"Sort of," Ji Mingqian replied nonchalantly.

The conversation came to a halt again.

Jiang Yisheng shifted her gaze, picking up the book and continuing to browse through it.

...

VI Club

On Monday, the club was closed, so Xue Wu got up late.

He had just started breakfast when he heard a series of footsteps.

Turning his head, he saw a graceful figure slowly walking in.

The bread in his mouth almost choked him, "Cough cough."

Patting his chest, he was quite choked up, "Master Jiu."

"No need to get so excited just because you see me," Ye Jiuliang glanced at him and teased.

"Master Jiu, what brings you here?" Xue Wu gasped for breath, not bothering to wipe his mouth, and hurriedly inquired.

"Got a job for you," she said.

Xue Wu’s eyes lit up, eager to try, "Master Jiu, please tell me."

"Ye Yan has a partnership meeting tonight in the West Suburb, send someone to lie in wait at the club," Ye Jiuliang walked around the bar, opened the refrigerator, and grabbed a bottle of juice.

"No need for drastic measures, just go through the motions. Make it look good."

He pulled out a photo from his pocket and placed it on the bar.

Ye Jiuliang twisted off the cap and took a sip of the juice, "Also, this person will show up at the club this afternoon. Arrange a waiter’s job for him, and if anyone comes investigating, say he often tempers at the club."

At these words, Xue Wu looked curiously at the photo on the bar and asked, "Master Jiu, who might this be?"

"Ye Yan’s son, Ye Rui. Find a chance for him to help Ye Yan escape when you set up the ambush," Ye Jiuliang instructed indifferently.

Xue Wu suddenly understood, "Master Jiu, I know what to do."

"Continue with your breakfast, I’m leaving," Ye Jiuliang tossed the empty bottle into the trash can and walked away.

Lastly, she added, "Right, my motorbike is in the garage. Send it to the shop for maintenance, I’ll pick it up in a few days."

Xue Wu, "Got it."

After wandering around the streets for a while, Ye Jiuliang eventually entered a flower shop.

When she came out, she was holding a bunch of fiery red roses.

At a glance, there seemed to be about ninety-nine of them.

Under the blazing sun, she stood by the roadside waiting for a ride.

She took out her mobile phone and dialed Wei Bei to confirm that Li Mochan was still at Beisen, then she hung up and casually hailed a taxi to get in.

The driver was a middle-aged woman who saw Ye Jiuliang holding a bunch of fiery red roses and smilingly struck up a conversation, "Young lady, flowers from your boyfriend?"

Ye Jiuliang pressed her lips together and smiled, "No, they’re for someone I’m giving to."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman paused, then smiled.

In the height of summer, the cicada’s calls fell from a high pitch to a lower one, heavy and slow.

Occasionally, a light breeze would blow, and two or three leaves would drift and fall.

Ye Jiuliang leaned sideways, half-reclining against the large tree, and glanced down at the roses with a smile filling her eyes.

In her pocket, her mobile phone vibrated.

She stood up straight, took the phone to her ear, and a man’s intoxicating voice came from the other end, "Where are you?"

Ye Jiuliang peeked from behind the tree towards the gates of Beisen, where the man’s tall figure basked in the sunlight. His striking features were like those of a celestial being, standing aloof and proud.

Her rosy lips curved into a slight smile, "Look behind you."

Li Mochan turned around, as if on the same wavelength, his eyes as dark as a deep lake swept directly toward the woman hiding behind the tree.

He hung up the phone and strode over.

Li Mochan looked down at her sun-reddened face with a slight furrow of his brows, "It’s so hot, why are you staying out here..."

Before he could finish, a bunch of fiery red roses entered his view, the faint scent of flowers lingering at the tip of his nose.

Li Mochan didn’t react at first, staring at the fiery red roses, his gaze gradually deepening.

Roses.

Red ones at that.

Ninety-nine of them.

"Do they look nice?" Ye Jiuliang brought the roses closer to him, holding them up.

In an instant, Li Mochan’s eyes turned frosty, his handsome face covered with a chill, "Who sent them?"

Which blind fool dared to send his little wolf pup roses? He guaranteed they wouldn’t live to regret it.

Seeing his misunderstanding, Ye Jiuliang held back a laugh, "These roses are quite beautiful, don’t you like them?"

The jar of jealousy was shattered, and the scent of vinegar scattered everywhere.

Li Mochan furrowed his brows, "I don’t like it."

Saying this, he reached out and took the bunch of red roses, scanning his eyes around.

Ye Jiuliang feigned ignorance, "What are you looking for?"

"A trash bin."

After speaking, he stepped towards the trash bin not far away.

"If only I knew you disliked roses, I wouldn’t have bought them for you."

A cool voice tinged with a bit of amusement rose from behind him.

Li Mochan paused mid-step, walking back.

His gaze locked onto her delicate little face, sparkling brightly, "What did you say?"

"Didn’t you just say you didn’t like it?" Ye Jiuliang crossed her arms, looking at him with a teasing gaze, "Not throwing it into the trash bin anymore?"

"You bought them?" Li Mochan skipped her question, his thin lips uncontrollably curving upwards.

"For me?"

"Not giving them anymore, since you already said you didn’t like them, I might as well give them to someone else," Ye Jiuliang said with a hint of regret, reaching out to take back the roses.

Li Mochan wrapped an arm around her waist with gentle movements, pulling her into his embrace, and said domineeringly in a low and hoarse voice, "Who said I didn’t like them? You’re not allowed to give them to anyone else, only I can receive them from you."

"But you just said you didn’t like them," Ye Jiuliang looked up at him, a teasing smile on her lips.

Li Mochan leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips, "Who said so? I like anything you give me."

"Liar, you were just about to throw them in the bin," Ye Jiuliang teased him, playful mischief arising.

"You knew full well I thought someone else gave them to you," Li Mochan leaned in close, resting his forehead against hers, his deep voice carrying a hint of helplessness.

Ye Jiuliang pinched his face, "Jealous jar."

A large bunch of fiery red roses were indeed eye-catching, and Li Mochan couldn’t help but chuckle, "Isn’t it the boyfriend’s job to send flowers?"

How was it that between them, it was the exact opposite?

Ye Jiuliang held his hand, her little head proudly raised, "I like to give them."

She liked to spoil him, and dared anyone to object.

"Li Mochan, shall we go shopping?" She turned to look at him, batting her eyes, "No driving, just wandering around everywhere."

Li Mochan hummed, his eyes constantly adorned with a moving smile.

They placed the flowers in the car and left hand in hand.

As they strolled the streets, their exquisite appearances drew many turning heads.

"Eat less," Li Mochan said, wiping the corner of her lips with a napkin, the look in his eyes toward the girl filled with a hint of helplessness.

Ye Jiuliang nibbled on her ice cream, smiling so her eyes curved up, "Do you want a taste? It’s very yummy."

As she spoke, she generously offered the ice cream near his lips.

Li Mochan glanced at the ice cream on the verge of melting, then turned and pecked the corner of her lips.

Like a dragonfly skimming the water, he smirked, "Quite sweet."

Ye Jiuliang, "..." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Who told you to taste it like that? I..." Her speech halted abruptly upon catching sight of people coming out from Jiangyue Restaurant from the corner of her eye.