Meanwhile, Song Yue sprinted out of the school building, her breath coming fast as she fumbled for her phone.
The call connected almost instantly.
“Miss me already?” Lan Xia’s familiar voice came through, light and teasing.
“Finish your advanced math first, then talk.”
The tension in Song Yue’s chest finally loosened.
Relief washed over her like warm water.
“I’ll text you later,” she said quickly and hung up.
So it really had been a setup, as Bi Ge said to her.
Song Weisha.
A cold smile slowly curved Song Yue’s lips.
If her cousin wanted her gone so badly, then fine.
She wouldn’t struggle or beg.
She’d leave—but on her own terms.
She glanced at the time on her phone.
Since I’m not going home anyway, I might as well go see him.
She waved down a taxi and gave the address of Nie Rougang’s company.
The moment she stepped into the company lobby, she was stopped.
The receptionist smiled politely.
“Miss, who are you here to see?”
“My uncle,” Song Yue replied, already moving forward as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Before she could take another step, security blocked her path.
“Sorry,” one of them said stiffly.
“The president has ordered that non-essential personnel are not allowed upstairs.”
“Non-essential?” Song Yue bristled.
“He’s my uncle!”
A sharp, cool voice cut in from behind her.
“That includes you.”
Song Yue turned around.
Song Yuxuan stood there in a fitted suit, makeup flawless, posture elegant.
She looked calm, confident—and smug.
“Aunt,” Song Yue said slowly, “are you saying this is Uncle’s order?”
“Exactly,” Song Yuxuan replied without hesitation.
“If you don’t believe me, you can ask him yourself when he gets home.”
Song Yue clenched her fists.
“Then I’ll go ask him now.”
She stepped toward the elevator, but Song Yuxuan moved faster, blocking her path.
“Do you not understand?” Song Yuxuan said coldly.
“You’re not allowed in.”
Song Yue let out a soft laugh.
“Careful, Aunt. By law, we’re family.”
Song Yuxuan’s expression darkened.
“Security! Throw her out!”
Before anyone could move, hurried footsteps echoed across the lobby.
“Miss Song!”
Xu Feng rushed over, worry written all over his face.
He reached out and gently grabbed Song Yue’s arm.
“Let me take you home.”
Song Yue shook him off.
“Even you?”
Xu Feng hesitated, his voice lowering.
“This is the office. It’s… not appropriate.”
Song Yuxuan sneered.
“Did you hear that? Third Brother doesn’t want to see you. Yet you still cling shamelessly—just like your mother.”
The words sliced through the air.
The lobby went dead silent.
Song Yue slowly lifted her gaze.
Her eyes were sharp, cold, and utterly calm.
“At least someone lets me get close,” she said evenly.
“You want to, but no one gives you the chance. Because of all of your plastic surgeries and boob jobs and who knows what else you did…”
A ripple of murmurs spread through the lobby.
Song Yuxuan’s face flushed red.
“My face and my body are natural!”
Song Yue tilted her head, her expression innocent.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever… We all know that wasn’t true…”
Gasps followed instantly.
Song Yuxuan trembled with rage.
“How dare you!”
She raised her hand.
Just as her palm was about to strike, a large hand reached out and closed firmly around her wrist.
Song Yuxuan turned around in shock.
The moment her eyes met Nie Rougang’s gaze, her heart lurched.
His expression was cold, sharp, and utterly unreadable.
She had no idea how long he had been standing there—or how much he had seen.
“Third Brother, I… I was just—” she stammered, but the words tangled uselessly on her tongue.
“Uncle!”
Before anyone could react, Song Yue suddenly rushed forward.
She jumped straight onto Nie Rougang like a koala, her arms looping around his neck, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist.
The movement was so fast and natural that no one had time to stop her.
“Uncle, you came just in time!” she cried dramatically, her voice loud and trembling.
“I was terrified! Little Aunt wanted to hit me! If you hadn’t arrived, I’d already be half dead!”
Her voice echoed through the entire lobby, pitiful and exaggerated, as if she had just escaped a major disaster.
Song Yuxuan nearly exploded on the spot.
“Third Brother, don’t listen to her nonsense!” she said hurriedly, panic creeping into her tone.
“I was only joking with her. I didn’t really mean to hit her! She framed me first—she even accused me of saying improper things about myself!”
In her panic, Song Yuxuan instinctively reached out, trying to grab Nie Rougang’s arm and pull him into her explanation.
Nie Rougang moved instantly.
He tightened one arm around Song Yue, stepped back out of Song Yuxuan’s reach, and looked at her with a dark, warning gaze.
“Yuxuan,” he said coldly, “Song Yue is still young. Why are you arguing with her like this?”
The words landed heavier than any slap.
Song Yuxuan froze.
Her face stiffened as embarrassment and fury surged together.
She forced a smile, though her teeth were clenched so tightly her jaw ached.
“I was angry,” she said quickly.
“I misspoke. Third Brother, please don’t misunderstand.”
Nie Rougang didn’t respond.
He simply turned around and carried Song Yue toward the elevator.
As the doors slowly slid shut, Song Yue peeked over Nie Rougang’s shoulder.
She stuck out her tongue at Song Yuxuan, then gave her a small, smug wave.
Song Yuxuan felt her vision go black.
“She wasn’t scared at all!” she snapped angrily at Xu Feng beside her.
“She was pretending! She framed me on purpose!”
Xu Feng kept his eyes straight ahead.
“Fourth Miss, I didn’t see anything.”
Even if he had, he wouldn’t say it.
Some truths were better swallowed whole.
Song Yuxuan ground her teeth as the elevator disappeared from view.
Nie Rougang carried Song Yue straight into his office.
The girl showed no intention of getting down, so he simply sat with her still clinging to him, lowering himself into the leather chair behind the desk.
He patted her lightly.
“Still not letting go?” he said quietly.
“How old are you now?”
Song Yue smiled faintly, hugging him even tighter.
“I’m clinging to my Uncle for life.”
Despite himself, his gaze softened.
For a brief moment, time seemed to fold inward.
Years ago, she had been a small child waiting in this very office, refusing to sit still, insisting on staying close to him.
Somehow, everything had changed—and yet, nothing truly had.
He didn’t push her away.
Before long, her breathing evened out.
She fell asleep against his chest, completely relaxed.
Nie Rougang looked down at her peaceful face, sunlight filtering through the window and brushing over them both.
Six o’clock arrived quietly.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Third Brother,” Song Yuxuan said stiffly from outside, “it’s time to go home. Mother said there’s an important guest.”
The door opened.
Song Yuxuan froze.
Nie Rougang stepped out carrying Song Yue, who was still fast asleep in his arms.
No one spoke.
On the drive home, Song Yuxuan was forced to sit in the front passenger seat, while Nie Rougang remained in the back with Song Yue.
Her nails dug into her palm the entire way, her expression tight and dark, as the car moved steadily forward.