No? Can I read the mind of my mortal enemy?

Shi Qiao quickly put on a cover-up after applying sunscreen, her face flushed.

A commotion of shouts came from behind.

"Xiaoqiao! I'm here!" Su Yurou waved to Shi Qiao from the edge of the beach court. "Where's Jingnian? Want to play volleyball together?"

Pei Jingnian did not respond.

Turning around, I found him lying on the chair, his long legs crossed and flat, his arms behind his head.

Shi Qiao nudged Pei Jingnian, "Since Sister Yu Rou asked you, you should at least give her a response."

The man casually pushed up his sunglasses, quite nonchalantly, "I'm not playing, I'm tired."

[Hmph, he wants to play alone with his wife.]

I don't want to be with anyone else.

Shi Qiao: ...

have to.

Pei is three years old.

She picked up the beach ball, ran to Su Yurou, and gently placed her slender white hand in front of her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun.

Pei Jingnian said he wouldn't come.

Su Yurou gave a meaningful "hmm," picked up the beach net at her feet, and said, "Beach volleyball is so much fun. I think he'll definitely join in later."

She lent a hand, saying, "He had been pulling all-nighters for several days before he left and hadn't rested much. He'll probably still be asleep when we finish the game."

Su Yurou scoffed, "How old is he? Is that all the stamina he has?"

"Fine, if he doesn't want to play anymore, then so be it."

Shi Qiao went online and tied two knots. "But it's just the two of us playing, and we're even using a branch network? Isn't that a bit too formal?"

Su Yurou snorted twice and flicked one finger lightly. "Who said it was just the two of us?"

Shi Qiao: ?

Boom! The dust on the ground was suddenly kicked up by the wind, casting the shadow of the helicopter on the ground.

Just then, Shi Qiao looked up and saw a rope descending from the sky, followed by three people running down from the helicopter.

Two men and one woman, all foreigners, tall and handsome.

"These are my college classmates. They happened to be on vacation on the next island, and when they heard I was here, they flew over specifically to hang out with me." Su Yurou smiled, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Shi Qiao was completely taken aback, and raised her little hand, saying, "Hello~"

Su Yurou patted Shi Qiao's hand and said, "They're all mixed-race, and they speak fluent Mandarin."

She introduced them one by one: "This handsome blond guy is Joe, next to him is his twin sister June, and this taller one is Tomson, you can just call him Tom."

"This is my younger sister, Shi Qiao, whom I grew up with."

The three greeted Shi Qiao warmly, especially Joe.

"Susie, why didn't you tell me your sister was so pretty!" His eyes lit up. He had originally planned to give her a cheek kiss, but considering that Shi Qiao might not be comfortable with that, he changed it to a handshake. "Hello, Xiao Qiao!"

Just as Shi Qiao was about to shake hands, Joe's hand was grabbed by another hand first.

Pei Jingnian casually buttoned two buttons on his shirt, hung his sunglasses casually in his hair, and swept all his bangs up.

Their exceptional bone structure is in no way inferior to that of people of European and American descent.

Su Yurou curled her lips into a smile, more cunning than a fox.

"Oh my, isn't this Jingnian?"

"Aren't you supposed to be getting some rest?"

"You suddenly want to play beach volleyball too?"

Pei Jingnian glanced at Su Yurou, then slightly adjusted his position to indirectly block Shi Qiao's path.

"Your friend is here, you should entertain him."

Su Yurou cleared her throat tactically, "Joe, June, Tom, this is Shi Qiao's brother, Pei Jingnian."

"The three of us had a great time together when we were little."

[Damn it.]

Pei Jingnian froze, his eyes filled with swirling shadows, his narrow eyelids narrowing dangerously.

Joe grabbed it with both hands and shook it vigorously. "So it's your brother! No wonder he looks a bit like our little Qiaoqiao, turns out they're siblings."

Small, clever, ingenious?

[Brother and sister, you're a piece of cake.]

They look like a married couple.

Shi Qiao couldn't help but turn her back and cover her mouth to secretly laugh.

Pei Jingnian really knew exactly what to do to get angry.

He really is a three-year-old.

Joe released Pei Jingnian, picked up the beach volleyball from the ground, and said, "Let's quickly divide into teams!"

June and Su Yurou exchanged a glance, then said, "Joe, I'm not going to be on your team this time. We're guaranteed to lose if we're on your team!"

Joe grinned, "You don't want to be on my team, and Tom and I don't want to be on your team either."

He walked around once and stood directly next to Shi Qiao. "We're going to be on the same team as Xiao Qiao Qiao."

Pei Jingnian: ?

Shi Qiao: ?

Immediately afterwards, two men stood on either side of Shi Qiao, like her guardians.

Tom patted his arm. "Don't worry, Shi Qiao. Joe and I have played countless beach volleyball games. We guarantee we'll lead you to victory."

Joe flashed a bright white grin, "Don't worry, I'll carry you to victory!"

"Then it's settled. Me, Tom, and Xiaoqiao will be a team, and the three of you will be a team."

"We're determined to win with Xiaoqiao by our side, so don't blame us for bullying you!"

An explosive outburst of curses erupted from Pei Jingnian's heart, as filthy as could be.

He took two steps forward, his distinct five fingers covering Shi Qiao's palm, and with a little force pulled her behind him.

"I'm sorry, Joe, she can't live without me."

Her broad shoulders immediately filled most of Shi Qiao's field of vision.

She stared blankly at the hand that Pei Jingnian was holding, their hands pressed together without any gap, rubbing their palms together.

My heart was pounding erratically.

Su Yurou put her hands behind her back, deliberately raised her voice, and gently pulled Shi Qiao's other arm, "Jingnian, Xiao Qiao didn't say she couldn't live without you."

"Although you two were always on the same team when you were little, you're both grown up now. Can't we let Xiaoqiao make the decision herself?"

So, all five of them turned their eyes to Shi Qiao, and Joe blinked his big, light blue eyes.

"Little Qiaoqiao, your brother is so fierce."

"Don't let him scare you. If you choose me, I'll protect you well."

Pei Jingnian frowned, revealing a shallow crease between his brows, and he tightened his grip on Shi Qiao's hand slightly.

Like grasping at the sand on the seabed.

She was afraid that she would escape when the tide receded.

He tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes drooping at the corners.

Honey, I can't live without you.

【Please don't team up with them, okay?】

Her voice was sticky and trembling, with a sobbing tone.

There's a feeling that if he weren't chosen, he would immediately settle for jumping into the Indian Ocean next door.

But didn't she set a goal for herself to properly teach Pei Jingnian a lesson for his hypocritical nature?

If it were a month ago, she would have joined Joe's team without hesitation.

But now, she can't bring herself to say it.

If she goes to the other team, Pei Jingnian will have the same expression he had when he had dinner with Xia Heng that day.

They're so pitiful.

she……

I can't bear to part with it.

Moreover, she inexplicably didn't want the two beautiful older sisters surrounding Pei Jingnian.

I just don't want to.

"I..." Her lips parted, but she couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Damn it, hesitant and indecisive, not like her at all.

She took half a step back behind Pei Jingnian.

"Sorry, Joe, Tom, I... I'd better go with... my brother."