Miao Ziai burst into the room, her face flushed with anger as she confronted Song Qi Nian. "Nian nian, everyone's talking about you and Yu Shu. They're saying you're chasing after him. Tell me it isn't true."
The accusation caught Song Qi Nian off guard. She hadn't expected rumors about her and Shen Yu Shu to spread like this. With a firm shake of her head, she signed, [Xiao Ai, I'll tell you again - Yu Shu and I are just friends. Nothing more.]
"But they're talking like they have evidence."
Miao Ziai's expression softened as she rushed to clarify. "Look, Nian nian, I find Yu Shu attractive - just like any other good-looking guy. I'm only bringing this up because I care about you. I hate the idea of people spreading lies about you."
[The truth speaks for itself. Let them talk.]
After a moment's consideration, Miao Ziai's face brightened. "You're absolutely right! Those gossips need to get a life. But hey..." She lowered her voice. "Yu Shu does treat you differently. If there were something between you two, I'd be the first to cheer you on."
Such dangerous words!
Song Qi Nian clapped her hand over Miao Ziai's mouth, frantically scanning their surroundings. Thank goodness Shen Chi Yan hadn't been visiting the planning department much lately.
If he heard talk like that... she shuddered to think what he might do to her.
[I... there's already someone I care about.]
Miao Ziai's eyes widened with interest. "No way! Is it that Guan Mingxu? The one sending you roses every day? It's weird though - all these flowers but he never shows his face. What's his game?"
Song Qi Nian couldn't exactly explain that Guan Mingxu was fictional. That would open up too many questions. Better to sidestep the issue entirely.
[It's not him.]
"Then who?"
Song Qi Nian's silence and guarded expression said enough.
"Ah, a secret crush then?"
If only she knew just how secret it had to stay.
Seeing Song Qi Nian's reluctance to elaborate, Miao Ziai dropped the subject.
While Song Qi Nian never lacked confidence in her work, her muteness was still a reality she lived with. The person who held her heart must be remarkable indeed for her to keep it so closely guarded.
Miao Ziai let out a deep sigh. Such a brilliant girl—and yet fate had taken her voice.
Song Qi Nian had hoped the rumors about her and Shen Yu Shu would die down naturally. Instead, they were just getting started.
Someone had managed to capture and upload a photo to the company network: Song Qi Nian giving Shen Yu Shu a ride on her scooter. The office erupted with excitement.
"Now I get why they're always together. They're the perfect pair—him with his talent, her with her beauty!"
"That photo just radiates romance. Makes me yearn for love myself."
"They need to get married already. Anything else would be such a waste!"
Miao Ziai was the one who showed Song Qi Nian the photo. Her first thought wasn't about the gossip—it was about who had nothing better to do than snap and share such a picture.
Then the dread set in. What would happen when Shen Chi Yan saw it?
That evening, Song Qi Nian came home to an empty apartment. No sign of Shen Chi Yan.
At almost eleven, just as she was preparing for bed, a WeChat message lit up her phone. It was from "qq."
"Come to the garage!"
She recalled "qq" as the mysterious contact who'd added her before. Their only interaction had been her asking about potential requests.
Why this sudden command?
"30 seconds. After that, your scooter becomes scrap metal!"
The realization hit her.
"qq" wasn't Qiu Tong at all—it was Chi Yan!
Could Shen Chi Yan really be behind this?
Smash her scooter?
Song Qi Nian bolted to the garage in her slippers, her mind racing. Shen Chi Yan could torment her all he wanted, but her scooter? That was crossing a line. She needed it for work tomorrow.
The garage lights were on, but she saw no sign of him. She rushed to check her scooter.
Her relief at finding it intact lasted only a second before a powerful force slammed her down against it. The scooter tilted dangerously, stopping only when it hit the wall.
Trapped against the scooter, she felt utterly exposed. She grabbed Shen Chi Yan's arm instinctively, only to find herself staring into eyes so dark with fury they seemed ready to destroy everything in their path.
"Bringing him breakfast, making him a keychain, even giving him rides on this piece of junk—Song Qi Nian, you've got some nerve making a fool of me!"
Her heart pounded. He'd seen the post. He was here to confront her.
She had to make him understand! But when she tried to sign that she and Shen Yu Shu were just friends, he pinned her hand roughly against the wall behind the scooter.
His other hand gripped her chin, fingers digging in.
"Never took you for such a romantic. Tell me, when you were giving Shen Yu Shu that ride, did he wrap his arms around your waist?"
His lips curved in a smile that didn't reach his eyes, and his mock-playful tone did nothing to mask the violence simmering beneath. Song Qi Nian trembled.
She shook her head frantically, knowing any hesitation could end with him either mutilating her or Shen Yu Shu—or both. The truth was, Shen Yu Shu had been perfectly proper, keeping his hands behind him during the ride. They'd never crossed any lines.
Shen Chi Yan studied her eyes—clear and bright as glass beads—taking in her fear and panic. His lips curled slightly. "For your sake, I hope you're not lying to me."
Song Qi Nian barely had time to feel relief before his hand slipped inside her pajama top.
Her breath caught. Her eyes went wide.
Surely he wasn't about to…
"If you're so fond of this scooter, let's see how you enjoy spending all night on it."
His meaning dawned on Song Qi Nian, and the blood drained from her face before rushing back.
Here? In the garage? Had he lost his mind?
No...
Not here. Not on her scooter, of all places!
This wasn't even a car—it was just a flimsy electric scooter!
But her resistance and silent pleas meant nothing to Shen Chi Yan. There was no escaping what was coming.
Eventually—whether from a flash of conscience or his obsession with cleanliness—after that first encounter, he carried her trembling, weakened form back to the bedroom.
Not that it meant the night was over. It was only the beginning.
That night, Song Qi Nian felt helpless against Shen Chi Yan's relentless passion, swept away until she lost herself completely.
The next morning, she woke to an aching back and a body that protested every movement.
On her way to work, just seeing her scooter in the garage brought back vivid memories of Shen Chi Yan holding her down against it.
Pure madness, all of it.
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