Shen Chi Yan had always kept women at arm's length. Throughout his life, they remained distant figures, and he'd never learned the delicate art of offering comfort. Now, despite being the formidable president of Dingsheng Group—a man who could broker billion-dollar deals without breaking a sweat—he found himself completely adrift.
When his silence stretched too long, Lin Qiu Tong's panic bubbled over into another message: "It's okay, I understand you're busy. I'll let it slide this time. But once I wrap up filming and come back, you owe me a meal."
The easy out she offered brought a wave of relief washing over him. "Alright," he responded.
His terse reply left Lin Qiu Tong's heart sinking. She'd been there when he'd rushed into Gu Zhiyan's room to retrieve Song Qi Nian—had witnessed firsthand the raw anxiety etched across his usually composed features. She'd never seen him so undone over anyone before. If his feelings for Song Qi Nian were rekindling, everything she'd worked for would crumble to dust.
She'd hoped that working alongside Gu Zhiyan would open doors, create opportunities to forge a connection that might accelerate Shen Chi Yan and Song Qi Nian's divorce. But Gu Zhiyan's icy indifference had frozen any chance of that happening. With that path blocked, she needed to pivot. At least her role was small—she'd wrap soon enough and return to try another approach.
Just as Shen Chi Yan tucked away his phone, he felt it—the sudden weight against his shoulder. Turning, he found Song Qi Nian's head resting against his arm. Irritation flared instantly, and his hand rose to push her away—but something stopped him. His dark eyes fixed on his gloved hand, thoughts churning beneath the surface.
With deliberate slowness, he peeled off his gloves. The spot where Lin Qiu Tong had touched the back of his hand still bore an angry red mark. After studying it for a moment, he reached out and grasped Song Qi Nian's small hand.
He waited for the familiar signs—the redness, the itching, the allergic reaction that had plagued him for so long. Shen Chi Yan didn't want Song Qi Nian to be different. He needed to prove to himself that his body would reject her touch just like everyone else's.
But nothing happened.
Refusing to accept this, he reached out and brushed his fingers against Song Qi Nian's cheek. Again, his skin remained calm, unblemished.
What was happening? How could Lin Qiu Tong's briefest touch trigger such a violent reaction, while Song Qi Nian's skin against his own produced nothing at all?
Song Qi Nian stirred in her sleep, her head sliding off his arm. Before she could fall, Shen Chi Yan's hands moved of their own accord, catching her. He'd meant to prop her against the backrest—yet somehow, without conscious thought, he found himself guiding her head back to rest on his shoulder.
Shen Chi Yan stared into space, pinching the bridge of his nose. His frustration mounted with each passing second.
The next few days fell into a familiar pattern, with Shen Chi Yan returning to ignoring Song Qi Nian completely. She slipped back into her role as the office wallflower, barely noticed by anyone. But when payday came around, she was surprised to find her full salary deposited without any deductions.
As she was preparing to head home, her phone lit up with a message from Guan Ming Xu.
"Little Sweetheart, remember when you promised to treat me to dinner? Don't tell me you've forgotten?"
Guan Ming Xu had done her numerous favors in the past. She'd promised him a meal in return, but between her tight schedule and tighter finances, she'd never followed through.
[Of course I remember! What would you like to eat?]
Her quick agreement caught him off guard. "Oh... I'm not trying to guilt you into anything," he backpedaled. "I just haven't seen you in a while and thought we could catch up."
[Don't worry about it. I just got paid today—perfect timing for dinner out.]
"Perfect! How about the teppanyaki place at Luofu Mountain? They're having a fireworks show tonight too—we could make an evening of it!"
Song Qi Nian considered this. Shen Chi Yan hadn't been home in days, and she doubted tonight would be any different. "Sure," she agreed.
She left the office right on schedule that evening. When Shen Chi Yan emerged from his office later, his eyes fell on her empty desk.
"Where's Secretary Song?" he demanded.
"She's left for the day, sir."
Shen Chi Yan let out a derisive sound. "Interesting how she can't wait to leave while even the CEO is still working."
After wrapping up his remaining tasks, he headed straight for Xiangshan Yue.
When he found Song Qi Nian wasn't home, his face darkened even more. "Where is Song Qi Nian?"
Zhang Mama could only stare in disbelief. For days, the Young Master had been nowhere to be seen when Young Madam came home on schedule. Now, the one evening she went out for dinner, he decided to return. What cruel timing this was.
"Who is she meeting?"
"Young Madam didn't specify, but it must be someone significant. She wouldn't go out at night otherwise."
The realization hit Shen Chi Yan hard—he knew nothing about Song Qi Nian. Not really. He couldn't even name a single one of her friends.
Meanwhile, Guan Ming Xu spotted Song Qi Nian approaching the restaurant. He'd made an effort tonight, wearing a custom-tailored suit with his hair carefully styled, cutting quite the impressive figure. Several women had already tried to get his number, but he'd turned them all down.
"Little Sweetheart!" He jumped up from his seat, waving enthusiastically.
But his smile vanished the instant he saw Shen Ke Qin.
"Oh my god! My dearest Guan, it's been forever! Did you miss me?" Before Song Qi Nian could take another step, Shen Ke Qin had already bounded over to Guan Ming Xu, playfully pummeling him with her small fists. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you're not happy to see me after all this time?"
Guan Ming Xu couldn't hide his dismay. "Little Nian Nian invited me to dinner. Why are you here spoiling everything?"
"My sister-in-law invited me too!" Shen Ke Qin said with a casual shrug.
Guan Ming Xu shot Song Qi Nian a look of pure misery. He'd been looking forward to having dinner with just the two of them—and here he was, all dressed up for what had turned into a group outing.
Song Qi Nian felt lost. Weren't Guan Ming Xu and Ke Qin supposed to be good friends? Why did he seem so upset? Her logic had been simple: she wanted to treat both of them to dinner, so why not invite them together? Plus, dining alone with Guan Ming Xu would mean relying on hand gestures to communicate, which might make him uncomfortable. Having Ke Qin there would help keep the conversation flowing.
Despite his frustration, Guan Ming Xu didn't want to make Song Qi Nian feel bad. Pushing aside his disappointment, he managed a smile. "Well, since we're all here, let's order."
"Yes! I want the beef tenderloin, foie gras, mashed potatoes, squid..." Shen Ke Qin launched into an enthusiastic list of dishes.
Guan Ming Xu ignored her completely, leaning toward Song Qi Nian with the menu. "Little Sweetheart, what would you like?"
Shen Ke Qin's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she bared her teeth at him in warning.
[I'll have what Ke Qin's having,] Song Qi Nian signed with a smile.
Shen Ke Qin hummed with satisfaction. "Of course, sister-in-law! We're family after all—we even share the same taste in food!" Her words carried a clear message to Guan Ming Xu: Song Qi Nian was the Shen family's daughter-in-law. He needed to back off.
But Guan Ming Xu just smiled at Song Qi Nian, deliberately ignoring the warning. "Then I'll order the same."
They ended up with three identical sets of dishes. Though Song Qi Nian couldn't use sign language while eating, the dinner wasn't awkward at all. Guan Ming Xu and Shen Ke Qin kept the atmosphere lively with their constant bickering, trading barbs both subtle and direct. Despite their apparent hostility, Song Qi Nian could tell they were actually quite close.
The fireworks started shortly after dinner.
"Sister-in-law, come watch!" Shen Ke Qin pulled Song Qi Nian onto the balcony, with Guan Ming Xu right behind them.
"They're gorgeous! I need pictures of this!" But after just two shots, Shen Ke Qin doubled over. "Ugh... you two keep watching. I need the bathroom."
Seeing her face drain of color, Song Qi Nian gestured quickly: "Should I come with you?"
"No, absolutely not!" Shen Ke Qin waved her off. "No need to subject yourself to bathroom smells. The show's almost over—would you record it for me?" She pressed her phone into Song Qi Nian's hands.
Song Qi Nian nodded, and Shen Ke Qin hurried away. The moment she left, Guan Ming Xu moved closer to Song Qi Nian. The fireworks cast their light over her features, making her look stunning. His heart pounded as he found himself drawn toward her, unable to resist leaning in...
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