Chapter 487 - 485 We Didn’t Do Anything
Upon hearing this, Xue Yang was slightly taken aback. "You two..."
Xue Xing hurriedly explained, "Bro, I was just up all night doing practice tests, and I only just woke up. Nothing else happened, I swear. You have to believe me."
Xue Yang raised an eyebrow. "I haven’t said anything yet."
Xue Xing fell silent, his face flushing with the awkwardness of protesting his innocence a little too loudly.
Xue Yang spoke again. "I just came back to grab a few things. I’m getting ready to go pick up Mom and Dad."
Hearing this, Xue Xing quickly said, "Bro, I’ll go with you."
"No need. Just stick with Si Wen. Let her take you into the event, and don’t wander off."
Hearing that his brother wouldn’t let him tag along, Xue Xing lowered his head sadly. "Bro, you aren’t mad at me for coming to Yancheng without telling you, are you? I can explain..."
"No need to explain. I know Si Wen’s personality. She told you not to say anything, right?"
His younger brother was at that awkward age—no longer a kid, but not quite a man. He had his own way of thinking now. Xue Yang had made his own decisions since he was young, and his family rarely interfered, so he wasn’t about to criticize Xue Xing over this. On the contrary, he thought Xue Xing was very brave. At the very least, he was much braver than Xue Yang had been at seventeen. A young man should be rational and courageous, provided he kept himself safe, of course.
"Bro, why do you know her so well?" Xue Xing muttered.
"What are you thinking? We’re just friends and business partners. Si Wen can be a bit temperamental at times, but she knows things you probably couldn’t even imagine in your lifetime. I want you to stick with her so you can see a bigger world. Besides, with her looking after you, I can rest easy."
"Oh..." Hearing his brother’s explanation, Xue Xing realized he had indeed been overthinking things. He just couldn’t help but ask that one question earlier.
Xue Yang took out his wallet, pulled out a bank card, and handed it to him. "This card has tens of thousands of yuan on it. Take it and use it."
Xue Xing was startled. "Bro, why are you giving me money? And so much, too!" All the New Year’s money he’d ever received in his life didn’t add up to tens of thousands. Yet here was his brother, just giving it to him. How could Xue Xing possibly accept it?
"You’re in Yancheng by yourself. Having some money on hand will make things easier."
"I don’t need it, Bro. I’m not going out anyway." Xue Xing refused to take it no matter what.
"Si Wen won’t stay cooped up in the villa forever. When you go out with her, are you going to make a girl pay?"
Xue Xing’s mouth hung open. The thought of letting a girl pay for him was something he truly couldn’t bring himself to do. "Then... I’ll pay you back when I earn my own money," was all he could say for now.
Xue Yang patted his shoulder. "We’ll talk about it after you’ve earned that money."
I will definitely earn my own money, Bro, Xue Xing swore internally.
Xue Yang grabbed some daily necessities and left the villa.
Xue Xing sat alone in the vast living room, his thoughts drifting. He was so lost in them that he didn’t even notice Si Wen coming downstairs. By the time he did, Si Wen had already sat down beside him and was waving a greeting. "Morning."
Today, Si Wen was wearing a gorgeous, pink pouf dress with white high heels. She carried a pink handbag and wore a pink bow in her hair. Remarkably, her every movement was perfectly ladylike, exuding an air of affluence. It made Xue Xing wonder if this was the same person he’d seen before. The other one had been such a hot-tempered girl.
Catching her refreshing fragrance, the tips of Xue Xing’s ears turned uncontrollably red. He turned his face away, not daring to meet her eyes. "It’s not morning. It’s already noon."
"Do I look good today?" Si Wen asked, batting her eyelashes.
"You... look great."
"Then why aren’t you looking at me?"
"It’s... not like I’ve never seen you before..."
"So, you’re saying I don’t look good today, and that’s why you don’t want to look at me, huh?"
Still not daring to turn his face, Xue Xing mumbled, "No, you look really great."
"Then tell me, what about me looks great?"
Xue Xing’s gaze swept past a pair of long, shimmering legs, and his heart skipped a beat. "The dress is beautiful, your hairstyle is perfect, and... you look very refined."
Basically, everything about her looks good, Xue Xing added internally.
Si Wen’s eyes curved into crescents, clearly pleased with his answer. "What are you doing here?"
"Not much."
"Then how come you didn’t even notice me come downstairs?"
"My brother was just here."
"So he came by, so what? Why are you looking so listless? Did he yell at you?"
"No."
"If he didn’t, then why the long face?"
"Forget it. You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. My brother said you’re supposed to take me into the event tomorrow."
At this, Si Wen arched an eyebrow. "So, it sounds like your brother has placed you completely in my care."
What does she mean, ’placed me completely in her care’? Why does that sound so weird?
"In that case, let’s go," Si Wen said, standing up.
"Go where?" Xue Xing asked. My brother was right. Si Wen was never going to just stay at home.
"To get you a new look."
"Huh?" Xue Xing was completely bewildered.
"What’s with the ’huh’? Let’s go." Si Wen grabbed Xue Xing and started pulling him outside.
"What new look? I’m fine like this."
Right now, Xue Xing had the quintessential look of a high school student: tall and fair-skinned, with his dark hair casually styled. A youthful spark shone in his eyes, though it was always tinged with shyness whenever he faced Si Wen. He was wearing a plain T-shirt, but he exuded a unique, vibrant, and youthful aura. Overall, he resembled Xue Yang a little, but not entirely. Xue Yang had an added aura of confidence, carrying himself with the poise of a grand strategist who had everything under control. It was a quality the current Xue Xing had yet to possess.
"You’ll know when we get there." Si Wen pulled him into the Rolls-Royce.
"Oh, okay..."
Si Wen took Xue Xing to a store in the heart of a bustling commercial district. The storefront was spacious and brightly lit, its display windows showcasing a dazzling array of designer bags, watches, and jewelry. When Xue Xing saw the imposing words "Xiang Naier Exclusive Boutique" over the entrance, he felt his feet root to the spot.
"Xiang Naier? The clothes here are incredibly expensive. Let’s go somewhere else."
"We’re going in here. Come on, don’t overthink it." Si Wen dragged Xue Xing inside.
A refined elegance washed over them the moment they entered. The mahogany floors felt as soft as satin underfoot. The walls were accented with gold fixtures, and a subtle, pleasant fragrance filled the air. Rows of display cases showcased a dizzying array of high-end custom clothing, bags, and jewelry.
The moment the staff saw Si Wen, they lit up as if she were a walking treasure chest and immediately rushed over to greet her enthusiastically. "Miss Si Wen, welcome! Right this way, upstairs please."
The upper floor was a private VIP suite for custom tailoring. The walls were adorned with the finest luxury furnishings, elevating the entire space to another level of sophistication. Here, taste wasn’t merely about attracting attention or showing off; it was a reflection of true class and worldliness.