Back at the villa, Ye Yiyi and Li Meng greeted Tang Coco with lamp-warm smiles; even dinner was theirs to make. Yiyi took the helm, Meng at her elbow, steam curling like soft clouds. Lately Yiyi had learned a handful of kitchen tricks from Coco; her food now came out clean and bright, like a blade newly honed.

“Coco, the National Day break is next weekend. Let’s go have some fun.”

Guilt pricked under Yiyi’s ribs like a thorn; the Mu Qingcheng mess still weighed on her. She wanted to make it up to Coco.

“Sure. Where to?”

“The amusement park in the East District. I heard the rebuild’s pretty good. Then we can go shopping.”

“Shopping again…”

Coco muttered in her heart, like a cat flicking its tail, then spoke up.

“Mm, okay. Meng, come with us?”

Coco agreed, then turned to ask Li Meng.

“Uh… I’ll pass. I’m going to my parents’ for National Day.”

Li Meng shook her head, voice small as a falling leaf.

“Ah, that’s a pity. Next time then.”

“Mm.”

Their talk had barely settled when the doorbell chimed, a clear silver note. Yiyi went to open the door.

A young man stood outside—about six feet, a middling build, posture stiff as a fence post.

“Can I help you?”

Yiyi asked. The young man hesitated. He knew the villa’s owner was a beauty, the miss of the Ye Group, yet seeing Yiyi up close hit him like sunlight through water. He smoothed his face fast, like a mask snapping into place.

“Hello, I’m Li Jun. I’m here for my sister.”

“Hm? Your sister?”

“Yeah. Li Meng. She’s with you, right?”

“Uh… she is. Hold on.”

Yiyi blinked, the pieces clicking, then trotted back inside on light steps.

“Meng, your brother’s here.”

Li Meng was tidying the table, and her surprise lifted like a startled bird. She set things down and came to the door.

“Bro… why are you here?”

“I’m taking you home. I’ve got a friend coming back from the States in a few days. Go get the villa in shape.”

Their parents weren’t home much, always on the road, two lanterns burning late. Li Jun never hired a housekeeper—bad habit calcified—so Li Meng handled the cleaning like a quiet tide.

“Uh…”

Hesitation tightened Meng’s throat like a knot. Going home meant chores piling like snow, and her brother never spared a thought for her.

“Okay, I’ll—”

“Wait!”

Coco’s voice cut in, crisp as breaking ice. From inside, she’d heard Li Jun’s words; anger flashed cold in her chest. People who worked their sisters to the bone made her skin crawl. She stepped to the door.

At the threshold, Coco’s first glance landed not on Li Jun, but on a BMW parked a little way off, the car gleaming like a slick fish. The sight tugged a thread in her mind. Then it snapped into place—that was the BMW that had almost hit her that night. Her mouth curled, a bow drawing to aim.

Li Jun’s gaze snapped to Coco. A beauty stepped out, and her face pulled his eyes like a tide. At home, Coco dressed simply; soft loungewear set off fair skin like fresh snow.

“Damn—who is she? How did I not see her before? She’s unreal.”

His eyes swept over Coco—long legs, a face cut from peach blossom—and then he caught her looking at his BMW. A thought flickered like a grin.

“Did this girl take a shine to my car? Heh, that’s easy.”

“Hi, gorgeous. I’m Li Jun, Li Meng’s brother.”

He painted politeness on his voice like lacquer.

“Some night recently, out by this gate, did you nearly hit someone with that car?”

Coco didn’t bite on his greeting. Frost cooled her face; her eyes were winter glass.

“Huh?”

The question stunned Li Jun. He remembered—maybe—something like that, but how could she know? The thought crawled in, cold as water.

“No.”

He shook his head, denial as thin as paper.

“Oh? Funny. Meng said you were hosting friends that night. Maybe you drank too much and can’t remember?”

“This…”

By then, everyone nearby had the picture, clear as ink on paper.

“Bro! Was it you who almost hit Sister Coco? How could you!”

Anger lit in Meng’s eyes like a hot coal.

“Shut up!”

Li Jun was chewing on how to muddy the water, and Meng’s words cracked his patience. His temper snapped like a whip.

“You—”

Meng flinched, a bird under a sudden shadow.

“Oh? Do you plan to tell me to shut up too?”

A sharp voice cut in, blade-clean. Li Muyan walked over with an aura like a cold front rolling in, eyes flat and cool on Li Jun.

“Who are you?”

Li Jun blinked. Why were there so many beauties in this villa?

“Me? I’m Li.”

“Li?”

He ran the name through his head. Someone surnamed Li, living at Ye Yiyi’s place… could it be—

“You’re Li Muyan?”

“Oh? What an honor. You actually know me.”

Li Muyan’s tone curved, half-sweet, half-poison.

“What’s wrong? You dug up that Yiyi lives here, but missed that I do too?”

Watching his face twist, Muyan pressed down, voice smooth as silk over steel.

“This…”

Li Jun knew Li Muyan. Honestly, in Ninghai City’s wealthy circle, almost no one didn’t. Part of it was her temper; the rest was the family at her back, a mountain under snow.

Muyan saw his swallow and smiled cold, a winter crescent. Today, she was going to shine in front of Tang Coco.