In any case, her original intention had been to let Xuan Yanyu humiliate her in return — she hadn’t actually planned to give it to him. Afterward, she would pass it along to her brother instead. So she went ahead and bought it.

Gu Jingye then led Yan Yunning to the boutique next door.

He pointed to a silk tie — deep navy from a distance, pure glistening black up close.

The sales associate carefully removed the tie from the display case and spoke in a hushed tone. “Miss, sir, this tie was handcrafted by an artisan. Have a smell — it still carries a faint silk fragrance. The texture has a soft, silky, almost velvety feel…”

“Please write it up.” Yan Yunning cut the associate off directly.

“Of course, miss.” The associate smiled ear to ear.

Gu Jingye then picked out a men’s cologne and a watch from the ultra-premium series. Yan Yunning decided that was enough — if she bought anything more, her wallet would be empty. She pulled Gu Jingye away toward the supermarket.

She picked out some sticky notes and a ballpoint pen, then stocked up on a pile of snacks. In the end, while she wasn’t paying attention, Gu Jingye slipped a box of small raincoats into the shopping cart.

He thought about it and threw in two more boxes of different sizes.

After paying, while Yan Yunning was absorbed in her phone choosing a restaurant for their meal, Gu Jingye quietly rummaged through the assorted snack bags and fished out those three boxes of little umbrellas.

He tucked one box into the packaging bag with the watch, one into the packaging bag with the belt, and another into the box with the tie.

“Barbecue?” Yan Yunning turned to look at Gu Jingye.

“Ah… sure.” Gu Jingye swallowed guiltily.

“Alright, I’ll send the location to Xiaxia.” Yan Yunning turned back to her phone, pinned a location, and sent a message to He Qingxia.

“Sure.” Gu Jingye instinctively smoothed his hair and straightened his clothes.

“Tsk.” Yan Yunning shook her head, a glimmer of amusement dancing in her eyes. “Gu Songsong, when are you going to confess?”

All that scheming, and still no nerve to confess.

Last time, he had seen Xiaxia linked arm in arm with her, and had actually asked if he could link arms with her too — just so she would say no, so he’d have an excuse to latch onto Xiaxia. He had been hoping to maneuver his way next to Xiaxia that way.

But unexpectedly, Xiaxia had turned him down on her behalf.

“What do you mean ‘Gu Songsong’?” Gu Jingye bristled.

Yan Yunning smiled coyly and shrugged. “Doesn’t it fit you?”

Gu Jingye fumed briefly, unable to find a word to refute her.

“If Xiaxia says no, then we can’t even stay friends.” Gu Jingye’s voice dropped a few notes.

Yan Yunning gave a crafty smile and patted his shoulder in reassurance. “It’ll be fine. I’ll be the bridge between you. You can still be friends — just try.”

Gu Jingye’s eyes shifted slightly. “Try?”

“You’ve got this.” Yan Yunning pumped her fist for him.

Gu Jingye’s lips curved upward.

What he didn’t know was that the very Yan Yunning who was cheering him on and rooting for him right now would be ready to throttle him at this same hour tomorrow.

——

The Restaurant.

Since they were going for barbecue, Yan Yunning hadn’t reserved a private room. She chose a window seat and sat down with Gu Jingye — she liked being surrounded by the scent of sizzling meat and the sound of happy conversation.

Ten minutes later, He Qingxia arrived.

Gu Jingye held the tongs and flipped slices of pork belly, their edges curling and golden with fragrant char. He sprinkled them with cumin and chili powder, wrapped them in lettuce, and handed one to Yan Yunning and one to He Qingxia.

He then placed the crispy-skinned chicken wings, sprinkled with sesame seeds, onto Yan Yunning’s and He Qingxia’s plates.

“Ningning, Young Master Gu — you two are eating together again?”

Yan Yunning’s gaze dropped slightly. She had absolutely no intention of acknowledging Shiyao, who had walked up to their table uninvited.

All three at the table acted as though Shiyao didn’t exist. Shiyao awkwardly bit her lip and sat down with Ye Jian at the table to Yan Yunning’s left.

The two tables were very close together. Shiyao rested her chin in her hand, watching Ye Jian, who was focused on grilling, and asked with a smile, “Will Yanyu have you by my side from now on, protecting me?”

“Yes, Miss Shi. Except when inside the Xuan Residence, I will be at your side at all times.”

Shiyao first pressed her lips together, then her eyes filled with helpless resignation. “Does Yanyu trust me so little?”

“Ugh…” She ultimately couldn’t suppress the nausea surging up from her stomach. Yan Yunning bent over the trash bin and began to retch.

“Ningning, what’s wrong?” He Qingxia was startled. Collecting herself, she began rubbing Yan Yunning’s back gently. Gu Jingye immediately set down the tongs and poured a cup of warm water, pressing it into Yan Yunning’s hands.

After quite some time, Yan Yunning finally recovered.

“Ningning, are you alright now? Is there anything else that hurts?” He Qingxia pulled out a tissue and dabbed at the beads of sweat on Yan Yunning’s forehead.

She had found Shiyao’s words pretty nauseating herself.

Was Shiyao not on the internet?

The Xuan Corporation clarification had already been posted, and here she was still talking like this — like a clown.

Now that everyone knew they were just friends, there was no need to say things like that and make people misunderstand.

And that Xuan Yanyu — he was really attentive to Shiyao, this so-called “friend.”

“I’m fine. Just felt sick.” Yan Yunning took a small sip of water.

He Qingxia let out a snort of laughter. “I felt sick too.”

Shiyao’s expression shifted slightly. She composed herself and pressed on. “Ye Jian, tomorrow Yanyu is getting together with his friends. What time should we arrive?”

Ye Jian frowned. “Miss Shi, you can come whenever you like.”

He meant, of course, that their Young Master Xuan wouldn’t be arriving with Shiyao. Whether Shiyao went, and when, was nobody’s concern.

“Oh? Can we really do that?” Shiyao clearly misunderstood Ye Jian’s meaning. She broke into a shy smile. “Did Yanyu say I can come anytime?”

Ye Jian, ever straightforward, replied, “No. Young Master Xuan has never mentioned you.”

“Hahaha.” He Qingxia burst out laughing. Aware of the public setting, she kept her voice down, but her shoulders shook with each laugh.

Shiyao drew in a sharp breath and turned to glare at He Qingxia. “Miss, what are you laughing at?”

He Qingxia took the grilled meat Gu Jingye passed her, eating with gusto, treating Shiyao as invisible.

Shiyao persisted, pushing for an answer. Yan Yunning tilted her head, her gaze landing on Shiyao’s face, flushed red with fury. She smiled brightly. “Miss Shi, now that I think of it, you still haven’t returned my brother’s red envelope. We’ve run into each other today — please give it back.”

Yan Yunning opened up the payment code on her phone and gestured for Shiyao to scan it.

Shiyao stared at Yan Yunning’s pretty, smiling face, and her breath caught. She pretended not to hear and averted her gaze.

Yan Ruijing had come to visit her. Why on earth would that mean he’d want it back?

Yan Yunning raised an eyebrow and suddenly raised her voice. “Miss Shi, you’re not planning to return it?”

“Shut up.” Seeing the other customers in the restaurant turn to look their way, Shiyao’s complexion went from ashen to pale.

The corners of Yan Yunning’s mouth curved up. “How am I supposed to shut up? My brother has so little money — and you won’t give it back? He can barely afford to eat. Because of him, I’m here mooching off my friend’s meal.”

Shiyao stared at Yan Yunning through gritted teeth. As if Yan Ruijing couldn’t afford to eat.

Yan Yunning’s smile spread across her lips. She was just about to say more when an abrupt video call ringtone cut through everything. She only glanced at it for a second before decisively rejecting it.

Ye Jian’s pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. The video call that had popped up on the screen — that familiar profile picture, that familiar nickname — wasn’t that their Young Master Xuan?

Shiyao didn’t know. She didn’t have Young Master Xuan’s personal contact — only his work number. But he knew perfectly well: that profile picture and nickname were unmistakably their Young Master Xuan.

There was no way the coincidence was that exact.

Yan Yunning raised her phone, her patience running thin. “Miss Shi, scan the code. You…”

Before she could finish, that pleasant ringtone sounded again.

Ye Jian blinked, looking at that string of familiar digits. He understood now — it was indeed their Young Master Xuan. And not the work phone, either. It was Young Master Xuan’s personal number.

——

【The two days are up~】