Huo Junyu was sweating profusely, staring at her in disbelief.

Jiang Mianmian actually handed her a cup of green tea.

Huo Junyu gripped the cup, stammering and unable to form a complete sentence. What he held in his hand wasn't a cup of tea, but a hot potato, the kind that could burn him raw!

"What's wrong?" Jiang Mianmian asked with a smile in her eyes. "You drink tea that others give you, but the tea I give you is poison, and you're so scared?"

"Mianmian!"

Huo Junyu quickly put down the tea and went over to take her hand.

Jiang Mianmian turned around, and Huo Junyu hugged her from behind. Jiang Mianmian struggled a couple of times, but she couldn't break free from this big guy, and obediently surrendered in his arms.

Although he stopped moving around, his eyes still kept glancing elsewhere.

"Mianmian..." Huo Junyu whispered in her ear, his deep, magnetic voice tinged with apology and innocence, "I...I don't know why she sent me this..."

"Was the photo photoshopped?"

“This…” Huo Junyu was taken aback, and told the truth, “No.”

"So you really took her to the beach?"

Jiang Mianmian turned around to look at him, her cheeks slightly puffed out.

“When she was little…you weren’t here,” Huo Junyu explained incoherently. “That time she came to Yangcheng to play, my parents were worried that it wouldn’t be safe to take her anywhere else, so they took her to the beach near our house.”

"Mianmian, look!" Huo Junyu zoomed in on the photo. "Look at my expression back then, I didn't even smile! I was very unwilling at the time! Because I always felt... that beach was something I left for you, and I could only take you there!"

Jiang Mianmian pouted, but her anger had actually subsided considerably.

Thinking back to how she had suddenly felt jealous, she couldn't help but laugh. Huo Junyu was only eight or nine years old then; what could he possibly do?

It would be outrageous to argue with him over something like this.

The person with ulterior motives is clearly He Sirui.

He Sirui had been familiar with the Huo brothers since childhood, and she had been separated from the Lu family for twenty years. He Sirui took advantage of this and kept using the things she had done with Huo Junyu when they were young to provoke her.

"If I fall for it, I'll be a fool," Jiang Mianmian muttered softly.

Huo Junyu was taken aback. "What did you say?"

“I’m telling you,” Jiang Mianmian said with a sly smile, “you’d better hurry up and go to your appointment, lest your ‘buddy’ gets impatient and then blames me for this!”

"Mianmian!"

Seeing that Huo Junyu was really sweating profusely, Jiang Mianmian burst out laughing.

"Okay, I was just kidding." She gently took his hand. "I admit I'm a little jealous, but I'm not the kind of person who doesn't appreciate kindness. I know exactly how you treat me."

"so……"

Huo Junyu's eyes darted around, and he grabbed her and pulled her outside.

"So you have to come with me to the appointment!"

"ah?"

Without a word, Huo Junyu shoved her into the car, laughing even more heartily than she had before.

*

He Sirui was sitting at the bar, and just as she had her drink mixed, Huo Junyu appeared at the door.

She waved at him, but before she could even enjoy it for a few seconds, her hand stopped in mid-air.

Huo Junyu brought Jiang Mianmian in.

He Sirui's heart sank. Jiang Mianmian wore a gentle smile, her long hair flowing freely, making her appear even more delicate and graceful. She leaned against Huo Junyu like a little bird, and Huo Junyu held her carefully, as if he were holding a priceless treasure.

A burning jealousy ignited in He Sirui's heart, turning her eyes bloodshot.

"Oh, Mianmian... what brings you here too?"

Jiang Mianmian looked at her quietly, a slight smile playing on her lips, without saying a word.

"Look, I didn't even know you were coming! I didn't even prepare a seat for you..."

"It looks like this place has been cleared out? Otherwise, it should be bustling with activity at this time, not just the three of us." Jiang Mianmian looked around and smiled. "You said you didn't prepare a seat for me? Heh, there are so many empty seats here! Thank you, Sirui!"

He Sirui clenched her fists, her face turning pale.

"Mianmian, Junyu came out for a drink with me, are you really that worried about him? There aren't any other girls around, why are you being so controlling?"

"Mianmian, I will definitely keep an eye on him, so don't worry!"

"It's because of you that I'm even more worried." Jiang Mianmian smiled, but every word seemed to be enunciated.

"What...what do you mean? Junyu and I grew up together, and now we don't even have the freedom to have a drink together?"

“Indeed not.” Huo Junyu stepped forward, looking at her with a light smile.

He stepped forward, but his fingers were intertwined with Jiang Mianmian's.

“Sirui, there are some things I need to make clear to you. Although we have a childhood bond, we're all grown up now…” Huo Junyu paused, then spoke clearly, “Men and women are different!”

"you……"

"Also, I don't have many 'buddies,' I only have a younger brother, Huo Junyang. I have a few close friends, but they are all men."

Huo Junyu smiled: "Now, you should understand what I mean, right?"

He Sirui's lips twitched involuntarily.

"Junyu, I know you and Mianmian are close... but you can't just stop seeing your female friends just because you have a fiancée, can you?"

"Are you saying that there can be pure friendship between men and women?" Huo Junyu smirked. "But I think the term 'pure friendship' is the most irresponsible expression of feelings!"

"Brother Junyu..."

"Of course, normal interactions are fine, but anything beyond that," he paused, then said in a deep voice, "please have some self-respect!"

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