Over the years, Chu Qinyan had blamed Meng Zhi for the fact that the Meng parents had never adopted her.
Now that the obstacle was dead, no one would stand in her way anymore.
She was finally going to become the rightful Miss Meng.
Just thinking about it made Chu Qinyan unable to contain her excitement.
She no longer resented Shang Ye’s departure—in fact, she couldn’t wait for him to find Meng Zhi quickly.
On the other side, Shang Ye had sent people to search every place Meng Zhi might have gone, but found no trace of her at all.
The unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
Zhizhi had always been considerate and sensible—surely nothing had really happened to her, right?
He furrowed his brows, his heart churning with anxiety.
Shang Ye hesitated, then dialed the Meng parents’ number. “Uncle, has Zhizhi been home at all since yesterday?”
“No.”
Upon learning that Meng Zhi had disappeared, Meng Shitian assumed she was still sulking over Shang Ye not showing up at the civil affairs bureau on time. A flicker of impatience crossed his brow.
From Qinyan’s incident yesterday until now, she hadn’t even shown her face, and now she was throwing a tantrum and storming off.
This child was simply too inconsiderate!
“Let her do whatever she wants. Don’t bother with her.”
Shang Ye fell silent, clearly also feeling that Meng Zhi had taken things too far this time.
“A-Ye, Qinyan got quite a scare this time. She usually relies on you the most—make sure to comfort her.”
When mentioning Chu Qinyan, Meng Shitian’s demeanor shifted completely from the stern coldness he showed Meng Zhi, taking on the full appearance of a doting father.
“Understood, Uncle.”
After hanging up, Shang Ye dialed Meng Zhi’s number again—still powered off.
Listening to the same mechanical female voice repeat over and over, he felt an uncontrollable irritation rising in his chest.
Forget it. Maybe giving her some space to cool down was for the best.
Shang Ye took a deep breath and returned to the hospital.
No sooner had he stepped into the ward than his secretary, Chen Mo, called.
“Vice President Shang, there’s a first-level meeting this afternoon that you’ll need to chair.”
“Hasn’t the first-level meeting always been chaired by Uncle?”
He frowned, his tone laced with confusion.
“Special Assistant Duan informed me that President Shang seems to have something and can’t make it.”
“Oh?”
Shang Ye was genuinely surprised to hear this. His uncle was a workaholic.
What on earth could have tied him up?
“Do you know what it is?”
“Not entirely sure, but from what Special Assistant Duan implied, President Shang has apparently been at the hospital since yesterday. Maybe an elder in the family is ill…”
Chen Mo’s words were cut off by a colleague beside him.
“What elder? That’s President Shang’s wife!”
The voice was loud and excited, clear enough for Shang Ye to hear perfectly even through the phone!
The news was so explosive that Shang Ye stood frozen in place, unable to snap out of it for a long moment.
When did he get an aunt?
Was it an arranged marriage?
Why hadn’t he received even a hint of news?
Shang Ye’s brows knitted tightly, his eyes harboring emotions no one could read.
He hung up the phone, his fingers tightening around it until his knuckles turned white.
Chu Qinyan, who was nearby, had heard everything clearly too. Her reaction was identical to Shang Ye’s—deep shock.
She never would have thought that someone as cold and ascetic-looking as Shang Shiyan would have a girlfriend.
She wondered what kind of woman could have earned his favor.
A flicker of jealousy passed through Chu Qinyan’s eyes.
But when she recalled the only time she had been in close proximity to that man—his icy, bone-chilling gaze and the overwhelming sense of pressure he exuded—that jealousy instantly evaporated.
She remembered the feeling vividly.
Even now, she could still recall the sensation of every hair on her body standing on end.
That man was someone to be feared and revered from the depths of one’s soul.
In his presence, Chu Qinyan always felt as though all her pretenses were nothing but a joke—that in his eyes, she was nothing more than a despicable, filthy existence.
Compared to Shang Shiyan’s cold, sharp edge, Shang Ye’s gentle and even-tempered nature was far more preferable.
Still, thinking of the former’s absolute authority over the Shang Group and the entire Jing capital’s elite circle, Chu Qinyan couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret and envy.
Just which damned woman was lucky enough to have such fortune?
“With your little uncle being that formidable, does he even need a marriage alliance?”
Chu Qinyan’s heart felt like it was soaking in a vat of vinegar, bubbling over with sour resentment.
Her words carried a subtle, biting undertone.
Her remarks darkened Shang Ye’s expression, his eyes narrowing into sharp slits.
His little uncle was a favored son of heaven—the pride of the Shang family, the center of everyone’s adoration.
From birth, he had been raised to model himself after his little uncle.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, he was always overshadowed.
Now, with his little uncle entering a marriage alliance, he truly stood no chance of comparison.
The Meng family was decent enough, and Meng Zhi was the type he found satisfactory.
But in the elite circles of the Jing capital, they ultimately didn’t rank high enough—their status was too low.
Shang Ye pressed his thin lips together, a dark, complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.
For a moment, he found himself wavering.
Perhaps this whole affair was heaven’s way of hinting that the Meng family wasn’t the best choice after all.
The first-level meeting concluded, and Shang Ye rushed to the hospital without a moment’s delay.
As he went upstairs, he happened to run into Assistant Duan, who was carrying an insulated food container.
Watching him hurry toward the VIP ward, Shang Ye narrowed his eyes and quietly followed.
He was genuinely curious—what kind of woman could captivate his little uncle and earn such attention?
He trailed all the way to the VIP ward, one that even he hadn’t been able to book.
Before he could even press his ear to the door, he heard a soft, sweet female voice coming from inside.
Even without seeing her, just hearing her voice, he could sense the warmth and cheerfulness radiating from it.
Shang Ye found it hard to imagine that his little uncle—always cold-hearted and work-obsessed—would fall for a girl so much younger than him.
He had always assumed his little uncle would only be interested in women with strong professional capabilities.
But the more he listened, the more he felt a strange sense of familiarity.
Just as Shang Ye was frowning in confusion, he heard the girl’s coquettish voice from inside.
Meng Zhi had been lying down all day, feeling like her backside had gone flat and her waist was aching unbearably.
“Honey, I’m exhausted.”
She bit her lip and stared at Shang Shiyan with pitiful, pleading eyes.
“It’s inconvenient for me to eat like this. Can you hold me up?”
Seeing her desperate look, Shang Shiyan felt both distressed and helpless.
Remembering that she hadn’t fully recovered yet, he put on a stern face and refused her request.
“No.”
Scolded by him, Meng Zhi pouted sadly, her eyes rimmed with red.
Her pitiful appearance instantly made Shang Shiyan unable to stay firm.
He bent down, his voice more patient than when coaxing a child.
“Zhizhi, be good, just bear with it a little longer. Once your injuries are fully healed…”
“I don’t want to.”
Meng Zhi watched him lower his head and took the opportunity to raise her arm, intending to hook it around his neck.
Unfortunately, the distance between them was a bit too far.
Just as she was about to feel discouraged, Shang Shiyan lowered his head and proactively leaned half his body toward her.
The man braced one hand on the bed while his other hand gently encircled her waist—so slender it seemed barely graspable—and effortlessly pulled her into his embrace.
Their bodies pressed tightly together.
Through the fabric, Meng Zhi could even feel his powerful, steady heartbeat.
Thump after thump, it struck precisely against her own heart.
Their breaths gradually merged into one.