The door opened.
Si Yuan sat far away from Jiang Wang.
One was lazy and casual, the other proper and restrained.
Song Yan inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. Si Yuan had a soft temperament, and he was afraid Jiang Wang might bully her.
“Xiao Yuan, Jiang Wang, let’s go.”
Si Yuan nodded.
Jiang Wang didn’t move.
Suddenly, Si Yuan remembered something.
With quick reflexes, she grabbed a nearby blanket and threw it over Jiang Wang.
Song Yan: “……?”
Jiang Wang lifted his eyes slightly, looking at her.
Si Yuan gave a dry laugh and said, “I was afraid Brother Jiang Wang might be cold.”
Song Yan’s face paled slightly.
But he held back and said nothing.
Hearing her call Jiang Wang in that soft, delicate tone—no different from how she addressed him—his heart twisted inexplicably.
His tone grew even more unpleasant.
“Get out of the car.”
This time, Si Yuan obediently got out.
Jiang Wang curled his lips into a smile, tugged at the blanket, and said to Si Yuan, “Thank you, Miss Song.”
Si Yuan shivered.
If it weren’t for fear of Song Yan discovering him… she wouldn’t have bothered with him.
Jiang Wang withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, “You two go ahead. I have some work to finish and will join you later.”
Song Yan nodded and slammed the door shut.
As they approached the entrance of the club, Song Yan noticed Si Yuan was still holding the jewelry box.
It irritated him.
Looking up, he saw Lin Shuangyu getting out of her car as well.
He paused for a moment before suddenly asking, “Do you really like this necklace?”
Si Yuan wasn’t particularly interested in jewelry, but unsure why her brother was asking, she answered truthfully, “It’s alright.”
“Then give it to Shuangyu.”
Si Yuan froze, her entire body stiffening momentarily.
She shook her head, a sudden stubbornness rising within her, and protectively held the box behind her back.
Song Yan gave a faint smile and said patiently, “Such heavy, ornate jewelry is too flashy for you. It suits Shuangyu perfectly.”
Si Yuan’s heart ached sharply.
The implication of Song Yan’s words was clear: she wasn’t worthy of it.
Si Yuan refused, “Brother, no. This was a gift from someone else.”
Even if it was from Jiang Wang, it was still given to her. Even if Song Yan wanted it, it should never go to Lin Shuangyu.
Song Yan’s smile faded slightly as he frowned, looking down at Si Yuan. “This should have been Shuangyu’s in the first place. It was only snatched away because someone deliberately outbid her.”
Confused, Si Yuan asked, “But isn’t that how auctions work—the highest bidder wins?”
Song Yan felt that Si Yuan was becoming increasingly argumentative.
In the past, she would have obediently complied with whatever he asked.
Originally, Song Yan simply didn’t want Si Yuan to keep something given to her by another man.
If she had just let it go quietly, that would have been enough.
But now, the situation had changed.
The thought of Si Yuan arguing with him over something bought by another man made him restless and irritable. He was determined to thwart her wishes.
Song Yan’s tone hardened. “Shuangyu really likes it. I’ll pay you whatever it costs.”
As he spoke, his eyes were icy cold.
As if he were negotiating a business deal with a stranger.
So, it only took a bit of money to dismiss her and buy away something important to her.
Si Yuan looked at him, her heart aching and swelling like cotton soaked in water.
Gritting her teeth, she slowly shook her head. “Brother, I’m sorry…”
Lin Shuangyu, standing nearby, gently tugged at Song Yan’s sleeve and said softly, “A-Yan, forget it. If our sister likes it, let her keep it. It’s fine with me.”
To Song Yan, these words only made Si Yuan seem even more unreasonable.
Si Yuan retorted, “What do you mean by ‘giving’? This was originally mine…”
Song Yan’s gaze turned icy as he looked at Si Yuan. “The Song family raised you all these years. What exactly belongs to you?”
The color drained completely from Si Yuan’s face, her hand clutching the box trembling uncontrollably.
She opened her mouth, but her throat seemed blocked, unable to produce any sound.
She could only stare blankly at Song Yan, the last remnants of grievance toward her brother in her eyes shattering instantly.
In truth, Song Yan regretted his words the moment he spoke them.
His heart felt as if pierced by needles.
Si Yuan seemed utterly disappointed, her clear eyes gazing at him without focus, so transparent yet so helpless.
He had probably pushed her too far.
He hesitated, wanting to speak.
But just then, several of Lin Shuangyu’s friends crowded over, interrupting him.
“Si Yuan, no offense, but your brother has been so good to you. It’s just a cheap necklace—if Shuangyu likes it, let her have it. Why be so possessive? It’s rather petty.”
Others immediately chimed in: “Exactly! She should know her place.”
“Such delicate jewelry should be worn by someone as radiant as Shuangyu. On her, it just looks tacky.”
These words pierced Si Yuan’s heart like icicles, one after another.
Once again, she became the target of everyone’s criticism.
Everyone was blaming her.
Listening to their remarks, Si Yuan felt like a fish dragged brutally from water, her chest aching so fiercely she could barely breathe.
Song Yan frowned, disliking how harsh these people were being, and said with impatience, “Enough. If it’s so difficult for you, forget it.”
The moment he spoke, Si Yuan was seized with fear.
She was terrified Song Yan would truly come to dislike her.
Afraid he would strip away even his identity as her brother.
Afraid the Song family would reject her even more because of this.