“F*ck! Who the hell is that?!”
Lin Qingyang was kicked hard in the stomach, grimacing in pain as he cursed and rolled up his sleeves, ready to throw down.
But when he saw who was standing before him, he froze instantly, his eyes going wide.
“Mr.—Mr. Shen! What are you doing here?!”
Cold sweat broke out all over Lin Qingyang’s body in an instant. All his earlier bravado vanished, and he stammered with a flushed face.
It was actually Shen Shiyan.
Given his social standing, he’d never had the privilege of meeting the man, but how could he not recognize him—Shen Shiyan’s face was plastered all over every financial newspaper and magazine in the capital.
A figure at the very pinnacle of the capital’s elite—Chen Limin couldn’t even hold a candle to a single strand of this man’s hair.
But right now, his hand was firmly wrapped around Qin Nuan’s waist, and he’d said that Qin Nuan was his wife.
Lin Qingyang was too shocked to speak, but then he heard the man’s cold, sharp voice repeat the question: “I asked you—where exactly were you planning to take my wife?”
Lin Qingyang was scared out of his wits, his face twitching. He scrambled to his feet, bowing and scraping with an ingratiating smile: “I’m sorry, Mr. Shen. This—this is just a misunderstanding. I—I was just joking with Xiao Nuan. Just joking.”
“Joking?” Shen Shiyan’s tone was flat as he glanced down at the woman in his arms.
But Qin Nuan showed no mercy, glaring hard at Lin Qingyang. “It wasn’t a joke. He was just trying to force me to leave with him.”
“Xiao Nuan!” Lin Qingyang’s face went pale, and he reached out to grab her arm, begging for mercy.
But Shen Shiyan didn’t give him the chance. He turned his head and said to Li Yue behind him, “Li Yue, handle this.”
“Yes, sir.”
Li Yue stepped forward, his voice utterly flat: “Lin Qingyang, ordinary employee of Hengchuan Trading Company. As of tomorrow, you no longer need to go to work. No company in the capital will hire you either.”
At those words, all the blood drained from Lin Qingyang’s face, his lips trembling: “Mr.—Mr. Shen! Please! I was wrong! Give me a way out!”
But Shen Shiyan was already guiding Qin Nuan toward the car.
It was a Maybach—understated and restrained, but worth at least ten million.
The driver hurried out to open the door.
Qin Nuan got in first, and the most powerful man in the capital shielded the top of the doorframe with his hand, carefully protecting her head before bending down to take his seat.
It wasn’t until the car drove away that Lin Qingyang’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, consumed by regret.
Qin Nuan really had gotten married—and to a man he didn’t even have the right to look up to.
.
The car’s heater was on, but Qin Nuan’s palms were still ice-cold—until they were enveloped by a pair of warm, large hands.
She snapped back to reality and looked up to find Shen Shiyan gazing at her, his long, elegant fingers covering her hand. His voice was softer than usual: “It’s over now.”
Just three words, but they made her cheeks flush with heat.
Qin Nuan’s lashes trembled, and her heartbeat grew erratic. After a moment of silence, she felt she should explain: “That man just now was my ex-boyfriend. I’ve already cut things off with him. I didn’t know he would suddenly come looking for me today.”
But Shen Shiyan spoke calmly: “Qin Nuan, before I married you, I looked into your background.”
The implication was clear—he already knew everything about her, and there was no need to explain.
Qin Nuan was momentarily taken aback, then furrowed her brows slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable inside. But she quickly let it go.
After all, who was Shen Shiyan? Before deciding to marry her, of course he would have made sure to know exactly what kind of person she was.
“No matter what, Mr. Shen, thank you very much for today.”
She knew very well that even though he had investigated her, he still stepped in to protect her, a wife in name only, today.
Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
But Shen Shiyan suddenly let out a low chuckle.
Qin Nuan looked up in surprise, a bit stunned.
He laughed? This was the first time she had seen him genuinely smile, but what was there to laugh about?
She saw Shen Shiyan looking at her, withdrawing his hand that had been resting on hers, and speaking seriously: “Qin Nuan, you are my wife. Protecting you is only natural.”
With that, he adjusted his sitting position and added, “Also, after work hours, you don’t need to call me Mr. Shen anymore.”
His demeanor was inexplicably charming, and Qin Nuan’s face flushed again. Her heart felt like it was on a roller coaster, rising and falling. She was stunned for a moment, then asked blankly, “If not Mr. Shen, then what should I call you?”
Shen Shiyan glanced at her, his gaze landing on her reddening earlobes. Without answering, he asked meaningfully, “What do you think?”
Qin Nuan: …
A few seconds later, she hastily averted her gaze, biting her lip without saying a word, her earlobes so red they seemed about to bleed.
Shen Shiyan took a deep look at her, then casually turned the watch on his wrist.
.
Shen Shiyan didn’t ask for Qin Nuan’s address, yet the car stopped precisely in front of the building of the apartment she rented.
Qin Nuan suddenly remembered that on the night she ran out of his room, when she came out to buy medicine, she seemed to have vaguely seen this Maybach.
At the time, she thought she had seen wrong. But now that she thought about it, how could she have been mistaken? He had clearly already tracked her down.
This man’s efficiency and execution were terrifyingly impressive.
“Have you packed everything?” Shen Shiyan asked.
Qin Nuan snapped back to reality and nodded. “Yes, all packed. Just two suitcases.”
“Alright, I’ll go up and help you carry them.”
She quickly refused. “No need, they’re not heavy. I can manage on my own.”
Shen Shiyan didn’t respond, getting out of the car and taking the elevator up with her.
Qin Nuan followed behind him, feeling a bit uneasy.
Her rented apartment was less than thirty square meters, very small, and she was afraid it would be beneath his distinguished status.
But he looked perfectly at ease. After entering, his gaze swept the room calmly without a hint of disdain. He even pulled over the two suitcases in the middle of the living room and asked, “That’s all? Anything else?”
“There’s one more bag. I’ll go get it.”
When she came out with the bag, she saw Shen Shiyan standing in the middle of the living room, holding something in his hand, his fingertips gently rubbing it.
His posture looked noble and leisurely, but when she saw what he was holding, Qin Nuan nearly jumped out of her skin.
Mortified, she rushed over with a red face, snatched the item back from his hand, and stammered, “I-I’ve packed everything. Let’s go.”
What he was holding was the ointment she had used that night…
After applying it that evening, she had casually left it on the coffee table. Since she rarely had visitors, she had forgotten about it when packing yesterday.
Having the item snatched away, Shen Shiyan didn’t get angry. Instead, he gave her a deep, meaningful look and said, “You got hurt that night?”
Qin Nuan didn’t reply, hurriedly walking out.
He curled his lips slightly, pulled the suitcase along with one hand, and said nothing more.
The car started moving again.
The bustling city outside the window gradually faded into quiet.
Qin Nuan had assumed someone like him would live in a luxury villa, but to her surprise, the car drove into a highly private upscale apartment complex—Cloud Realm No. 1.
The neighborhood consisted entirely of standalone duplex apartments, each one exuding luxury and refinement from the outside.
Shen Shiyan’s home was on the top floor.
The moment she stepped inside, a floor-to-ceiling window wall revealed the full night view of the capital city. The interior design was dominated by black, white, and gray—minimalist yet concealing an understated opulence.
Qin Nuan stood frozen, holding her suitcase.
This was where she would be living from now on?
A place like this—she had never even imagined it before.
“Your room is on the second floor. I’ve prepared everything for you. If you need anything, just tell me.”
Qin Nuan nodded and followed him upstairs.
The bedroom was equally luxurious—a bed over two meters wide, a private balcony, a bathroom, and even a walk-in closet… all of it proclaiming the man’s status and wealth.
Yet woven into all of this was a touch of feminine softness.
On the dark gray bedding lay a set of pink pajamas.
Pink slippers sat by the bathroom door.
Even a full set of skincare products had been placed on the vanity.
Warmth spread through Qin Nuan’s heart. She looked at him and said sincerely, “Thank you.”
She paused, then added, “Shen Shiyan.”
She had thought this contract marriage would be nothing more than a superficial arrangement, but he had considered everything so thoughtfully, treating her with respect and consideration.
Her name slipped from the girl’s lips for the first time—soft, sweet, and gentle.
Shen Shiyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze darkening slightly, but he only said calmly, “You can take a shower first, then come down for dinner.”
With that, he closed the door and left.
Qin Nuan showered and had dinner with him.
But as the night deepened, she began to grow nervous again, clutching the mermaid pillow tightly to her chest, occasionally glancing at the man still working on the sofa.
It was almost 11 o’clock—time to sleep.
But she hadn’t forgotten clause four of the agreement…
Would she have to fulfill it tonight?
Would Shen Shiyan sleep in the same room as her? Wasn’t this too fast?
Snap.
The sound of the laptop closing made Qin Nuan’s heart leap to her throat.
She watched as Shen Shiyan took off his glasses and stood up, his tall, imposing figure walking toward her step by step.
Qin Nuan’s body trembled slightly.
She shrank further into the corner of the sofa.
Her cheeks burned, her heart pounded wildly.
She was completely at a loss.
Shen Shiyan stopped in front of her.
The girl was wearing the pajamas he had prepared, still clutching a brightly colored mermaid pillow.
In his home, it clashed with the entire color scheme of the room—like a little creature that had wandered in by mistake.
Her lashes fluttered like tiny brushes.
Her body was tense, making her look even more like a startled rabbit.
Shen Shiyan narrowed his eyes, one hand in his pocket, and leaned down slightly.
The moment Qin Nuan looked up, she fell into a pair of cold, deep eyes.
The next second, the tip of her ear was gently touched by his fingers.
The man’s low, husky voice sounded close to her ear:
“You’re nervous?”