Volume One, Chapter 56: Does Your Husband Look Down on You for Being Mute?

Song Qinian had no idea when she had returned home. By the time she woke up, she was already in her own bed.

She was wearing her pajamas, and her body was covered in purple and blue bruises. Around her neck and chest, there wasn’t a single patch of unblemished skin left.

Fortunately, it was the weekend, and it took her a full two days of sleep to recover.

During those two days, Shen Chiyan did not come back, which spared Song Qinian a bit of awkwardness.

She vaguely remembered that in the car, she seemed to have confessed her feelings to Shen Chiyan. She had no idea what expression Shen Chiyan had worn at the time, nor what his mood had been.

She only knew that Shen Chiyan had been exceptionally ruthless to her. No matter how miserably she cried, he refused to let her go, growing increasingly merciless instead.

On Monday morning, when Song Qinian arrived at the company, she learned that Shen Yushu had resigned.

After passing a weekend, Song Qinian finally realized that she hadn't simply been drunk back then; she had been given a spiked drink.

Combining that with what Shen Yushu had said, Song Qinian realized that the person who had plotted against her was none other than Shen Yushu, whom she had considered a good friend.

Being betrayed by a close friend was a deeply painful experience, and Song Qinian felt a heavy knot in her chest.

Upon seeing Song Qinian, Miao Ziai hurried over to her side holding an envelope. "Niannian, do you know why Yushu resigned?"

Song Qinian pressed her lips together and shook her head gently.

She genuinely did not know whether Shen Yushu had resigned of his own accord or if he had been driven out of the company by Shen Chiyan.

"Yushu asked me to give this to you. I have no idea what is wrong with him. I asked, but he wouldn't say. Also... on Friday night, after you went to the restroom, you never came back. Yushu and I were worried sick. Where on earth did you go?"

As soon as this was brought up, Miao Ziai was filled with deep resentment. "I sent you messages and you didn't reply, I called and you wouldn't answer..."

Song Qinian anxiously gestured: "I did reply to your message!"

"Oh... just a simple 'I'm fine' and that was it?"

Miao Ziai was very innocent, and Song Qinian didn't want her to know about those sordid and filthy matters, so she explained patiently, "When I went to the restroom, I ran into an acquaintance, and she sent me home."

Hearing that Song Qinian was safe, Miao Ziai finally let out a sigh of relief. Immediately afterward, she playfully gave Song Qinian a few light slaps. "You wretch, you didn't even say a word when you left, scaring Yushu and me half to death."

Just then, a few female colleagues walked over.

"I bet Shen Yushu couldn't bear being relentlessly pursued by a certain someone, which is why he had no choice but to resign and leave Dingsheng Group, right?"

"Exactly. He worked so hard at Dingsheng Group for years and finally managed to secure his footing. There's no way he'd just quit out of nowhere."

Initially, Song Qinian had no desire to pay attention to the malicious speculation of her colleagues, nor did she plan to explain her affairs with Shen Yushu to irrelevant people.

Suddenly, she caught sight of Shen Chiyan’s figure.

Her heart skipped a beat. With no time to overthink, she immediately pulled Miao Ziai toward her. "Xiao'ai, can you do me a favor?"

Miao Ziai had been angry on Song Qinian's behalf due to the others' slander. Hearing Song Qinian's request, she generously declared, "Name it!"

She glared fiercely at the other colleagues, looking entirely ready to strike wherever Song Qinian pointed.

"I'll use sign language, and you translate for me."

"Are you finally going to fight back?"

Song Qinian: "..."

Rather than calling it fighting back, it was more like doing it on purpose for Shen Chiyan to see.

"Shen Yushu and I are merely friends. I don't like him, I've never chased after him, and besides... I'm already married..."

Miao Ziai translated as she watched Song Qinian's hand gestures.

When she saw the word "married," she thought she had translated it incorrectly and asked in disbelief, "Niannian, you're married?"

Song Qinian glanced in the direction where Shen Chiyan had been. She could only see his back, unable to read his expression.

She nodded earnestly and solemnly.

This time, not only Miao Ziai, but everyone else was utterly stunned.

They truly hadn't expected that Song Qinian, despite being so young, was already married.

"Good grief... You hid that so deep! Who is your husband? Is he handsome? Is he good to you? Does he mind that you're mute?"

Miao Ziai fired off a string of questions.

Before Song Qinian could answer, Miao Ziai continued on her own, "Well, if he minded, he wouldn't have married you. He must love you very much, right?"

Song Qinian pressed her lips together, a wave of sorrow washing over her. How wonderful it would be if Shen Chiyan actually loved her.

"Mm... He's very handsome, has a great figure, and is perfect in every way."

Seeing Shen Chiyan leave, Song Qinian felt like a balloon poked by a needle, instantly deflated.

"Hey, did you guys see what was flying across the sky just now?"

"An airplane?"

"No, it was a cow! Someone blew a cow all the way up into the sky!"

"Haha..."

The crowd burst into mocking laughter.

"Song Qinian, why would a man who is both handsome and has a great figure ever take a fancy to a mute like you? What could he possibly want from you? Does he want a mute for a wife?"

Song Qinian cast a cold glance at the person who had spoken. Just then, the manager walked out, and no one dared to utter another word, scurrying back to their respective workstations one by one.

Only then did Song Qinian open the letter Shen Yushu had left her.

"Niannian, I'm sorry... Everything, absolutely everything, is my fault. I don't ask for your forgiveness; I only hope you are safe and sound. Beware of Lin Lanxing."

Shen Yushu hadn't written much, but after a moment of thought, Song Qinian guessed that Lin Lanxing must have used him.

Although she still didn't know what kind of conditions or benefits Lin Lanxing had offered to make Shen Yushu agree to plot against her, she knew that the friendship between her and Shen Yushu had reached its absolute end.

Not long after, Song Qinian's phone vibrated twice. She picked it up to find a WeChat message from Shen Chiyan.

"Come to my office."

Without time to overthink, Song Qinian stood up and walked out of the planning department.

She still felt somewhat apprehensive; after all, Shen Chiyan had said that they would divorce sooner or later, and it was best if no one knew about their relationship.

She had only mentioned that she was married, without specifying that the other party was him, so surely that didn't count as breaking the rule!

Just as Song Qinian reached the corner, she ran into Lin Lanxing, who was arriving for work.

As the two crossed paths, Song Qinian's expression turned icy cold instantly.

The moment Lin Lanxing saw Song Qinian, her own expression twisted into something equally ugly. Without a word, she dragged Song Qinian around the corner.

Song Qinian reached out to push Lin Lanxing away, but Lin Lanxing was faster, abruptly ripping open the collar of Song Qinian's shirt...

The marks left by Shen Chiyan were instantly exposed before Lin Lanxing's eyes, filling Lin Lanxing with fury. "You shameless bitch!"

She raised her hand, intending to slap Song Qinian across the face, but Song Qinian grabbed her wrist and slapped her right back.

Lin Lanxing had never expected Song Qinian to dare strike her. Holding her stinging cheek, she glared at Song Qinian with grinding teeth. "How dare you hit me!"

Lin Lanxing couldn't understand sign language, and Song Qinian had no intention of gesturing to her. She turned around and prepared to leave.

How could Lin Lanxing let Song Qinian walk away after taking a slap for nothing? Just as she lunged to grab Song Qinian's collar, Song Qinian held her phone up right in front of her eyes.

"If you aren't afraid of everyone finding out about the relationship between me and Shen Chiyan, feel free to shout it out as loud as you want."