Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 177 - 174: Narcissism is a Disease

If Qi Yi and Lei Pili had discussed this topic on the day they went to the Great Ocean Road, and Yan Yan hadn’t heard a word of it.

Then they were either chatting while freeing up memory, or it happened while Yan Yan, as a curious baby and "tour guide" Wei Fengsui, was engaged in conversation.

In short, the somewhat convoluted fact is, nobody knew that Yan Yan was unaware Lei Pili was going to Italy.

Lu Bingran didn’t know, and neither did Qi Yi.

For this reason, no one considered it newsworthy enough to inform Yan Yan.

As for why Lei Pili’s family didn’t mention it to him, Yan Yan couldn’t say.

It could’ve been intentional, or just like the situation on Yan Yan’s end, they might have assumed Lei Pili would surely have asked.

Yan Yan realized her attitude just now had been a bit excessive.

Even if Lei Pili liked her, even if he had come to confess his feelings, that couldn’t be considered a crime.

Moreover, today Lei Pili genuinely showed no intention of confessing before Yan Yan asked him if he needed a seventh reason to be rejected, aside from the ambiguity of the color of the flowers he was holding.

"Alright then, tell me what official business you have with me," Yan Yan slightly adjusted her attitude.

"If it’s about work, we have to start from your internship.

Tonight, there is a themed dinner at the consulate about Chinese design.

I am responsible for inviting Italian design masters and up-and-coming Chinese designers who are based in Italy.

Invitations were sent out a month ago.

Yesterday I called the director of Salvatore Ferragamo’s shoemaking department to confirm attendance.

She said she would be there on time and mentioned she has a special connection with China and would soon be bringing a Chinese intern.

I nonchalantly asked for the intern’s name.

Then I heard a name I was very familiar with.

I initially thought it might be two people with similar sounding names.

It was only after calling my brother that I found out he had just dropped you off at the airport.

So, you could say, learning that you were coming to Italy was purely coincidental," Lei Pili couldn’t help but recall that invisible thread of fate when he heard the director say the name Yan Yan yesterday.

In Melbourne, the reunion was filled with surprise, followed by astonishment, and joy followed by loss. In the end, Lei Pili chose restraint.

He didn’t probe his family for news about Yan Yan, and when his mother tried to gossip about it several times, he chose silence.

"Oh, I see..." Yan Yan felt a bit embarrassed and didn’t know how to retract her earlier tone.

"Today’s dinner guests include high-profile designers from Italy. We have not only the design and brand director from Salvatore Ferragamo, but also those from Florence-based GUCCI, as well as Milan’s PRADA, ARMANI, VERSACE, and Dolce and Gabbana," Lei Pili gave a brief introduction of the invitees for tonight’s dinner.

"Is that for real? That’s a high bar, as high as the sky, right?" Yan Yan was a bit skeptical and thoughtful as she looked at Lei Pili.

Yan Yan wondered to herself if perhaps this was an event Lei Pili had orchestrated to pursue her.

"Don’t worry, I’m just a third secretary; I don’t have the power to organize a large designer dinner just to chase you, (note 1)

It would have to involve a delegation with huge orders to have this kind of pull.

"As for me, I merely had the ability to send an extra invitation to you," Yan Yan conceded.

Yesterday when I asked my brother, he mentioned that even your family doesn’t know your address in Italy, so we couldn’t mail the invitation to you, which is why I ended up coming to the airport today.

There are also some young designers in the delegation who came directly from China to exchange and learn.

For Chinese fashion designers, this should be a long-coveted opportunity, and they even held a special competition to select the participants.

The fact that you just happened to come today is probably because you’re fated with this banquet. Now that I know, I hope a talented designer from the motherland won’t miss tonight’s banquet," Lei Pili said with a very formal tone, not seeming like he was joking.

"Talented designer from our motherland? Are you referring to me? But I didn’t participate in the selection competition you mentioned. Isn’t this taking advantage of your position?" Yan Yan certainly wanted this opportunity, but the sudden nature of the situation inevitably caused her some confusion and worry.

"No, it’s not like that. The moment you set foot on the soil of Italy, you became a Chinese designer in Italy.

I am inviting Yan Yan, the Chinese designer at Salvatore Ferragamo, not my friend Yan Yan.

As a Third Secretary, I have a lot of confirmation work to do, so I won’t overburden you with this task." Lei Pili handed Yan Yan an invitation.

After discussing the strictly official business, Lei Pili glanced at his watch and quickly left the airport.

Without any reservations or lingering, Lei Pili just walked away.

Yan Yan watched Lei Pili’s retreating figure, one second, two seconds, three seconds.

Finally understanding the situation, Yan Yan laughed at herself self-mockingly.

Narcissism is a disease. It needs to be cured.

.........

While Yan Yan and Lei Pili were chatting, Antonio looked at Yan Yan with eyes full of gossip.

However, after seeing Lei Pili walk away without looking back, Antonio’s initially vigorous radar for probing immediately changed direction and returned to Allegro.

Yan Yan composed herself, planning to process the airport encounter with Lei Pili later.

No matter how many surprises there were, she still needed to get her four pieces of luggage to where she was staying first and foremost.

Once in Allegro’s sports car, Yan Yan started making phone calls.

Since she had already used Antonio’s phone to speak with Qi Yi, Yan Yan decided to call her cousin first.

Yan Yan was somewhat concerned that the accommodation found by Allegro, who drove a sports car to pick someone up at the airport, might be a place without even a closet.

"Hey boss, why did you send a woman to pick me up at the airport?" Yan Yan’s phone calls with Yan Ling never started with the pleasantries of asking how one was doing.

"To pick you up at the airport, that was incidental. I was having someone look for accommodation for you. Naturally, I wanted someone with taste comparable to yours, a lady who could find you a satisfactory place to settle," Yan Ling responded to his cousin’s doubts.

"Are you sure it will satisfy me? You better not have found me some historical building. If your radiant and beautiful classmate ends up as a manual laborer helping me with my luggage, you might end up heartbroken, right?" Yan Yan asked directly about the aspects she was most concerned about.

"Heartbroken? I’m not going to be heartbroken. It’s my sister I’d worry about, not her. If you can get Allegro to do your bidding, then go right ahead; you don’t need to consider my feelings," Yan Ling clarified his relationship with Allegro with no hint of pity for her at all.

.........

Note 1:

Diplomatic personnel have ranks similar to military grades.

Diplomatic ranks are divided into seven levels: Ambassador, Minister, Counselor, First, Second, and Third Secretary, and Attaché.

If one starts as an Attaché after graduating with a bachelor’s degree, with normal progress, after two or three years of overseas posting, one can be promoted to a Third Secretary like Lei Pili.