"What kind of brands are these? Not a single one highlights my strengths!" Ruby Jiang threw the clothes in her hands aside, complaining loudly.
She remembered the dress that the eldest daughter of the Yin Family wore at the banquet that night—it was absolutely stunning!
Whether it was the material or the cut, everything was top-notch.
Even the assistant beside her was dressed better than she was.
It was just too much!
She was just a little assistant—why did she get to wear something more luxurious than Ruby?
The brand's staff, trying to appease her, said with a forced smile, "Miss Jiang, this series is already our brand's latest collection this year. There's only one in the city, so you definitely won't run into anyone else wearing it."
Another staff member chimed in, "That's right, Miss Jiang. Everyday wear usually has this kind of cut and design. After all, it's not an evening gown—comfort is the priority. So, it might not hug your curves or show off your figure as much..."
"Shut up!" Ruby snapped, annoyed. "I just want something that looks good on me and is practical for hiking. Is that so hard?"
The two staff members glanced at each other, at a loss for words.
Who wears tight clothes to go hiking anyway?
Might as well just wear proper hiking gear.
Who hikes in something that looks like an evening gown?
Isn't that just ridiculous?
"How about we call someone from a sports brand to let you try their clothes?" one staff member suggested, trying to please her.
"I don't want to wear those bulky sports clothes," Ruby protested. "I'm going to see my crush! If I dress that plain, how will I catch his eye?"
"Uh..." The brand staff was stumped.
Just then, James Jiang walked in from outside and overheard his sister. He said, "Alright, Ruby, don’t go overboard. Ethan Yin isn’t stupid. If you make it too obvious, everyone will know what you’re up to. Plus, there’ll be more than just Ethan at Cherry Mountain this weekend—the Yin Family, the Monroe Family, and other heirs will all be there. Don’t do anything crazy."
"So many people are going? Then I really need to pick the perfect outfit!" Ruby perked up immediately. "This is my chance to break into their little circle! You know how it is, they never accept outsiders. If I don’t make the most of this, I’d be letting down all your hard work, bro."
"Too much is as bad as too little." James Jiang took charge and called in a famous sports brand, finally forcing Ruby to choose a white tracksuit.
This way, she wouldn't stand out too much.
Sure enough, when the weekend came, Yina Yin and the others all arrived in S City, ready for a fun day of fruit picking.
From afar, Ruby craned her neck, waiting eagerly.
When she saw a group of handsome guys and pretty girls walking her way, all dressed in hiking gear or casual clothes, she finally relaxed and agreed with her brother's advice.
Good thing she hadn't worn a gown today, or it would have been super awkward.
At the foot of the mountain in the distance, Yina Yin hopped out of the car, looked around, and nodded. "Not bad. James Jiang really knows how to pick a spot."
Miles Gu stood beside Yina, straightening her collar for her. "While everyone else is busy planting imported fruit, James Jiang still insists on traditional varieties. That's pretty impressive."
Sam Shang chimed in, "Yeah, the yield for traditional varieties is always low."
Ryan King grinned, "That's exactly why Miles is praising James for his ideas! Anyway, we're not growing fruit to sell—it's just for us to eat. Of course we're going to pick the ones we like!"
Leo and Theo Mo nodded in agreement. "That's right."
Sharon Yun wore loose black clothes, her hat covering half her face. She gazed at the cherries in the distance and smiled softly.
Jason Jiang said quietly, "If you like it, stay a few more days. The family won’t mind."
Sharon hesitated for a moment before softly agreeing.
The bond between the twin siblings was just as close as Leo and Theo Mo—really strong.
Cherry Miller was about to carry the insulated box over when a hand suddenly took it from her. Ethan Yin’s voice sounded above her head: "It’s so heavy. How can you carry it?"
"It’s fine," Cherry didn’t argue with Ethan. Not wanting to make a scene, she simply said, "Thank you, Mr. Yin."
"Why so formal with me? I’m going to eat this food too," Ethan teased, giving Cherry’s ponytail a playful tug. He turned to Quentin Sheng, "Get someone to carry the rest of the boxes. Girls shouldn’t have to do this kind of work."
Quentin Sheng smiled and replied, "Of course, Mr. Yin. I won’t let Ms. Miller get tired."
"Let’s go." Ethan easily picked up the box and led his siblings up the mountain.
The mountain path was paved with stone slabs, and each step wasn’t too steep, so climbing was easy for everyone.
On both sides of the stone path were cherry trees, their branches heavy with fruit.
A gentle breeze made the cherries sway like strings of little agates—so beautiful.
"Mr. Yin, Mr. Gu, Miss Yin, everyone—" James Jiang hurried up the mountain with Ruby, greeting them warmly. "Sorry about that, we were at the top getting the picking tools ready and forgot to welcome you at the gate."
"No worries," Ethan Yin nodded. "Walking up from the foot of the mountain felt pretty nice."
Miles Gu smiled, holding Yina Yin’s hand tightly. "We’ve been so busy with the company these past years—it’s rare to relax like this. Thanks so much, Mr. Jiang, for giving us this opportunity."
"Not at all, having you all here is a blessing for the mountain," James Jiang replied with a big smile. "This way, please."
Ruby’s eyes lingered on Ethan Yin. She wanted to say something, but James Jiang pulled her away before she could.
"What are you doing?" Ruby grumbled. "Why won’t you let me say hi to Ethan?"
(Irrelevant system message, skip translation.)
"Don’t you see how many people are here? Is this really the time for greetings?" James frowned. "Today is our chance to get into this circle—don’t mess it up! Relax, you’ll get your moment alone with him."
Ruby felt reassured after hearing James say that.
Cherry Miller walked behind, deliberately keeping her distance from Ethan Yin.
Anyway, Yina Yin had Miles Gu with her now, so Cherry didn’t need to take care of her.
However, Ethan seemed to notice Cherry’s intention, so he deliberately slowed down and walked alongside her.
Ethan had long legs; for every step he took, Cherry had to take two or three.
So, with Ethan walking slowly, Cherry had to hurry to keep up.
Cherry was crying inside.
Why is everyone so tall—over 170 cm—while she’s the only one stuck at 160?
The worst part was, she had to walk next to Ethan, the poster child for long legs!
He was probably walking beside her just to make fun of her short legs.
Ethan Yin saw Cherry Miller looking so frustrated, he could barely hold back his laughter.
How could the girl he liked be so cute?
Ethan reached up and picked a bunch of cherries from a tree, handing them to Cherry. "Here, for you."
"Huh?" Cherry looked at the cherries offered right under her nose and turned away. "No thanks, I’ll pick my own when we reach the top."
"I just thought you looked tired, so this is a little pick-me-up," Ethan teased in a low voice. "I’m afraid you’ll be too exhausted to talk by the time we reach the top."
Cherry shot Ethan a fierce glare.
At least she was showing some emotion now, instead of just keeping her distance.
Ethan once again held the cherries under Cherry’s nose. "Try one for me?"
Cherry finally took them, picked one off, and popped it in her mouth. A burst of sweet and tart flavor filled her mouth.
"Is it good?" Ethan asked with a smile.
"Pretty good," Cherry mumbled. "This variety is really rare these days. It doesn’t yield much and is prone to pests, so most farmers prefer foreign hybrids. Those look nice, but they don’t taste as good as these."
Ethan turned to Quentin Sheng. "Hear that? Have some of these cherry trees transplanted to our orchard."
Quentin nodded with a smile. "Sure, I’ll have someone take care of it. But if you want homegrown cherries, you’ll have to wait until next year."
Cherry quickly said, "I was just making conversation."
"No problem. When we pick them next year, we’ll send some to Mom and Dad—and to Butler Mi too," Ethan replied with a grin.
Cherry felt a warmth in her heart.
She knew she shouldn’t get closer, but Ethan’s thoughtfulness still made her feel cozy inside.
She really was too greedy.
Miles Gu, walking ahead, glanced back at Ethan and Cherry, then quietly asked Yina Yin, "Didn’t you say Cherry and Ethan broke up?"
Yina glanced back too, whispering, "I don’t know! That’s just what Cherry told me. She said she doesn’t want to think about romance right now, so she’s afraid of holding my brother back—she figured it’s better to break up."
Miles looked thoughtful. "Cherry wants to focus on work? That’s not a great excuse."
"Well, I don’t care—nobody’s allowed to bully Cherry," Yina declared. "If anyone does, I’ll beat them up."
Miles couldn’t help but laugh. "Yes, yes, whatever you say, boss lady. If you say so, how could I not listen?"
"Who’s your boss lady?" Yina’s ears turned a little red.
"You, of course! We’ve been engaged so long, and our parents can’t wait for you to marry me." Miles gently scratched Yina’s palm, his voice soft and tempting in her ear. "Don’t you want to live with me soon? And once we’re married, I can finally move into your room and never leave your side…"
Yina’s face turned even redder. "I’m not interested!"
"Oh really?" Miles teased. "But I am—what should I do?"
Yina acted coy for once. "I’m done talking to you!"
Miles let out a muffled laugh.