Chapter 31: Move Again, and You Won't Sleep Tonight

Lin Lanxing's eyes gleamed with derision as Song Qi Nian pulled away from the traffic light, deliberately ignoring her.

"Brother Chi Yan," Lin Lanxing sneered, turning to face Shen Chi Yan. "It's embarrassing, isn't it? Song Qi Nian riding that pathetic excuse for transportation to work." Her eyes suddenly widened. "Wait - that's exactly her plan. When the old lady finds out she's commuting on some cheap electric scooter, she'll think you're neglecting her. That conniving little—I never thought she'd stoop so low."

Catching sight of Song Qi Nian again, Lin Lanxing thrust her head out the window. "Hey, Song Qi Nian! Hope you get caught in the rain and end up looking like a drowned rat!"

As if fate had a sense of irony, an accident brought traffic to a standstill moments later. They watched helplessly as Song Qi Nian's slim figure weaved effortlessly through the gridlock on her scooter.

The downpour started just as Song Qi Nian reached home, while Lin Lanxing and Shen Chi Yan remained trapped on the elevated highway, their expensive car offering little comfort against the deluge.

Song Qi Nian hadn't expected Shen Chi Yan home tonight - it had been ages since he'd stayed over. With Lin Lanxing in his car, they'd undoubtedly visit Lin Qiu Tong, and he'd likely spend the night at her bedside.

After finishing her work, Song Qi Nian drifted off to sleep. Deep in the night, through her haze of slumber, she felt a strong arm pull her close. The sharp scent of alcohol jolted her awake. When she instinctively reached for the light, Shen Chi Yan's voice cut through the darkness, cold and menacing: "Move again, and you won't sleep tonight!"

Yesterday's office incident still fresh in her mind, Song Qi Nian froze. Though Shen Chi Yan soon fell into alcohol-induced sleep, she lay rigid beside him, wide awake, her mind racing. Why had he come to her room? Why was he holding her while he slept?

Morning found Song Qi Nian exhausted, dark circles shadowing her eyes. For the first time in ages, Shen Chi Yan joined her for breakfast, where Zhang Qiaoqiao had prepared an elaborate spread of both Chinese and Western dishes.

Song Qi Nian kept to herself during breakfast, careful not to draw Shen Chi Yan's attention. He noticed her unusual restraint—so different from her previous attempts to win his favor—and his brows creased slightly.

After breakfast, as they prepared to leave, Shen Chi Yan exchanged a meaningful look with Gao Kunlun from inside the car. Taking the cue, Gao Kunlun approached Song Qi Nian as she was adjusting her helmet. "Madam, why don't you ride with us? We're heading the same way."

Song Qi Nian eyed him warily. She knew Gao Kunlun would never make such an offer without Shen Chi Yan's approval. But something felt off—Shen Chi Yan had always despised her attempts to get close to him, so why this sudden invitation?

Then it hit her. The note she'd written yesterday: "Shen Chi Yan is a big jerk." He must have seen it. Just because he hadn't mentioned it last night didn't mean he wasn't planning something now.

She quickly secured her helmet, flashing a polite smile and signed. [Thanks, but I prefer my scooter. No traffic jams to worry about.]

"But in this heat—" Gao Kunlun started.

[The wind feels nice when I'm riding,] she cut in, already pulling away on her scooter.

Gao Kunlun stood there, not daring to face Shen Chi Yan after failing his task. Inside the car, Shen Chi Yan's expression had darkened considerably.

She used to chase after him relentlessly—what had changed? Was this some new tactic? Or had he gone too far yesterday in the office?

Hmph... why should he even care?

Song Qi Nian arrived at the Planning Department right on schedule to find Xie Xue Yi pacing anxiously by the entrance.

"Finally! What took you so long? Did you finish the proposal?"

Song Qi Nian walked unhurried to her desk and pulled out a document folder. Xie Xue Yi snatched it, flipping through the pages. Seeing everything completed, she broke into a self-satisfied smile and patted Song Qi Nian's shoulder. "Good work. Keep this up."

Without even reviewing the content, Xie Xue Yi strutted off to the conference room. Song Qi Nian watched her leave, a subtle smile playing at her lips.

An hour later, Xie Xue Yi stormed back to Song Qi Nian's desk, face flushed with rage. "Song Qi Nian. Come with me."

Song Qi Nian followed her silently to a secluded corner. When Xie Xue Yi raised her hand to strike, Song Qi Nian caught it mid-air. Xie Xue Yi jerked away, startled by the resistance.

"You little—I told you to do the proposal, and you deliberately sabotaged it! Chairman Shen ripped into me because of you!"

Song Qi Nian met her gaze steadily, her smile never wavering, eyes filled with undisguised contempt. The message was clear: you had it coming.

Xie Xue Yi's eyes widened. "You... you planned this?"

Song Qi Nian's smile only grew.

"You—!"

Xie Xue Yi lunged forward with a shriek of frustration. To think that after all her years in the corporate world, she'd been outplayed by someone who couldn't even speak.

Their confrontation drew a crowd of onlookers. With the situation escalating, it wasn't long before Manager Yang Hongbin summoned both of them to his office.

"What's going on with you two? Colleagues should support each other, not fight. If Chairman Shen hears about this, we'll all be in trouble."

Xie Xue Yi burst into tears. "Manager Yang, I was swamped yesterday. I just asked Song Qi Nian to review the document since I didn't have time. I never imagined she'd alter my work and get me scolded by Chairman Shen."

Song Qi Nian watched in disbelief as Xie Xue Yi twisted the truth with such ease. She handed Yang Hongbin a note: "Xie Xue Yi is bullying me at work, dumping all her tasks on me daily. She didn't write a single word of that proposal—I did it all."

Xie Xue Yi's eyes flashed when she saw the note. "That's a lie! This was a crucial proposal—why would I trust it to a newcomer like her? I—"

"Enough!" Yang Hongbin cut her off. "I get the picture. Xie Xue Yi, you need to handle your work more responsibly. For such an important proposal, you should have reviewed it yourself. That's on you."

Xie Xue Yi started to protest, but Yang Hongbin's sharp look silenced her.

He turned to Song Qi Nian. "And you—minor workplace disagreements shouldn't be blown up into accusations of bullying."

Song Qi Nian's frown deepened. She reached for her notepad, but Yang Hongbin waved her off. "We're done here. Both of you, focus on your work and serving Dingsheng Group. You can go."

Song Qi Nian stood there, stunned. She couldn't believe Yang Hongbin had dismissed such a serious issue so casually. Watching him exchange knowing looks with Xie Xue Yi, she finally understood what Miao Ziai meant about having "backing."

Xie Xue Yi left the office with a smug smile. Song Qi Nian followed, knowing further protest was pointless.

Outside, Xie Xue Yi was waiting, arms crossed. "You're way out of your depth trying to challenge me, Song Qi Nian. Now that you've made an enemy of me, your life in the Planning Department is about to get very uncomfortable."