The moment Shen Chiyan's lips touched Song Qinian's soft, sweet mouth, he let out a contented sigh.
Song Qinian, however, felt nothing but humiliation. She was naturally weak, and Shen Chiyan, drunk, was even more forceful and domineering than usual.
Her eyes gradually reddened. Did he still see her as merely a tool for his desires?
If it were Lin Qiutong, would he have forced himself on her if she refused?
The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt, and Song Qinian could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down her cheeks.
Shen Chiyan kissed Song Qinian's lips, then her cheeks and neck. Tasting a bitter, salty flavor, he stiffened and looked up at Song Qinian.
Only then did he realize Song Qinian was crying, and with such deep sadness and hurt.
Shen Chiyan, lost in desire, instantly panicked. He immediately sat up, held Song Qinian, and fumbled to wipe her tears. "Baby, why are you crying? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry!"
If it were before, Shen Chiyan wouldn't have cared about Song Qinian's feelings. So, seeing him stop and apologize, Song Qinian was stunned for a moment, then felt even more distressed.
"Alright, alright. If you don't want me to, I won't touch you. Stop crying."
Whenever Song Qinian cried, Shen Chiyan felt a pang in his heart. Before regaining his memory, he thought he was annoyed by Song Qinian, which was why he didn't want to see her tears. Now he knew, he simply couldn't bear to see her cry.
When she cried, he felt as if the whole world owed her something.
Suddenly, Shen Chiyan remembered what Shen Keqin had said before. He didn't know if Song Qinian's reason for not letting him touch her was related to that, but since Song Qinian had misunderstood that matter, he had to clarify.
So, Shen Chiyan cupped Song Qinian's small face and looked at her earnestly. "Qiqi, there's something I have to tell you. That night... nothing happened between Lin Qiutong and me."
Song Qinian was crying sadly and didn't immediately grasp what Shen Chiyan was saying. After a few seconds, she finally reacted, her expression turning even uglier.
While she didn't know how Lin Qiutong had been drugged, Lin Qiutong's intention was clear: to get Shen Chiyan. Moreover, Shen Chiyan had believed he was in love with Lin Qiutong at the time. Alone in a room, how could nothing have happened?
Seeing Song Qinian turn her head away, refusing to look at him, as if she didn't believe him, Shen Chiyan became anxious. "What I'm saying is true. I put Lin Qiutong in a bathtub filled with cold water. She ran around for hours, and the effects of the drug started to wear off. Besides, you know I'm allergic to others touching me. If I had been intimate with her, I might have died before the next day."
Song Qinian found this even harder to believe.
She didn't understand Shen Chiyan's cleanliness obsession. It was true that he would get an allergic reaction from others touching him, but why was he fine when she touched him?
Besides, they were so close; how could he reject Lin Qiutong?
As if sensing Song Qinian's thoughts, Shen Chiyan explained anxiously, "I don't know why I get an allergic reaction when Qiūqiū touches me, but that's the fact. Only when you touch me does my body not reject it."
Shen Chiyan's expression and eyes were incredibly sincere. Song Qinian didn't know whether to believe him.
"If you don't believe me, I'll let Lin Qiutong touch me when we get back. If I have an allergic reaction, you'll know I'm not lying."
Shen Chiyan said this to make Song Qinian believe him, but Song Qinian's little face immediately turned cold.
Very good. He said he wanted to win her back, but in his heart, he was thinking about letting Lin Qiutong touch him.
Hmph… men!
As soon as Song Qinian's expression changed, Shen Chiyan, with his strong survival instinct, knew something was terribly wrong. He immediately explained, "I just want to prove to you that I'm not lying. If you believe me, I definitely won't let her touch me again."
Song Qinian neither confirmed nor denied. In any case, he was drunk now, and he definitely wouldn't remember what he said the next day, so Song Qinian didn't want to take it seriously.
However, one thing was true. Given Lin Qiutong's character, if she had indeed been intimate with Shen Chiyan that night, she would have found a way to flaunt it in front of her. But Lin Qiutong had never mentioned it.
Perhaps Shen Chiyan wasn't lying.
But that no longer mattered. Their problems were not limited to that.
Seeing Song Qinian's expression soften a lot, Shen Chiyan grew bolder. "Wife, I want a kiss."
Here we go again!
Song Qinian glared at Shen Chiyan. Shen Chiyan looked wronged. "I won't do anything else, just a kiss, okay? I'll count to three. If you don't say anything, I'll take it as your agreement. One, two, three!"
Before Song Qinian could react, Shen Chiyan had already finished counting and shamelessly kissed her.
Song Qinian was completely flustered. She was mute; how could she speak? He was clearly doing this on purpose.
Even if he couldn't have the main course, a little soup would do. After kissing his fill, Shen Chiyan held Song Qinian tightly, reluctant to let go. "I really want to hold you like this forever. Qiqi, we'll never separate again, okay?"
Since Shen Chiyan's arrival, Song Qinian's heart had been in turmoil.
Then, she gently pushed Shen Chiyan away and gestured, "Let's go back tomorrow."
"Are you willing to go back with me?"
Song Qinian sighed softly. "Of course, I have to go back."
Upon hearing this, Shen Chiyan felt a huge weight lifted off his chest. As soon as they returned to Jinghua City, the first thing he would do was go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to revoke the divorce agreement.
Divorce? Impossible!
That night, Shen Chiyan didn't pester Song Qinian anymore. Song Qinian had a long, private chat with her grandmother.
Song Qinian had originally wanted to invite her grandmother to live in Jinghua City, but her grandmother absolutely refused.
For the elderly, no place was as good as their own humble abode. She had grown up and grown old in this place, and had developed deep feelings for it.
It wasn't about prosperity, but about returning to one's roots.
Song Qinian sent a WeChat message to Mu Yuxin, who comforted her.
"I understand the old lady's thoughts. In the countryside, she has neighbors and familiar people around. Even just chatting makes her happy. But in Jinghua City, she doesn't know anyone, and no one to chat with. She won't feel a sense of belonging and will definitely be uncomfortable. Besides, big cities are too restrictive; they're not as free as the countryside."
Song Qinian thought about it and agreed. She stopped trying to persuade her grandmother.
The next morning, when Song Qinian woke up, Shen Chiyan and her grandmother were not at home, but breakfast was already on the table.
Just as Song Qinian was about to take out her phone to message her grandmother, they returned.
The old lady looked very happy. Shen Chiyan supported her, smiling as well.
"Oh, Niannian, we just participated in the Wine God Festival yesterday, and today there's good news! Next year, our Qingjiu Village's wine will no longer be hard to sell."
Song Qinian was taken aback. "What happened?"
The old lady looked at Shen Chiyan and smiled. "It's all A'yan's credit. He plans to acquire all the wine from Qingjiu Village."