"Um, it is indeed a bit strange..."
Ah Qing looked at the little fox in Lin Ying's arms with a subtle expression.
Upon seeing the little fox, whom Sister Dalin was extremely familiar with, Ah Qing already felt something peculiar in her heart.
She had a vague suspicion that the private jet and the spacious apartment where you can take five hundred steps to the bathroom after waking up might have been given to the little fox by Sister Lin.
Of course.
Even though she was curious about their past and experiences, Ah Qing didn't ask directly, planning to whisper about it later with Xiaolan before bed.
Still, as Ah Qing watched the scene unfold, she couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy inside.
"Master Fuli saved my life..." Lin Ying seemed to notice Ah Qing's curious expression and said with a smile, "If it weren't for Master Fuli loudly calling for help, I might have drowned in my own swimming pool by now."
Lin Ying linked arms with Ah Qing and lowered her voice mysteriously.
"Eh?"
The topic shifted from heavy to light-hearted, yet Lin Ying's words added a touch of suspense, leaving Ah Qing looking at Lin Ying in disbelief.
"Doesn't Sister Lin have maids at home? And I remember they work in shifts, right? How could there be an accident at home..."
Lin Ying pulled Ah Qing towards the house, smiling broadly as she explained, "Because I gave the maids a holiday, and ended up spraining my ankle by the pool and fell into it."
"You see, now there's no swimming pool at my place; it's been turned into a fish pond with guardrails welded on..."
With a look of nostalgia, Lin Ying began to share the story of how she met Master Fuli.
Initially, it was due to her own carelessness, and then, while Master Fuli was passing by searching for food, he saw her struggling in the pool. He immediately cried for help and jumped into the pool, pulling her with all his might.
Master Fuli was very brave; without his life-saving efforts, she might have already turned into a small box.
After that, they became familiar with each other.
"My apologies, my lady always gets animated when she talks about Master Fuli," Lin Bingyun looked apologetically at Momo on behalf of her lady.
"It's alright..."
Momo glanced at Lin Bingyun, then at Lin Ying's back with a peculiar expression.
"I don't know if it's my imagination, but I often feel that your lady subtly steers the conversation towards the little fox..."
"It's just an illusion," Lin Bingyun affirmed confidently.
Momo looked at Lin Bingyun, whose expression remained unchanged, as if speaking the absolute truth.
"Then... maybe it is an illusion?" Momo's face showed a hint of suspicion, inviting Lin Bingyun inside.
Lin Ying praised Master Fuli without any reservation, highlighting the fox's bravery and detailing his daily acts of kindness.
Such as acting as a temporary matchmaker, connecting shy couples with mutual interest.
Helping homeless pets find families, or guarding farmers' homes by shooing away thieving crocodiles...
...
Lin Ying's arrival did not throw the birthday party atmosphere into an awkwardness caused by an intruder.
Even though Lin Ying was dressed in a business-casual manner, she still carried a distinctive aura of 'grace.'
This grace didn't stem from her appearance; it effectively garnered the attention of all the classmates present.
With Ah Qing's introduction, Lin Ying seamlessly blended with the crowd of young men and women, discussing topics related to self-care or beauty.
While appearance is important, a person's overall charm and charisma extend beyond just looks.
Sometimes, slight adjustments to clothing style and posture can have great effects.
"Does Sister Lin really have such in-depth research on clothing and style?"
Ah Qing, wearing an apron, was helping Momo prepare food in the kitchen while also paying attention to the happenings in the living room.
"...Not really. Lin Ying usually wears whatever Housekeeper Lin prepares for her," Ansheng said, squatting on the island table and looking at Ah Qing as she whimpered:
"If Housekeeper Lin doesn't prepare clothing, Lin Ying is likely to spend a whole day in a nightgown, or at most change into sportswear for a workout at the home gym..."
Although Lin Ying could discuss cosmetics, beauty, and self-care passionately, she actually didn't delve into them; rather, she learned by observing makeup artists over the years and knew the key points and how to restore her state quickly.
Without social engagements or business trips, Lin Ying usually opts for comfort at home.
And Lin Bingyun frequently follows Lin Ying around, reminding her of the upcoming event and helping choose the appropriate attire.
If Lin Ying were to handle makeup herself, the scene would be disastrous.
"Eh? Is this really the case?" Ah Qing looked at the little fox in disbelief.
Nearby, Momo chimed in, "The wealthy ladies at the top of a gold mine indeed hire makeup teams who prepare a schedule, and these makeup artists pre-select outfits for the next day."
"Who has time to coordinate thousands upon thousands of items in a wardrobe? You certainly need an external brain."
"...Thousands upon thousands?"
Ah Qing's brain shrank at the words, her first time hearing the term 'thousands upon thousands' used for the clothes in a wardrobe, left in astonishment.
"...How much space do all those clothes take up? It's just money wasted." Ah Qing spoke softly after a long pause.
A single wardrobe takes up two or three square meters, but can only hold twenty or thirty hanging outfits.
Thousands wouldn't fit in wardrobes spanning hundreds of square meters; the storage room alone would be several times larger than her house.
"???"
Hearing Ah Qing's complaint, even Momo's mind shrank while preparing the hot pot.
It makes so much sense...
Spend money buying clothes, pay storage fees to keep clothes, why do I always end up eating the loss?
"Dinner is ready!"
Momo finished slicing the beef, brimming with black lines, and called out towards the living room.
The little fox's birthday isn't at home; instead, it's being held at a rooftop barbecue event.
They eat a light meal at home to fill their stomachs before heading upstairs with camping chairs for chatting and grilling.
"Ah Qing, could you call the senior sister and check her location?"
Momo glanced at the time and asked for Wang Qiqi's whereabouts.
Ah Qing sent Wang Qiqi a WeChat message.
"You all go ahead and eat! I need to pick up two juniors; they fell into a ditch while cycling..."
Wang Qiqi picked up the phone with a look of helplessness, heading towards the Qinling Mountain Range to fetch Treasure Tree and Ba Mountain Mosquito. Those two got an extravagant birthday gift for Master Fuli and ran too far, making it inconvenient to travel with items, thus asking for help.
Hearing the phone call, Wang Qiqi was stunned; Treasure Tree's words were akin to saying they got lost in their own home.