Volume 1, Chapter 57: Are You Falling in Love with Song Qinian?

Song Qinian had always lived by the principle of "live and let live—don't provoke me, and I won't provoke you."

She had no desire to make an enemy of Lin Lanxing, but first came Jiashu, and then Shen Yushu.

Since Lin Lanxing had tripped her up time and time again, Song Qinian felt no further need to show restraint.

Compared to her, Lin Lanxing was far more terrified of others knowing about her relationship with Shen Chiye.

After all, even if Shen Chiye did not love her, they had still been legally married for three years.

True to form, Lin Lanxing’s complexion turned ashen and twisted with rage.

She glared fiercely at Song Qinian, looking as though she wanted to tear her flesh and drink her blood. "Song Qinian, do you really think that by using some despicable trick to marry Brother Chiye, and sleeping with him, you can replace my sister in his heart? Let me tell you, in your dreams!"

Lin Lanxing laughed out of sheer fury. "Brother Chiye will never fall in love with you! The only reason he touches you is because he regards you as a mere tool to vent his desires. The moment my sister wakes up, you, this pathetic substitute, will be driven out like a stray dog!"

Song Qinian did not react with the emotional turbulence Lin Lanxing had imagined. Her expression remained calm and indifferent, which only made Lin Lanxing look like a desperate dog leaping over a wall.

Her phone buzzed once more. Song Qinian glanced down at the screen.

"You move like a snail, yet you've managed to crawl all the way up. I'll give you one minute to get your ass up here immediately."

Shen Chiye seemed to have grown impatient, his anger practically bleeding through the words.

Daring not to delay any longer, Song Qinian headed straight for the eighteenth floor.

Watching Song Qinian’s slender and petite figure walk away, Lin Lanxing clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white, her eyes burning with pure hatred.

Inside the CEO's office.

Upon seeing that Shen Chiye was wearing a white tie today, Song Qinian knew he was in a relatively good mood and let out a small sigh of relief.

This was the first time the two of them had met since their wild encounter in the car. Song Qinian’s cheeks flushed slightly, accompanied by a heavy dose of apprehension.

She had no idea how Shen Chiye would react to her confession.

Yet, when Shen Chiye spoke, he made not a single mention of that day.

"How long have you been in the planning department?"

Song Qinian froze for a fraction of a second, then earnestly gestured the number. "Fifty days."

Shen Chiye let out a soft, cold hum. "You certainly have a way about you. No sooner do you step into the planning department than you manage to get two employees and a manager ousted."

Song Qinian: "..."

"I think you're still better suited for the CEO's office. Starting tomorrow, you'll come back and resume your duties as my secretary."

Upon hearing this, Song Qinian’s face instantly paled to the color of paper.

Did Shen Chiye know she had feelings for him, and was he trying to chase her out of Dingsheng Group because of it?

It was hardly unreasonable for her to think that way. Back when she was nominally Shen Chiye’s secretary, she had basically been left to gather dust.

Outwardly, she held the title of secretary, but in reality, no tasks were ever assigned to her.

Aside from all that, she didn't even get a salary.

Noticing Song Qinian's expression, Shen Chiye’s handsome face abruptly chilled.

"What? You have an objection?"

Didn't Song Qinian like him? Why else would she pull such a face upon being asked to stay by his side?

Could it be that her declaration of love the other day was entirely a lie?

Seeing Song Qinian's conflicted expression, an inexplicable surge of irritation welled up in Shen Chiye’s chest. "If you don't want to, get out!"

Realizing that Shen Chiye had misunderstood, Song Qinian anxiously gestured, "I don't mind."

"Then who are you putting on that miserable face for?"

"I... I just wanted to ask if I return to the CEO's office, will my salary stay the same as it was in the planning department?"

Shen Chiye: "..."

So, her deep internal struggle was solely because of money?

Heh... To think that in her eyes, he wasn't even worth a meager ten thousand or so bucks.

Seeing the dark, gloomy look on Shen Chiye’s face, Song Qinian didn't dare make another move.

"What if I told you there is no salary for working in the CEO's office?"

Song Qinian’s heart was torn by a fierce internal debate. Staying in the CEO's office was naturally a good thing; if Shen Chiye made her report to work every day, she could spend all her time by his side.

Her only fear was that Shen Chiye would make her stay at home under virtual "house arrest."

Besides, even if she stayed by Shen Chiye’s side, going without money simply wouldn't do.

After weighing all the pros and cons, Song Qinian made up her mind.

"Then I think I'd rather stay in the planning department!"

Shen Chiye never expected that Song Qinian loved money far more than she loved him. His expression turned terrifyingly dark.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

A sudden knock echoed through the room.

"Come in!"

The person who pushed the door open was Lin Lanxing. Upon seeing that Song Qinian was indeed in Shen Chiye’s office, Lin Lanxing’s pretty face twisted with fury. She bit her lip hard, then turned her gaze to Shen Chiye. "President Shen, I have something to say to you. Could you please ask irrelevant people to leave first?"

Shen Chiye glanced at Lin Lanxing, then shifted his gaze back to Song Qinian’s petite face. "You go outside first."

Shooting a glance at Lin Lanxing’s triumphant and arrogant look, Song Qinian clenched her fists tightly and walked out of the CEO's office.

Whenever she went up against someone from the Lin family in front of Shen Chiye, she had never once held the winning hand.

The moment Song Qinian left, Lin Lanxing transformed into an entirely different person, putting on a grievously wronged tone. "Brother Chiye, have you fallen for Song Qinian?"

Shen Chiye’s expression remained devoid of emotion. "This is a company, and it's currently working hours!"

"Of course I know that, but I just feel so aggrieved for my sister! If it weren't for Song Qinian and her family, my sister wouldn't have been in a vegetative state for three years, unable to wake up, and you wouldn't have been forced to marry Song Qinian. How could you possibly—"

"Enough!"

Seeing that Shen Chiye was losing his temper, Lin Lanxing felt a sudden jolt of fear.

"Considering that you are Qiuqiu's younger sister, I can let your recent actions slide. But if there is a next time, even using Qiuqiu as a shield won't save you."

Lin Lanxing’s heart trembled violently. What did Shen Chiye mean by that?

Could it be that he already knew about what happened with Lin Jiashu and Shen Yushu?

"Your internship period should be coming to an end. You might as well return to school early."

Incredulity washed over Lin Lanxing’s face. She still had over a week left before her internship officially ended; for Shen Chiye to make her leave now clearly meant he wanted to drive her out of Dingsheng Group ahead of schedule.

He was still protecting Song Qinian after all!

Though consumed by resentment, Lin Lanxing dared not defy Shen Chiye.

As she turned to leave, she forced out a sorrowful parting shot: "Brother Chiye, thank you for letting me intern at Dingsheng Group. But there is one thing I still have to say: my sister loved you so deeply—ask your conscience, do you think you've lived up to her?"

Shen Chiye’s expression grew heavy and forbidding.

The news of Lin Lanxing’s early departure from her internship caused a massive stir within the planning department.

"What on earth is going on? Someone just said they saw Song Qinian and Lin Lanxing arguing in the corner this morning, and now Lin Lanxing is leaving Dingsheng Group altogether. Could that rumor actually be true?"

"What rumor?"

"Anyone who dares to cross Song Qinian never meets a good end!"

"It's true! First it was Xie Xueyi and Yang Hongbing, then Shen Yushu and Jiang Lili, and now Lin Lanxing!"

Jiang Lili was the one who had mocked Song Qinian that morning. She had accidentally slipped and sprained her ankle while going to the restroom, resulting in a three-day leave of absence.

"Could Song Qinian actually have some deity blessing her?"

"One or two incidents could be written off as coincidence, but when you add this many together, it's downright terrifying. We'd better steer clear of Song Qinian from now on."