Grace Gu listened to the teasing tone in Emily Gu's voice, feeling a bit embarrassed herself. After all, it was her who had dragged Emily into a drunken spree that night, and later, when Qi Yu had mentioned it, it seemed that Julian Bai had looked quite upset.
"I'm really sorry about that night, I didn't mean to get you caught," she apologized sincerely, knowing full well that it was her fault Emily had been caught by Julian Bai.
"It's fine, I was curious about that place too. It's not your fault," Emily reassured her, flipping the situation around to comfort her.
Grace knew that Emily was trying to make her feel better about what happened. Emily had never been one to cause trouble, and when Grace realized this, she smiled and cheekily said, "I knew you were the best to me, Emily."
Flattery never hurts, especially at a time like this. But Emily, however, seemed a little more serious. Her eyes widened as if she was calculating something.
"Am I better than Qi Yu?"
The playful but unusually serious tone of Emily's voice made Grace's face flush even more. Her hand on the steering wheel twitched involuntarily.
"Emily, you're so cute when you're serious. Can Julian Bai really hold back?
" Grace teased, well aware that Emily had not yet given herself to Julian, but how long would that last?
Despite her innocence, Grace knew from the constant advice from her family that Julian Bai was not someone to be trifled with. After all, in Huadu, he was as powerful as a crab, let alone in Hong Kong.
"Who knows?" Emily shrugged, then changed the subject. Though the world might be different from ancient times, talking about such things in broad daylight still made her feel slightly embarrassed.
When they arrived, Grace was stunned by the unusual architecture. Seeing her surprise, Emily smiled and walked over to her.
"Our school is beautiful, right?"
"This is a school?" Grace asked, slightly dumbfounded. It was no wonder she asked this question, as, in her past and current life, she had never been to a school.
Looking at this majestic institution, how could her heart not race with awe?
"Of course, this is Hong Kong's most famous university, HKU. It brings together talented people from all over, and many wealthy families from Huadu also send their children here," Emily said with a proud smile.
Grace nodded, still in awe, but then she turned to Emily with a confused expression.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"Well, it's to broaden your horizons. This time, it's the centennial anniversary of HKU, and many famous people will return to their alma mater. The elites from all fields will be here," Emily explained, her face glowing with excitement, as if she were one of those elites.
"My parents graduated from HKU. My father might even come for the anniversary," she added, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
"And then?" Grace asked, genuinely confused about how all of this related to her visit.
"Emily, I want to publicly announce my relationship," Emily said, her tone becoming more serious.
Hearing this, Grace laughed without holding back. After all this time, it turned out that Emily still wanted someone else to back her up. To cheer her on. But was she the right person to do that? After all, this could have a huge impact on her future.
Coming from an ancient background, Grace understood the importance of marrying someone to spend your life with. In this modern society, the concepts of marriage and love shocked and even scared her at times.
"Emily, don't you have feelings for Mo Si Rui?"
Grace asked. She believed that Emily's parents must have good reasons for making their decision.
"Emily, please don't try to persuade me yet. Wait until we see Qi Yu's performance. Then you can talk to me, okay?" Emily asked earnestly, her eyes looking vulnerable.
Grace finally nodded. Perhaps Qi Yu wasn't as cold as he appeared; at least, he wasn't cold toward Emily.
The hall was huge, which was Grace's first impression. The seats were filled with people, but when Emily and Grace walked in, the lively scene came to an abrupt halt.
Emily was known as one of the most beautiful women at HKU. But she was no ordinary beauty; no one could dare pursue her easily, not only because of the power of the Gu family but also because Emily's heart belonged to someone—Qi Yu, a piano prodigy who was a year above her at the university.
Qi Yu wasn't an influential figure in this elite crowd, but his status as a disciple of Shirley Chu, a renowned music master, set him apart. Anyone involved in the arts would speak highly of Shirley Chu, whose influence at national art festivals was unparalleled.
But today, the girl standing next to Emily was even more beautiful. HKU was known for its collection of handsome men and beautiful women, but never had there been a woman who could make everyone say "she's stunning" with one voice.