“You too.” Yanan felt deeply sympathetic to Sophie’s situation, but seeing that she had completely recovered, she smiled lively and full of spirit.
Qin Tianyi beckoned to Susu, asking her to come over.
Susu patted Yanan and said, “You guys chat first, I’ll go see.”
“Hurry up, hurry up, we won’t hog you, or your Mr. Qin will be unhappy,” Yanan said, pushing her over.
Susu felt embarrassed by her words and walked towards Qin Tianyi.
“Sophie, your earrings are so beautiful. Where did you buy them? They’re so unique.” Yanan immediately became friendly with Sophie. She wasn’t very familiar with Susu’s customers from Lancheng or her friends in the fashion industry, so it was a good opportunity to chat with Sophie.
Sophie touched the pendant of her earring and said, “Really? I bought them at a small shop I stumbled upon while browsing. I also thought they were quite unique at the time.”
“You designers have good taste when it comes to choosing things. Can you accompany me shopping next time?”
Sophie happily replied, “Sure. Besides work, I don’t have much else to do…”
As she was speaking, a gentleman present walked past them and accidentally brushed her arm.
She immediately felt as if struck by lightning, trembling and shouting, “Don’t touch me!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the gentleman apologized politely. “Are you alright? Did I hurt you?”
“I’m fine.” Sophie didn’t dare to look at him directly and began to unbutton her clothes, her head lowered. She said, her voice low, “As long as you don’t hurt me, I’ll do anything you want…”
Yanan saw that Sophie’s demeanor was a bit off. She stepped in front of Sophie and said to the gentleman, “She’s fine. You can go now.”
The gentleman looked a bit awkward but quickly moved to the other side.
Yanan immediately turned and grabbed Sophie’s hand, saying, “I’ll take you to the office inside to rest. Are you feeling unwell?”
Sophie suddenly pushed Yanan away with great force, “Don’t lock me in there! I’m not going anywhere!”
Yanan lost her balance for a moment and took two steps back, almost falling. Fortunately, Su Kangxi, who had been watching her, quickly caught her.
“What’s going on? I thought you were just chatting. Why did she suddenly push you?” Su Kangxi asked.
Seeing Sophie’s growing panic, and having heard from Susu that Sophie had a history of mental illness, Yanan didn’t think too much about it. She said to Su Kangxi, “I’m fine. It’s Sophie. She might be losing control of her emotions.”
Su Kangxi then realized that the woman talking to Yanan was Sophie, who had helped Susu in France. He wanted to go over and comfort her.
Yanan pulled Kangxi back, saying, “Don’t go. She’s probably very afraid of contact with men.”
Sophie clutched her hair with both hands. Spotting a fork on the fruit platter, she immediately picked it up, stabbed it into her arm, and then pulled it out. She felt no pain.
Someone nearby gasped in surprise, drawing everyone’s attention to them.
Seeing her about to stab herself again, Susu rushed over immediately, trying to snatch the fork from her hand. “Sophie, what’s wrong? Be clear-headed. Put down the fork, don’t hurt yourself.”
“I said I’m willing to do anything, why are you still hurting me?” Sophie yelled hysterically as she struggled with Susu for the fork.
Susu couldn’t get the fork from her. Sophie raised the fork and was about to stab Susu.
Just as Susu was preparing to block the fork with her bare hands, Qin Tianyi lunged forward, rushing between them to shield Susu. Sophie’s fork stabbed into Qin Tianyi’s shoulder.
Yanan moved to help, but Kangxi stopped her, saying, “Someone who’s gone mad is too dangerous. Don’t go. Let me subdue her first.”
Before Yanan could react, Kangxi had already knocked the fork out of Sophie’s hand and subdued her with a few grappling moves.
Susu tightly hugged Qin Tianyi, who was injured protecting her, and worried about Sophie’s sudden relapse. She said to Kangxi, who had subdued Sophie, “Take her to the office inside to rest. Don’t agitate her further.”
Kangxi, without a word, forcibly took the emotionally unstable Sophie into the lounge. Yanan immediately followed.
“Tianyi, I’ll take you to the hospital.” She looked at the fork embedded in his shoulder, her heart trembling.
Qin Tianyi broke free from her grasp and held her shoulder, saying, “It’s not a big deal. No need to go to the hospital. Just pull out the fork and put some medicine on it yourself.”
“Don’t pull it out, let’s go to the hospital…”
Qin Tianyi had already reached out and pulled out the fork. Although it hurt a little, he smiled and said to Susu, “When Little Star gets minor bumps and bruises, you teach him to be strong. Am I not even as good as a child? I’m fine. You go take care of Sophie. I’ll explain to the guests who came to congratulate us.”
Susu was heartbroken but still wanted to tend to his wound. “But your shoulder is bleeding…”
“It’s nothing. This little injury will stop bleeding on its own. Go quickly and check on Sophie. Leave this to me,” Qin Tianyi said gently but with an unrefusable tone. “Perhaps there are gossip reporters watching us among the guests. If they dig up Sophie’s affairs and publicize them, can Sophie still stay in Lancheng?”
“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.” Susu had no choice but to go and comfort Sophie.
Qin Tianyi watched Susu leave and immediately explained to the guests that Sophie was heartbroken and drunk, so everyone didn’t need to worry.
Then, he asked the event organizers to end the opening ceremony early and gave the guests an extra small gift.
After all the congratulatory guests had left, Chang Qingchuan stayed behind and said to Qin Tianyi, “Mr. Qin, let me take you to the hospital first. We don’t want the wound to get infected and need anti-inflammatory treatment.”
Qin Tianyi said worriedly, “But we’re leaving. If we leave Susu and Yanan to take care of Sophie, what if she has another episode? Can they handle it?”
“It should be fine. I just looked at the lounge door, and Sophie’s emotions have stabilized. Besides, Officer Su Kangxi is here. He can handle anything if something happens.”
“That’s true.” Qin Tianyi then agreed to let Chang Qingchuan accompany him to the hospital.
As they were walking to the studio entrance, they met Huo Zheng, who was rushing over.
“Oh, Mr. Qin, brother-in-law, where are you going? Has the opening event ended?” Huo Zheng asked, unaware of the situation. “The invitation said from six to nine in the evening.”
Chang Qingchuan patted his shoulder and said, “You’re late. It’s over. Let’s go.”
“Brother-in-law, wait. Where’s Sister Susu? I just arrived and haven’t even had a chance to look around. I should at least give Sister Susu the gift for the opening,” Huo Zheng said, not intending to leave with them.
Qin Tianyi blocked the doorway, preventing him from entering. No matter how much the young man acted like a cute puppy, as a man, he could sense that Huo Zheng saw Susu as more than just a friend or sister. He felt Huo Zheng was like a big wolf dog that posed a threat to him.
“No need today. Everyone has left.”