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

In the gilded corridor, the brilliant lights illuminated the walls with dazzling colors.

Ruan Yang faced the wall and whispered to Chen Xiaomei on the phone.

"Xiaomei, I'd like to ask you to act in a play with me."

Chen Xiaomei was a very intelligent girl, and she asked softly, "Are you going to keep this from Song Lejiao?"

"Hmm," Ruan Yang said, "Song Lejiao thinks you've been fired by me. If she calls you, don't tell her... about your and your mother's recent situation."

Ruan Yang originally said not to tell her that her mother's surgery had gone smoothly.

But it sounds like a curse.

So she changed her tune.

Chen Xiaomei understood. "I know. If Song Lejiao asks me, I'll say that my mother's illness still doesn't have money for treatment, and I'm also desperate."

Ruan Yang's heart stirred, and she said solemnly, "Thank you, Xiao Mei."

"No, I should be thanking you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have a mother."

After ending the call, Ruan Yang went back to find Ke Yun, and her phone rang at that moment.

Caller ID: Husband.

Ruan Yang roused herself and answered the phone.

"Baby, where are you?" Jiang Yanci's voice came through the receiver.

Ruan Yang gripped her phone tightly, turned her back, and leaned her shoulder lightly against the wall. "...I'm having dinner with my colleagues."

Which restaurant?

"...It's a newly opened barbecue restaurant near Xingcan."

"What did you order?"

Ruan Yang vaguely sensed that Jiang Yanci's tone was off.

But she was used to her older brother's meticulous care for her.

She still remembers the day the college entrance exam ended, when she and her classmates went to the school to pick up their belongings.

Her older brother happened to call, and her classmates misunderstood, thinking it was her boyfriend on the other end of the line, and joked, "Yangyang's boyfriend is really strict."

Jiang Zhuo was right there at the time.

He frowned: "Whose call was that?"

Ruan Yang said, "It's my eldest brother."

Jiang Zhuo didn't pay any attention, and carrying the basketball, followed a few boys to the playground.

"We ordered the signature beef tenderloin, and..." Ruan Yang thought about the dishes she and Meng Ling had ordered at noon, and spoke in detail.

"It's quiet where you are. Are you still at a barbecue restaurant?"

"...Yes, I answered the phone in the bathroom."

The next second, two short, low words interrupted Ruan Yang's explanation.

"Turn back."

Ruan Yang's heart skipped a beat.

She turned around stiffly and saw Jiang Yanci standing against the light in the corridor just five meters away.

His features were shrouded in shadow, making them difficult to see clearly, but his eyes were dark and intense.

Under Assistant Lu's blank stare, Ruan Yang's heart tightened.

It’s over.

He was caught red-handed lying.

Ruan Yang's mind went completely blank.

She has told too many lies during this period. Starting with pretending to be hypnotized by her older brother, she has to use one lie to cover up another.

She knew she was going to mess things up.

But I never expected the accident to happen so quickly.

"come over."

Two words rang out from the receiver, striking Ruan Yang's eardrums.

For a moment, Ruan Yang understood Cao Zhi.

A poem can be composed in seven steps.

She was about seven steps away from her older brother.

Ruan Yang hung up the phone stiffly and moved over in small steps.

She walked for what seemed like an eternity before slowly making her way to Jiang Yanci and asking softly, "Why are you here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, Yangyang?"

Jiang Yanci's expression was calm, and to outsiders, it could be described as amiable.

But to Ruan Yang, it was more terrifying than the male ghost at midnight.

This is a sign that my brother is about to get angry.

Jiang Yanci's hand landed on her face, his slightly cool thumb gently caressing her cheek.

"Team building activities, a barbecue restaurant, their signature beef tenderloin? Are these among today's auction items?"

Ruan Yang swallowed nervously.

It felt as if what was touching it was not human fingertips, but the forked tongue of a venomous snake.

The next second, Ruan Yang waved his hand away.

In the quiet corridor, the "slap" sound of her shaking off Jiang Yanci was quite obvious.

Lu's heart stopped.

Jiang Yanci lowered his eyes to look at his empty palm, his gaze darkening slightly.

"I didn't want to tell you." Ruan Yang's face showed displeasure, but her voice softened, and she took Jiang Yanci's arm.

"Now that you've seen it, I won't hide it from you anymore."

Her voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of nasal grievance.

"Your birthday is coming up, and I heard that there's a pair of antique Victorian cufflinks up for auction tonight. I'd like to give them to you as a birthday present."

Jiang Yanci's dark eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Ruan Yang glared at him again, her eyes already starting to redden: "But you still doubt me."

The tears fell without warning, streaming down their faces.

Jiang Yanci's Adam's apple bobbed.

All the anger was extinguished by that single tear.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, placing his palm on the back of her head and gently rubbing it. His voice was low and soft: "It was my fault."

Ruan Yang nestled in his arms, her voice soft and sweet, "There will be some items I like at the auction later, you have to buy them for me."

Jiang Yanci smiled and gently brushed the stray hairs from the back of her neck with his fingertips.

"Yes, I'll buy them all for you."

Beside him, Assistant Lu exclaimed, "!"

I thought I was going to be forced to witness my boss's family drama tonight, and I had even drafted my resignation letter. But instead, I was fed a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).

Oh no, oh no, I really bumped it!

When I looked up again, I saw President Jiang's deep, piercing gaze.

Let alone tonight's auction items, he would give his life for Miss Ruan!

Ruan Yang had coaxed Jiang Yanci, and her back was already soaked with sweat.

Jiang Yanci put his arm around her and was about to walk into the hall when Ruan Yang suddenly remembered Ke Yun's strikingly white hair.

What if Brother Yi recognizes Ke Yun?

So tonight's punishment for her won't be just...

Ruan Yang suddenly grabbed Jiang Yanci's hand, "...I want to go to the restroom, will you come with me?"

Jiang Yanci nodded, "Okay."

Ruan Yang entered the cubicle and immediately sent a message to Ke Yun.

[Ruan Yang]: My husband is here.

Almost immediately, the message popped up.

[Ke Yun]: ?

[Ruan Yang]: He has seen you.

[Ke Yun]: ? ? ?

[Ruan Yang]: I'm so sorry, I'll explain when we meet. Was the person your uncle sent to monitor you at the meeting? I was afraid he'd see me with my husband and become suspicious of you.

[Ke Yun]: No! That's great!

This time it was Ruan Yang's turn to ask questions.

[Ke Yun]: I love a married woman, but I can only have an affair, not marry her openly. That's very manly. My uncle is a traditional Italian; he can't accept premarital chastity, but he can certainly understand having an affair after marriage. Yangyang, thank you!

Ruan Yang: Huh?

No, is that right?

After discussing it, Ke Yun decided to find a courier to buy a wig to cover up his overly conspicuous white hair.

But we need Ruan Yang's help to buy us fifteen minutes.

For the next fifteen minutes, she couldn't let Jiang Yanci see Ke Yun; she had to make sure he was right beside her.

Ruan Yang pursed her lips.

It seems that the only option is—