Xiaoer asked a question, and Lu Xiaoer, not knowing whose number she had dialed, got through,
"Who... is saying that I've set a trap?"
"..."
Song Lili's eyes suddenly widened in disbelief as she looked at Lu Xiaoer, Ear Lu!
"Bro, it's Lili, my good friend. You remember her, right?"
There was a pause on the other end of the phone, and then a low voice with a hint of laughter came through,
"Song Lili? The one who fell into a pile of dog poop? Hehe, I remember."
"..."
Fell into a pile of dog poop... Was that really the only impression Lu Ziqing had of her from when she was ten years old?
Song Lili found it embarrassing even to think about now.
But it was also clear that Lu Xiaoer's sharp tongue wasn't a personal issue but rather a family gene inheritance.
"Lili wants to apply to your military academy, but she doesn't want outsiders to know. She might use someone else's identity to register, so bro, I'm giving you a heads-up."
"Not wanting outsiders to know..."
Lu Ziqing pondered over that phrase, lightly laughing, "Am I so honored? Have I already been considered part of the inner circle?"
Is this guy really so self-important...?
"Brother Lu, I'll be in your care in the future."
Song Lili greeted politely.
"You trust me that much?"
"Of course! I've always remembered Brother Lu for being handsome and cool, brave and upright, and especially warm-hearted."
Song Lili had her own way of flattering someone.
But who would have thought...
"You must be mistaking me for someone else." Lu Ziqing on the other end of the phone was not playing along.
"..."
Lu Xiaoer chuckled under her breath and took the phone from Song Lili's hand, saying to Lu Ziqing,
"Bro, stop giving Lili a hard time. If there really were no other options, she wouldn't have thought to ask for your help."
"Alright, I'll keep this in mind, but let me be clear, I can turn a blind eye to the identity borrowing, but she has to get into Xilin on her own merit."
"Xiao Li will definitely get into Xilin on her own strength."
"Hehe, let's hope she doesn't end up crying and going back home. And Xiaoer, you need to be more careful about who you make friends with."
"..."
Song Lili took another deep breath, holding back...
Why is Lu Ziqing like this? Belittling her at every turn...
Lu Xiaoer patted Song Lili's head, "It's okay, it's okay. That's just how my brother is, you'll get used to it, you'll get used to it."
Song Lili was surprised, "Get used to it? Am I going to have a lot of interactions with him?"
"... After all, he's going to take care of you, and besides, he already knows you're going to use someone else's identity. If you don't get used to him and he turns his back on you—"
Song Lili was already regretting asking for someone to look after her.
It was like being doomed before even starting.
It seems Ear Lu was the biggest pitfall after all.
Apart from tripping and falling in front of him when she was in her teens, she really didn't have much to do with Lu Ziqing.
In her memory, he was talented and had quickly climbed the ranks in the army, but ultimately it didn't end well for him.
————
With Xiaoer's help, the preparations for going to Xilin went very smoothly.
As Song Lili revised for the entrance exams and packed her bags, she sent an email to Wei Yuandong, asking Uncle Wei to take good care of his health. She repeatedly urged him not to rely too much on Pan Qin and also not to let Pan Qin leave Wen Mansion.
Wei Yuandong replied to her email that evening, showing appropriate concern for her plans.
Song Lili hesitated for a long time but still didn't tell the truth. She only said she planned to travel around the world.
Wei Yuandong actually thought Song Lili's plan was quite good.
At the age of twenty, it's beneficial to travel to various countries, broaden one's horizons, and gain experience, and it's certainly more reassuring than applying to a military academy and becoming a soldier.
Song Lili had the same conversation with her father over the phone,
Song Jiayu was stunned for a moment and hastily asked,
"Do you have enough money on you? Dad can transfer some more to your account. You need to be very careful in every aspect when you're traveling alone."
"…"