A Little Brother of Sorts, Right?

Song Ye looked back and saw that Xia Zhi wasn't decked out in jewels like yesterday. With her hair simply tied back, she looked especially youthful.

"Sis."

The boy smiled at Xia Zhi.

"You look beautiful today."

Being called "Sis" through a screen felt different from hearing it in person, but Xia Zhi figured she seemed several years older than Little Song, so it was only natural for him to call her that.

Xia Zhi accepted the title without qualms. "Come on. Your big sister's taking you clothes shopping."

Back in the real world, she often went clothes shopping at malls with her older brother. They helped pick things out for each other, until his wardrobe ended up rather flashy while hers was quite plain.

But they had been poor back then, so they'd had to hunt around for bargains. Things were different now. She had transformed into a wealthy heiress, so of course she would go to the most expensive stores and let the most professional sales assistants put outfits together for Little Song.

Once again, Xia Zhi finally experienced the perks of being rich.

Shop, shop, shop. She didn't hold back at all when swiping the villain's card.

In the middle of a meeting, Lu Heng kept receiving transaction notifications on his phone. They were only small purchases of a few tens of thousands each, though, so he didn't pay much attention, figuring that woman must have gone shopping again.

At lunch, Lu Heng finally had some free time. His gaze lingered on those transaction records, and then he called Xia Zhi.

"What did you buy?"

Xia Zhi had just finished helping Song Ye buy clothes, and the sales assistant was helping him try on shoes.

"Guess."

Lu Heng couldn't be bothered to play guessing games with her. "Does money grow on trees? Your room is already stuffed with clothes. Why are you buying so many more?"

Tsk, tsk.

Just listen to him.

If money doesn't grow on trees, how come you turned around and handed Little Song two hundred thousand?

And now you're lecturing me like you're so righteous?

You really do treat people differently depending on how close they are to you.

Xia Zhi hung up indignantly, then took a photo of the shopping bags beside her and sent it to Lu Heng.

-These aren't for me!

I'm clearly being selfless here, okay?

Lu Heng opened the photo and froze. Everything Xia Zhi had bought was menswear. Had she...

Bought clothes for him?

An unfamiliar feeling suddenly welled up in Lu Heng's heart. He had just given Xia Zhi a stern, self-righteous lecture, only to discover that he had misunderstood her.

That woman wouldn't get so angry that she dumped his clothes by the roadside, would she?

Actually...

Xia Zhi really might.

After weighing it up, Lu Heng sent Xia Zhi a message.

-Don't just buy things for me. Go buy yourself something.

??

That tone was so gentle it hardly sounded like the villain.

Wait.

What does he mean, "Don't just buy things for me"?

So the villain thinks I'm buying clothes for him?

Xia Zhi was about to reply, "They're not for you. They're for your lover," but then she thought about how it was the villain's card anyway. Why not use his money to do a good deed?

So she decided to buy the villain a couple of outfits too.

Just then, Song Ye came over in his new shoes. "Sis, do these look good?"

Xia Zhi answered distractedly, "Yes, yes. Pick out a few more pairs. We'll buy whatever you like. I'll be right back."

Song Ye watched Xia Zhi hurry away, the smile slipping from his face. The sales assistant asked him,

"Sir, there's another pair that looks good too. Would you like to try them?"

Song Ye said, "No."

Xia Zhi soon returned carrying several shopping bags. The logos alone made it clear they were menswear brands.

Song Ye went up to her. "Sis, what did you buy?"

Xia Zhi said, "Nothing much. I just remembered my husband hasn't bought clothes in ages either, so I picked up a couple of things for him."

Song Ye looked at her. "You and your husband must have a really good relationship, right?"

Xia Zhi gave two dry chuckles. If we did, would I have to work so hard finding the villain a little lover?

I'm such a damn good wife.

Seeing that Xia Zhi didn't want to answer, Song Ye didn't press her. Instead, he reached out to take the bags from her.

"Sis, let me carry those."

"Thank you."

"Sis, you spent all morning helping me pick out clothes. Let me treat you to lunch."

Xia Zhi hurriedly said, "No, no. My treat."

The poor kid has been reduced to selling himself. He must be strapped for cash.

As they were talking, a snide voice suddenly came from outside the store. "Well, if it isn't Mrs. Lu. What's this? Had enough fun with Fu Ting'an and moved on to a fresh young thing?"

Xia Zhi looked toward the voice. The man was fairly good-looking, but his gaze was far too hostile.

"Who are you?"

Zhou Chijun found that amusing. "You don't recognize me?"

"Back when you were chasing Aheng, you were always waylaying us guys from his dorm room. I even passed along a love letter for you. Too bad Aheng threw it in the trash without even looking."

Xia Zhi: "!!"

She remembered now. This man was Zhou Chijun, Lu Heng's university classmate.

The two were especially close, going everywhere together, practically inseparable. But in the original owner's memories, Zhou Chijun had seemed hostile toward her from the very beginning, as though afraid she would steal the villain away.

She hadn't understood before, but now Xia Zhi did.

Zhou Chijun must have seen the original owner as a romantic rival!

Tsk, tsk.

What a brotherly bond.

"Oh, it's you, Zhou. Sorry, we probably haven't seen each other in ages. Silly me, not recognizing you. What a coincidence running into you."

"Let me introduce you. This is my little brother, Little Song."

"Little Song, this is Zhou, our senior from university."

Song Ye could tell Zhou Chijun was hostile toward Xia Zhi. He didn't take the initiative to greet him, merely giving a faint smile.

Zhou Chijun glanced at the smooth-skinned, tender-looking Little Song and sneered. "A little brother of sorts, right?"

To his surprise, Xia Zhi looked perfectly unashamed. "That's right."

Zhou Chijun: "..."

Shameless.

One look and you could tell there was something going on between these two.

Zhou Chijun thought again of those eye-searing photos of Xia Zhi and Fu Ting'an. It had only been a few days, and this woman had already hooked up with someone else?

And such a young one, too.

Zhou Chijun felt his friend was being terribly wronged.

"Xia Zhi, if you don't want to stay with Aheng, divorce him. What's the meaning of stringing him along while you fool around with other men?"

That was downright offensive. The smile instantly vanished from Xia Zhi's face.

"Zhou, I only address you respectfully as my senior because you're Aheng's friend. That doesn't mean you can stand here and pass judgment on me. Aheng hasn't even criticized me. What gives you the right?"

Zhou Chijun was utterly stunned.

This woman was sleeping around, and she thought she was in the right?

Xia Zhi said, "Little Song, let's go."

Zhou Chijun immediately called Lu Heng. "Why haven't you divorced that woman yet?"

Hearing Zhou Chijun's indignant voice, Lu Heng showed rare patience as he explained,

"The photos last time were a misunderstanding."

Zhou Chijun was practically furious with him. "Just because she says it was a misunderstanding, you believe her?"

Lu Heng was busy. "Was there anything else?"

Zhou Chijun took a deep breath to suppress his agitation. "Fine. Let's say there might have been some misunderstanding about those photos. But I'm at the mall right now, and I saw her shopping with a handsome young guy with my own eyes. That's a fact, isn't it?"

"She even said he was her little brother without batting an eye. Since when does she have a little brother? More like a boy toy."

"Don't tell me you're going to let this slide too?"