When they reached downstairs, Qin Shi pointed at the sofa across from him. “Sit.”
Sheng Qing obediently sat down.
Qin Shi raised his eyes to study her.
The young girl kept her legs together, hands resting neatly on her knees, her back straight as a rod.
White dress, black hair—clean and pretty.
The bratty kid wasn’t being rebellious anymore. She really did seem much better behaved than before.
Quite likable, too.
Qin Shi lounged casually in the sofa, lazily tilting his chin. “Take a look at that document.”
“This?” Sheng Qing picked up the document from the coffee table.
“Yeah. Open it.”
“Okay.” Sheng Qing opened it casually.
Lu Yunan’s photograph appeared before her eyes.
Sheng Qing’s pupils suddenly constricted. The suffering and torment she’d endured in her past life seemed to spread from her nerves to every limb once more.
She stared intently at Lu Yunan’s face, her gaze practically murderous.
Qin Shi spoke slowly: “Big Brother investigated this Lu Yunan and found out he’s your boyfriend. But this man has impure intentions—he approached you with ulterior motives.”
“For your safety, you have to break up with him. If he keeps pestering you, Second Brother will handle it for you. If you understand, just nod.”
If only she’d listened to them sooner in her past life, the Qin family wouldn’t have been ruined because of her.
Sheng Qing felt guilty and miserable, her eyes turning red. “Okay, I’ll break up with him.”
Qin Shi frowned deeply. She was on the verge of tears, yet still saying she’d break up with him?
“Alright, stop crying. I know how to handle this. I promise you—I won’t hurt him.”
Sheng Qing was stunned.
No, wait—why not hurt that piece of trash?
Kill him.
Qin Shi had already left.
Sheng Qing was utterly bewildered.
…
The Night Drunk private booth.
Qin Shi sat in the sofa, two buttons of his shirt collar undone, revealing his masculine collarbone and Adam’s apple.
A cigarette burned between his long, slender fingers, smoke curling in the air. His eyes narrowed slightly as he fixed his gaze on Lu Yunan.
Young, with fair, tender skin. The fear in his eyes couldn’t be hidden, yet he still put on a tough act like he wasn’t afraid of anyone.
All show, no substance.
Sheng Qing liked this type?
“Second Brother, who’s this kid?” Tang Wen curiously leaned in. “Say something already—look how scared he is. Don’t let him piss right here.”
Lu Yunan’s face was deathly pale.
He’d been eating with friends when two men in black appeared, saying Second Young Master Qin wanted to have a word with him.
Who in the imperial capital didn’t know Second Young Master Qin’s reputation?
That man had been born walking sideways, like a crab.
When his peers were still playing in the mud at twelve or thirteen, he was already bold enough to hold a gun to his enemies’ heads.
His style of conduct among the younger generation of the powerful elite was ruthless and merciless.
Even the older generation—men of his father’s age—were intimidated by this young upstart.
Qin Shi tapped the folder. “Lu Yunan. I didn’t get the wrong person, did I?”
Lu Yunan stiffened his neck and said, “It’s me. The Lu family has no grudge against you. What do you want?”
“Invite Young Master Lu to sit down and talk.” Qin Shi pointed at the chair with the hand holding his cigarette.
Two bodyguards by the door came over and pressed Lu Yunan into the chair.
“Do you know Sheng Qing?” Qin Shi leaned back in the sofa, asking casually.
“Qingqing is my girlfriend. Did she send you to bring me here?” Lu Yunan couldn’t move.
“Your girlfriend?” Qin Shi flicked his cigarette ash, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Your girlfriend, and you’re still two-timing?”
According to the file, Lu Yunan had more than just Sheng Qing as a girlfriend.
Lu Yunan’s face flashed with panic. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then tell me what you do know. When did you start pursuing her?”
“Three years ago. I’ve been attentive to her every need. When she suffered and was wronged in your Qin family, I was the one by her side!”
Lu Yunan assumed the Qin family had come to break them apart, and said excitedly:
“I love Qingqing, and Qingqing loves me too. We’re already boyfriend and girlfriend—we’ve done everything there is to do. You can’t separate us.”
Qin Shi’s movements suddenly halted. He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze turning cold.
“She was only sixteen three years ago. Tang Wen, what’s the maximum sentence for statutory rape of a minor?”
Tang Wen rubbed his chin and answered casually, “If multiple charges are stacked, you could argue for the death penalty.”
Lu Yunan’s face instantly turned ashen. “I—I never touched her!”
“Even if you didn’t touch her, do you think I’d let you off?” Qin Shi sneered.
“My friends saw the Qin family take me away. If—if something happens to me, my father will definitely cause trouble for your Qin family!”
Tang Wen nearly laughed out loud. “If your father knew how stupid you are, he’d probably be out all night picking out a burial plot for you.”
Even among the prominent families on good terms with the Qin family, anyone who wanted to court a Qin girl had to get the Qin family’s approval first.
But this idiot had the nerve to deliberately approach a girl before she’d even come of age.
Killing him a hundred times over wouldn’t be unjust.
Lu Yunan broke out in a cold sweat. Suddenly he stood up, trying to run.
The bodyguard grabbed him by the scruff and hauled him back like a chicken.
“Sit still!”
Lu Yunan’s legs trembled uncontrollably.
Qin Shi leaned forward, stubbed out his cigarette, picked up the folder, and hurled it hard into Lu Yunan’s face.
“Ah!” Lu Yunan let out a scream.
Tang Wen was slightly surprised. It had been years since he’d seen Qin Shi lose his temper.
This Lu Yunan was something special.
Qin Shi stood up, shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto the sofa, then rolled up his shirt sleeves to the elbows, revealing his powerful forearms.
He grabbed Lu Yunan and slammed him down onto the coffee table with a loud bang, pressing his head down with one hand.
On that refined, scholarly face was a look of cold hardness and menace.
“Listen carefully. I’m giving you two choices.”
“One: you break up with Sheng Qing yourself. I don’t care how you do it, but make her give up on you completely.”
“Two: I step in and make the Lu family disappear from the imperial capital.”
With that, he tossed Lu Yunan back into the chair, his expression icy. “Pick one.”
Lu Yunan’s body was shaking, his face drained of all color.
Qin Shi pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and slowly, deliberately wiped his palm. “If you don’t know how to choose, I can help Young Master Lu make the decision.”
Lu Yunan gritted his teeth. “I—I choose the first one.”
“Good. A smart man.”
Qin Shi tossed the handkerchief into the trash can and gestured to the bodyguard. “See Young Master Lu home.”
The door to the private room closed again, restoring silence.
Tang Wen scratched his head. “Second Brother, the Sheng Qing you mentioned—isn’t that the rebellious little brat from your Qin family?”
“What do you want to ask?”
“Aren’t you the one who can’t stand that wild girl? Why are you stepping in to teach some scumbag a lesson on her behalf?”
Tang Wen had not only heard of this Sheng Qing—he’d met her once.
Wild, she was. Practically no different from a street punk.
Qin Shi didn’t exactly hold the little brat in high regard, and apparently Qin Zhen was often driven half to death by this wild girl’s antics too.
“Let me teach you a lesson. If you don’t want to get whipped by my brother’s military belt, next time you see her, treat her well.”
Tang Wen was dumbfounded. “Huh?”
“That girl is the Qin family’s treasure now.” Qin Shi picked up his suit jacket. “My brother dotes on her like crazy.”
Tang Wen’s face was a picture of shock. “So you don’t, right?”
The image of that girl sitting obediently with her hands on her knees popped into Qin Shi’s mind.
His gaze gradually darkened.
…
The next day, Sheng Qing received a text message from Lu Yunan: “Qingqing, are you free? Let’s meet up.”
Looking at the message, the expression on Sheng Qing’s face gradually turned cold.
She replied word by word: “Sure. Even if you hadn’t come to me, I would have gone to find you.”
Setting down the plate, Sheng Qing got up and headed out.
She said to Qin Zhen, who was in the living room: “Brother-in-law, I need to go out for a bit.”
Qin Zhen: “Where are you going?”
Sheng Qing thought for a moment. “Lu Yunan—my ex-boyfriend—he wants to see me about something. It shouldn’t take long. I’ll be right back.”
“Have Old Huang the driver take you there.”
“No need, brother-in-law. I’ll take the bus.”
Sheng Qing declined.
She was about to do something bad, so it was best if no one followed her and there were no witnesses.
Not long after Sheng Qing left, Qin Shi arrived.
Qin Zhen said: “That kid Lu Yunan went to talk to her about the breakup.”
Qin Shi gave a casual “Mm.” “He’ll be the one to break up with Sheng Qing.”
“I wonder if the girl can handle it.” Qin Zhen fretted like an old father.
Qin Shi said indifferently: “She’s young. Even if she likes him a lot, she’ll be sad for a few days and get over it.”
Qin Zhen still wasn’t reassured and wanted to have the driver secretly follow her to check.
“The driver’s no good for this.” Qin Shi said: “Get a scout. She won’t easily notice.”