Do Not Approach

87

Family feuds among the elite were never simple. Mag had wanted to return, but her father had stopped her. Their family had complicated ties with the Qin family, and moving abroad had been part of a strategic withdrawal. A smart businessman never picks a side until the new leader is firmly in place.

Mag had always felt guilty about not being there for Qin Yi during her darkest moments. She still remembered the day she left-how young Qin Yi had stood at the alley's edge, biting her lip and holding back tears as she watched the car drive away, too stubborn to say a word.

Impulsive as ever, Mag got up and headed to the kitchen to make steak.

Her family situation was similar to Qin Yi's-she had lost her mother at a young age, but her father never remarried. He had once served Nanyang with distinction but grew weary of the tangled relationships within the Qin family. Eventually, he left to establish his own business. Mag followed him, moving overseas, fully aware of the challenges he had faced along the way. She had always obeyed him without question. But this time, she had come back specifically to support Qin Yi.

She noticed Qin Yi had changed a lot. When they met again, Mag expected to see the same downcast and withdrawn person she had spoken with over the phone. But the moment they met, Mag was stunned by the spark in Qin Yi's eyes.

Friendships forged in childhood-those "diaper buddies"-were different.

No matter how many years or miles separated them, a simple hug was enough to convey the hardships they had endured.

When they parted as children, they had been naive little girls. Now, they were women of the world. Mag was no longer the wild tomboy who used to pick fights at the drop of a hat, and Qin Yi was no longer the tearful girl in the alley. They had both changed.

Soon, the enticing sizzle of steak filled the air. Holding a glass of milk, Qin Yi sat by the window, gazing into the night.

The stars above sparkled like jewels scattered across the black sky, twinkling just like Xiaoxiao's eyes when she smiled.

Xiaoxiao...

Nighttime always made her miss Xiaoxiao more. Qin Yi's hand drifted to the necklace at her neck. Her slender fingers caressed the Q1 pendant, tracing it over and over, her gaze filled with quiet longing.

If she had never met Xiaoxiao, perhaps the long nights wouldn't feel so unbearable. But maybe it was because she missed her too much.

After staring out the window for a few minutes, Qin Yi suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she shot up from her chair, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

Mu Xiaoxiao's journey here had been a nightmare. She hadn't expected to encounter a traffic accident and get stuck in a jam at this hour.

When Mu Xiaoxiao finally arrived downstairs, she paused to collect herself. Instead of rushing up, she took out her phone and checked her appearance with the camera.

They young miss' friend is a mixed-race beauty-wealthy and strikingly gorgeous...

Of course, she couldn't afford to lose.

Mu Xiaoxiao thought for a moment, let down her hair, and tidied it. Then, she took out a lipstick from her bag and applied it to her cherry-red lips. Still unsatisfied with her complexion, she crouched down and began pulling out an assortment of makeup: mascara, eyeliner, brow pencil, highlighter, concealer... With her phone in hand, she meticulously applied each product.

Needless to say, she had looted all these from Zhang Qiao.

Whenever Mu Xiaoxiao returned home, Zhang Qiao would suffer the consequences, as if all her comforts were wiped out overnight.