Unable to bear the sight of Song Qinian any longer, Shen Chi Yan pushed her away and went straight into the bathroom. Before closing the door, he coldly warned, "When I come out, don't let me see you again!"
"Bang..."
The bathroom door slammed shut, and Song Qinian's heart trembled violently.
She hugged herself tightly, feeling sad and wronged.
Shen Chi Yan didn't want to see her, and she couldn't stay in this room. So, she slowly opened the door, intending to find a guest room for the night.
"Young madam, do you need anything?"
Song Qinian hadn't expected a servant to be outside. Thinking it might be Grandma's arrangement, she gave an embarrassed wave and returned to the bedroom.
No, if Grandma found out she slept in a guest room, she would definitely scold Shen Chi Yan.
And Shen Chi Yan would, in turn, blame her for everything, thinking she was up to something.
The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. Thinking about what Shen Chi Yan had said before entering the bathroom, Song Qinian's heart tightened.
Damn it, where could she hide so Shen Chi Yan wouldn't see her?
Definitely not on the bed!
The sofa... not there either!
Song Qinian was frantic. After searching for a long time, her gaze finally fell on the wardrobe.
When Shen Chi Yan emerged from the bathroom, Song Qinian was nowhere to be seen in the room.
Heh... gone to complain again?
A mute who couldn't speak was quite active in complaining.
Shen Chi Yan couldn't be bothered to deal with Song Qinian and got into bed to sleep.
Hiding in the wardrobe, Song Qinian saw no movement outside. She gently pushed open the wardrobe door and peeked. Seeing that Shen Chi Yan was asleep, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
After all this commotion, she was tired too. Curled up in the wardrobe, she hugged Shen Chi Yan's clothes and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, when Shen Chi Yan woke up, his handsome face was as grim as it could be.
He had actually suffered from insomnia last night.
He had originally wanted to see what tricks Song Qinian was up to. To his surprise, after waiting for most of the night, Song Qinian didn't come to his bed, nor did his grandmother bother him.
Hmph, when did that woman become so obedient?
Shen Chi Yan got out of bed irritably and pulled open the wardrobe to find clothes.
He had many things to do today and couldn't let that woman, Song Qinian, dictate his emotions.
However, the moment he opened the wardrobe, an object fell directly towards him. Shen Chi Yan instinctively reached out to catch it and saw Song Qinian fast asleep.
She seemed to be startled awake and abruptly opened her eyes.
Their eyes met. Shen Chi Yan's expression darkened further, and Song Qinian, seeing his bad mood, suddenly remembered what Shen Chi Yan had said last night.
Her mind couldn't keep up with her actions, and her hands quickly covered Shen Chi Yan's eyes.
It's over. Why would Shen Chi Yan open the wardrobe door? He saw her now, would he throw her out the window?
The next second, Shen Chi Yan's mocking voice rang out, "What? By covering my eyes, you think I haven't seen you? Song Qinian, you're quite adept at the art of covering your ears to steal a bell."
Song Qinian bit her lip and slowly removed her hands.
The next moment, Shen Chi Yan suddenly let go, and she plummeted downwards, falling onto the floor.
Fortunately, the thick carpet cushioned her fall, so she didn't feel any pain.
"Get out of here quickly!"
Hearing this, Song Qinian immediately got up and fled the room as if pursued by a beast.
Shen Chi Yan watched Song Qinian's slender back, his brow furrowed.
This woman... she'd rather sleep in the wardrobe than go to her grandmother to complain?
Hmph... she knew when to stop.
When Song Qinian reached the ground floor, she was still shaken. Just as she was breathing a sigh of relief for escaping danger, she suddenly saw Gu Zhiyan watering flowers.
Gu Zhiyan was wearing a linen dress, her slightly permed hair tied back. In the early morning, a gentle breeze blew, lifting a few stray strands of hair around her cheeks, making her look like a fairy from a painting, instantly evoking the words "timeless peace."
Her profile was delicate and beautiful, her figure and temperament even more exceptional. As she watered a rose bush, she stood beside it, vividly illustrating that beauty outshone flowers.
Shen Chi Yan's looks inherited from her; mother and son were both unparalleled beauties.
Song Qinian couldn't imagine why Shen Zhenghao insisted on divorcing her.
After all, she was her mother-in-law. Song Qinian walked over, intending to greet Gu Zhiyan.
Gu Zhiyan also saw Song Qinian. Seeing her reach out to sign, she interrupted her faintly, "No need to sign, I can't understand it anyway."
Shen Chi Yan not only resembled Gu Zhiyan in appearance but also shared her cool personality.
With her words, Song Qinian stood frozen, feeling a little lost.
Gu Zhiyan naturally did not approve of Song Qinian and Shen Chi Yan's marriage. Having gone through a failed marriage herself, she hoped her son would find someone he loved.
But in this household, the elderly matriarch made the decisions, so her opposition was futile.
Gu Zhiyan didn't exactly dislike Song Qinian, but she disdained the methods of their family.
Initially, Song Qinian was quite nervous, but gradually she began to admire her beautiful mother-in-law watering the flowers.
When Gu Zhiyan finished watering the flowers and went to wash her hands, Song Qinian immediately offered her a towel.
Gu Zhiyan did not take it, instead picking up a nearby towel to dry her hands. She then looked at Song Qinian indifferently, "I have hands, I don't need anyone's help."
Song Qinian sheepishly put down the towel.
"It's best for able-bodied people to be self-reliant. Constantly relying on others, what's the difference between that and a parasite."
Seeing Song Qinian's dazed expression, Gu Zhiyan, unsure if she was pretending or genuinely didn't understand, said faintly, "I am indeed wealthy, and tens of thousands are pocket change to me. But people should know where to draw the line, lest greed harms themselves."
She paused and continued, "I never approved of your marriage to Chi Yan from the beginning. I don't have a good impression of you as a daughter-in-law, nor of your mother as a relative. If possible, I hope you will never appear before me again and ruin my mood."
After Gu Zhiyan finished speaking, she left. Song Qinian stood stunned for a long time before seeming to realize something, her face turning ashen.
After leaving the Shen family mansion, Song Qinian took out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Liu Xiaohan: "Where are you?"
Liu Xiaohan didn't reply, so she took a taxi home.
The taxi fare alone cost over two hundred yuan.
The car stopped in front of a dilapidated residential building.
The Shen family mansion was located in Beijing's Second Ring Road, and Shen Chi Yan's villa was situated in the city's affluent district.
Compared to those, this residential building was like a slum.
As soon as Song Qinian arrived at the entrance, she heard the clatter of mahjong tiles and vulgar voices from inside.
Enraged, she knocked heavily on the door.
"Who is it so early in the morning!?"
A sharp female voice rang out; it was Liu Xiaohan.
Song Qinian, unable to speak, increased the force of her knocking.
"Coming, coming!"
Liu Xiaohan opened the door. Seeing it was Song Qinian, she was taken aback for a moment. "Why are you back?"