"Then Madam Mu will have to come with us for a while," Ning Chen said, grabbing Ning Jing's hand and turning to Yun Shunnian.
Yun Shunnian pondered for a moment, then looked at Ning Jing and Ning Chen, and nodded.
"Oh, brother, brother..." Ning Jing's hand was held by Ning Chen, but her eyes were still glued to the clothes in Ruyi Tower, unable to look away.
"Hey, brother. Where are we going?" After the three of them got into the taxi, Ning Jing asked Ning Chen curiously.
"The nearest tea house," Ning Chen said, hooking Ning Jing's nose and looking at her dotingly.
"But what are we going there for?" Ning Jing asked heartbrokenly, thinking of the beautiful clothes in Ruyi Tower.
"To discuss important matters," Ning Chen explained without any impatience, his eyes full of doting as he looked at Ning Jing.
Ning Jing and Ning Chen sat together in the back. Yun Shunnian, sitting alone in the passenger seat, saw the details of their interaction through the rearview mirror, her lips curling with amusement.
Within fifteen minutes, the three arrived at a quiet private room in the tea house Ning Chen had mentioned.
"Alright, you two can tell me what important matters you have now."
Yun Shunnian picked up the tea on the coffee table and took a sip. It was refreshing and had a sweet aftertaste.
Yun Shunnian found it very pleasant and thought about bringing Mu Qi to try it sometime.
Hearing Yun Shunnian's words, Ning Jing, who had been heartbroken about not buying clothes all the way, suddenly became serious.
Before Ning Jing could speak, she clasped Yun Shunnian's free hand with both of hers, her eyes filled with solemnity and complex emotions.
Yun Shunnian was startled and uncomfortably withdrew her hand.
Yun Shunnian: "Young lady, just say what you want to say."
"Okay, I'll say it then," Ning Jing deliberated her words in her mind.
Yun Shunnian nodded.
"Sister, I think you look a lot like a childhood friend of my brother and me, or maybe you are her!"
After Ning Jing finished speaking, she observed Yun Shunnian's reaction.
"Oh, really?"
Yun Shunnian's reaction was very calm. Ning Jing became anxious, "Sister, you don't believe what I'm saying?"
"Whether I believe it or not is hard to say. But whether I am your childhood friend or not, does it make any difference?"
Yun Shunnian tilted her head slightly and asked in confusion.
At this moment, even Yun Shunnian herself didn't realize that her confused expression was exactly the same as when Mu Qi faced her.
"Ah, I thought you would be very surprised."
"So, is this the important matter?" Yun Shunnian asked with a smile.
"Not entirely. It's also… it's about that man beside you."
As she spoke, Ning Jing glanced at her brother Ning Chen.
Ning Chen understood Ning Jing's thoughts, and his expression turned a bit cold.
"His name is Mu Qi. What do you want to say?" Mentioning Mu Qi, the smile on Yun Shunnian's lips disappeared, and her expression became serious.
Seeing Yun Shunnian's reaction, Ning Jing immediately felt that things were likely as she had suspected.
"Sister, I want to ask, are you being forced by that Mu Qi, so you have to stay by his side?"
Ning Jing clasped Yun Shunnian's hand again, looking at her with eyes full of pity.
Yun Shunnian: ???
She hadn't expected that after so much time, someone would still say this.
Yun Shunnian chuckled, "Young lady, you've misunderstood. We are in love with each other."
After Yun Shunnian spoke, the young girl Ning Jing was both disappointed and relieved.
She was disappointed because her plan to set up Yun Shunnian with her brother was over. She was relieved because Yun Shunnian was not harmed.
Ning Chen's shoulders sagged slightly, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.
"Since that's the case, Madam Mu, I'll take Ning Jing and leave now."
"Brother, I haven't finished speaking yet!"
Ning Jing pulled her arm out of Ning Chen's grasp.
Ning Chen sat back down helplessly.
"Sister, don't you remember us at all?"
Ning Jing held Yun Shunnian's hands, her eyes meeting Yun Shunnian's, her expression earnest.
"Sister, weren't you hypnotized?" Before Yun Shunnian could speak, the young girl looked at Yun Shunnian with a worried and frightened expression.
Yun Shunnian frowned, repeatedly murmuring the names Ning Chen and Ning Jing in her mind, but she still had no impression of them.
After a moment, Yun Shunnian shook her head.
"I really have no memory of you."
"Sister, it's definite that Mu Qi hypnotized you," Ning Jing's eyes showed even greater fear.
"Sister, come with me, we will protect you."
Seeing that the young lady's hands had not let go, but had instead gripped tighter, Yun Shunnian smiled and withdrew her hand.
"Sister, don't be afraid. Our Ning family is a military family, and we can definitely protect you." Ning Jing leaned forward and firmly clasped Yun Shunnian's hand again.
Ning Chen remained silent at Ning Jing's words, but his thoughts drifted to his father's description of Mu Qi last night.
That man was an extremely dangerous individual.
Yet, even so, Ning Chen didn't say a word more.
Not to mention that their Ning family had never shied away from such matters, and Yun Shunnian might well be Jing Jing's childhood friend.
Most importantly, Ning Chen wanted Ning Jing's world to remain bright, just as her heart was pure.
"If Mu Qi really hypnotized me, that would be fine too," Yun Shunnian said with a calm expression, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Yun Shunnian knew that Mu Qi was actually very simple.
He just didn't want her to leave.
A man who had lost his life for her in a past life, yet had never harmed her in the slightest, how could he hurt her?
"Young lady, my husband is very good," Yun Shunnian said, smiling as she stroked Ning Jing's head.
Ning Jing truly couldn't understand why Yun Shunnian was defending Mu Qi so fiercely. She only knew that there was no possibility between Yun Shunnian and her brother.
When she truly realized this, Ning Jing was not as disappointed as expected. Instead, she felt relieved, with a hint of bittersweet gratitude.
"Then sister, if anything happens, you must tell me," Ning Jing reiterated.
Yun Shunnian nodded, "Let's go. Sister will take you to buy clothes."
Yun Shunnian pulled Ning Jing, intending to take her to Ruyi Tower again, but was stopped by Ning Chen.
"Jing Jing hasn't had lunch yet."
As if she had eaten lunch. Yun Shunnian tsked, her gaze flickering between Ning Jing and Ning Chen.