Song Qi Nian had known they were at Yan Mountain, but coming face-to-face with Shen Chi Yan and the others so soon made her breath catch. His expression was dark, predatory - like he wanted to tear her apart with his bare hands.
She quickly dropped her gaze to Lin Qiu Tong in the wheelchair. She remembered seeing her before, but only through a hospital window - Shen Chi Yan had never let her enter the room.
Back then, Lin Qiu Tong had looked like a delicate doll in repose, her very presence seeming to wound Shen Chi Yan with guilt.
Now she sat wearing a white linen dress, her hair falling soft around her shoulders as dappled sunlight played across her features. Lin Qiu Tong - the film student from just two streets over from Jinghua University. Song Qi Nian hadn't known who she was at first, until she learned about the childhood sweetheart who kept seeking out Shen Chi Yan.
Next to vivacious, outgoing Lin Qiu Tong, Song Qi Nian had felt herself shrinking smaller. How could she, with her silence and social anxiety, ever compete? She'd buried her feelings deep, never daring to voice them. The cruel irony that she'd ended up as Shen Chi Yan's wife still stunned her.
None of it made sense. Her father hadn't even known Lin Qiu Tong existed, let alone that she was from the Lin family. Why would he kidnap her for money? And why was Lin Qiu Tong trying to frame him? What could she possibly gain?
The moment Lin Qiu Tong spotted Song Qi Nian, she grabbed Shen Chi Yan's hand. He looked down with a frown as she began trembling, her face draining of color.
"Qiu Tong, what is it?"
She pointed a shaking finger at Song Qi Nian, terror flooding her eyes. "She... she..."
Lin Lanxing shot Song Qi Nian a venomous look before bending down to whisper, "Sister, that's Song Qi Nian - daughter of Song Guanliang, the man who left you in a vegetative state for three years."
Lin Qiu Tong let out a piercing cry at the memory and threw herself into Shen Chi Yan's arms.
"Don't... don't hurt me..." Lin Qiu Tong's voice quivered, tears streaming down her face as she shook uncontrollably.
Shen Chi Yan's face softened with guilt and concern. He rubbed her back gently, his voice low and soothing. "It's okay. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you again." He held her like she was made of glass, and Song Qi Nian felt her chest tighten at the sight.
Suddenly Shen Ke Qin stormed forward. Song Qi Nian tried to grab her arm, to pull her back, but Ke Qin shook her off and marched straight up to the pair. She yanked Shen Chi Yan away from Lin Qiu Tong.
"Well, if it isn't Miss Lin," Ke Qin's smile dripped with false sweetness. "You're still so delicate after just waking up. Shouldn't you be recovering in the hospital instead of wandering around out here? What happens if you catch cold or get worked up and faint again? Then what?"
Lin Qiu Tong's eyes welled up with fresh tears.
"Are you cursing my sister?" Lin Lanxing demanded.
"How could I dare? Clean out your ears - can't you tell I'm just worried about the precious Miss Lin?"
Shen Chi Yan jerked his arm from Ke Qin's grip, his face dark with anger. "Enough!"
"You're my brother!" Ke Qin's voice cracked with hurt and rage. "And you're scolding me for another woman! Where's your wife while you're out here playing house and getting cozy with-"
"Ke Qin, please don't blame A-Yan," Lin Qiu Tong cut in between sobs. "I begged him to come with me. It's all my fault..."
"Oh, so you admit you're in the wrong? That's a start. But my brother is married now. Have some self-respect and stop being a homewrecker who-"
"Shut up!" Shen Chi Yan's voice cracked like a whip.
But Ke Qin was beyond stopping. "No! She knows you have a family but she's still hanging all over you, completely shameless. If that's not how a mistress behaves, then what-"
The slap echoed through the air before she could finish.
Shen Chi Yan's voice cut through the air like ice. "Since when did you have any right to meddle in my business?"
Song Qi Nian rushed to Shen Ke Qin's side, her face drained of color. Ke Qin stared at her brother, eyes filling with tears of shock and hurt.
"You bastard! No one has ever dared to hit me before - and you actually did it! Just wait until I tell Grandma and everyone else. You're finished!"
Song Qi Nian watched the angry red mark bloom across Ke Qin's fair cheek. As she stepped closer to help, Lin Qiu Tong's face contorted with fear. "Stay away from me!" she shrieked, then promptly collapsed.
"Sister!"
"Qiu Tong!"
Shen Chi Yan's face transformed with panic. He swept Lin Qiu Tong into his arms without a second thought, sparing only a poisonous glare for Song Qi Nian. Watching him cradle Lin Qiu Tong with such tenderness made Song Qi Nian's heart constrict.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Ke Qin had planned for Song Qi Nian to go swimming, hoping Shen Chi Yan would notice how beautiful she looked in her swimsuit. Instead, everything had fallen apart.
While Shen Chi Yan rushed Lin Qiu Tong to the hospital, Ke Qin sat in the hotel room sobbing. Song Qi Nian's stomach churned with guilt - Ke Qin had only been defending her, and now she bore the mark of her brother's anger.
Song Qi Nian pressed a warm boiled egg against Ke Qin's swollen cheek, wiping away tears with her free hand.
Ke Qin sniffled and fixed Song Qi Nian with a fierce look. "Sister-in-law, I didn't take that slap for nothing. You have to make him fall in love with you. We can't let Lin Qiu Tong win."
Song Qi Nian could only sigh. Making Shen Chi Yan fall in love with her seemed impossible. He cared so much about Lin Qiu Tong that he'd strike his own beloved sister to defend her. What chance did Song Qi Nian have against that?
That look Shen Chi Yan had given her before leaving - she could already tell she'd be in for worse than a slap when she got home. But her own fate didn't matter now. She couldn't let Ke Qin's pain be for nothing.
No one felt like playing or having fun anymore. The day was ruined.
When Song Qi Nian got home, the house was still empty. Knowing what was coming, she decided to face it head-on rather than wait for the storm to break.
It was 11 p.m. when Shen Chi Yan finally came home. His face was drawn with exhaustion but his eyes burned with anger.
"Where's Song Qi Nian?"
Zhang Qiaoqiao jumped at his tone. "Ma-madam is in her room."
Without another word, Shen Chi Yan strode up the stairs and kicked open Song Qi Nian's door.
A soft, sweet scent drifted out to meet him. The overhead light was off - only a pink essential oil lamp filled the room with its gentle glow.
Shen Chi Yan's frown deepened. What was she playing at? He opened his mouth to call for her, but before he could speak, a delicate hand caught his and drew him inside. The door clicked shut behind him.
"Ding-dang, ding-dang..."
Her footsteps were whisper-soft, the tiny bells at her ankles chiming with each step. In the warm lamplight, Shen Chi Yan finally saw Song Qi Nian clearly...
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