When the manager finally saw who was lying on the floor, he nearly fainted on the spot. For a brief, chilling second, he saw his own career flashing before his eyes.
Qin Huai, on the other hand, stayed remarkably calm. Rolling up his sleeves, he stepped forward, reached from behind Song Shiyi’s shoulder, and with a firm motion, hauled him up off the floor.
The sudden force left Song Shiyi’s body momentarily weightless, his breath catching as his feet barely touched the ground.
Instinct kicked in, he twisted violently, struggling and kicking backward.
“Don’t move.”
The quiet voice in his ear froze him instantly. The moment he recognized that familiar tone, his entire body went stiff. Slowly, he turned his head, and when he saw who it was, the fire that had been blazing in his chest extinguished all at once.
His expression softened so fast it was almost comical. For a man who had just been mid-fight, he suddenly looked… docile. Though the timing was far from appropriate, something warm still flickered in Qin Huai’s chest, an odd, inexplicable sense of satisfaction, as though he had just caught his own sulky black cat by the scruff of its neck and forced it to behave.
While that small moment of peace lasted, the manager hurried over to help Shao Zhuoran up from the floor. As he bent down, his thoughts were far less charitable than his face suggested. How can such a big guy get beaten flat like that? Still, his expression was full of concern, his voice dripping with politeness.
But Shao Zhuoran wasn’t having it. He ignored the manager completely, swiping the back of his hand across the blood at the corner of his mouth. His face, already sharp and dangerous, was now darker, his expression radiating fury.
He staggered to his feet, glaring daggers at Song Shiyi, his jaw tight with rage, “Just you wait,” he spat between clenched teeth. “Next time, I’ll crush you.”
The manager bit back a sigh. You just got flattened and you’re still trying to talk tough? But outwardly, he didn’t dare let a single word slip.
When he turned around again, he nearly passed out a second time. The Bai family’s young master was slumped weakly against the table, his face pale and lips trembling, while the Qi family’s heir sat on the sofa clutching his head in agony.
The manager’s mind went blank.
All of this… from that one young man?
He glanced again at Qin Huai, who still stood calmly beside him, holding Song Shiyi by the collar as though he were nothing more than a troublesome kitten. And somehow, pride welled up in the manager’s chest. My boss really is incredible.
Under the manager’s direction, the various wounded were helped out one by one. The chaos had finally settled, though the grudges left behind were clearly not going anywhere.
Before leaving, Bai Xu cast Song Shiyi a look so venomous it could have peeled flesh.
Just wait, his lips mouthed silently.
Song Shiyi caught it, understood perfectly and didn’t care in the slightest. The moment Qin Huai let go of him, he turned on his heel, intent on slipping away unnoticed.
But before he could take even one step, a hand hooked the collar of his shirt and tugged him right back.
He turned, eyes sharp. “What now?”
Those black-and-white eyes stared directly into Qin Huai’s, bold and unflinching, as if absolutely nothing had happened.
Qin Huai’s tone remained calm. “You’re just going to leave like that?”
“Otherwise?” Song Shiyi tilted his head slightly, his earlier emotions already fading, leaving behind a detached calm.
“They were the ones who started it,” he said with a wry curve of his lips. “If you ask me, I’m the victim here.”
There was a faint weariness in his expression now, the kind of tired indifference that made it clear he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”
He started to step around Qin Huai but again, the man blocked his path.
“What else is it now?” Song Shiyi asked, exasperated. Couldn’t a man just leave?
“Um, excuse me, young master…” The manager, sweating under his boss’s gaze, stepped forward hesitantly. “Your private room bill hasn’t been settled yet.”
Song Shiyi blinked, taken aback. He turned to glance at the wrecked room behind him, then looked back in disbelief. “This wasn’t even my reservation. Go ask Bai Xu for the money.”
“Yes, but… they’ve already left,” the manager said carefully. “And we, uh, don’t really do credit here. So if you could pay first, you can sort it out amongst yourselves afterward.”
Song Shiyi had no defense against polite persistence. With a sigh, he took the bill but when his eyes fell on the total, he silently handed it back.
Too expensive. Outrageously expensive. These spoiled brats could burn money faster than a furnace.
All his own savings had gone toward rent; there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d cover that.
Qin Huai said nothing, merely watched him with a faintly amused smile.
Feeling that gaze burning into him, Song Shiyi took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, and muttered, “Fine. Wait a minute, I’ll call my brother.”
Surely even Song Qingwen, cold as he was, wouldn’t just leave his little brother detained over an unpaid bar tab.
But before he could make the call, Qin Huai reached over and pressed down his hand.
“I’ll cover it,” Qin Huai said, smiling lightly. “In exchange… stay and walk with me for a while.”
The heat of August hadn’t yet faded from Suqing City, but a faint coolness lingered in the night breeze. Song Shiyi kept his hands tucked in his pockets, silently walking a step behind Qin Huai, watching the man’s back.
In the novel, the description of Qin Huai had never been detailed. His past was brushed over with only a few vague lines. Even the most crucial part, how exactly he’d come to fall for the protagonist was left unexplained.
So, Song Shiyi couldn’t understand him.
This man, so young yet already at the helm of the Qin family, ruthless, dangerous, wrapped in mystery. How could he have given up his life for the original character?
Love at first sight? Absurd.
The corner of Song Shiyi’s mouth curved faintly in mockery. Then he stopped walking, tilting his head to look up at Qin Huai.
“You didn’t stop me just to take a midnight stroll, did you?”
The neon lights from the street spilled over half his face, sliding across his graceful jawline and tracing the curve of his neck before fading into shadow.
That was when Qin Huai noticed the dark bruise around his throat, ugly and glaring. Probably a remnant from the earlier fight.
“Oh? Can’t I?” Qin Huai’s smile didn’t fade, though something in his gaze, soft yet edged with coldness, made the air between them tighten.
“Just for this?” Song Shiyi’s tone was dry, laced with amusement. “You really shouldn’t overwork your employees like that. I saw your manager’s face earlier, it was almost green.”
Qin Huai’s eyes darkened. “You know quite a lot.”
It wasn’t exactly a secret that the bar, Lanting, belonged to him. Still, how could someone who’d only recently been brought back into the Song family, someone without a stable footing or influence, already know that?
“Mr. Qin,” Song Shiyi said lazily, leaning back against the wall, his eyes lifting to meet Qin Huai’s. “There’s a lot I know.”
From that angle, his round eyes looked impossibly innocent, even pure.
“Really?” Qin Huai murmured, a smile tugging at his lips. “I thought all you knew how to do was fight.”
He paused, his voice lowering slightly. “You’ve stirred up quite a few people these past few days.”
Too rigid, he thought. People like that broke easily. Normally, he wouldn’t bother saying so but this time, he did.
Song Shiyi blinked at him, unmoving. He wasn’t touched by the warning, but as the words sank in, he suddenly remembered why he’d even come tonight.
In the novel, the infamous prison arc began because of him because Song Gucheng and Lin Nian had begged and pressured him to take the fall for Song Jiaxin’s crime.
But the real trouble… had started with Bai Xu and his gang.
He sighed quietly. Maybe he’d lost control tonight, but could you blame him? He had planned to talk things out peacefully, to discuss, perhaps, how to turn the tables and drag them into prison instead.
But facing those disgusting men… patience only went so far.
He was just human. For him to hold out this long was already impressive.
Instead of blaming himself, maybe it was time to look at who’d really caused it all.
Qin Huai watched the flicker of reflection cross his face, and his expression softened slightly until the next second, when Song Shiyi smiled again, eyes curving.
“Well,” he said lightly, “I forgive myself.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator has entered their coffee-deprived final form. (╥﹏╥)
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · He’s in the BookChapter 2 · You Like playing Stand-in, Right?Chapter 3 · This Kind of person is just asking for troubleChapter 4 · Is it so Bloody?Chapter 5 · Let’s Rot togetherChapter 7 · Illegitimate SonChapter 8 · Unfaithful husbandChapter 9 · MemoriesChapter 10 · Silence before stormChapter 11 · Hunt beginsChapter 12 · Nightmare I rememberChapter 13 · Why do they ride on their own heads?Chapter 14 · I forgive myselfChapter 15 · Can you take me in tonight since I’m homeless?Chapter 16 · Mr. Qin, do you like me?Chapter 17 · If you like it, you can have itChapter 18 · Gu Ye, it’s obvious that you also pursue these thingsChapter 19 · If you still can’t let go of Gu Ye, why not give it a try with me?Chapter 20 · He actually made him bow down to that bastard.Chapter 21 · Ruining someone’s future is simply unforgivableChapter 22 · God can’t possibly favor someone like youChapter 23 · UrnChapter 24 · May they die a horrible deathChapter 25 · If you’re broke, stop showing off.Chapter 26 · Kneel before me, begging for mercy.Chapter 27 · The plan succeededChapter 28 Part 1 · This time, the victim is Gu Ye Part 1Chapter 28 Part 2 · This time, the victim is Gu YeChapter 29 · This time, I’ll make full use of youChapter 30 · Educating about the existence of lawsChapter 31 · So who is he now?Chapter 32 · I want to destroy this fake spacetime.Chapter 33 · So, I was himChapter 34 · They’re all crazy, just let me have my wayChapter 35 · I will punish them in the right way.Chapter 36 · I’m already a lunaticChapter 37 · Can you stay by Qin Huai’s side for my sake?Chapter 38 · I’ll grant your requestChapter 39 · Not a pitiful littleChapter 40 · They Both should dieChapter 41 · I want to destroy the empire that Song Gucheng builtChapter 42 · Do you hate me too?Chapter 43 · No one should feel goodChapter 44 · He’ll definitely be the winner in the end!Chapter 45 · Acting is really tiringChapter 46 · I wanted that bastard to disappearChapter 47 · Ready made scapegoatChapter 48 · He’s willing to save themChapter 49 · I’ve come to catch up with youChapter 50 · You stole someone else’s placeChapter 51 · Shiyi, why won’t you save me…Chapter 52 · To make a good life is more importantChapter 53 · Even if you really cheated on me, it doesn’t matterChapter 54 · Finally, I can say goodbye to you completelyChapter 55 · Angel sent by heaven to save himChapter 56 · CEO Gu is a very affectionate personChapter 57 · If you love him, go to jail for himChapter 58 · His most beloved son wanted to kill himChapter 59 · Take good care of our dear fatherChapter 60 · Take back everything that truly belongs to meChapter 61 · He knew that Gu Ye would not let him downChapter 62 · The Song family’s shares must absolutely not be transferred to Song ShiyiChapter 63 · I am no one’s thingChapter 64 · He always knew what kind of person Song Qingwen was.Chapter 65 · FinalChapter 66 · Extra