His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 35

Last night, Qin Cangye barely slept a wink.

After carrying Su Yinuo from the garage back to the villa, he held her in the warm bathtub for a while, carefully washing every inch of her body clean.

Gazing at the mottled red marks on her fair skin, marks left by him, he felt both satisfaction and a strange sense of peace.

As he held her while she slept, he pressed her tightly against his chest. He wanted to take her again, but the woman in his arms was fast asleep, and he couldn’t bear to disturb her peaceful slumber. Nor did he want to hear any more words of rejection from her when she woke.

It was fine like this, just sleeping quietly together.

He lowered his head, nuzzling her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips, intoxicated by her breath, savoring the taste of her mouth in shallow kisses.

You belong to me. You’ll always belong to me.

I won’t let you go. You’ll live the rest of your life in my shadow.

A terrifying plan surfaced in his mind. He was startled for just a moment before resting his head on her shoulder and laughing softly.

Yes, this way you won’t be able to escape. But you’ll hate me, you’ll definitely hate me. But what does it matter? You already don’t like me anymore.

He kissed her lips once more before letting her go, rising from the bed and walking to the window. He dialed Wu Heng’s number.

“Bring me something. And book two tickets, the earliest flight back to your hometown. I’m giving you leave.”

“What?” Wu Heng was stunned. “Boss, did I do something wrong?”

“It’s a mission. Take Zhang Lihua and disappear from Beiguang City. Go back to your hometown, Huicheng. Take good care of her. Don’t return unless I order it.”

A little over an hour later, Wu Heng arrived with a long iron chain, his expression grim. Before leaving, he couldn’t help but say, “I’ll complete the mission. I hope you’ll recall me soon, Boss.”

Qin Cangye gave a slight nod.

After Wu Heng left, he fastened one end of the chain to Su Yinuo’s slender ankle.

Under the dim glow of the nightlight, he stared at the foot bound by the silver metal, his lips curling into a smile of excitement. Then he lifted it gently and pressed a trembling kiss to it.

Qin Cangye, brimming with restless energy all night, woke promptly at six in the morning. After his usual routine of jogging and freshening up, he headed to the company.

The villa was equipped with surveillance, so he could see that Su Yinuo had slept until nearly noon without waking. He packed a lavish lunch from the company cafeteria and drove back to the villa.

The closer he got, the more his nerves tightened. His excitement was gradually overtaken by dread, he feared seeing the hatred and loathing on Su Yinuo’s face when she woke.

But there was no turning back now… What he had done to her was enough to warrant a thousand deaths.

His breath hitched, and his grip on the steering wheel jerked violently. The car swerved, nearly crashing into the roadside guardrail.

“Qin Cangye, you’re a bastard! You deserve to go to hell!” he cursed through gritted teeth, his eyes burning red.

When he reached the villa, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before pushing open the door. When he opened them again, his expression was as calm and cold as a frozen lake.

But he never expected that upon pushing open the door, he would see Su Yinuo sitting on the steps.

Her face didn’t show the anger and disgust he had imagined. Instead, there was surprise, and the same quiet obedience as usual.

What was going on?

Qin Cangye couldn’t understand. He stood at the doorway, his gaze fixed on Su Yinuo, watching the surprise on her face slowly fade. He saw her extend her slender, snow-white legs from beneath the dark gray robe, shaking the iron chain around her ankle as she spoke: “Can you untie this for me? It’s so inconvenient.”

Her expression held only a hint of dissatisfaction, just a hint!

Qin Cangye didn’t get it. After his mind raced through possibilities, the conclusion he reached was: She’s hiding her disgust and fear. She’s trying to trick me into letting her go!

So, he strode over, knelt on one knee before her, grabbed her ankle, and said fiercely, “No way!”

Su Yinuo was startled. Her nose stung, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

This was more like it, Qin Cangye thought. She should hate me.

“I… hI have something to tell you,” Su Yinuo said, wiping her tears, her voice full of grievance.

But Qin Cangye, following the line of her raised leg, saw the empty space beneath the gray robe.

Slightly flushed, a sight of boundless allure.

“Are you hungry?” His gaze was fixed, his voice trembling slightly.

Su Yinuo noticed where he was looking and let out a small gasp, immediately pressing the robe down.

“If you’re not hungry yet, let me eat first,” Qin Cangye said, setting down the food container. He grabbed Su Yinuo’s wrist, pinned it beside her, and then slipped beneath her robe…

Her back ached from pressing against the hard steps. Su Yinuo arched her feet, pressing them against Qin Cangye’s still-worn coat, sobbing uncontrollably.

After a while, Qin Cangye finally emerged, seeing Su Yinuo’s tear-streaked face, so pitiful it tugged at his heart, yet so alluring it was unbearable. Unable to hold back, he released her wrist and reached to undo his belt when he heard her tearful plea: “Don’t… please…”

Qin Cangye’s hand trembled and stopped. A wave of intense guilt surged through him in an instant, making him feel like he had truly become a deranged beast.

But then, the woman before him suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, still crying, and said, “Please, not here… it’s uncomfortable…”

Well then… he might as well keep being a beast…

Qin Cangye immediately scooped Su Yinuo into his arms and hurried upstairs, the chain clanging like wind chimes. He was too impatient to even make it to the bedroom, so he laid her down on the sofa in the stairway lounge, pressing down to kiss her lips.

The chain never stopped swaying…

Much later, Su Yinuo clung to Qin Cangye’s shoulders, sobbing, “I’m hungry, really hungry… I didn’t even have breakfast. Look how late it is now.”

Qin Cangye’s hand, which had been reaching for a third condom, froze. Instantly remorseful, he muttered an apology, gently laying Su Yinuo back on the sofa and covering her with his clothes. “I’ll get the food,” he said.

Su Yinuo took a moment to steady herself, then sat up and tightened the sash of her robe securely around her waist.

“It’s still warm,” Qin Cangye brought up the lunchbox and laid out the sumptuous dishes one by one on the coffee table in front of Su Yinuo.

Su Yinuo was truly starving. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the food. She slid down from the sofa, crouched by the coffee table, grabbed her chopsticks, and picked up a bowl.

Only after she had eaten her fill did she notice Qin Cangye sitting across from her, watching her eat the entire time. Embarrassed, she set down her bowl, wiped her mouth with a tissue, then leaned over the coffee table, her big eyes wide as she asked, “Can… can I borrow your phone? I want to call my mom.”

So cute… like a fluffy little teacup dog…

Qin Cangye’s heartbeat quickened, his heart softening, yet the words that came out were still a cold refusal: “No.”

“I…” Su Yinuo twisted her fingers, hesitating for a moment before dragging the long chain behind her as she slowly walked up to Qin Cangye. Before she could speak, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her onto his lap, and untied the sash of her robe.

“Again… again?” Su Yinuo looked at the man burying his face in her chest, inhaling deeply, and felt his slick tongue. She couldn’t help but ask helplessly, “You keep doing it over and over… aren’t you tired?”

“Why don’t you refuse?” Qin Cangye lifted his face, his eyes filled with pain and confusion.

“Because…” Su Yinuo took the opportunity to confess the truth, “Because I like you.”

She thought that after her confession, the pain in Qin Cangye’s eyes would disappear. But instead, after only a few seconds of surprise, that pain twisted into deep mockery: “And then what? Want to be with me? Or are you planning to gain my trust, only to disappear from my side forever and go find Ji Wenjun, the one you actually like?”

“I… I’m sorry…” Su Yinuo hurriedly apologized, rushing to explain, “I don’t like Ji Wenjun. I only said that before because I wanted to leave you. You should know, I was scared by your grandfather. My mental state wasn’t good those days. I was too afraid.”

“But I told you I’d handle it,” Qin Cangye pressed his forehead against hers, nuzzling her cheek as he spoke in anguish. “You didn’t believe me, and I don’t blame you. It’s my fault for not doing enough to earn your trust. But I really want to believe you, because hearing you say you like me is too tempting. Hmm, you like me… so what are your plans now?”

“I…” Su Yinuo still felt that Qin Cangye’s emotions were unstable, so she answered cautiously, “I want to take some time apart. I’ll wait for you. I’ll wait as long as it takes—two years, three years, it doesn’t matter. But… if by then you don’t like me anymore, I won’t cling to you.”

The pain in Qin Cangye’s eyes didn’t fade. His hand slid down to Su Yinuo’s neck and lightly squeezed. “So, you still want to leave me, don’t you?”

Su Yinuo trembled slightly in his grasp, fear creeping in.

Qin Cangye undid the button of his trousers, lifted Su Yinuo’s waist, and without reason… whispered in her ear, “You can’t do this. You can’t leave me.”

“But… but you said before… to wait for you…” The fragmented words spilled from Su Yinuo’s lips, accompanied by sobs and moans.

Su Yinuo curled in on herself, feeling an uncomfortable churning in her stomach. She tried to escape from Qin Cangye’s lap, but the moment her feet touched the ground, he yanked her back by the arm.

“When I said that, I hadn’t tasted you yet. And back then, you never said you liked someone else!” Qin Cangye tightened his grip, his voice laced with anger.

Su Yinuo frowned, pressing a hand to her stomach, her face twisted in discomfort and resistance.

This was the expression Qin Cangye had imagined, one of disgust. He was convinced Su Yinuo was lying. After all, he had never heard her confess her love to him directly, and her fear and rejection at the hospital the day before yesterday had been unmistakable.

Witnessing Su Yinuo throw herself into another man’s arms and hearing her declare her affection for someone else had been devastating for Qin Cangye. In that moment, his world had shattered. What he had once believed to be true now seemed like lies, and even his memories felt distorted.

For hours the previous night, unable to sleep, he had obsessively reinforced his baseless assumptions with self-righteous reasoning:

She must have always liked Ji Wenjun, they got along so well at the software park. It was my appearance that unsettled her feelings, my persistence that distracted her. Just when I was about to win her heart, Qin Weishu’s threats ruined everything. That’s why she became afraid, why she started pulling away, why she decided to leave me for Ji Wenjun!

Firm in this belief, Qin Cangye was certain that the tenderness and obedience Su Yinuo had shown him today were nothing but an act, a deception.

“I’m addicted to you, Su Yinuo. So, no matter how much you hate me, no matter how much you like someone else, I won’t let you go. Stop pretending. Keep hating me. Your expression right now, it’s perfect.”

Qin Cangye was torturing himself, spiraling into self-destruction. He believed he had become a complete scoundrel, unworthy of Su Yinuo’s love, deserving only her hatred.

But Su Yinuo was utterly speechless. Only now did she realize that Qin Cangye’s thoughts had galloped off like a runaway horse, veering into an absurd and extreme direction. Beyond exasperation, she felt a creeping dread: No matter what I say, will he never believe me? No matter how obedient I act, will he always think I’m faking it?

How did things even get like this?

Furious, frustrated, and heartbroken, Su Yinuo was currently more preoccupied with her physical discomfort. She had just eaten, and she was far too full. If Qin Cangye didn’t stop soon, she was going to throw up.

At the critical moment, she pressed a hand to her chest, wrenching her right arm free from his tight embrace, and slapped him across the face.

Slap!

The sharp sound left both of them stunned. But while one expression slowly shifted from shock to horror, the other twisted into a deranged, pain-filled grin.

Oh no, the misunderstanding just got worse…

Tears spilled from Su Yinuo’s eyes as she hastily explained, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it! It’s just, you’re pressing on my stomach…”