Chapter 133: A Touch of Jealousy

Starfish Bay Villa.

After returning home, Ruan Mianmian headed straight to her room, trailed by A-Kuan, who wore a look of suspicious intrigue.

The moment they were inside, A-Kuan couldn't help but mutter, "Damn! What kind of relationship does that idiot have with our boss?"

"How would I know?"

Ruan Mianmian looked completely out of the loop. To be honest, even having read the original book, she could not have anticipated the way the plot was unfolding now. In the original story, she remembered the troublemakers were hired thugs brought in by Jiang Ce’s subordinates to vandalize the Crescent Town construction site day after day. But now, much to her shock, not only had the troublemakers changed, but this particular individual seemed to have some tangled, inseparable connection to Jiang Ce.

"You haven't seen her before either?" Ruan Mianmian asked, looking at A-Kuan.

A-Kuan shook his head in alarm. "Never seen her."

Ruan Mianmian furrowed her brows at him.

A-Kuan emphasized again, "Really, I haven't. When has the boss ever had a woman around him? Especially a dim-witted one! Remember Shen Ting? Her feelings for the boss were so obvious, yet even she could only stay back at Hanhai."

At this point, A-Kuan leaned in a bit closer to Ruan Mianmian and grinned. "Don't you worry, the boss is absolutely innocent!"

Ruan Mianmian believed that, of course. What she feared was that the story might descend into some cliché melodrama—like a childhood sweetheart suddenly appearing with a pre-arranged marriage pact, sworn to wed once they grew up.

"Forget it. Let's just wait for Jiang Ce to come back."

Ruan Mianmian turned and sat on the sofa behind her. Seeing her return in such a rush, Old Zhang had sent someone to bring up a pot of chrysanthemum tea.

"Miss, would you like to come down and have some tea?" Old Zhang knocked on the door from the outside.

Hearing the commotion, Ruan Mianmian and A-Kuan went out and headed down to the living room.

Old Zhang handed a cup to Ruan Mianmian and asked with a smile, "Why didn't the young master come back with you?"

"He has some things to take care of."

Ruan Mianmian lifted the cup and took a sip, then looked at Old Zhang and smiled. "As expected, Old Zhang is the most thoughtful person here at Starfish Bay."

Old Zhang glanced at her with a chuckle and added, "The young master is much more thoughtful than I am."

Ruan Mianmian pursed her lips, offering no reply.

After Old Zhang left, A-Kuan sat down on a nearby armchair, glancing at his phone from time to time.

Ruan Mianmian set down her tea cup and asked, "Any news from Jiang Ce's side?"

A-Kuan replied, "Jin Jiu said the boss drove off with that idiot. No one knows where they went."

"They went off alone?"

"It seems so..."

Ruan Mianmian bit her lip, a flicker of impatience in her eyes.

A-Kuan tentatively whispered, "Why don't you give the boss a call and ask?"

Ruan Mianmian straightened her back, looked away, and said, "Why should I call him? Didn't he say he’d be back soon?"

"Tsk, tsk." A-Kuan rubbed his nose and murmured, "Why do I smell vinegar in the room?"

"..."

Ruan Mianmian rolled her eyes at him without a word.

A-Kuan continued with a grin, "Don't you worry. What could the boss possibly have to do with her? Brother Ruan, you need to have some confidence in yourself."

"If your girlfriend was hugged by someone on the street, and they kept calling her 'dear little sister,' could you stand it?" Ruan Mianmian sat tall, staring straight at A-Kuan.

A-Kuan was stunned. He pressed his lips together, then finally shook his head. "Absolutely not!"

"Hmph!" Ruan Mianmian scoffed and lowered her head.

On her phone, Xiang Kui had sent her a link—a promotional post about the popular idol group OS, announcing their concert in Jiang City.

[Xiang Kui: Mianmian, do you want to go to the concert together? I have an extra ticket; let me treat you!]

Ruan Mianmian checked the date. It was on the first of next month, less than a week away. She didn't have anything else to do anyway, so she decided to agree.

[Sure, that works. Let me know when you're ready.]

[Xiang Kui: No problem! My sister is coming with us, she said she hasn't seen you in a few days and is already missing you.]

A smile graced Ruan Mianmian’s face. She replied: [Great! See you then.]

After confirming, Ruan Mianmian scrolled up the chat and opened the link. The top image was a group photo of the boy band, who had a distinctly K-pop style. The boy in the center had clear, refined features, like a landscape painting; he possessed a handsome, scholarly charm, with thick brows and bright eyes that were particularly eye-catching.

Ruan Mianmian scrolled down and discovered his name was Lu Bai. She recalled what Xiang Kui had said at the Lilac Garden; this must be the "Lu Baby" she had mentioned.

It seemed Xiang Kui was quite the fangirl.

"Brother Ruan, what are you looking at? So focused."

A-Kuan couldn't help but ask, taking the opportunity to glance at her phone screen, though he saw nothing.

Ruan Mianmian didn't even look up, saying coolly, "Looking at a handsome guy."

"No way? Brother Ruan, are you being that childish? Just because the boss got hugged once, you're looking at other handsome guys to retaliate?" A-Kuan teased, adding, "I didn't realize you were so vengeful."

"I have plenty of other ways to be vengeful. Do you want to find out?"

Ruan Mianmian lifted her phone, making a motion as if she were about to throw it at him.

A-Kuan immediately went silent, making a zipping motion across his lips to show he would shut up.

After that, Ruan Mianmian sat on the soft sofa, boredly playing on her phone. When she eventually got tired of sitting, she laid back, remaining in that position until night fell.

"Brother Ruan? Brother Ruan? How did you fall asleep here?"

Hearing her name, Ruan Mianmian opened her eyes, feeling groggy.

A-Kuan helped her sit up, smiling, "If you're tired, why don't you go back to your room to rest?"

Ruan Mianmian rubbed her eyes and asked in a low voice, "Is Jiang Ce back yet?"

"Uh... not yet." A-Kuan stammered, then shook his head.

"..."

Ruan Mianmian frowned, a trace of displeasure crossing her features. She sat quietly on the sofa for a long moment, then, with a stifled breath, turned and headed upstairs.

Watching her enter her own room instead of the master's, A-Kuan knew things were getting complicated. There was nothing he could do for the moment, so he could only pray for the boss to return soon.

Just as A-Kuan was about to leave, he heard the sound of a door opening behind him. He turned slowly and saw Ruan Mianmian, now changed into a different outfit, heading back downstairs.

"Brother Ruan? Are you planning to..." Go out and find the boss?

Before A-Kuan could finish, Ruan Mianmian said as she walked down the stairs, "I’m heading out."