novelraw Chapter 242 Celebration
Chapter 242 Celebration
"Look closely, he said 'she never strung me along'—isn't that clearing up those rumors that she's a 'green tea' and 'plays the field'?"
Those marketing accounts that once confidently claimed Lu Xiran "had been flirting with Xie Si'an since high school" are now eerily silent. Xie Si'an's Weibo post has effectively refuted their claims—the person in question has already stated that it was a crush that was rejected, that she's like a younger sister, and that she's keeping her distance. What else can they possibly fabricate?
Public opinion is beginning to shift subtly.
Someone created a picture by putting Gu Yanshen, Xin Mubai, and Xie Si'an together, with the title: "Lu Xiran in the eyes of three top men".
Gu Yanshen – the entire city's LED lights proclaimed his love, but it was only for her from beginning to end.
Xin Mubai – He fell in love at first sight, but recognized her talent, and even after being rejected, he still protected her.
Xie Si'an – childhood sweetheart, he had a crush on her for many years, and even after being rejected, he still called her "his most beloved little sister".
The tone of the comments section has completely changed.
"So what exactly did Lu Xiran do to make three such outstanding men so devoted to her? The key point is that she rejected two of them, yet not only did they not hate her, they were even more protective of her than the other two?"
But what's most touching is that under Xie Si'an's Weibo post, someone asked him, "Professor, do you still like her?"
He replied with two words: "Blessings."
There were no further explanations, no ambiguity left unsaid; only two words: clean and simple.
blessing.
These three men: one showed her through his actions that "you are my only one," one showed her through his principles that "I will protect you to the end," and one showed her through his restraint that "I wish you happiness."
They were stunned by Gu Yanshen and Xin Mubai's sincerity towards Lu Xiran, and started frantically posting the hashtag: #LuXiranPublishABook#.
"Please, please, Lu Xiran, publish a book called 'How to Make a Cold and Aloof Male God Fall in Love with Me,' I'll buy ten copies!"
"One confessed his love using the city's entire LED screen, another debated with netizens to uphold his principles, and yet another supposedly had a crush on him since childhood—what kind of lucky charm is this?"
Although there are still online trolls hired by Gu Yanbo trying to stir up trouble, Xin Mubai and Xie Si'an's statements have led more and more netizens to stand up for Gu Yanshen and Lu Xiran.
"Have you guys noticed that those posts criticizing Gu Yanshen and Lu Xiran are just repeating the same few sentences over and over again? Doesn't it sound like paid trolls clocking in for work?"
"Exactly! Whether a couple has a good relationship or not is not up to them to decide. Why should we believe the stories made up by marketing accounts? It's ridiculous."
"Exactly! Whatever the grudge, why not just take the evidence and report it to the police? Why resort to online 'court hearings' and incite public opinion all the time? What are they up to?"
Amidst this alternating commotion and reversals, Ruijing's first anniversary celebration arrived as scheduled.
Almost everyone in Haicheng is rushing here—no, not just Haicheng. The Ruijing Hotel's booking channels were sold out months in advance, with scalpers flocking in like sharks smelling blood. Rooms that were originally quite expensive saw their prices nearly quintuple in just a few days, and all the surrounding hotels—from five-star to budget guesthouses—were completely sold out.
Some people lamented on social media: "Getting tickets for the Ruijing Festival is harder than getting concert tickets."
Someone replied below: "A superstar concert? Give me a break, even superstars don't have this kind of entourage."
The crowds heading towards Ruijing split into two distinct groups.
Some people came to participate in the event—they really wanted to see just how amazing this hotel, known as the "Light of Haicheng," really was, and to experience the "auspicious aesthetics" that so many people talked about.
Another group of people came to watch the spectacle. With secret excitement and an undisguised voyeuristic desire, they were eager to see for themselves whether Gu Yanshen and Lu Xiran's feelings were genuine or feigned, as if they were waiting for a good show to begin.
Everyone wants to be the first to share their unique insights. On social media platforms like WeChat Moments, short videos, and live streaming, everyone has their cameras and captions ready, just waiting for the perfect moment to go viral. Whoever grabs the headlines grabs the traffic—this is the most blatant rule of our time.
Lu Xiran did not appear at the morning event.
But Ruijing itself is enough.
The entire hotel felt like it was encased in a giant pink bubble—the color of the first rays of sunlight in the morning shining through the mist onto white petals, gentle, clear, and with a healing quality that made you want to take a deep breath.
The design of Ruijing reveals Gu Yanshen's obsession with light.
Every window's angle has been meticulously considered, and every material presents a completely different texture under different lighting conditions at different times of day. Some people chased after the view from the lobby to the terrace, and from the terrace to the rooftop garden, taking pictures until they forgot their original purpose for coming—because it was just too beautiful.
"You stand over there! Yes, yes, backlit! Absolutely stunning!"
"My God, is this lighting real? Did someone put a filter on the ceiling?"
"Next time when there are fewer people, I definitely want to stay here for a few more days—no, a week!"
People were taking photos at every turn, and marveling at every glimpse of light and shadow.
Long queues formed in front of the game area and interactive installations, with some people winning small gifts customized by Ruijing and laughing like children. Throughout the day, Ruijing didn't feel like a grand celebration, but more like an amusement park for adults, where everyone briefly forgot who they were.
As dusk settled, the lights came on one by one.
The banquet hall for Ruijing's first anniversary celebration resembled a frozen galaxy.
On the dome, tens of thousands of crystal beads are arranged with a precise algorithm, the light spreading outward from the center, changing color temperature every fifteen minutes—from the deep blue before dawn, to the warm gold at daybreak, and then to the amber of twilight. This was a design personally finalized by Gu Yanshen. The designer once complained, "No one will stare at the ceiling for fifteen minutes," to which he simply replied, "She will."
At this moment, the banquet hall was filled with the clinking of glasses and the rustling of elegant ladies. Popular singers took turns on stage, each performing a carefully selected love song, as if someone had given everyone a song list in advance with only one theme written on it—love.
The moment the host announced Gu Yanshen's name, the entire hall fell silent.
He didn't walk onto the stage alone. The lights followed his steps, the audience's eyes followed his figure, and his gaze—from the moment he stepped onto the stage—was fixed on a certain direction to the side. There, Lu Xiran, wearing a light pink dress, stood in the shadows of the curtain, looking up at him with her head slightly tilted back.
Gu Yanshen stood in the center of the stage, the spotlight casting a long shadow of him. He wore a well-tailored black suit without a tie, and the top button of his shirt was undone—Lu Xiran had just helped him unbutton it, saying, "It's too tight, like you're going to sign a contract."
He glanced down at the microphone, then looked up and scanned the dark mass of people below the stage.
"Welcome everyone to Ruijing's first anniversary celebration."