Song Qi Nian splashed cold water on her face, but instead of cooling her burning skin, it only seemed to make things worse. Her whole body was aflame, as if her blood had turned to liquid fire beneath her skin.
The world tilted and swayed. When she looked in the mirror, multiple versions of herself stared back, their edges blurring together in a dizzying dance. Something was terribly wrong. She'd been drunk with Ke Qin before, but this was different—this was something else entirely. An alien sensation crawled through her veins, leaving her both itching and aching, her muscles trembling with weakness.
She could barely keep herself upright, her fingers white-knuckled on the edge of the sink. No—she couldn't pass out here in the bathroom. She had to find Xiao Ai and the others before things got worse.
Each step was a battle as she stumbled back toward the restaurant. At a corner, she collided with someone—a man speaking sharply into his phone.
"You can't even find one woman? What are you good for?"
Guan Ming Xu was mid-conversation when she crashed into him. The delicate scent of baby's breath flowers drifted up to him, and as she started to crumple, he reached out instinctively to catch her. "Hey, are you okay—"
The words died in his throat as recognition hit him. It was her—the girl who'd captured his attention at first sight. His heart leaped, but the joy was short-lived as he took in her condition: the unnatural flush across her cheeks, the labored breathing, the obvious distress.
Though Guan Ming Xu wasn't one for the club scene, his second brother was another story. Years ago, when Ming Xu was eighteen, that same brother had dragged him to a nightclub, claiming he needed to "broaden his horizons." There, he'd seen people who'd been drugged—and their symptoms had looked exactly like this.
Alarm shot through Guan Ming Xu. Someone had drugged her—they must have. His mind raced: what should he do? Take her to a room? No, absolutely not—he couldn't take advantage of her like that. The hospital seemed the better choice, but before he could decide, she realized a stranger was holding her.
Terror flooded her face. She started fighting against his grip, unable to speak, relying purely on instinct as she pushed at his chest, silently begging him to let go.
When she broke free, she nearly collapsed. Guan Ming Xu caught her again, his voice urgent: "Don't be scared, I'm not a bad person."
They were so close now that her breath ghosted across his skin, making his cheeks burn and sending tingles from his feet to his scalp. She was impossibly soft in his arms, her scent sweet and intoxicating.
Consumed by heat and desperation, Song Qi Nian sensed no danger from him. She grabbed his hand and traced a single word across his palm: "Water..."
Her fingers were delicate against his skin, like a kitten's gentle touch—but wait. Why was she writing instead of speaking? The realization crept over him slowly, then hit him like a punch to the gut, his heart hammering: was she mute?
Watching her struggle for breath, sweat beading on her forehead as she licked her parched lips, sent an unwanted wave of heat through him. He fought against the urges rising inside him, his face flushing as he called out in frustration: "Waiter... waiter! Where the hell is everyone?"
Silence answered him. With no other choice, he helped her to a couch in the corner of the restaurant's lounge. She looked desperate, like she was suffocating.
"Wait here my little sweetheart," he said softly, trying to keep her calm. "I'll get you some water. I'll be right back. Don't move, okay?"
Song Qi Nian managed a weak nod, her face twisted in pain.
Guan Ming Xu swore under his breath and rushed off to find water.
Shen Yu Shu, growing concerned about the time, headed to the restroom to check on Song Qi Nian. He stood outside the women's bathroom, calling out: "Nian nian... Nian nian, are you in there?"
Knowing she couldn't answer verbally, he sent her a WeChat message too. Nothing. After several more attempts with no response, he stopped a woman heading into the restroom. "Excuse me, my friend's been in there a while. She has a unique situation—could you check if she's still inside?"
The woman emerged shortly after. "There's no one in there. Your friend must have left."
Shen Yu Shu's expression turned dark. Song Qi Nian had drunk that drugged wine—the effects would be hitting her by now. Where could she have gone? Had someone taken her? His stomach churned at the thought. No one could be allowed to hurt Nian nian.
"Nian nian... Song Qi Nian..."
Miao Ziai came running at the sound of Shen Yu Shu's voice. "Yu Shu, what's wrong?"
"It's Nian nian—she's not in the bathroom. She's drunk, and someone might have taken her!"
"What?!"
The thought of Song Qi Nian in danger, unable to cry for help, made Miao Ziai's heart race.
"Xiao Ai, we need to split up and search. Call me the moment you find her."
"Yes, of course..."
Just then, Shen Chi Yan arrived at the hotel, bringing with him an air of cold fury.
Shen Chi Yan had been in the middle of meeting an important client when the photos arrived—images of Song Qi Nian and Shen Yu Shu entering the hotel together. The sender even included a room number, claiming they were having an affair behind his back.
Usually, he'd dismiss this as a rival's attempt to sabotage his business meeting. But because it involved Song Qi Nian, his composure shattered. The sight of Shen Yu Shu's arm around her shoulders ignited something dark inside him. He abandoned the client and rushed to the hotel, consumed by a single thought: if Song Qi Nian dared to betray him, to humiliate him like this, he would kill them both himself.
His face was a mask of barely contained rage. Gao Kunlun scurried after him, terrified of what might happen. "Master Shen, surely this is just a misunderstanding? The Young Madam would never dare betray you!"
"Never dare?" A harsh laugh. "You don't know what she's capable of."
She had dared to climb into his bed.
She had dared to beg for her father.
She had dared to slap him.
She had dared to pinch his waist.
She had dared to challenge him on critical matters.
She acted so innocent, so obedient, but underneath it all—she was always plotting something.
The moment Shen Chi Yan entered the hotel, he made straight for the guest room elevators.
Meanwhile, Song Qi Nian lay helpless on a couch in the restaurant's corner, fighting to move, but her body wouldn't respond. Through her fog, she thought she heard Shen Chi Yan's voice.
She tried to call out but couldn't make a sound. When she attempted to stand, her legs buckled and she crumpled to the floor.
Shen Chi Yan...
Shen Chi Yan...
She screamed his name in her mind, desperate to make any sound at all, but her voice remained trapped inside her. As he stepped into the elevator, radiating fury, she gathered every ounce of strength she had left, clutching at the couch, trying to pull herself up...
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