His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 57

“No.” Su Yinuo sobbed.

“No.” she cried again.

Qin Wangxuan pressed his forehead against her neck in frustration, pleading, “Then just let me rub against you, no penetration. Is that okay?”

“Listen to yourself, does that even sound like something a human would say?” Su Yinuo weakly punched his shoulder, tears streaming down her face.

“Then at least let me kiss you,” Qin Wangxuan murmured, his restraint at its limit as he stared at her tempting lips, so close yet untouchable.

“No, no, no!” Su Yinuo pushed at his head, struggling through her tears. “Just let me go, please?”

“Stop moving!” Qin Wangxuan lifted his face. Though his tone was harsh, the hand that had been caressing her waist withdrew and settled on her back instead. “Don’t move… If you keep squirming, I won’t be able to stop myself from stripping you bare.”

Su Yinuo froze instantly.

Qin Wangxuan tightened his arms around her, holding her close as he buried his face against her shoulder, breathing heavily. “You know how badly I want to devour you, don’t you? Can’t you feel it? It’s driving me insane!”

Suddenly, he reclined the seat and flipped Su Yinuo onto it, then reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a fruit knife, pressing it into her hand.

Trembling, Su Yinuo clutched the knife, her cries bordering on hysteria. “What the hell are you doing?”

He swung one leg over her, shrugged off his down jacket, then yanked off his sweatshirt, revealing a lean, muscular torso. Next, he loosened the drawstring at his waist.

Leaning down, he braced one hand beside her head while the other moved rhythmically, a crazed grin twisting his lips. “I won’t touch you. If I do, you can kill me.”

Su Yinuo gripped the knife, biting her lip as she squeezed her eyes shut.

“Open them!” Qin Wangxuan’s hot breath fanned over her face. “You have to give me something, sister-in-law.”

Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, only to find Qin Wangxuan looking more unhinged than ever.

“Compared to my brother’s, how do I measure up?” he asked with exhilaration.

“You’re insane!” Su Yinuo spat.

“Wasn’t my brother insane too? Why did you love him but not me?”

Qin Wangxuan seemed even more aroused by her defiance, so Su Yinuo clamped her mouth shut.

In the cramped, dimly lit car, only his relentless murmurs filled the space:

“I can do everything my brother did. When will you finally look at me?”

“Sister-in-law, even your glare excites me. How am I supposed to stay near you from now on?”

“Damn it! What sin did I commit in my past life to suffer like this? Helpless, forced to just watch the woman I love while I-”

“You have no idea how much I adore you. You really don’t.”

“Sister-in-law, you seem so gentle, how can your heart be so cruel?”

“Can’t you take pity on me just once?”

“If you’d spare me even a little, I’d be your dog…”

…

After what felt like an eternity, Qin Wangxuan groaned as his release overtook him. He lunged at Su Yinuo.

Her hand jerked, the knife slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor.

Qin Wangxuan, still burning with desire, collapsed onto her, laughing hoarsely as he held her close. “So even with a knife, you couldn’t kill me? Sister-in-law… you’re adorable.”

After that day, Su Yinuo ignored Qin Wangxuan for two whole days. She didn’t respond to his questions, left his messages completely unanswered, avoided him whenever they crossed paths in the villa, and even stopped the daily welcoming ritual at the villa’s entrance.

Qin Wangxuan was inwardly miserable. He tried everything, lavishing her with designer bags, jewelry, and all sorts of extravagant gifts, but Su Yinuo remained as cold as ice. He regretted his actions deeply, feeling like no amount of coaxing could fix things now.

Su Yinuo couldn’t be bothered with Qin Wangxuan. After safely hiding Old Master Ji’s notebook, she began planning how to win over the butler, Li Guogang, and obtain the crucial evidence in his possession. After all, Old Master Ji’s notebook alone wouldn’t be enough to achieve the desired effect.

But Li Guogang was far too guarded. He was like a machine with no personal life, no matter what topic she broached, he would shut it down within a sentence or two before resuming his duties with mechanical precision.

The investigation seemed to have hit another dead end. The only hope now was for Qin Wangxuan to make contact with Li Guogang’s son for a possible breakthrough.

Su Yinuo sighed in frustration, staring blankly at her loose maternity loungewear.

To maintain her disguise, she had been wearing oversized outfits both at home and outside these days. Today, she had on a cute white fleece nightgown paired with high-waisted white knitted leggings. She absentmindedly touched her belly, thinking that as her “pregnancy” progressed, stuffing a few scarves around her waist might just do the trick.

Just as she was lost in thought, the bedroom door swung open, and Qin Wangxuan, who had rushed home after work, appeared in the doorway. In two strides, he was kneeling before her, clutching her legs and pleading, “Sister-in-law, you ignored me again today. Please, just acknowledge me, okay?”

He rested his head on her thigh, looking utterly dejected. “I sent you twenty messages today, and you didn’t reply to a single one. I’m begging you, don’t treat me like this. I feel like I’m dying.”

Su Yinuo glanced down at Qin Wangxuan’s face and noticed he did look terrible, his eyes bloodshot as if he hadn’t slept properly in days, the dark circles beneath them making him resemble a husky even more.

She raised her hand, about to pat the “husky’s” head, when the ghostly figure of Li Guogang appeared at the bedroom door.

Startled, Su Yinuo quickly withdrew her hand. Li Guogang spoke in a tone that was both respectful and indifferent: “Miss Su, Young Master Wangxuan, the master has requested your presence downstairs for dinner.”

“Go down for dinner?”

Lately, Su Yinuo had been using her “poor health” as an excuse to have meals delivered to her room, eating alone. Qin Weishu had never raised any objections, so she was surprised by the sudden summons.

Still, her question was more out of reflex than genuine expectation that Li Guogang would reveal anything. To her astonishment, however, he actually explained: “The master is concerned that Miss Su has been eating too little, which may affect the fetus. He wishes to supervise your meal tonight.”

Su Yinuo detected a hint of worry in Li Guogang’s eyes.

She was momentarily taken aback. Then, the memory of being forced by Qin Weishu to eat braised pork flashed through her mind, along with Old Yan’s bony hand, slick with grease as he shoveled the fatty meat onto her plate.

A chill ran down her spine. She clenched the hem of her nightgown tightly.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Qin Wangxuan took Su Yinuo’s tense hand and reassured her, “I’ll protect you, don’t worry.”

Led by Qin Wangxuan into the dining room, Su Yinuo bowed slightly to Qin Weishu and greeted respectfully, “Good evening, Chairman Qin.”

Qin Weishu nodded in satisfaction and said, “Motherhood has made you much more composed. Have a seat.”

As soon as Su Yinuo sat down, a servant placed before her a bowl of bird’s nest soup, a bowl of sea cucumber, a bowl of yam and pork rib soup, a bowl of shrimp and goose egg custard, a bowl of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a bowl of coarse grain rice.

Though the portions were small, the sight of all these bland dishes piled in front of her instantly killed her appetite.

Currently, Su Yinuo’s investigation in the Qin family mansion had reached a critical stage, so she didn’t want to stir up trouble. She picked up her chopsticks and obediently began eating. After a few bites, she saw Qin Wangxuan’s chopsticks reach over and take away the piece of sea cucumber that had been troubling her.

Noticing this, Qin Weishu said displeased, “Why are you eating hers?”

“Grandfather, don’t overdo the supplements for sister-in-law. She had a nosebleed just last night,” Qin Wangxuan replied with a smile.

Qin Weishu slammed his chopsticks down angrily. “Look at her, how much flesh does she even have on her? How can someone so thin bear children? You eat your own food, you…” He turned to Su Yinuo and commanded, “Finish every bowl in front of you!”

Su Yinuo stared at the pile of food, gritted her teeth, and nodded. “Alright.”

It’s just a few bowls of food, it won’t kill me!

After psyching herself up, Su Yinuo began eating heartily.

She finished the vegetables first, then the yam and pork rib soup along with half a bowl of rice. By then, she was already too full to continue. She sipped some bird’s nest soup to ease her stomach, then reached for the bowl of goose egg custard, which had a strange odour.

At first, she thought it was regular egg custard, but as soon as the spoon entered her mouth, she was hit by an overpowering stench. An intense wave of nausea surged up, completely uncontrollable.

Her stomach convulsed. She dropped the spoon, covered her mouth, and just as she was about to vomit, grabbed an empty bowl and retched over the table.

“Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?” Qin Wangxuan set down his chopsticks anxiously, supporting Su Yinuo’s shoulders and patting her back while shouting at a servant, “Bring some water!”

Su Yinuo had vomited nearly everything she had just eaten. By the time the servant cleaned up, her face was deathly pale.

Ever since falling ill and being hospitalized after suffering from cold and shock on the rooftop of Ronghua Capital, Su Yinuo’s health had remained fragile. Her appetite had worsened significantly, and she could eat much less than before. Tonight’s overeating and subsequent vomiting were too much for her body to handle. She curled up in Qin Wangxuan’s arms, her stomach aching unbearably.

“Sister-in-law, drink some water,” Qin Wangxuan hurriedly handed her warm water. After she took a few sips, he prepared to carry her to the bedroom to rest.

“Wait!” Qin Weishu’s cold voice cut in. “Give it ten minutes. The kitchen will prepare another serving of nutritious food.”

“Grandfather, she can’t eat anymore right now!” Qin Wangxuan protested urgently.

“Wangxuan,” Qin Weishu’s aged, raspy voice turned dangerously low, “Women are just being dramatic. Don’t let a woman ruin the bond between grandfather and grandson.”

He waved his hand and commanded Old Yan, “Take the young master back to his room, then bring the nutritional meal from the kitchen and feed Miss Su until she finishes it all. The descendants of our Qin family must not be born hungry.”

Old Yan nodded and slowly approached.

Su Yinuo nervously clutched Qin Wangxuan’s clothes, while Qin Wangxuan glared at Old Yan and shouted, “Get away!”

Old Yan remained expressionless and casually summoned a few bodyguards, intending to carry Qin Wangxuan away.

“Wait,” Su Yinuo said, standing up after enduring a wave of sharp pain. She placed a hand on her stomach and looked weakly at Qin Weishu. “I’ll eat, but I want Wangxuan to feed me. If Uncle Yan feeds me, I might vomit again. Too much vomiting will surely disturb the baby. You wouldn’t want your first great-grandchild to be lost like this, would you?”

Qin Weishu glared at Su Yinuo. Though she appeared calm on the surface, her hand, held by Qin Wangxuan, was already drenched in cold sweat.

“Fine!” After a long pause, Qin Weishu finally relented.

Because Qin Wangxuan fed her extremely slowly, the dinner dragged on until past nine o’clock, only ending when Qin Weishu could no longer bear it.

As soon as Su Yinuo returned to the bedroom, she rushed into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and vomited under the cover of the rushing water. Afterward, overwhelming sorrow washed over her. She collapsed onto the bathroom floor, hugging her knees and crying silently.

Qin Wangxuan knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her in self-reproach.

After crying for a long time, Su Yinuo’s emotions stabilized slightly. She looked up at Qin Wangxuan and asked, “Wasn’t the doctor supposed to send a video of Qin Cangye today?”

“Oh, right! I meant to send it to you as soon as we got home!” Qin Wangxuan quickly took out his phone and forwarded Qin Cangye’s recovery update and video to Su Yinuo.

Su Yinuo opened the chat log, and the moment she saw Qin Cangye, the sorrow she had just suppressed surged back violently.

“Leave. I want to be alone,” Su Yinuo said, covering her eyes as she choked back tears.

Qin Wangxuan stood up, his heart in turmoil, and left the bathroom.

Su Yinuo took a deep breath, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and opened the video.

It was a self-recorded clip of Qin Cangye. He seemed to be taking a walk, narrating everything he had done since waking up that morning. His brows were relaxed, his demeanor calm, and the way he spoke was no different from a normal person.

Su Yinuo listened intently to every word, watching his lips part and close, the shadows flickering across his tall, straight nose, the deep blinking of his eyes, and the scenery reflected in his gaze… She missed him deeply, was enchanted by him, so much so that she forgot the suffering she had just endured, so much that she wanted to kiss his face through the screen.

Suddenly, he stepped into the sunlight and paused as if startled by the winter sun, closing his eyes briefly. Then, on his fair, clean, and flawless face, he flashed a smile she hadn’t expected: “Wow, the weather is so nice today.”

It was just an ordinary smile, yet it made her heart tremble violently, reminding her of every moment they had spent together and pushing her longing to its peak.

Qin Cangye wasn’t always lost in madness. In the past, he had often smiled with such pure joy.

How she longed to see him, to talk to him, to be with him again…

Su Yinuo stood up abruptly, yanked open the bathroom door, and grabbed Qin Wangxuan, who had been standing outside with a complicated expression. Choking back sobs, she pleaded, “Ask the doctor if I can call Qin Cangye. I want to talk to him.”

Qin Wangxuan froze momentarily. The desperation and sorrow in Su Yinuo’s eyes pierced his heart like a knife.

Why could she love another man so deeply? Why couldn’t I ever earn even a fraction of that love? What must I do? What must I do, to see her look at me like that?

“Please, just let me talk to Qin Cangye, okay?” Tears spilled onto Qin Wangxuan’s hand. He quickly pulled out his phone and said, “Alright, I’ll call the doctor.”

The call connected swiftly. Qin Wangxuan put it on speaker, and after explaining the situation, the attending physician instructed him to contact the psychological specialist accompanying Qin Cangye. The doctor added cautiously, “Personally, I’d advise against allowing Mr. Qin Cangye to communicate with his ex-girlfriend at this stage. However, we can consider his own wishes. If he feels it’s acceptable, a brief conversation might be permissible…”

“Ex-girlfriend? Who said I’m his ex-girlfriend?” Su Yinuo cut in sharply.

The doctor hesitated, then replied awkwardly, “During our earlier conversation, Mr. Qin Cangye mentioned that you were his ex-girlfriend.”

Su Yinuo stiffened. Fresh tears streamed down her face as she covered her eyes, her heart twisting in agony.

Qin Wangxuan ended the call with the doctor and asked softly, “Sis-in-law, should I still make the call?”

Su Yinuo couldn’t speak. Biting her lip, she nodded.

Qin Wangxuan immediately dialed the psychological specialist. Upon answering, the specialist sounded tense and asked them to wait. After a long pause, a cautious voice came through the phone: “Mr. Qin, Miss Su would like to speak with you. Is that alright?”

Silence followed. Half a minute later, a loud crash echoed, the sound of furniture being overturned, accompanied by the specialist’s startled cry.

Su Yinuo lowered her hand from her eyes, her reddened gaze fixed on Qin Wangxuan’s phone, waiting for the voice she had longed to hear.

Then, after another half-minute, she received the answer that shattered her heart:

“No.”