“I know. Don’t worry, brother.” Yan Yunning lowered her eyes to hide the anguish in their depths. Each word came out clear and precise. “We won’t have any kind of relationship. Absolutely, absolutely not.”

“Good.” Yan Jinzhi smiled and ruffled her hair affectionately.

Yan Yunning gave a soft “mm,” but the tears she had been holding back in her eyes fell beyond her control. The eyes that were usually so beautiful and clear were now full of grievance.

Yan Jinzhi’s pupils contracted sharply. “Ningning — don’t tell me you’ve fallen for brother Yu?”

In his impression, Ningning and brother Yu should have run into each other in his office a few times, but they had never spoken. And this was all it took for her to fall for him???

Yan Yunning forced the words out with difficulty. “No.”

“Then why are you crying?” Yan Jinzhi said helplessly, and used his fingertip to wipe away her tears.

“I — I was thinking about how you’re the reason I received such an expensive gift, and I was moved. How did I end up with such a wonderful brother?” Yan Yunning looked at Yan Jinzhi through tear-blurred eyes, forcing down the sound of her sobs. “Brother, I mean it.”

“You…” The girl’s shoulders were still heaving and shaking. Yan Jinzhi pinched her nose, unable to bring himself to say anything harsh, and could only soften his voice. “From the time you were small until now, have you been short of expensive gifts? How can you be so moved you’re crying over this? It seems your brothers haven’t been sending you enough.”

“It’s not few at all.” Yan Yunning grabbed Yan Jinzhi’s sleeve and wiped her tears with it.

“Yan Yunning — that’s custom-made, and you’ve only been wearing it half a day!!!”

“It’s fine — wash it and it’ll still be good to wear.” Yan Yunning sniffled between sobs.

Yan Jinzhi patted her head, biting back his irritation. “Why don’t you wipe your tears with your own skirt?”

“It’s brand new — first time wearing it. I can’t bear to.” Yan Yunning blinked.

“This time I won’t hold it against you, but if there’s a next time, I’ll settle the score with you!” Yan Jinzhi swallowed his silent grievance.

“Okay.” Yan Yunning nodded without a care in the world.

“Tomorrow come with me to the boutique counter to buy a new one. Whatever you see that you like, I’ll treat you. And crying over something as small as a gift — it’s embarrassing to our family.” Yan Jinzhi tapped her on the forehead and laughed despite his exasperation. “Is our family so short on gifts to send you?”

“I understand. I won’t do it again next time.” Yan Yunning rubbed her forehead.

She had only found herself an excuse for her sadness — she hadn’t really been moved to tears over a valuable gift.

“Good. Next time you get so easily touched again, I think you’d better go see what kind of di—”

“Stop!” Yan Yunning swallowed and clapped her hands over her ears. “There’s no need to say it.”

Yan Jinzhi laughed. “After all these years, your courage still hasn’t grown?”

Yan Yunning tilted her head slightly. “Can courage even grow larger?”

Yan Jinzhi: “…”

The Xuan Residence.

Xuan Shi’an tossed aside the photograph in his hand and laughed with cold disdain. “Shiyao left this in the mailbox?”

“Yes. I had the security guard check the surveillance footage — it was Miss Shiyao who snuck it into the mailbox.” Butler Old Feng gathered up the photograph Xuan Shi’an had thrown down, pursed his lips, and said, “Master Xuan, what should be done with these photographs?”

“Where is Shiyao? Have her come here.”

“Master Xuan, Miss Shiyao had an appointment for surgery the day after tomorrow. When young Master Xuan found out, to placate her, he took her abroad to take her mind off things. It’s unclear when they’ll be back. Right now, online videos and photos of young Master Xuan and Miss Shiyao traveling abroad together are everywhere — everyone is calling it a public display of affection.”

As soon as Old Feng finished speaking, Xuan Shi’an’s expression darkened.

“Master Xuan…”

“Bang.” The sound of a cup being hurled to the floor by Xuan Shi’an. Suppressing his fury, he said in a cold voice, “Have the company’s public relations department issue a statement to clarify that Yuhe and Shiyao have no relationship whatsoever. I will absolutely not allow Shiyao to marry into the Xuan family.”

“Master Xuan, this…this would be difficult to explain to young Master Xuan.” Old Feng said with nervous trepidation.

“The company is under my authority right now — it is not his place.”

“Master Xuan, but wouldn’t that be openly slapping young Master Xuan in the face? Won’t you consider his feelings at all?”

Xuan Shi’an pinched the bridge of his nose. “Call Yuhe — he must be back tomorrow.”

“Understood.” Old Feng called Xuan Yanyu right there in front of Xuan Shi’an.

The first call went unanswered. Old Feng tried a few more times, but it still didn’t connect. He realized somewhat belatedly, “Young Master Xuan must not have landed yet.”

“Send him a message — tell him to book a ticket back for tomorrow.” Xuan Shi’an slapped the table.

“Yes.” Old Feng composed the message and sent it to Xuan Yanyu.

The sun set in the west; the sun rose in the east. One day passed, then another. Xuan Yanyu did not return the next day as Xuan Shi’an had demanded — it was three days later before he arrived back in Chaxi City.

Upon her return, Shiyao was visibly more well-behaved. She was now obediently pouring tea for Xuan Shi’an, her voice gentle. “Uncle, please have some tea.”

Xuan Shi’an, with nowhere to vent his irritation, flung the photographs at Shiyao. His voice came out low and heavy. “What is the meaning of this?”

Shiyao lowered her head to look at the photographs, and her face went pale. Were these not the photos she had taken at the amusement park that day — photos of Yan Yunning embracing a man?

That day, the only reason she had known Yan Yunning was at the amusement park was because she’d had A’Yao’s bodyguard — the one assigned to watch over her — investigate it. If Uncle asked, he would know this immediately. What should she do now?

“What? Don’t recognize them?” Xuan Shi’an watched her with cold eyes.

Shiyao bit her lip. She picked up the photographs and examined them carefully, then shook her head. “Uncle, I don’t recognize them. Who is this? They really do look well-matched.”

Old Feng gave a faint smile and placed a laptop on the coffee table.

Shiyao looked at the surveillance replay and went rigid on the spot.

“Uncle, you called me over so early in the morning — what for?” Gu Jingye arrived in the main hall, guided in by a household servant.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Old Feng closed the laptop.

Xuan Shi’an gave a low, dismissive grunt and pointed at the photographs. “Didn’t your father say you had feelings for the He family girl? How could you behave so without propriety toward your sister-in-law?”

Sister-in-law? Shiyao’s eyes flickered. So it turned out that even a photograph hadn’t changed Uncle Xuan’s impression of Yan Yunning.

She had always behaved properly — so why did none of them like her? Was it simply because her background was inferior to Yan Yunning’s?

“Without propriety? Sister-in-law?” Gu Jingye glanced at Shiyao, whose eyes were glistening with tears, and quickly waved his hands in denial. “No — it’s a misunderstanding. How could I possibly undermine brother Yu? Uncle, I wouldn’t dare — I — I don’t even like this type of looks.”

“Mr. Gu, please take a closer look. The Miss Yan in the photograph is the daughter-in-law our Master Xuan has chosen, and will be young Master Xuan’s future wife. Master Xuan has said it clearly: any other woman — especially one who harbors ill intentions and deliberately tries to tarnish the reputation of the daughter-in-law he has chosen — will never under any circumstances be permitted to marry into the Xuan family.”

Old Feng delivered this in a cheerful, pleasant tone, but the words he spoke left Shiyao considerably embarrassed.

Gu Jingye looked at the photograph, his brow creasing sharply. “Ningning? Uncle, how could Ningning be brother Yu’s future wife? Does she even know about this?”

He understood how these elite families operated — when parents disapproved of their son’s chosen partner, they would select a match themselves, one that was well-suited in terms of family standing.

Shiyao’s background compared to brother Yu’s was truly worlds apart. Of course Uncle Xuan wouldn’t be satisfied. But even so, there was no need to drag Ningning into this.

“We’ll talk about the rest in a moment — first, explain yourself about the photograph.” Xuan Shi’an’s eyes showed his displeasure.

Gu Jingye didn’t dare conceal anything. “Uncle, the photograph is a misunderstanding. At the time, Ningning was about to reveal that I had feelings for Xiaxia — I panicked and rushed forward to cover her mouth. Xiaxia was right there trying to pry my hand away. Uncle can check the amusement park’s surveillance footage.”

“I don’t know who took this photograph, but it’s clear they intended to defame me and Ningning. Uncle, I want to file a lawsuit against the person who took the photograph and demand a formal apology.”