The Silent Wife english novel


Song Qi Nian accompanied Shen Yu Shu to the hospital, taking the opportunity to check on her grandmother as well. The elderly woman lived in one of those aging apartment blocks—the kind without elevators—and had taken an unfortunate tumble down the stairs. Despite the severity of the fall, fate showed a small mercy: she'd managed to protect her head, though she still ended up with several fractures requiring hospital care.


After helping with the admission paperwork, Shen Yu Shu walked Song Qi Nian to the entrance. "I can't thank you enough, Nian Nian. I would've been stranded without you and your help getting a taxi."


Song Qi Nian's response came with a gentle smile, conveying through her expression what she couldn't say in words: [friends help each other through tough times.]


"We'll have dinner soon—my treat," Shen Yu Shu insisted.


As Song Qi Nian rode away on her scooter, Shen Yu Shu watched her disappear into the distance, reflecting on her friend's character. Despite being unable to speak, Song Qi Nian possessed a remarkable spirit—working harder than most, embracing life fully, never letting her circumstances dim her outlook.


Night had settled by the time Song Qi Nian arrived home.


"Young Madam, welcome back," Zhang Qiaoqiao greeted her, taking the helmet as Song Qi Nian nodded in acknowledgment. "The Young Master is home. He'd like to see you in his study after you've eaten and freshened up."


Knowing Shen Chi Yan was waiting, Song Qi Nian moved quickly through her evening routine—a hurried dinner followed by a brief shower. She'd never entered his study before. Standing at the door, she knocked several times. Met with silence, she eased the door open, stepping inside with careful movements. Yet even her lightest steps couldn't silence the melodic chiming of the bells at her ankles.

Shen Chi Yan stood at his desk, absorbed in his calligraphy practice. At the sound of her bells, his brush faltered slightly, though his eyes remained fixed on his work. Only his elegant eyebrows lifted, betraying his awareness of her presence.


After completing his final stroke, he set down his brush. His dark eyes traveled to her ankles. "At least you know how to follow instructions."


Song Qi Nian had rushed to put the bells back on after her shower, dreading what punishment he might devise if she didn't. With Shen Chi Yan's unpredictable nature, defiance could mean missing work tomorrow.


Noticing her cautious distance, he gestured to her. "Come here."


As she approached, she caught sight of the characters he'd written: "Snow weighs on pine and osmanthus clusters before the courtyard, Points of light hang beneath the gauze lanterns in the corridor." His strokes carried such force they seemed to bite into the paper—evidence of countless hours of practice.


Her phone's sudden ring cut through the silence. Before she could reach for it, his command sliced through the air: "Give it here."


Song Qi Nian froze. What did he want with her phone? Was this some kind of test? She handed it over, watching as he simply placed it on the desk.


Without warning, he pulled her against him, pressing her back against the desk. The fresh ink's sharp scent filled her nose as he gripped her chin, his body trapping her against the wooden surface.


She held perfectly still, barely daring to breathe.


"I hear you've been running a little side business at the company," he said, his voice low. "Drawing portraits for money?"


Her heart lurched. How had he discovered that? Would this be the excuse he needed to terminate her employment?


No way!


She can't sacrifice the bigger picture for small gains and lose this job!


Just as Song Qi Nian was about to gesture with her hands, Shen Chi Yan raised her hands above her head.


"I heard a lot of people have been adding you on WeChat lately. How about this - from now on, for every person who adds you on WeChat, we'll do it once. Ten people add you, we'll do it ten times."


Shen Chi Yan said it casually, but Song Qi Nian listened with trepidation.


Before anything had even happened, she already felt her waist aching.


"Someone just added you, so... let's begin."


Song Qi Nian had no room for resistance; she just hoped no one else would add her tonight.


However, before the first time was even finished, her phone rang...


"Two times..."


"Three times..."


"Five times..."


"Seven times..."


With each count from Shen Chi Yan, Song Qi Nian's heart trembled once.


Appreciating Song Qi Nian's embarrassed yet helpless expression, Shen Chi Yan was in quite a good mood.


Morning.


When Song Qi Nian was awakened by her phone alarm, she felt like her body had been run over by a car, completely sore and weak.


She reached out to turn off the alarm, and just as she struggled to get up, a strong arm wrapped around her slim waist.


Song Qi Nian's body stiffened as memories of last night's chaotic and wild evening flooded her mind.


From the study to the bathroom, and somehow they ended up in Shen Chi Yan's room...


Song Qi Nian found herself in Shen Chi Yan's bed, her thoughts racing. He'd initiated everything last night—surely he wouldn't accuse her of sneaking into his room this time?


She turned her head carefully. Seeing him apparently asleep, she attempted to slip away quietly. But her hope for an easy escape vanished as he suddenly rolled over, pinning her in place.


Her hands moved in frantic gestures: [We'll be late for work…]


"Your phone rang once more after you fell asleep," he said, his tone matter-of-fact.


Song Qi Nian's hands froze mid-gesture.


"Everything needs proper closure. You understand that, don't you?"


She did understand, but her perfect attendance bonus was at stake! Her hands moved again, pleading: [Can we postpone this... please?]


His lips curved slightly. "No. Today's matters get settled today."


Later, exhausted in every way, Song Qi Nian glanced at the clock—just thirty minutes left. Abandoning any hope of maintaining her usual morning routine, she hurriedly washed up and rushed to the office.


When Shen Chi Yan came downstairs to find her gone, he asked sharply, "Where is she?"


"Young Madam has already left," Zhang Manman replied, quickly offering him a packed breakfast. "Young Master, she left without eating. She's not very strong—would you mind taking this to her?"


"Do I look like a delivery service?"


Zhang Qiaoqiao bowed her head. "I apologize for overstepping."


At the company, Song Qi Nian stood before the time clock, deflated and drained, feeling like she'd lost a fortune.


"Don't worry about it, Nian Nian," a colleague consoled her. "The attendance bonus is only 5000 yuan. Haven't you been earning good money from your portrait work? Think of that as your bonus instead."


Song Qi Nian's world spun, Miao Ziai's well-meant words only making her feel worse. As she turned toward her desk, everything suddenly went black...


Her body, already weak from the sleepless night and missing breakfast, finally gave out—a perfect storm of anemia, low blood sugar, and exhaustion.


"Nian Nian! What's wrong?"


Miao Ziai caught her just as Shen Yu Shu rushed over. Taking in Song Qi Nian's pallid face, he quickly assessed the situation. "Must be low blood sugar. Xiao Ai, get some glucose water."


"Right away!"


While Miao Ziai hurried off, Shen Yu Shu helped Song Qi Nian into a chair. After they got some water into her, he reached into his bag and pulled out a loaf of bread.


"Here, eat this."


Song Qi Nian was too dizzy with hunger to hesitate. She took the bread and began eating immediately.


This was the scene Shen Chi Yan walked into—Song Qi Nian and Shen Yu Shu sitting close together, her nibbling at the bread while he offered her sips of milk. Her grateful smiles, his attentive care—they painted a picture of perfect contentment.


The breakfast box in Shen Chi Yan's hand hit the bottom of the trash can with a sharp crack.