The handsome guy next door loves to flirt.

"It's alright, Yun Shu... I only found out yesterday why the two families are getting engaged. I'm sorry!" Huai Nan only learned from his conversation with his mother that this marriage was not simple. No wonder Yun Shu had been resistant to it. It wasn't just that she didn't like him, but she also resented the two families using marriage as a transaction.

"I should be the one apologizing. The Gu family is the one who benefits, so I hate this kind of marriage and this kind of family that uses my marriage as a bargaining chip."

"Yun Shu, if... I mean if... I wasn't born into the Sheng family, would you choose me?" Huai Nan asked cautiously.

"If... you weren't a member of the Sheng family, we might not have met... Maybe if it weren't for Mingkun, and you weren't a member of the Sheng family, I might have fallen for you, because you're also very outstanding. You've grown up so much, it's impossible that no girl has ever liked you, you could easily be a star." Yun Shu didn't know what to say, but Huai Nan was really good-looking and had a good job, so many girls would like him besides her.

"Hehe..." Huai Nan heard Yun Shu say the first half of her sentence, "If I hadn't met that man, I might have liked him, and that would have been enough." Hearing the second half, he became somewhat shy and said, "I've always lived abroad and don't like foreign girls. I always felt our customs and habits were different, and it would be difficult to get along with them. I've never really had a girlfriend." Actually, what he wanted to say was that he had always thought he would marry her when he returned to China, so he had never wanted to have a girlfriend and had rejected many girls.

"Oh! What a pity, you're so handsome..."

"How about your partner?"

Once they opened up to each other, they weren't as reserved as usual and chatted like friends.

"He... is a bit domineering and cunning... not as good-tempered as you." Yun Shu said with a slight blush. Thinking about the days she had spent with Ming Kun, she felt very sweet. He was a man who made women feel at ease and secure. Yun Shu would never regret choosing him, but she felt guilty for causing him trouble.

When Huainan saw Yun Shu's eyes light up and sparkle when she talked about that man, he knew the extent to which Yun Shu had expressed her love for that man—a level he could never match.

Perhaps they were truly destined to be together, while his and Yun Shu's fate was too shallow, and they would never have the chance to become husband and wife in this lifetime. But it's good that they are friends now.

Although his face was full of disappointment and his expression was somewhat sad, he still said softly, "But you still like him. However, this also lets me know his place in your heart, so that I can give you up, Yun Shu..."

Yun Shu stared at him, wondering what he would say next.

"Will you still treat me as your brother in the future?" Huai Nan asked bitterly, afraid that she would even refuse this request.

"Yes! I've always considered you my brother!" Yun Shu nodded emphatically. Huai Nan had never hurt her; he was also an unfortunate party in this marriage.

“Okay, after your dad’s birthday, I will leave and continue my journey abroad, and they will stop causing trouble like this.”

"Huainan... thank you!"

Yun Shu didn't know how to thank the man in front of her. After all, he was also innocent. He didn't know about the marriage that their parents had discussed before. In addition, he liked her, but now she rejected him, which made her feel like she owed him something.

Huai Nan shook his head and said self-deprecatingly, "I originally thought I shouldn't have come back this time, but now that I have a younger sister, this trip back to China isn't entirely meaningless."

Yun Shu felt relieved after hearing this. She was somewhat emotional, but she didn't want to separate from Ming Kun. If she had to choose between the two men and hurt the other, she would still choose Ming Kun, not Huai Nan. Looking up at the sky, the weather, which had been nice just now, was now overcast. She wondered if it would rain today; the weather made her feel uneasy.

After a long while, Yun Shu looked up at Huai Nan, this boy who was originally very sunny. She hoped that this incident would not affect his future.

"In the future... you will definitely meet a good girl who likes you, maybe even more outstanding than me, and suitable. You will be glad you didn't choose me back then, hehe..." Yun Shu joked to comfort him.

Yun Shu was right. Huai Nan later did meet a girl who liked him, and she was able to keep his mother in check, making her obedient and not interfere in their affairs.

Afterwards, the two took a walk for a while, chatted for a bit, and walked around the yard. They ran into some people in the yard, some of whom made jokes at them. The two could only smile wryly, and finally went home separately.

When Yun Shu returned, she ignored everyone; no one paid her any attention as everyone was busy. However, when Yun Le saw Yun Shu and Huai Nan together earlier, a hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes. Huai Nan's face only softened in front of Yun Shu, and he even smiled so brightly.

"Yunle, what are you looking at?" Yun Huan came downstairs and saw Yunle standing by the window, staring blankly outside, seemingly lost in thought.

"without……"

Yun Huan walked up to her and saw Yun Shu and Huai Nan taking a walk outside. She immediately scoffed and said, "Hmph! They can talk so easily together now, but after tonight, they'll go their separate ways."

"Yes...everything will change after tonight..." Yun Le murmured, ignoring Yun Huan's chattering and ordering the servants around. She saw Ah Zhong, walked up to him, and no one knows what the two of them talked about at the end.

As evening fell, guests began to arrive at the Gu family home. Li Meng, dressed in her finest attire, greeted guests alongside Gu Cheng. Yun Huan and Le were both dressed in exquisite and elegant outfits, having prepared for several days. Their clothes were the latest fashion trends. Yun Le, in particular, had taken off her glasses, her hair was styled in a high bun, and her dress fit her perfectly, highlighting her beautiful figure.

She doesn't usually dress up this much, but this time she made a special effort to show everyone a different side of Yunle. It turns out that Yunle looks even better than Yunhuan when she's dressed up; you really can't tell from her usual appearance.

When Yun Huan saw Yun Le's appearance, she was so angry that her teeth were grinding. She really couldn't believe that her usually quiet and reserved younger sister would be so high-profile today, putting on such a stunning show that made everyone look away from her.

She angrily tried to get her to go back to her room and dress up as usual, but Yun Huan refused no matter what she said. Yun Huan had specially arranged for a makeup artist to give her an exquisite makeover today, and she was wearing an expensive dress she had pre-ordered; she wanted to be the center of attention tonight and outshine Yun Shu. To be outshone by her own sister was infuriating—even more so than being outshone by Yun Shu.

"Mom, look at Yunle, I don't know what she's thinking, dressing up like that, isn't she trying to steal my thunder?" Yun Huan said to Li Meng aggrievedly, but her eyes were fixed on Yunle.