Volume 1, Chapter 32: Niannian, look, its blood is so red.

As the saying goes, where there is oppression, there is resistance. And where there is resistance, there is oppression.

Because Song Qinian had failed to bring Xie Xueyi down, she had become a thorn in Xie Xueyi’s side. Xie Xueyi frequently conspired with others to make her life miserable: tripping her up at work, ostracizing her in private, and sometimes even resorting to the vile tactic of dropping cockroaches into Song Qinian’s cup. Her methods were utterly disgusting.

Yang Hongbin, still somewhat wary of the fact that Song Qinian had been transferred from the President's Office, organized a department dinner to appease her.

Miao Ziai was worried about her. "Niannian, are you really going?"

Song Qinian smiled faintly. "I am. Why wouldn't I?"

While Song Qinian was indeed timid in front of Shen Chiyan, she was not one to suffer in silence if others tried to bully her. During this time, she had finally confirmed one thing: Xie Xueyi was indeed Yang Hongbin’s mistress. No wonder she could throw her weight around the Planning Department without anyone daring to say a word.

At the Venus Hotel, the Planning Department occupied a table. Yang Hongbin raised his glass and smiled at everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen, our department has recently welcomed two new employees. Let us give a warm welcome to Song Qinian and Miss Lin Lanxing."

Lin Lanxing never hid the fact that she was a scion of the Lin family. Knowing she was only interning at Dingsheng Group, everyone treated her with great respect.

After a round of toasts, people began socializing. Knowing the relationship between Xie Xueyi and Yang Hongbin, the staff flocked to toast Xie Xueyi, eager to curry favor with her. Song Qinian watched coldly, remaining motionless.

Lin Lanxing walked over to Song Qinian with her glass. "Song Qinian, how does it feel to be isolated, excluded, and bullied?"

Song Qinian gave her a cool glance.

Lin Lanxing sneered. "Can't you see it yet? Xie Xueyi is Yang Hongbin’s mistress. If you go against her, you’re just a moth flying into a flame."

Song Qinian smiled. Seeing the smile on her face, Lin Lanxing felt a surge of irritation. This damn woman—to be bullied to this extent and still be able to smile!

Not long after, Xie Xueyi stumbled toward the restroom, and Yang Hongbin received a napkin. When he opened it, he saw a message written in lipstick: "You devil, I'm waiting for you in the restroom."

Yang Hongbin, having had a fair amount to drink, felt his blood boil at these words and headed to the restroom as well. Shortly after he left, a woman in her forties stormed in, her face full of fury. "Where is Yang Hongbin?"

"He seems to have gone to the restroom. Who are you?"

The woman didn't reply and charged toward the restroom.

"That looks like the manager's wife! Is something going to happen?"

The crowd immediately followed. At the restroom entrance, Yang Hongbin and Xie Xueyi were locked in a passionate embrace. Upon seeing this, the woman’s rage exploded. "Yang Hongbin, you thousand-cut old bastard! You're actually keeping a mistress behind my back!"

Yang Hongbin’s wife was no pushover. She grabbed Xie Xueyi by the hair and slapped her twice. Xie Xueyi sobered up halfway, her head ringing.

"Come everyone, look at this homewrecker who seduces other people's husbands and ruins their families!"

Xie Xueyi was wearing an off-the-shoulder dress. With a violent yank from the woman, the garment ripped apart, exposing her body to the onlookers. Some tried to break up the fight, while others took out their phones to take pictures and videos. Song Qinian watched it all with cold eyes, her expression unchanged.

Seeing this, Lin Lanxing walked up to Song Qinian. "Was it you?"

Song Qinian looked at Lin Lanxing and shrugged innocently.

Meanwhile, in another private room at the hotel, Shen Chiyan, Gong Yuqi, and Yu Sinian had gathered.

"Hey, I heard from Wang Dachui that your little mute bride is quite beautiful—a real-life little sugar cookie. When are you going to bring her out for us to see?"

"Wang Dachui?"

"Oh, you know, Nancy, my stylist."

Shen Chiyan, his gloved hand rhythmically stroking the white fur of his cat, Xiao Hei, ignored the cat’s contented purring and hummed softly. "A little sugar cookie? Is she sweet? I don't think so."

"You haven't even tasted her, how would you know if she’s sweet or not?"

Shen Chiyan remained silent. As he touched the cat’s neck, he noticed the bell on its collar, which emitted a "ting-a-ling" sound with every slight movement. Recalling how Song Qinian never made a sound when she walked, Shen Chiyan’s dark eyes flickered. He looked at Yu Sinian in his wheelchair. "Sinian, where did you buy this bell?"

Yu Sinian replied, "You don't have any pets at home, why would you buy a bell?"

Shen Chiyan didn't answer, merely raising an eyebrow.

Gong Yuqi laughed. "Do you even need to ask? It must be for his little mute bride."

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. Hearing the noise, Xiao Hei let out a "meow," jumped off Shen Chiyan’s lap, and darted out the door.

"Hey, Xiao Hei, don't run off..."

The crowd of onlookers grew larger. Song Qinian, wanting to leave, turned around just as a furry object leaped into her arms.

"Meow~"

The soft touch and the sound of the cat triggered a gruesome, terrifying memory in Song Qinian’s mind: a boy holding a knife, slicing open a cat’s belly, then turning to her with a brilliant smile. "Niannian, look, its blood is so red. I’ll collect it to make paint for you, okay?"

"Ah..."

Song Qinian’s face turned deathly pale. In a fit of terror, she threw the cat from her arms.

"Meow~" The cat landed on the ground and let out a few cries.

Gong Yuqi, upon stepping out, saw Xiao Hei being thrown to the floor. "Xiao Hei!"

He rushed over to scoop up the cat and check on it. Seeing that Xiao Hei was unharmed, he turned a cold gaze toward Song Qinian. But before he could speak, he saw Song Qinian’s face—filled with absolute terror, as if she had seen something horrific. She was trembling violently, her face drained of all color.

The words died in Gong Yuqi’s throat. What on earth had the cat done to scare the girl like this?

At that moment, Shen Chiyan and Yu Sinian emerged. The crowd was terrified to see Shen Chiyan.

"Mr. Shen..."

Shen Chiyan finally noticed that the source of the chaos was the Planning Department of Dingsheng Group. His expression darkened to the extreme. With his arrival, Yang Hongbin’s wife dared not cause any more trouble, and the farce finally came to an end.

The others dispersed. Song Qinian tried to walk away, but her legs felt weak.

Lin Lanxing, surprised to see Shen Chiyan, Gong Yuqi, and Yu Sinian there, approached Song Qinian with a gloating expression. "Song Qinian, you actually dared to throw Brother Sinian’s cat? You’re finished!"

Song Qinian felt the world spinning around her. She couldn't hear a thing; all she could see and think about was a sea of blood-red. Gong Yuqi sensed something was wrong, realizing she might have truly been terrified by the cat. Just as he was about to speak, Song Qinian’s vision went black, and she collapsed.

Seeing this, Gong Yuqi quickly reached out to catch her...