"Song Qinian! I came home wanting an explanation, not a story!"
Shen ChiYan was so furious her lungs felt like they would explode. She had never imagined Song Qinian would utter such an outrageous and clumsy lie.
Song Qinian's emotions also surged. Her hands trembled as she gestured, fueled by her anger.
"I'm not making up a story, I'm telling the truth!"
"The truth? Fine, then tell me, you and Qiu Qiu don't know each other at all. Why would she frame your father?"
Song Qinian's face turned as pale as paper, a question she had pondered for years without an answer.
She had never understood Lin Qiu Tong's motive for framing her father, and consequently, she couldn't answer Shen ChiYan.
Seeing Song Qinian with her head bowed, fists clenched, looking both angry and unwilling, Shen ChiYan lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
"It's a done deal that Song Guan Liang kidnapped Qiu Qiu and almost killed her. All these years you've insisted Song Guan Liang was innocent. What exactly makes you trust him so much? Just because he's your father?"
Not only that, Song Qinian also believed in her father's character.
But she had no evidence now, and even if she told Shen ChiYan, he wouldn't believe her, only adding to her own distress.
"You know perfectly well that Qiu Qiu had no reason to frame your father, yet you still harbor resentment towards her. Today, she's the one who suffered. She was magnanimous enough not to hold it against you. Lin Lan Xing just asked you to apologize, and it would have been over. But you are stubborn and unrepentant!"
Meeting Song Qinian's tear-filled, wronged eyes, Shen ChiYan's breath hitched, and he felt a pang of pity.
"Grandma always says you're obedient, kind, and gentle. But why can't you tolerate Qiu Qiu?"
Song Qinian sneered inwardly. Was she the one who couldn't tolerate Lin Qiu Tong?
It was clearly Lin Qiu Tong who couldn't tolerate her!
"I'm asking you, you know how to swim, right? After Qiu Qiu fell into the water, why didn't you jump in to save her immediately? When you saw her struggling and calling for help in the water, what were you thinking?"
At this, Song Qinian's face turned even more ashen. A flicker of imperceptible panic and guilt crossed her eyes.
She wanted to lower her head, but Shen ChiYan was holding her chin, leaving her no room to move.
Seeing her like this, Shen ChiYan's eyes grew colder. "Speak!"
The moment Lin Qiu Tong fell into the water, Song Qinian was stunned. For a brief instant, she genuinely wished Lin Qiu Tong would just die.
When she came to her senses, she was startled by her own thoughts. By then, someone had already jumped in to save Lin Qiu Tong.
She was terrified, and didn't understand why such a thought had entered her mind.
Facing Shen ChiYan's terrifying, man-eating expression, she didn't dare tell him the truth. Her slender fingers trembled as she gestured, "Whether you believe me or not, she really jumped in herself. I didn't push her, so I didn't react in time."
Shen ChiYan was furious. He angrily flung Song Qinian away, "I can't believe you're still lying at a time like this, Song Qinian. I am truly too disappointed in you!"
Song Qinian lowered her head, remaining unresponsive. Disappointment?
When had he ever had expectations of her?
Without expectations, how could there be disappointment?
"Qiu Qiu may be magnanimous, but if you're wrong, you're wrong. Since you don't want to apologize in front of everyone, write 'I'm sorry' a thousand times by hand and give it to me. If even one is missing, don't even think about leaving this room!"
After speaking, Shen ChiYan stormed out of Song Qinian's bedroom, slamming the door shut.
Zhang QiaoQiao saw Shen ChiYan return with a cold expression and worried that he would bully Song Qinian. She had been keeping an ear on the sounds from Song Qinian's room.
Seeing Shen ChiYan emerge, she immediately forced a smile and asked, "Young Master, do you need supper prepared?"
"No! Keep a close eye on Song Qinian. If she hasn't written 'I'm sorry' a thousand times, don't bring her food or drinks, and don't let her out."
Sensing something was wrong, Zhang QiaoQiao quickly said, "But tomorrow is Monday, and the young madam needs to go to work."
Meeting Shen ChiYan's icy gaze, Zhang QiaoQiao dared not say more and immediately nodded, "Understood."
That night, Shen ChiYan did not stay at Xiang Shan Yue.
Although Zhang QiaoQiao feared Shen ChiYan, she wouldn't obey him when he wasn't around.
The next morning, seeing that Song Qinian hadn't come down for breakfast, Zhang QiaoQiao specifically made her favorite preserved vegetables buns and millet porridge and brought them to her room.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
Zhang QiaoQiao gently knocked on the door, "Young Madam, I'm coming in, okay?"
As she pushed the door open, Song Qinian was still in her pajamas from the previous day, writing at her desk.
Zhang QiaoQiao quietly let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, as long as the young madam finished writing "I'm sorry" a thousand times, the young master's anger would subside.
As Zhang QiaoQiao placed the porridge on the table, she smiled at Song Qinian, "Young Madam, Fifth Master just said that. Why are you taking it so seriously? Come and eat breakfast quickly. Write after breakfast. We women shouldn't stoop to the level of rude men."
Song Qinian didn't move. Zhang QiaoQiao scurried over to her, "How many have you written? Ah... this..."
Seeing the table full of "I'm not wrong," Zhang QiaoQiao was speechless.
The young madam rarely defied the young master. She didn't know what had happened, but seeing the young master's anger yesterday, it must have been something significant.
She had expected the young madam to obediently write "I'm sorry." Who knew that while she was writing, she was writing "I'm not wrong."
"Heh heh... Young Madam, well, let's eat something first!"
Song Qinian shook her head, turned to look at Zhang QiaoQiao, put down her pen, and gestured a few times, "Take it away. I'm not eating."
As far as Song Qinian was concerned, if she made a mistake, she would apologize.
But if she hadn't done something wrong, she wouldn't admit it, even if it meant death.
Perhaps from not sleeping all night, Song Qinian's face was devoid of color. Zhang QiaoQiao felt a pang of heartache. Seeing Song Qinian pick up her pen and write "I'm not wrong" again, Zhang QiaoQiao felt completely disheartened.
It was over. If the young master came back tonight and saw this pile of writing, she shuddered to think how angry he would be.
"Young Madam, why are you doing this to yourself?"
Song Qinian ignored Zhang QiaoQiao any further.
Unsure of what to do, Zhang QiaoQiao said to her, "I've left breakfast here. Remember to eat it. Don't starve yourself. If you don't say it, and I don't say it, the young master won't know if you've eaten anything."
When Zhang QiaoQiao brought lunch at noon, she found that Song Qinian hadn't eaten breakfast and was still stubbornly writing "I'm not wrong."
Zhang QiaoQiao sighed and considered whether to tell the old madam.
Then she thought, the rift between the young master and young madam was already deep. If the old madam intervened, the young master would surely think the young madam was using the old madam to suppress him, and he might even grow to resent her more.
Around eight in the evening, Shen ChiYan returned, looking travel-worn.
The moment Zhang QiaoQiao saw him, she quickly hurried over, taking his clothes while forcing a laugh, "Young Master... Are you in a good mood today?"
Shen ChiYan's sharp, dark eyes cast a faint glance at Zhang QiaoQiao, making her feel instantly as though she had been seen through.
"Where is Song Qinian?"
"...The young madam is still in her room."