Sleep eluded Shen Qi for the rest of the night because she was awake waiting. She was waiting for Ye Moxuan to return.
However, reality proved that she waited in vain because there were no signs of Ye Moxuan’s return by 6.00AM in the morning. She maintained her original position while lying in bed without even moving an inch.
After a while, Shen Qi looked as if she had accepted her fate as she got out of bed in silence before making her way to the front of the wardrobe. She picked a new nightdress and put it on numbly before turning around to head back to her spread on the floor. She then lay down again to sleep.
As if she had made up her mind, she shut her eyes the moment she lay down and was soon deep asleep. I don’t care whatever women he’s looking for because it’s none of my business, anyway.
She slept until the next day, but she had only slept for about two to three hours, and so it gave her a horrible, throbbing headache. Shen Qi held her forehead while walking into the bathroom; after freshening up, she walked downstairs.
Ye Linhan noticed her ghostly pale face during breakfast, and he asked in concern, “Why do you look so pale? Did you not sleep well last night?”
Ye Linhan’s concern caught Shen Qi by surprise, and she was stunned to silence for a while. “I’m fine,” she answered while shaking her head.
Today, Old Master Ye was not at the dining table, and so Ye Linhan was quite casual while chatting with her.
“I heard that Moxuan went out last night, and he is not back yet.”
Shen Qi was just about to have a sip of milk, but the glass in her hand froze in mid-air when she heard that. She almost spilled the milk, and so she placed the glass of milk down and took a piece of sushi instead.
“I heard that Moxuan is looking for someone.”
Shen Qi opened her mouth and was about to eat the sushi, but she felt rather upset after hearing that. She felt like she was chewing carpet, and she didn’t reply to Ye Linhan immediately, but he went on with his questions anyway.
“Do you know who he is looking for?”
Shen Qi took a sip of milk before shaking her head. “I have no idea. I’m full, so I’m leaving now, Linhan.”
With that, Shen Qi stood up and walked out of the door. She walked very quickly, as though she was fleeing.
After a while, Ye Linhan hurried over to catch up with her. “I’m going to the company as well, so let me drive you there.”
“It’s alright.” Shen Qi did not even turn around to face him, and instead, she continued walking.
A hand grabbed onto Shen Qi out of nowhere, and she turned around in shock. She saw Ye Linhan gripping her wrist while repeating himself. “Qi, let me drive you to the company.”
Shen Qi scowled reflexively, and she was about to free herself from Ye Linhan’s grip when he tightened his fingers around her wrist. “Wait right here for me, and don’t you run away. Do you understand me?”
Shen Qi hesitated before answering him, “Linhan, I…”
“I’ll get the car.”
Ye Linhan went to get his car, and initially, Shen Qi thought of leaving, but when she recalled Ye Linhan’s bone-chilling words, she gave up and stood there waiting for him.
After some time, Ye Linhan drove his car over and stopped in front of Shen Qi while waiting for her to get in.
Shen Qi was left with no choice but to enter his car. Just when Ye Linhan leaned over to help her with her seatbelt, Shen Qi stopped him hastily. “I can handle that.”
“I’ll get it.” Ye Linhan held her hands down and insisted on fastening the seat belt for her while his masculine scent wafted at her. Putting the seat belt on was a simple enough action, but Ye Linhan seemed to be moving extra slowly, and so she could feel his cool breath on her cheeks.
Shen Qi felt rather uncomfortable, and she flinched instinctively from him while leaning her head backward to put as much distance from him as she could.
Ye Linhan broke the silence suddenly.
“Are you in a rush to avoid me?”
Shen Qi’s breath caught in her throat when she heard that, and she looked up reflexively. It so happened that she gazed right into Ye Linhan’s icy-cold eyes. “You—”
“I switched your position because I was hoping that you wouldn’t be bullied again. There was no other reason behind that.”
Shen Qi did not reply to him, but her breathing quickened slightly.
After fastening her seatbelt for her, Ye Linhan was in no hurry to leave; instead, he held her hands slowly. “Do you know who was Moxuan looking for last night?”
Before Shen Qi could answer him, Ye Linhan continued, “If you both have feelings for each other, and if you are happy the way you are, then I wouldn’t comment. But I don’t want to see you being hurt over and over again.”
“Linhan…” Shen Qi wanted to shove against him, but Ye Linhan wrapped an arm around her shoulders suddenly to hug her tightly.
In that instant, Shen Qi felt as though her heart had stopped beating.
What is he doing?
“Qi, if you are willing, I can take care of you for the rest of your life.”
Shen Qi smiled faintly when she heard that. “Linhan, before you do such a thing, have you never considered your younger brother’s feelings?”
“Since Moxuan refuses to appreciate you, I will not give him another chance. Qi, divorce him.”
“And what would happen after our divorce?” she asked.
Ye Linhan pondered before withdrawing himself away from Shen Qi, and he gazed into her eyes tenderly.
“I would be the target of public criticism after the divorce, and should I marry you then, Linhan? Are you truly doing this out of kindness for me?”
Ye Linhan pursed his lips, but he remained immobile.
“Ha!” Shen Qi laughed mockingly. “Ye Linhan, do you truly care for me and don’t want to see me being bullied, or are you in a rush to take revenge on Ye Moxuan? Is that why you can’t wait for me to divorce him? You want me to be with you instead to prove how irresistible you are, am I right?”
Panic flashed across Ye Linhan’s initial tender gaze when he heard that because he didn’t seem to anticipate Shen Qi to think along those lines. In fact, he most probably did not expect her to be so direct with her words. He held onto Shen Qi’s shoulders and asked, “Why would you think that? Do you see me as that sort of person?”
“In that case, please tell me, Linhan, what type of person are you? Do you think that I would truly believe that you’d fall for a married woman? Since you are familiar with my identity, I’m sure that you know that apart from Ye Moxuan, I’ve been married before. Hence, if I were to get divorced again, it would be my third marriage, and I know that in the eyes of men, a woman like me is just another used toy. Do you really want that? Please don’t be naïve because I won’t believe you no matter what you say!”
Ye Linhan frowned, and the fingers around her shoulders tightened as well. He then growled at her after she was done speaking. “I will not allow you to talk about yourself in that way! What do you mean by third marriage and used toy? I don’t care about such things.”
“In that case, what do you care about?” jeered Shen Qi. “Do you think that I’d believe you just because you claim that you don’t mind these things?”
“What I care about is your heart.”
Shen Qi was dumbfounded, and she stared in surprise at Ye Linhan, who was merely inches away from her.
Ye Linhan gazed sternly into her cold eyes before explaining, “I know that it’s difficult for you to trust men again after experiencing two failed marriages, and that is why I’m willing to wait for you. I’m prepared to wait for the day you are ready to believe me. Qi, I just want you to know that I am truly in love with you, and that I am not joking with you. I can… swear on my life.”
He raised his hand as though he was going through with some sort of ceremony.
“Heaven as my witness, I, Ye Linhan, am willing to trade my wealth and life in exchange for Shen Qi’s trust. I want to take care of her for the rest of her life, and if anything I say was a lie, I would die a horrible death.”
Shen Qi turned pale when she heard the last part of his speech. “S-Stop saying nonsense!”
