Shen Qiwen stormed off, but not before shooting one last venomous look at Shen Ke Qin and Song Qi Nian.
"Oh, did you see that?" Shen Ke Qin burst out laughing. "Talk about karma coming back around!"
Song Qi Nian's head throbbed as she watched Ke Qin wrestling with her dilemma—whether to stand by her sister-in-law if the cheating allegations were true, or side with her brother instead.
What could she possibly say? She could hardly tell them that her supposed "affair partner" was actually Shen Chi Yan himself.
But something didn't add up. If Shen Chi Yan hadn't come to defend Shen Qiwen's honor, why had he crept into her room in the dead of night?
The answer came when she saw Shen Ke Qin's social media post—a video of her and Shen Qiwen playing pool. There was Guan Ming Xu, hovering around Song Qi Nian, his intentions transparent as glass.
If Shen Chi Yan's midnight visit wasn't about Shen Qiwen, then perhaps... Guan Ming Xu was the reason?
Could he have been jealous?
She dismissed the thought almost immediately. She'd been burned too many times by her own hopeful imagination to fall into that trap again.
Just then, Shen Ke Qin's phone rang. Whatever she heard made her face darken.
After ending the call, Song Qi Nian signed worriedly, [Ke Qin, what's wrong?]
A calculating look crossed Ke Qin's face before her eyes suddenly brightened. "Sister-in-law, have you seen Yan Mountain's famous infinity pool? It's perfect weather for swimming!"
Before Song Qi Nian could protest, Ke Qin had already dragged her poolside.
They passed a swimwear shop, where Ke Qin grabbed a revealing bikini and thrust it at Song Qi Nian. "Sister-in-law, you have to wear this!"
Song Qi Nian took one look at the tiny swimsuit and crossed her arms in an emphatic 'X'.
"Come on, you have such an amazing figure! Why hide it under all those modest clothes? Lin Qiu Tong's awake now, and my brother hasn't left her side. Doesn't that bother you at all?"
Song Qi Nian's lips tightened. Of course it bothered her. But what could she do when Shen Chi Yan didn't love her?
"Here, let's sit and chat for a bit," Ke Qin suggested.
They settled into nearby chairs. As if from nowhere, Jian Mubai appeared with a tray of lychees, carefully peeling one with gloved hands before offering it to Shen Ke Qin.
Ke Qin took it and held it out to Song Qi Nian. "Sister-in-law, have some."
Song Qi Nian shook her head. [No thanks. You enjoy it.]
"If you insist!"
Ke Qin popped the lychee into her mouth, her eyes closing with pleasure at its sweet, juicy taste.
"Look, sister-in-law, here's the thing. No matter how Lin Qiu Tong behaves, as long as you and my brother stay married, she'll always be seen as the home-wrecker. And you—you're his wife. If you love my brother, you can't just give up. You can't lie down and accept defeat. Love is worth fighting for."
Song Qi Nian understood what Ke Qin meant, but it seemed pointless. Everything she did only made Shen Chi Yan see her as manipulative. It pushed him further away instead of drawing him closer.
"Be honest with me, sister-in-law. Has my brother mentioned divorce?"
Song Qi Nian pressed her lips together and shook her head. The question had been eating at her—what was really going through Shen Chi Yan's mind?
Ke Qin slapped her thigh excitedly. "That's what I thought! My brother... if he truly felt nothing for you, he would've brought up divorce the moment Lin Qiu Tong woke up. You still have a chance."
Song Qi Nian's heart pounded. Could Ke Qin be right? Or was it just that their grandmother wouldn't allow a divorce?
Seeing the doubt cross Song Qi Nian's face, Ke Qin pressed on. "Sister-in-law, it doesn't matter why he hasn't mentioned divorce. As long as you're his wife, you have a chance to push Lin Qiu Tong out of his heart. You're the married couple here. Can you really just stand by and watch him be with her?"
The mere thought sent a searing pain through Song Qi Nian's chest, as if something was being torn away.
Ke Qin had a point. She loved Shen Chi Yan, and she had to try. Even if they ended up divorcing anyway, at least she wouldn't spend the rest of her life wondering what might have been.
Still, Song Qi Nian couldn't quite see how wearing a skimpy swimsuit fit into this plan to win back her husband.
"Sister-in-law, I just found out my brother brought Lin Qiu Tong to Yan Mountain today. She's barely recovered, but she came here knowing you'd be around—just to get under your skin. We need to show up looking stunning. Let's make sure you're the one my brother can't take his eyes off."
Song Qi Nian was new to these games of love. Though Ke Qin's plan seemed a bit far-fetched, she couldn't think of anything better, so she decided to go along with it.
Still, she drew the line at anything too revealing, choosing instead a floral swimsuit that struck a balance between modest and alluring.
Ke Qin, with her pink hair and green swimsuit, radiated a vibrant energy.
The moment they stepped out, heads turned.
Song Qi Nian had pulled her long hair into a bun, highlighting her elegant neck. Her fair skin seemed to glow, and in the floral swimsuit, she looked almost otherworldly.
Guan Ming Xu, who'd been kept at bay by Ke Qin all night, had risen early thinking she'd still be asleep. He went straight to Song Qi Nian's room, found it empty, and rushed to the pool when he heard where she'd gone.
The sight of Song Qi Nian in her swimsuit stopped him dead in his tracks, his heart hammering.
"Xiao... Xiao Nian Nian..."
His nose tingled, and suddenly blood trickled out. He wiped it quickly, his handsome face flushing with embarrassment.
"See, sister-in-law? That's the effect you have. My brother won't stand a chance when he sees you."
Those words shattered Guan Ming Xu's daze. His face darkened. "Xiao Nian Nian, you dressed up like this for Shen Chi Yan?"
Ke Qin scoffed and rolled her eyes at him. "Who else would it be for?"
Guan Ming Xu bristled instantly.
Just then, Ke Qin's sharp eyes caught movement by the pool's magnolia tree—Shen Chi Yan and Lin Qiu Tong were approaching, with Lin Lanxing pushing the wheelchair.
Lin Qiu Tong was tilting her head, smiling up at Shen Chi Yan as she spoke.
Lin Lanxing, manning the wheelchair, kept scanning the area as if searching for someone.
"Brother..."
Ke Qin's sudden call made Song Qi Nian's heart skip.
Following Ke Qin's gaze, she looked over—and met Shen Chi Yan's cold, turbulent stare.
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