Shi Ning, completely unfazed by Shen Xizhou’s plight, focused solely on continuing her embrace with Qin Heye. This resolute disregard sent a wave of ecstatic fireworks through Qin Heye’s chest.
“As my wife wants ,” he declared, his voice a low growl of satisfaction. He swept Shi Ning into his arms, lifting her effortlessly so she wrapped around his waist, and then lowered his head, deepening their kiss with fervent intensity.
Shen Xizhou struggled to his feet, clutching the burgeoning lump on the back of his head. He looked up, his eyes widening in disbelief. Shi Ning and Qin Heye were locked in an embrace, clinging to each other like sloths, their lips inseparable, their kiss even more passionate than before. The sight was utterly blinding, a searing image that eclipsed the pain in his head, replacing it with an ache far deeper, a wound to his very soul.
After their passionate interlude, Shi Ning accompanied Qin Heye for a while at the dinner table. Shi Guoqiang, ever the doting father-in-law, kept a watchful eye, insisting Qin Heye consume two large bowls of his special ten-ingredient tonic soup before allowing him to rise.
With dinner concluded, Qin Heye retreated to attend to his work. Shi Ning, left alone in her room, first checked on her prize chicken, now plump and healthy, before immersing herself in her synthesis dress-up game.
About half an hour later, Shi Qingyin pushed open the door and stepped inside. Her gaze swept the room, not finding Qin Heye. “Isn’t Mr. Qin with my sister?” she inquired, a hint of feigned casualness in her tone.
Shi Ning didn’t bother to correct her for neglecting the proper “brother-in-law” address. “My husband’s busy,” she hummed lazily, her eyes still glued to her phone. Shi Qingyin watched her, irritated that Shi Ning didn’t even glance up, much less express any desire to go downstairs.
Meanwhile, in the garden, Shen Xizhou was rapidly losing his patience, tormented by mosquitoes. It was baffling; the mosquito lamp, usually illuminated by now , was inexplicably off tonight, and the insect population seemed to have exploded because of it .
“Sister,” Shi Qingyin tried again, a subtle urgency in her voice, “don’t you want to go down to the garden for a walk?”
“Yes,” Shi Ning replied, her attention undivided, “after my husband is done with his work.”
Shi Qingyin’s face twisted into an ugly grimace at the repeated use of “husband.” She feigned kindness. “Sister, constantly referring to him as ‘my husband’ makes you seem unserious, even frivolous.”
Shi Ning finally looked up, her gaze direct. “I have every right to address him as my husband, recognized by the country. And hanging on him, kissing, hugging – these are all permitted by law, completely legal. How could that be frivolous?”
Shi Qingyin’s face contorted further in disgust. Shameless! she thought. How can she utter such words? But this was not the time for moral indignation.
“Sister,” she pressed, her voice laced with manufactured concern, “Brother Xizhou is waiting for you in the garden.”
“Oh.” Shi Ning’s response was flat, indifferent. She showed no hint of excitement, no inclination to move. Shi Qingyin felt a pang of anxiety. Her plan—their plan—couldn’t fail, especially not now. With Shi Ning moving out of the Shi residence today, such opportunities would be scarce.
“Sister, Brother Xizhou wants to explain what happened that night.”
Shi Ning, still glued to her phone, didn’t even look up. “No need,” she said breezily. “That night, my husband and I were quite happy.”
Shi Qingyin offered several more desperate reasons, but Shi Ning remained stubbornly indifferent, refusing to go downstairs to meet Shen Xizhou. Shi Ning knew the machinations afoot, the plot concocted by Shi Qingyin and Shen Xizhou. That’s why she deliberately stayed put, and why Qin Heye had conveniently excused himself for “work.” Now, it was a test of endurance for them .
And it was clear who was winning. Shi Qingyin, her patience now wearing thin, and her anxiety mounting, gritted her teeth.
“Sister,” she blurted, “don’t you want to know why Grandpa Qin was sick and only your horoscope matched, forcing you to marry Qin Heye?”
Shi Ning, who had been contemplating how much longer to string Shi Qingyin along, suddenly snapped her head up. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Shi Qingyin. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Truth be told, a lingering resentment towards Grandpa Qin and Qin Heye had always gnawed at her. She loathed how, in their pursuit of a cure, they had wielded their power and wealth to force her, a woman already engaged, into a marriage with Qin Heye. It felt like a selfish act, tearing away someone’s love for their own gain. Yet, since the “barrage” spoilers, a nagging doubt had begun to fester. Even if no one in Beijing shared her exact birth details, surely among a billion people, someone else would have the same horoscope? Why had the Qin family singled her out? Was it Qin Heye’s long-standing secret affection, a manipulative scheme to force her hand? Or was there something else entirely?
Shi Qingyin felt Shi Ning’s aura suddenly intensify, becoming sharp and oppressive. She felt herself shrink under the gaze. “Go find Brother Xizhou,” she stammered, “he’ll explain everything.”
Shi Ning studied Shi Qingyin intently. “Okay,” she said, her voice deceptively calm.
Shi Qingyin watched Shi Ning walk out of the room, heading directly towards the garden and the swimming pool. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, and a triumphant smile crept across her face.
The garden and swimming pool merged into a single, picturesque scene. Under the deepening night sky, flowers bloomed in vibrant hues, and the pool’s surface shimmered with gentle ripples. It truly was an idyllic setting, perfect for a romantic rendezvous.
Shen Xizhou stood by the poolside, like a tall, handsome figure, his profile sculpted in the soft light. In his hands, he clutched a bouquet of vivid red roses. With the strategic lighting, he looked undeniably handsome, a true protagonist from a novel. However, compared to Qin Heye, the difference was stark, a chasm separating them.
He heard footsteps, turned, and saw Shi Ning. A gentle smile, revealing a perfect row of teeth, spread across his face. “Ningning,” he cooed.
Shi Ning saw his toothy grin and instantly dispelled her earlier fleeting thought that he might be handsome. Comparing him to Qin Heye was an insult to Qin Heye!
“What do you want from me?” Shi Ning asked, her voice cold and distant.
Shen Xizhou offered the roses to Shi Ning. “I missed you.”
“Yueh.” Shi Ning recoiled, gagging.
Shen Xizhou’s smile faltered, but he stepped forward, a concerned hand extended. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Shi Ning instantly recoiled, sidestepping his outstretched hand. “You disgust me. Just stay away. I have mysophobia, and I feel sick whenever I see trash.”
Disliked again, and this time, she’d called him “trash!” Shen Xizhou’s face turned a mottled shade of blue with anger. He took a deep, shaky breath, then looked at Shi Ning with feigned affection. “I know you’re still angry with me.”
He continued, his voice a practiced balm, “You’re angry that I didn’t save you in time that day, that it led to you being forced by Qin Heye and losing your first time. You felt unworthy of me, so…”
Shen Xizhou’s words trailed off as Shi Ning began to dry heave again. “YUEH.”
Shen Xizhou’s jaw tightened.
Shi Ning finished, then looked up at him. “Go on,” she challenged. “Let me see how shameless you can be. Is your face higher than the mountains and thicker than the earth?”
Stung by her ridicule, Shen Xizhou struggled to articulate the rest of his prepared speech. It doesn’t matter, he told himself. The verbal abuse he’d suffered as a child was far worse than this.
He fixed Shi Ning with a gentle, understanding gaze. “I know you’re deeply aggrieved. You’re saying these things to provoke me, to test my feelings for you.”
He pressed on, the self-serving narrative flowing, “You must be in immense pain, conflicted. On one hand, you regret losing your first time and feel unworthy of me, so you use verbal abuse to push me away. On the other hand, you secretly hope I won’t abandon you, so you say these things to force me to love you and take you away from Qin…”
Shi Ning was utterly appalled by his words. The sheer delusion and self-serving interpretation made her feel physically ill. She couldn’t listen to another word.
“Are your brain and intestines connected?” she demanded, her voice laced with disgust. “Are your tongue and mouth connected? It’s like you’re spewing excrement every time you open your mouth, so disgusting!”
Is this the grand plan Shi Qingyin cooked up with Shen Xizhou for a reunion? she thought. Oh my god! It’s terrible! It’s utterly repulsive! I can’t stand it!
Shen Xizhou’s face was a mask of frustration. Such crude language! It completely ruins the atmosphere! He decided to ignore it. Clutching the roses, he advanced towards Shi Ning once more.
Shi Ning quickly retreated, pivoting sharply, until she stood directly at the edge of the swimming pool. “Don’t come any closer,” she warned. “Otherwise, you’ll disgust me so much I’ll want to jump in and wash my eyes, wash my ears, and disinfect my entire body.”
Shen Xizhou halted, still fixing her with his “affectionate” gaze. “Ningning,” he called, his voice thick with emotion.
Then, with a dramatic flourish, bang!
Shen Xizhou dropped to one knee before Shi Ning, extending the bouquet of roses. “Whether you slept with Qin Heye or not, whether it was your first time or not, I don’t care,” he declared, his eyes burning with what he believed was intense devotion. “I like you, I want to be with you. As long as you are willing, as long as you say the word!”
He continued, his voice rising with theatrical fervor, “I will do whatever it takes, not afraid of Qin Heye’s revenge, disregarding my identity as the young master of the Shen family. I will take you away!”
“As long as you are willing! I can live for you, die for you!”
Shen Xizhou was born with a pair of captivating “peach blossom eyes,” and when he set his mind to it, he could make them look deeply affectionate, even at a dog. Shi Ning had once been captivated by those very eyes. But now…
Shi Ning’s gaze subtly flickered to some hidden spots. Earlier, the housekeeper, Zhao, had discreetly placed some items there, as per her instructions. Her peripheral vision caught the balcony on the second floor in the distance. Shi Qingyin, who had been observing, was no longer there. She must be going to fetch Qin Heye for the “adultery” catch!
Shi Ning lowered her head, addressing Shen Xizhou. “It’s better to believe a pig can climb a tree than to believe a man’s words. How can I possibly believe you with just your words?”
“As long as you can believe me, I’m willing to do anything for you!” Shen Xizhou saw the faint hint of a smile on her lips and believed she was softening. He knew Shi Ning still loved him. All he had to do was lower himself a bit, say a few sweet words, and she would melt, she would choose him!
Shi Ning looked at him seriously. “Let me think about it.” She, the “stupid and bad vicious female supporting role,” wasn’t skilled in these convoluted schemes. But the “barrage” surely was. So, Shi Ning wasn’t truly looking at Shen Xizhou; she was consulting her invisible advisors.
The “barrage” was more animated than Shi Ning herself.
[How can the male protagonist Shen Xizhou be so disgusting? He and the female protagonist are a pair. Why do you come to confess to our vicious female supporting role?]
[This is a sweet article! In addition to treating the female protagonist as a woman, the male protagonist treats everyone else as a stepping stone for him to climb up and a tool that can be used!]
[Too disgusting! Vicious female supporting role, bring your personality to the extreme!]
[Don’t you think that as long as the female supporting role believes in him, he will do anything? Vicious female supporting role, let him learn to squeal like a pig!]
[The agreement between the male lead and you is that if he is wrong, he is a puppy, so let him be a puppy!]
[Don’t you think that you can live and die for the female supporting role? Let the male lead jump into the swimming pool and drown him!]
[……]
Shi Ning’s eyes sparkled as she read the suggestions from the barrage. Excellent ideas! she thought. She decided, then and there, to “act”on the barrage’s recomandations.