CHAPTER 101

Xiaoyuan rushed to the basement and found the same Mercedes-Benz that Uncle Wang usually drove to pick her up. As far as she knew, this car was assigned to Uncle Wang by Wei Zhuang, but Uncle Wang wasn't normally Wei Zhuang's personal driver. She froze for a moment, then reopened WeChat to listen to the message again—yes, Wei Zhuang had clearly said she was already waiting in the basement parking lot beneath her apartment complex...

Hesitantly, she pulled open the car door and immediately met a pair of dark, profound eyes. A strand of raven-black hair fluttered against her cheek from the slight breeze caused by the opened door, obscuring the glint of her earring before landing on her lips.

Xiaoyuan's heart skipped several beats.

She slid into the seat and closed the door behind her, barely aware of her own movements as a smile bloomed across her face. "Why did you come?"

She felt her entire being come alive again, unable to resist reaching out to embrace the woman, pressing her face against Wei Zhuang's shoulder.

Wei Zhuang's gaze flickered subtly. Her fingers twitched with the impulse to touch Xiaoyuan's face—and she did exactly that, lifting her hand to let fingertips graze the younger woman's cheek. "Shall we go to my place?"

Xiaoyuan's breath hitched slightly. Her long hair tangled against Wei Zhuang's collar as her heartbeat fluttered wildly. With a soft murmur of agreement, she nestled closer against the woman.

The car started, and at this moment, Uncle Wang seemed to sense something, glancing at the rearview mirror, stepping on the gas, and quickly speeding away.

When Yu Qiuse reached the basement, she heard the sound of a departing vehicle. Following the noise, she could just make out the license plate number and immediately pulled out her phone, opening the camera app to take a photo—when someone seized her wrist.

Xiang Zhishi's face appeared before her, his brows furrowed. "What are you taking a picture of?"

"Just curious," Yu Qiuse shrugged. "I'm curious where Xiaoyuan's going."

"She's going to her friend's place," Xiang Zhishi said firmly. "She's an artist just like you. Please respect her privacy."

He glanced at her phone. The camera had just opened and hadn't captured anything, yet he still checked the photo album to be certain.

Watching his actions, Yu Qiuse sneered coldly. "Want to check my cloud storage too? My online backups?"

"What kind of friend requires this much secrecy?"

Xiang Zhishi shot her a glance before silently returning the phone and turning to leave.

Yu Qiuse stared at his retreating figure, suddenly biting her lip before chasing after him resentfully. "Of course your precious little sister comes first. Xiang Zhishi, do you have some kind of sister complex or what?"

Xiang Zhishi glanced at her, that look filled with the accusation that she was being unreasonable. He didn't stop walking. He was tall with long legs, and he quickly left her behind. He reached the elevator and pressed the button.

Yu Qiuse stormed after him. "You promised! You said you'd make it up to me!"

"I did promise," he acknowledged. "I said I could agree to anything as long as your request isn't excessive, but only if you don't involve Xiaoyuan."

"I hate her! I hated her from the first moment I saw her! We were happy together before her—writing songs, performing with our band..."

That summer, between her first and second year of high school, he was her tutor. She fell in love with him at first sight, got into his university for her undergraduate degree, and on the day he graduated with his master's, she gave him a box of love letters and confessed to him.

They got together.

That half-year was the happiest time of her life.

Not long after, he found his sister, but her happiness quickly faded and disappeared.

"I hate her, I despise her, I'll never forgive her." Yu Qiuse's emotions were agitated, her face flushed, and her eyes were red.

"Don't be like this..." Xiang Zhishi held her shoulders, soothing her in a gentle voice. "Calm down and listen to me. It's my fault, I let you down. This has nothing to do with Xiaoyuan."

"I still care about you deeply. I can take care of you, but you need to listen to me. I'll accompany you to see a psychologist..."

Xiang Zhishi frowned slightly, his eyes filled with concern. His expression gave her the illusion—that she still had him, that she still occupied a place in his heart.

Yu Qiuse wrapped her arms around him, standing on tiptoes to kiss him.

Xiang Zhishi's eyelashes trembled as he raised a hand to gently push her away.

"You care about me, you take care of me, so why..." Tears welled in Yu Qiuse's eyes.

"You're still married."

"There's no love between us. Back then, I was just too lonely abroad. I needed something to distract myself, something to hold onto..."

"You're still married. I can't."

"He already has a lover. Their relationship is stable. Our families have many business collaborations. Divorce isn't something I can decide alone."

Xiang Zhishi closed his eyes briefly, his expression shadowed with gloom. "May, please don't make this difficult for me. I don't want to do anything immoral."

"Immoral? Do you not like me anymore?" Yu Qiuse pleaded sorrowfully.

"I see you as family."

The air grew heavy. The elevator reached the basement level, its doors opening and closing again.

Yu Qiuse lowered her head and walked out without another word.

Xiang Zhishi sighed. "I'll see you off..."

"Go away."

"What are you standing there for? Didn't you say you'd see me off?"

"Let's go..." Xiang Zhishi walked ahead. The basement was chilly, and he couldn't help but cough lightly. Yu Qiuse watched him from behind, wanting to say something but holding back.

.......

"Is it your birthday today?"

The car drove smoothly and swiftly through the night. A cool breeze drifted in through the window as Xiaoyuan leaned against Wei Zhuang's shoulder, watching the streetlights flicker past beneath the canopy of green leaves.

Wei Zhuang's voice, light yet magnetic, brushed against Xiaoyuan's ears, warm and comforting.

"Yes." Xiaoyuan replied softly, breathing in the faint fragrance of her scent.

"Any gift you'd like?"

Xiaoyuan lifted her lashes, tilting her face slightly to meet Wei Zhuang's downward gaze.

"Think carefully."

"Can I ask for anything?"

A strand of long hair drifted onto Xiaoyuan's collarbone. Wei Zhuang reached over to tuck it aside. "As long as it's within my power."

The moment she said this, Wei Zhuang felt the girl in her arms tremble slightly—she was laughing. Xiaoyuan lifted her face, starlight dancing in her dark eyes, her lips curving sweetly with a hint of mischief. "You said it yourself. You have to keep your word."

Silence lingered in the car for a few seconds.

Wei Zhuang gazed at her wordlessly. For a fleeting moment, Xiaoyuan even thought her face was drawing closer.

Xiaoyuan was sure she was about to kiss her—but instead, Wei Zhuang simply reached out and lightly scratched her chin.

Xiaoyuan pressed her lips together. 'What was this, petting a kitten?'

She definitely didn't want to be the first to kiss Wei Zhuang now. 'Let's see who gives in first! Hmph!'

......

"I've thought of what I want."

On the table in the living room sat a cake Wei Zhuang's personal chef had specially made for Xiaoyuan.

A small cake shaped like a pink rose, not too large, but made with real cream. Xiaoyuan only dared to take a small bite.

Wei Zhuang, however, indulged in a tiny piece—her taste leaned toward sweetness.

Xiaoyuan found her utterly adorable.

"What?"

"I want a piece of your jewelry."

Seated on the carpet, Xiaoyuan blinked up at her with a playful smile.

Wei Zhuang's walk-in closet in the bedroom was enormous—so spacious that Xiaoyuan felt she could run laps inside. The jewelry cabinets were lined with pieces that looked like antiques, each one exuding luxury.

Xiaoyuan was dazzled, her eyes flitting from one glittering treasure to another. The entire room seemed to shimmer with diamonds and wealth.

Another row of drawers displayed wristwatches.

Some cabinets were secured with anti-theft systems. Though Wei Zhuang had already deactivated them, Xiaoyuan still hesitated to touch anything.

"Ah, this..." Xiaoyuan froze, her mind blanking for a moment. A sudden wave of intimidation washed over her, making her shrink back.

She ran out of the walk-in closet and said to Wei Zhuang on the sofa, "Don't you have anything that's... a little less expensive?"

Wei Zhuang gave her a puzzled look.

The atmosphere turned subtly awkward for a second.

Defeated, Xiaoyuan scurried back inside. She avoided the high-end cabinets and scanned the room again until her eyes landed on another case filled with designer pieces—luxury brands she recognized. Relieved, she exhaled.

Then, her eyes lit up.

"Frances, you have this earring too? Oh my god, what a coincidence!" Excited, she rushed back out and held up a delicate gold petal-shaped earring with a translucent green glass center, resting it in her snow-white palm.

"I remember Cai Juan once found me a pair just like this, but I lost them both."

She twirled the earring with her fingertip—a vintage Chanel piece from the '50s or '60s, incredibly rare. Who would've thought Wei Zhuang owned one too?

Wei Zhuang's gaze lingered for several seconds before slowly shifting from the earring to Xiaoyuan's face.

It wasn't hers to begin with.

For some reason, Wei Zhuang said nothing. She lowered her eyes, avoiding Xiaoyuan's bright, smiling gaze, as the sound of her footsteps pattering back into the closet reached her ears.

The closet had leather flooring, while the outer room had wooden panels. Xiaoyuan's back-and-forth steps created a rhythmic cadence, as if the air itself had come alive, infused with her scent.

Wei Zhuang felt slightly dazed. She thought, perhaps she should pick out a few perfumes for Xiaoyuan as birthday gifts.

Someone like Xiaoyuan right now—she'd choose a jasmine fragrance for her. Something fresh, clean, and innocent, like dewy little jasmine blossoms nestled in green grass, cultivated in a manor garden.

"I know what I want," Xiaoyuan declared, bounding back out. She climbed onto the sofa and threw herself into Wei Zhuang's arms, tilting her face up with a radiant smile—flawless skin, rosy lips, a delicate nose, and a mouth that looked irresistibly soft.

Dressed in denim shorts, her slender, fair legs draped over Wei Zhuang's lap.

"I want you..." Xiaoyuan's nose scrunched slightly, the faint tea-colored mole on it adding to her playful charm. Strands of hair brushed against her lips, but she paid no mind, laughing airily. The room instantly filled with floating feathers, tickling the skin with their teasing lightness.

The pink roses and peonies exuded a soft, powdery fragrance, their petals as smooth as skin, like spilt milk—an intoxicating scent akin to a kiss.

Her "gardeners" often said she had a thousand faces, and Wei Zhuang now saw the truth in that.

"I want the ones you're wearing on your ears right now."

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