After the book signing event, Song Qinian felt listless, either from exhaustion or some other reason.
She skipped the banquet, ate something casually, and returned to her room.
There was a pleasant scent in the room. She assumed it was from the cleaning staff and paid it no mind.
Her flight was for the next day, but she missed Shen Chiyan so much that she wanted to go back sooner.
As she took out her phone to check for flights, she was suddenly overcome with sleepiness.
At that moment, a WeChat message suddenly arrived. Her fingers were weak, and with great difficulty, she tapped it open. It was from Shen Chiyan.
"When are you coming back?"
His tone was full of impatience. Just as Song Qinian was about to reply, her vision went black, and she collapsed heavily onto the bed, her phone falling onto it as well.
Ten minutes later, her room door opened, and a tall, slender man slowly walked in.
Seeing Song Qinian asleep, Li Junshen gently picked her up and placed her on the bed, letting her head rest on the pillow.
Gazing at Song Qinian's sweet sleeping face, he slowly reached out and caressed it.
His Nian Nian was adorable and sweet as a child, and even more alluring as she grew up.
Li Junshen's memories instantly flashed back to the first time he met Song Qinian.
From the time he could remember, Li Junshen knew he was different. He had a mother who was always thinking of her first love and a perverse father.
His so-called father was a complete madman who enjoyed the act of killing, whether it was humans or animals, viewing them all as livestock.
He, however, was groomed by his father to be an heir, witnessing the dirtiest and bloodiest scenes from a young age.
He had no idea how many times he had moved with his parents. They would never stay in one place for long.
He had no interest in this noisy and boring world, even wishing everyone in it would die so that it would be quiet.
Until he met Nian Nian.
He still clearly remembered what happened that day. He had witnessed his father brutally murder a child his own age, forcing him to observe. He watched expressionlessly as the boy begged for help, his heart unmoved.
After each murder, his father would reward him with something. That day, he received a violin.
He stood in a golden wheat field, playing his violin. A gentle breeze rustled the wheat stalks. He played "Devil's Trill."
Only music could truly relax him.
After finishing, he stood in the wheat field for a long time. When he turned to go home, he saw a little girl in a floral dress staring intently at him, her big, blinking eyes filled with amazement.
She looked like an exquisite doll, pretty and cute, with sweet dimples when she smiled.
Seeing her smile, his heart pounded rapidly, a feeling he had never experienced before. He felt as if he had seen a little angel come to save him.
He had always been indifferent, but that day, as he walked towards her, his legs trembled with excitement.
"You must be the new neighbor who moved in last month. I went to my grandmother's house a while ago and only came back today to see you. Hello, my name is Song Qinian. Song from the Song Dynasty, Qi with the three-part water radical, seven, and wood, Nian is the Nian of 'New Year.' You can call me Nian Nian."
"Li Junshen. Li from 'Li Lei Feng Xing' (resolute and vigorous), Jun from 'Jun Zi' (gentleman), Shen from 'Jin Yan Shen Xing' (cautious in speech and action)."
"Wow... Your name is so impressive!"
"Oh... Is it?"
"Mm-hmm, what piece were you playing just now? It was so beautiful."
"Devil's Trill."
Perhaps hearing the word "devil," her little face changed slightly, but she quickly smiled again. "That's a strange name, hehe..."
From then on, he played his violin in the wheat field more often. Whenever she had free time, she would come to listen, and they gradually talked more.
"Junshen, are you unhappy?"
"Happy? What is happiness?"
Little Song Qinian was stumped by the question. She thought hard for a long time before smiling and saying, "Happiness is being joyful. It's when no matter what you do or think, you feel wonderful, and you smile with joy."
"Then I am happy right now."
Every minute and every second he was with her, he was happy.
"Really? Then why aren't you smiling?"
"How do I smile?"
She flashed him a big smile, "Like this, opening your mouth wide, showing your teeth..."
Li Junshen tried to smile, but he felt he would look ugly, so he reverted to his usual cold demeanor.
He loved being with her. As long as she was by his side, his gray world became colorful.
Those days lasted for two years. Then, that pervert set his sights on her.
He said, "That little girl looks too perfect. The more perfect something is, the more satisfying it is to destroy."
It was the first time he felt rebellious. So, the pervert gave him two choices.
Either he would draw her into their world, or he would kill her himself.
He had finally met someone who cared about him, someone unafraid of him, someone so perfect. How could he bear it?
So, he deliberately let her witness his cruel methods. But he hadn't expected her to be so timid that she couldn't speak afterward.
He felt immense guilt, as he could no longer hear her sweet calls of his name or hear her sing to him.
Therefore, he decided to kill the pervert.
Coincidentally, during that period, the pervert had kidnapped two boys. It was the first time the pervert had a mishap; he was injured by an axe wielded by one of the boys.
When the two boys escaped, he was nearby. He returned and personally ended the man who had controlled him and tried to kill Nian Nian.
The man died with a smile, saying he had finally trained a satisfactory successor.
Later, the police came looking for them. His mother, who had studied law, was adept at clearing herself and her son.
However, to avoid suspicion, she still took him to Australia.
After more than ten years apart, he had finally returned.
"Nian Nian, this time, I will never leave you again."
Song Qinian was restless in her sleep, her brows furrowed.
He gently reached out and smoothed her brow, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I look forward to the day we officially meet."
When Song Qinian woke up again, her complexion was even worse.
She had been plagued by bizarre nightmares all night, always dreaming of those terrifying and bloody scenes.
She sighed heavily. She had intended to go back last night, but she was too tired and didn't know when she had fallen asleep.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The room door suddenly sounded. Song Qinian got up to open it and saw Shen Chiyan, his face dark and tense.
Song Qinian was stunned. Why was Shen Chiyan here?
Perhaps it was her imagination, but Shen Chiyan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw her.
Immediately after, he started scolding her, "Why didn't you reply to my messages? Why did you turn off your phone?"
Song Qinian then remembered that Shen Chiyan had indeed sent her a WeChat message last night, but she had fallen asleep before she could reply.
Had her phone run out of battery and turned off?
So, he was worried about her and had come all the way to find her?
Thinking of this, Song Qinian's heart felt warm. She stepped forward and threw herself into Shen Chiyan's embrace, tightly hugging his lean waist...