"Well, well... look at this. Our dear Yuxi is out shopping at the Cv bag store."
The words slid out like poison, smooth and sharp.
Yuxi stiffened, her fingers curling slightly around the strap of her purse as she turned her head. Lin Wei glanced sideways, his expression calm but eyes instantly alert. At the entrance stood a man with slick confidence and a girl at his side, both wearing smirks polished with condescension.
Yuxi's light mood drained instantly, her posture now guarded.
"Kelvin..." Lin Wei muttered under his breath, recognizing the man. Then his gaze shifted briefly to the woman beside him—familiar features and calculating eyes. A soft smirk touched his lips. 'I wonder how Stella would respond to this little scene…' he thought, already guessing what kind of game Kelvin was about to play.
Kelvin, on the other hand, wasn't hiding his disdain. His eyes zeroed in on Lin Wei like a laser. It wasn't the store, or even Yuxi, that triggered his mood—it was Lin Wei's presence. Ever since Stella had begun keeping her distance, cooler and more guarded, Kelvin had started drawing lines in his head.
And one of them pointed directly at Lin Wei.
He refused to reflect on the string of arrogant, careless moves that had pushed people away. No, for him, this was simpler. Lin Wei was the variable. The outsider. The threat.
With a smug step forward, Kelvin said, "Didn't think I'd see you here, Yuxi. This isn't exactly a window-shopping kind of place… unless you're planning to score big with your new sponsor?"
The woman next to him chuckled dryly.
Yuxi's jaw clenched. "Watch your mouth, Kelvin. You don't get to speak to me like that."
"Oh? So now you've got a guard dog to bark back for you?" Kelvin's eyes flicked to Lin Wei with open provocation.
Lin Wei didn't even blink. "Guard dog, huh? Funny. I was just thinking, you bark louder than anyone here."
The air around them thickened.
Since Kelvin had clearly decided to make things hostile even in a public space, Lin Wei saw no reason to play nice. He had no interest in being polite to someone who picked a fight without cause—and if he could rattle Kelvin in return, maybe even lure Stella a step closer to his side, all the better.
It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed her. Stella was far from ordinary—composed, sharp-eyed, and effortlessly alluring. Lin Wei would be lying to himself if he claimed he hadn't been intrigued.
"Let's go," he said coolly, placing a hand around Yuxi's waist and gently turning her away. "We don't need to stand around listening to dogs bark."
The moment his hand made contact with Yuxi, Kelvin's jaw tightened. His eyes burned with barely restrained anger. For a long while, he had toyed with the idea of getting Yuxi under his thumb—and eventually into his bed. To see her so casually close to Lin Wei sent a jolt of possessive rage through him.
"Hmph! Let's go. I'm done looking anyway," Yuxi echoed with a smile, clearly pleased by Lin Wei's composure. It was like he didn't even register Kelvin's tone or petty attempt to provoke him. And that quiet confidence? It was far more effective than any argument.
As the two of them walked off, Lin Wei didn't even look back.
But Kelvin stood there, fists clenched at his sides, his mood rapidly souring. And beside him, Stella observed it all—silent, but far from indifferent.
"It looks like some people have seen enough," Siya's voice came soft, but the barbed meaning beneath it cut clean. "Let's go. We actually plan to buy something, unlike those who just show up to be seen."
Her eyes lingered as Lin Wei casually wrapped an arm around Yuxi's waist and guided her further into the store—right toward the exclusive section where the CV brand's premium handbags were displayed.
Yuxi's steps faltered slightly as they moved deeper inside. She leaned in and whispered near Lin Wei's ear, "Lin Wei… I think we should leave."
Lin Wei chuckled lightly, catching the gentle waft of her perfume. "You smell really nice, you know that?"
"Rogue! What are you even saying, idiot…" she muttered, cheeks flushing, before giving his arm a sharp jab. He winced and grinned, rubbing the spot as he turned to the attendant.
"How much is that bag set?" Lin Wei asked, pointing toward a trio displayed prominently at the center—the soft pink Rose Haze, the ivory-toned Dawn Mist, and the cool blue Azure Veil. Yuxi's eyes had drifted to them more than once.
"I don't need it," Yuxi hissed quietly, tugging at his sleeve, her voice laced with concern. "Don't joke like that. That's way too expensive…"
She pinched his arm this time, more seriously.
The attendant, sensing genuine interest, stepped forward professionally. "Sir, that particular set—our seasonal signature trio—is priced at 30,000 credits in total."
Yuxi's eyes widened slightly. That was far beyond what she could afford—and even more than she wanted him to spend.
"Haha! Look at that—he's really putting on a show, huh?" Kelvin's voice rang with mockery from behind.
Before Yuxi could react, Lin Wei spoke up, his voice calm but resolute. "Don't listen to them. I'm buying this for you. Or… do you really think I'm the kind of guy who'd make the girl beside him pay for something like this?"
His words struck deep, stilling the storm inside Yuxi. She turned to look at him—eyes that had been shimmering with tears now wide and quietly awed.
"Sorry," Lin Wei continued softly, brushing his thumb gently under her eye to wipe a tear. "I should've made things clear from the start. I was just messing around before giving you a gift… I didn't think it'd actually hurt you in the process."
Yuxi stared at him, speechless.
Then Lin Wei turned toward Kelvin, his smile gone—replaced by something cold and sharp.
"I'm shopping here for my girl," he said, his voice carrying a chill that silenced the store. "So do me a favor and stop barking from the sidelines."
Kelvin flinched.
This wasn't the casual, mild Lin Wei he was used to. For a split second, standing there under Lin Wei's steady gaze, he felt… small. Like he had underestimated something dangerous.
The sales attendant, already swift at her job, stepped forward with a professional tone. "Sir, the total is 30,000 credits. Here's the scan code for online payment."
Without hesitation, Lin Wei raised his phone. A soft beep echoed through the boutique.
"Ding!"
"The payment has been made."
"Thank you for your purchase, sir," the attendant said, now bowing slightly—her smile noticeably more respectful.