “What do you want to eat?”

She turned back to look at him, “I’m treating you to dinner, so you pick the place.” Just as she finished speaking, her WeChat started ringing on her phone.

Editor: “Darling, satisfy my curiosity. Is there any chance between you and your male god desk mate? Can Embracing the Moon also have a perfect ending?”

Editor: “I didn’t notice before how handsome the real-life prototype was!”

Lin Jiayu’s publishing editor had just seen Lu Ji at the bookstore and was full of curiosity, unable to resist gossiping now.

Lin Jiayu pursed her lips, lowered her head to reply, “Didn’t we have pictures on our First High Forum before? I thought you’d seen them. After all, he was a male god who stunned many girls’ teenage years. How could he not be handsome?”

She was just one among many girls.

Editor: “Before, I only focused on the male lead’s prototype. How could I have noticed that damned second male lead?”

Lin Jiayu: “I remember you used to dislike the second male lead too and even cursed him.”

Editor: “If I knew he was this handsome, how could I curse him? If the readers knew he was this handsome, they probably wouldn’t hate him either.”

Lin Jiayu: “...”

Hadn’t she written in her book that Lu Ji was very handsome?

Editor: “Work hard, win him over!”

She even sent an emoji pack of seduction, which looked quite funny.

Lin Jiayu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Beijing was very congested at this time, and the car moved slowly forward. Lu Ji casually glanced at her, “What are you laughing about?”

Lin Jiayu casually replied, “Oh, my editor praised you for being handsome and told me to work hard to win you over.”

Lu Ji fell silent for a moment, chuckling softly, “Is that so? Do you think that way too?”

Lin Jiayu was startled. She didn’t know what Lu Ji meant by asking this question. Did he want to know how she felt about him now, or did he want to know... Was she chasing him by sending red packets and treating him to dinner?

She fell silent for a moment and smiled, “Lu Ji, do you know how many girls in our class secretly liked you back then? Not counting our class, including the younger sisters from Grade 2006, both freshmen and sophomores, how many girls secretly liked you? I estimate you can’t count them. Look at how many people still remember you now? They’re still dating, getting married, nothing delayed. I am just one of those girls. So all these years, I’ve lived my life well, without disturbing you, without clinging to you. The difference between me and other girls is probably that I sat next to you for two years, so our relationship is deeper and better.”

Lu Ji frowned. For some reason, he felt she spoke too lightly. If it was really that simple, why had she changed her university application and went to Guangzhou instead of Beijing? He chuckled and changed the topic, “Is somewhere nearby okay? It’s too congested. There’s a pretty good Thai restaurant nearby.”

Lin Jiayu held her breath after saying such a long speech—he didn’t respond at all? She exhaled, her bangs fluttering. She lowered her eyes, “Alright, let’s go there then.”

The Thai restaurant was very close, only about ten minutes away.

After getting out of the car, Lin Jiayu walked beside Lu Ji. She was 162 cm tall and had specially worn 10 cm heels for today’s book signing. Now standing next to Lu Ji, who was 185 cm tall, she didn’t appear short, nor was she overwhelmed in terms of presence.

Actually, she rarely wore high heels. Today’s book signing mainly involved sitting, and she didn’t walk much, so it wasn’t a problem.

Now, walking from the parking spot to the restaurant seemed quite far. She had a pair of flat shoes in her bag and hesitated whether to change into them.

“What’s wrong?”

Lu Ji looked down at her.

Lin Jiayu shook her head, “Nothing, let’s go.”

Lu Ji nodded, “Then let’s go.”

After walking about ten meters, Lin Jiayu suddenly regretted it. She pulled Lu Ji and said awkwardly, “Let’s go back to the car. I want to change my shoes...”

Lu Ji glanced down at her high heels. Lin Jiayu wasn’t tall, but her proportions were good. Her calves were slender, her insteps delicate and fair, painted with light-colored nail polish. A pair of silver high heels made her feet look very elegant.

He averted his eyes, seemingly annoyed, “Not used to wearing high heels? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Lin Jiayu: “I forgot earlier.”

Lu Ji walked back.

She followed behind.

He opened the backseat and took out her bag, seeing a shoebox inside. As he was about to open the shoebox, she snatched it away. Lin Jiayu lowered her head and said, “I’ll do it myself.”

She sat on the backseat with the shoebox, took off her high heels, and put on the flats.

Lu Ji stood by the door and glanced. His hands were in his pockets, and he lowered his head, lost in thought.

After changing her shoes, Lin Jiayu returned to 162 cm, standing next to him, instantly 10 centimeters shorter.

Lu Ji suddenly chuckled, “Quite a difference, around 10 centimeters, huh?”

Lin Jiayu looked up and glared at him, “So what if there is? I’m 162 cm, not short, okay?”

“So why bother wearing such high heels?” Lu Ji locked the car and softly chuckled while lowering his head.

“I met readers. You don’t know that any little sister reader nowadays is at least 168 cm or taller. If I didn’t wear high heels, I’d look very short, and taking pictures with them wouldn’t look good.” Lin Jiayu said helplessly.

Lu Ji took a few steps, then stopped, looking down at her, “But you don’t seem to care about your image in front of me.”

Lin Jiayu looked up at him, then lowered her head and walked forward, muttering, “You’ve already seen how plain I was in high school, and you never said anything. Now I’m much prettier than before, and I’m not anyone to you. Why should I care...” Besides, you’ve seen plenty of beautiful girls. What’s the point of comparing myself?

Lin Jiayu knew she looked good, but only just good—not stunning, and definitely not a goddess. If she wanted Lu Ji to like her because she became prettier, it wouldn’t happen. There probably weren’t a lack of beautiful girls around him.

Lu Ji watched the girl walking ahead, chuckled, and caught up, “True.”