Chapter 27: Intimidated

Si Qinyu, seething with suppressed rage, slammed his fist against the wall, yet the fury within him remained unquenched. With bloodshot eyes, he tugged at his collar and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Before long, the door to Shen Manli’s apartment was kicked open. The massive commotion startled her, and as she rose from bed to investigate, a figure lunged at her, pinning her to the mattress.

"Ah! Help! Get away!"

Shen Manli hadn't even seen who it was before she was being pressed down and kissed. The roughness of the stranger’s actions made her think a criminal had broken in, and filled with shock and fear, she struggled violently.

"You're telling me to get away, too?" Si Qinyu, his eyes rimmed with red, gripped her throat slightly. He looked like a maddened beast. Having been rejected by Lu Qiqi earlier that day and now feeling spurned by Shen Manli as well, his anger had reached a breaking point.

Fortunately, Shen Manli realized it was Si Qinyu. She immediately shifted her demeanor, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back, apologizing, "I’m so sorry, Young Master Si. I thought you were an intruder, you scared me to death!"

Pacified by her words, Si Qinyu’s mood improved slightly, though he still tore her clothes open with uncharacteristic roughness, venting his frustrations upon her without the tenderness he usually showed.

Shen Manli had initially been delighted that Si Qinyu came to see her in the middle of the night, but she hadn’t expected him to be like a different person. He showed no care for her, focused solely on his own release.

At first, she tried to endure it, but as his movements became increasingly aggressive, she couldn't help but cry out, sobbing as she pleaded, "Young Master Si, it hurts, please, be a little gentler..."

Perhaps having finally vented his internal fire, or perhaps moved by her tears, Si Qinyu regained a semblance of clarity. He stopped and kissed the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"I’m sorry. I was too rough just now."

Seeing that he had calmed down, Shen Manli didn't want to dampen the mood. She put on a coy, high-pitched voice and said, "It’s okay. You were just so intense. Slow down a little, I really can't take much more~"

The two fell back into their intimacy, and this time, Si Qinyu was far less unrestrained.

After they finished and took a hurried shower, Shen Manli curled up naked in Si Qinyu’s arms, looking slightly aggrieved. "Young Master Si, were you drunk today? I’m still in pain."

Si Qinyu’s hand stroked her smooth back in a casual, rhythmic motion, as if he were petting a cat.

Hearing her question, his relaxed expression turned grave. A dark cloud hung over his face as he spoke in a chilling tone, "I suspect that woman, Lu Qiqi, is onto us."

"Impossible!" Shen Manli was startled. She sat up abruptly, clutching the quilt to her chest, and questioned, "Does she even have the brains for that?"

"Her attitude toward me lately hasn't been right. I can't think of any other explanation. Manli, you need to be careful, too."

With that, Si Qinyu lost the desire to stay the night. He got up, dressed, and left, intending to head to the company. If Lu Qiqi had truly discovered his relationship with Shen Manli, he would need to rethink his plans.

Left behind, Shen Manli couldn't afford to be upset. She was filled with panic by Si Qinyu’s words. She had never taken Lu Qiqi seriously before, always believing that this foolish woman would only learn the truth when she was finally cast aside.

"No, I have to test her," she thought, determined to find a way to bait Lu Qiqi into revealing something, or else she would never have peace of mind.

Having kicked Si Qinyu out in the middle of the night and avoiding the need to deal with that scumbag at home, Lu Qiqi felt much better and enjoyed a wonderful sleep.

However, the next day, there were still some blind fools eager to invite trouble.

"Qiqi, why are you up so late? Where is Qinyu?" Fang Lehong asked, looking displeased as she saw Lu Qiqi rising. "Is this how you act as a wife? You don't even know how to take care of your husband!"

"Si Qinyu is a grown man. Why would he need me to take care of him? What, is he still nursing? Why didn’t you mention you were marrying me in to be a maid?" Lu Qiqi already had a bit of morning grumpiness; seeing Fang Lehong deliberately looking for a fight, she decided she wouldn't indulge her anymore and snapped back directly.

Fang Lehong hadn't expected Lu Qiqi to talk back. She slammed the table, pointed a finger at her, and prepared to erupt. "Lu Qiqi! How dare you speak to me like that! Is this the upbringing you got from the Lu family? Do you have any respect for your elders left?"

Lu Qiqi was sipping her milk slowly. Hearing Fang Lehong’s outburst and looking at her twisted face, she found it utterly ridiculous. Upbringing? Did Fang Lehong really have the nerve to talk to her about upbringing?

With half the milk left, Lu Qiqi simply threw the glass onto the floor. It shattered with a loud crash, sending shards flying and splashing white milk everywhere.

The sudden noise startled Fang Lehong. She froze, unable to speak for a long moment. Just then, Lu Qiqi stood up and walked toward her, step by step.

Intimidated by Lu Qiqi’s aura, Fang Lehong retreated until her back hit the wall. A chill crept up her spine, and her voice trembled.

"What, what do you want to do?"

But Lu Qiqi, who had been wearing a stern face, suddenly broke into a brilliant smile. She leaned down and reached out to smooth Fang Lehong’s ruffled hair.

Fang Lehong didn't dare move, terrified that Lu Qiqi might have a mental breakdown and pull out a knife the next second.

"Mom, my hand slipped just now. I scared you, didn't I? I’m so sorry. But I have things to do, so I can't stay to clean this up. You’ll have to trouble yourself to handle it."

With that, Lu Qiqi turned to leave. Halfway out, she turned back and added, "Oh, by the way, Mom, you’re absolutely right. I will definitely put more effort into 'taking care' of you and Si Qinyu from now on."

She emphasized the word "taking care," making it sound strange. But Fang Lehong was too rattled to dwell on it and simply took the opportunity to back down.

"You... as long as you understand..." she stammered, her voice shaking.

Having vented her frustration, Lu Qiqi drove out. As the cool wind hit her face through the open window, her mood finally began to settle.

"Hello, I’m here to see your General Manager."

Downstairs at Chu Linchen’s office, Lu Qiqi asked the receptionist to contact Assistant Zhao, claiming she had an appointment. However, after checking the records, the receptionist refused.

"Hello, Miss. We truly don't have your name registered. Could you please double-check?"

"That is your problem, not mine. I must see Chu Linchen today, and I’m not leaving until I do!" Lu Qiqi held her ground. She could clearly see that the receptionist hadn't even looked properly. "Or would you prefer I call Chu Linchen directly? When it causes a scene, it won't look good for anyone."