The Obsessive Tycoon Claims the Deserted Heiress-Chapter 37 - 0: Divine Thief Reappears

"Me? Cheating?!"

Lin Qingyan slammed her hand on the table twice, hard: "You're just too dumb, obviously!"

She had one leg propped on the chair, her elbow resting on her knee—an unbearably cocky pose.

"Lin! Qing! Yan! Who are you calling dumb? Say that again, I dare you!"

"Why are you yelling so loud? Competing decibels now? Come on, who's scared of who?"

"..."

Watching the atmosphere grow increasingly tense, Xu Linchuan immediately stepped in between them: "Alright, enough! You two, really—must you fight every time we go out together?"

Lin Qingyan and Jin Yunzhi had been at each other's throats since childhood, though the reason wasn't some grave feud—it all started over a trivial cookie.

Back in the day, little Jin Yunzhi had been fiercely protective of his snacks.

Everyone in the courtyard knew his temper and indulged him—everyone, except Lin Qingyan, who wouldn't give him an inch and loved provoking him.

After snatching his cookie, she had the audacity to eat it, bite by deliberate bite, right in front of the emotionally fragile Jin Yunzhi, reducing him to wailing tears.

From then on, they couldn't stand the sight of each other. Leave them in the same space for more than half an hour, and chaos was guaranteed.

Jin Yunzhi's face turned red with anger. He let out a sharp huff and turned to Shi Wei: "Brother Wei, you've got to get my revenge for me!"

Shi Wei shook his head subtly, a smile playing on his lips as he looked between the two of them.

He sat down next to Jin Yunzhi, leisurely shuffling the cards. His long fingers seemed even paler against the bright red playing cards.

"What are you standing around for?" Shi Wei drew a card. With raised brows, he glanced at the pair across the table: "Still waiting for me to hand it out to you?"

"No way, no way!" Lin Qingyan snapped out of her daze and reached out her hand immediately.

Her peripheral vision caught a smug grin on Jin Yunzhi's face, and she couldn't help rolling her eyes.

Noticing this, Jin Yunzhi shot her a cheeky glance in return.

But with Shi Wei present, the two only dared exchange occasional "eye daggers."

Soon enough, their rivalry took a back seat as more pressing matters came to the forefront.

Shi Wei dominated the game, winning five rounds in a row without letting them catch their breath, completely obliterating them.

Lin Qingyan and Xu Linchuan sat with their faces covered in sticky notes, narrowly avoiding having one on their eyelids—utterly miserable.

Meanwhile, Jin Yunzhi's grin practically reached the heavens, his face the very picture of schadenfreude.

"Master Shi, can we take a break now?"

Xu Linchuan peeled off every last sticky note from his face and poured a cup of tea for Shi Wei.

"Not continuing?" Shi Wei took the teacup with a faint smile and leaned back in a laid-back posture like a lord basking in luxury.

Compared to the exhaustion he'd shown earlier in the car, he now seemed thoroughly refreshed.

Xu Linchuan waved his hand: "Ha! Playing cards with you is just asking to be annihilated."

In their circle, Shi Wei was firmly second best at cards—but no one dared claim first.

As the saying goes, a little crushing defeat spices things up, but too much and it's downright torment. There's no shame in conceding at the right time.

"You always know what to say." Shi Wei smiled faintly, taking out a cigarette from the pack and tossing it toward Xu Linchuan.

The two lit their cigarettes in sync, the bluish white smoke swirling softly under the glow of the ceiling light.

The enchanting music of Lanting Square flowed like a gentle stream, washing over them and bringing a rare moment of quiet as they savored the atmosphere.

Lin Qingyan slouched in her chair, playing absentmindedly with her fingers: "Brother Wei, I saw Shi Yaoyu at the Meng Family house yesterday."

But after dropping this bombshell, the response she got was utter silence.

She tilted her head to the side, only to see Shi Wei had one leg sprawled over an adjacent chair, his brows knitted slightly, as if searching his memory for what significance this "Meng Family" might hold.

"Seriously, bro?! You don't remember the Meng Family?"

Lin Qingyan stared at him like he was an alien. Perhaps out of frustration, she even sat up straighter.

Shi Wei exhaled a wisp of smoke, his tone carrying an icy indifference: "Do I need to remember?"

Lin Qingyan was briefly stunned by his response, but upon reflection, it precisely suited his personality.

She chuckled lightly before adding, "You at least remember the Meng Family's eldest daughter, don't you?"

Shi Wei shot her another glance, his entire expression spelling out: "What are you even talking about?"

Well, it seemed he actually didn't remember.

"Master Shi, you really do have the memory of a goldfish," Xu Linchuan teased. "I'd feel bad for that eldest daughter of the Meng Family if I were her."

"Who's Miss Meng?" Jin Yunzhi piped up with genuine curiosity, his glistening, inquisitive eyes wide like grapes.

"Who else? Just another pursuer of Master Shi."

"Brother Wei has so many admirers—forgetting one is no surprise, is it?"

"Hah! But she's nuttier than most women." Xu Linchuan wasted no chance to gossip, recounting this über-persistent lady's wild exploits.

It wasn't until Xu Linchuan got going that Shi Wei reluctantly remembered such an annoying woman had loitered around him in the past.

He frowned deeply, clearly unamused, wanting no part of this boring topic.

Just as he was about to cut the conversation short, Xu Linchuan slapped his thigh suddenly: "Speaking of the Meng Family, I just remembered—our Prince of Divine Thief struck again a few days ago, stealing their family heirloom."

"What heirloom? Is it worth a lot?" Jin Yunzhi perked up immediately, more intrigued by the Prince of Divine Thief than anything else.

Since the last stolen painting, he hadn't heard from the thief in ages—enough to almost think he'd gone straight.

"Rumor has it it's a piece of Mutton Fat Jade, supposedly worth tens of millions?"

"Jade? Isn't the Prince of Divine Thief into calligraphy and porcelain?"

"Maybe he's switched tastes lately."

"..."

The group focused entirely on Xu Linchuan's account, oblivious to the subtle shift in the air beside them.

Shi Wei's hand, resting nearby, slightly curled inward. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest as his clear but raspy voice broke through: "When did this happen?"

"Huh?"

Xu Linchuan blinked, surprised that Shi Wei suddenly seemed interested in the topic.

Shi Wei's sharp gaze pinned him down, leaving no room for hesitation.

Sensing the urgency, Xu Linchuan's survival instincts kicked in: "I think it was either last Friday or Saturday."

Friday... Saturday...

Shi Wei fell into momentary silence, his deep eyes flickering with an elusive glint.

He stated firmly, "It wasn't her."

Beyond the fact that he'd been with her those nights, having seen those treasures in her hidden vault, he couldn't imagine her settling for anything the Meng Family owned.

"Brother Wei, how can you be so sure?" Jin Yunzhi asked, thrilled.

It was rare to catch Shi Wei defending someone—especially the Prince of Divine Thief.

Shi Wei didn't answer him, instead turning sharply to Xu Linchuan: "Does the Meng Family have any proof?"