Chapter 34: Turns Out ysgswd Is...

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Turns Out ysgswd Is...

Back at Veridian Gardens.

The moment Sienna Everett stepped into the living room, she saw Julian Forrester sitting on the sofa.

The man had his long legs crossed in a lazy posture, holding his phone. His cool, pale fingertips tapped lightly, one by one, against the dark screen.

His dark, deep eyes shifted to her, his gaze holding an unreadable meaning.

Sienna Everett found his stare baffling. "What’s wrong?"

Keith Sterling, who was trailing behind Sienna Everett, met Julian Forrester’s gaze and felt his legs go weak with fear.

’WHIMPER. You can’t blame me, bro! It’s not like I WANTED to be in a shipping rumor with Sienna. It’s those gossip-loving netizens who are just too nosy!’

In the midst of this strange atmosphere, Sienna Everett’s phone buzzed twice. She had received a message from Isabelle Sutton.

After the finals earlier, the two had exchanged contact information.

Isabelle Sutton: [Sienna! Check X right now! The netizens are eating up the gossip about you and Keith Sterling!!]

Isabelle Sutton: [Sienna, what’s the deal between you and Mr. Sterling? (grabs popcorn.jpg) (hehehe excitedly rubbing hands.jpg)]

Sienna Everett: "?"

’What is this now?’

Sienna Everett went online and quickly discovered that a photo of her and Keith Sterling had been taken and posted for all to see.

Netizens were all guessing that Keith Sterling was the mysterious whale who had spent a hundred grand on virtual gifts for her.

Sienna Everett’s eyes narrowed slightly. She looked at Keith Sterling beside her and asked, "This ’ysgswd’... that’s not you, is it?"

She hadn’t even known Keith Sterling back then, so there was no way he could have been the one to send her gifts.

As expected, Keith Sterling waved his hands frantically. "Not me! That’s not my X handle! Speaking of which, who the hell is this ’ysgswd’? Dropping over a hundred grand on virtual gifts for you? Does he have too much money and nowhere to spend it?"

Sienna Everett frowned in confusion. "I have no idea who ’ysgswd’ is either."

Keith Sterling stroked his chin, speculating, "Could it be one of your die-hard stans? Someone who likes you so much they’re willing to spend that kind of money on you? Casually dropping a hundred grand... seems like a stan with some serious backing."

After saying this, Keith Sterling glanced at the cold-faced Julian Forrester on the sofa and immediately tried to show his loyalty. "But even if they have backing, they shouldn’t be sending gifts like that! The guy’s definitely got a screw loose! Right, bro?"

Julian Forrester: "..."

Keith Sterling pulled out his phone as he spoke. "I’ll clear this up right now! Those netizens are way too nosy, just randomly speculating about my relationship with Sienna!"

Sienna Everett didn’t actually think it was a big deal. "You don’t have to be so tense."

’How can I not be tense?’ Keith Sterling thought.

’Can’t you see my bro is about to drown in a vat of his own jealousy?!’

Keith Sterling’s survival instinct was off the charts. He swiftly logged into his X account and rapidly posted a clarification—

[Disclaimer, disclaimer, a serious disclaimer! I am Sienna Everett’s friend and a loyal fan, it’s not the kind of situation you’re imagining! Also, ’ysgswd’ is not me! Stop your gossiping little minds and quit with the wild guesses!]

Keith Sterling had once gone viral for his good looks, and combined with his wealthy family background, he was the very picture of a rich and powerful young master. As a result, his X account had a sizable following.

The moment this clarification was posted, the comments section blew up.

[I’ve read it! TL;DR: No romance between Keith Sterling and Sienna Everett, and ’ysgswd’ is not Keith Sterling.]

[OMG, the second young master of the Sterling Family is Sienna Everett’s friend, AND her loyal fan? Just how awesome is Sienna Everett?!]

[I’m dying of curiosity, who the hell is the mysterious whale ’ysgswd’?]

After posting the clarification, Keith Sterling looked toward his brother as if seeking praise, but his heart was still filled with anxiety.

"Bro, who on earth is this ’ysgswd’? Spending a hundred grand on virtual gifts for Sienna just like that? He’s definitely up to no good! Not a good person at all!!"

Julian Forrester: "..."

Keith Sterling was a classic case of being more worried than the man himself, desperate to play armchair strategist and plot on his brother’s behalf.

’Such a powerful rival in love, why isn’t my bro worried at all?’

’But on second thought, what’s a hundred grand on virtual gifts?’

’My bro spent ten million dollars on a necklace for Sienna Everett at an auction.’

’That instantly puts "ysgswd" to shame!’

Just as Keith Sterling was cheering for his brother in his head, a flash of insight struck him. The reason his brother was so calm about ’ysgswd’ couldn’t be because...

’So "ysgswd" IS my bro!!!’

The moment this thought popped into his head, Keith Sterling was so shocked he nearly choked on his own saliva. "COUGH COUGH COUGH!!"

Sienna Everett asked in surprise, "What’s wrong with you? Do you need some water?"

Having accidentally stumbled upon the truth, Keith Sterling was both shocked and amazed. "No need, I’m fine, Sienna."

’It has to be my bro!’

’"ysgswd" is definitely my bro!’

’Otherwise, there’s no way he’d be so calm in the face of a love rival!’

’I’m so dead! Just now, right in front of my bro, I said this "ysgswd" had a screw loose, that he was up to no good with Sienna, and that he wasn’t a good person at all...’

In that instant, Keith Sterling wanted to die.

He’d even picked out his own burial plot.

"Bro..." Keith Sterling swallowed hard and nervously tried to walk back his comments. "I was just spouting nonsense earlier. This ’ysgswd’ who sent Sienna so many gifts must be a good guy! A handsome and rich, really, really good guy!"

Hearing this, Julian Forrester shot him a nonchalant glance but said nothing.

’Well, then.’

That settled it for Keith Sterling. ’ysgswd’ was his brother!

’My bro was really going all out for Sienna Everett, even resorting to making a secret X account.’

Keith Sterling had originally planned to stick around and snag a free meal, but he received a call about something urgent and had to leave regretfully.

Before he left, Keith Sterling gave Sienna Everett a meaningful wink.

Sienna Everett: "?"

’Are you okay, dude?’

Watching Keith Sterling’s departing figure, Sienna Everett was completely bewildered. "He doesn’t have a screw loose, does he?"

’One second he’s saying "ysgswd" is a bad guy, and the next he’s calling him a great guy. How can he be so fickle?’

Julian Forrester raised an eyebrow and explained leisurely, "That’s just how he is. He’s always been very... lively, even as a kid."

Sienna Everett understood.

The polite way to put it: lively.

The blunt way: a total goofball.

Sienna Everett sat down on the sofa and reached up to massage her shoulder. Today’s dance competition had been exhausting, and her shoulders were a little sore.

She had barely kneaded it twice when a man’s low, magnetic voice sounded by her ear. "Want me to get that for you?"

Sienna Everett froze for a second.

The next moment, the man’s well-defined fingers were on her slender shoulder, applying a gentle yet firm pressure.

"No, no, I can do it myself." Sienna Everett suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

But Julian Forrester didn’t give her a chance to pull away.

He turned sideways, placing both hands on her shoulders and kneading them gently with a practiced familiarity. "It’s not like I didn’t do this for you when we were kids."

Sienna Everett was suddenly at a loss for words.

Julian Forrester glanced down at her. Sitting behind her, all he could see from this angle was the pale curve of her profile and her soft earlobe.

His brow arched slightly, and his deep, pleasant voice held a hint of teasing. "Which little princess was it that was always ordering me around when we were kids? Hmm?"