Chapter 11: You certainly have a knack for burying your head in the sand.

Not wanting to look at Song Qinian’s face for another second, Shen Chiyan shoved her aside and headed straight into the bathroom. Before shutting the door, he threw a cold warning over his shoulder: "When I come out, I don't want to see you anywhere!"

*Bang!*

The bathroom door slammed shut, and Song Qinian’s heart shuddered violently. She hugged herself tightly, feeling both aggrieved and miserable. Since Shen Chiyan did not want to see her, she couldn't stay in the bedroom. She slowly opened the door, hoping to find a guest room to spend the night.

"Young Madam, is there anything you need?"

Song Qinian hadn't expected a servant to be standing right outside. Assuming the woman had been arranged by her grandmother-in-law, she felt a flash of awkwardness, waved her hand in refusal, and retreated back into the bedroom.

No, she couldn't leave. If Grandma found out she was sleeping in a guest room, she would definitely scold Shen Chiyan. And Shen Chiyan would undoubtedly blame her for everything, convinced it was her own scheming.

The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. Recalling Shen Chiyan’s threat, Song Qinian’s heart tightened. Damn it, where could she hide so that he wouldn't see her? The bed was out of the question. The sofa? That wouldn't work either. In a panic, she scanned the room and finally set her sights on the wardrobe.

When Shen Chiyan emerged from the bathroom, he didn't see Song Qinian in the room. *Hmph... off to tattle again, is she?* For a mute who couldn't speak, she certainly was proactive when it came to complaining. Too lazy to care, Shen Chiyan went straight to bed.

Cowering inside the wardrobe, Song Qinian heard no further movement. She pushed the door open just a crack to peek out, and seeing that Shen Chiyan was already asleep, she finally let out a silent sigh of relief. Exhausted from the ordeal, she curled up inside the closet, clutched one of Shen Chiyan’s shirts, and drifted into a fitful sleep.

Early the next morning, when Shen Chiyan woke up, his handsome face was as dark as a thundercloud. He had actually suffered from insomnia last night. He had intended to see what kind of game Song Qinian was playing, but after waiting half the night, she hadn't come to climb into his bed, nor had his grandmother come to give him any trouble. *Humph, when did that woman become so obedient?* Irritated, he got out of bed and pulled open the wardrobe to find some clothes.

Today, he had far too many things to attend to; he wouldn't let that woman affect his mood. However, as he swung the wardrobe doors open, a heavy weight tumbled directly toward him. Shen Chiyan reflexively reached out to catch it, only to find himself staring at a sleeping Song Qinian.

Startled awake, she abruptly opened her eyes. As their gazes locked, Shen Chiyan’s expression darkened further. Seeing his foul mood, Song Qinian instinctively recalled his words from the night before. Without a second thought, she quickly reached out and covered his eyes.

*It’s over,* she thought. *Why did he have to open the wardrobe? Now that he’s seen me, is he going to throw me off the balcony?*

A second later, Shen Chiyan’s mocking voice rang out: "What? You think covering my eyes means I didn't see you? Song Qinian, you certainly are adept at burying your head in the sand."

Song Qinian bit her lip and slowly pulled her hand away. With a sudden shove, Shen Chiyan released her, and she tumbled onto the floor. Fortunately, the thick carpet cushioned her fall, so she felt no pain.

"Get out! Now!"

At these words, Song Qinian scrambled to her feet and fled the room as if a beast were nipping at her heels. Shen Chiyan watched her slender back, his brow furrowed slightly. *This woman... she would rather sleep in a wardrobe than go tattling to Grandma?* He scoffed. *Fine. At least she knows her place.*

When Song Qinian reached the ground floor, her heart was still pounding. Just as she began to breathe a sigh of relief for surviving the morning, she spotted Gu Zhiyan watering the flowers.

Gu Zhiyan was wearing a long, cotton-linen dress, her long, slightly wavy hair pinned up at the nape of her neck. A gentle morning breeze caught the stray wisps of hair framing her face, making her look like a fairy stepping out of a painting—an image that perfectly embodied the serenity of time. Her profile was exquisite, and her posture and elegance were peerless. Standing beside the roses she was tending, she was a living testament to the phrase "the beauty outshines the flowers."

Shen Chiyan had inherited his looks from her; both mother and son were breathtaking. Song Qinian couldn't imagine why Shen Zhenghao would ever want to divorce her. Still, she was her mother-in-law, so Song Qinian walked over to greet her.

Gu Zhiyan noticed her approach. Seeing Song Qinian raise her hands to sign, she coolly interrupted: "Don't bother. I don't understand that anyway."

Shen Chiyan not only looked like Gu Zhiyan, but he also shared her cold, aloof personality. Stung by her dismissal, Song Qinian stood there, at a loss for what to do. Gu Zhiyan had never supported the marriage between Song Qinian and Shen Chiyan; having survived a failed marriage of her own, she only wanted her son to find a woman he truly loved. But in this household, the old matriarch held the power, and Gu Zhiyan’s opposition was futile. She didn't exactly hate Song Qinian, but she despised the underhanded tactics of the girl's family.

Song Qinian had been nervous at first, but she gradually found herself admiring her beautiful mother-in-law. When Gu Zhiyan finished watering the flowers and went to wash her hands, Song Qinian immediately offered a towel.

Gu Zhiyan didn't take it. Instead, she picked up her own towel nearby and wiped her hands, looking at Song Qinian with a detached gaze. "I have hands. I don't need anyone else’s help."

Song Qinian pulled her hand back in embarrassment.

"An able-bodied person should be self-reliant. Constantly looking to others for survival—how is that any different from a parasite?" Seeing Song Qinian’s confused expression, Gu Zhiyan wasn't sure if the girl was playing dumb or was truly ignorant, so she added coldly, "It’s true that I am wealthy, and a few hundred thousand is nothing but pocket change to me. But one must know when to stop, lest greed leads to one's own downfall."

After a pause, Gu Zhiyan continued, "I was against your marriage to Chiyan from the start. I have no fondness for you as a daughter-in-law, nor for your mother as an in-law. If possible, I hope you two never appear before me again to ruin my mood."

With that, Gu Zhiyan walked away. Song Qinian stood frozen for a long time, her face turning as pale as paper as the weight of the words finally sank in.

After leaving the Shen family estate, Song Qinian pulled out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Liu Xiaohan: "Where are you?"

Receiving no reply, she hailed a taxi and went home. The fare alone cost over two hundred yuan.

The car stopped in front of a dilapidated apartment complex. The Shen family estate was located in the second ring of Jinghua City, and Shen Chiyan’s villa was in the heart of the wealthy district. Compared to those, this building was little better than a slum.

As soon as she reached the door, she heard the sound of mahjong tiles clattering and coarse, vulgar shouts from inside. Filled with indignation, she pounded on the door.

"Who is it, so early in the morning!?"

A sharp, shrill voice rang out—it was Liu Xiaohan. Song Qinian couldn't speak, so she hammered on the door even harder.

"Coming, coming!"

Liu Xiaohan opened the door, and upon seeing Song Qinian, she paused in surprise. "Why are you back?"