Chapter 391: Exposing Princess Yan's Hand String

Mu Youyu was chatting with Lin Ning, seemingly completely unaware that someone was approaching.

Until that figure stopped at the table edge, a tense male voice sounded: "Miss Mu, what a coincidence."

Mu Youyu raised her head, meeting Jiang Yan's face that bore a hint of awkwardness; although she clearly recalled who he was, she still said out the sign.

Yet she deliberately tilted her head, as if trying hard to recall the person before her.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Yan felt his heart sink another half; she indeed didn't remember him.

Lin Ning, watching from the side, found it amusing, leaned close to Ye Yin's ear and whispered: "Just coming over to hit on her was bad enough, but you made it so awkward."

Ye Yin also lowered her voice: "I don't know, he's indeed bold, just lacks any perceptiveness."

Their low talk wasn't deliberately concealed; it fell into Jiang Yan's ears, making him feel extremely embarrassed.

He clenched his palm, "I am a branch of the Jiang family..."

Jiang Liangjin coolly cut him off: "The Jiang family has no such branch as you."

Song Yan couldn't be bothered with nonsense, took out a coin from his pocket, placed it on the tabletop, gave it a light push, and the coin steadily stopped beside Jiang Yan's foot: "Is that enough?"

His action openly displayed contempt, undoubtedly treating him like a beggar being sent away.

The onlookers immediately turned their heads.

"That voice, it's really Song Yan!"

"What's going on, who is that person? He doesn't look like a beggar, yet Song Yan threw a coin at him."

"He's a young master from a Jiang family branch; just a few days ago he greeted me, and at first glance he's clearly here to leech off us."

"Huh, he's quite acquainted with Young Master Jiang? If they're close, next time he tries to talk I'll acknowledge him."

"Hahahaha..."

Jiang Yan's words were cut off; for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Following behind him, the bodyguard lowered his head, desperately holding back laughter; following his young master really could see plenty of amusement.

Jiang Yan had originally prepared a bellyful of words, hoping to get the Mu family's little princess to glance at him more.

But now those words were all stuck in his throat; he couldn't utter a single one.

Song Lujing, seeing this, grew impatient and started calling out: "Hey, what are you standing there for? Anything wrong? A Jin, any more coins?"

"There are."

Jiang Yan, left speechless by his retort, flailed his hands: "No, no, it's fine, I don't want the coin, I just... happened to pass by, just wanted to say hello to Miss Mu."

Song Lujing's tone carried an obvious hint to leave: "Then you can go; the main road is right outside."

Jiang Yan's face stiffened, and he instinctively looked toward Mu Youyu.

She didn't even spare him a glance.

Jiang Liangjin's expression was calm: "Anything else?"

Yet from that gaze, Jiang Yan read a hint of warning.

He recalled that in the Jiang family, Jiang Liangjin had told the bodyguard, from now on he is not allowed to set foot in any Jiang family banquet.

He thought it was only temporary; after some time, when the fuss died down, he could still find a chance to approach her...

The fact, however, was not so.

Jiang Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something to salvage the situation, but found his throat so dry he couldn't make a sound.

In the end, he just gave an embarrassed smile, his voice dry: "No, no, I just... happened to pass by, you all keep eating, I'm leaving."

Having said that, he nearly fled in disgrace, turned and left; recalling something, he picked up the coin Song Yan had tossed onto the ground, his steps so hurried he almost bumped into the glass door frame.

Ye Yin watched his retreating back and couldn't help clicking her tongue: "So who is this person? He actually picked up the coin, huh?"

Song Lujing's tone was languid: "He's a Jiang family branch member; during the New Year period he got a scolding from Brother Xi at the Jiang residence."

Lin Ning raised an eyebrow, silently gave him a thumbs-up: "Wow, daring to provoke Brother Xi? You've got guts."

Could it be that Brother Xi's fame abroad is why Youbao now only has the descriptor "sister complex"?

"It's not about provoking Brother Xi," Song Yan added, "it's that he wants to get close to my sister."

Ye Yin's gaze fell on Mu Youyu, then she glanced at the person beside her, and she let out a meaningful "oh."

Who in C City's top conglomerate circle doesn't know Mu Youyu's status? Not to mention a Jiang family branch, even a core figure of the Jiang family's main line branch wouldn't dare to harbor designs on her.

Moreover, many people surround her, including Jiang Liangjin.

The Jiang family's sole heir, the figure who will one day control two major conglomerates, has protected Mu Youyu since childhood.

She dares say, whoever harbors designs on Mu Youyu, the first to object would be him.

Mu Youyu belatedly lifted her head, a blank look on her face: "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." Jiang Liangjin put his arm around her shoulder: "Still taking photos?"

Mu Youyu nodded, continuing to lean against him as she posed.

Lin Ning watched her best friend's demeanor, recalled something amusing, immediately switched seats and sat down beside her.

"By the way, have you seen Xianyan sister's Weibo? Her little fans are all asking about the red string on her hand! And lots of marketing accounts are spreading it, hahahaha I'm about to die laughing."

Mu Youyu felt like chatting: "My older sister's red string?"

Jiang Liangjin was indifferent.

Ye Yin's eyes lit up, she started to gossip: "Yeah, yeah, I saw it too; they're all guessing where Mu Xianyan's red string came from, she's never taken it off!"

Lin Ning pulled out her phone, opened a marketing account, the title read: 【Exposing the Princess Yan's Hand String She Never Leaves】

Opening the video, the marketing account's excited yet feigningly mysterious narration rang out: "Who among you all understands this?! Everyone's seen Princess Yan's Weibo, right? To say Princess Yan, everyone's surely familiar—she's the adopted daughter of the Y Guo Duke's Manor and the Mu family, a heavenly prodigy in the violin world!"

"Take a close look at her Weibo—she stares at that hand string for several seconds, and consider she's never taken it off! Though any piece of jewelry on Princess Yan starts at six figures, she's oddly fond of this worthless little hand string..."

"Only after many years did we learn it was sent by her beloved; the key point—make sure you remember this!"

"(Comparison photo) When Princess Yan attended the same royal banquet with Y Guo Prince Xun Li, her wrist also bore an obvious matching couple's hand string! Good good good, isn't it that you all keep your mouths so tight? I won't be the last to find out, will I?"

"Having said that, their gazes are politely obvious in avoiding suspicion... On the surface they pretend not to know each other; if the sky fell, why wouldn't you wait till I died to tell me? The tale of the prodigy prince versus the arrogant violinist—I could ship them for ten thousand years!"

At the end of the video, there was also a series of crazy fangirling special-effect subtitles.

Mu Youyu remained silent for a long time, her face bewildered, "……Can this even be shipped?"

Lin Ning spread her hands, unfazed, "Of course, nowadays marketing accounts will make up anything."

Ye Yin laughed uncontrollably, "Following that logic, if I bought an identical one, wouldn't I also be able to pair up with Princess Yan as a cp?"

Song Lujing chimed in, "Maybe it's just a peace bracelet you prayed for at the temple yourself—you're overthinking it."

"That's indeed possible, but nobody can say for sure." Lin Ning didn't know the Prince of Y Country or Mu Xianyan; she just found the recent flood of speculation videos amusing.

Song Yan lightly touched his chin with his fingertip, lost in thought.

Jiang Liangjin glanced disdainfully at the other's phone screen, "Don't look at this, it's lowering your IQ."

Nothing to say.