Though it was phrased as a question, Shen Shiyan used the tone of a statement when he spoke.
Clearly, he had long since confirmed that the person from that night was her.
Struck as if by lightning, Qin Nuan took an involuntary step back, staring at him with a pale face. After the realization finally set in, it was followed by a feeling of the suspended weight in her chest finally dropping—and dying.
Right.
She had still been self-deceivingly thinking that because she hadn’t left any identification, he wouldn’t be able to track her down.
But what kind of person was Shen Shiyan? And the Emperor Capital Hotel was part of the Shen Group, after all. If he really wanted to look into it, checking the surveillance footage was a matter of a moment.
Things having reached this point, Qin Nuan had no way to deny it. With a flushed face and fluttering eyelashes, she bowed to apologize to Shen Shiyan.
“I’m sorry! President Shen, what happened that night was truly an accident! I was drunk that night and mistook room 3306 for 3806. I accidentally wandered into your room, and then… and then…”
At this point, Qin Nuan bit her lip, her face burning too hot to continue.
To this day, she still couldn’t figure out how her key card for room 3306 had managed to unlock Shen Shiyan’s door.
Sensing her confusion, Shen Shiyan said calmly, “As for how you were able to get in, I’ve already looked into it.”
“It was an oversight by the hotel staff. They mistakenly gave you the hotel’s master key card instead.”
So that was it… Qin Nuan had a sudden realization.
Yet immediately afterward, a soft sigh slipped out in her heart—why did every coincidence in the entire world have to happen to her?
Phrased that way, it wasn’t entirely her fault, after all.
Besides, even though she had walked into the wrong room, Shen Shiyan hadn’t rejected her, had he? Not to mention, that had still been her first time…
Of course, she wouldn’t dare say any of this aloud. She could only clutch the hem of her dress, standing awkwardly in place and waiting for Shen Shiyan to speak.
The girl was truly panicked. A layer of moisture coated her clear eyes, and her shoulders trembled slightly, like a frightened, helpless little bird…
Shen Shiyan’s gaze deepened slightly, though his immense self-control kept his expression cool and restrained on the surface. He merely gave the watch on his wrist a slight turn.
“Miss Qin doesn’t need to be nervous. I didn’t have you brought here to settle accounts. I just wanted to understand what happened that night.”
“After all, someone entered my room and climbed into my bed for no reason, only to run away the next morning.”
Seeing that Qin Nuan was growing more and more embarrassed and red-faced—to the point of almost shredding her skirt—Shen Shiyan stopped there and went no further.
On the other end, hearing him say he wasn’t here to settle accounts, Qin Nuan let out an initial sigh of relief.
Thank goodness. She had really thought Shen Shiyan was going to fire her on the spot.
As for Shen Shiyan saying he wanted to understand what had happened…
Qin Nuan steadied herself before recounting the events of that night from the beginning: “That night happened to be my birthday, and a lot of friends came…”
Shen Shiyan sat quietly in his office chair, hands interlocked and expression calm, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
When she finished, Shen Shiyan tapped his index finger against the desk and asked another question: “I remember that night, while you were with me, you called out another name?”
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
What?!
Qin Nuan froze instantly.
Not only had she slept with a bigshot for a night, but she had even called out Lin Qingyang’s name?!
A wave of mortification washed over her entirely.
It was all her fault for being too drunk that night; she couldn’t remember many of the details. But at the very beginning, she truly had mistaken Shen Shiyan for Lin Qingyang.
Fearing that Shen Shiyan would think she was a casual woman, Qin Nuan hurriedly explained, “No, that’s not it, President Shen, please listen to me! I did have a boyfriend before, but we’ve already broken up.”
“I was plotted against that night. The person who plotted against me was my ex-boyfriend. He deliberately got me drunk, wanting to send me to his superior to trade for a future.”
“But I didn’t know at the time, and I didn’t know I had gone into the wrong room, which is why I mistook you for him.”
“Is that so.”
Shen Shiyan nodded calmly after listening, as if he really were just hearing an answer without any excess emotion.
His matter-of-fact, cool, and distant demeanor actually helped Qin Nuan’s heart relax a little bit in return.
To be honest, up to this point, Shen Shiyan’s treatment of her had felt fairly gentle.
An aristocrat from a wealthy family like him, upon confirming everything, could easily have given her the boot without a word.
Yet he hadn’t done that, and had even patiently listened to her explain the reason.
Whether his self-control was simply too strong, or whether he genuinely hadn’t taken that night to heart, she didn’t know.
In any case, the fact that he wasn’t holding her accountable was a massive blessing for her.
Just as Qin Nuan quietly let out a breath of relief, she heard him ask again: “Allow me to ask a bold question, Miss Qin—what is your current relationship status?”
Qin Nuan paused, wondering why he would ask that, but still answered honestly, “Single. I broke up with him the day after I found out the truth.”
Hearing this, Shen Shiyan nodded, then fell silent again as if pondering something.
The air grew quiet once more, and Qin Nuan gradually began to feel ill at ease again.
After waiting a little longer, Shen Shiyan finally spoke. However, the words he uttered next felt like a bomb, completely blowing Qin Nuan’s mind:
“Since Miss Qin is currently single,”
Shen Shiyan raised his gaze to look at her, his tone earnest,
“Would you consider marrying me?”