Song Qinian bit her lip, feeling incredibly sad.
Shen Chi Yan knew she liked him, yet he spent his time on the phone with Lin Qiu Tong in front of her. It was like a stab to the heart!
"A Yan, do you have time this weekend?"
"What's up?"
"I... I should be able to walk normally by then. I want to treat you to a meal."
Song Qinian lowered her head, Shen Chi Yan unable to see her expression, which annoyed him.
He cupped Song Qinian's chin, forcing her to look up at him, a gentle smile curving his lips. "Sure, where do you want to eat?"
Seeing the arrogance and triumph in Shen Chi Yan's eyes, a surge of grievance and unwillingness welled up in Song Qinian's heart.
The next second, she pushed Shen Chi Yan away and stood up, then pushed him onto the hanging chair.
The hanging chair creaked under the weight. Lin Qiu Tong on the other end of the phone heard the noise and asked worriedly, "A Yan, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
Without giving Shen Chi Yan a chance to answer, Song Qinian wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. Just as she was about to bravely kiss him, Shen Chi Yan grabbed her by the neck.
Shen Chi Yan pushed Song Qinian away slightly and continued to appease Lin Qiu Tong, "It's nothing. Just a fearless little cat jumped on me."
"A cat? You got a cat?"
"No..."
Lin Qiu Tong was about to say more when Shen Chi Yan said calmly, "Qiu Qiu, it's getting late. You should get some rest."
"...Okay, goodnight."
After hanging up, Shen Chi Yan threw his phone aside and mercilessly pushed Song Qinian away with his other hand.
Song Qinian, caught off guard, nearly fell to the ground.
Once she regained her balance, she glared angrily at Shen Chi Yan. As she was about to leave, Shen Chi Yan suddenly stood up and pressed her against the load-bearing wall by the balcony.
"Are you angry because I won't let you kiss me?"
Song Qinian's face flushed, partly from anger, partly from shame!
Heaven knew how much courage she had mustered to do what she just did, only to be utterly rejected.
"Let go!"
Song Qinian pushed Shen Chi Yan with all her might. Her strength was already weak, and being pinned down by Shen Chi Yan, she couldn't budge him at all.
Suddenly, Shen Chi Yan's cool hand gently stroked Song Qinian's cheek. Song Qinian was taken aback, then heard Shen Chi Yan's deep, alluring voice.
"Song Qinian, you say you like me. How much do you like me?"
Song Qinian froze, never expecting Shen Chi Yan to ask her such a question one day.
"What? Is it hard to answer?"
Song Qinian shook her head. Her heart was pounding, filled with anxiety and nervousness. She held up her hands and gestured seriously, "I like you so, so much!"
Shen Chi Yan was clearly not satisfied with the answer and pressed further, "How much is 'so much'?"
How much did she like Shen Chi Yan?
From the first moment she saw him, she had liked him, and no one else could enter her eyes.
She loved him, loved him with a humble, desperate love.
Some said the highest form of love was to let go and fulfill the other's desires, but she couldn't do that. Even knowing he loved Lin Qiu Tong, she didn't want to let him go.
Even if there was the slightest glimmer of hope, she wanted to hold onto him tightly!
Seeing Song Qinian's continued silence, Shen Chi Yan released her.
Song Qinian looked at Shen Chi Yan in confusion. Had he... just let her go that easily?
The next second, she saw Shen Chi Yan tilt his head and loosen his tie. His fingers were long and beautiful, and the way he loosened his tie was lazy and seductive. Song Qinian was captivated just by watching him.
It wasn't her fault for being tempted; the "enemy" was simply too powerful.
"You say you like me a lot, but you won't say how much. How can I believe you?"
Song Qinian's mind was entirely occupied by Shen Chi Yan's sexy Adam's apple and collarbone. She hadn't properly heard what he said.
Shen Chi Yan always liked to leave his marks on her. She also wanted to bite him, but she didn't dare.
Until...
Shen Chi Yan said, "How about this? If you jump down from here, I'll believe you like me a lot!"
Song Qinian's mind snapped back to reality, her face filled with disbelief.
At this moment, Shen Chi Yan's suit and tie were already discarded on the sofa in the room. He was only wearing a white shirt, holding a cigarette between his thumb and index finger. Combined with his face, he had the appearance of a cold and noble young master, yet his words were chilling.
Although the room was on the second floor, there was a lotus pond below the balcony. If she jumped, would she survive?
Shen Chi Yan leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on Song Qinian with a hint of coldness. "Don't you like me a lot? You can't even do something this simple. Could it be... you were lying when you said you liked me before?"
Song Qinian shook her head. Even with a hundred chances, she wouldn't dare lie to him!
"Come on... prove it to me, how much you like me!"
Song Qinian clenched her fists. She finally understood. Shen Chi Yan was still holding a grudge. He hadn't acted on it in the car, but that didn't mean he would let her off the hook!
Even though she had no idea why he was angry today.
He probably didn't actually want to know how much she liked him, he was just finding an excuse to punish her.
Song Qinian knew very well that if Shen Chi Yan insisted she jump into the lotus pond, and she refused, she wouldn't have an easy time tonight, and it might even implicate Jiashu.
She absolutely couldn't anger Shen Chi Yan at this critical juncture.
Besides, she loved him so much that she didn't fear death. Why would she fear this?
Song Qinian took a deep breath. With her height, she couldn't reach the balcony railing. She brought a chair over, climbed onto it, and then stood on the railing.
Closing her eyes and steeling her resolve, she jumped.
"Song Qinian!"
Shen Chi Yan instinctively reached out to grab her, but only managed to brush the corner of her clothes, failing to catch her.
With a "splash," Shen Chi Yan's heart lurched, and Song Qinian fell into the lotus pond.
Shen Chi Yan cursed, and without a second thought, jumped in after her.
Damn it...
He had expected Song Qinian, being so timid normally, to hesitate for a while before jumping, even if she decided to. He truly hadn't expected her to jump so resolutely.
Not a single hint of warning!
After pulling Song Qinian ashore, Shen Chi Yan pointed at her nose and began to scold her, "I told you to jump, and you jumped! If I told you to die, would you die?"
Song Qinian shivered with cold. Shen Chi Yan carried her into the room and threw her into the bathroom.
He tore off her clothes like a madman. The lingering fear, coupled with an unknown excitement and agitation, burned away his reason.
Song Qinian couldn't speak. She could only endure the discomfort and pain.
She was also somewhat frightened. It was late at night, and she couldn't see what was in the water. What if she encountered danger?
"Song Qinian, you deserve to die! Deserve to die!"
Shen Chi Yan felt like he was going mad. He hadn't expected Song Qinian to love him so much!
And yet, he felt no aversion to it...
As he cursed Song Qinian, he forcefully bit her lips. Song Qinian felt pain in her mouth; it must have been broken...