The Li family mansion.

Three hours before the auction began, Li Jin Yu was hunched over with a cigarette between his fingers, leaning against the second-floor balcony railing. He held his phone to his ear while expressionlessly watching Li Ling Bai’s car slowly drive through the mansion’s shadowy gate. In his ear came Liang Yun An’s regretful voice: “Yesterday I applied to the city bureau, hoping to invite you to assist us in solving the case, but Li Ling Bai is still a suspect, and you’re her son. Based on recusal regulations, the higher-ups didn’t approve. But I’ll try again—it’s such a waste not using that brain of yours…”

The car door opened, followed immediately by the commanding click-clack of Li Ling Bai’s high heels resonating through the garden. Li Jin Yu tapped off some cigarette ash. “Mm, understood.”

Liang Yun An said helplessly, “Our chief is like an over-fried pebble—completely impenetrable. I’ll find another chance to persuade him. I believe in you one hundred percent—though your situation has inspired our chief. Yesterday he found several memory experts like you, hoping they might make some progress too.”

“Good, I hope you solve the case soon.”

A “ding-dong” sounded as the villa elevator reached the second floor. Li Jin Yu hung up the phone at the opportune moment, put it back in his pocket, and took another drag of his cigarette, his gaze fixed on the slowly opening elevator doors.

A beautiful woman walked out. Li Ling Bai had taken excellent care of herself. In her early fifties, her skin remained translucent and luminous, looking even more supple than many young girls. Li Jin Yu knew she regularly went to the hospital for various injections. But after not seeing her for so long, he had to admit this face, compared to before, had become much looser. And it looked somewhat surgically enhanced.

However, Li Ling Bai thought Li Jin Yu looked increasingly bewitching. Almost thirty now? Or twenty-seven? She couldn’t remember clearly. Anyway, this face, she felt, had hardly changed at all. If anything, he seemed even paler than before, with more defined features and greater masculinity. More frightening still—those deep black eyes, as clean as ever, perpetually clear and innocent, as if everyone owed him something.

Li Jin Yu leaned against the railing, put out his cigarette, and tugged at the corner of his mouth toward her, saying, “Mom.”

Still the same as ever, not changing one bit over the years—so pretentious. Li Ling Bai coldly responded with an “Mm,” and then asked, “Where’s your grandfather?”

“In the study,” he said.

Li Ling Bai ignored him and turned to instruct her secretary to look after her precious son—referring, of course, to the child whose height probably didn’t reach Li Jin Yu’s thigh. The child was named Li Zhuo Feng. Li Zhuo Feng didn’t much resemble Li Ling Bai. His skinny, bony frame made him look withered, like an elderly person nearing the end of life, completely lacking a child’s innocence and vitality. But fortunately, his grape-like eyes were bright. It had to be said that although Li Ling Bai liked cosmetic surgery, her natural features were indeed excellent. Both Li Jin Yu and Li Zhuo Feng had eyes remarkably similar to hers.

Li Ling Bai probably rarely mentioned Li Jin Yu to Li Zhuo Feng, so Li Zhuo Feng was both unfamiliar with and curious about him. Timidly, he called out, “Brother.”

Li Jin Yu had no special feelings toward this step-brother—neither dislike nor affection. He simply leaned against the railing and gave a faint “Mm.” However, Li Zhuo Feng seemed to want to come over to him but was firmly held back by the secretary’s hands on his shoulders, as if Li Jin Yu were some kind of dangerous beast. It seemed Li Ling Bai was always on high alert around him.

So Li Jin Yu decided to tease the boy a bit. With one hand in his pocket, he lazily beckoned to Li Zhuo Feng. As if bewitched, Li Zhuo Feng twisted free from the secretary’s grasp and rushed toward Li Jin Yu like a moth to flame. The secretary had only one thought—if this second brother of Li Zhuo Feng’s truly set his mind on seducing someone, no woman could escape. And this brother appealed to both young and old alike.

Li Jin Yu pulled a candy from his pocket. “Want one?”

Li Zhuo Feng nodded eagerly.

“Shall I unwrap it for you?”

“Yes.”

Li Jin Yu, still leaning against the railing with his cigarette, unwrapped the candy in a few quick movements and casually fed it into the child’s mouth. With his other hand, he twisted the wrapper into a ball, gave it to Li Zhuo Feng, and gently patted the boy’s head. Looking into his eyes, he said slowly, “Help brother throw this into that brown trash can.”

The content of their conversation remained unknown, but Li Chang Jin was furious, and Li Ling Bai, with a livid face, hurriedly left with her secretary. Li Chang Jin did not attend that evening’s charity auction. Naturally, Li Jin Yu didn’t come either. Tai Yang Yang excitedly rushed over only to be disappointed. She sat dejectedly in her seat, chin in hand like a woman waiting for her husband’s return, wistfully staring at two empty seats in the first row of the auction display area, one of which bore Li Jin Yu’s name.

Tai Yang Yang wore a thin strapless mermaid dress with tulle, revealing her delicate collarbones, swan-like neck, and butterfly-wing shoulder blades that seemed ready to flutter away. Like a butterfly in bloom, she was indescribably beautiful. A large bow adorned her chest, making her look like a gift, as if desperate for Li Jin Yu to unwrap her himself.

She was indeed the type Li Jin Yu would like—docile, sensible, easily deceived.

Tai Yang Yang scrolled through Weibo while chatting idly with her older brother. She was a typical fangirl, her entire Weibo homepage was filled with various celebrity fan accounts and influential fan leaders. She also loved calling Li Jin Yu “brother.” “Is brother not coming today?”

Tai Ming Xiao had just finished a call with Li Jin Yu. “Yeah, he said the old man dragged him off to play golf.”

“No way—does that mean I got all dressed up for nothing?” Tai Yang Yang complained dejectedly.

“Would your brother let you waste your efforts?” Tai Ming Xiao glanced at her with interest. “He’ll come pick us up after finishing golf.”

“Really?” Tai Yang Yang was a bit excited.

“Yeah, I’ll find an excuse to disappear, and you grab your chance.”

Tai Yang Yang’s eyes gleamed red with anticipation, but suddenly she grew quiet.

“What’s wrong?” Tai Ming Xiao asked, puzzled.

Tai Yang Yang suddenly felt a nervousness like returning to one’s hometown. “Do you think brother might have a girlfriend after being away for so many years?”

“Impossible. That naive innocent has been as celibate as a monk around women all these years. Sometimes I even wonder if there’s something wrong with his sexual orientation,” Tai Ming Xiao said. To strengthen his argument, he took a dig at Ye Meng, who had been sitting nearby silently the whole time. “See? This beauty next to me—the other day in the car, he didn’t even glance at her once. When Ye Meng tried to talk to him, he just coldly responded with an ‘oh.'”

Ye Meng: “…”

Tai Yang Yang’s eyes sparkled: “Is brother really that detached? He wasn’t moved even by Sister Ye, such a top-tier beauty?”

“Not at all,” Tai Ming Xiao shook his head firmly. “Don’t worry. That time you were going to confess to him, I deliberately kept him playing ball until midnight, and he held a grudge against me for several years.”

Tai Yang Yang’s cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes filled with undisguised joy, but also the hesitation and insecurity of young love. “Brother, you’re overthinking it.”

“Wow, you’re regressing,” Tai Ming Xiao was nearly infuriated by his timid sister. “Where’s the courage you had when you played house with him as a child? Isn’t romance all about overthinking? I overthink and assume you have a crush on me, you overthink and assume I like you, and then gradually we start noticing each other. If you’re constantly reminding yourself what you shouldn’t do, what’s the point of living? Your life hasn’t even begun, and you’re already self-castrating.”

“What should I… do later?” Tai Yang Yang’s voice already contained hints of eagerness.

Tai Ming Xiao offered his advice: “Confess, forcefully kiss him.”

Hearing this, Ye Meng suddenly choked.

Tai Ming Xiao: “See, even your Sister Ye thinks my plan is excellent.”

“Bang!” The ball attacked the green. Li Chang Jin turned and handed the club to the caddy beside him, took out a white handkerchief, and methodically wiped the sweat from his hands. He glanced at Li Jin Yu leaning nearby, “Actually, life is like playing golf. You need to lower your stance to hit the ball, not swing a few times, and eagerly look up to find the ball, to see where it lands. A person who truly plays golf well must first learn to keep his head down.”

Li Jin Yu knew he was implying something. Leaning against the golf post, he smiled and lowered his head: “Is my posture not low enough? Do you want me to kneel?”

Li Chang Jin smiled without speaking and sat down in a nearby chair. He motioned for the caddy to give the club to Li Jin Yu. “Come, let grandfather see how the golf I taught you at eight years old is coming along now.”

Li Jin Yu hadn’t played for a long time. He didn’t particularly like this gentlemanly activity, so he leaned back inconspicuously for a moment before lazily reaching out to take the club from the caddy’s hand, casually saying, “After this round, I won’t be accompanying you anymore.”

Li Chang Jin waved his hand, “First hit the ball, then show grandfather an albatross.”

The so-called “albatross” is a hole-in-one in golf. For example, on a par-three hole, if you make a hole-in-one, it’s called an “eagle.” If you make a hole-in-one on a par-four hole, it’s called an “albatross.”

Li Chang Jin had played golf his entire life without ever hitting an albatross, yet the confused eight-year-old Li Jin Yu had somehow managed to hit one.

The current Li Jin Yu naturally couldn’t achieve that now, but he was still barely competent, hitting a birdie—holding the ball in two strokes.

Li Chang Jin was somewhat disappointed. “What were you thinking about just now?”

Li Jin Yu handed the club to the caddy and sat down beside him, legs spread, hands resting. He lowered his head in silence for a moment before saying, “I was wondering why you want to give me the shares, and why my mother didn’t get a penny.”

Li Chang Jin turned his body, pouring himself tea while looking at him, “Feeling sorry for your mother?”

Li Jin Yu smiled, “To be honest, she is my mother after all—”

Li Chang Jin remained composed, calmly blowing at the tea leaves: “Enough, you don’t need to pretend in front of me. I know you’ve been investigating her.”

The golf course was particularly bright. This was Li Chang Jin’s private course, with only the two of them in the vast space. The smile on Li Jin Yu’s face gradually froze.

Li Chang Jin’s gaze was profound, like a vast forest, a calm night beneath which lay countless crises, as if the changing winds and clouds were merely thoughts between his palms: “Will these fifteen percent of shares make you leave your mother alone?”

Li Jin Yu lowered his head in silence for half a beat, licked the corner of his lips, his sharp, clear Adam’s apple faintly rolling, then coldly laughed: “So how many unspeakable things has she done behind the scenes that you’re willing to use shares to bribe me?”

Li Chang Jin shook his head, “Jin Yu, these shares weren’t decided to be given to you just today. From the day you were born, I said that after you came of age, I would transfer fifteen percent of Han Hai’s shares to you. But unfortunately, time wasn’t on our side—my illness came like an avalanche, and you drifted south.” At this point, Li Chang Jin gave him another meaningful look, continuing earnestly, “Standing at the pinnacle of power and wealth, you’ll find that in many matters, you have no choice. Do you believe this world is fair? Do you believe the side that defeats evil is necessarily absolute justice? No, this world has never been fair, and the forces that defeat evil might be another more evil force. Because everyone has evil in their hearts. Everyone understands the concept of empathy for others’ misfortunes, but most people don’t realize that when the rabbit dies, they might be the pitiful fox. Because there is no permanent opposition.”

“So you condoned what my mother did, is that it?” Li Jin Yu seemed to be unable to bear it any longer. He turned his head, nodding heavily one by one, saying, “Including her collaboration with Oliver, maliciously driving up prices, making it impossible for Chinese nationals to bid, until finally the ‘Chang Zhong Ding’ fell into the hands of a foreigner, perhaps never to return to China? Do you know how much kickback she received from that?”

Li Chang Jin was shocked. In those ancient eyes, tumultuous emotions surged: “Are you certain? This matter can’t be spoken of lightly without evidence.”

Li Jin Yu formed a tower with his hands, head lowered, saying nothing.

Li Chang Jin sighed: “Forget it, I thought she was just playing power games. If it truly involves this level, I would certainly be the first not to spare her. Her actions in recent years have indeed become increasingly aggressive. Many old veterans in the circle are increasingly dissatisfied with her. The other day, Little Liu showed me some exposé posts on something called Weibo that laid our family bare.”

Since the ‘Chang Zhong Ding’ auction failed, Chinese collectors nationwide had been voicing their discontent with Li Ling Bai. Years of pent-up resentment finally surfaced. Thankfully, Li Ling Bai had a good PR team—whenever there was a hint of unrest, they would promptly extinguish it, letting matters fade away.

However, this time, with a national treasure lost, and lost overseas at such a high price, it had touched the reverse scale of all cultural relic enthusiasts. Li Ling Bai had been thoroughly exposed and even implicated Li Chang Jin.

Yet Tai Yang Yang was watching this exposé post with great interest at the auction venue, gleefully commenting: “Brother’s mother has so much dirt! I knew her nose must be surgically enhanced—how else could it be so straight? But she does maintain herself well. That skin doesn’t look fifty at all.”

Ye Meng found this Tai Yang Yang quite interesting. Most people would be upset or unable to continue reading if their crush’s mother was being exposed like this. She was enjoying the gossip with relish, constantly nudging her brother with her elbow, exclaiming in exaggerated surprise: “Wow, so Li Zhuo Feng was conceived through artificial insemination? No wonder he looks so malnourished, completely unlike his brother. My Brother is handsome. Hey, is this photo cropped from his student ID? He looks so fresh-faced.”

Tai Yang Yang worried further: “Sigh, people are starting to dig up dirt on brother now. Please don’t—he has so many black histories that won’t stand scrutiny. A search on the campus forum would reveal all his past deeds.”

Ye Meng suddenly found this girl rather adorable: “Let me see your phone.”

Tai Yang Yang exclaimed and immediately enthusiastically shared with her, “Let me tell you, brother had it tough. That incident back then wasn’t his fault at all. He was just being kind-hearted and was taken advantage of. He was tricked by those old men, and then those heartless villains pushed him out to take the blame. Brother never once defended himself.”

“Why didn’t he defend himself?”

“Brother was protecting those children! Later when the incident blew up, some foreigners stood up for their brother, and public opinion started to shift. Then those few association heads, seeing there might still be room for maneuver, immediately pushed all responsibility onto those children. And you know, with a brother looking like that, many girls at school liked him. The old men used those ignorant young women to drive the narrative. They began attacking those children furiously on the forum, blaming them for their lack of intelligence rather than brotherhood. If brother had further explained about memory palaces and so on, those girls would probably have gone even crazier. So brother didn’t explain anything and just withdrew from a competition he was participating in to let the storm die down.”

…

As the auction ended and people gradually flowed out, Li Ling Bai never made an appearance. Everyone understood clearly that this was merely her method of salvaging her reputation—a charity event with a transaction amount of three million, clearly and transparently donated in full to Hope Primary Schools.

The top Weibo comments were, as always, uniformly consistent: “Bravo! This is what a Chinese entrepreneur should be!”

If they weren’t industry insiders, most ordinary people still held Li Ling Bai in high regard—at least she worked diligently every year and was one of the few willing to devote herself to charity work.

Sometimes a circle is just like a wall. Although outsiders see the vibrant branches hanging high, bright and beautiful, only those inside know what kind of bird droppings and eggs are wrapped within.

Li Jin Yu was already waiting outside, still in his shirt and trousers. Since coming to Beijing, it seemed like his wardrobe contained only these black and white shirts. In the hazy, dreamy night, he looked minimalist and desolate. He seemed to have lost more weight—why did his clothes around the waist look so loose?

That day, Tai Yang Yang had fled at the critical moment—no confession, no forceful kiss. Instead, the moment Li Jin Yu appeared, she ran away like a little mouse caught stealing cheese.

Li Jin Yu, hands in his pockets, leaned against the wall, watching the panicked butterfly fleeing. He asked Tai Ming Xiao, “What’s wrong with your sister? She ran away from me like she’d seen a ghost.”

Tai Ming Xiao was so frustrated his teeth itched. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say, “Forget it, we’ll talk about it next time. By the way, I need to go to the company. I’m leaving first.” Then he hurriedly said to Ye Meng, “I’m taking the car. You can catch a taxi.”

Ye Meng responded with a simple “mm,” and suddenly, in the rush, only the two of them were left.

In Beijing in May, the wind was fierce and urgent, blowing chaotically behind them. The world behind them was like one that had just been ravaged by a violent storm—scraps of paper, sand, leaves… all swirled into the air, floating. Even the treetops made rustling sounds, and the world was in chaos. They seemed like two travelers in a turbulent era, their gazes fixed on each other in startled encounters.

Ye Meng wore a blue suit today with a low-cut waistcoat underneath, revealing a large expanse of bare, delicate white skin on her chest—mature and capable, exuding springtime desire. She resembled a rose in chaotic times, windblown yet proudly independent. She smiled with rare brilliance and abandon, tilting her head to gaze at him for a long moment. Then she extracted one hand from her chest and gently beckoned to him.

Li Jin Yu walked over, and before he could speak, Ye Meng hooked her arm around his neck and offered herself up. At the bustling intersection with its flashing neon lights, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

Tai Ming Xiao had just gotten into the car. Had he looked out the window at that moment, he would have seen that chaotic, apocalyptic-like intersection and this heart-stirring, explosive scene. But he remained completely oblivious, humming a tune, turning on the radio, and slowly driving out of the intersection. The image of the two kissing was like a beautiful painting reflected in his rearview mirror, stretching and shrinking, yet he didn’t spare it a glance.

Li Jin Yu attempted to deepen the kiss, but Ye Meng released him and tried to step back.

Li Jin Yu hooked his arm around her waist, refusing to let go. Anyone passing by at that moment would have heard this shameless man softly inviting her to take things further: “Come to my place?”

This deep, seductive voice made one’s ears burn and heart suddenly pound. So direct and frank, like a bold, passionate couple seeking only a night’s pleasure.

But Ye Meng merely sampled lightly, gently pushing him away with a somewhat triumphant air: “No. I have to fly to Hainan shortly. I can’t accompany you.”

“What for?”

“There’s a gem exhibition. Gou Kai asked me to check it out.”

Li Jin Yu figured it out and gave her a cold look: “You’re deliberately teasing me?”

Ye Meng smiled and patted his face: “Who knew you’d be so easily teased, little brother.”

“You seem to be in a good mood these days?” Li Jin Yu thought it didn’t matter as long as she was happy.

“It’s all right,” Ye Meng said lazily.

“Fine, I’ll take you home.”

After that night, Ye Meng stayed in Hainan for a week. During that week, their relationship seemed to change slightly again—occasional phone calls, occasional video chats, and occasionally, like before, they would open a video call and say nothing, just quietly gazing at each other’s eyes, as if searching for the last bit of tenderness in each other’s hearts amid the chaos. Li Jin Yu noticed that Ye Meng’s gaze when looking at him lately had become increasingly lingering, as gentle as the wind above clouds, like a cloud dissolving into spring rain.

The day Ye Meng returned from Hainan was Tai Yang Yang’s birthday. These rich second-generation kids probably all had some issue—whenever something made them happy or upset, they liked to flood their Moments feed. It was unclear who started this habit. Tai Yang Yang posted more than a dozen updates that day, showing off the exquisite, expensive gifts from her “brothers” one by one.

On the day he bought Tai Yang Yang’s gift, Li Jin Yu called Ye Meng to ask, “Tai Yang Yang is having her birthday soon. What do you think I should buy?”

Ye Meng was at a sauna at the time, her entire body seeming to have shed a layer of skin, glowing white, without a visible pore. Her skin was like a tender white petal, and her slender neck seemed to still bear morning dew—fresh and clear. She said, “Whatever you want. What did you give her before?”

“Before,” Li Jin Yu seemed to briefly recall on the phone, “I don’t remember.”

“She’s a young girl, so probably the usual—jewelry and such,” Ye Meng said casually afterward.

Li Jin Yu was at Li Zhen’s club at the time, leaning against the club’s main entrance, watching a group of eighteen or nineteen-year-olds racing cars on the winding road opposite. Amid the continuous shrill screams and the dull roar of revving engines, he said expressionlessly, “Is that so? When should I give her a necklace? A bracelet? Or, simply, a ring?”

“Sure, whatever you want,” Ye Meng still sounded indifferent.

Li Jin Yu felt like his lungs were about to burst with anger. He felt like he should be the one in the sauna, feeling so stuffy he could hardly breathe: “Hanging up!”

They hadn’t contacted each other since that day. Ye Meng was now scrolling through Tai Yang Yang’s Moments photos—ah, indeed there was a diamond ring.

[Tai Yang Yang: Brother’s gift! (heart)]

Ye Meng calmly liked the post without further comment.

Days passed uneventfully. By Saturday, Ye Meng felt like she would explode from these suppressed emotions. She called Li Zhen.

Li Zhen’s end sounded very lively, with mixed conversations in the background. Faintly, she heard Tai Yang Yang calling someone “brother” and that familiar, cold “mm” in response.

“Many people there?”

Li Chen walked outside where it was quieter, with only the howling wind in the background. “Yes, Tai Ming Xiao organized a barbecue.”

“I want to race. Can you lend me a car?”

Li Chen readily agreed, “Come over, I’ll find one for you.”

When he hung up and went back inside, Tai Ming Xiao was holding two just-grilled mushroom skewers for Tai Yang Yang’s friends and casually asked, “Who was that? Your wife?”

Li Chen sat back down, continuing to skewer meat and dip it in sauce, answering absently: “Ye Meng. She said she’s coming over to race.”

Tai Ming Xiao thought he had misheard and dug into his ear: “Is she crazy?”

The characterful garage had small groups of young people scattered about. Li Jin Yu had been holed up at Li Chen’s place this whole time—not racing, not doing anything, just staying put. This forced Li Chen to come check the shop every day, and on weekends, he still had to serve these kids with their barbecue.

Li Chen, expressionless, considering himself an emotionless meat-grilling machine, said: “Don’t know, probably fought with her husband again. It’s not the first time. Why are you so surprised?”

Tai Ming Xiao’s eyebrows nearly flew off in surprise: “She’s been here before!?”

Li Chen said, “About a month ago, she came once. Also after fighting with her husband.”

Tai Ming Xiao cursed: “Damn, she never told me. Does she even consider me a friend?”

At this point, Gou Kai, who was sitting on the sofa in a proper suit watching the economic news, snorted dismissively again: “I told you her country bumpkin husband doesn’t deserve her.”

Tai Ming Xiao, while fanning the charcoal in the grill, instigated trouble: “I’ve heard this so many times it’s growing calluses. If you’ve got the guts, steal her away.”

Gou Kai said, “You think I don’t dare?”

Tai Ming Xiao scoffed. He was truly skilled at barbecuing; in no time, he had deftly grilled another skewer of mushrooms for the girls nearby, not forgetting to mock Gou Kai: “You’ve been secretly digging with a spoon. At your speed, it’ll be the year of the monkey before you get anywhere.”

Not long after, Ye Meng arrived and was preparing to change into a racing suit in Li Chen’s changing room. Li Chen didn’t rush out, but leaned against the doorframe, chatting with her: “Do you want to challenge the little red flag at the mountaintop?”

“What little red flag?”

“Challenge my record—seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds. If you win, your name goes on the little red flag.”

“Boring,” Ye Meng wasn’t interested. “If you give me that piece of land at the mountaintop, I might try. Why would I bother with just a little red flag?”

Li Zhen leaned back lazily, shaking his head. “Don’t look down on that little red flag. It’s an F1 championship flag, the only one of its kind.”

“Forget it. I’d be thankful just not to fly off the road with my driving skills.”

“All right,” Li Chen didn’t press further. But before leaving, he suddenly remembered something and reminded her, “Don’t go into the wrong room when changing. The room next door has a camera. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you get filmed.”

“You’re so perverted, putting cameras in changing rooms?”

Li Chen smiled, “No, it’s Tai Ming Xiao’s sister. I heard she plans to confess to the Li family’s second son later and wants to record it, so she placed a camera in advance. Li Jin Yu is the only one who doesn’t know. Don’t tell him.”

“Mm.”

Li Chen tossed her the car keys and turned to go back to the barbecue for the kids. But as he turned, he saw the subject of the gossip leaning against the wall by the changing room door, startling him. “Damn, how do you walk without making a sound? You scared me! You heard, right? Pretend I didn’t say anything. Just act like you don’t know.”

Li Chen was getting a headache from these kids. He decisively decided to send this group away and close shop for two days.

As soon as Li Jin Yu walked in, Tai Yang Yang’s friends’ eyes immediately converged, exchanging knowing glances toward that closed door. Someone whispered, “He seems to have gone to find that explosively beautiful sister.”

Tai Yang Yang, engrossed in her idol’s latest Weibo post, was replying with countless hearts while saying with remarkable composure: “Don’t worry, he doesn’t like that sister.”

“Really?” Everyone exchanged glances, harboring doubts.

Tai Yang Yang fed them another reassurance: “Really! My brother said so. The first time they met, Sister Ye Meng took the initiative to talk to him, but brother didn’t even glance at her.”

The girls all sighed, “Brother Jin Yu lives up to his name—so cold, so abstinent.”

“Brother is truly detached from worldly desires and so pure. He hasn’t had a girlfriend in all these years.”

In Li Chen’s changing room, which could hardly be called a proper changing room—three or four square meters with shelves on all four sides cluttered with random items like helmets, car parts, and other miscellaneous junk—Li Jin Yu’s large frame made the space immediately feel cramped. Ye Meng could barely turn around, afraid of touching the junk nearby and making unusual noises that might attract attention from outside.

“Li Jin Yu, move aside.” Ye Meng was cornered between him and the door.

“What madness is this?” Li Jin Yu was like a cold, hard wall, but only he knew his heart was still contracting abnormally. “What are you racing for? Huh? If you’re unhappy, tell me, damn it! Are you trying to scare me?”

From the moment he heard from Li Chen that Ye Meng wanted to race, his mind went completely blank. Since his brother’s death, he had never again felt this kind of panic and tightness in his heart. His chest was still aching, and with each word, he had to take a deep breath to calm himself.

He looked down at her, then held her tightly in his arms, cradling her head, gradually becoming painfully tense as he stroked her hair. “What are you thinking? Can you tell me? Please don’t scare me like this, okay?”

“I’m not trying to scare you. I need to vent.”

Li Jin Yu pinned her against the door. The small room was dim, dust filling the air, quiet and weak. Their breaths intermingled, warm and moist. Ye Meng could even hear his wild yet suppressed heartbeat. Then, with one hand against the door and the other around her waist, he kissed from the top of her head downward, finally tenderly taking her earlobe between his lips. His tongue gently traced her delicate ear, coaxing softly: “I’ll drive. I’ll take you to the mountaintop, okay?”

And so, amid the surprised and bewildered eyes of everyone at the club, including several young brothers who were seriously holding playing cards ready to sweep the table, Li Jin Yu asked Li Chen for the keys to his car. Li Chen was incredulous, his eyes shining: “You’re driving?”

Li Jin Yu showed little emotion, the atmosphere tense, his voice low: “Yeah, I’ll take sister for a spin.”

Li Jin Yu had never had a woman in his car before—this was common knowledge. But today, a woman would be in his car. Those young brothers’ playing cards undoubtedly dropped in unison.

Li Chen couldn’t be bothered to barbecue for them anymore, his excitement rising: “Let’s go, let’s time our young master.”

Gou Kai said boisterously: “Let’s go, let’s time him! I’ll be faster.”

Tai Ming Xiao’s eyes flashed with unnamed excitement: “I got eight minutes and fifteen seconds last time. Li Jin Yu hasn’t driven for years. I bet he can’t break eight and a half minutes.”

A group of people continued to rouse: “Let’s go, let’s time him!”

While the men were excitedly thick-headed about Li Jin Yu’s return to the scene, the women had already keenly perceived that these two had an unusual relationship.

Tai Yang Yang, eating melon after melon until it was her own, dropped her phone in complete surprise. She clicked her tongue, looking at her friends beside her: “I think I was blindly confident again?”

Her friend comforted her, “It’s okay, it’s okay. The sister is so beautiful, has a great figure, and such a big chest. Tai Yang Yang, you retain your honor even in defeat.”