Initial Summer (Chu Xia) furrowed her brows, the smile that had always lingered on her face fading away.
“What did you say?”
“Do you think you would have been able to find a nursing home that accepts criminals with past records on your own?”
“My father is not a criminal!”
Her sudden shout startled Qiao Nian and Lou Fan. None of them had ever seen Chu Xia lose her composure like this before.
At this moment, she looked like a small animal baring its teeth, glaring at Sheng Jing Shi with stubborn defiance in her eyes.
Sheng Jing Shi only sneered instead of getting angry. He didn’t argue with her. He simply ordered in a cold voice:
“Come here. Don’t make me say it a third time.”
Their standoff frightened away all the customers in the shop. Lou Fan didn’t know what leverage Sheng Jing Shi had over Chu Xia, but he despised this kind of method.
“Sheng Jing Shi, using her family to threaten her—what kind of man does that make you?”
Sheng Jing Shi ignored him completely, his eyes fixed on Chu Xia. After two minutes of silence from her, she finally moved.
“Chu Xia?”
Lou Fan was shocked when he saw her walking toward Sheng Jing Shi. He grabbed her slender wrist.
“Don’t be afraid of him. I can help you.”
Qiao Nian also said worriedly, “Should we call the police?”
Chu Xia kept her head lowered. She gently shook her head, then brushed Lou Fan’s hand away and walked up to Sheng Jing Shi.
Sheng Jing Shi’s expression darkened as she came closer. Her long hair slipped down from her shoulder, making her look even more fragile.
A faint smile appeared on his lips, but his eyes were filled with hatred.
He suddenly pulled her into his arms and restrained her tightly. Gripping her chin, he forced her to look up toward Lou Fan.
But Chu Xia kept her gaze lowered, her long eyelashes trembling like soft brushes brushing across everyone’s nerves.
Sheng Jing Shi spoke casually to Lou Fan:
“Sorry to disappoint you. We’re not the kind of relationship that can be broken easily. Don’t think that spending a few months with her makes you important to her. This woman has no heart.”
With that, he took Chu Xia away.
Lou Fan rushed forward to stop him, but was blocked by two bodyguards. He could only watch helplessly as Chu Xia was forced into the car.
Qiao Nian also ran after her, calling her name again and again.
In the chaos, Lin Muting had no choice but to calm them down.
Inside the car, Chu Xia stared out the window in silence.
Sheng Jing Shi sat beside her, surrounded by a cold, oppressive aura, saying nothing the entire time.
She noticed the route wasn’t toward her home.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He didn’t answer.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously around her skirt.
“Sheng Jing Shi… how is my father?”
A cold laugh escaped him.
“You should worry about yourself first.”
The car stopped at Longwan Villa.
Chu Xia froze. She hadn’t expected him to actually buy the place back.
Before she could react, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her inside.
He pushed her against the wall and kissed her forcefully, not allowing any resistance. Then he carried her to the dining table, kissing her lips, ears, and neck like a storm.
Chu Xia remained expressionless, like a delicate doll—no crying, no resistance, no response.
She knew resisting would only make things worse.
But when his hand slipped under her skirt, she finally stopped him.
“Don’t,” she said softly, her voice trembling slightly.
Sheng Jing Shi’s eyes were red with exhaustion and rage.
“You think you still have the right to say no?”
His hand moved to the back of her head, fingers threading through her hair. His voice was soft, but dangerous.
“Did you ever think about this when you deceived me? Or did you think I really wouldn’t do anything to you?”
Chu Xia looked at him calmly.
“I never agreed to get back together with you. I never gave you any promises. You forced your way into my life, and now you’re accusing me of deceiving you.”
She continued, almost indifferently.
“I wasn’t wrong.”
Her principle in life was simple: reflect less, blame others more, and never emotionally exhaust herself.
If Sheng Jing Shi wanted her love, he should change—not force her with his old methods.
She looked at him directly.
“Is this how you love someone? By threatening them, controlling them, and hurting them?”
Sheng Jing Shi laughed bitterly, but there was no joy in it.
“You’re talking to me about love?”
He grabbed her throat, his grip tightening.
“Do you even deserve to talk about love with me?”
“I’ve forgiven you so many times!”
“Lou Fan, then Lin Xu—are you short on men or money? What haven’t I given you?”
It turned out he had been investigating her all along after their breakup.
Chu Xia struggled for air, pushing at his arms desperately. But in his grip, she was like a frightened bird—flapping uselessly.
Her strength faded. Her head drooped weakly.
Sheng Jing Shi suddenly snapped back to clarity and released her in panic.
Her body slumped sideways.
“Xiaxia!”
He quickly caught her, pulling her into his arms.
Chu Xia coughed weakly, gasping for air, eyes hazy with tears.
Seeing his panicked expression, she almost laughed—but didn’t show it.
Instead, she gently cupped his face.
The moment she touched him, his furrowed brows slowly relaxed, his anger shifting into something hollow and dazed.
“Do you know why I left you?” she asked softly.
Her voice was hoarse, every word tightening his nerves.
“Because you realized you couldn’t marry me.”
Sheng Jing Shi immediately understood her meaning—but she denied it calmly.
“No. It’s because I realized I can’t teach you how to love.”
He frowned deeply.
“I don’t love you enough? I’ve given you everything except marriage. I was even willing to give you my heart.”
Chu Xia thought: What use is your heart to me?
Men were sometimes ridiculous—thinking emotions alone were priceless.
But what she wanted was real, tangible security.
Tears began to fall from her eyes, one after another, delicate and heartbreaking.
“If your love for me means threatening my father… erasing me from your world in front of your friends and family… cutting me off from all relationships until I belong only to you…”
“Is that what you call love?”