Xia Ling looked around her as an afterthought.

As expected, there were several groups of people pointing at her and whispering to their friends.

She hated to be in such a situation in public as it could create unwanted chaos. She hurriedly grabbed Xia Moyan’s hand and made a run for it. Xia Moyan drove her to her bungalow and said, “Have a good rest. I’ll come to see you again in a few days.”

“Where are you going?” Xia Ling tugged at the corner of his shirt sadly as she heard that he was about to leave.

Xia Moyan said in a gentler voice, “There’s something I need to do.” His work in the spiritual realm was mysterious, and he did not want his sister to know too much. Knowing the secrets of heaven would generally require one to pay a price.

Seeing that he was reluctant to reveal anything, Xia Ling did not press him for more information. She said pitifully, “You need to come back to visit me.”

“I will.”

“Pinky promise?”

Xia Moyan wordlessly stretched his pinky out towards her.

A big smile spread across Xia Ling’s face, and she hooked his pinky with hers. “You have to come back!”

Her clear and happy voice made Xia Moyan’s heart clench. How lonely was she that she would pine for the company of a brother that she hardly saw at all?

The Phoenix was destined for loneliness…

How had a young and small girl like her weathered through all the tribulations in her life?

Xia Moyan lowered his head to hide his emotions before turning around and leaving.

Xia Ling watched as he left while leaning on the door until she couldn’t see his lanky frame beyond the red walls and pebble path. She then turned and went back into the house. The bungalow was quiet and empty. She had moved over in a hurry and many things had happened since. Hence, the house was barely furnished.

“It really doesn’t feel like a home…” She sighed.

Subconsciously, she thought of Li Lei’s apartment. It used to be filled with her stuffed penguin and rabbit toys, as well as had fashion magazines from around the world, snacks, and song sheets strewn everywhere. How did her house become so empty? There was also Hairball and Er Mao in Li Lei’s place. Were they obediently listening to him?

She fell into a daze, and her mind drifted to the owner of the apartment.

His handsome features and the glint of a smile in his eyes.

He used to be her Sun.

But now?

Her heart ached as she thought of the “wife selection” ceremony a while back when he had been so courteous to Nangong Qingya. She also remembered that dreadful night in the caravan when she was filming outside the city. Yes, her rival was a wealthy lady and needed to be treated with respect. And she was just a singer, so she could be bullied and ridiculed?

She didn’t know where the warm and caring Li Lei had gone to.

“Why are you still thinking about him?” Xia Ling chided herself. “It’s been two days, and he hasn’t even called you. Xia Ling, are you an idiot? Are you still not giving up?”

Shaking her head, she tried to clear her heart and mind of Li Lei. However, her mind was simply filled with him.

Just as she was getting exasperated with herself, the doorbell rang.

Xia Ling thought that her brother had come back and hurriedly ran to open the door. Yet, she only saw two courier delivery boys outside the door. They politely said to her, “Are you Miss Ye? Hello, we are from Seagull Private Limited. These are the items that you purchased in the mall today. We’ve helped you bring them over.”

Xia Ling recalled that these were the items that her brother had asked to be sent over.

She let them in, and the two courier delivery boys efficiently carried all the items into her house, before politely bidding her farewell and driving off.

Xia Ling squatted in the living room and started to unwrap the items.

There were all kinds of branded bags, clothes, jewelry… and many other items that she did not know how to use. She flipped through the items and found several fishnets, leather skirts, and lace outfits.

The items piled up high in all colors — rose red, maroon, mysterious black. The pile became imbalanced and fell onto her body, almost drowning her petite frame.

She took two seconds to react.

She pulled one of the items off the top of her head. It was a ***. Alright, so this looked like the purchases from the lingerie shop where she had gotten into a spat with Nangong Qingya. She had forgotten to tell her brother not to send those to her. What in the world was she going to do with them?!

Xia Ling felt depressed.

The doorbell rang again. Xia Ling thought that it was the courier boys who had forgotten something. She went to open the door listlessly but was stunned when she saw who was standing outside.

Under the setting sun, a handsome man with defined features and deep-set eyes was standing by the red walls covered with flowers.

It was…

“Li Lei.” She murmured. He had finally decided to come to look for her, just when she thought that he was never going to appear. Many thoughts flashed through Xia Ling’s mind in a moment, though they culminated in one thought — thankfully, he was here.

Li Lei watched her silently from where he was standing across the empty yard. He reached out and pushed open the low bamboo fence himself, walking towards her. Xia Ling turned her body to make space for him to enter the house, but forgot that the house was now strewn with her many purchases — the bags, jewelry, and… and the pile of lingerie.

Li Lei lowered his gaze to the pile of lace and fishnet on the floor.

Xia Ling stammered in embarrassment. “That… I… I…”

“Was everything that was written online true?” Li Lei said in an emotionless voice.

“Huh, what?” Xia Ling was confused. She hadn’t gone online for the entire day and did not know what he was talking about.

“The report online said that you were shopping in a lingerie shop with a man, and that man had given you a lot of lingerie.”

Xia Ling’s breath caught, and she recalled the people staring at her when she exited the mall earlier. They had put this online?! “I… I didn’t…” She wanted to explain herself to Li Lei, but did not know where to start.

“Who is that man?” Li Lei asked in a low voice as he stared into her eyes.

“I…” The word “brother” was about to spill out of her mouth, but she suddenly remembered that her brother had told her never to reveal their relationship. She was momentarily at a loss for words and broke into a cold sweat. “Don’t listen to the rubbish online!”

“Oh? Why don’t you tell me why it’s all rubbish, then?” Li Lei replied calmly and slowly.

Xia Ling’s heart pounded. The way Li Lei was looking at her made her terrified. She couldn’t tell if he was happy or angry. She did not like the feeling of not being able to read him.

“I… I didn’t go shopping with a man.” She blurted out with her mind in a whirl.

“Xiao Ling, do you take me as an idiot?” As expected, Li Lei glared at her. “Did you think that you could hoodwink me with just any lie? Speak… was that man Pei Ziheng?”

Only Pei Ziheng would accompany her to a lingerie shop.

Only Pei Ziheng could make him boil over with jealousy.

Xia Ling was shocked at his allegation. She opened