"That's it?" the tattooed man asked Shi Youxi, who had just hung up the phone.

"What, are you worried that if you hit too hard, your girl will blame you?"

Shi Youxi glanced at him and said, "I'm only responsible for sorting out the trash; how she cleans it up is her business."

"She wants to handle it herself."

“.......

Looking at the man opposite him, the tattooed man felt a mixture of relief and heartache. The boy who once couldn't make up his mind had become a decisive head of the family.

"Since you're just an accomplice, can you please keep a lower profile in the future? This is, after all, a country with many restrictions." The tattooed man originally intended to reason with Shi Youxi, but seeing Shi Youxi constantly rubbing his right arm, he became even more angry.

"There's more than one solution. Can you please not be so impulsive?"

"I know you'd risk your life for her! But I didn't want to end up on the road back then!"

The tattooed arm felt a chill run down my spine when I recalled hearing that the person had driven his car into a crater created by the earthquake.

While others were running away to save their lives, this person insisted on taking a shortcut towards the epicenter, showing no regard for his own life.

"Even if not for yourself, think about your girlfriend. Don't risk your life to save her."

Seeing that Shi Youxi's right arm was bleeding, Shi Jie, carrying his little suitcase, came running up again, watching him cautiously:

"Sir, I'm wiping."

Shi Youxi gave him a cold glance.

"........." Shijie pouted, feeling wronged.

A tattooed arm rebukes:

"Stop complaining! Guan Shiyan's not here, so you better behave yourself!"

Seeing Shi Youxi obediently accept the bandaging, the tattooed man couldn't help but say again:

Did you hear what I just said?

"elder brother."

Shi Jie poured disinfectant on the wound, and Shi Youxi frowned from the pain, but that was all the expression he showed. He took out a plain ring from his pocket and touched it intently.

The object, though it was a cold-colored object, appeared to him as overflowing with tenderness.

This was put on him by his older sister before he fell asleep.

The feeling of being bound by her was always more thrilling and intoxicating than the thought of facing death, driving him to madness and obsession.

"If I hadn't found her, I might as well have died in that pit."

"I was the one who was rescued."

The tattooed man was startled: "You..."

Shi Youxi put on the plain ring, then quickly and tightly wrapped the bandage on Shi Jie's hand before saying:

"Do you remember when I was in high school, I followed you and Shi Si to rummage through those gutters? I've said it before, it was disgusting."

The tattooed man said "Oh":

"Our image back then wasn't very good. We brothers embarrassed you and made you feel wronged."

"But actually I do like it." Shi Youxi ignored his sarcastic remarks.

“I really hate it when I see myself as a father.”

"But what makes me even happier is that I can get her and protect her because of this."

The man's tone and expression were very calm. This sentence probably didn't even take long to form before it became Shi Youxi's execution formula.

"..."

The tattooed arm tore at his buzz cut:

"Love-obsessed people are really scary."

"A family history of genetic diseases is caused by being love-struck, which is even more terrifying!"

When I opened my eyes, I saw no hope for the future of Shimen!

Shi Youxi stood up with a smirk, and as she passed the pile of meat on the ground, she said:

"Take him to the entrance of the police station."

"ah?"

The season is hard to understand: "Why?"

The man only showed him his back, and his anxious look made one think he was rushing to clock in for work.

It's cold with my tattooed arms:

"Why else? Just be a law-abiding citizen."

————

———

—

Mu Yiran's sleep was extremely blank, as if she were alone in the void, unable to move or see.

As her body sank and she felt herself being tightly bound, she panicked, yet couldn't stop chasing after them.

It's like I've come back to life.

When Mu Yiran opened her eyes again, her vision was still completely gray and black. She turned her eyes and saw the man clinging to her tightly.

Shi Youxi hugged her tightly, wearing the same style of pajamas as her but in a different color. He buried his face in her shoulder, his strong nose rubbing against her soft hair.

My sleep was a complete mess.

Mu Yiran stared quietly for a long time before slowly turning around to face the man.

The man was sleeping soundly, making no sound except for his gentle breathing. Mu Yiran pulled out her hair, revealing the man's clear face.

She smiled, extended her index finger, and traced Shi Youxi's chin, down to his lips and then to the bridge of his nose, across his eyebrows and eyes, and finally lifted his bangs.

"She's sleeping so soundly..."

She rarely woke up before him, more often when Shi Youxi was a child than now, but he almost always woke up before her.

Remembering how Shi Youxi would always look at her with a smile as she slept sprawled out, Mu Yiran felt a mischievous urge.

She pinched Shi Youxi's cheeks on both sides, making his face look chubby, which made his breathing a little faster.

As if sensing something, the man moved his head, then raised his chin, opened his mouth, and accurately bit her finger.

"hiss!"

"Sister...don't go..."

Seeing that the man was about to bite again, Mu Yiran slapped his face and pressed it into the pillow.

He behaved himself.

Mu Yiran grabbed her phone, intending to record Shi Youxi's other reactions. She followed the man's sensitive spots, running her hand down his forehead to his ear.

For her, touching upon Shi Youxi's childhood and adolescence was just a matter of this year.

So when she touched the area behind the man's ear, she immediately sensed that it was different from the area she had touched before.

It's become a bit rough.

Remembering that Shi Youxi had been injured there, Mu Yiran subconsciously thought that there was a real scar and was about to peek out to look.

The cell phone rang.

Mu Yiran turned around and answered the call, lowering her voice.

"Hello? Uncle Cheng?"

Lee Byung-seung breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her calm tone, "Thank goodness... you're alright. I saw the news, Yu Li was arrested, wasn't it him?"

"Yu Li has been arrested?!"

"you do not know?"

Lee Byung-seung glanced at the picture on the computer: a woman with long hair flowing in the wind, wearing a fitted dress, was being held tightly in the arms of a tall man.

Comments below the image:

Is this some kind of TV drama being filmed?

[Does this look rather Mary Sue-ish?]

[I want to see Mary Sue stories too! Have they got new stuff in the Chinese entertainment industry? These two are so good-looking!]

[Wow, quite a spectacle! The helicopter, the emergency landing, the atmosphere? Is there hope for modern dramas in Chinese entertainment?!]

I didn't see any crew cameras. Shouldn't these scenes be filmed on indoor sets?

[Is this some young master or young lady's romantic escapade again? We're all stuck as NPCs again!]

The same comments kept popping up.

Lee Byung-seung snorted coldly:

"All they do is put on these fancy facades."

"What's the point of arresting him? We should have protected you from the start!"

“............”

Mu Yi fell asleep yesterday without even waiting to see how Shi Youxi would handle the situation, as she had imagined that Shi Youxi's approach would be very harsh.

But I never imagined it would be this... torture.

“He wasn’t in the country at the time, and I didn’t want so many people following me around.”

Lee Byung-sung still had a lot of complaints about Shi Youxi, so he changed the subject, "The people at the bureau said that the Korean man is still alive. Yu Li's current statement is that he had an argument with Lee Jin-young about splitting the money. We'll need you to give a statement later—"

Mu Yiran couldn't help but interrupt him: "So, was it really Yu Li who planned this all by himself? Why?"

“Yu Li is a gambler. It’s still unclear how much he owes, but he has previously engaged in delivering goods for so-called overseas investors under the guise of cooperation. He said he’s targeting you because you have a lot of people protecting you. He wants to wait until you are swindled by Li Zhenrong before he can profit from us.”

“He really dares to think that way!” Li Bingcheng said, his face darkening.

"It can't be just that..." Mu Yiran murmured.

"What?"

"If you're just trying to lure me in with the promise of cooperation, there's no need for such formal contract terms and planning."

Mu Yiran didn't care about Yu Li's intentions at all. "Yu Li is at most a middleman, so why did Li Zhenrong choose me?"

Lee Byung-sung remained silent, listening quietly to the girl's words.

“The styles of those jewels are very similar to those of the British royal family in the last century and the royal jewelry of the late Qing Dynasty. He asked me to make a custom piece, but he gave me specific drawings and materials, which is more like asking me to make a replica.”

“There are many antiques that are not state-owned. If they are not in the hands of private collectors, then they are practically non-existent.” Mu Yiran’s eyes sharpened. “What can you do with replicating an antique that has never seen the light of day except to spend your life in prison! Moreover, the materials he provided were just a cheap substitute.”

"Something that costs tens of thousands of dollars, you want a billion for?!"

“Ranran…”

Mu Yiran's voice gradually turned indifferent: "So his purpose is to launder money, right?"

“…”

"No wonder my replica of Ms. Wen's necklace was sold. It turns out that Li Zhenrong bought either a replica or the original."

"No wonder Li Zhenrong approached me, and went directly to Saorsa; it's because he had worked with Ms. Wen a long time ago—"

"Ranran!" Li Bingcheng called out to her loudly for the first time, with a warning in his voice.

“Your mother, who learned from your grandfather, is not only a craftsman but also an original designer. She is a genius. You know the meaning of Saorsa: a unique treasure. In her eyes, besides you, her designs are also her most precious treasures!”

"And with joy, and according to your own will..."

“Your mother, Wenqie, she would never do such a thing.”

"..."

Mu Yiran was taken aback, unsure if it was because of the timid longing that unconsciously crept into the man's words, but she then smiled:

"I know, of course I know."

No one knows Ms. Wen better than her.

Hearing that she seemed to genuinely believe him, Li Bingcheng didn't want to say anything more. "You don't need to worry too much about this matter. Li Zhenrong has committed many offenses, but it's only within the country that he can't be controlled. You don't need to worry about other things, and don't... overthink things."

"Uncle Cheng, don't worry. I'm just wondering if there are any traitors among my people."

Lee Byung-seung sighed: "Do you need me to send some people to help you investigate?"

"No need, I can handle this little thing."

As if genuinely afraid she might overthink things, Lee Byung-seung changed the subject and chatted with her for a long time.

After hanging up the phone, the man stared at his phone, lost in thought.

"Chairman Li has been brought. Shall we go now...?" The secretary looked at the man with a puzzled expression.

"Chairman Li? If you're worried about Miss Mu, how about I arrange for more people to keep an eye on her?"

Lee Byung-seung snapped out of his daze, clutching the SD card in his hand, a barely perceptible struggle and sadness flashing in his eyes.

"It seems she already guessed it..."

The secretary immediately understood his meaning, "...Mr. Li, no matter what, I think Miss Mu has the right to know the truth."

“…”

Lee Byung-seung closed his eyes. It was late at night in London, and he was having another sleepless night.

Mu Yiran also couldn't sleep.

After hanging up the phone, she first sent Lin Changxun a bunch of emojis, asking when the old man would return from his trip.

Fearing he wouldn't reply, Mu Yiran added a picture of the flowers he had killed.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Mu Yiran dialed Candice's voice call. The other party did not answer immediately, so Mu Yiran waited quietly.

If she remembers correctly…

So the high-jeweled piece that Li Zhenrong bought was designed by Ms. Wen in 2013. Even she could sense how strange the transaction was, so Ms. Wen must have sensed something was wrong as well.

But the deal was still made, and coincidentally, his parents died in a car accident that same year.

Suppose…

If there is indeed a connection between the two, then the parents' deaths might not have been just a simple car accident...

She knew that taking another step closer to her memories might bring her more than just the pain and joy she remembered; perhaps that step closer would cause new scars to grow under the old bandage.

Even so, Mu Yiran still wanted to know.

Even if she were to be killed again by those dulled pains.

The pager stopped, and Candice answered the phone in a hoarse voice: "Hello? Ran?"

"Oh, Candice, I won't disturb your sleep, will I?" Mu Yiran asked, licking her lips somewhat nervously.

"Cough, no." Candice coughed a few times, suppressing his cough, and asked gently, "What's wrong?"

"There's something I'd like to ask you for help with."

"What's up--"

"What's wrong, sister?"

Mu Yiran: "?!?!"

A binding force came from her waist, and Mu Yiran felt a weight on her shoulders. Candice's reply on the other end of the phone was drowned out by the muffled sounds coming from her shoulder.

She turned her head and bumped into a fluffy head.

I don't know when this person woke up, or how long they had been crouching behind her.

Shi Youxi rubbed against her shoulder and neck, pecking upwards along the line until he reached her fingertips. He cruelly pushed away the phone Mu Yiran was holding, and began to nibble on her snow-white earlobe, his voice hoarse:

"Who is my sister talking to on the phone if she's not sleeping with me?"

"Ah... wait!"

Mu Yiran turned her head to dodge, but where could she hide when she was trapped in the man's arms?

The man had long arms, long legs, and even a long neck, and coiled around her like a snake, clinging tightly to her.

Mu Yiran turned around and he turned around too, the two of them twisting together like a pretzel.

Mu Yiran was nearly suffocated by the snake, which was still flicking its tongue, making her whole body sticky and sticky.

"What are you saying, huh?"

"Aren't you tired from staying up so late last night? You still have the energy to make a phone call?"

"What nonsense are you spouting! Shut up!" Mu Yiran reached out and covered his mouth, frantically speaking into the phone:

"Sorry, Candice, I'll call you back later!"

"..."

There was no sound from the other end. Looking down, I realized they had hung up the phone sometime earlier.

Shi Youxi glanced at it and scoffed, "Rude."

"It's all your fault!" Mu Yiran elbowed him in the chest. "Don't you know that adults aren't allowed to interrupt when they're on the phone?!"

"A little brat? Ha..."

Shi Youxi stopped Mu Yiran's busy fingers and leaned in to nudge Mu Yiran's face with his chin.

"Kids always have to interrupt."

"I, this little brat, just love to poke Mu Yiran, this adult, in the mouth."

Having grown accustomed to his witty banter, Mu Yiran dodged him, saying, "Wait, let me finish sending the message first..."

"No waiting!"

Shi Youxi pecked loudly, "You're not allowed to think about anyone else, and you're not allowed to think about anything else."

"Now, all my sister can think about is how to kiss me."

"You...it's itchy, don't do that! Haha—"

Mu Yiran was unable to dodge in time and retreated step by step until her heel hit something.

Shi Youxi caught her legs as she fell backward and lifted her up. He tilted his chin up, a grin on his lips, and caught her lips as they fell.

"No! I haven't—"

"Hmm..."

“…”

Only when Mu Yiran seized the opportunity to bite his tongue, and Shi Youxi squinted his eyes in a tingling, pleasurable sensation, did he loosen his grip.

I had just stepped back and hadn't even had a chance to say anything comforting when I was shoved hard!

Mu Yiran rushed into the bathroom, and two seconds later, Shi Youxi heard the sound of brushing teeth coming from there.

Shi Youxi: "............."