Volume 1, Chapter 35: Won't your aunt make you kneel on durians?

Song Qinian could not believe that the person behind all this was Shen Keqin. She rubbed her forehead, speechless. As expected, besides the enemies watching her like tigers, she also had to guard against her own people at all times. You never knew when someone might stab you in the back.

"Qinqin, hurry up and take those things down!"

"I can't. If I take them down, my brother will suspect we’re both messing with him. If that happens, not only will you be done for, but I’ll have a miserable end too!"

Just as Song Qinian was about to type a response, Shen Keqin sent another WeChat message: "Sister-in-law, don't worry. I’ve already arranged everything that follows. Forget about this for now; just go and watch my brother’s reaction. Hmph, someone is publicly confessing to his wife right outside his company building—I refuse to believe he won't be jealous."

Song Qinian’s heart skipped a beat. Would Shen Chiyan really be jealous? She looked up cautiously toward the opposite side, only to find that Shen Chiyan was no longer there; he had left the restaurant at some point. Only Lin Lanxing was looking at her, walking toward her step by step. Lin Lanxing looked smug, her grin practically reaching her ears. "Song Qinian, you're finished."

Song Qinian ignored Lin Lanxing, though her mood was terrible. Because of this public confession, the once-obscure Song Qinian had suddenly become a hot topic at Dingsheng Group. Almost everyone knew that the Planning Department had a beautiful, mute, sweet-natured girl, and countless people found excuses to come and see her.

Song Qinian had been worried that Shen Chiyan would come to cause trouble, but the afternoon passed, and other than a few messages from Shen Keqin, her phone remained silent. Song Qinian felt conflicted. If Shen Chiyan came to give her a hard time, it would at least mean she still held some status in his heart. But if he didn't care even when someone else confessed to her, then it truly meant she didn't matter to him at all.

"Song Qinian, Shen Yushu, you two will work together on this amusement park planning proposal. Have it ready for me by Monday morning."

After Yang Hongbin left the company, Shen Chiyan had hired a professional manager from abroad through a headhunting firm at a high salary. Her name was Pan Yingying. As soon as she arrived, she made her presence felt, sweeping away the negative atmosphere that had lingered in the Planning Department.

When it was time to leave, Shen Yushu approached Song Qinian. "Niannian, do you have any thoughts on this proposal?"

Song Qinian shook her head. Her mind had been entirely on Shen Chiyan all afternoon; she hadn't been able to focus on the project.

"It’s a bit hard to just imagine it. How about this? Tomorrow is the weekend, let’s go to the amusement park for a site visit. Maybe we’ll get some inspiration." Before Song Qinian could write anything, Shen Yushu added, "This is our first time working together, and the first task the new manager has given us. We must do a great job."

Shen Yushu’s passion and enthusiasm for work were infectious. Song Qinian took a deep breath, pushed thoughts of Shen Chiyan out of her mind for the moment, and nodded.

That night, when Song Qinian returned home, Shen Chiyan had not yet come back. After dinner, she went to her room to look for materials on amusement parks on her computer. Unfortunately, the computer had been with her for five or six years; the parts were aging, and it was extremely laggy. She checked the balance in her bank account and decided to wait until she got paid to buy a new one.

By eleven o'clock, Shen Chiyan still hadn't returned. Just as Song Qinian finished washing up and got into bed, she received a WeChat message from Mu Yuxin.

"Niannian, are you asleep?"

"Not yet, what’s wrong?"

"There’s an event at our mall tomorrow, and I can’t look after Qiaoqiao. Could you help me watch her for the day?"

Song Qinian had met Mu Yuxin at the prison gates when she went to visit Song Guanliang. Mu Yuxin’s boyfriend had been sentenced to eight years for intentional homicide. She went to the prison often, but the guards never let her in. Song Qinian had seen her turned away several times and had helped her pass a message to her boyfriend through Song Guanliang. Over time, they became good friends. Qiaoqiao was the daughter of Mu Yuxin’s older sister, who had passed away young, so Mu Yuxin had been raising her. Qiaoqiao was obedient and sensible, and Song Qinian was very fond of her.

"Sure, I’ll come pick up Qiaoqiao tomorrow."

"Mm-hmm, thank you, my dear Niannian!"

Song Qinian smiled, then suddenly remembered her plan to visit the amusement park with Shen Yushu. She sent him a message, and he replied, "I don't mind at all, I like kids too. See you tomorrow."

Shen Chiyan did not return that night. The next morning, Song Qinian picked up Qiaoqiao and went to meet Shen Yushu at the amusement park.

...

"Uncle, I’m six years old already, I don't want to go to an amusement park."

Shen Chiyan glanced coldly at his nephew. "Do you think you have a choice?"

Wen Ziqian felt terrible. "But it's my birthday today! Aren't birthday boys supposed to be the boss?"

Shen Chiyan snorted. "You're just a brat, what kind of boss are you?"

Wen Ziqian: "..." Dictator! Cold-hearted! Ruthless! Excessive!

"Uncle, if you act like this, won't my aunt make you kneel on durians?"

Thinking of Song Qinian, Shen Chiyan frowned, his expression turning sour. "She wouldn't dare!"

Wen Ziqian huffed indignantly. "Where there is oppression, there is resistance! If you keep acting like this, and some gentle, kind, and handsome guy starts chasing my aunt, she’ll definitely dump you."

Wen Ziqian really knew how to hit a sore spot; Shen Chiyan’s expression grew even darker. His phone rang.

"Speak!"

"Brother, have you arrived yet? I think I just saw my sister-in-law at the amusement park with a little girl and a man."

"Whose child is it?"

"How would I know? Do you want me to go over and ask for you?"

"No need!"

Hanging up the phone, Shen Chiyan told Gao Kunlun, who was driving, "Drive faster."

Because it was the weekend, the park was crowded, and the queues for the rides were long. Seeing Qiaoqiao’s face flushed from the heat, Song Qinian took her to buy ice cream.

"Niannian, can I have this one? These rabbit ears are so pretty."

Song Qinian smiled and nodded, placing the rabbit ears on Qiaoqiao’s head. Qiaoqiao had big, round eyes and chubby cheeks—she was incredibly cute.

"Qiaoqiao has them, so Niannian should have some too, right?" Shen Yushu picked up a pair of red fox ears and went to place them on Song Qinian’s head.

Song Qinian instinctively pulled back. Seeing Shen Yushu’s hand awkwardly suspended in mid-air, she felt a bit embarrassed. "I don't need them, thank you."

Qiaoqiao understood sign language; during this outing, she was essentially acting as their little translator. "You have to, you have to! I want to see Niannian wear them too."

Shen Yushu, being a gentleman, handed the fox ears to Qiaoqiao. "How about Qiaoqiao puts them on Niannian for her?"

"Okay!"

Shen Yushu picked Qiaoqiao up. Song Qinian could refuse Shen Yushu, but she couldn't refuse Qiaoqiao.

When Shen Chiyan arrived at the amusement park, he caught sight of Shen Yushu holding a little girl wearing rabbit ears, while the girl was placing a fox-ear headband on Song Qinian. The scene was warm and blissful, and an inexplicable rage spread from his limbs to his chest.