Chapter 37: He won't care about me until the day I die.

After checking her body, she found no wounds other than bruises.

Ning Qing didn't want to think too much about it and returned shakily to her bedroom on the second floor.

The familiar place made her feel a little warmer.

She was exhausted and terrified.

She lifted the corner of the blanket and crawled into it.

It was sunny outside, but she hid in the room with closed windows, wrapping herself tightly.

She fell into a deep sleep for a long time.

--

When Ning Qing woke up, it was already dark outside.

Her mind was fuzzy as she got out of bed, pulled back the curtains, opened the window, and looked at the night sky outside.

A cool breeze blew in, and she realized that she was soaked in sweat.

She hesitated for a moment before going to the bathroom.

After taking a shower, Ning Qing looked at herself in the mirror and saw that the bruises on her neck were even more pronounced.

She touched the bruises with her hand, and a sense of desolation overflowed from her lips.

The reflection in the mirror was pale and powerless, like a soulless doll.

Ning Qing went downstairs, planning to make something to eat and soothe her uneasy stomach, but she ran into Lu Zhui as soon as she went down.

"Madam."

She nodded to her and the bag in his hand looked familiar.

Ning Qing didn't have much energy left. "What's the matter?"

He only came because he was ordered by that person.

Lu Zhui said, "This is the meal Young Master ordered for you at Yu Gui Fang. Please eat it while it's still hot."

He put boxes of food on the table, opened the lids, and the aroma filled the air.

"And this." Lu Zhui took out a box of ointment from the bag. "This is the medicine for treating bruises. You can apply it three times a day to the bruises on your leg and..."

The bruises on her neck.

Lu Zhui did not say these words.

He put down the ointment and looked up at her.

Ning Qing's gaze swept over the exquisite dishes and replied coldly, "Understood."

Lu Zhui hesitated, wanting to speak but stopped.

She looked at him and asked, "Do you have something else to say?"

Lu Zhui hesitated again before advising, "Madam, don't be angry with Young Master anymore. This morning, he originally asked me to turn back and pick you up, but you followed Mr. Yan instead. Young Master cares about you, that's why he got angry with you..."

"He cares?"

Ning Qing's lips curved slightly, her gaze becoming sharp.

"Assistant Lu, you must be mistaken. Until the day I die, he will never care about me."

As she said, if he really cared about her, would he let her be surrounded by reporters under his nose? If it weren't for Yan Sichen's timely appearance, she might have been driven insane.

Ning Qing no longer spoke and picked up her chopsticks to eat, but the delicious food now tasted like wax to her.

Under Lu Zhui's gaze, she swallowed all the dishes.

Ten minutes later, she put down her chopsticks and looked at him with a chilly gaze.

"I'm done eating, you can go back now."

Lu Zhui knew she had misunderstood him but didn't know how to explain it.

Thinking about her almost self-harming eating speed, he hesitated and wanted to help her clean up the table.

Ning Qing stopped him, "No need, you can go."

Lu Zhui left.

Ning Qing couldn't stand the discomfort and fullness in her stomach and rushed into the bathroom to throw up.

She ate too fast just now, how could her empty stomach withstand it? Ning Qing had never thought that eating could be such an uncomfortable thing.

After she finished vomiting, her face was as pale as a female ghost.

Exhaustion swept over her heart, a fatigue she had never felt before.

She washed her face, her eyelashes trembling.

Revealing her numbness and sadness.

Staggering, she came out of the bathroom.

When she passed the dining table, the leftovers were still waiting for her to clean up.

She unenthusiastically tightened the takeaway box and threw it in the garbage bag. When she saw the unopened box of medicine, Ning Qing paused.

The next second, she waved her hand and the ointment fell into the trash can under the table.

(End of this chapter)"

 Chapter 36: I Don't Like You Mentioning Divorce, Do You Understand?

Ning Qing was held tightly by Nian Lian's hand as he dragged her back to Yu Jing No.1.

As soon as they entered the living room, he pulled her and threw her onto the sofa.

"Ning Qing, are you ignoring what I said?" he warned her, reminding her not to have any contact with Yan Sichen.

Not only did she not listen, she even had a meal with him!

Ning Qing's head spun for a moment, and she retorted angrily, "Why should I listen to you?"

Nian Lian stepped forward, lifted one leg, and knelt beside her, holding her struggling hand.

His presence was overwhelmingly oppressive.

"I am your husband," he said.

Ning Qing sneered, "What kind of husband? A husband who flirts with other women and has rumors spread about him?"

"...," Nian Lian was speechless.

"I don't need you!" Ning Qing declared.

Nian Lian had always thought of himself as a rational and almost cold-blooded person. Even if someone angered him, he believed he could quickly calm down and resolve the problem calmly, just like he used to. He even thought so on his way home.

However, at this moment, when Ning Qing said she didn't need him as her husband, his calm heart was shattered once again.

The cold words that came out of her mouth were like the chill of deep winter.

"Say it again," he demanded.

Ning Qing looked at him with a grieving expression and repeated word for word, "I don't want to be with you, I want a divorce!"

His large hand suddenly attacked her neck.

Ning Qing widened her eyes in disbelief.

In the backlight, the man in front of her was still the same person, but he was so cold that it made her heart palpitate.

Nian Lian's expression was ruthless, devoid of any emotion, but his hand kept tightening.

Ning Qing frowned and used her free hand to grab his wrist, "Let go of me... Nian Lian, ah..."

The man's pitch-black eyes had no light in them, like a statue.

"I don't like you mentioning the word 'divorce', do you understand?" he warned her.

"...," Ning Qing fell silent.

The feeling of suffocation was slowly accumulating in her chest, becoming more and more apparent.

Ning Qing's face turned red, and she had almost no strength in her hands to resist him.

At this moment, she was like a tiny ant, and he could easily crush her with just a little force in his hand.

Fear and panic had finally crawled into her heart.

A tear slowly overflowed from the corner of Ning Qing's eye.

Her hand hung down.

Just when she thought she was going to die in his hands, Nian Lian suddenly let go of her.

"Cough cough..."

As oxygen entered her lungs, Ning Qing felt like she was reborn. She started coughing violently, and tears streamed down her face.

Hearing the sound of her intense coughing, Nian Lian regained consciousness. His trembling hand slowly fell to his side.

"From now on, don't see Yan Sichen again."

Ning Qing nodded while crying.

She was scared, really scared.

He was a lunatic!

At one point just now, she really thought he was going to strangle her...

Nian Lian's hand clenched into a fist. "If anyone from the old mansion comes again, don't go there."

Ning Qing covered her neck and couldn't make a sound. She could only nod again.

"... "

Nian Lian reached out towards her neck.

Ning Qing retreated in terror, tears hanging in the corners of her eyes, and she was in a mess, but still avoiding his touch.

His gaze darkened, and he couldn't force out a word from his throat.

His hand in mid-air retracted.

He turned around, took a step, and left.

Ning Qing watched his departing figure, and the sound of her heavy breathing slowly subsided.

For a long time, she stopped trembling and went to pour herself a glass of water from the table.

As she reached out her hand, she noticed red spots on it.

Where did the blood come from?

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 35: What is a Brother Without Blood Ties?

The sarcastic remark was directed at Ning Qing, but it easily threw Yan Sichen off balance.

He panicked and turned to look at the woman. "Qing Qing, it's not like that!"

"I believe you," Ning Qing replied calmly, not showing any signs of distrust.

She responded too quickly, and Yan Sichen's explanation got stuck in his throat.

Ning Qing stared hard at Nian Lian, retorting sarcastically: "Have you slept with fewer women than he has?"

Nian Lian gave her a cold glance and pressed the cigarette butt that was between his fingers into his palm.

It hurt, but he remained indifferent.

However, his silence was taken as an admission by Ning Qing.

Sarcasm was written all over her face, and her words were like a sharp blade. "Who are you to judge others?"

A cold laugh escaped Nian Lian's thin lips. "And what about you?"

"..."

"You just visited my mother in the morning and now you're with him," Nian Lian pointed at Yan Sichen, his eyes turning red.

"Ning Qing, I didn't know that your standards for judging people varied from person to person."

Ning Qing could not fail to notice his sarcasm. Her pale face tensed up. "Sichen and I haven't done anything. We don't care what others say. Unlike some people, who have dirty thoughts and see everything as dirty."

Who couldn't understand the metaphor?

Nian Lian's face was cold as ice. He was tired of arguing with her in front of a third person.

Otherwise, things would only get uglier.

He grabbed Yan Sichen's hand and forced it down with brute strength, inch by inch.

"Stop here, Yan Sichen."

"What do you want to do?" Yan Sichen's heart ached, stubbornly resisting him in secret. "I won't let you hurt Qingqing..."

Nian Lian narrowed his eyes. "And what gives you the right to stop me?"

"..."

Yan Sichen's angular jaw tightened. A sense of powerlessness emerged in his heart. This was his weakest point compared to Nian Lian. Regardless of anything else, Nian Lian was his legitimate husband. And he was nothing. But how could he be willing to accept this?

No! He couldn't lose to him!

The emotions of competitiveness and unwillingness intertwined. Yan Sichen once again tightened his grip on the man's wrist, concealing his inner dominance with composure. "I am her brother."

Nian Lian suddenly smiled lightly, turning things upside down, but also seemingly laughing at his foolishness. He spoke, piercing through his self-deception: "What is a non-blood-related brother?"

Something shattered in his heart and chest.

Yan Sichen's resistance weakened. Nian Lian lowered his head and lightly stroked his hand, causing Yan Sichen's grip to loosen and fall weakly.

Nian Lian easily pulled Ning Qing into his embrace. Yan Sichen's eyes stung. The pretense of peace was no longer necessary.

"Understand your identity clearly," Nian Lian coldly warned. "You'd better not look for her again. No matter what the reason."

With his indifferent words, Nian Lian ignored the struggling and resistance of the woman, forcibly embracing her and leaving.

Yan Sichen wanted to chase after them, but found that he couldn't take that step no matter what. The tense atmosphere just now suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a silent room.

He lowered his head, the pain in his eyes evident. His trembling hand reached up and touched his forehead, where cold sweat dripped down. He felt a tinge of redness in his eyes and fell into contemplation.

The trust she had blurted out just now, was it because she truly believed in him, or because she simply didn't care whether it was true or false? And yet she still relied on that man despite how badly he treated her.

Was it because he wasn't good enough that Qing Qing didn't like him? Were all these seemingly logical reasons not enough to hide the sorrow and sadness that emanated from the man?

Yan Sichen smiled bitterly and sat down slowly, as if in slow motion. Like a statue, he remained motionless for a long time.

(End of chapter)

 Chapter 34: Wife, Your Husband is Here

Nian Lian stood at the door, his dark eyes flicking over the hands of the two people inside who were holding each other. His expression was cold and his heart was in turmoil.

"... "

Outside the door, Manager and Lu Zhui were both there, looking at the scene inside, but no one dared to speak.

The atmosphere froze, almost turning into ice.

"Lu Zhui."

The man shook, immediately understanding, and stood in front of the manager, not letting him interfere with the conversation between the three.

The door was closed.

Nian Lian strode forward with his long legs, his tall and slender figure towering over the two sitting figures in front of him.

Ning Qing trembled with her lips, wanting to say something, but Nian Lian spoke first.

He glanced at the dishes on the table, his face filled with a cold and distant air, as if warning strangers to stay away.

"You seem to be in a good mood, Mr. Yan."Yan Sichen naturally let go of Ning Qing and placed his hand, which was adorned with a delicate watch, on the edge of the table, lightly grasping it.

He tilted his head slightly and met Nian Lian's gaze.

His tone was not inferior.

"Mr. Nian is also quite young."

Nian Lian grabbed a chair and pulled it over, sitting down and crossing his long legs naturally, leaning back against the back of the chair.

"Mr. Yan is an old acquaintance of my wife, so you are naturally my friend as well."

"... "

He lit a cigarette, holding it between his fingers, and exuded an air of authority and coldness like an emperor.

Ning Qing leaned towards him, but she could not feel any warmth or friendliness coming from him.

His cold eyes glanced over her face, and Ning Qing unconsciously lowered her eyelids to avoid his gaze.

The coldness emanating from Nian Lian became even more frigid.

"What were you two talking about just now? Speak up and let me listen."

His arrogant attitude made Yan Sichen unsure how to react for a moment.

Ning Qing disliked his attitude, her clear eyes filled with a chill. "Don't talk to us in that tone."

"Us?"

The tone lifted slightly, and Ning Qing's back tightened.

Nian Lian sneered, "Wife, have you mistaken the person? Your husband is here."

"... "

Ning Qing trembled uncontrollably, not because of the sweet term "wife" but because she heard his threat and warning.

The cigarette butt burned halfway, the ash fell on the wooden ground, shattered into dust, and disappeared.

A thin, cold smile hung on Nian Lian's lips. "No more to say? Then come with me."

He changed his face so quickly, stood up, crossed the distance, and grabbed Ning Qing's arm with a rough, merciless movement.

Ning Qing's face turned pale.

Yan Sichen suddenly stood up and grabbed Nian Lian's arm, firmly stopping him. "Nian Lian!"

"... "

"You hurt her!"

Nian Lian's smile became even stronger, and a slight madness flickered in his deep and beautiful features, even a bit twisted.

"She is my woman, and whether she is hurt or not is my concern. Does Yan Young Master have nothing better to do than interfere with my wife?"

Ning Qing was shocked. He... how could he say such offensive words!

"Nian Lian, what are you saying?"

While feeling suffocated and wronged, tears welled up in her eyes.

"In your eyes, is everyone who gathers together for that kind of shameful thing?" Ning Qing gave a wry smile, "That's right, if you even doubt your own wife, who else can you trust?"

He said harshly, "If you really consider yourself my wife, you should know your place."

Ning Qing retorted, "Did you consider yourself my husband when you were having numerous affairs outside?"

Nian Lian clenched his teeth, and anger turned his black pupils red. "Then what do you think of him?"

"A good person," Ning Qing defined firmly, "better than you."

"... "

Nian Lian closed his eyes tightly.

He knew that if he continued speaking, he would not be able to control himself.

When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with coldness.

He looked at Yan Sichen, who remained silent, and said maliciously, "He was meeting with several women in a hotel in the morning, and now he is meeting you here. Ning Qing, you have excellent taste."

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 33: Qing Qing, Do You Want to Divorce Nian Lian?

Jing Yue

Inside a private room.

The environment is elegant, with a table full of exquisite and delicious dishes.

Ning Qing and Yan Sichen are both silent, and the only sound in the room is the occasional clinking of dishes and chopsticks.

Yan Sichen looks at Ning Qing, who is unusually calm, and gets up to use his chopsticks to pick up a shrimp and put it in her bowl.

Ning Qing suddenly looks up, her eyes filled with waves of surprise.

Yan Sichen's heart is suddenly touched, and he softens.

He speaks softly, "What's wrong? You still seem absent-minded."

Ning Qing doesn't want him to worry and tries to smile, but she can't seem to force one out no matter how hard she tries.

A soft sigh is heard.

Yan Sichen says, "Qing Qing, you don't have to force yourself like this."

"..."

"Laugh when you're happy, cry when you're sad. You've always been like this. Why is it that now that you've grown up, your emotions are not as pure as they used to be?"

Perhaps it's because he mentioned the past, or maybe it's because of the barrage of questions from the journalists earlier, or maybe it's because when she was alone and helpless, the first person that came to mind was Nian Lian...

She finds it absurd, and feels deeply helpless and sad because of it.

The fact that she would think in her subconscious that he would suddenly have a change of heart and come to her aid in that embarrassing situation made her ashamed of her own delusions.

"..."

Her hand trembles slightly as she grips her chopsticks tightly, leaving marks on her fingers, but she doesn't seem to feel the pain.

Yan Sichen notices her hand on her thigh as if she's about to stop herself from hurting herself, but in the end, he gives up trying to stop her.

The atmosphere, once quiet, becomes heavy.

Ning Qing puts down her chopsticks, her eyes turning slightly red. "I'm sorry, Brother Sichen, I've made a fool of myself again."

Facing her casual tone, Yan Sichen forces out a smile.

"It's okay for me to see it."

"..."

Ning Qing lowers her gaze, avoiding his eyes.

Yan Sichen expression darkened, and his voice was very soft: "Qing Qing, it seems like every time I see you, you don't seem to be doing well."

Some freshly buried sorrow surged up, almost suffocating Ningqing's nose and mouth.

Her breathing was light and slow.

"Yes, since I woke up, the whole world has changed. My sister is gone, and everyone thinks I killed her."

Ning Qing spoke softly, her words ethereal.

"My parents blame me, reporters who don't know the whole story blame me, even my husband blames me..."

She smiled, full of sadness and heartbreak, yet also very captivating.

"Actually, sometimes I also think that if it weren't for me, my sister wouldn't have died."

"... "

Yan Sichen clenched his fists tightly, his eyes slightly red.

The woman's guilt, sorrow, and despair were expressed vividly in her few words.

But she used to be an angelic presence.

Now, she's been destroyed like this.

And he has a part in it.

His heart felt as if it were being twisted with a knife, his face pale. The woman's soft words shattered his last line of defense.

"If she hadn't died, or if I was the one who died, everything might be different..."

"No, it wouldn't!"

Ning Qing was stunned, looking at the man who spoke vehemently.

Yanshi Chen restrained himself, his eyes turning red. Gritting his teeth, he asked: "Qing Qing, do you want to divorce Nian Lian?"

Ning Qing was surprised by his words.

"Brother Shichen..."

"I can help you."

Yan Sichen no longer restrained himself, grabbing her wrist, as if he wanted to say something earth-shattering.

"As long as you really want to divorce him, I can help you!"

(End of chapter)

 Chapter 32: From now on, there's no need to report her affairs to me.

Yansichen turned towards the voice and saw a female journalist in her twenties.

As a final gesture of politeness, he smiled at her warmly.

"Qing Qing is an old acquaintance from my youth. In my heart, she is like a younger sister to me."

The female journalist was surprised by this revelation and lowered her head without saying a word.

The crowd fell silent.

Yansichen maintained an appropriate distance from Ning Qing, neither being too ambiguous nor too distant.

He supported her and asked gently, "Can you walk?"

Ning Qing mechanically nodded, but her eyes remained colorless.

She took two steps with Yansichen, but couldn't seem to find her footing.

Yansichen frowned in concern and said, "Blame me when we get back."

Ning Qing's wet eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't object.

He lowered himself and lifted her up in his arms.

In the midst of the astonished crowd, he placed her on the back seat of the car and, after suppressing his urge for a long time, finally placed his hand on her head.

Soft words of comfort were whispered, "It's okay, Qing Qing."

Ningqing's eyelids drooped, looking like a soulless puppet.

He sighed and said, "Wait for me," before leaving the car.

Behind him, a bodyguard held an umbrella.

Yansichen watched as another person ran over from the crowd and asked, bowing his head, "Young Master Yan, how should we handle this?"

He stared at the restless group of people, his usually gentle features showing an unusual hostility.

However, he still needed to be rational.

He said, "There's no need to conceal what I announced. Remind them not to write too much about today's events, and not to write anything that isn't true."

If they didn't write the truth, they wouldn't dare to do anything to him, but it might not be the same for Ning Qing.

He couldn't help but think of her.

"And the photo..."

Yansichen's calm eyes looked at a car on the side of the road, the closed windows hiding the emotions of the person inside, whether they were happy or angry.

His lips tightened as he said in a low voice, "I don't want to see any ugly scenes."

His subordinates understood and went towards the crowd.

Yan sichen returned to the car, and Ning Qing's mood had improved a lot.

She hoarsely shouted, "Brother Sichen."

Yansichen sat next to her, a fist's distance away. "Scared you?" he asked.

Ning Qing lowered her head and remained silent.

Yan Sichen didn't want her to overthink, so he changed the subject, smiling gently. "The timing is just right."

Ning Qing didn't understand his meaning, so he raised his hand and pointed to his expensive watch.

The hour hand pointed to twelve o'clock.

"Perfect, we can have a meal together," Yansichen said.

Ning Qing hesitated.

Yansichen said, "If you go back alone, they might still follow you."

"Them," referring to the group of reporters from earlier.

Ning Qing was still trembling and clutched her clothes.

Yansichen saw this and his heart ached. "Go to Jingyue," he said.

The driver responded, "Yes."

Ning Qing hurriedly asked, "What about those people?"

"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Yansichen assured her.

Ning Qing's nerves finally eased a little. "Thank you, Brother Sichen," she said.

Yansichen looked at her tenderly. "If you want to thank me, let's do it after we finish eating."

The car slowly left the scene of the commotion.

Outside the supermarket, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Inside a certain car on the roadside, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the cold was overwhelming.

Lu Zhui dared not breathe, looking at the man's face on the back seat, which was freezing. "Young Master, all major media outlets have been notified. There won't be any news about Madam being chased in the future."

"..."

Nian Lian's icy gaze followed the car that the woman was riding in until it disappeared.

"Young Master, Madam has been taken away by Mr. Yan again," the man said.

The corners of the man's lips curved into a mocking smile.

His chilly words echoed. "From now on, you don't need to report anything to me about her." 

(End of this chapter)