Volume One, Chapter 12: Speaking His Name Would Terrify You to Death

Before Song Qinian could respond, she hurriedly walked inside, smiling as she said, "It's nothing, nothing at all. It's my daughter who’s back. Let’s continue, carry on!"

The apartment was only sixty square meters, with a mahjong table set up in the living room.

The moment she stepped in, a pungent, unpleasant stench hit her—smoke, sweat, and beer mingled in the air.

Besides Liu Xiaohan, there were two women and a man in the room.

Each of them was smoking; the women were dressed provocatively, and the man was bare-chested.

Song Qinian’s eyes reddened as she took in the scene, a sharp pain pounding through her temples.

"Your mute daughter? Didn’t you say she married some wealthy tycoon? How come she’s here in a place like this?"

"Probably just bragging. If her daughter really married a rich man, why would she still live in this dump? She’d be living in a mansion with her daughter by now."

"But to be fair, Nian Nian is quite pretty. When she was little, all the boys around here liked her."

Liu Xiaohan snorted lightly. "My daughter takes after me, of course she’s beautiful. Also, my daughter did marry a wealthy man. If I said his name, you’d be scared stiff. Hmph… come, come, I’m turning my luck around now, I must..."

Before Liu Xiaohan could finish, Song Qinian flipped the mahjong table over.

"Ah—"

The four at the table gasped and stood up, glaring at Song Qinian with displeasure.

Song Qinian coldly stared back, picked up a broom, and though she couldn’t speak, she had her hands.

Pointing toward the door, her expression was terrifying.

She was telling them to leave immediately—anyone who hesitated would be hit.

They had won money and had been playing all night, so they were looking for an excuse to leave quietly. Naturally, they wouldn’t escalate the situation and slinked out of the Song household.

"Hey, hey, hey, don’t go! You won my money and now you’re running off?"

Liu Xiaohan tried to chase after them but couldn’t catch up.

Fuming, Liu Xiaohan returned to the room and pointed angrily at Song Qinian’s nose. "Song Qinian, you’re my curse. Just when I was on a lucky streak, you chased them away. What about the money you lost with me…"

Song Qinian threw down the broom and angrily gestured at Liu Xiaohan. "Did you go to Gu Zhiyan for money?"

Liu Xiaohan felt uneasy and avoided looking at Song Qinian. "I don’t know what you mean."

Thinking that the others left in such a hurry, they might have forgotten the money in the mahjong drawer, Liu Xiaohan hurried over to check.

Song Qinian was furious. She stood before Liu Xiaohan and, regardless of whether she was seen, furiously gestured, "Why did you go to Gu Zhiyan for money? Why?!"

Liu Xiaohan avoided her gaze, but Song Qinian persisted with sign language. Annoyed, Liu Xiaohan glared back at her in anger.

"I did go to Gu Zhiyan for money. My daughter has been married to his son for three years—I’ve been giving her up to him for free all this time. What’s wrong with asking her for a little spending money? Is that not allowed?"

Song Qinian was deeply upset. She had already been humiliated in front of the Shen family, and now her own mother had gone to ask Shen Chiyan’s mother for money.

"Don’t I give you money every month?"

Liu Xiaohan snorted, "You still have the nerve to say that? You married a billionaire CEO but only give me a tiny amount each month. Is that supposed to be charity?"

Song Qinian took a deep breath, staring coldly at Liu Xiaohan. "How much did you ask Gu Zhiyan for?"

Liu Xiaohan frowned. "What are you trying to do!?"

"Tell me!"

"Just two hundred thousand. She’s a big star, so rich. I’m her in-law, after all. She only gave me twenty thousand—so stingy."

Song Qinian clenched her fists so tightly her fingers cut into her palms. "Where’s the money?"

"Gone! My brother needs to go to school, I have to take care of the family. I also have to bribe people in prison to make sure your father’s life there is easier. Isn’t that all money? I’m a woman holding this family up—do you think it’s easy? You, as a daughter, don’t understand me, and on top of that, you embarrass me in front of so many people."

Liu Xiaohan slumped onto the sofa, wailing loudly, "Ah, why is my life so bitter?"

Song Qinian didn’t believe a single word. Their father had been in prison for over three years, and Liu Xiaohan had only visited him once. Every time, Song Qinian had been the one taking care of things at the prison; Liu Xiaohan never cared.

"You’re lying. You clearly lost all the money gambling!"

Mentioning this infuriated Liu Xiaohan further. She suddenly rose from the sofa, glaring fiercely. "It’s all your fault, curse you! I lost all night, just this morning I was finally on a winning streak, and then you come and ruin it. If it weren’t for you, I would have already won back the money I lost."

Seeing Liu Xiaohan’s twisted, grimacing face, Song Qinian felt both exhausted and sad.

Liu Xiaohan’s past gambling addiction was one thing, but with the family’s situation—the father suffering in prison—she not only gambled more recklessly but even went to Gu Zhiyan for money.

Two hundred thousand!

She had actually lost that amount too!

Song Qinian was furious but didn’t know what to do. Not wanting to see Liu Xiaohan anymore, she turned and left the suffocating home in anger.

Seeing this, Liu Xiaohan hurried after her and grabbed her arm harshly. "Don’t go. I have no money left, you..."

Before she could finish, Song Qinian coldly shook off her hand and, expressionless, signed clearly, "I have no money. If you don’t quit gambling, I won’t give you a single cent from now on."

Seeing Liu Xiaohan’s face grow angrier, Song Qinian continued signing, "Don’t even think about going to Gu Zhiyan again. The Shen family never liked me. If you keep pushing your luck, when Shen Chiyan divorces me, all your schemes from three years ago will be for nothing."

Ignoring Liu Xiaohan’s furious curses, Song Qinian left the stifling house without looking back.

The sky was gloomy, and a light drizzle began without warning.

Song Qinian’s mind was filled with thoughts of the two hundred thousand yuan Gu Zhiyan had given.

Although Liu Xiaohan had asked Gu Zhiyan for the money, Song Qinian was determined to find a way to repay it.

But with her current monthly salary of six thousand yuan, when would she ever be able to gather two hundred thousand?

Her phone beeped twice. Song Qinian took it out and saw a message from Li Nanxun.

"Miss Song, Director Shen has asked you to deliver a gray suit and a blue striped tie from his wardrobe to the Venus Hotel within the hour."

As soon as she entered the villa, Song Qinian sensed something was wrong.

Previously, there had been three or four servants in Shen Chiyan’s villa. When Shen Chiyan was away, the servants would chat and gossip noisily while cracking melon seeds.

Today, however, the place was unusually quiet.

"Madam."

Zhang Qiaoqiao?

Song Qinian was surprised to see Zhang Qiaoqiao.

"Yes, starting today, I will be taking care of Madam and Mr. Shen."

Zhang Qiaoqiao was the daughter of Zhang Ma, who had long served the matriarch. She was lively and articulate.

When the matriarch learned that the servants in Shen Chiyan’s villa were bullying Song Qinian, she sent Zhang Qiaoqiao over to care for her and keep an eye on Shen Chiyan.

"Madam, if you want to say anything to me, just use sign language. I’m learning it now, and I pick it up quickly."

Seeing the girl’s sincere yet slightly earnest expression, Song Qinian smiled faintly. "Alright, thank you. I appreciate it."

"No trouble at all. It’s my duty."

Song Qinian still had to deliver Shen Chiyan’s clothes and didn’t have time to chat further with Zhang Qiaoqiao.

After grabbing the suit and tie, she hurried to the Venus Hotel as fast as she could.

When she arrived at the room Li Nanxun had mentioned, he was waiting outside, dressed impeccably. His strict appearance made anyone feel serious at once.

"Secretary Song, Director Shen is waiting for you inside."

Li Nanxun opened the door for Song Qinian. She nodded slightly, then gestured, "Secretary Li, may I ask what’s going on?"