Yan Qingsi nodded her head. “That’s right. My mother had a necklace that was exactly the same. I didn’t remember wrongly. I was eight when my mother died. I’ll never forget what had happened that year; I’ve always remembered everything as though it had happened yesterday. I could still see everything as vivid as when it happened when I close my eyes. Later on, I went to ask You Xi about it. He told me that he had been wearing the necklace ever since he was young. He even asked his mother about it—and his mother said that the necklace was one of a kind with no reservations. But…… if that’s one of a kind, then what about the necklace my mother had worn?”


  “I’d forgotten the last two times I’ve met you, but I’ve always wanted to ask you this–Is that necklace an heirloom of the You family?”


  You Yi’s expression was so serious that it was frightening. “No…… that necklace isn’t a You family heirloom,” he said, “Qingsi, let me ask you one more time, You’re absolutely sure that your mother had a silver necklace with a ginkgo leaf pendant, just like You Xi’s?”


  Yan Qingsi did not understand why You Yi turned somber all of a sudden. She nodded her head gravely. “I’m sure. Absolutely sure. I remember seeing that necklace around my mother’s neck for as long as I can remember.”


  You Yi’s brows scrunched tightly together. Yan Qingsi was surprised at the swirl of emotions on his face under the dim cast of the night sky.

  The wind during summer nights still blasted heat onto one’s face. The roads, which had been baked by the sun throughout the day, still radiated heat.

  Yet Yan Qingsi felt colder by the second. You Yi’s expression and reaction told her that this incident about the necklace was anything but ordinary.

  However…… Yan Qingsi could not imagine what trouble a necklace could bring.

  You Yi abruptly seized Yan Qingsi’s shoulders. “Qingsi, you have to remember every word I’m telling you right now,” he said, dead serious, “You cannot tell anyone about this necklace. Do not let anyone find out about it, and never go see You Xi again. I’ll follow up on this. This might concern your mother’s birthright. You have to take care of yourself when I’m not around.”


  Surprised overcame Yan Qingsi when she heard You Yi’s words. “Is it…… serious?” she asked.

  You Yi nodded. “Maybe…… it’ll turn everything we know upside down.”


  You Yi’s head was spinning. He had some subconscious awareness of the truth, but he did not dare to let anyone else know before he had gathered sufficient evidence.

  Yan Qingsi widened her eyes. Turn everything upside down?

  This–how serious was this thing, to make a calm person like You Yi say such things?

  Yan Qingsi clasped her own hands together. “Is–is that necklace from the Yous?” she asked.

  You Yi shook his head. “No. That’s not a You family asset, but…… there are a million infinitesimal connections surrounding it. I can’t be too sure of anything now though. I need to return to Hai city for a while and investigate properly. I’ll immediately let you know once everything is clear.”


  “Okay…… I understand.”


  “Take care of yourself. If there is any invitation to shoot any film, don’t accept it. Take a break. And don’t go out alone.

  “Mmph…… I know.”


  “Go along then.”


  Yan Qingsi nodded her head. She wheeled around and made her way toward Yue Tingfeng’s car. She took two steps, then looked over her shoulder. You Yi was still standing there, watching her.

  You Yi waved his hand at Yan Qingsi. She suddenly remembered You Yi saying that he would protect her from now on—that he would never hurt her, and he would never let anyone else hurt her.

  Now she…… believed him, amazingly!

  She believed that You Yi…… would protect her, would keep her safe. He would watch over her in her mother’s place.