Jiang Juyou:
"Shang Muye, where are you?"
Shang Muye saw the message on his phone, raised an eyebrow, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. The person who had hung up on him a second ago was now asking for his location. He let out a soft, mocking scoff before texting back the address.
Jiang Juyou immediately gave it to her driver. "Go here, please. Thank you."
Shang Muye had already returned home, but he changed his clothes and headed to the place he had sent to Jiang Juyou. It was a bar. Several young-looking men walked in, frequently drawing the gaze of those around them. Leading them was Shang Muye, dressed in a black T-shirt and tie-dye vintage jeans, a coin pendant hanging from his neck. As he moved, his silver hair brushed against his temples. When he lifted his head, those peach-blossom eyes swept over the room, stirring a chorus of squeals from the crowd. He was a regular, and his striking looks made him a familiar face to many.
"Out for some fun early today, Young Master Shang?" A bold woman walked over to strike up a conversation.
Shang Muye smiled lopsidedly. "Yeah, meeting a little sister."
"A little sister?" the woman laughed. "A sister by blood or a sister by affection?"
Shang Muye tilted his head back with a chuckle, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He glanced down. "Both."
"Take me with you, then."
Tang Kailing stood by, his arm draped over Shang Muye’s shoulder. "Go ahead, if you’re not afraid of provoking Jiang Juyou."
At the mention of Jiang Juyou, the woman’s expression shifted, and she forced an awkward smile. "Never mind, then. Let’s do it another time."
Everyone knew that Shang Muye was so fiercely protected by Jiang Juyou that he was practically her personal property. She could even drive away his own brothers; ordinary people like them had best keep their distance.
The group chatted and joked their way into a private room. Tang Kailing laughed, "That title of 'Little Princess of Jing City' really works wonders for Jiang Juyou, doesn't it?" He looked at Shang Muye. "You should just give in and follow her lead."
Shang Muye glanced over, his voice lazy and indifferent. "If you like her so much, why don't you do it?"
"Hahaha, wouldn't you be heartbroken if I did?"
Shang Muye stuffed one hand into his pocket and sat down on the booth sofa, grabbing a beer with his free hand. The dim lights of the room blurred his features, but his words were crystal clear. "What does that have to do with me?"
*Snap.* A bit of white foam sprayed out as he opened the bottle. He expertly flipped it upside down into a glass, the liquid gurgling as it poured.
"Shang Muye." The girl’s cold voice came from the doorway.
Some beer overflowed, wetting his slender, lean hand. Shang Muye’s eyelashes fluttered. He looked up, his tone nonchalant. "You're here."
He wasn't the least bit worried that Jiang Juyou might have heard what he said earlier. Of course, Jiang Juyou didn't care about that anymore. She walked in.
Tang Kailing arched an eyebrow at Shang Muye, his gaze clearly saying: *Look, she likes you so much she doesn't even dare to get angry after hearing that.*
Shang Muye withdrew his gaze, reached up to run a hand through his hair, and took stock of Jiang Juyou’s outfit. His voice was wicked. "You’re dressed... really obediently today."
Seeing her attire, he laughed. "What’s the rush to find me today?"
"Where is my jade pendant?"
Shang Muye walked to the side. "What jade pendant?"
"The one I gave you earlier. The twin-fish pendant. Give it back to me." Her tone was anything but pleasant.
Shang Muye stared straight at her. In the past, Jiang Juyou would have been lost in those peach-blossom eyes that looked as if they were filled with deep affection even when he was just looking at a dog. But now, all she had in her eyes was cold indifference.
"I’m asking you, where is my jade pendant?"
"Oh, that? I gave it to someone else. You gave it to me, didn't you?"
"I gave it to you so you wouldn't be in danger, and only for you to wear while racing! Who did you give it to? Get it back."
Shang Muye had never paid much attention to the things she gave him. It took a long moment of thought before he remembered who he had given it to. "Oh, I gave it to Zhou Die. Go ask her for it yourself."
Jiang Juyou took a breath. "Shang Muye, you really are something else."
Shang Muye finally sensed that Jiang Juyou was acting strangely today. She had never spoken to him in such a sharp tone before, but today she had done it more than once, even calling him a piece of work. He sneered, "I’m 'something else'? Didn't you give it to me yourself? Once it’s given to me, I consider it mine. So what if I gave it to someone else?"
Jiang Juyou calmed herself. "Shang Muye, call Zhou Die here." She didn't have Zhou Die’s contact information.
"She’s already home; she might not come out," Shang Muye replied, maintaining his usual devil-may-care attitude. He didn't take her anger seriously at all.
Jiang Juyou looked at him earnestly. She suddenly couldn't understand how she had ever fallen for someone like him. Was it just because of his face?
"See for yourself."
After sending a message to Zhou Die, Shang Muye handed his phone directly to Jiang Juyou. She saw the three words on the screen: *Not coming.*
Jiang Juyou handed the phone back. "Call her. Tell her to return the pendant to me. That is my property."
Shang Muye curled his lips into a smile, tinged with malice. "You tell me to call, and I call? Jiang Juyou, do you really think I’m that obedient?"
"Then I’m calling the police." As she spoke, Jiang Juyou pulled out her phone.
Shang Muye stared at the phone in her hand, momentarily dazed. It clearly wasn't hers; it was a man's.
"Fine, fine. Is a little thing like this really worth involving the police? I’ll tell her to bring it to you."
Shang Muye had only meant to tease her, but now he suddenly lost interest. Hearing that she would get the pendant back, Jiang Juyou didn't say another word. She stood to the side, waiting for him to coordinate with Zhou Die.
After a while, Shang Muye raised his phone. "She said she’ll be here in about twenty minutes."
"I’ll wait here." Jiang Juyou checked her phone and saw that her brother still hadn't replied to her message. She thought for a moment and sent another.
*-Brother, give me one more hour. I will definitely be back in an hour.*
Zhou Die would take over twenty minutes to arrive, and the trip back would take half an hour. An hour was enough.
Twenty minutes passed. Jiang Juyou kept looking toward the hallway. The private rooms were lined up in a row, and occasionally someone would come out smelling of alcohol.
"Why isn't she here yet?"
Shang Muye leaned against the railing nearby, his shirt fluttering in the breeze, a smile on his face. "What’s the rush? I told you it would be twenty-some minutes."
Jiang Juyou spoke up, "And what if it’s been thirty minutes and she’s still not here?"
"Then that’s none of my business." Shang Muye’s eyes fixed on her. "Do you need me to guarantee something for you, too?"
Jiang Juyou turned her face away; she felt disgusted just looking at him for another second.
Shang Muye watched her turned head and laughed. "What have I done to make you so angry?"
Jiang Juyou didn't answer.
Shang Muye, feeling a bit bored, stood there and asked again, "Is it just because I hung up on you? I really was busy that day."
Jiang Juyou, of course, knew exactly what he was busy with—busy playing around with his "good brother" Zhou Die.