Qi Sinian’s voice dripped with arrogance and contempt, making it clear he didn't consider Huo Xin a rival worth his notice. Such was his presence that the crowd of reporters couldn't help but be captivated. In the moment of their stunned silence, Qi Sinian had already guided Zhong Xiran into the car. The car sped off toward Feicui Wan, leaving the swarm of reporters far behind. Zhong Xiran breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was over, a statement made to the public. They had been driving for some time before she realized, with a jolt, that she was still holding Qi Sinian’s hand. She snatched it back as if burned. Qi Sinian glanced at her, calmly withdrawing his hand. "A bottle of water for my wife." After saying this, he leaned back and closed his eyes, looking utterly exhausted. From the front seat, Jiang Zheng immediately passed back a bottle, adding, his timing perfect, “Ma’am, Mr. Qi has only had about six or seven hours of sleep in the last three days.” A pang of guilt pricked at Zhong Xiran’s heart. She nodded, taking the bottle of Evian water. It struck her then how observant Qi Sinian was. She twisted the cap and took several long swallows. The water was cool and crisp, quenching her thirst perfectly. A WeChat notification popped up from Xie Yu. Yu Meiren: “Mr. Qi is so damn hot!!! That speech was legendary!!!” It came with a link. Those reporters were incredibly fast; it had only been a few minutes, but the video was already all over the internet. A CEO publicly challenging a rival CEO on camera—a showdown like that was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, and the public was eating it up. In just twenty minutes, it had been shared over ten thousand times. Afraid of disturbing Qi Sinian’s rest, Zhong Xiran silenced her phone and clicked on the video. On screen, Qi Sinian’s cool, chiseled face had an aggressive edge, an aura that kept everyone at a distance. But when his arms were around her, his expression seemed to soften inexplicably. On an impulse she couldn't explain, Zhong Xiran downloaded the video. Once it was saved, she casually opened the comment section. “Rich, handsome, a beast in business, and dotes on his wife. I’ll take a dozen husbands like him, please.” “@MrHuo, what’s your next move? Let the games begin! Fight, fight, fight!” “Seriously, this woman’s beauty is a straight-up sniper shot. Is that really her with no makeup on camera? Can you imagine how gorgeous she must be in person?” ... Perhaps as a small way of repaying Qi Sinian, Zhong Xiran liked the first comment praising him. Then she saw another message from Xie Yu. Yu Meiren: “That gossip account should just delete itself and run. Useless, all of it fake news. Who the hell said Mr. Qi was divorcing our Xixi?” Yu Meiren: “He is absolutely crazy about our Xixi! [starry-eyed emoji]” Love? Zhong Xiran glanced at Qi Sinian out of the corner of her eye. He was still in the same position. A truck drove past, its headlights sweeping across the car window, briefly illuminating the sharp contours of his face before plunging him back into shadow. CiCi: “It’s not like that.” Yu Meiren: “I think you’re too close to see it clearly.” Zhong Xiran didn’t know why she was in the mood to seriously debate this with Xie Yu right now. CiCi: “Okay, let’s say you’re right. Let’s assume Qi Sinian loves me. Does he strike you as the kind of man who would lose his head over a woman?” Yu Meiren: “…He really doesn’t.” And that was the crux of the whole matter. Qi Sinian was always calm and rational. If he truly loved her, he would never have said something so aggressive in front of the press. His defending her, his speaking for her, his public declaration of war against Huo Xin—it was all possible precisely *because* he didn't care about her. The truth of the matter couldn't touch him emotionally; it didn’t even register. What he cared about was appearances. After that topic died down, a thought occurred to Zhong Xiran. She asked, “How did you find out about the rumor that Qi Sinian and I were getting divorced?” Yu Meiren: “I’m a talent agent, remember? I’ve got like eight hundred gossip accounts on speed dial. This one is a regular collaborator; he tipped me off.” Zhong Xiran: “Can you do me a favor and find out his source?” Qi Sinian had clearly never considered divorcing her. So who had planted the story? Yu Meiren: “No problem. I’ll let you know what I find.” · Hills Hotel, Presidential Suite. On the screen of the phone lying on the coffee table, Qi Sinian’s hand rested naturally on Zhong Xiran’s waist. “Mr. Huo is welcome to try and pry her away. Let’s see if you can.” Huo Xin sneered and suddenly hurled his phone at the television. With a loud crash, the TV screen shattered into a spiderweb of cracks, the phone itself mangled from the impact. His assistant, Zhou Di, stood beside him, not daring to breathe. Everyone said Huo Xin was a gentleman, but only Zhou Di knew how ruthless he truly was. How else could he have carved out a place for himself in the business world so quickly? It wasn’t just Qi Sinian’s words that had angered Huo Xin, but his actions. He knew exactly what that intimate posture implied. His Xiran, the woman he hadn’t dared to touch in four years, had been claimed by Qi Sinian. *Try and pry her away?* Qi Sinian was overconfident. If Zhong Xiran had no feelings for him, she wouldn't have kept the things he’d given her for four years, much less met with him specifically to return them. His gaze fell on the cardboard box on the floor. He had been just a poor student back then, unable to afford expensive gifts, but Zhong Xiran had never once looked down on them. A teddy bear, a music box, an insignificant silver necklace with a gold-plated rose… By today’s standards, it was just a pile of junk. But she had saved this pile of junk for so long. His eyes lowered. Calming himself, he took a voice recorder from his briefcase, pressed play, and listened over and over. “I did like you, but I’m married now.” “But you don’t love him.” “Whether I love him or not, he is my husband.” “…” A chill entered Huo Xin’s eyes. He handed the recorder to Zhou Di. “Take care of this.” · The black Bentley glided into Feicui Wan, stopping in front of the villa. The silence inside the cramped space was absolute. Qi Sinian opened his eyes. Without a single glance at Zhong Xiran, he pushed open his door and got out. She followed him. In the deep night, his silhouette seemed exceptionally cold. It was only then that Zhong Xiran realized Qi Sinian was angry. He had helped her so decisively that she had assumed the whole thing didn't bother him at all. Inside, after they had changed their shoes, Qi Sinian shrugged off his black overcoat and tossed it onto the entryway cabinet, his voice flat. “Don’t let it happen again.” His demeanor was a world away from the man in front of the media. Zhong Xiran pressed her lips together, trying to explain. “I went to see him because—” Qi Sinian cut her off. “I have no interest in you and your ex-boyfriend.” He strode into the bedroom. Zhong Xiran stood frozen, watching his figure disappear from the living room, not moving for a long time. He was truly angry. He wouldn't even listen to her explanation. She felt a little lost. This wasn't how she thought it would be. Zhong Xiran wasn't sure why he was angry, but she knew she was the cause of this mess. Qi Sinian had been dragged into it, forced to spend his precious energy dealing with her problems despite his busy schedule. He had every right to be angry. She walked quickly into the bedroom. Qi Sinian was standing at the wardrobe, his back to the door, changing his clothes. Zhong Xiran began, “I went to see Huo Xin to return his things. To make a clean break with him.” Qi Sinian unfastened the last button of his shirt, his head never turning. “Mrs. Qi, the moment you married me was the moment you made a clean break with him.” Zhong Xiran froze. Qi Sinian, now in his pajamas, threw her a cold look as he passed. “Since you have no intention of divorcing, you should get your feelings for him under control.” The faint scent of tobacco drifted past her nose, vanishing before she could grasp it. A few seconds later, Zhong Xiran’s mind caught up. *Get my feelings for him under control???* Did Qi Sinian actually think she was still in love with Huo Xin? A surge of indignation rose in her. Did he really think she was the kind of fool who would pine for a man who had abandoned her? That was a humiliating accusation, and she refused to accept it. Zhong Xiran spun around and went after him. Qi Sinian had just stepped into the bathroom. She stormed in after him, pushing the door open and declaring indignantly, “Who told you I still have feelings for him? I stopped liking him four years ago, okay? Don’t you dare insult me—” She stopped dead. Only then did she realize Qi Sinian was completely naked, standing right in front of her, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Zhong Xiran’s face flushed a deep crimson. *Didn’t he just walk in? How did he get undressed so fast?* She turned to flee. But his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist with perfect precision. With a slight tug, he pulled her into his arms. A cool voice murmured by her ear. “Explain.”