She had two reasons for making such demands.
The first was that using this as leverage to extract a hefty sum from Shen Mingjue would be too easy on the scumbag. After he had heartlessly kicked her out in her previous life, it would be a disservice to her rebirth if she didn't torment him properly in this one.
The second was to utilize the Shen family's influence to find Jian Zhou. An Qiuyan hadn't seen Jian Zhou since their separation at the sculpture garden. He had seemingly vanished into thin air, impossible to locate no matter how hard she searched. In her past life, after Jian Fan's death, Jian Zhou became the sole heir of the Jian family. She absolutely would not let such a valuable catch slip through her fingers. Since she couldn't find him on her own, she might as well use the Shen family to help her.
Shen Mingjue shook his head, "That's impossible. My grandfather despises you. Now, with the gossip circulating about you and that brat Shen Minghuang, he will surely tolerate you even less. He'll never agree to you and me being together."
"Whether he agrees or not is your problem. My demand stands. We return to how things were before we broke up, and you must fulfill your promise to make me a top star with Xinghuo Media. Otherwise, you'll face the consequences!" An Qiuyan stated decisively, leaving no room for negotiation. Her implication was clear: if you can't do it, we'll go down together.
"You..." Shen Mingjue took a deep breath. "An Qiuyan, do you really have to push me this hard?"
"It's not me pushing you; it's you bringing this upon yourself. If you hadn't wronged me first, none of this would have happened." An Qiuyan glanced at Shen Mingjue. "I know you, Young Master Shen, have ways to make anyone who poses a threat to you disappear. But I want you to know that I, An Qiuyan, am not someone you can just mold as you please. This paternity test you hold is only a copy. I've kept the original in a place no one can find. Not only the original, but I also have dozens of electronic backups. If anything were to happen to me, someone would immediately expose this evidence. At that point, you can expect to be ruined and lose everything!"
An Qiuyan's extreme caution and preparedness only fueled Shen Mingjue's anger. He had initially planned to appease her with sweet talk and then find an opportunity to get rid of her, making her disappear without a trace. He hadn't anticipated that An Qiuyan would foresee his actions and take precautions. Shen Mingjue harbored deep resentment, blaming his "cheap mother" for her incompetence. If she had been more discreet when switching him and Shen Minghuang, she wouldn't have left behind evidence that An Qiuyan managed to seize years later. Otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a passive position today, allowing this hateful woman to threaten him.
Seeing Shen Mingjue's look of disgust and reluctance, An Qiuyan's expression turned cold. "Shen Mingjue, after being with you for so long, I've seen through you. I know all your tricks, so don't even think about playing games with me. Your only option is to obey obediently and pretend to be a loving couple with me."
Shen Mingjue tightly clutched the paternity test, wishing he could tear it to shreds. After a long silence, he exhaled, gritting his teeth fiercely. "Fine, I agree to return to how we were. But you must also guarantee that not a single word about my true parentage will be leaked!"
An Qiuyan smiled brightly. "It would have been better if you agreed sooner. Men never shed tears until they see the coffin; they're such stubborn creatures!"