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Pei Yu stared at the phone screen, watching the trickle of water flow down. The top light reflected off the mirror, making the interface shine brightly.
Chen Shuyin probably felt guilty, as she replied quickly.
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【?】
Trying to smooth things over with just a question mark.
Py: 【You can have dinner with another man but not with me? Is this the man you begged for?】
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【??】
Two question marks. Alright.
Py: 【You’d rather ask someone else for help than me. Got it.】
Within three minutes, Chen Shuyin had beaten Lu Fang six or seven times. The server wasn’t stingy with the alcohol, and she didn’t want to deal with a drunk, so she stopped there.
“Sis, you’re not playing anymore? You’re amazing, how do you never even blink?” Lu Fang had had a few drinks, and a faint shyness swirled in his eyes.
Chen Shuyin curled her lips, looking at him like he was a rookie. “Someone used to keep challenging me out of stubbornness. I practiced every day when I got home. Ordinary people can’t beat me.”
She then sighed regretfully. “Sorry, you wanted to play, but I picked a game I’m good at.”
Lu Fang wanted to bring up something again, but Chen Shuyin lowered her head, grabbing her suddenly lit-up phone. Her eyebrows furrowed, and then she quickly looked around.
“What are you looking at?”
Chen Shuyin curled a finger and bit on it. “Your brother-in-law is here to catch me.”
Lu Fang was so startled he froze, shrinking his neck as he turned to look. “Where? He won’t misunderstand us, will he?”
Chen Shuyin remained calm as she extended her gaze through the floor-to-ceiling glass. “He’s probably already misunderstood. He’s the kind of person who always assumes the worst.”
Is that how one talks about their own husband? Seeing how indifferent she was, Lu Fang felt a chill run down his spine, and a wave of stomach acid surged up to his throat.
“Then quickly explain! I only admire you as my big sister!” Lu Fang sobered up instantly after just one sentence from Chen Shuyin.
She couldn’t spot Pei Yu hiding in the dark, so she lowered her eyes and typed a reply.
She typed quickly on the screen: 【I already told you, this is my business. What does it have to do with you who I ask for help?】
Just as she was about to hit send, her fingertips hesitated. Was the tone too sharp?
She tried to think from the perspective of a married couple. She probably was treating Pei Yu too indifferently.
Chen Shuyin let out a breath, deleted the message, and retyped it.
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【You never said you wanted to have dinner with me. He helped me, so I’m treating him to a meal in return. It’s just normal social interaction. Don’t overthink it.】
Py: 【There was an easier way.】
Has he not hopped around in her life long enough? Does he have to interfere with her career too? Chen Shuyin exhaled upward, blowing a few stray hairs into the air.
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【If you’re trying to play some hero-saving-the-beauty act in front of me, forget it.】
Pei Yu suddenly changed the subject.
Py: 【Does having dinner mean holding your face in your hands and staring at the other person while they eat?】
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【That was a game!】
Py: 【Playing couple games with a colleague, huh? Sure.】
Wow. What a calm and cutting passive-aggressive remark.
Chen Shuyin chewed on the soft flesh inside her lips, thinking.
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【There was no rule saying that was a couples’ game. Haven’t we played against each other countless times before?】
Py: 【Can he compare to me?】
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【Why not? You’re both men.】
Py: 【I’m your husband.】
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【You weren’t before.】
Lu Fang gripped his knees nervously, trying to keep up with her typing. “Sis, what’s happening now?”
Chen Shuyin regained her composure and said calmly, “Nothing. We’re just having a verbal battle.”
Notes Dancing on the Tree: 【Don’t worry. I’ll uphold my character as a married woman. The mall is crowded, so stop spying on me. You might expose yourself and make it harder for me to go out.】
If he was in the wrong, what was there to argue about? He would still lose in the end.
When two minutes passed without a reply from Pei Yu, Chen Shuyin scoffed to herself.
She turned to Lu Fang and asked, “Are you full? Want to grab some cake from the bakery next door?”
Lu Fang looked like he was about to cry. “No, no, I’m sweating cold. I feel like eyes are on me from all directions.”
After settling the bill, Chen Shuyin led him out. “He’s not that free. He was probably just passing by.”
Lu Fang froze in place, shrinking behind her.
She tilted her head slightly to glance forward. Her gaze was suddenly locked onto a figure.
The man wore a crisp white dress shirt, tucked neatly into black slacks, secured with a leather belt. His well-fitted outfit outlined his tall and lean figure. He had his hands resting lazily on the railing behind him, his relaxed posture subtly revealing the contours of his chest muscles.
A black baseball cap and mask covered most of his face, yet his distinctive aura still stood out in the crowd.
Standing there striking a pose in the middle of the mall—does he not realize how famous he is? What if someone recognizes him?
Chen Shuyin quickly raised a hand, blocking Lu Fang’s line of sight.
She ordered, “Lu Fang, go back first. I have something to do.”
“Okay, okay, I’m leaving.” Lu Fang turned to run.
The man straightened up and approached, his voice stopping Lu Fang in his tracks. “Wait.”
Chen Shuyin and Lu Fang swallowed nervously at the same time.
Pei Yu walked toward her at an unhurried pace, pulling a small ring box from his pocket. Casually, he took her wrist, used a finger to pry her hand open, and revealed a silver diamond ring inside.
“The one I gave you before was the wrong size. It makes sense that you threw it away.” Pei Yu slid the ring onto her finger.
Not again.
Chen Shuyin instinctively pulled back, but Pei Yu’s firm grip held her in place. The cool ring felt unexpectedly warm against her skin. The size fit perfectly, the bare back of her hand now adorned with a gleaming star-like sparkle.
Lu Fang gawked in shock and quickly extended his hand. “Hello, brother-in-law! I’m Lu Fang, an intern this year. Shuyin-jie has been looking after me.”
Surprisingly, Pei Yu wasn’t as cold as he looked. He shook Lu Fang’s hand but tightened his grip slightly. “You’re the one responsible for the equipment failure last week?”
Lu Fang’s face turned pale. He shook his head frantically, then nodded and apologized. “I didn’t do it on purpose!”