Kuang Ye decided to drop the pretense of being a harmless “puppy” and revealed the fangs of a big bad wolf to the innocent little rabbit.

“Wan Wan, puppies chew on bones, but wolves eat meat. You’d better make an effort to remember. I have only one condition, and it will definitely be used wisely.”

As he finished speaking, he leaned closer and nipped the soft, flushed skin again—this time, going even further. He added a teasing lick with the tip of his tongue, full of insinuation.

Mu Wan’s face instantly turned as red as a peach blossom. Her teary eyes, still wet from crying, made her look so vulnerable that Kuang Ye nearly lost control, tempted to throw all decorum aside and claim her right there on the sofa.

Sensing danger, Mu Wan pushed him away. A gust of wind blew through the mesh window, clearing her head slightly.

“So, you’ve known for eight years that you and Kuang Shuyu had been swapped?”

Kuang Ye nodded.

However, Kuang Ye had only been brought back to the Kuang family by Grandfather Kuang five years ago. And from what he implied, the identity swap wasn’t due to a hospital mistake but was orchestrated deliberately by Kuang Shuyu’s father.

“Did you tell Grandfather Kuang?”

Kuang Ye shook his head.

“No. Kuang Daqiang is already in prison. Revealing it now wouldn’t change anything and might only lead to the Kuang family venting their anger on Kuang Shuyu. It’s unnecessary.”

Mu Wan looked at him with a heartache. “Do you regret it?”

If Kuang Ye had revealed the truth, Kuang Shuyu might not have been able to stay in the Kuang family as an adopted son. People wouldn’t have constantly compared the two of them, leaving Kuang Ye in such a difficult position now.

Kuang Ye met her gaze. “I don’t regret it.”

The first time might have been because he was kind-hearted. But the second time, it was because he knew Mu Wan liked Kuang Shuyu. He didn’t want to make her sad or risk earning her disdain upon his return.

—

After an honest conversation, the emotional distance between their hearts had closed significantly.

But Mu Wan wasn’t going to let Kuang Ye off the hook that easily.

“Confess honestly. Besides pretending to be poor, what else have you been hiding from me?”

Kuang Ye hesitated.

Mu Wan instantly caught on from his reaction. Arms crossed, she tilted her chin up with the look of someone ready to prosecute: “Spit it out. I’ll be lenient if you confess; be strict if you resist.”

Kuang Ye could only come clean.

“Those two dresses— I paid for them with my card.”

Mu Wan: Goodness, he tricked her right under her nose, and she didn’t even notice.

“And this apartment—I bought it the day after I drove you back to the villa.”

Mu Wan: …

She ground her teeth. “You’ve hidden it well, haven’t you? Lying one day and sending me the passcode the next.”

Kuang Ye explained, “I had a friend who helped me…”

Fu Zeyuan’s family was a real estate tycoon in S City. There wasn’t a single place there without one of their properties.

Mu Wan: …

She took a deep breath and calmed herself, reminding herself that his intentions had been good.

“Is there anything else?”

“None, that’s it.”

“From now on, don’t hide anything from me.”

“Got it, Jiejie!”

“…!”

Mu Wan grabbed a sofa pillow and smacked it onto Kuang Ye’s head.

Annoyed, she retorted, “Big-headed ghost of a Jiejie, you liar!”

Kuang Ye pulled both the pillow and Mu Wan into his arms, grinning smugly and contentedly.
“This isn’t lying; it’s called gentle guidance and using clever tactics.”

Mu Wan yawned. “We’re not at war.”

After a tense competition and a bout of crying, she was feeling drowsy.

Sensing her exhaustion, Kuang Ye asked, “Do you want to go sleep?”

Mu Wan: “??!!”

Kuang Ye didn’t catch on at first. When he did, he narrowed his eyes and pinched her waist teasingly.
“I meant just sleeping. Unless, Wan Wan… you want to do something else?”

Startled, Mu Wan wrapped herself tightly in a sofa blanket, her eyes snapping shut.
“I’m already asleep!”

A low chuckle rumbled from Kuang Ye’s throat. He stood up and scooped up the little cocoon of blankets from the sofa. Mu Wan panicked, instinctively looping her arms around his neck.

“Let’s get you to bed.”

—

Two weeks later, the day of the Yuan family birthday banquet arrived.

“Mom, there’s no need for Uncle Liu to pick me up. I’ll head over with Ah Ye,” Mu Wan said over the phone while buckling her seatbelt in the passenger seat of the Maserati.

Since she struggled to buckle it with one hand, it took her a while to get it right. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over her, and a faint masculine scent filled the air. Kuang Ye leaned over and buckled the seatbelt for her.

On the other end of the line: “Alright, drive safely.”

Mu Wan snapped back to reality. “Okay, we will.”

After hanging up, she looked at Kuang Ye sitting beside her.

His features were sharp and handsome. His hair, styled by a professional, was mostly slicked back, with a few rebellious strands falling across his forehead, adding a touch of roguish charm. He wore a tailored dark navy suit, skipping the formal necktie. The unbuttoned collar of his white shirt revealed a tantalizing Adam’s apple. A sapphire earring glinted on his earlobe, adding an air of decadent allure.

Mu Wan: …

How blind had she been before to mistake someone with Kuang Ye’s vibe for a loyal puppy?

“Staring, Jiejie?”

The car’s engine roared to life as Kuang Ye chuckled softly, clearly teasing her.

Not missing the glint of mischief in his eyes, Mu Wan snapped her gaze away and counterattacked. “Not playing poor anymore, huh? Driving a Maserati now. What happened to the BYD?”

Kuang Ye answered smoothly, “Different occasions. I can’t let Jiejie lose face by showing up in the wrong car.”

Mu Wan curled her lip. “…Such a smooth talker.”

Feigning hurt, Kuang Ye replied, “I only want to give Jiejie the best.”

Mu Wan snorted. “If you wiped that grin off your face, I might actually believe you.”

Ever since his loyal-puppy façade had been torn down, Kuang Ye hadn’t even tried to pretend anymore.

But as her eyes lingered on his elegant hands on the steering wheel, a trace of concern flitted through her gaze.

She had originally planned to advise Kuang Ye not to attend the banquet, but a few days ago, Grandfather Kuang had personally called to insist that Kuang Ye make an appearance.

Mu Wan didn’t know the exact reason, but as a junior, she couldn’t go against the elder’s wishes.

She’d just have to keep a close eye on Kuang Ye at the banquet.