After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Mr. Wang, Ming Yan tactfully mentioned that she needed to catch a flight and prepared to take her leave.
“This project collaboration has been very pleasant. I hope we have the opportunity to work together again in the future,” Ming Yan said with a smile, extending her hand.
Mr. Wang quickly shook her hand, nodding repeatedly. “Of course, of course. Miss Ming’s professionalism is truly admirable. I look forward to our next collaboration.”
“Alright, alright, I won’t keep you any longer. Have a pleasant journey, and let’s stay in touch!” Mr. Wang said warmly.
“Yes, let’s stay in touch,” Ming Yan replied with a smile, nodding as she pulled her suitcase and turned toward the hotel entrance.
Sunlight streamed through the hotel’s glass curtain wall, casting mottled patterns on the marble floor.
At that moment, Qin Wan, who had just successfully sent her message, stared anxiously at Ming Yan’s retreating figure.
What if Huo Hanshan arrived and couldn’t find her? Wouldn’t he blame her for spreading rumors?
No!
She had to stop Ming Yan!
Seeing Ming Yan about to walk through the revolving door, Qin Wan could no longer hold back. She rushed forward in her high heels, blocking Ming Yan’s path.
Tilting her chin up, her face filled with undisguised disdain and provocation, she sneered, “Oh, who do we have here? Isn’t this Ming Yan? What, just got dumped by Hanshan and already rushing to a hotel to hook up with another man? You sure work fast! How much did that old man just pay you?”
Ming Yan’s steps halted. Seeing Qin Wan suddenly appear, she was momentarily taken aback before her eyes turned completely cold.
In the past, out of consideration for Huo Hanshan, she might have maintained a polite facade, but now, she found this woman nothing but noisy and ridiculous.
“Miss Qin,” Ming Yan’s voice was calm and steady, “a good dog doesn’t block the way.”
Qin Wan hadn’t expected her to retort so directly. She froze for a moment before reacting like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her voice growing even shriller. “Who are you calling a dog?”
“Whoever responds is the dog.”
“You…” Qin Wan’s face turned green with anger, but she couldn’t utter another word.
Yet she also knew that Ming Yan had been the belle of the law department back in the day, and that title wasn’t earned just by her looks. Her sharp tongue could talk anyone to death. Arguing with her would bring no good.
Thinking this, Qin Wan took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She let out a cold laugh. “What, caught red-handed in your dirty business and feeling guilty now? You have the guts to check into a hotel with a man but not the guts to admit it!”
She deliberately raised her voice, drawing the attention of the few scattered guests and front desk staff in the lobby.
Ming Yan’s eyes turned completely icy.
She released her grip on the suitcase, straightened her posture, and the cold aura radiating from her instantly overpowered Qin Wan’s bluster.
“Dirty business?” Ming Yan repeated softly, a faint, mocking smile curling at the corner of her lips. “In the eyes of someone like you, whose mind is filled with filth, even a normal conversation can be twisted into something dirty. As the saying goes, ‘the lewd see lewdness’—that’s exactly the kind of person you are.”
“You!” Qin Wan, struck where it hurt, flushed red. “Don’t you dare get smart with me! I saw you coming out of the hotel with that old man, laughing so shamelessly! How dare you deny there’s nothing between you?”
“Who I’m with, whether I laugh or not—what does any of that have to do with you?”
Ming Yan took a step forward, her gaze sharp as a blade. “What identity are you using to question me here? Huo Hanshan’s fiancée? That doesn’t seem to be the case. His sister? Even less so. You’re nothing but a clown who clings desperately, even resorting to spreading rumors just to get attention.”
These words struck right at the heart, leaving Qin Wan choked with fury, almost losing her mind.
She thought of how Ming Yan had always occupied the space by Huo Hanshan’s side all these years, how no matter how hard she tried to please him, she could never truly get close to his heart. All her jealousy and resentment erupted at this moment, and she raised her hand to slap Ming Yan across the face. “How dare you talk nonsense!”
However, her hand was still mid-air when Ming Yan accurately grabbed her wrist.
Ming Yan’s strength was unexpectedly strong, squeezing Qin Wan’s wrist bone until it ached.
“What’s this? Can’t win with reason, so you want to resort to violence?” Ming Yan looked at her coldly, her eyes showing not a trace of fear, only deep disgust. “Qin Wan, have you forgotten? I’m not Huo Hanshan. I won’t indulge your bad habits.”
Before the words even finished, Ming Yan’s free left hand was already raised—
“Slap!”
A crisp, resounding slap landed squarely on Qin Wan’s face, which was filled with astonishment.
The force of this slap was not light. Qin Wan’s head was knocked to the side, and clear finger marks instantly appeared on her cheek, burning with pain.
She was completely stunned, her ears ringing, unable to believe that Ming Yan had actually dared to hit her!
Her friend behind her gasped in fright, covering her mouth.
“This slap is to teach you how to speak properly,” Ming Yan’s voice remained calm.
Qin Wan snapped back to reality, let out a scream, and lunged forward like a madwoman. “Ming Yan, you bitch! How dare you hit me! I’ll fight you to the death!”
But as soon as she moved, the other side of her face received another heavy slap!
“Slap!”
The sound was louder and fiercer than before.
“This slap is for your filthy mouth and rumor-mongering,” Ming Yan shook her slightly numb hand, looking at her with icy eyes.
Qin Wan was slapped until she saw stars, both cheeks swollen and red, looking utterly disheveled.
The immense humiliation and pain nearly drove her to collapse. Instinctively, she wanted to charge forward regardless and tear Ming Yan’s face apart.
However, at that very moment, the last shred of reason in her mind suddenly reminded her—what was she here for?
To stall Ming Yan, waiting for Hanshan to come ‘catch them in the act’!
If she started brawling with Ming Yan now, when Hanshan arrived, he would see the two of them fighting. How could she play the victim then?
How could she highlight Ming Yan’s ‘coarse viciousness’ and her own ‘innocent pitifulness’?
Right!
She couldn’t fight back!
She had to swallow this anger!
When Hanshan arrived and saw her beaten so badly, he would definitely feel sorry for her and despise Ming Yan, this shrew, even more!
Thinking of this, Qin Wan forcefully suppressed her urge to retaliate.
She covered her swollen cheeks, her eyes instantly reddening. Tears fell as soon as she willed them, her acting skills superb, instantly switching from the shrew of moments ago to the image of a bullied little white flower.
Sobbing and sniffling, she accused tearfully, “Ming Yan… you… how could you hit someone? I was just asking you kindly… if you didn’t want to say anything, that’s fine, but why resort to violence? Wuwuwu…”
In this state, she truly looked as if she had been bullied by Ming Yan for no reason.
Ming Yan watched her instant change of expression with cold eyes, finding it utterly ironic.
She knew Qin Wan’s tricks all too well—nothing more than a bid for sympathy, a pure drama queen, especially in front of Huo Hanshan.
In the past, she had cared too much about Huo Hanshan, suffering countless losses at Qin Wan’s hands, both openly and covertly.
But now—if someone acts shamelessly, they deserve a slap.
“Get out of my way!” Ming Yan couldn’t be bothered to waste another second on her. She shoved Qin Wan aside, who was blocking her path. “Don’t stand in my way.”
Qin Wan stumbled from the push, her high heel twisting, nearly causing her to fall. Luckily, a friend nearby caught her.
Watching Ming Yan turn and walk away without hesitation, Qin Wan trembled with rage, her facade crumbling almost instantly. She screamed at Ming Yan’s retreating figure, “Ming Yan! Just you wait! Hanshan will be here any minute! Let’s see how long you can keep up this arrogance!”