The younger sister pretends to be hypnotized, and her older brother gets addicted.

The door was unlocked, and Jiang Zhuo entered the study.

I saw the eldest brother sitting in a chair, his suit impeccably tailored.

Standing next to him, Ruan Yang had red-rimmed eyes and her slender hands braced on the table to keep her balance.

Even so, her body was still trembling.

She was wearing a sleeveless dress, and her exposed skin was flushed pink.

Especially that face.

He knew Ruan Yang was beautiful, but at this moment her eyes were wet and red, and her lips were glistening.

She possessed a more delicate and feminine charm than before.

Jiang Zhuo was stunned.

"Get out." Jiang Yanci raised his eyes and said coldly.

Jiang Zhuo felt a chill.

He knew that hypnosis should not be disturbed, but he came in to check on things because he was worried.

He didn't know what he was worried about.

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed that the study was damper than usual.

Turning my head, I saw that the window was open, and a strong, rich scent of gardenias wafted in.

It smells good.

Jiang Zhuo opened her lips and said she would stay and see how to hypnotize someone.

But the eldest brother lowered his eyes and flipped through the documents on the table.

His cold and solemn demeanor made him reluctant to disturb him, so he could only swallow his curious words.

As he closed the door, his gaze fell upon the pearl necklace on the table, which was dripping wet.

It was the one Ruan Yang was wearing around her neck just now.

It was placed next to the eldest brother at this time.

Under the dim light of the empty study, each round pearl was glistening with moisture, like the tears of a mermaid, as if they had been scooped out of the water.

The necklace was soaked with tears.

Jiang Zhuo felt somewhat regretful.

No wonder the older brother initially refused to let him hypnotize Ruan Yang; it turns out it would be so painful.

The door closed.

Ruan Yang could barely stand, and didn't want to stay in the study. She tried to leave, trembling.

Jiang Yanci did not try to stop him.

Just as Ruan Yang reached the door and turned the handle, a large hand reached out from behind and locked the door.

Ruan Yang's heart skipped a beat.

The next second, she was picked up by those big hands.

A deep voice sounded overhead, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

"Yangyang, tell me—why were you at the auction that day?"

Ruan Yang trembled so hard her whole body went limp, tears welling up in her eyes. It took her a long time to manage to squeeze out a sentence: "...I told you, I went to pick out a birthday present for you."

"Really? Then how come the necklace that Ke Yun bought is on your neck?"

Ruan Yang's eyes narrowed slightly.

It turns out that the elder brother already knew the origin of the chain.

"I... I ran into her by chance at the auction that day. She knew I was getting married and gave me this as a wedding gift."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, yes..."

She explained hastily, tilting her head back.

Her slender, snow-white neck was exposed to the light, like a lamb with its neck outstretched, awaiting slaughter.

Jiang Yanci said with amusement, "So I misunderstood Yangyang?"

Ruan Yang clenched her fingers and shook her head, "...It's okay."

All she wanted to do now was leave the study as soon as possible.

The torture she had just endured terrified her, and she didn't even dare to glance at the pearl necklace again.

Otherwise, she would think of how her older brother meticulously wiped and disinfected each pearl, then carefully played with it using his long, clean fingers...

Ruan Yang, supporting her weak legs, whispered, "I'll go back first, otherwise they'll misunderstand."

Jiang Yanci chuckled, "What misunderstanding?"

Ruan Yang couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Tell me, and I'll let you go."

"They might misunderstand and think we're doing...inappropriate things in the study."

Jiang Yanci remained silent.

Ruan Yang breathed a sigh of relief and left on the carpet.

But Jiang Yanci was like a cat playing with a mouse. Just when Ruan Yang thought she had escaped, he pulled her into his arms without warning and sat her on the black sofa.

Ruan Yang had already suffered greatly, and with just a gentle touch, her eyes welled up with tears.

She placed both hands on his chest. "You promised to let me leave..."

"You answered incorrectly," Jiang Yanci said calmly. "That wasn't a misunderstanding; it's the truth."

"You...you're cheating!" Ruan Yang's chest heaved with anger.

"Did I say something wrong?" Jiang Yanci toyed with the necklace, his fingertips fiddling with the wet pearls. "Should I help Yangyang recall what just happened?"

Ruan Yang lost his temper.

She couldn't argue with Jiang Yanci.

She could only hug him, her two soft arms encircling his neck, her two long legs under her skirt bent and placed on his lap, choosing a comfortable curled-up position.

Jiang Yanci was enjoying the tenderness of the moment.

His slender fingers rested on her waist, gently patting it as if he were stroking a kitten.

A gentle breeze blows through the summer night, creating a tranquil and cozy atmosphere.

Ruan Yang remembered what her senior had said that afternoon.

"To love someone is to miss them when they're not around, to want to be with them 24/7, to want to hug them, kiss them, and even to crave their body."

Ruan Yang didn't know if she was lusting after her older brother's body.

But at least, she didn't hate what had just happened.

I even kind of like it.

But it's really hard to say it out loud.

That was clearly a punishment, but she actually enjoyed seeing her older brother jealous and losing his temper over her.

She also enjoys seeing her usually restrained older brother lose control because of her.

Ruan Yang leaned against that firm embrace, feeling like a pervert.

But she couldn't contain her joy.

Is this what liking someone is?

Does anyone really like her...?

She was never a likable person.

Her father didn't like her, her mother didn't like her, and Jiang Zhuo didn't like her either.

Because of such happiness, a sense of unreality arose.

Could this be something she imagined while dying in Africa?

As the thought arose, Ruan Yang's breathing became rapid, and a burning sensation rose in her heart, as if something was waiting to be filled.

She didn't know what it was either.

She could only rely on instinct, her two arms wrapping around Jiang Yanci's neck like vines.

But that's not enough.

"Kiss me." She tilted her head back, eager to confirm the reality before her eyes.

Jiang Yanci lowered his eyes, glancing at the sweaty little girl in his arms. He didn't rush to kiss her, but instead asked slowly, "Why?"

Ruan Yang couldn't answer.

She tried to kiss him, but he dodged her again.

Jiang Yanci seemed to be forcing her to admit that she liked him.

But Ruan Yang still doesn't understand what love is.

She was like a bird that had accidentally wandered into the room, seeing the transparent glass and thinking it was the exit, desperately trying to fly out.

Unable to kiss him, her lips sought refuge elsewhere.

Eager to feel his body temperature, to confirm the reality of everything, rather than a dying illusion.

She tilted her head back, her moist lips enveloping his prominent Adam's apple, mumbling his name indistinctly.

Jiang Yanci tensed up.

His sister always manages to do things unintentionally that make people lose control.

Three days apart, and my longing for you has already grown immense.

Now, it's like a spark igniting on a balloon that's about to burst.

Jiang Yanci stopped pressing for answers.

Desire is also a form of love.

Your body doesn't lie.

He leaned down, pinched her chin, and kissed her.