"Are you trying to save someone?" Pan Yue poked her head out from the backyard entrance, her face radiating arrogance.
Seeing Pan Yue emerge, Granny Yao's expression turned somewhat unnatural. Clearly, she harbored suspicions about this delicate guest as well, but how could she voice them?
Pan Yue slowly approached, taking in the mess scattered across the ground. She then glanced at Qin Ningyi's ashen face and Huo Rou's tightly furrowed brows. A flicker of triumph and satisfaction crossed her eyes.
In this world, no one could be the protagonist in her story. Granny Yao disliked her, giving away expensive skincare products so readily. Qiao Yushan presented two completely different faces in public and private. Yao Jian's gaze had immediately shifted to Huo Rou the moment she appeared. Everyone's eyes were fixed solely on Huo Rou.
Especially Qin Ningyi.
A man like him was destined to belong to her! Ignoring her was the consequence.
Huo Rou noticed the smugness in her eyes and asked coldly, "You still dare to show up?"
"Why wouldn't I dare to show up?" Pan Yue didn't consider this a major issue. Of course, that didn't mean she would admit it immediately. "You're Yao Jian's friend, and so am I. If you can come, why can't I?"
She skirted the issue, deciding to play dumb to the end. After all, no one would dare accuse her directly. Even if they knew it was her, what could they do if she refused to confess?
"Is this your first time touching dirt with these hands?" Huo Rou scoffed. Seeing Pan Yue's fearless demeanor, her smile grew even wider. "You've really gone through a lot."
Hearing Huo Rou mention dirt so directly, Pan Yue felt a pang of unease, especially Huo Rou's smile, which always sent a shiver down her spine. But she quickly reassured herself: It's fine. A few herbs, at most ten thousand yuan. She could spare some of her allowance for them; consider it charity.
"What does this mean?" Yao Jian stepped past Pan Yue and approached Granny Yao, a small woven basket in his hand. "First time touching dirt?"
He had overheard Huo Rou's words and felt as though he understood something, yet at the same time, he didn't quite grasp it.
An An looked at Yao Jian as if he were an idiot. "Uncle Xiao Yao, you don't understand this?"
He had previously thought Uncle Xiao Yao was a fun and honest person, but now he seemed a bit slow. After a moment of doubt, An An continued to enlighten him. "Mom means that Auntie Pan deliberately came to the backyard to cause trouble!"
He wouldn't be subtle. Even Shen Feng wouldn't do something like this. Besides this silly aunt, who else could it be? If she didn't explain clearly, she probably wouldn't even realize everyone had already guessed it was her.
An An's disdain was written all over his face. Under An An's "concerned" gaze, Yao Jian finally understood.
His pupils dilated, and he turned to look at Pan Yue, his face a mask of disbelief. "Was it really you?"
From the moment Yao Jian asked the question, the answer had been playing out in his mind. With so few people around, Pan Yue had a much more obvious motive than Shen Feng.
"How could it be..." Pan Yue disdainfully began to refute, but her words were cut short by Shen Feng's barking.
"Woof—woof woof!!!" Shen Feng, who had been circling on the ground with his head down, suddenly looked up and barked fiercely at Pan Yue.
As it barked, it circled, surrounding Pan Yue. The scene was exactly like an arrest of a criminal suspect.
Pan Yue, with Shen Feng baring its teeth and encircling her, felt both angry and scared. "Get away! You stinky dog!"
"Brother Yao, Brother Yao, quickly get this silly dog away!" Pan Yue shouted, trying to seek Yao Jian's help, but Yao Jian remained unmoved.
"Brother Yao!"
Pan Yue, exasperated, her voice rising uncontrollably, forgot her gentle and understanding persona as she yelled. All she wanted now was to provoke Yao Jian, to make him shift his gaze back to her. "Do you still want my father's sponsorship?!"
She couldn't believe this wouldn't move him.
Pan Yue felt a surge of contempt. She looked at Shen Feng and intended to kick it. This dog was acting crazed. Ever since she arrived at the courtyard, it had been glaring at her, and now it wanted to bite her?
It would be best if it were kicked to death. Pan Yue didn't lessen the force in her kick; she put all her strength into it.
Seeing Pan Yue's action, An An reached out and hugged Shen Feng's neck. "Shen Feng, be careful!"
He pulled Shen Feng back a bit. Pan Yue's kick landed just beside An An. Before it could land, a small stone struck her knee.