Chapter 57 Interrogation

Lu Qiqi glanced at Si Qinyu and said, "I have something to attend to, so I'll be leaving first."
Before her voice had even faded, she had already turned around.
Si Qinyu's gaze followed her back closely until that slender figure gradually faded away, only then slowly withdrawing his eyes as an inexplicable ripple stirred deep within his heart.
Shen Manli walked out slowly from within. Dappled sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patterns across her shoulders and adding a touch of soft radiance to her appearance.
She noticed Si Qinyu standing quietly there, his gaze profound and distant.
Shen Manli spoke, her voice soft as the wind: "Qinyu."
Hearing her voice, Si Qinyu turned his head.
A few clouds of discontent flashed across Si Qinyu's eyes. His lips were tightly pressed together, and his tone carried an unquestionable interrogation: "Was it you who told Raran about our affairs?"
The sunlight cast a faint shadow over his sharp, well-defined facial features, making his expression appear even more dark and complex.
Hearing this, Shen Manli's steps involuntarily halted. A flash of astonishment and panic crossed her eyes. Twisting her fingers gently together, she denied it in a low voice: "Qinyu, you've misunderstood. I..."
A gentle breeze swept past, stirring the strands of her hair to sway softly, yet it seemed unable to dissipate the subtle, abruptly frozen atmosphere between the two of them.
Shen Manli hurried forward a few steps, eager to get closer to Si Qinyu, her eyes filled with sincerity and innocence: "It wasn't me, I didn't say anything. Qinyu, you should know me. How could I ever do such a thing?"
Her voice carried a trace of a tremble, and her hands lifted unconsciously, resting lightly upon Si Qinyu's arms.
Si Qinyu's brows furrowed slightly, his gaze deep as if he were trying hard to discern the truth from falsehood in her words. The surrounding air seemed to have frozen solid, leaving behind only the sound of their slight breathing and the rustling of leaves in the distance.
Unsatisfied, Si Qinyu demanded, "You didn't mention this matter?"
His gaze turned as sharp as a blade, seeming capable of piercing straight through to the secrets hidden at the bottom of a person's heart.

Shen Manli felt the crushing weight of that invisible pressure, and her complexion instantly turned pale. She shook her head vigorously, tears welling up in her eye sockets, and her voice choked with sobs: "Qinyu, truly I didn't, I swear it! How could I possibly go and tell Raran about the things between us? You... you have to believe me!"
As she spoke, she raised her right hand with three fingers held together, making a gesture of taking an oath. Her eyes were filled with entreaty and despair, tears swirling in her eyes yet stubbornly refusing to fall. Under the sunlight, her figure appeared exceptionally frail and helpless.
Si Qinyu's expression abruptly darkened, his gaze as piercingly cold as ice. With a sudden swing of his arm, he shook off Shen Manli's touch.
Shen Manli staggered, nearly falling to the ground. Regaining her balance, she looked up toward Si Qinyu, her eyes brimming with disbelief. Si Qinyu stepped closer to her step by step, his voice low and frigid: "What do you expect me to do? Believe you? Or believe my own eyes and ears? Shen Manli, you truly disgust me!"
His words were like sharp blades, piercing relentlessly into the depths of Shen Manli's heart.
Shen Manli's face turned ghastly pale, her lips trembling slightly as she retreated helplessly until her back pressed against the cold wall, leaving her nowhere left to run.
Every single word from Si Qinyu felt like a heavy mallet, striking fiercely against her heart and leaving her practically suffocating.
With her body pressed against the chilling wall, Shen Manli felt as though even her heart had frozen over.
As she trembled, a profound realization gradually gathered within her gaze.
Every word and every action of Si Qinyu replayed in her mind like frames of film reel. Those past moments of tenderness and vows of love now appeared so ironic and ridiculous at this very moment.
She suddenly realized that in his heart, she was merely a plaything that could be discarded at any time, a tool to satisfy physiological desires, and that not a shred of genuine love existed there at all.
Her tears finally broke through the embankment, sliding down her pale cheeks. She closed her eyes, a bitter smile curling at the corners of her lips—a mockery of her own blind love, and a despair born of Si Qinyu's ruthless betrayal.
Shen Manli knew that trying to refute Si Qinyu's words at this point was completely useless. Her throat felt as though it were blocked by something, leaving her able only to gaze at him helplessly.
Lowering her head, she clenched her hands into tight fists, her fingernails digging deep into her palms. The pain helped clear her mind just a little.
Her voice carried a trace of a choke: "Qinyu, I know that no matter what I say, you won't believe me. But I truly love you far too much—love you to the extent that I'm willing to do anything for you, even if it means sacrificing myself."
At this point, she raised her head once more, her eyes filled with despair and sorrow, as though she wanted to pour every last ounce of her emotions into this single moment.
Seeing her in this state, a certain part of Si Qinyu's heart inexplicably softened for a split second, only for it to be immediately overtaken once again by anger and suspicion.

He uttered no words, but instead abruptly pulled Shen Manli toward him, pinning her firmly against the wall. His hands gripped her shoulders tightly, with a force so immense it felt as though he intended to crush her into pieces.
Wincing in pain, Shen Manli furrowed her brows tightly, yet she dared not make the slightest sound, only gazing at him helplessly with those tear-filled eyes.
Complex emotions flickered through Si Qinyu's gaze. Lowering his head, his thin lips crashed heavily onto hers in a punishing kiss, turning and pressing relentlessly as if he intended to swallow all her justifications and defenses within the depths of this profound kiss.
Shen Manli was kissed to the point of near suffocation; her tears mixed together with saliva, sliding down into her mouth and tasting utterly bitter.
Just as the emotional entanglements between Si Qinyu and Shen Manli reached a boiling point, on the other side of the hotel lobby, Lu Qiqi unexpectedly crossed paths with Chu Linchen.
Chu Linchen was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, holding a minimalist yet tasteful briefcase in his hand. He was standing in the center of the lobby, conversing with a woman in professional attire—who appeared to be the hotel's public relations manager, smiling as she introduced something to him.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto him, casting a golden radiance over his figure and adding an even greater touch of refined elegance to his demeanor.
Lu Qiqi's pace slowed down involuntarily, a flicker of surprise and curiosity flashing through her gaze. She had not expected to encounter Chu Linchen here, nor had she anticipated that he would be discussing business with such earnest dedication, every gesture exuding maturity and steady composure.
Noticing Lu Qiqi's presence, Chu Linchen smiled and nodded in greeting. Afterward, he concluded his conversation with the PR manager and walked slowly toward her.
His gaze carried a warm radiance as he spoke softly: "Qiqi, I happened to come here to discuss a business venture regarding the harbor development, and I'd like to invite you to participate together, bringing some fresh vitality into this project."
Lu Qiqi was slightly stunned for a moment, then broke into a radiant smile. Excitement shimmered in her eyes, and she did not refuse.
Led by the public relations manager, the group walked through the elegantly decorated lobby and stepped into a luxuriously appointed private dining room.
Inside the room, the lighting was soft, and outside the window lay the bustling night view of the city, adding a touch of romance and mystery to this sudden business meeting.