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

Inside the barbecue restaurant, wisps of smoke rose and the meat slices sizzled on the grill.

That kiss never actually landed.

Ke Yun pressed his thumb against Ruan Yang's lips, while his own knuckles touched her lips.

Ruan Yang was taken aback.

She guessed that Ke Yun needed her to act.

She cooperated well and didn't struggle.

Across the table, Meng Ling first widened her eyes, then cupped her cheeks in her hands, looking excited as if she had "bumped into something".

After a moment, Ke Yun stood up.

Her gaze fell on Meng Ling, a smile playing on her lips. "Mind if I take Yangyang with me?"

Meng Ling smiled meaningfully, "Then you'll have to ask Yang Yang."

Ruan Yang guessed that Ke Yun had encountered a tricky situation. He felt embarrassed and explained a few words to Meng Ling. After paying for the meal, he followed Ke Yun to a secluded place.

"I'm sorry, I offended you just now," Ke Yun said apologetically.

Ruan Yang shook her head. "It's alright. But why are you in such a hurry? Have you run into trouble?"

Ke Yun nodded. "My uncle arranged for me to meet my marriage partner. I was worried that there might be a trap, so I could only say that I had someone I wanted to marry and that I would marry no one else."

Ruan Yang lowered her head, twisting her fingers. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help you."

"No, it's not your fault."

Ke Yun said, "But I have a favor to ask. I would like you to pretend to be my girlfriend and attend tonight's charity auction."

Ruan Yang hesitated for a moment, "Tonight...?"

"Okay. It won't take you too long, just an hour."

Compared to the last time they met, Ke Yun looked more tired.

Ruan Yang, feeling soft-hearted, agreed.

After lunch break, Meng Ling asked mysteriously, "Yangyang, are you with that handsome white-haired guy?"

"No, we're just friends."

"Whose friend was kissing?" Meng Ling asked with a smile, intending to ask in detail.

A phone call came in.

Two words flashed on the screen: "Husband".

Ruan Yang was startled.

The call connected, and Jiang Yanci's voice came through, "Yangyang, are you busy?"

Ruan Yang's heart skipped a beat, and she asked softly, "Did you change the nickname?"

"Yes, it's me."

Jiang Yanci's frankness left Ruan Yang somewhat at a loss for words.

"Are you free tonight?" Jiang Yanci asked.

Feeling guilty, Ruan Yang said, "...I'm going out to dinner with my colleagues tonight, so don't come pick me up."

"it is good."

A moment of silence followed, and just as Ruan Yang thought the call had been disconnected, a deep voice sounded again, "Does it still hurt?"

He didn't mention where.

But Ruan Yang blushed and stammered, "No, it doesn't hurt anymore."

A soft laugh came through the microphone, "Okay, let's try adding a little more tonight."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Yang seemed unsteady on her feet and clenched her fingers tightly.

Her fingers were slender, unlike Jiang Yanci's.

His palms were large, his fingers long and slender, and two of his fingers were as thick as three of Ruan Yang's fingers.

Ruan Yang was embarrassed and quickly changed his tune.

"I lied just now... It still hurts there."

"Yeah?"

Jiang Yanci's voice was gentle, "Then let's go back to Moon Bay tonight. You're so insensitive to pain, crying so loudly that the sheets are soaked. The servants will gossip, and Ms. Yao will find out eventually."

Ruan Yang's ears turned bright red, feeling that she had been tricked.

No matter how she answered, her older brother always had an excuse.

……

Ruan Yang was exhausted from teaching the afternoon classes.

As long as she relaxed, Jiang Yanci's words kept echoing in her ears.

The only good thing is that more parents are asking her to schedule lessons.

Ruan Yang temporarily put aside her worries and threw herself into her work, adding several students' parents on WeChat.

After the last class, Ruan Yang asked Ke Yun to park the car a street away.

Ke Yun helped her with her hair and makeup. Ruan Yang's hair was styled up, and she wore a champagne-colored long dress with pearls adorning her smooth shoulders.

The two, like a couple, walked into the auction venue.

Ten minutes later.

A Cullinan with consecutive license plate numbers was parked at the entrance of the auction.

*

Inside the venue, Ruan Yang sat next to Ke Yun.

She opened Douyin (TikTok) and saw that many product managers from various brands had messaged her privately, wanting to discuss collaborations.

Ruan Yang was flattered and overwhelmed.

However, her goal was to recruit students, not to sell products, so she declined all offers.

She then opened the video and found that the tone of the comments had changed.

[That's enough, the blogger hired a male model to play her boyfriend.]

This male model has such a hot body! Where is he? I want him!

[This guy's bag is hideous! If he were good-looking, he would have shown his face long ago! I bet he's a kappa, or I'll eat shit upside down!]

I knew they didn't seem like a real couple.

[The vlog of the real couple next door, Lingling, is still sweeter!]

[Yes, Lingling's boyfriend really spoils her!]

Ruan Yang was bewildered.

Netizens thought the older brother was a male model, and an ugly one at that?

This is utterly alarmist!

Ruan Yang immediately refuted the rumors.

[Little Moon]: He's not a male model, and he's very good-looking. Don't talk nonsense.

[Netizen 1]: Sister, I understand you. Falling in love with an ugly guy makes you talk more.

[Netizen 2]: The real handsome guy has to be Lingling's boyfriend. He's an F1 race car driver and a rich second-generation! The two of them are having a wonderful vacation in Tahiti. Compared to male models who rely on their looks, he's totally outmatched!

Ruan Yang was a little angry.

What does it mean to use one's looks to please someone?

The money Jiang Zhuo used for his vacation was earned by his older brother.

Ruan Yang still wanted to engage in a confrontation.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

It was a message from Chen Xiaomei.

[Chen Xiaomei]: Miss Ruan, thank you for lending me 100,000 yuan. My mother's surgery was very successful, and I will be able to return to work at the Jiang residence in a few days.

Ruan Yang's heartstrings were touched.

This was the first piece of good news she heard today.

In the original novel, Song Lejiao instigated her to fire Chen Xiaomei, which prevented Chen Xiaomei from paying for her mother's surgery.

After her mother passed away, Chen Xiaomei also jumped from the top floor in despair.

Looking at Chen Xiaomei's smiling face, Ruan Yang felt a warm glow in her heart, and a sense of satisfaction as if she had changed the plot and saved someone else's fate.

But she quickly thought of something.

In the original novel, the time was approaching when Song Lejiao would use Chen Xiaomei's death to stir up public opinion, incite netizens to cyberbully her, and cause Jiang's stock to plummet.

Ruan Yang's expression turned serious.

[Ruan Yang]: Xiao Mei, you don't need to pay back the money, but I need you to do something for me.

[Chen Xiaomei]: Miss Ruan, if you say so, I will definitely do it!

It can't be explained in just a few words.

Ruan Yang got up and went to the corridor to call Chen Xiaomei.

……

At the same time, the golden elevator at the end of the corridor opened silently.

The spotless Oxford shoes stepped out of the sedan chair and gently sank into the Persian velvet carpet, their footsteps swallowed up.

Behind him, Assistant Lu quickly followed:

"Mr. Jiang, Pink Promise has been added to tonight's auction items. This is the first time it has reappeared at an auction since it was purchased by an anonymous buyer for 2.1 million yuan in 2017. Your wife will definitely like it."

Jiang Yanci nodded.

He came specifically for this pink diamond.

Yangyang likes pink so much.

You'll definitely love this piece of jewelry.

Thinking of his wife's bright, sparkling eyes, Jiang Yanci felt a tickle in his throat.

Suddenly, he stopped.

Assistant Lu nearly bumped into the boss, barely managing to stop himself.

Following the boss's gaze, Assistant Lu spotted a slender figure not far away and couldn't help but gasp.

Isn't that just an excuse to skip the boss's wife's dinner party?

Jiang Yanci stood still, his gaze fixed intently on the figure, and took out his phone.

The phone rang twice, and then it was answered.

His voice was calm to the point of being gentle, and there was even a slight curve at the corner of his lips, but there was not a trace of a smile in his eyes.

"Baby, where are you?"