Volume 1, Chapter 33: Possessiveness

Song Qinian had a chaotic and bloody dream.

At the beginning, the dream was warm and beautiful. She stood on a ridge, watching a boy surrounded by golden wheat fields. The boy wore a small black suit, a white shirt, and a red bowtie. His features were as exquisite and lovely as a little prince who had stepped out of a manga. He held a small orange-red violin, playing Tartini’s "The Devil's Trill." Song Qinian didn't understand the violin, but she knew he played it beautifully.

As the music stopped, the boy smiled and beckoned to her, "Niannian, come here."

Little Song Qinian trotted toward him with a smile, but as she reached his side, she saw the corpses of many kittens and puppies scattered about. They had been gutted, their blood staining the entire wheat field red.

"Ah!"

Song Qinian woke up with a start, drenched in cold sweat and lingering fear. Only when she realized it was just a dream did she let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

"You're finally awake."

Startled by a man's voice, Song Qinian turned her head abruptly to see a man sitting in a wheelchair, looking refined and delicate. He had long hair tied back with a black elastic band, and a vintage monocle with a silver chain perched on the bridge of his nose. Every gesture he made exuded an air of aristocratic grace.

Song Qinian’s mind was a blur; she didn't remember knowing anyone like this.

Seeming to read her thoughts, the man introduced himself calmly, "My name is Yu Sinian. I’m a friend of Shen Chiyan. When you fainted, both Chi-yan and I were there, so we brought you here."

Only then did Song Qinian notice she was in a hotel room. What about Shen Chiyan?

"Your planning department had such a major incident; Chi-yan, as the president, couldn't just ignore it."

Song Qinian bit her lower lip, casting her gaze downward.

"Are you afraid of cats?"

At the mention of "cats," Song Qinian’s body trembled slightly, her face turning ghastly pale.

"The cat that frightened you earlier is mine. Its name is Xiaohei. It usually doesn't pounce on people unless it likes them."

Yu Sinian wheeled himself to the bedside, his long, beautiful eyes fixed intently on Song Qinian. "Can you tell me why you are afraid of cats?"

Song Qinian shook her head, her face pale.

The next second, the door opened, and a gloomy and terrifying-looking Shen Chiyan walked in. Seeing that Song Qinian was awake, he said to Yu Sinian, "Sinian, it’s getting late. I’ll have Gao Kunlun take you back."

"Understood."

As soon as Gao Kunlun pushed Yu Sinian out of the room, Gong Yuqi’s call came through.

"Sinian, is that woman really Chi-yan's mute little sweet wife?"

"Don't you already know?"

"Damn, I am so wrongly accused! How was I supposed to know that the woman Xiaohei just happened to pounce on was Song Qinian? I just reached out to help, and that guy Shen Chiyan almost ate me alive."

The more Gong Yuqi thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt, complaining incessantly, "You saw his expression back then, right? The terrifying look he had when he told me to hand Song Qinian over to him—damn it, if I didn't know better, I’d think I’d embezzled billions from him!"

Fortunately, Gong Yuqi had received a call from his agent and slipped away quickly; otherwise, he had a strong feeling he would be in trouble tonight.

"Hey, what is going on with Chi-yan? Doesn't he hate Song Qinian? Why do I feel like his possessiveness toward her is so strong? And... I have to say, Song Qinian is indeed very pretty. No wonder Wang Dachui keeps whispering about her in my ears!"

Yu Sinian, his ears aching from Gong Yuqi’s noise, hung up the phone.

As for Shen Chiyan... that guy seemed different than before.

In the room, Song Qinian didn't dare to breathe a word as she looked at the menacing Shen Chiyan. She truly hadn't expected him to be here tonight, nor had she expected him to witness the scene of Yang Hongbin being caught in the act.

The air in the room grew thin due to Shen Chiyan’s presence. Struggling to breathe, Song Qinian got out of bed and carefully gestured, "I... should go home now."

She wanted to leave as quickly as possible, but she had to pass by Shen Chiyan to reach the door. Just as she drew near, he shoved her back onto the bed. The next second, a crumpled ball of white paper was thrown at her.

"Did you write this?"

Song Qinian unfolded it to see the note she had written to Yang Hongbin using lipstick to imitate Xie Xueyi’s handwriting. She had placed it on Yang Hongbin’s desk when Xie Xueyi went to the restroom and everyone was busy toasting one another, taking advantage of the moment when no one was watching.

"And you were the one who sent the photos of Xie Xueyi and Yang Hongbin to his wife, telling her to come and catch them, right?"

Song Qinian bit her lip hard, her face devoid of any color. How did he know? Did he know everything?

Seeing her expression, Shen Chiyan said angrily, "Did you really think you could hide everything you did? What do you think the hotel's surveillance is for? Even without the cameras, once Yang Hongbin realizes you set him up, how do you think he will treat you?"

Song Qinian’s social experience was still too limited. At the time, she was so focused on making Yang Hongbin and Xie Xueyi pay the price that she hadn't considered the consequences.

"With an angel’s face but a heart full of schemes—it’s ugly! I let you into the planning department to work, not to stir up trouble!"

Shen Chiyan’s words felt like a knife piercing her chest. Hurting, she gestured angrily, "They were the ones who bullied me first!"

"So, you still think you did nothing wrong?"

Song Qinian didn't think she was wrong. If she had continued to endure their bullying in silence, they would only have escalated their mistreatment.

Seeing her defiant expression, Shen Chiyan’s anger grew. "If Xie Xueyi bullies you, you can retaliate. If Yang Hongbin shields her, you can go after him, but you shouldn't have dragged his family into it!"

"Yang Hongbin’s daughter has a heart condition. Because of the divorce dispute between him and his wife, the child had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital."

Song Qinian’s face turned pale. She nervously grabbed Shen Chiyan’s hand, desperate to know the child’s condition.

Shen Chiyan coldly shook her off. "Fortunately, the child is fine, otherwise, you would have indirectly caused the death of an innocent child!"

Song Qinian slumped onto the bed, feeling a lingering sense of terror at the thought.

"If you don't want to work, then take your schemes and get out of Dingsheng; that way, I won't have to see you and get annoyed."

Shen Chiyan looked at her with disgust and impatience. After he left, Song Qinian hugged herself tightly, her tears falling uncontrollably.

The next day, after arriving at the company, Song Qinian learned from Miao Zi’ai that Yang Hongbin and Xie Xueyi were leaving the Dingsheng Group.

Seeing Song Qinian’s pale complexion, Miao Zi’ai comforted her, "Niannian, you did a great job this time. From now on, no one will dare to bully you again."