Chapter 28: Chapter 28—Childish!

Wei Yang’s brow twitched. She turned her head, a flicker of displeasure passing through the depths of her clear, crystalline eyes, though her expression remained perfectly composed.

After all, Xie Yanli was standing right there beside Zhao Wenqian.

Taking a deep breath, Wei Yang lowered her gaze and offered a polite, dignified greeting: "Miss Zhao, Mr. Xie, what a coincidence! We meet again so soon."

Meeting that face, as lush and vibrant as a peony, Zhao Wenqian’s eyes darkened, surging with hidden disgust and jealousy.

*Who’s interested in a coincidence with you?*

She steadied her composure and clung affectionately to Xie Yanli’s arm, as if trying to put on a display. "Miss Wei, perhaps you should look at the cheaper options instead? If you like them, I can buy one for you. After all, given your relationship with Yunkai..."

Zhao Wenqian smiled at her, the implication of her unfinished sentence hanging heavy in the air.

Wei Yang lowered her eyes, her raven-black lashes trembling slightly. She felt a gaze as sharp as a blade resting on her face. Forcing herself to remain calm, she lifted her lids, her eyes bright and clear. "You’ve misunderstood, Miss Zhao. My relationship with your brother is completely innocent. If you insist on labeling it, all I can say is that we were classmates in middle school."

Zhao Wenqian sneered inwardly while maintaining a gentle, refined expression. "Are you really just classmates? I recall Yunkai being quite fond of you."

Wei Yang replied, "Miss Zhao, if a beggar were very fond of you, would that mean you share an intimate relationship with him as well?"

Since the gloves were off, she couldn't be bothered to keep up the facade. As she expected, Zhao Wenqian’s expression shifted, turning into one of indignant rage as she pointed a delicate, pale finger at her.

"You!"

Wei Yang offered a faint, elegant smile, the corners of her lips curling slightly. "See? You don't like being forced into a connection with someone you don't care for, either."

"Miss Wei, how dare you compare my brother to a beggar!"

Zhao Wenqian knew exactly what Wei Yang meant, but she simply refused to let her have the satisfaction.

Wei Yang sighed helplessly. "But the logic is the same. So, Miss Zhao, you have truly misunderstood me."

Zhao Wenqian gritted her teeth, wishing she could land a heavy slap across that bright, beautiful face. She regretted not slapping her yesterday after splashing that coffee; she should have given her a proper strike.

Wei Yang stopped looking at Zhao Wenqian and turned back to the sales associate, repeating her previous request: "Could you please take that necklace out for me to see?"

Xie Yanli raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over that calm face with intentional indifference. His eyes darkened slightly, but he said nothing.

Just as the sales associate was about to agree, Zhao Wenqian spoke in a sweet, affected voice: "Yanli, I’ve taken a liking to this necklace. Would you buy it for me? My birthday is in a few days; consider it an early gift."

The sales associate didn't recognize Zhao Wenqian, but she knew Xie Yanli—the sole heir to the Xie Group, featured in financial magazines and voted by netizens as the man most eligible bachelorettes in Yucheng wanted to marry.

Xie Yanli replied, "If you like it, buy it."

Zhao Wenqian smiled shyly and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Yanli!" She then cast a provocative glance toward Wei Yang.

Wei Yang lowered her eyes, thinking to herself, *How childish.* Yet, she had to admit, having the necklace she had chosen snatched away by Zhao Wenqian left a sour taste in her mouth.

As for other concerns... she had no energy to dwell on them. Simply surviving was already exhausting enough.

"Please wrap up this jade necklace for me," Zhao Wenqian instructed the associate.

She then turned to Wei Yang with an apologetic look. "I’m so sorry, Miss Wei. Why don't you look at some other styles?"

Wei Yang smiled, her expression perfectly poised. "Not at all, Miss Zhao! I was only buying this jade necklace as a gift for my boss to give to his mother. Since you like it so much, please, take it."

With that, she turned gracefully toward another display case.

Hearing Wei Yang’s utterly calm tone, Zhao Wenqian’s mouth hung slightly agape, a sense of disgust washing over her, as if she had swallowed a fly.

Zhao Wenqian was too consumed by her own agitation to notice the fleeting, complex look in the eyes of the man beside her as he watched Wei Yang.

In the end, Wei Yang selected another piece, one similar in price to the jade necklace but with a design that would make the wearer appear even more elegant and noble.

After paying, she prepared to leave the mall. But she hadn't walked far before she ran into Zhao Wenqian again—though this time, Xie Yanli was no longer by her side.