Volume 1, Chapter 62: Trying to Poach My Talent?

Most of Guan Mingxu’s knowledge about Shen Chiyan came from the older generation.

Ever since they were little, their parents had constantly nagged them to learn from Shen Chiyan and never turn out like his second older brother. During every festival and holiday, relatives loved to compare them to Shen Chiyan. He was the quintessential model child of someone else’s family.

However, Guan Mingxu did not resent Shen Chiyan because of this; on the contrary, he idolized him.

When Guan Mingxu was a sophomore in college, Shen Zhenghao left the Shen family, and Shen Chiyan took over the Dingsheng Group. Just when everyone thought the corporation would be ruined in his hands, Shen Chiyan not only propelled Dingsheng Group to become the premier conglomerate in Jinghua City, but also expanded its businesses overseas.

During that period, Guan Mingxu would sing Shen Chiyan’s praises to everyone he met, practically treating him like a deity.

Yet, never in his wildest dreams did he expect that his little cutie was actually Shen Chiyan’s wife.

Shen Chiyan had already walked up to Guan Mingxu. His tone was cold and distant, though he was not angry.

"Where is Song Qinian?"

Guan Mingxu’s emotions were immensely complicated. He clenched his fists tightly, suddenly at a complete loss for what to do.

Seeing Guan Mingxu looking like he was on the verge of tears, Shen Chiyan reached out and patted his shoulder. "I heard you were the one who saved Song Qinian last night. Thanks."

With that, Shen Chiyan pushed open the ward door and walked straight in.

The lively and bantering crowd inside the ward caught sight of Shen Chiyan and instantly straightened up like rookie soldiers facing a commanding officer, too terrified to even breathe loudly. No matter how wildly these people played or joked around normally, none of them dared to step out of line in front of Shen Chiyan.

When Song Qinian saw Shen Chiyan, her expression shifted slightly. She lowered her head and refused to look at him again.

As soon as he entered the ward, Shen Chiyan’s gaze swept toward Song Qinian on the hospital bed. With her head lowered, he could not make out her expression, but he could clearly sense that he was unhappy, or rather...

She was angry!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Shen Chiyan walked over to the bedside. Just as the onlookers were speculating about the relationship between Shen Chiyan and Song Qinian, he scooped Song Qinian up into his arms, wrapping his arm around her waist.

The crowd: "!!!"

Didn’t Fifth Master Shen have severe mysophobia? Wasn’t he a man who kept strangers at a hundred paces?

Why was he holding Guan Mingxu’s little cutie?

What kind of relationship did they have?

Song Qinian hadn't expected Shen Chiyan to pull such a sudden stunt. She frowned and struggled slightly, her complexion turning even uglier.

Her heart was made of flesh, too; it could hurt!

He had broken his promise last night, nearly letting her fall victim to...

"I'm sorry."

Hearing Shen Chiyan’s apology amidst her struggling, Song Qinian’s body stiffened slightly. A wave of grievance washed over her, and her eye rims instantly turned red.

She was always so pathetic.

The moment he apologized, her heart softened.

Shen Chiyan tightened his hold around Song Qinian, carrying her straight out of the ward.

Standing by the doorway, Guan Mingxu looked like a puppet whose soul had been sucked out. He stared blankly at Song Qinian resting in Shen Chiyan’s arms, feeling a hollow and painful ache in his chest.

How could things turn out like this?

Watching as Song Qinian was about to be taken away by Shen Chiyan, Guan Mingxu rushed forward, driven by some unknown surge of courage, and blocked their path.

Seeing this, the others drew in a sharp breath, sweating profusely on Guan Mingxu’s behalf.

Was this kid tired of living?

How dare he block Fifth Master Shen’s path!

Shen Chiyan cast a cold, indifferent glance at Guan Mingxu. "Something else?"

"I was the one who rescued her. What relationship does Fifth Master have with her that gives you the right to take her away?"

Guan Mingxu’s expression was terrifyingly grim. As if recalling something, Shen Chiyan curved his lips and let out a soft huff. "I remember now. The one who sent her a bouquet of roses and a confession letter every single day was you, right?"

Initially, Shen Chiyan hadn't taken Guan Mingxu’s pursuit of Song Qinian to heart. Flowers and letters arrived daily, yet the person himself never showed up—that simply wasn't Guan Mingxu’s style.

With just a little thought, Shen Chiyan knew it had to be Shen Keqin’s mischief.

He was bogged down by endless work every day and had little energy to spare for such trivial matters.

Judging by the looks of it now, however, things were not as simple as he had thought.

Upon hearing Shen Chiyan’s words, Song Qinian felt her entire world unravel. What was going on?

This Guan Mingxu was actually the exact same Guan Mingxu who had been pursuing her?

Guan Mingxu didn't catch the implication behind Shen Chiyan’s words. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Chiyan’s cold, aloof voice rang out again.

"What? Trying to poach from my yard?"

"Sister-in-law!!!"

Just as Shen Chiyan’s voice faded, Shen Keqin’s shout echoed down the corridor.

Panting heavily, Shen Keqin sprinted over to them. Seeing that no bloodshed had occurred yet, she let out a slight sigh of relief.

"Sister-in-law, are you okay? What happened to your face? Which bastard dared to hit you?"

Song Qinian hurriedly shook her head to indicate she was fine.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Shen Keqin offered an awkward smile to Shen Chiyan. "Ge, Sister-in-law is badly hurt. You should hurry up and find her a proper room to stay in."

Shen Chiyan shot Shen Keqin a chilling glare, causing her to shudder and instinctively take a few steps back.

Without saying another word or sparing Guan Mingxu another glance, Shen Chiyan carried Song Qinian away.

Refusing to give up, Guan Mingxu prepared to press further, but Shen Keqin lunged forward to clamp a hand over his mouth while frantically gesturing to the others.

Fearing that Guan Mingxu would invite a grim fate upon himself by offending Shen Chiyan, the rest of them immediately dragged Guan Mingxu back into the ward.

"Let me go!"

Facing the furious Guan Mingxu, the group patted his shoulder in consolation. "Bro, my condolences!"

Having finally found his little cutie, only for the romance to end before it even began, must have been truly agonizing.

As if a realization dawned on him, Guan Mingxu glared at Shen Keqin and snapped, "The person you were pursuing on my behalf was Song Qinian?"

Shen Keqin was currently at her wits' end, with a splitting headache. In her wildest dreams, she never could have imagined that Song Qinian turned out to be the very same little cutie Guan Mingxu had fallen for at first sight!

Otherwise, she would never have used Guan Mingxu’s name to try and poach her own brother’s wife.

"Why did you do that?"

Before Shen Keqin could answer, he demanded angrily, "Because you knew he didn't love Song Qinian at all, right?"

Shen Keqin was thoroughly exasperated. "Whether my brother loves my sister-in-law or not, the two of them are already legally married! Stop having feelings for my sister-in-law!"

Guan Mingxu flew into a rage. His mind was an absolute mess, and his emotions were as tangled as they could possibly get.

"If you had told me that a damn month ago, I might have listened. But now... it’s too late!"

The expressions of everyone present shifted dramatically. Shen Keqin, in particular, stared at him in disbelief. "Guanzi, you can't be serious! Are you trying to snatch my sister-in-law from my brother?"

"Young Master Guan, please get a grip! Isn't Fifth Master Shen your idol? Are you really trying to poach your own idol's wife?"

Guan Mingxu was beyond listening to any persuasion now. "What even is an idol? I've finally managed to fall in life for a woman, and I am never letting go!"

Shen Keqin felt utterly exhausted, physically and mentally, and was left completely speechless.

How on earth had things escalated to this point?

Song Qinian’s current physical condition made her unsuited for a transfer, and Shen Chiyan certainly wouldn't let her stay in the ward managed by Guan Mingxu, so he arranged a different room for her instead.

His fingers gently brushed against Song Qinian’s bruised and swollen cheek, a dull ache piercing through his heart. Unaware of why he felt this way, his voice unconsciously softened.

"Does it hurt?"