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Seeing Wen Jiu still staring at the pink Eden Rose climbing with vines over there, Mu Ling asked, “Do you like roses?”
Wen Jiu nodded. “I like anything beautiful.” She didn’t limit herself to any one variety.
“I only like roses,” Mu Ling emphasized. “Especially red roses.”
“And I think you’re just like a red rose.” She stopped the swing, turned her head, and looked at Wen Jiu seriously:
“Especially the deep wine-colored ones. That silky, noble texture and the elegance that runs deep in the bones—it’s just like you.”
“So…” Mu Ling concluded, “Since I praised you so much, can you tell me what’s going on between you and Yan-ge?”
Just as Wen Jiu started to swing again, she stopped briefly, then resumed without a care.
“Why do you ask?”
Mu Ling studied Wen Jiu’s expression. “Because… you’re the first woman I’ve seen Yan-ge treat differently.”
“The first?” Wen Jiu raised an eyebrow. With Jiang Yanci’s looks, she had assumed he wouldn’t be lacking admirers.
“Surprised?” Mu Ling asked.
“I’m surprised too.” As she said this, Mu Ling’s gaze locked onto Wen Jiu. “Jiujiu, how did you manage to win over Yan-ge?”
Clearly, she had already assumed something was going on between Wen Jiu and Jiang Yanci.
In Mu Ling’s understanding, Jiang Yanci was cold and slow to warm up—distant, even.
People like them only got near him because of family connections.
And even then, it had taken all kinds of effort and flattery just to become someone he tolerated.
But Wen Jiu… based on what she’d heard from Qi Qin, she’d only met Jiang Yanci once before this, and today was their second meeting.
Yet he had shown up at a gathering he originally had no intention of attending—just because she was here.
He’d even acted as her driver.
Even Mu Ling, let alone the rest of them, had never been in a car Jiang Yanci was driving.
Wen Jiu might be beautiful, but beauty alone wasn’t enough to get this kind of special treatment from Jiang Yanci.
There were plenty of people around him even more stunning than Wen Jiu.
“Win him over?” Wen Jiu glanced toward Jiang Yanci, not far away, his sharp, handsome side profile so striking it could make heaven jealous.
As if sensing her gaze, Jiang Yanci turned to look at her as well.
Their eyes met. Wen Jiu didn’t look away—on the contrary, she raised her brow and gave him a mischievous smile. But her words were to Mu Ling:
“Why should I be the one to win him over? Couldn’t it be he’s trying to win me over?”
Judging from the way Qi Qin and the others reacted, Wen Jiu wasn’t oblivious to Jiang Yanci’s interest in her.
Mu Ling: “…” What a bold claim.
“You serious?”
Her tone was so serious that Wen Jiu burst out laughing. “Just messing with you.”
“I’m not planning to get involved with your Yan-ge right now. Don’t overthink it.”
“…”
Seeing Wen Jiu’s gaze so calm it was almost cold, Mu Ling suddenly panicked.
“You could, though. I was just curious, really—no other reason. I already have someone I like—Qi Su! You know him, right? The one who interrupted us just now?”
Afraid Wen Jiu might misunderstand and think she had feelings for Jiang Yanci, she rushed to make it clear.
Wen Jiu comforted her, “I know. No need to panic.”
Just what kind of person was Jiang Yanci, to make someone so nervous?
Based on the version of him she knew, Wen Jiu genuinely couldn’t guess.
Seeing that Wen Jiu believed her, Mu Ling relaxed.
Then she remembered Wen Jiu’s dimples and got excited again. “You still haven’t answered me earlier—do you have any brothers?”
Wen Jiu shook her head. “Just a few older male cousins.”
“Do they have dimples?” Mu Ling pressed on. If they did, she might consider ditching Qi Su. He was always so cold.
At that thought, Mu Ling looked a bit down.
“Nope.” Wen Jiu shook her head. “But they’re very handsome.”
Especially Wen Xingyu—half-Chinese, half-French, and so attractive he looked like a literal fox spirit.
“How handsome? More than Yan-ge?” Hearing this, Mu Ling stopped swinging entirely, staring at Wen Jiu with anticipation.
“Hmm~” Wen Jiu thought about it. “Not quite. They’re different types of handsome.”
“Got photos?” Mu Ling was already itching to get up.
“Sure.” Wen Jiu took out her phone and generously offered, “Want to see?”
“Of course!” Not checking out a handsome guy when you have the chance? That’s just insane.
Mu Ling immediately abandoned her own swing and squeezed onto Wen Jiu’s with her. As Wen Jiu scrolled through her gallery, Mu Ling’s gasps got louder and louder, drawing glances from Qi Qin and the others.
“Oh my god!!! How can a guy be this hot? Though he’s wearing a bit much.”
“This one—this one!! Ahhh, Jiu, your photography skills are criminal! He’s so hot I’m bleeding out! That tight white shirt and those full, bulging pecs—ahhhhh I’m dying!”
“And this! Those barely visible V-lines—oh my god!”
“Can a half-Chinese, half-French man even be this outrageously attractive? This gorgeous face—yes, I deserve to witness it!”
Mu Ling’s reactions were so over-the-top that even at some distance, her squeals reached the ears of the others.
Qi Qin stood up and scratched his ear. “What the hell are Wen Jiu and Mu Ling looking at?”
“It’s unknown,” the person next to him replied.
Qi Qin turned to Qi Su. “Aren’t you going to check?”
Qi Su’s expression remained cold. Upon hearing this, his tone turned even colder, like frost settling in.
He gave a light scoff. “What’s it got to do with me?”
Qi Qin sneered, tugging the corner of his mouth as he brushed past Qi Su’s shoulder and strode toward the girls.
“You’d better keep that stubborn mouth of yours shut forever.”
Anyone with a little perception could tell that Qi Su didn’t actually feel nothing for Mu Ling.
But he just wouldn’t admit it—so stubborn it hurt.
Only Mu Ling still had the patience to put up with him.
Qi Qin had only taken a couple steps in Wen Jiu’s direction when he noticed someone else walking alongside him.
Turning his head, he was met with Jiang Yanci’s deep, black eyes—and instantly got goosebumps.
He forced a smile. “Yan-ge curious too?”
Jiang Yanci gave a quiet “Mm” and continued walking toward the girls.
Abs and V-lines? He had those too.
It’s just that his clothes were looser—less obvious.
They say the one closest to the water gets the moonlight first. But instead of being interested in his body, she was checking out someone else’s?
Was he dressing too conservatively?
Lowering his eyes, Jiang Yanci glanced at his comfortably loose athletic wear, wondering if maybe he should invite Wen Jiu to the beach next time—to swim?
Let her see his abs and V-lines?
Maybe… he should’ve just lost that dice game on purpose last time…
As he was mulling over this, they unknowingly arrived in front of Wen Jiu and Mu Ling.
A shadow fell over them.
Startled, Mu Ling’s hand trembled mid-scroll, and the next photo—one of the cousin in swimwear, smiling warmly—flashed across Wen Jiu’s phone screen.
Crap…
She didn’t even need to look up—Mu Ling knew who had arrived.
That chilling gaze boring down from above made her scalp go numb.