Chapter 919: 363 Extra 8: The Emperor of Vines Chapter 919: 363 Extra 8: The Emperor of Vines Yan Lu pressed her hat down without speaking, just gazing at Xinjie.

Xinjie shrugged, “Director Xu asked me to inquire.”

Director Xu had worked with Yan Lu before she became popular, so they shared some rapport, which is why they could invite the now famous Yan Lu for this variety show.

“I’ll talk to Director Xu later,” Yan Lu said as she took the scarf handed to her by Ahuang.

After the security in the residential complex was changed, not many cars could enter, so Yan Lu’s nanny car had to be parked outside temporarily these past few times.

“Okay,” Xinjie escorted Yan Lu into the complex, and before entering, she carefully reminded, “Be careful not to be photographed when you go out with Xiao Zhang and the others.”

The security recognized Zhang Shize and Yan Lu and opened the access gate for them.

Ahuang stood next to Xinjie as the iron gate closed again, he was startled to see Yan Lu removing her fisherman’s hat and mask, “Xinjie, isn’t it risky for Lu to just walk in like that…”

“What could possibly happen in this complex?” Xinjie yawned and slowly returned to the car.

Anyone you randomly meet inside could outshine Yan Lu.

**
103.

Zhang Shize and Yan Lu entered first, moving the flowers kept by Ji Heng.

By seven o’clock during the New Year’s, the flowers were all tended to by Xu Nanjing.

The two walked right in, causing Ji Yun and Grandpa Ji to sit uneasily upon hearing the password being entered, they quickly stood up and cautiously looked toward the door.

The entrants were not Bai Lian, but a man and a woman.

The man at the front wore a shell jacket zipped all the way up, exposing only his tall nose and a pair of starry eyes.

The woman had no makeup on, yet her face was striking even in its bare state.

Ji Yun froze, “Yan Lu?!”

Ji Yun and Grandpa Ji both recognized her as the currently highly popular Yan Lu.

However, Grandpa Ji had already known back in Xiangcheng that Bai Lian knew Yan Lu.

“Grandpa Ji, hello, I am Bai Lian’s classmate, Zhang Shize,” Zhang Shize had already heard from Bai Lian about the Ji family’s visit and wasn’t surprised, introducing himself to Grandpa Ji.

Meanwhile, he took off his coat and opened the door to the courtyard to water the plants.

Since Ji Heng and others hadn’t been back for a while, the plants had been looked after by Xu Nanjing.

Yan Lu adeptly went to the kitchen, boiled a pot of hot water, and made tea for the two of them.

Ji Yun sat nervously on the sofa, holding the tea Yan Lu had poured for him, lost in a daze.

**
Five o’clock.

Bai Lian, along with Pei Qin and Wang Xu, led a few people to building five.

They didn’t immediately go to 103 but first took them to 303 to let them sit in the hall and study some data before heading down to 103.

In 103, Ji Yun sat upright on the sofa as Zhang Shize brought out some fruits and seeds he had brought back, hosting them, “Sister Lian will be back soon.”

“Thank you,” Ji Yun said cautiously.

The two exchanged words.

The door to 103 made a noise again. Zhang Shize and Yan Lu both rose and walked toward the door, “It should be Sister Lian returning.”

Sister Lian?

Was it the grandaunt’s granddaughter Grandpa always talked about?

Ji Yun instinctively stood up and took a couple of steps forward, quietly looking on.

The one entering through the door was a girl dressed in a pure white linen dress, slightly long, with a slender green willow leaf embroidered only around the neckline, her black hair held up at the back by a plain wooden hairpin.

She held a cellphone in her hand.

Looking up, she revealed a stunningly clear face.

Upon seeing Ji Yun, she nodded slightly, “Hello.”

Ji Yun took a moment before responding, “Hello, I’m Ji Yun.”

Bai Lian calmly closed the door to 103, talking with Grandpa Ji, who then brought out the clothes made for Bai Lian by the great-grandmother during this period.

The materials were all treasured collections of the great-grandmother, fit to be family heirlooms.

All were Cloud Brocade.

As she talked with Grandpa Ji, Ji Yun kept glancing at Yan Lu.

Yan Lu, aware that this was Bai Lian’s relative, was also very friendly to him, proactively asking if he needed anything.

When he learned Ji Yun wanted an autographed picture, Yan Lu quietly asked Zhang Shize if they still had any photos of her on hand, then immediately explained, “My girlfriend is your fan.”

“Sister Lian has some,” Zhang Shize recalled, “Xiaohan collected a bunch.”

The two informed Bai Lian and took Ji Yun upstairs to get the photo.

303, Wang Xu and Pei Qin were still discussing data at the round table.

Seeing someone coming back, both of them couldn’t help but stand up.

Wang Xu and the others were quite familiar with Tang Ming and Ning Xiao, but they had only met Zhang Shize twice, though they recognized him, and they greeted each other amicably.

Ji Yun was startled when he saw Wang Xu and Pei Qin, “Young Master Wang, Young Master Pei.”

Unexpectedly, there were still people at Bai Lian’s place who called themselves “Young Master Wang, Young Master Pei.” Wang Xu and Pei Qin both looked at Ji Yun, their memories were good, and they remembered seeing Ji Yun at their office.

But they didn’t know Ji Yun’s name.

The social butterfly Wang Xu quickly asked warmly about Ji Yun’s news.

“Young Master Wang, I am Ji Yun from the Ji Family of Xicheng,” Ji Yun quickly introduced himself, “I’m a friend of Yang Kai, and this time I came with my second grandfather…”

He introduced himself, and said his second grandfather was here to see Bai Lian.

Hearing the latter part, Wang Xu realized that this was a relative of Bai Lian’s. His brow twitched, and he quickly embraced Ji Yun’s shoulders, “We’re all brothers, calling me Young Master Wang is too distant, Ji Bro, from now on just call me and Brother Pei by our names.”

Pei Qin slowly stood up from his seat, always taciturn, “Right.”

In just a brief encounter, they were already addressing each other as brothers with the heirs of two major families of Xicheng.

Ji Yun sat in a chair, holding an autographed photo given to him by Yan Lu.

He knew that Wang Xu and Pei Qin’s suddenly amiable attitude toward him was entirely because of Bai Lian.

At night.

Bai Lian saw Ji Yun and his second grandfather out of the apartment complex.

Wang Xu and Pei Qin also came down to see them off with her, and added Ji Yun on WeChat as well.

Bai Lian stood by the steps, dressed in white thread clothes and black pants, listening to the second grandfather say they were en route today, originally wanting to visit Jiangjing University, but they hadn’t made a reservation.

“Couldn’t make a reservation?” Bai Lian turned sideways.

“Return-to-school period, banning entry from non-school members,” Ji Yun explained to Bai Lian.

Bai Lian nodded slightly, her gaze landing on an elderly person throwing away trash in the neighboring building, “Happy New Year, Principal Shi.”

Shiyu leisurely threw the black trash bag into the bin.

Seeing Bai Lian addressing him, he walked over in two steps, “When did you come back?”

“Just returned this afternoon,” Bai Lian mentioned a few words with Shiyu, then remembered the second grandfather, “Is the school no longer open for visits?”

Shiyu saw the second grandfather and Ji Yun, and guessed something, “For the students’ safety, visits are temporarily closed, but if your relatives want to go in, just mention my name.”

After he finished throwing out the trash, he didn’t leave but inquired about Bai Lian’s recent project instead.

The second grandfather and Ji Yun didn’t interrupt and left the entrance of Shanhai Apartment first.

Only after they got out of Shanhai Apartment and headed toward Jiang University, did Ji Yun ask his grandfather, “Grandpa, did you ask Uncle about who exactly this cousin of mine is?”

“I don’t know.” The second grandfather shook his head.

The two walked to Jiang University.

The security guard originally didn’t let people in, but upon hearing the second grandfather and Ji Yun mention “Shiyu’s” name, he opened the gate without any questions, letting the two in.

The second grandfather and Ji Yun looked at each other.

Once inside, they didn’t immediately rush to Celebrity Square, Ji Yun curiously turned around to inquire about the identity of Shiyu from the security guard.

The security guard pulled out two cigarettes from his pocket, handed them to the second grandfather and Ji Yun, and upon hearing their question was also surprised, “That’s our principal, Principal Shi, you didn’t know?”

Ji Yun and the second grandfather: “…”

After a moment of silence, they first approached Celebrity Square.

Upon arrival, they saw the brightly lit Celebrity Square, Liang Zewen’s bronze statue standing gently at the forefront, the square still crowded with people, and besides Liang Zewen’s statue, the wall of fame also had many people gathered.

Some were holding professional books, raising them above their heads, worshiping the fame, muttering words.

Having been there once before, Ji Yun naturally knew Celebrity Square, where Liang Zewen and his disciples were the hottest figures.

Today was really a surprise.

He and the second grandfather prayed to Liang Zewen, then approached the fame.

Knowing that this was the place of the most well-known alumni of Jiang University in recent history, there weren’t many people.

He saw the crowd all standing to the left, reciting a name, and couldn’t help looking over.

He immediately saw the two names most recently engraved–
Ning Xiao.

Bai Lian.

Combining everything he saw today, Ji Yun sharply turned around, “Grandpa, what did Uncle say his granddaughter’s name was?”

The second grandfather also stared blankly at the last name.

“Bai Lian, her name is Bai Lian, Lian like in the emperor’s vine.”