"Ranran, are you home? I've called you so many times, why didn't you answer?" Lu Tingyi looked at the girl inside the door with concern. "Are you not feeling well? You don't look well."

The man reached out to touch Mu Yiran, but Wen Qingyu frowned and tugged at his collar, saying, "Cousin, you must be feeling unwell. Tingyi and I are both very worried about you. Tingyi, let's go inside..."

Lu Tingyi had the same idea. He gripped the doorknob and tried to push it in, but the door didn't budge. "Ranran?"

Suppressing her shock, Mu Yiran knew that getting rid of these two people was the most important thing so she could figure out what was going on with her time travel. She leaned against the door, looking at the man and woman outside with a face full of refusal, and asked, "What do you want to come in?"

Wen Qingyu's expression stiffened, and she said to Mu Yiran with concern, "Of course I came to see if my cousin is alright. Cousin, you haven't answered the phone all day, and you're living here alone." Her gaze swept over the desolate villa and then peered into the room behind Mu Yiran.

The living room lights were off, but she immediately noticed the jade pendant on Mu Yiran's hand that emitted a faint glow, as well as a small portion of a jade bracelet peeking out from Mu Yiran's sleeve.

I've never seen Mu Yiran bring this before, what is this...?

Wen Qingyu's eyes flashed, and she guessed that this was the dowry that her mother had mentioned, which was left to her by Mu Yiran's maternal grandmother.

“It’s scary to live alone. My mom was worried about you, so she asked me and Tingyi to come over. There’s nothing here. Why don’t you come home with me, cousin?”

"You can say that to fool others, but don't try to act it out in front of me." Mu Yiran raised an eyebrow.

"Ranran!"

“Your aunt and Qingyu really care about you. If they hadn’t kept contacting you, no one would have known you were in trouble.” Lu Tingyi’s tone was full of reproach. Wen Qingyu’s eyes were red and she tugged at his sleeve with pity. “Brother Tingyi, don’t say that. My cousin doesn’t believe us, but as long as she’s alright, that’s all that matters.”

The girl's shoulders trembled slightly, and her nose and the corners of her eyes were red from the wind, which was heartbreaking. Lu Tingyi frowned and said urgently, "Let's go inside first. It's too windy here. It won't be good if Qingyu catches a cold."

Mu Yiran stepped on the security lock behind the door, and the wooden door remained stuck and unmoved. "If you came to see me, you can see it now. If your girlfriend is cold, take her back to her place or yours. This isn't some roadside inn where just anyone can come in."

"Ranran, what are you saying! Qingyu and I aren't in that kind of relationship..."

Wen Qingyu blushed, but when she heard Lu Tingyi's denial, she glanced at the man in surprise. However, Lu Tingyi was only looking at Mu Yiran, and the worry on his face was obvious.

“You don’t look well right now, and you don’t have any medicine or anything at home. Qingyu and I can help you. I also brought some things that your aunt wanted to give you…”

"What exactly do you want?" Mu Yiran interrupted him impatiently. The other party was silent for a moment, then glanced at Wen Qingyu in his arms.

Mu Yiran instantly understood. She stared intently at Wen Qingyu and said sarcastically, "What, stealing my mother's things wasn't enough, you want to steal something else?"

“Cousin, how could you say that! It was my fault for taking Aunt’s things by mistake, but it was unintentional. I had no idea they were Aunt’s things, and I’ve already apologized. Why are you being so unforgiving…” Wen Qingyu said, tears welling up in her eyes.

Mu Yiran looked at her expressionlessly, as if she were the one bullying her naive cousin because she was in the right.

Wen Qingyu did this simply to impress Lu Tingyi, and he indeed believed her. He patted Wen Qingyu's petite shoulder and scolded, "Ranran, that's enough. This matter is over. Qingyu has already apologized and paid the price. Don't pressure her anymore."

"..."

"Brother Tingyi, forget it. It was my fault to begin with, but... but my things..." Wen Qingyu looked at him with red eyes. Lu Tingyi sighed deeply, "Since you don't need your family's concern, then let's pretend we've worried for nothing. But, return the things you forgot to give Qingyu now; they're very important to her..."

"What?" Mu Yiran laughed angrily. She thought that even if Lu Tingyi was biased towards Wen Qingyu, he was at least reasonable. But what did he say now?

"You mean, I stole her things?"

Lu Tingyi frowned at her. He didn't want to be so harsh, but it was the truth. "Qingyu said you mistakenly took her birthday present..."

"She said?" Just because of a single, unsubstantiated statement from Wen Qingyu.

Mu Yiran stared intently at Wen Qingyu, whose gaze darted away. Wen Qingyu bit her lip and said, "It was a gift from Brother Tingyi for my coming-of-age ceremony. Cousin, you liked it and borrowed it..."

Mu Yiran laughed immediately: "I have no right to attend Miss Wen's coming-of-age ceremony. If you say I took your birthday present at your coming-of-age ceremony, you must be either disgusted or seeing a ghost."

Wen Qingyu's face turned pale. Lu Tingyi never questioned what she said, to the point that she herself had forgotten that Mu Yiran had never returned to the Wen family since she was sent abroad. At that time, she was the only eldest daughter of the Wen family, so naturally she could not allow Mu Yiran to attend her birthday banquet.

Lu Tingyi had obviously thought of this, and he looked at Wen Qingyu with a puzzled expression, "Yes... Qingyu, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"Well, maybe so. It's been so long I don't remember... It's just that I haven't been able to find the gift you gave me. It was a really pretty handmade doll, the kind my cousin used to love, so..."

So they suspected she took it.

Mu Yiran sneered, and a sudden sadness welled up in her heart as she looked at Lu Tingyi.

"Get out," Mu Yiran said coldly.

"Ranran—"

Mu Yiran stretched out her hand to Lu Tingyi and said, word by word, "Hand over the key, and then get out of my house."

Lu Tingyi had never seen Mu Yiran with such a resolute expression. She was usually easy to coax, with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He quickly said, "I'm sorry, Ranran, Qingyu was too anxious and remembered it wrong. After all, it's very important to her..."

"Hand over the key." Mu Yiran ignored his long and tedious explanation, which was as tedious as a tattered rag.

The villa's security system was replaced by Mu Yiran after she returned to China, but she forgot that she had given Lu Tingyi a key to help watch the house when her parents passed away.

Lu Tingyi realized that the girl might really be angry, so he raised his hand to try to hold Mu Yiran's hand and coax her, but she avoided his hand and pressed the security camera next to her.

The sirens blared even louder than the first time.

In an instant, the entire villa was filled with a tense, sharp ringing. The neighbors, thinking a burglary had broken in, all rushed out to see what was happening. Lu Tingyi and Wen Qingyu were stopped at the door, both looking embarrassed.

"Ranran, what are you doing? Let's talk this out. This is disturbing the peace..." Before Lu Tingyi could finish speaking, several people in black uniforms suddenly appeared outside the villa. They were holding batons and stood solemnly.

The group walked straight in and approached Lu Tingyi and Mu Yiran. The middle-aged man at the head of the group gave them a sharp look before respectfully asking Mu Yiran, "Miss Mu, what's going on? Are these two thieves? Should we take them away?"

"What thief! She's my cousin—"

"Yes, they broke into my house without permission, and their intentions are unclear. I am very scared. Please take them away." Mu Yiran did not expect the villa's security to be so good, and they arrived in an instant.

"There might be some misunderstanding, but we are indeed her family—"

"Young man, you're so quick to speak!" A sudden voice drew everyone's attention. On the brightly lit balcony of the second floor of the villa next door, a woman wearing a dark red fur coat was leaning against the wall.