Shen Qi was about to lock herself in the restroom, but Cui Yuelan followed closely behind and shoved her aside. Shen Qi merely glanced at Cui Yuelan and turned to lock herself in a private stall. Cui Yuelan had come to crush Shen Qi—why would she let her hide? She reached out and blocked Shen Qi’s path, her eyes brimming with provocation. “Don’t you want to know what we were just doing?”
Those words tore apart the last shred of Shen Qi’s fragile composure. Shen Qi spun around, turning her back to Cui Yuelan, feeling her fingers tremble. She didn’t believe it! She refused to believe He Yining would do such a thing!
“Actually, you already have an idea, don’t you? That’s right, He Yining and I were just together—in my room.” Cui Yuelan leaned close to Shen Qi’s ear, her smile both smug and lewd. “We’re all adults here. You know what happens between a man and a woman in a hotel room.”
“No, impossible!” Shen Qi clung to denial, though her panicked expression betrayed her turmoil.
“Since you’re so stubborn, let me show you something good.” Cui Yuelan pulled up a photo on her phone and held it out. “This is my hotel room. You can’t mistake who the man is, can you?”
Shen Qi told herself not to look, but her gaze drifted toward the screen against her will. The close-up photo sent a pang of anguish through her heart. In it, two people embraced intimately, their skin nearly touching. He Yining had a thing about cleanliness with strangers—he’d never been this close to another woman besides her. And now…
Shen Qi closed her eyes gently, her heart contracting in pain, breaking into a cold sweat. He Yining, why? If you’ve already chosen Cui Yuelan, why hold onto me? You didn’t have to do this. Just tell me outright, and I’ll let go, I’ll step aside. Why? Why!
Seeing Shen Qi’s face turn deathly pale, Cui Yuelan was thrilled. “If you still don’t believe me, go ask He Yining if he was just in my room. And while you’re at it, ask if the bite mark on his neck is from me.”
Shen Qi stumbled, bracing herself on the sink. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her face streaked with tears. Was she crying? She was actually crying. So, she had been hurt after all.
“I know you’re not willing to accept it. But let me be honest: I’m the daughter-in-law the He family has chosen. If it weren’t for you, I’d have married He Yining long ago. Why else would his parents have adopted me?” Cui Yuelan twisted the knife deeper. “He married you just to help out his brother. You might not know, but even though his brother is adopted, they’re incredibly close. In the He family, He Yiqi holds a place in He Yining’s heart equal to blood kin. He married you to repay that bond—you don’t really think he fell in love with you, do you? Ha! Shen Qi, wake up! It’s just his sense of family duty, not love. The He family has strict rules; once you’re married, you follow them. He’s only fulfilling his role as a husband.”
“The ridiculous part is, you actually believed he loved you? How laughable! Even if you’ve never heard of me, you must know He Yining has been searching for a girl all along. You can’t compare to her, let alone me. In the He family, I have the approval of his parents—they see me as their future daughter-in-law! By now, you should realize He Yining is a devoted son. He’s worked hard to bring his parents home. Do you really think you matter more to him than they do?”
The blow struck Shen Qi’s heart. Yes, what was she? What right did she have to stand beside them? He Yining would give her up without a second thought. She only brought him trouble, while Cui Yuelan could help his parents return. Shen Qi, stop fooling yourself. He doesn’t love you—he’s never said he loves you!
Seeing Shen Qi’s growing anguish, Cui Yuelan pressed on. “Even if the old lady hasn’t spoken yet, she’ll come around eventually. You’ve seen it—she’s already softening, wanting his parents back. When that happens, everyone in the He family will be on my side. Shen Qi, what do you have to fight me with?”
“He Yining has always cared for me, spoiled me since we were kids. Whatever I wanted, no matter how hard, he’d get it for me. Dare you say there’s nothing between us? I still remember when I was little, I wanted a limited-edition doll that was only available to royalty. He Yining competed in fencing with a prince to win it as a prize. When I got that doll, I found out he was injured! Tell me, Shen Qi, would He Yining ever go that far for you?” Cui Yuelan’s smugness was unmistakable. “If I were you, I’d take the check and get lost. Don’t be so greedy, understand?”
She poked Shen Qi’s shoulder. “If I were you, I’d disappear right now and stop making a fool of myself. Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough tonight? Dressing up so formally—did you think He Yining was taking you out for a private dinner? Ha! How laughable! With me here, you’ll never have a place in his heart.”
Shen Qi slumped against the wall, the cold at her back snapping her back to a sliver of reason. Cui Yuelan’s words cut like knives, slicing through her heart and the last remnants of her pride and pretense. Then came the final blow.
“You probably don’t know why He Yining didn’t help you in that competition, do you?” Cui Yuelan laughed triumphantly. “Because his parents warned him: if he helped you, they’d disown him. Shen Qi, in He Yining’s heart, you’re nothing!”
Shen Qi’s heart shattered in two, bleeding and broken. All her pride and resolve crumbled in that moment. Her fingers dug into her palms, her fists clenched so tight she felt no pain. So this was what it meant to be slapped down.
“He Yining is right outside. Go ask him yourself.” Cui Yuelan gloated. “If he denies it, I’ll admit defeat. But if he admits it, Shen Qi, you have to promise to leave him for good.”
Shen Qi slowly opened her eyes, her voice low but firm. “Don’t worry. If he doesn’t deny it, I’ll walk away.”
Finally getting Shen Qi’s answer, Cui Yuelan was ecstatic. “Then I’ll wait for your good news.” She left cheerfully.
Alone in the restroom, Shen Qi felt all her strength drain away as soon as Cui Yuelan was gone. She could barely stand. Shen Qi, are you this foolish? Was it worth it? Didn’t you always tell yourself not to get hurt over feelings you shouldn’t have? Why are you crying? Why does it hurt? Why are you so crushed?
You should have known all along, shouldn’t you? You’re not good enough for him. He’s perfect, untouchable. He’s a king, the president of the He Group, the heir to the He family—a man without a heart! His kindness to you is just the He family’s rules and traditions. He’s only fulfilling his duty as a husband. It has nothing to do with love.
He’s admitted he likes you, but he’s never said he loves you! That’s the difference between like and love! He can amuse you when he’s happy and discard you when he’s not. Yes, Cui Yuelan is right. What are you? How can you compare to his parents? He’s truly wonderful, flawless. But what you want isn’t just kindness—you want harmony, deep affection. You fell for him when you shouldn’t have, and you got attached to a man you shouldn’t love. It’s all your fault. No one else to blame.
Shen Qi, enough. Cui Yuelan has slapped you down enough today. Go ask He Yining those last few questions, get your closure, and then walk away. You don’t deserve to live so humbly, so self-deceivingly.
Shen Qi rushed to the sink, scrubbed off her makeup without hesitation, and washed her face clean. Staring at her pale but determined reflection, she steeled herself again. She had to know the truth!
While Shen Qi was psyching herself up in the restroom, He Yining noticed she’d been gone too long. When Cui Yuelan returned, her eyes darted away, as if something had happened in there. Worried about Shen Qi, he rushed over. Just as Shen Qi was about to leave, they met at the restroom door.
He Yining saw her swollen, tear-streaked eyes and his heart sank. Xiao Qi, have you misunderstood something?
Shen Qi looked at him—at his familiar face, his calm expression. A bitter laugh rose in her heart. See? This is the man she likes. He can do something like that with Cui Yuelan and still act unfazed. There’s only one explanation: he doesn’t love me. Shen Qi, you really need to let go.
Her tears welled up again.