That night, Song Qi Nian's desperation drove her to leap into the lotus pond—a reckless proof of love for Shen Chi Yan.
What followed was a night of passion that left her breathless. From the bathroom to the balcony's hanging chair, and finally to the bed, Shen Chi Yan was relentless, overwhelming. In those intense moments, Song Qi Nian swore she glimpsed something divine, ethereal.
But morning brought stark reality. Shen Chi Yan had vanished, leaving her alone in the vast room. The disheveled sheets and scattered clothes told the story of their night together.
Her body ached as she made her way back to Xiangshan Yue. Zhang Qiaoqiao's troubled face greeted her at the door.
"Madam... are you alright?" Zhang Qiaoqiao's voice wavered.
[I'm fine. What is it?]
"Well... it's just..." Zhang Qiaoqiao fidgeted with her hands.
Song Qi Nian signed wearily, [Just tell me.]
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Qiaoqiao rushed out the words: "Master says since you enjoy cooking so much, you should prepare daily meals for Miss Lin—to make amends for your father's sins."
Seeing Song Qi Nian's pallid face, Zhang Qiaoqiao's heart softened. "Please don't be upset, Madam. It's not so terrible. I could prepare the meals, and you could take credit—"
Upset? She was beyond upset.
Just hours ago, she'd thrown herself into a freezing pond to prove her devotion. She'd foolishly hoped that sharing such intimacy might soften his heart. Instead, he'd dressed and dismissed her like a stranger—as always.
Yet something clicked in her mind. She'd been searching for a way to get close to Lin Qiu Tong, to uncover the truth about the past. Shen Chi Yan had unknowingly handed her the perfect opportunity.
[No,] she said firmly. [I'll do it myself. If Shen Chi Yan discovers you're helping, we'll both pay the price.]
"But Madam, your cooking..."
Zhang Qiaoqiao winced, remembering Song Qi Nian's previous attempts at cooking.
[Don't worry,] Song Qi Nian signed with a wry smile. [Miss Lin will probably think I'm trying to poison her and won't touch it anyway.]
It didn't matter—Shen Chi Yan had given his orders. If she didn't deliver the food, there would be consequences. Whether Lin Qiu Tong ate it was entirely her choice.
So Song Qi Nian prepared the meal herself and headed to the hospital. Before she could reach Lin Qiu Tong's room, she ran into Shen Yu Shu. She hadn't seen him in ages.
Despite his expensive clothes, he looked worn down, almost sickly. He spotted her too and approached, making it impossible for her to pretend she hadn't noticed him.
"Qi Nian? What are you doing here?" His eyes fell to the thermal container in her hands. "Is someone in your family sick?"
Song Qi Nian struggled with how to face him. Back when she'd first started at Dingsheng Group, he'd been so helpful—a true friend, she'd thought. Never had she imagined he'd betray her.
With her hands full, she could only shake her head in response.
Shen Yu Shu took her silence as lingering anger. He gave a hollow laugh. "Qi Nian, could we talk? Just for a few minutes?"
She wanted to tell him they had nothing left to discuss. But curiosity about his betrayal won out, and she nodded.
They found a quiet bench in the shade. Shen Yu Shu carefully wiped it clean before motioning for her to sit.
Around them, the hospital buzzed with life—new mothers, worried families, hurrying staff.
Shen Yu Shu stared at the inpatient building for a long moment before speaking. "Qi Nian, my grandmother died."
She stared at him, stunned. Hadn't his grandmother just had a minor fracture and some tissue damage? How could this happen?
"After admission, I asked for a full workup," he continued. "They found lung cancer. Even with all the money I spent... I couldn't save her."
Song Qi Nian's heart ached as she remembered the gentle elderly woman who had once held her hand.
Now she understood why Shen Yu Shu had looked so worn and distracted during those days—his grandmother's illness had been consuming him.
"Money ruins everything," he said, his voice bitter. "I worked with Lin Lanxing to pay for grandmother's treatment. In the end, I lost her anyway. And I lost you as a friend too."
The raw pain in his voice made his words feel like both a confession and an indictment of fate itself. His voice cracked as he spoke, heavy with regret and grief.
Finally, the pieces clicked into place in Song Qi Nian's mind. She had never understood why Shen Yu Shu, who had no reason to hate her, would hurt her so deeply. Now she knew.
But was money truly the villain here? People wielded it for their own purposes, then blamed it for their choices. The irony wasn't lost on her.
Whatever resentment she might have harbored melted away as she absorbed his explanation. She set down the thermal container and signed to him, [I'm sorry for your loss.]
As she picked up the container to leave, Shen Yu Shu grabbed her arm, panic flashing across his face.
"Qi Nian, I only found out later about your marriage to President Shen. I've heard what you've been through, and I worry about you..." He let out a hollow laugh. "I know you probably won't believe me, after what I did. But I genuinely hope you're okay, that you won't get hurt again."
Song Qi Nian could sense his genuine concern, but it didn't change what he'd done. If Guo Ming Xu hadn't rescued her that day, if Shen Chi Yan hadn't come looking for her—she shuddered to think what might have happened. Some things couldn't be forgiven.
She gave a slight nod and signed, [Thanks for caring. I know what I'm doing.]
Though Shen Yu Shu released her hand, he couldn't let go completely. "Qi Nian, is there any chance we could still be friends?"
She shook her head. [Our paths end here. Take care of yourself.]
Her answer crushed him, though he'd expected nothing else. Behind her gentle exterior and easy manner, she could be ruthless when crossed. Perhaps once someone ceased to matter to her, she could simply walk away without looking back.
He had no one to blame but himself for betraying her trust.
After her encounter with Shen Yu Shu, Song Qi Nian arrived at Lin Qiu Tong's hospital room thirty minutes behind schedule.
Inside, she found Lin Qiu Tong and a maid. The maid recognized Song Qi Nian from Lin Xing'an's birthday banquet. She jumped to her feet, eyeing Song Qi Nian with suspicion and barely concealed hostility. "Why are you here?"
Song Qi Nian's response was to look at Lin Qiu Tong and lift the thermal container she was carrying. She assumed Shen Chi Yan must have told Lin Qiu Tong to expect a food delivery.
Lin Qiu Tong stared at Song Qi Nian, clearly taken aback. While Shen Chi Yan had mentioned someone would bring meals, she never imagined that person would be Song Qi Nian...
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