Chapter 69: Can He Satisfy You?

Gao Dashang gripped Song Qi Nian's shoulder, pulling her toward the private room. "Let's talk about this inside, honey," he said, his voice strained with desperation.

Song Qi Nian felt the crushing weight of humiliation. Death seemed preferable to this moment.

She wrenched herself free from his grasp and bolted down the stairs. Gao Dashang lurched after her, but Gao Kunlun stepped into his path.

"Get out of my way, damn it!" Gao Dashang snarled.

Instead of responding, Gao Kunlun seized him by the collar and hurled him back into the private room.

The onlookers traded confused glances before their attention settled on Shen Chi Yan. Why would his bodyguard involve himself in someone else's affairs?

Though Shen Chi Yan's face remained impassive, an arctic coldness emanated from him, making everyone step back. Without a word, he strode out of the restaurant. The others followed in tense silence, no one daring to question what they'd witnessed.

Outside, Song Qi Nian gasped in the scorching heat, tears streaming freely down her face.

"Mommy, can I have a donut?" A child's voice cut through her misery.

"No more sweets today. You've had enough already."

A mother and daughter passed by. The little girl pointed at a nearby dessert shop, her voice sweet and pleading.

The mother squeezed her daughter's hand, her face glowing with affection.

The girl's pout quickly transformed into a crafty smile. "What if we buy one for Daddy instead?"

Her mother saw right through the ploy but played along. "We can get one for Daddy—but no sneaking bites, understand?"

"Okay~~~"

Song Qi Nian watched them through tear-blurred eyes, her heart aching with longing for what she'd never had.

Why did other mothers show such kindness, while hers had only brought her pain?

When Liu Xiaohan betrayed her for money, had she felt even a moment's hesitation about selling out her own daughter?

A Bugatti pulled up beside her. Gao Kunlun stepped out, his face etched with worry as he hurried to open the door. "Madam..."

Song Qi Nian knew there was no escape. She climbed into the car.

The air conditioning wasn't running, yet she trembled the moment she sat down.

The chill came from Shen Chi Yan's stone-cold expression.

He didn't look at her once during the drive home. Song Qi Nian wept silently, too frightened to speak.

At the villa, Shen Chi Yan got out first. Song Qi Nian scrambled after him, struggling to keep pace.

Her chest felt tight with grief, fear gnawing at her insides.

The quieter Shen Chi Yan remained, the more dread built inside her.

Everything felt suspended, waiting to shatter.

Shen Chi Yan disappeared into his study. Instead of following, Song Qi Nian retreated to her room for a shower.

Gao Dashang's touch had left her feeling contaminated, desperate to scrub herself clean.

"Bang!"

The bathroom door burst open while she was still under the water.

"!"

Song Qi Nian wiped her eyes frantically. As she turned to look, someone slammed her against the wall.

Shen Chi Yan's elegant fingers wrapped around her throat.

His face was beautiful and terrible as he loomed over her. Song Qi Nian's heart pounded—not from desire, but pure terror.

"You and your greedy mother really planned this well, didn't you? Couldn't wait to line up your wealthy backup plan?"

Song Qi Nian tried to reach out, to explain, but Shen Chi Yan grabbed her fingers with crushing force.

His rage was evident in his grip, making Song Qi Nian break into a cold sweat from the pain.

She shook her head desperately, tears mixing with the shower water streaming down her face.

"You really have no standards. Look at him—gaunt, cloudy-eyed, clearly suffering from kidney deficiency. A woman like you—do you think he could satisfy you?"

Shen Chi Yan's cruel words drained the color from Song Qi Nian's face. She bit her lip hard as her heart shattered.

He'd always seen her as selfish and calculating. No matter how she tried to prove otherwise, even if she ripped out her own heart to show him, it wouldn't matter.

"Or maybe... after Qiuqiu woke up, you left the hospital without permission. When I ignored you, you thought you could make me jealous? Song Qi Nian, what makes you think you matter more to me than Qiuqiu?"

Song Qi Nian laughed bitterly inside. She'd never imagined she meant more to him than Lin Qiu Tong.

Unable to speak, exhaustion swept over her. Since he refused to see her gestures, she gave up trying to explain.

She closed her eyes wearily. No one cared about her anyway—let Shen Chi Yan do what he wanted.

Her look of complete surrender both enraged and unsettled him. He gripped her chin, his eyes dark with threat.

"Listen carefully: as long as you're my wife, you'll behave yourself. If this happens again, you'll never see your father again!"

Song Qi Nian's eyes flew open. Before she could read his expression, his burning lips crashed against hers.

She'd never resisted him before. Usually, when he kissed her, she'd part her lips willingly.

This time, she clenched her teeth, refusing him entry.

The thought that she'd let that disgusting old man touch her but now rejected him set Shen Chi Yan's anger ablaze.

"Open your mouth!"

Song Qi Nian shook her head in defiance.

His eyes darkened before he bit down hard on her lip. The pain forced her mouth open, and Shen Chi Yan seized his chance. His tongue invaded, tasting blood, stealing her breath in punishment.

He poured all his frustration and rage from the past day into Song Qi Nian.

Song Qi Nian lay broken after a night of torment, her body used like a plaything.

It took her a full day and night of sleep to recover her strength.

She'd expected to wake up to divorce papers, but surprisingly, Shen Chi Yan never mentioned ending their marriage. Since he didn't bring it up, she kept quiet too.

As for Liu Xiaohan...

After careful consideration, Song Qi Nian sent her a final message: "Mom, you've betrayed me too many times. Don't contact me anymore. I won't believe anything you say. Take care of yourself."

Then she blocked all of Liu Xiaohan's contact information.

Monday morning, Song Qi Nian went back to work.

Guan Mingxu's roses still arrived daily. Before, Shen Ke Qin had delivered them on his behalf, but now Guan Mingxu brought them himself.

The personal notes he left with the flowers made this clear.

That afternoon, Song Qi Nian received a WeChat message from someone using a "Black Cat Detective" avatar, username "A."

His real name was Zhou Luote, a private investigator.

After her father's imprisonment, Song Qi Nian had hired him to investigate the case from three years ago. His initial fees were steep—it had taken her ages to scrape together even a portion of the payment.

Eventually, Zhou Luote had softened his stance. Seeing that Song Qi Nian was mute and devoted to her father, he'd decided to help. Of course, he had his own agenda. Successfully overturning her father's case would boost his reputation, bringing more profitable cases his way.

Finally, the case had a breakthrough.