That's fucking ridiculous?!

Just...

That's fucking ridiculous!!!

Ye Xiao instinctively felt his own backside. This guy had some fucking nerve. Who could have guessed?!

Ye Xunzhi thought so too.

[I'd only read about this in a certain Mr. Mo's book called "Sandalwood* Punishment," where treasury guards used this method to steal silver. I never expected someone would turn it into reality one day.]

[But in that case, how should I give this girl a heads-up?]

Ye Xiao froze. He hadn't expected Ye Xunzhi to intervene. His little sister really was-so kind!

Most people would keep out of something like this because it was none of their business, and even if they spoke up, no one would necessarily believe them. But his little sister was heading straight into danger despite knowing it was there.

What a good kid!

Ye Xunzhi didn't know why Ye Xiao was looking at her with such gratification, but she didn't dwell on it. After finding a pen and paper, she started writing.

She wasn't helping this time because she was overflowing with sympathy. After all, Ye Xunzhi was actually someone who had given up the urge to save others and embraced a life of shamelessness.

But she remembered every kindness anyone had shown her. Xi Rongrong had once helped their Ye Family, so Ye Xunzhi was also willing to give her a heads-up when the time was right.

As for how much she could accomplish after being warned, that was none of Ye Xunzhi's concern.

After all, Ye Xunzhi couldn't reveal everything. Otherwise, how would she explain where her information came from?

Xi Rongrong lay slumped over her desk, crying so hard she could barely breathe. From the moment the ring went missing, she had clearly realized something.

If she didn't find it, her future in the Xi Family, where she was already out of favor, would become even more precarious. Worse still, she would live worse than a servant.

Her classmates' attempts to comfort her did nothing. Seeing her like this, they could only sigh helplessly.

They could only blame Xi Rongrong's terrible luck.

Beside her, Xi Cheng made a show of patting Xi Rongrong's back:

"Sis, don't be so upset. Maybe things will still turn around. Perhaps you never put the ring in the box in the first place and lost it somewhere else."

He was trying to muddle Xi Rongrong's perception. People had a psychological tendency: if someone repeatedly questioned something they believed, they would gradually begin to doubt their own memory.

That was exactly the method Xi Cheng was using. He wanted to reduce suspicion toward himself as much as possible.

"Impossible!" Xi Rongrong was utterly certain. "I checked at least three times. I definitely put it in the wooden box."

After saying that, she bit her lip in distress, lowered her head, and started crying again. Xi Cheng shook his head helplessly.

"Please don't cry."

A clear voice came from nearby. Xi Rongrong paused and slowly raised her head. A tissue came toward her and gently wiped the tears from her face.

Ye Xunzhi gave her a sweet smile:

"You're so pretty. You're even prettier when you smile."

Xi Rongrong pressed her lips together. She already knew this was Ye Xiao's little sister, and crying in front of a girl younger than herself felt rather embarrassing.

She was just about to force a smile when something was suddenly slipped into her hand. Xi Rongrong paused, then heard the girl's bright voice:

"Here's a candy for you. Cheer up."

Candy? Xi Rongrong felt the unusual texture against her palm. In the brief moment she was stunned, Ye Xunzhi had already run off.

"Sis, look, even our little junior came to comfort you. Let me see what kind of candy she gave you," Xi Cheng teased, leaning closer.

Hearing his voice, Xi Rongrong unconsciously tightened her grip. She wiped her tears twice with her hand and casually dodged his outstretched hand.

"There's nothing to see. I'm going to the restroom to wash my face. Wait here."

With that, Xi Rongrong ran toward the restroom. Watching her retreating figure, Ye Xunzhi's lips curved into a smile.

Xi Rongrong ran all the way into a restroom stall and opened her hand. There was no candy there at all-it was clearly a piece of paper.

Realizing something, her heart involuntarily sped up. She unfolded the paper. There were only three short lines on it.

〔Xi Cheng〕

〔You can never wake someone who's pretending to sleep.〕

〔Asshole〕

Xi Rongrong frowned. What did this mean? Had that little girl noticed something and was warning me?

Xi Rongrong didn't think this was a prank, because she didn't think Ye Xunzhi seemed like someone who would joke about something like this.

Nor did she dismiss her because she was young. Xi Rongrong had never denied that geniuses existed in this world. If she always judged people through her own narrow perspective, she would certainly miss a great deal.

Xi Cheng? Did that mean this still had something to do with my younger brother?

You can never wake someone who's pretending to sleep. Did that mean... Xi Cheng had lied to me about something?

Xi Rongrong carefully recalled everything. Xi Cheng hadn't said much earlier. There was only his claim that he couldn't open her puzzle box!

But I really didn't find anything on him, and he hadn't left his seat either...

Wait. Xi Rongrong's gaze fell on the word "asshole." She knew this idea of hers was outrageous.

But if Xi Cheng really could open the puzzle box, he could have fiddled around in my schoolbag and taken the opportunity to hide the ring in his palm. Then he wouldn't even need to leave his seat. He would only have to stuff it up his asshole...

...and pull it off without anyone noticing.

Xi Rongrong's face went white. She was shocked by her own conjecture. Could someone really go that far?!

But she was actually someone whose reason outweighed her emotions. Why couldn't he? This plan was entirely feasible.

If that really was the case, then Xi Cheng's actions this time had virtually shown complete disregard for what happened to her, his older sister.

But the bond between the siblings had never been deep to begin with. On the contrary, Xi Cheng had bullied her plenty when they were children. Their family had always maintained that an older sister should tolerate her younger brother, which was why she had put up with him to this day.

Better to punish the wrong person than let him get away. Xi Rongrong slowly narrowed her eyes. No matter what, her situation couldn't get any worse than it already was. She had no way out left.

If I offend Xi Cheng, so be it. She knew her younger brother's character all too well. The only reason he still called her his sister was that she still had a little standing.

And once that final layer of protection was taken away...

Xi Rongrong took out the phone she had hidden on her and dialed a number.

"Hello, Grandpa?... Don't worry, I'll bring the ring back soon. But something has come up on my end. Could you send three bodyguards for me to command?... Yes, as quickly as possible..."

Xi Rongrong was gone for quite a while. The homeroom teacher had already come in and started the lesson.

Listening, Ye Xunzhi was about to fall asleep. A classroom really was the best healing haven for anyone with insomnia.

If Ye Xiao hadn't occasionally poked her forehead with his fingertip, Ye Xunzhi could have demonstrated falling asleep on the spot.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Xi Cheng's sudden shout drew everyone's attention.

[The show's starting!]

Ye Xunzhi instantly snapped awake. Hearing that, Ye Xiao also grew expectant again.

Here it comes! Here it comes!

Just moments earlier, Xi Rongrong had returned from the restroom and patted Xi Cheng's back with a charming smile:

"Little brother, let's go home."

"We're leaving?" Xi Cheng paused.

He had thought that, timid as Xi Rongrong was, this woman wouldn't give up until she found the ring. Yet now she was actually hurrying home?

But when he stepped into the corridor and saw those three tall, burly bodyguards in black, he realized something was wrong. As something occurred to him, his expression abruptly changed, and he took off running.

Xi Rongrong had still harbored a trace of doubt, but now even that last trace was gone. Her expression suddenly turned ice-cold:

"Catch him."