Zhu Qi was tossed out of the car by Ye Yunche.
Wrapped in nothing but a thin coat, he shivered in the cold wind.
Looking pitiful, he asked, “How am I supposed to get home?”
Ye Yunche’s face was icy.
“Take a taxi.”
Zhu Qi couldn’t understand why Brother Yunche, who had been grinning just moments ago, had suddenly turned hostile.
Had he hit a sore spot?
Or was it because of what his cousin had said?
“Don’t talk nonsense. He only respects his sister-in-law.”
Ye Yunche had gritted his teeth as he echoed her words. “Right. I respect my sister-in-law.”
Then he threw Zhu Qi out of the car.
Ye Yunche spun the steering wheel and drove all the way to the winding mountain road on Mount Daqi.
Zhu Liuyue wasn’t nervous in the slightest. She slowly lowered the car window, letting the cold wind rush inside. It sent her dark hair flying, and a few mischievous strands drifted toward Ye Yunche’s arm.
He instinctively shrank back and pressed his lips into a tight line.
There was no race today, so there weren’t many people at the club.
Everyone greeted Ye Yunche and Zhu Liuyue in unison when they saw them, though they couldn’t help feeling puzzled. They had never seen Brother Yunche and Sister Liuyue act so close before.
Were they really coming to the racing club alone together?
Perhaps Brother Yunche was simply listening to his older brother and showing respect to his sister-in-law.
Zhu Liuyue ordered a cup of coffee and sat leisurely on the sofa by the window, scrolling through her phone.
Ye Yunche ordered a glass of liquor and sat at the bar, his back radiating indignation.
He didn’t even know what he was angry about.
Actually, what Zhu Qi had said earlier wasn’t wrong. He was only angry at Zhu Liuyue’s indifference.
Could her eyes really see nothing but his older brother?
His brother had abandoned their engagement ceremony, yet she had still clung to him, pretending to be Ye Yunjin so she could complete the ceremony.
Just how much did she love Ye Yunjin?
Ye Yunche was deeply displeased.
He lowered his head and drank in silence. He had brought Zhu Liuyue to the racing club, but she hadn’t said a word to him.
It was as if he were nothing more than a petulant child throwing a tantrum.
Yes!
He wasn’t as mature as his older brother.
The more Ye Yunche drank, the more bitter the liquor tasted. He couldn’t help turning his head slightly to glance at Zhu Liuyue.
He found her smiling as she replied to a message.
Who was she messaging?
His older brother?
To hell with Ye Yunjin!
Zhu Liuyue was replying to Zhao Xin.
Zhao Xin’s birthday was in two days, and she had invited Zhu Liuyue to attend.
Zhu Liuyue: “Don’t invite Zhu Qi.”
Zhao Xin: “Why not?”
Zhu Liuyue: “That brat is seriously driving me crazy.”
Zhao Xin: “Ah… But I already invited him a few days ago. How about this, Sister Liuyue? On my birthday, I’ll help you give him a good beating.”
Zhu Liuyue: “Deal.”
As she continued messaging, she suddenly realized something.
What had Zhu Qi said he was going to Bai Shurou for today?
He thought the flower arrangements she made had sophisticated taste and looked beautiful. Since a friend’s birthday was coming up, he had gone to order a bouquet.
So…
The bouquet Zhu Qi had ordered was meant for Zhao Xin.
Hmph. At least that brat had some taste.
She put down her phone.
Then she noticed that Ye Yunche had disappeared. Hadn’t he been sitting at the bar, drinking sulkily just moments ago?
She got up and went over to ask the bartender.
“Second Young Master Ye was called away by Young Master Zhao Wen.”
Zhao Wen.
He was a sworn enemy of Ye Yunche.
Ye Yunche was drunk enough to be stumbling. What if something happened to him?
But when Zhu Liuyue found them, she realized she had been worrying for nothing.
The two men were sitting together, drinking as if they were about to become sworn brothers.
One of them said, “My little sister used to be so cute and obedient. Now that she has some lousy man she likes, she won’t tell me anything anymore. Whoever that man is, I’ll kill him when I find out!”
The other said, “What’s so great about my brother? He looks refined and polite, but he’s actually sneaky and rotten to the core. There’s nothing good about him!”
“Cheers.”
“Cheers!”
Zhu Liuyue cleared her throat.
Zhao Wen set down his glass and stood up respectfully, as if he had seen a mouse in the presence of a cat.
“Sister Liuyue.”
He was only missing a military salute.
After all, his cousin Xiao Qitang had repeatedly warned him, “Don’t upset Sister Liuyue. If you upset her, you’re picking a fight with me.”
Zhao Wen could only think: What a hopelessly lovestruck lapdog.
No—what a hopelessly devoted cousin.
Ye Yunche was also drunk. His beautiful amber eyes blinked repeatedly.
Staggering to his feet, he walked toward Zhu Liuyue and stared at her with a half-smile.
Each name he called her was more intimate than the last.
“Sister-in-law?”
“Zhu Liuyue.”
“Liuyue.”
“Yueyue.”
Zhu Liuyue shot him a cold look. Zhao Wen, who had been staring at her in astonishment, sensed the murderous aura and bolted.
As he ran, he thought: Should I give my lovesick cousin a warning? It looks like he has more than one rival.
Zhu Liuyue quietly watched Ye Yunche.
His unruly brows lifted slightly. He looked displeased, yet faintly aggrieved.
Taking advantage of the alcohol, he moved toward her step by step.
Until only half an inch remained between them.
Ye Yunche bent down and looked at her.
His eyes were red, clouded with tipsy intoxication.
“I don’t want you to be my sister-in-law,” he said.
Zhu Liuyue curved her lips. “Is that so? But your brother likes me.”
Ye Yunche’s lips parted.
He wanted so badly to say, I like you too.
But then Zhu Liuyue continued, “Whether you like me or not doesn’t matter.”
Ye Yunche felt his heart split apart, shattering into countless shards of glass.
He looked wounded and helpless.
Zhu Liuyue patted him on the shoulder. “All right. You’ve been drinking, so you can’t drive. I’ll take you home.”
Ye Yunche took advantage of the moment and grabbed her hand.
“I don’t want to leave.”
“Don’t go.”
Zhu Liuyue’s gaze fell to the hand gripping her wrist, and she raised a brow before joking, “Do you know that if the paparazzi photograph us, there’ll be no clearing up our relationship?”
“Second Young Master Ye, who hates women, caught having a late-night rendezvous with his future sister-in-law? It’ll make the front page.”
The strength in Ye Yunche’s grip loosened.
His hand dropped limply as his face fell into dejection.
“What’s so great about my brother?”
“He’s wonderful. Mature, steady, and charming.”
“But he’s still entangled with Bai Shurou,” Ye Yunche argued.
“That’s why he left you to handle today’s situation.”
Ye Yunche fell silent.
When it came to playing mind games, he definitely couldn’t beat his older brother.
Tonight might be one of the rare chances he had to spend time alone with Zhu Liuyue.
Ye Yunche hurried after her and grabbed her arm again, his grip slightly tighter this time.
“What is it?” Zhu Liuyue turned to look at him.
The light fell over her dark hair and long lashes, making her entire being seem to glow.
Ye Yunche spoke awkwardly.
“Zhu Liuyue, from today onward, I won’t hate you anymore. Will you like me?”
Zhu Liuyue smiled faintly. “Okay.”
Ye Yunche considered his words carefully. “Not the kind of liking friends have, or the kind family members have. I mean the kind that…”
Made your heart race.
“Ring, ring, ring—”
Ye Yunche’s phone began to ring.
It was Ye Yunjin calling.
