"Oh yes Longwei, this is my lovely niece Mo Xing!" Liu Liwei said with a grin as he put his arm around Xing's shoulder and lightly pulled her forward.
"Hello Mr. Xi Longwei" Mo Xing said in a neutral tone and expressionless face, the one she always has for strangers.
"Hello Ms. Mo Xing" Longwei nodded and spoke in a neutral tone yet in his tone it was so small no one would notice there was something else.
"Well we will get going now, goodbye Longwei" Liwei spoke while Mo Xing nodded
"Goodbye Uncle Liu… and Ms. Mo Xing" Longwei said while squinting his eyes the slightest while saying the last part, however no one noticed. He then nodded while going into the restaurant and the other two left the restaurant's lobby.
Back with Xi Longwei -
Xi Longwei was slightly out of it as he was preoccupied with many thoughts that he did not even realize he arrived on the fourth floor in the biggest private room where his other three best friends were.
Somehow Longwei managed to get inside the room and was greeted with the usual scene, Qin Mingyu chatting his head off while Wang Yang and Noah Cheng kept quiet although sometimes they would give a mono syllabus reply. *
Qin Mingyu paused and when he saw Longwei he said teasingly, "Longwei my friend, why are you in a daze? Did a beauty finally stun you, making you fall in love with her at first sight?"
Longwei snapped out of his train of thoughts and glared at Mingyu before sitting down at the table.
"For your information, no, I did not. Instead I-I think I saw Xiao Star" Longwei said, even stuttering a little, surprising everyone since he almost never stuttered ever, being the confident soldier and chairman he was.
"Xiao Star?! You mean your first love from high school?! Wait, I thought she disappeared, how did you see her? Are you sure it's her and not some doppelganger? Wow I remember her being a cold person tsk tsk she really was similar to you in many ways." Mingyu rattled off again, pissing off Longwei as it was a distant memory he wished to bury.
Before this he was always able to semi forget about her and always claimed that he never was in love however reality proved otherwise. Just finally seeing her face again revealed many buried memories and his love from the past, although short started rekindling. Longwei suppressed the feeling in his chest and heart, shaking his head as he did not want to remember.
"Oh, did she recognize you if she really was your Xiao Star? Did you talk with her?" Mingyu kept asking even knowing he most likely won't get a reply but still asked anyway since it was his tendency as a private investigator and being the gossiper he was he had to try.
"I'm not sure if she did remember me but we talked briefly since she was with Uncle Liu aka Old Man Liu." Longwei said, becoming a little warmer. Longwei, although usually cold, becomes friendly/warmer with close friends and family only.
"What?! She was with that stern, cold old man?! Ow!" Mingyu exclaimed after getting hit on the head by Noah Cheng.
"Be nice, he may be cold and stern but he helped us a lot, at least give him respect." Noah berated Mingyu
"Yes yes, but besides that why would Mo Xing be with him? I never knew she knew Uncle Liu." Mingyu said
"Who knows, maybe she met him somewhere. It is strange though, she had no reaction when she saw me, do you think she forgot about me?" Longwei asks contemplating on what has happened.
While Mingyu kept chattering like the chatterbox he was, Longwei started getting lost in his thoughts and past memories he had buried deep within his heart and mind.
Flashback to ~roughly~ 10 years ago -
Longwei had heard of a new transfer first year student* joining in the second semester of his high school, Lan Yun High**. He was curious because he had heard teachers praise her which is rare as Lan Yun is known to be very strict and praises don't come easy. He and his best friends did get praised but not until a semester into first year yet this mysterious transfer student already had praises sung for her. Moreover, he knew the teachers weren't falsely praised as no teacher in Lan Yun was corrupt nor the officials in the school. They do not fall for money so he, a usually non curious person, was curious about this transfer student.
Not just him, even his small group of friends; Wang Yang, Noah Cheng, Li Xiu Ying, and of course the gossiper of their group Qin Mingyu were all curious.
Since they were curious they decided to ask the principal to allow them to welcome the new student along with the principal.
Of course, with their good grades, the principal gladly allowed them as that day they had a free period in the morning, thus allowing them to join easily. Even Li Xiu Ying joined since she was a second year student who had good grades and a 'free' period as her teacher gave them a self study period which the principal gladly let her leave and join because of her excellent results.
When the group arrived at the office of the principal, the principal Huo Chonglin, was finishing speaking and said, "ah Mo Xing, the students who will welcome and tour you around your first day are here" after noticing the group coming over.
Qin Mingyu, being the friendliest of the group as well as the most curious, welcomed her first and said, "Welcome to Lan Yun High! Your name is Mo Xing right? I am Qin Mingyu!"
Before Mo Xing even got to reply, Mingyu started rambling off and introducing the others.
"These are my cold friends! The tallest one is Xi Longwei, the couple holding hands are Wang Yang and Li Xiu Ying, and the last one is Noah Cheng!" Mingyu pointed at each one while introducing each person.
Li Xiu Xing, being semi friendly at least compared to the other boys, said, "welcome Mo Xing. We hope you enjoy your experience here at Lan Yun High"
The other three nodded and said at the same time, "welcome Mo Xing"
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* = In China, high schools have 3 years and Mo Xing is in the first year
** = Lan Yun High means "Blue Cloud High" in Mandarin