Song Qi Nian crept to the bedside, concealer and powder compact clutched in her trembling hands. Her heart hammered as she watched Shen Chi Yan's peaceful sleeping form. When a gentle shake didn't wake him, she released a shaky breath and opened the concealer.
Everything she knew about makeup came from hours spent watching tutorial videos. While she couldn't transform someone's entire face, she'd mastered the basics of concealment. It wasn't vanity that had driven her to buy the concealer—her own skin was flawless. Rather, she needed it to hide the marks Shen Chi Yan left on her neck and shoulders. Necessity had made her surprisingly skilled.
These quiet moments were the only times she dared to really look at him. For someone who sneered at skincare, his complexion was infuriatingly perfect—soft and smooth, a stark contrast to his cutting personality.
But she couldn't waste time dwelling on that now. Leaning over him, she worked meticulously until her back screamed in protest. When she finally straightened to examine her work, the bruise had vanished completely, blending seamlessly with his natural skin tone.
A sudden shift of his body sent her dropping to the floor, heart in her throat. Only when his breathing steadied did she dare move, carefully storing her supplies before slipping back into bed. She lay there, pulse racing, counting the minutes until he woke.
Ten minutes crawled by before Shen Chi Yan stirred. Song Qi Nian feigned drowsiness, rubbing her eyes as she rose. Without hesitation, she grabbed the mirror she'd positioned earlier and held it up to his face.
His dark eyes flicked to his reflection, then fixed on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. Guilt gnawing at her stomach, she lowered the mirror and signed:
[The bruise is gone now. You promised—leave my brother alone.]
He scoffed softly but remained silent, offering no explanation for his appearance in her room last night. Without another word, he got up and walked out.
Song Qi Nian trailed after him, stopping when he disappeared into another room. The sound of running water confirmed her guess—he'd gone to shower. She allowed herself a small smile, knowing the waterproof makeup would hold up without proper remover.
At breakfast, she couldn't help stealing glances at his face between bites, admiring how well the concealer had worked. It was definitely worth buying again.
"Is there something on my face?"
His cool voice made her jump. She shook her head quickly, dropping her gaze to her plate.
A knowing smirk played at his lips. She might not be capable of much, but she certainly had her tricks.
Thinking she'd gotten away with it, Song Qi Nian finally relaxed. After missing four days of work between the hospital and recovery at home, she was eager to return, but Shen Chi Yan wouldn't hear of it.
"The company won't collapse without you. Stay home and rest. I don't want Grandma thinking I'm neglecting you."
Money worried her more than work—every missed day meant lost wages.
As if reading her thoughts, he said flatly, "Sick leave is paid. Your monthly salary won't change."
Relief washed over her at his words. Since work was off the table, she decided to head back to her room for some much-needed sleep. After the tension of the previous night, exhaustion was finally catching up with her.
Reaching the second floor, she paused at the window instead of going straight to bed, watching as Shen Chi Yan left the house. His tall figure commanded attention, even from a distance.
Suddenly, something caught her eye. Her expression shifted dramatically. Fighting through the pain in her back, she yanked open the door and rushed downstairs.
Her stomach dropped at the sight of Liu Xiaohan blocking Shen Chi Yan's path.
For days, Liu Xiaohan had haunted the hospital under the pretense of caring for Song Qi Nian. Her real target was the Shen family—she'd been waiting to squeeze money from any family member who visited. But apart from Shen Ke Qin, none had shown up.
When she learned Shen Chi Yan had taken Song Qi Nian home without her knowledge, Liu Xiaohan's anger drove her straight to the villa. Now she'd cornered Shen Chi Yan as he left for work.
"Chi Yan..." She approached him with a sugary smile, breaking into a light jog. "I heard Nian nian's been discharged. How is she doing?"
The moment he spotted her, his mood darkened and anger flashed across his face.
"You dare show up here?"
His icy glare made her falter, but she steadied herself with the thought that as his mother-in-law, she was untouchable. "Chi Yan, I assume your grandmother hasn't heard about Niannian's injury? Don't worry, I can keep quiet. Though I am a bit short on cash lately. As your mother-in-law, surely you could..."
She mimed counting money with an ingratiating smile.
Shen Chi Yan's eyes filled with naked contempt. "You schemed against me then, and I haven't forgotten. Now you're using Grandma to blackmail me?"
If not for her manipulations, he would never have married Song Qi Nian. Never have betrayed Qiu Tong. The suffocating shame of the past three years fueled his hatred for the woman before him—the architect of his misery.
"That's unfair. Nian nian has been your wife for three years. Even if she hasn't done much, she's suffered plenty. You—"
"Wife?" He cut her off coldly. "I never considered her my wife. If not for your scheming, I would never have married her."
"You—"
Liu Xiaohan felt rage and disbelief course through her body.
Growing up, Song Qi Nian had captured everyone's heart. People would stop to comment on her daughter's beauty and gentle nature, their eyes soft with genuine affection.
Liu Xiaohan had convinced herself that three years of marriage to Shen Chi Yan would have created something meaningful between them. Not love, perhaps, but at least some warmth born from their daily lives together.
How wrong she had been.
Shen Chi Yan watched her face contort with emotion, his eyes hardening to chips of ice.
"Did you delude yourself into thinking your daughter married into my family for a comfortable life? She's here paying the price for her worthless father's actions. Every time I look at her, I'm reminded of how your family's schemes left Qiu Tong lying helpless in a hospital bed, how all of you conspired to destroy me."
Each word dripped with venom as he advanced toward Liu Xiaohan. His towering figure radiated such menace that she stumbled backward, losing her footing and crumpling to the floor.
Shen Chi Yan loomed over her fallen form, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "If you have any sense left, you'll make sure I never see your face again. Push me, and I'll make sure you join your husband behind bars."
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