Kuang Ye’s voice was very pleasant to hear—deep, magnetic, and filled with a soft, lingering affection that made one feel inexplicably warm upon hearing it.

Mu Wan looked at Kuang Ye in disbelief. “What did you just call me?”

Kuang Ye looked at Mu Wan’s somewhat dazed face, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he feigned seriousness, asking in return, “My birthday is in November, and yours is in May. I should call you ‘Jiejie,’ right?”

The second “Jiejie” left Mu Wan completely stunned. She swallowed hard, and with a wave of her hand, she tried to brush it off. “It’s just a few months. No need to make a big deal out of it. Just call me Wan Wan.”

Kuang Ye, still with a serious face, responded, “One year older still means ‘Jiejie.'”

Yuan Weiwei: “…”

She widened her eyes, staring at Kuang Ye’s handsome face, covering her mouth, her voice trembling slightly. “Mu Wan, you’re already engaged… and yet you’re… you’re… you’re really…”

She couldn’t finish her sentence, but Mu Wan subtly understood and rolled her eyes in exasperation. She didn’t feel like keeping up the act anymore. “Miss Yuan, think before you speak. One sentence offended two people. Didn’t your mother teach you the art of conversation?”

“This is Kuang Ye, my legitimate fiancé, not some gigolo like you might think.”

Yuan Weiwei’s expression grew even stranger as her gaze turned to Kuang Ye. She muttered, “Isn’t he supposed to be a thug? How is he so handsome…”

The man in front of her wasn’t the refined, elegant nobleman like Kuang Shuyu, but he carried an air of flirtatious charm and rebellious good looks. That “Jiejie” from earlier only enhanced the contrast, making one’s curiosity skyrocket.

Mu Wan forced a smile. “What you hear isn’t always true, and what you see is the reality. Don’t treat gossip as fact. Our Ah Ye is doing just fine.”

Hearing Mu Wan’s unreserved defense of Kuang Ye, Kuang Shuyu clenched his fists behind his back. He stepped forward to break up the standoff.

“Since we’re all here shopping, why don’t we go together? It would be good for you girls to give each other some advice.”

Seeing that Mu Wan and Kuang Ye seemed so ‘affectionate,’ as though they weren’t fighting over a man, Yuan Weiwei’s hostility toward her had lessened.

“Okay, let’s go together, but I’m picking a dress for next month’s birthday banquet. Mu Wan, you’re not allowed to compete with me.”

Mu Wan: “Don’t worry, our tastes aren’t that similar.”

The two-person outing turned into a group of four. During the day, Kuang Shuyu tried several times to talk to Mu Wan privately, but each time, Kuang Ye subtly blocked him.

Mu Wan didn’t notice this. Because…

“Jiejie, this dress is beautiful, do you want to try it on? It would match your hairstyle so well.”

“Jiejie, does your feet hurt from the high heels? Do you want to change into some flats?”

“Jiejie, are you thirsty? I’ll go buy you a drink.”

Every time he called her “Jiejie,” people walking by would glance over. Even Mu Wan’s thick skin couldn’t handle being made a spectacle like this. Finally, when he was about to call her “Jiejie” again, Mu Wan covered his mouth and pulled him outside the mall’s restroom. She gritted her teeth and said, “Can you stop calling me ‘Jiejie’?”

Kuang Ye lowered his eyes to look at her hand over his mouth, his gaze deepening. His voice dropped to a low tone. “Alright, Jiejie.”

The man’s breath brushed against her palm, and Mu Wan recoiled as if burned, a blush spreading across her porcelain face. “I told you, no calling me that.”

Kuang Ye knew he had pushed it too far. He quickly pretended to behave, saying, “Alright, if you don’t like it, I won’t call you that anymore.”

Mu Wan splashed cold water on her face at the sink, glancing at the man waiting outside the restroom. She thought to herself that with that handsome face, calling her “Jiejie” was just too over the top. The little puppy shouldn’t be this flirtatious.

—

Mu Wan spent a long time trying to find the right dress, but she didn’t find anything suitable until she arrived at a high-end custom boutique on the top floor of the mall. She found a stunning starry blue mermaid dress. The moment she stepped out of the fitting room, both Kuang Ye and Kuang Shuyu froze, their eyes flashing with undisguised admiration. Even the designer, who was notoriously picky about model figures, excitedly remarked, “It’s perfect.”

“Beautiful lady, this dress looks like it was made for you.”

The dress was strapless, hugging her body in all the right places, highlighting her figure. The gown was adorned with small diamonds that simulated a starry sky, sparkling brilliantly. Her already fair skin seemed to glow under the lights. The skirt had a slit, revealing her slender, straight legs with every step, making it utterly flawless.

Even Yuan Weiwei had to admit that Mu Wan was truly breathtaking at this moment. She couldn’t help but purse her lips.

She was sure she could find something even more beautiful.

Turning to ask Kuang Shuyu to go to the next store, she saw that he was staring at Mu Wan with a dazed expression, completely oblivious to her presence. Her face instantly turned pale.

Mu Wan asked Kuang Ye, “Do you think it’s nice?”

Kuang Ye didn’t hesitate to offer his praise. “It’s stunning.”

Mu Wan laughed, then asked the designer, “I saw a matching men’s version of this dress earlier. Could you bring it out for me to have a look?”

Before Kuang Ye could refuse, she took the initiative and said, “My fiancé doesn’t mind wearing couple outfits with me, does he?”