"Don't be so quick to look surprised. There’s more—I’ve recorded everything, backed it up to the cloud, and set it to publish automatically," Li Qianqian said, shaking her phone.
Qi Zechuan narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze locking onto her. "You’ve grown a brain."
Li Qianqian: "……?"
"But there has never been anything I couldn't achieve. If someone stands in my way, I simply remove that person." Qi Zechuan’s cold, crisp voice was filled with extreme displeasure.
Qin Muyang immediately felt a headache coming on. Dealing with Gu Shinian was one thing, but getting into trouble with Li Qianqian was a different story.
"Let it go, Zechuan. There are plenty of ways to deal with that bastard; it’s not worth ruining your future for him!"
"I know what I’m doing. He isn't worth it." Qi Zechuan scoffed, turned on his heel, and walked away.
Watching Qi Zechuan walk off, Qin Muyang let out a sigh of relief, though he didn't follow immediately. Instead, he pointed at Li Qianqian, his annoyance flaring up.
"Li Qianqian, you’re dead. You fickle woman, to offend Brother Zechuan for a piece of trash like him? You’ll regret this soon enough!"
A pair of slender fingers gripped his, pulling them away and tossing them aside with force.
Li Qianqian pulled a wet wipe from her bag and wiped her hands as if she had touched something filthy. She raised her eyelids to glance at him, her voice cold: "Your mouth is filthy. Go wash it."
"You..." Qin Muyang’s eyes widened. The delicate sensation of her fingers on his made his scalp tingle. All his angry words vanished from his mind, and he rubbed the spot where she had touched him.
As if reliving the thrill of seeing those photos, his heart hammered in his chest—*thump, thump*.
All he could see now were the woman’s vibrant red lips; they looked like jelly, even more alluring than in the photos.
"Let's go." Li Qianqian didn't look at him again, turning instead to speak gently to Gu Shinian.
Seeing them walk away, Qin Muyang flew into a rage at being ignored. "Acting so high and mighty! I’ll block you the moment I get back. Let’s see who you can send those dirty photos to then!"
Li Qianqian’s lips curled, but she didn't look back. She simply stuck her middle finger up behind her back.
Qin Muyang stared at that fair, slender finger, momentarily dazed. It looked so soft to hold. How could a person be so flawless from head to toe?
Realizing his own thoughts, he slapped himself across the face. The loud crack didn't hurt, but it served as a wake-up call.
"Li Qianqian is stupid and vicious. So what if she’s fair and pretty? There’s nothing special about that. As the eldest son of the Qin family, I can have any woman I want."
***
Li Qianqian led Gu Shinian out of the street and hailed a taxi for him. She didn't ask about his personal matters with Qi Zechuan, and he didn't volunteer them.
She reached out and pulled his arm from his pocket. His large hand remained tightly clenched; blood had already stained his entire fist. She gently pried his fingers open.
His palm was a mangled mess, a shocking sight. Li Qianqian quietly took the blade from his hand and, seeing he didn't resist, tossed it into a nearby trash can.
She wiped away the dried blood with a wet wipe, saying, "Your hands are beautiful, and you play the piano so well. It would be a great pity if you couldn't play anymore."
Gu Shinian’s fingertips curled. The lingering pain had left him somewhat numb, but her sudden display of concern left him at a loss. He remained silent.
Or rather, he didn't know how to answer.
"Qi Zechuan may be arrogant, but he doesn't own the world. Don't believe everything he says. If he hurts you, call the police. Don't listen to his moralizing, either. Whether you’ve done something wrong should be determined by the law, not by him."
Li Qianqian didn't mind his silence, continuing to chatter on. Her gentle, sweet voice gradually helped him relax.
Gu Shinian’s mind went blank. He asked instinctively, "...Can I call your number?"
Li Qianqian smiled brightly. "Of course."
Gu Shinian’s eyes were complex, her face reflected in his pupils. He lowered his head, avoiding her gaze.
A moment later, he remembered something and looked up again. "Shouldn't you call the police back to tell them that the situation is..."
"I didn't actually dial. I was lying to them."
"I see." As the mental tension faded, the exhaustion hit Gu Shinian all at once. His legs felt weak, and his vision blurred.
His knees buckled, and he began to fall forward. Li Qianqian quickly caught him.
Gu Shinian rested his hands on her shoulders, holding her tentatively. He was afraid to use too much force, worried about crushing her soft frame.
The person in his arms smelled lovely—a faint, pleasant scent of body wash. It helped clear his throbbing head, and her gentle voice continued to murmur by his ear.
"Have you had dinner? Was it low blood sugar?"
"I'm fine." Reason told Gu Shinian he should let go, but the warmth in his arms made him linger.
A black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up behind them. The window rolled down, and the man in the backseat took in the entire scene. Fu Huaishan tapped the window twice, not too softly, not too hard.
Gu Shinian was facing the car directly and saw the man’s dark, piercing eyes fixed on them. He guessed they must know each other.
He released his grip on Li Qianqian’s shoulders and stood steady.
Li Qianqian turned at the sound and saw her older brother. *Oh no,* she thought, *I really am a jinx. I said I’d sent him a message, and now he’s actually passing by.*
"Get in."
Li Qianqian lowered her voice and patted Gu Shinian’s shoulder. "The taxi I called for you should be here soon. Send me a message when you get home."
"Okay." Gu Shinian didn't try to keep her. His fingertips trembled slightly, as if the woman's warmth still lingered there.
"Second Young Mistress, please." Driver Li had already walked around to the back of the car and opened the door for her.
"Thank you." Li Qianqian ducked into the car. The cabin was silent and suffocating.
As the car drove away, the trees outside blurred. The changing scenery and the flickering glare of traffic lights were blinding.
Li Qianqian glanced sideways at her brother, only to see him sitting there like a mountain, with no intention of starting a conversation.
Not a word was exchanged until they reached the Fu Family Old Residence.
She didn't overthink it, assuming he had just happened to see her while passing by and offered her a lift.
"Thank you, Brother." Li Qianqian thanked him, opened the door, and got out.
She walked away without a backward glance.
Fu Huaishan’s large hand, resting on the door handle, tightened. His eyes grew complicated. Unlike the times she usually went out of her way to make conversation, today she had been unusually quiet.
"Master Fu, you’re back. There’s something I’m not sure if I should say... One of the maids found your shirt in the Second Young Mistress's room..."
Ji Wanyun had hurried over the moment she saw the familiar car. She followed the man inside, her face twisted into an expression of feigned hesitation.
Fu Huaishan paused in his tracks, turning slowly, his dark eyes unfathomable.
"You entered her room without permission?"