Shu Yi took the booklet from his hand, muttered a vague response, and nearly ran out of the hospital.
Chen Chi’s words echoed like a curse in her mind.
She didn’t dare look back toward the ward, afraid of meeting those eyes that could pierce through any lie.
Back in her small but cozy rented apartment, it was already 4 a.m.
Leaning against the cold door, her heart still pounded wildly in her chest.
Before Pei Yanli uncovered more clues, she had to vanish with Nian Nian without a trace!
But then, Nian Nian’s pale little face appeared in her mind.
She had taken the risk to get close to Pei Yanli for Nian Nian’s sake.
If she ran now, what would happen to Nian Nian?
The exhaustion of her body and the immense mental pressure finally broke her defenses. Dazed, she crawled back onto the bed and tightly wrapped herself in the blanket.
Closing her eyes, the night’s fiery entanglement, Pei Yanli’s domineering restraint, and his heated breath while drunk—all these bizarrely interwoven images gave her a splitting headache.
Her sleep was extremely restless, plagued with nightmares.
She dreamt of Pei Yanli gripping her neck, questioning why she had lied, and then of Nian Nian crying in the cold hospital room, calling for her mother.
The sudden ringing of her phone jolted her awake from the nightmare.
Her whole body felt burning hot, her throat dry as if on fire. Thinking of today’s schedule, Shu Yi forced herself to get to the company despite her discomfort.
It was nearing the end of the month, with many meetings. Her head was foggy all day, but she dared not take medicine, fearing it would affect the pregnancy.
After work in the evening, there was an unexpected business engagement regarding a merger involving Xinyuan Technology, which required Pei Yanli’s presence, and Shu Yi was forced to stay late.
The air conditioning in the private room was blasting cold, and she hadn’t been sitting long before feeling feverish, her temples throbbing.
She discreetly pinched her thigh to stay awake, the red wine in the crystal glass before her shimmering in dizzying ripples under the lights.
“Mr. Pei, I’ve long admired you,” said the balding man across, grinning obsequiously and raising his glass, the gold watch on his wrist flashing in the light. “And this lady is…”
“Secretary,” Pei Yanli’s voice was cold. His long fingers spun the wine glass without drinking.
He wore a dark-patterned suit, his tie slightly loosened, exuding aloof elegance amid the clinking of glasses.
Shu Yi forced a smile and nodded, her throat burning like it was on fire.
“Beautiful secretary, you don’t look well,” the man beside the balding one suddenly leaned close, his breath carrying smoke and alcohol in her ear. “If you can’t drink, why don’t you call me brother, and I’ll help you?”
The hand with the ring directly covered hers holding the glass.
Shu Yi shivered violently; the glass clinked against the plate with a crisp sound.
She tried to pull away but found her limbs weak, unable even to summon the strength to resist. In such a business negotiation, she knew Pei Yanli wouldn’t risk offending the client for her, so she had to rely on herself…
“Please show some respect.”
“I only respect people in bed. How about…”
“People from Mr. Wang’s team,” Pei Yanli’s voice suddenly dropped, “are all this rude?”
The entire private room fell silent.
The balding man hurriedly tried to smooth things over, “This is my son, Mr. Pei, don’t be angry. I’ll teach him when we get home. This brat, behave, don’t you see where we are?”
But Wang Bin only escalated his provocation. “Don’t be tense, Mr. Pei. We’re just playing with the beautiful secretary. Just because you don’t want to doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to play with me. A woman like her climbing onto someone like me…”
—Bang.
Pei Yanli slammed his wine glass onto the turntable. The red wine splashed onto the snow-white tablecloth like blood.
Shu Yi, dazed, saw the violent surge in his eyes—her first time witnessing it.
“Take your hand off.”
Three words, icy sharp.
Wang Bin awkwardly let go but deliberately spilled wine on Shu Yi’s skirt.
“Oh my, so sorry, I’ll help you clean it…”
“I think this collaboration is unnecessary.”
The cold liquid soaked into the fabric. She vaguely heard the man beside her, finally trembling uncontrollably, her vision starting to blur and spin, dizziness overwhelming her.
In her last conscious moment, Pei Yanli grabbed her wrist—his touch exceptionally familiar.
Amid spinning lights, Shu Yi fell into an embrace carrying the scent of cedar.
“Baby…”