Lin Qingxuan suddenly stopped in front of a stall, her eyes fixed on a white jade bracelet. The material wasn't particularly expensive, but the craftsmanship was exquisite. She wanted to buy it, only to realize that Assistant Qin was not by her side and she had just lent her Black Card to Yang Qi.
She glanced at Yang Qi, who was haggling with the vendor at a nearby stall, and smiled wryly before standing up straight again. I can't just ask him to buy this for me, can I? A girl should be a little more reserved. Besides, I'm still observing him.
"Well now, this must be fate! I can't believe we've met again, Fairy!" a frivolous voice suddenly called out.
Lin Qingxuan frowned. She had an exceptional memory and knew the voice instantly. Zhang Peng!
She turned her head, and sure enough, there he was, walking over surrounded by a group of bodyguards like the moon amidst the stars. Li Qiutong was there as well, clinging to Zhang Peng's arm with overt intimacy. At this moment, however, Zhang Peng only had eyes for Lin Qingxuan.
"Do we know each other?" Lin Qingxuan asked indifferently, giving him a quick glance.
"My dear Fairy, great people are often forgetful. I'm Zhang Peng! The Young Master of the Zhang Family!" Zhang Peng said with a wide smile as he hurried over.
Lin Qingxuan wrinkled her nose in disgust.
However, seeing the way her nose scrunched up, Zhang Peng felt his breath catch in his throat. Every frown, every smile... she's so beautiful. How could heaven create such a delicate being?
"Honey—!" Li Qiutong whined reproachfully.
"Get lost! Go on, scram!" Zhang Peng shoved her away impatiently. Li Qiutong's face flushed with embarrassment.
"Fairy, have you found something you like? No matter the price, I'll pay for it!" Zhang Peng said, smiling at Lin Qingxuan. "How about I accompany you for a stroll?"
A line like that would have won over most women. After all, it was a world driven by materialism where most women loved money and, even more, fine things.
"I don't need it, thank you. Please move," Lin Qingxuan said, her disgust deepening. He thinks he can buy me with a little bit of money? How ridiculous.
Being rejected left Zhang Peng slightly irritated, but he managed to suppress his anger. He produced a pair of Jade Bracelets that shimmered with a translucent, glass-like quality. This was High-Grade Jade, the kind that was sure to be incredibly expensive.
"Fairy, this pair of bracelets would be the perfect fit for your wrists! It's nothing too valuable, only a few hundred thousand. I've also heard that wearing them can prolong one's life. Please, don't refuse!"
Zhang Peng swore he would win this woman over, no matter the cost.
Beside him, Li Qiutong was practically seething with rage. She had asked for those very bracelets several times, but Zhang Peng had always refused. To think he was now offering them to another woman! They were already husband and wife, for goodness' sake. That bastard! She absolutely hated Lin Qingxuan.
Just as Lin Qingxuan was about to refuse, she had a thought. Yang Qi seems particularly interested in things like jade and gemstones. Maybe I can accept this and give it to him? At the thought, her cheeks flushed crimson. No, that can't be right. I haven't actually fallen for him, have I? Of course not. It's just admiration, that's all.
As she reached for the bracelets, her hand was stopped by another. It was a large, warm, and strong hand. Lin Qingxuan was about to shake it off, but when she saw it was Yang Qi, she found herself staying perfectly still.
Yang Qi stood beside her and said, "Miss Qingxuan, if you accept a gift from this guy, things will get messy. With your own financial resources, is it really necessary? You could buy countless bracelets like these, couldn't you?"
Lin Qingxuan smiled sheepishly. Of course she didn't want Zhang Peng's gift; she had only considered it because she thought Yang Qi might have a use for it.
When Zhang Peng saw Yang Qi, a vicious, murderous glint flashed in his eyes. He had been so close to succeeding, only for this guy to ruin everything. Damn him.
"Yang Qi, mind your own business," Zhang Peng said coldly. "You're not this Fairy's boyfriend, are you? What right do you have to stop her from accepting my gift?"
Yang Qi paused. It was true; he had no special relationship with Lin Qingxuan. He really didn't have the right to interfere. He smiled and took out a pair of white jade bracelets—the very same pair Lin Qingxuan had been admiring earlier.
He placed them in her hands. "I saw you looking at these bracelets earlier and picked them up for you. But if you'd prefer his, I suppose I really have no right to object."
"Hahaha!" Zhang Peng burst out laughing. The bracelets in Yang Qi's hand were clearly made from cheap scraps, worth no more than one hundred yuan. In contrast, his Jade Bracelets were worth hundreds of thousands, a genuine treasure. "You worthless stray! How could a pair of shoddy bracelets like yours ever be worthy of such a beautiful Fairy?"
Yang Qi ignored him and looked at Lin Qingxuan. "He's right. These bracelets are worth one hundred yuan at most. If you don't like them, I'll return them right now."
Zhang Peng and his bodyguards all laughed. Any fool would know which to choose, especially in this day and age.
Their laughter, however, died in their throats as if they'd been choked. They stared, dumbfounded.
Lin Qingxuan had gracefully accepted the bracelets from Yang Qi and was now slipping them onto her wrists. Was that too forward of me? she thought, her face turning crimson again.
"Thank you!"
It was clear she truly loved the white jade bracelets. They might have been cheap, but the meaning behind them was entirely different.
Zhang Peng was mortified. His Jade Bracelets, worth hundreds of thousands, had lost to a hundred-yuan trinket from a street stall. It was utterly depressing and a complete loss of face. He waved his hand, and a dozen bodyguards surrounded Yang Qi and Lin Qingxuan. He had noticed that Lin Qingxuan hadn't brought her own bodyguards today. This was his chance. He might even be able to take her by force.
"What do you think you're doing?" Yang Qi asked coldly, stepping in front of Lin Qingxuan to shield her.
"What am I doing? Can't you see?" Zhang Peng sneered. "Is a Top-Grade beauty like her someone you're worthy of? You're a useless piece of trash! Who the hell do you think you are? You got lucky last time, but let's see who can save you now!"
Li Qiutong stalked forward, glaring venomously at Lin Qingxuan. "You slut! How dare you try to seduce my husband! Teach her a lesson!"
"Heh," Zhang Peng didn't rebuke Li Qiutong this time. He, too, felt that Lin Qingxuan was being ungrateful. "Woman, you had your chance and you blew it. Today, you'll either spend the night with me, or I'll kill Yang Qi!" he said viciously, his ugly nature on full display.
Lin Qingxuan was about to speak, but Yang Qi held her back. This was something a man should handle. He couldn't always let a woman shield him from the storm.