CHAPTER 613: CHAPTER 530: THINKING ABOUT PLAYING EVERY DAY

"Why don’t you go ask? It might really be her!" Leng Ning was also quite surprised, as they had just talked about her husband’s former classmate a few days ago.

Who would have thought a trip to Hong Kong could lead to meeting her in person!

Li Si made up her mind to stand up, muster her courage, and go ask so she wouldn’t miss out and leave any regrets.

Following Li Si’s movements, Leng Ning turned her head to see her approaching the stylishly dressed beauty.

"Excuse me! Are you Wang Chuang?" Li Si asked nervously, scared of receiving a negative answer but simultaneously hopeful it was the truth!

The girl stared at her for a moment, then suddenly stood up in disbelief and excitement: "Yes! And you are??"

Her eyes carried a hint of confusion, but then she was struck with realization: "Could it possibly be... Li Si?"

Li Si’s eyes turned red almost instantly, she nodded vigorously: "It’s me!"

Wang Chuang covered her mouth, her eyes blinking with excitement, "Oh my god! How many years has it been since we last met?! You’ve changed so much, but your eyes and expressions are still the same as when we were kids!"

The two couldn’t help but hug tightly. To Wang Chuang, it felt like ten years had passed. But to Li Si, it felt even longer—as if spanning lifetimes—it deeply saddened her that she lost contact with her once-beloved deskmate.

She never would have thought she would reunite with her here!

After the initial excitement, Li Si brought Leng Ning over to introduce them.

"This is my husband’s younger sister, Leng Ning!"

Leng Ning greeted her warmly.

She too had to marvel at how utterly unpredictable the world could be!

When Wang Chuang learned that Li Si was married and had a child, she was utterly surprised.

"Li Si! Oh my god! I never would have guessed you got married and became a mom! After I moved with my parents to Beijing, I graduated high school and went to France for my studies. I just returned home not long ago after finishing my degree! And to think we met like this—such a coincidence!"

"Yeah! It’s truly amazing! I’m living in Beijing too now, so we can meet often in the future! Just the other day, I was telling my younger sister about how you used to braid my hair when we were kids. But why are you in Hong Kong?"

Wang Chuang held onto her hand tightly, grinning playfully: "You still remember that! Back then, I played the best with you among all the girls in our class! Even my mom still brings you up sometimes. When she sees you later, she might not even recognize you at first!

By the way, I’ve changed my name; I don’t go as Wang Chuang anymore!"

"Your mom is here with you? That’s wonderful! I missed her so much too. So, what did you change your name to?" Li Si asked curiously.

"Wang Chuang is such an awful name! Don’t you remember how our class used to call me ’The Bandit King’? Do you remember that version of The Return of the Condor Heroes starring Gu Tianle? After we moved and updated our household registration, I pestered my parents endlessly to change my name."

Li Si burst out laughing and nodded: "Yes! I remember. But what does that have to do with The Return of the Condor Heroes?"

Leng Ning, also intrigued, eagerly awaited her answer. After all, she had been a TV drama enthusiast herself as a child.

"I loved Li Ruotong in that show, so I begged my mom to change my name to Wang Ruotong! So tell me, isn’t Wang Ruotong much better-sounding than Wang Chuang?"

Li Si and Leng Ning exchanged looks, laughing uncontrollably—well, it really was better. "It does sound nice! Wang Ruotong, not bad!"

Wang Ruotong grinned triumphantly. She believed that after her name change, her life had completely transformed.

Leng Ning said enviously: "You’re so lucky, your parents are so open-minded! I tried to change my name too and didn’t succeed."

"Xiao Ning, what name did you want to change to?" Li Si asked, genuinely surprised, as she’d never heard her mention it before.

Wang Ruotong also chimed in curiously: "Was it also inspired by a favorite celebrity like mine?"

Leng Ning tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear as she laughed at the two: "My brother’s and cousins’ names all have the character ’Meng’ in the middle, but mine didn’t—it was just two characters. I was indignant, so I wanted to change my name to Leng Mengning!

But my mom said it didn’t sound as nice as Leng Ning, so I eventually gave up."

Li Si nodded in agreement, "It does seem like Leng Ning rolls off the tongue more smoothly. Leng Mengning feels a little awkward to say aloud."

The three continued chatting animatedly until Wang Ruotong’s mother, Liu Manlian, arrived fashionably late.

Seeing the three young women gathered together like this, her beautiful face lit up with surprise. After all, her daughter wasn’t supposed to know anyone here—had she bumped into classmates?

"Tongtong! Are these your classmates?"

Wang Ruotong beamed mischievously: "Mom! Take a guess—look at her closely and see if you recognize her!"

When Liu Manlian saw Li Si stand up excitedly and affectionately call her Aunt Liu, she too was momentarily dazed. She slowly realized there was something familiar about this young woman’s face.

Suddenly, a memory of her childhood appearance came back to her: "Wait a minute... Are you Li Si?"

"Yes, Aunt Liu! You’re still so beautiful! You actually remember me!" Li Si held her warm hand, feeling deeply moved inside.

As a child, she had often stayed at their house for meals, and despite being young, she knew how kind Aunt Liu had been to her.

Liu Manlian was just as emotional, clutching Li Si’s hand and looking her up and down, asking about her life incoherently: "You little sweetheart! You’ve always known how to flatter people! Auntie isn’t pretty anymore; I’m old!

How have you been all these years? Is your father doing well? After we moved, we lost touch with everyone from back then. Tongtong sometimes still talks about you!"

Liu Manlian remembered how her daughter had been inseparable from Li Si when they were kids. She also knew Li Si didn’t have a mother and was raised by her father alone. Though Li Si’s material needs had been met, her father was always busy with work and had little time for her.

So whenever Li Si came over to do homework or play, she made a point of preparing special meals and felt deeply for the girl’s situation at such a young age.

However, as she observed her now, she could tell Li Si had been doing well. Her temperament alone spoke volumes, and the luxurious quality of her outfit was undeniable. Even the watch on her wrist, though understated, was a new model from a high-end brand worth two million yuan.

"My dad passed away three years ago, but I’ve been fine! I’ve missed you so much! I can’t believe we actually met again!" Li Si answered softly.

"Oh, I’m so sorry—I didn’t know. You’ve been through so much!" Liu Manlian comforted her, holding Li Si’s hand tightly and feeling deeply moved. She hadn’t expected Li Si’s father to pass away at such a young age and couldn’t help but sigh at the fragility of life.

"It’s alright. It’s all in the past now." Although there was still some regret in Li Si’s heart, she no longer felt the intense pain she once did.

She preferred to convince herself that the words of a feng shui master were true—her father had already reincarnated and embarked on a new life.

Seeing the atmosphere turn a bit heavy, Wang Ruotong quickly interjected: "Mom! Isn’t it amazing? Li Si is married and a mom now! And she’s living in Beijing! Now we can hang out with her more often!"

Liu Manlian laughed and teased her daughter: "You rascal! All you ever think about is playing. Look at Li Si—she’s already a mother! When are you going to bring home a boyfriend for me?"

Having accompanied her daughter during her time abroad, she knew her playful nature well. Her daughter had plenty of friends but not a single boyfriend.

Her husband once said their daughter hadn’t "awakened" to romance yet—and that it was for the best, so no scoundrels could trick her away.

Now that her daughter had graduated, her work future became a concern. Luckily, their family’s finances were more than sufficient, or she didn’t know how they would manage. (To be continued. If you like this story, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)