Shen Qi's fingers trembled slightly. She gently closed her eyes. The words Feng Manlun had spoken to her had come true.
So now, in He Yining's heart, who was more important—her or that girl?
He Yining's voice in the reception room carried its usual magnetic charm: "If you really are the person I'm looking for, my promise naturally still stands."
Thump. Her heart sank into an endless abyss.
A chill spread from deep within, seeping through her entire body with a biting cold. Shen Qi couldn't describe her feelings at that moment—truly a mix of conflicting emotions.
In He Yining's heart, she was ultimately... not as important as her, was she...
Shen Qi let out a bitter laugh. Forget it. It was better to suffer in clarity than to be blissfully ignorant.
After all, she had always been clear-headed her whole life. This was no different.
Raising her hand, she knocked on the door and entered with tea: "Sorry to interrupt."
Setting down the tea, Shen Qi had no extra words and turned to leave.
He Yining grabbed her wrist.
He was startled to find how cold her skin was. What was wrong with her?
"And this is..." Lin Xi looked at Shen Qi with an innocent expression. "Brother, is she a maid in the house?"
Maid? Those two words stabbed into Shen Qi's heart like knives.
Yes, what was she, really? Barely a step above a maid.
Just a kept pet. As a pet, what right did she have to demand status from her owner?
A flicker of displeasure crossed He Yining's phoenix-like eyes, and his voice turned slightly cold: "This is my wife. Xiao Qi, let me introduce you. Her name is Lin Xi."
Shen Qi forced herself to pull together and was about to greet Lin Xi.
Lin Xi looked at Shen Qi with a critical eye: "Auntie, I'm Lin Xi. You can call me Xiao Xi."
Auntie? Shen Qi smiled bitterly.
She was only twenty-three—was she already an auntie?
He Yining frowned noticeably. How could this girl be his little angel? His little angel was so gentle and kind—how could she speak so sharply?
But Shen Qi had already spoken: "Hello, Miss Lin. I'm Shen Qi, twenty-three years old."
"So you're only twenty-three, but you look so old," Lin Xi said, feigning bluntness. "Yining, come here. I have something to tell you."
With that, Lin Xi pulled He Yining's hand away from Shen Qi's wrist and tugged him inside.
He Yining didn't budge.
Lin Xi immediately added, "Don't you want to know what happened back then and in recent years?"
That did it—He Yining's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. He did want to know! He needed to be sure!
Shen Qi gently closed her eyes, holding back tears, and said softly, "Yining, if there's nothing else, I'll go out for a walk."
He Yining turned his head but only caught a glimpse of her retreating figure.
"Alright, don't wander too far. Come back soon," he instructed.
Shen Qi could only nod hastily before turning and fleeing in disarray.
In that moment, she was utterly defeated.
Stumbling out of the reception room, she leaned against the wall.
Only then did she realize how much her heart could ache.
Zhan Bo's death had brought her despair but no real hurt. But one sentence from He Yining had plunged her into the abyss.
The deepest pain wasn't parting in life or death—it was indifference.
Shen Qi tilted her head back, refusing to let tears spill. The sweetness of these past days now felt like a joke. His affection for her seemed like mockery.
So, he could be gentle with her, but he could also cherish someone he truly loved.
Forget it. Forget it. Shen Qi, pull yourself together.
He doesn't love you. All that kindness, that pampering, that... thoughtfulness—it was built only on the foundation of marriage.
You have no emotional bond with him. His care for you is just to uphold his dignity and the marriage. It has nothing to do with love.
He's a responsible husband, but not a husband who loves you deeply. Shen Qi, wake up.
Just then, her phone rang.
Looking down at the number, it was Feng Manlun.
"Can I buy you a coffee?" Feng Manlun's voice was light on the phone. "To thank you for helping me twice."
Shen Qi's mind was in turmoil.
At that moment, she only wanted to escape this house, escape Jinghua Manor. Anywhere was fine—she just didn't want to stay and watch her husband pour out his heart to another woman.
"Alright," Shen Qi replied calmly. "Send me the address."
Feng Manlun quickly gave her the address.
Without hesitation, Shen Qi went back to her room, changed clothes, and drove away from Jinghua Manor.
At the café, a waiter was waiting at the door to greet her.
She followed him inside and saw Feng Manlun smiling as he approached: "Finally here."
Shen Qi nodded politely, and they both sat down.
"What's this about?" Shen Qi asked, her eyes downcast.
She really wasn't in the mood for anything right now. She just wanted to get out.
"Nothing much. I suddenly felt bored at home alone and wanted someone to chat with. But you know, I've just returned to the country and don't have many friends here. After thinking it over, the only person I'm familiar with is you," Feng Manlun said slowly. "And I wanted to thank you—not just for saving me, but for helping my sister too."
Shen Qi smiled bitterly: "It's nothing. Besides, you paid me back for the medicine, didn't you?"
"Paying back the medicine doesn't cover the debt of gratitude." Feng Manlun looked at her with a faint smile. "You seem upset?"
Shen Qi rested her forehead on one hand: "It's nothing. Maybe I didn't sleep well last night."
Feng Manlun gave her a knowing glance but didn't call out her lie.
"If you're bored too, would you like to hear my story?" he offered, steering the conversation.
Shen Qi's eyes flickered downward, and she nodded slightly.
"I'm the eldest son of the Feng family, the heir. From the moment I can remember, I've been called one of the top two young masters of H Province, alongside someone else—He Yining," Feng Manlun said in a calm tone. "Though He Yining isn't the only third-generation heir in the He family, he's the standout of his generation. Even his older brother, He Yiqi, can't hold a candle to him."
Shen Qi's eyes snapped up to meet his.
What was he getting at, bringing up He Yining again?
The last time was at the party in Jinghua Manor. That day, she'd learned about the other woman in He Yining's heart.
Now, what was he trying to tell her?
Shen Qi wasn't naive. She and Feng Manlun had no real connection. He wouldn't go out of his way to call her out for idle talk.
If he had something to say, it wasn't just to thank her for her help.
"He Yining and I grew up together, but we took different paths. Both families seem powerful to outsiders, but I know well enough—the Feng family is nothing compared to the He family." Feng Manlun gave a rueful smile, his eyes fixed on Shen Qi, not missing the wariness in hers.
"So a few years ago, I decided to go abroad. I wanted to go somewhere completely unfamiliar and test myself against He Yining using only my own strength." A hint of helplessness crossed his handsome face as he spread his hands. "I did achieve some success in the U.S., but it's still nothing next to him. My parents are getting older and started urging me to come back and take over the family business. So I had to rush back. As you can see, I'm still insignificant."
Hearing that he wasn't bringing up anything else, Shen Qi's guard eased slightly.
"About that day at Nanshan, I'm really sorry for what happened," Feng Manlun suddenly shifted the topic to Feng Kexin. "Because I grew up with He Yining, Kexin naturally got close to him too. She fell for him when she was very young. For years, everyone knew her feelings. I'm sure you're aware of that, right?"
Shen Qi smiled bitterly.
Aware? She was more than aware. She knew it all too well.
"Then you and He Yining suddenly got married, and it hit her hard. That's why she acted so recklessly. But don't worry—I've sent Kexin to the U.S. Without the family's permission, she won't be coming back." Feng Manlun continued, "The cooperation between the Feng and He families benefits both sides. On behalf of the Feng family, I assure you we won't actively undermine it. Please tell He Yining that Kexin will never be an obstacle between you again."
Shen Qi's bitter smile deepened.
Feng Kexin wasn't an obstacle—but now a real one had appeared. Feng Kexin meant nothing to He Yining, so of course he didn't care. But Lin Xi was his white moonlight, the one he'd longed for over a decade. They couldn't be compared.
"Honestly, Kexin was just spoiled. As the eldest daughter of the Feng family and H Province's top socialite, she was always fawned over, which gradually made her arrogant. I never expected her to change so much in the years I was away—it caught me off guard." Feng Manlun said solemnly, "I apologize to you today, sincerely."
Shen Qi was taken aback, then replied, "It's nothing."
"No, an apology is necessary when it's due." Feng Manlun looked at her earnestly. "Just like I thank you for saving me—it's a matter of principle."
She had to admit, those words struck a chord with Shen Qi. She was the same way—whether thanking or apologizing, she did it when it was warranted.
Her expression quickly softened, and she gave a gentle smile: "Alright, I accept your apology."