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

Jiang Yanci had just gotten out of the car, his black suit making him look exceptionally tall and imposing.

A crowd had gathered at the entrance of Xingcan, and he climbed the steps.

As the spotless Oxford shoes stepped onto the last step, a clear and composed voice rang out.

"Honey, you're here!"

He looked up, and a shadow enveloped in the scent of gardenias rushed into his arms.

Like a little butterfly fluttering its wings, it crashed into him without a care, making his chest tremble slightly.

Jiang Yanci's eyes narrowed slightly.

This was the first time Yangyang had called him "husband" in public.

"Why are you so late?"

Ruan Yang buried her head in his chest, her voice muffled.

Jiang Yanci's heart stirred slightly, and he skillfully placed his palm on her waist, pulling her closer into his arms.

He lowered his head and gently coaxed, "We were delayed on the way, are you hungry?"

The familiar woody scent pressed down heavily, enveloping Ruan Yang's nostrils.

She felt as if she were soaking in warm water, the gloom of being wrongly accused gradually dissipating. Unconsciously, she nuzzled her head against his chest and murmured, "Mmm."

Jiang Yanci smiled and whispered, "Stop rubbing against me."

Ruan Yang blushed.

"Let's go eat." Jiang Yanci raised his eyes, his fingertips gently brushing her shoulder, his gaze passing over the top of her head and landing on the person a few steps away, his steps pausing slightly.

Jiang Zhuo is here too?

Two gazes collided in mid-air.

Jiang Zhuo stood frozen in place, his ears ringing.

...What did Ruan Yang call his elder brother?

The name was so absurd that it made him feel like the whole world was unreal.

His teeth bit down hard, tearing through the inside of his mouth. Pain mixed with the taste of blood spread, making his tongue taste bitter.

Pain is not a dream.

Jiang Zhuo's expression froze.

Confusion and astonishment mingled in his eyes, his gaze shifting back and forth between his older brother and his fiancée.

The crowd, which had been buzzing with discussion, fell silent for a moment after seeing Jiang Yanci.

Then, like pebbles thrown into water, a murmur of discussion quickly rose up.

"Husband? She's married?"

"Who is that guy? He's so handsome!"

"That watch on his wrist... Holy crap, it's that limited edition Patek Philippe from this year. I saw it in a magazine last time, and it starts at seven figures."

"Look closely, that's a Rolls-Royce Cullinan."

"So, that teacher not only has a husband who's handsome and incredibly rich, but she definitely doesn't need to be a mistress for Piggy Hero, right?"

"Yeah, that woman was yelling so fiercely just now, I almost believed her..."

The curly-haired woman was also stunned.

Her mouth was open, but the words stuck in her throat, and her momentum visibly diminished.

"I...I..."

"What do you mean, 'what are you talking about'?" Meng Ling finally seized her chance. Hands on her hips, she said to the woman, "Didn't you say your husband is rich? Why aren't you saying anything?"

The woman looked embarrassed and slunk away.

Jiang Yanci stopped her.

He has always been perceptive.

By reading the comments between the lines, we can guess what happened.

His gaze fell on the curly-haired woman. "Did you spread rumors?"

The woman's expression changed, and she forced a smile, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood. I can explain..."

Jiang Yanci's expression was indifferent. "Tell your explanation to your lawyer."

The woman never expected things to be so serious!

She quickly said, "I was hired! Someone asked me to frame Teacher Ruan, and I even have their phone number!"

Ruan Yang frowned, eager to know who had framed her.

But when they dialed the number, they found it was a virtual number from overseas.

The other party had clearly anticipated their escape route.

Ruan Yang's gaze swept across the crowd discreetly, paying particular attention to Qiao Lingling.

She stood behind Jiang Zhuo, twisting the hem of her dress with her fingers, her face pale.

They didn't seem completely unaware.

Ruan Yang's heart sank.

Is it her?

No, Qiao Lingling is the female lead; she couldn't possibly do bad things herself.

Following the tropes of the novels she'd read, even if something went wrong, it would only be her best friend's or younger sister's idea, while she would remain completely innocent from beginning to end.

Song Lejiao is still in detention.

That leaves only—

"We can have a lawyer investigate Qiao Wei," Ruan Yang said to Jiang Yanci.

As soon as the words were spoken, Qiao Lingling's face turned noticeably pale.

The curly-haired woman tried to defend herself, but Jiang Yanci's lawyer arrived, and the lawyer would be in charge of all subsequent matters.

Jiang Yanci took Ruan Yang's hand and said, "Let's go, I've made a reservation at a restaurant, let's go eat first."

"Um."

Ruan Yang's hands were cold; the feeling of being wronged was unpleasant, but being held by Jiang Yanci made her feel warm all over.

The two walked out of Xingcan side by side.

The sunlight poured down, so bright and dazzling that it made you squint.

Jiang Zhuo chased after him.

"Big brother—"

His gaze was fixed on their clasped hands, and his voice was strained, "Brother, aren't you going to explain?"

Jiang Yanci's gaze was calm: "What's there to explain?"

This composure left Jiang Zhuo somewhat at a loss.

On a summer noon, the sun shines brightly, and the ground temperature feels close to 40 degrees Celsius.

Jiang Yanci didn't say anything more. He opened the back door first, and cold air rushed out of the car.

He turned to Ruan Yang and said, "Get in the car first."

Ruan Yang obediently got into the car, and the door closed, shutting out the scorching heat outside.

Jiang Yanci walked around to the other side, opened the car door, and finally looked at Jiang Zhuo again, his tone calm.

"Are you going to just stand by and watch others slander her, like you?"

Jiang Zhuo was speechless.

It turns out the older brother was just playing along with Ruan Yang...

He inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.

Thinking about it carefully, it's obvious why the older brother would be interested in that crybaby Ruan Yang.

I only see her as a younger sister.

Speaking of his sister, Jiang Zhuo thought of his twin sister.

Jiang Zhuo has little memory of his younger sister; he was only three years old when she went missing.

But my older brother does remember.

That's why the older brother made up for his love for his younger sister by giving it to Ruan Yang.

Jiang Zhuo felt extremely embarrassed when he realized that he had misunderstood the relationship between his elder brother and Ruan Yang.

He explained, "Brother, I wanted to help, but Lingling and I are a couple in front of others. Ruan Yang's misunderstanding is only temporary. She likes bags, so I'll just buy her a few more to make up for it..."

"You don't need to explain to me."

Jiang Yanci interrupted him, his tone becoming more serious, carrying an undeniable warning.

"Also, don't mention hypnosis in front of Yangyang. It will cause her memory to become confused, understand?"

"...I didn't expect it to be this serious."

"Now you know."

"I understand. But brother, why hasn't Yangyang remembered me yet? Does she have to wait 30 days for her to regain her memory?"

"No." Jiang Yanci's gaze was deep. "It's also possible that it will last a lifetime."

The Cullinan started and drove away.

Jiang Zhuo stood frozen in place.

……

Jiang Zhuo didn't lose heart for long.

He remembered Dr. Song's words, and his confidence soared.

Dr. Song is a leading expert in psychology and holds a doctorate from Oxford University. If he says that memories can be recovered, then they can be recovered.

Jiang Zhuo contacted his good friend in the group chat, saying he wanted to meet up at noon.

[Zhou Shiji]: I have an appointment for noon.

[Qi Xia]: I'm a bit busy right now, is there anything I can help you with?

Jiang Zhuo, feeling distressed, finally spoke up: "Ruan Yang has lost her memory and forgotten me. I want her to regain her memory, so I'm asking for your help."

Upon hearing this, the brothers immediately changed their tune, saying, "Send me the location."