His Sunday Substitute - Chapter 58

It hurts so much.

Su Yinuo clutched her chest, feeling as though the world was spinning around her.

The sounds around her faded away, and the thoughts in her mind seemed to shatter into fragments, twisting into a nauseating mess before being flung into a pitch-black void, scattered chaotically in all directions.

The pain spread through her organs, even reaching her fingertips. Beyond the agony, there was also nausea.

Su Yinuo didn’t know what was happening to her. In many moments, she just wanted to die immediately, to end this unbearable torment.

After a long time, she gradually regained a sliver of clarity, but with it came an overwhelming tide of heartache.

She burst into tears, trembling uncontrollably. Desperate, she reached out, not knowing whose clothes she grabbed or whose embrace she buried herself in.

She clung to him tightly, her tears soaking through his clothes.

She felt the hand gently patting her back, heard the anxious whispers of comfort in her ear. She burrowed deeper into his arms, finding a sliver of solace in his warmth that helped calm her.

Her mind was still foggy. Even when he carried her to the bed, she remained unaware, stubbornly gripping his clothes, refusing to let go.

He sighed helplessly, stroking her tear-streaked face, his heart racing wildly.

Maybe tonight, he could have her.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, he immediately flipped her beneath him, trying to kiss her. But her face remained buried in his chest, leaving him no access.

“Sister-in-law, let go of me first,” he pried her hands away and quickly stripped off his jacket and shirt. Yet she clung to him again, her damp cheek pressing against his bare chest, her warm breath ghosting over his skin.

“Sister-in-law, are you… trying to kill me?”

Qin Wangxuan was utterly exasperated. He wanted her so badly, his body was already reacting intensely, and the woman in his arms, in this broken state, wouldn’t resist. But he didn’t dare. Afraid that acting on impulse would destroy this already shattered girl completely.

“Fine…” After a long pause, he lay down, pulling Su Yinuo into his embrace. “If you’re hurting, I’ll hurt with you.”

“Sleep, just sleep,” he turned off the light, gently patting her back. “When you wake up, everything will be okay.”

…

In a pitch-black room at Qiyuan Sanatorium, chairs and tables were overturned, scattered debris littering the floor. Qin Cangye huddled in the corner, clutching his head, his mind replaying the scene of pushing Su Yinuo off the high-rise over and over.

Blood and mangled flesh filled his thoughts, agony tearing at his soul. Trembling, he whimpered:

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I don’t deserve… don’t deserve to see you…”

His shaking hand grabbed a handful of pills beside him, shoving them into his mouth.

The bitter taste brought a sliver of stability. Covering his face, he begged, “Nuonuo, wait for me… wait until I get better.”

Holding Su Yinuo while she slept felt like an unimaginably beautiful dream to Qin Wangxuan. After coaxing her to sleep, he lay awake all night, inexplicably smiling in the darkness. When he finally managed to drift off, he woke again at the faint light of dawn.

The person in his arms was still asleep, her steady breaths brushing against his chest. The hand that had been resting on her waist had loosened and now lay softly against his abs. Qin Wangxuan was overjoyed. He shifted slightly, adjusting Su Yinuo higher up so she could pillow her head on his arm, allowing him to gaze at her sleeping face.

Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her lips slightly dry, making her appear both fragile and alluring. Qin Wangxuan raised his hand, gently tracing her parched lips, aching to kiss her.

So, he leaned in, only for her to open her eyes just before their lips could meet.

Startled, Qin Wangxuan quickly pulled back, awkwardly saying, “You’re awake? Did you sleep well? It’s still early, you can sleep a bit longer.”

Su Yinuo’s gaze was dazed. She stared at Qin Wangxuan for a full five minutes before the pain of last night’s events came rushing back. Sleep had somewhat eased her mood, but her head still felt heavy, her stomach still ached faintly, and her body was weak and limp.

She couldn’t remember how she had fallen asleep. In fact, her memory had blanked out after hearing Qin Cangye’s rejection. So, when she saw Qin Wangxuan shirtless before her, she weakly shifted her legs and asked, “Did we… do it?”

“Huh?!” Qin Wangxuan exclaimed in surprise, then laughed helplessly as he threw back the covers. “Look, your clothes are still on, my pants are still on. We’re completely innocent!”

“Oh,” Su Yinuo replied flatly, her tone indifferent.

Qin Wangxuan stared at her for a few seconds, taken aback by her calmness. He had expected to be scolded or even slapped upon waking. Taking her hand, he placed it on his waist and said, “If you want to, we can do it now. Just say the word, and I’m ready…”

“Get lost,” Su Yinuo weakly snapped.

Feeling utterly unwell, she didn’t push Qin Wangxuan away but simply closed her heavy eyelids again.

This fragile state of hers lasted for several days before gradually improving. Seeing her like this, Qin Weishu didn’t dare force her to eat anymore, and her life returned to its usual quiet.

Li Guogang’s son was abroad, and Qin Wangxuan had gone to great lengths to get his contact information. But communicating online alone made it difficult to deepen their relationship or gain his trust. Su Yinuo, drained by her physical condition, no longer had the energy to focus on winning over Li Guogang, so the investigation into Qin Weishu came to a standstill.

In truth, Su Yinuo wasn’t just physically unwell, she was also emotionally shattered by Qin Cangye’s unilateral breakup, leaving her questioning whether everything she was doing was even worth it.

But she knew one thing: whether it was worth it or not, there was no turning back now.

The act had to go on. Before, it had been for Qin Cangye. Now, it was to free herself from this quagmire.

Yet every day was a struggle. She moved through life in a daze, unable to muster any energy. She shut herself in her room, often not stepping outside for days on end.

One day, Qin Wangxuan knelt before Su Yinuo, embracing her as she sat on the sofa, and pulled out his phone, saying, “Don’t be sad. Your brother sent another video. Here, let me show you.”

Su Yinuo abruptly raised her hand, knocking the phone out of Qin Wangxuan’s grasp, tears streaming down her face.

“Don’t be like this, please don’t,” Qin Wangxuan sat beside her on the sofa, holding her tightly, his heart aching.

“Why would he do this?” Su Yinuo sobbed uncontrollably. “He promised he wouldn’t let me go. He swore he’d never let me go, even in death. Why did he abandon me? What was he thinking? Did he forget how much he loved me? Did he forget how much I loved him? Has he forgotten? Wangxuan, I’m so heartbroken.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Qin Wangxuan could only stammer apologies in his panic.

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault,” Su Yinuo cried.

“I’m apologizing because I’m useless, I don’t know how to make you happy,” Qin Wangxuan cupped her face, wiping away her tears. “Tell me, I’ll do anything you ask. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

Su Yinuo stared at Qin Wangxuan for a long time, her sobs gradually subsiding.

Qin Wangxuan couldn’t decipher the meaning in her gaze, but the intensity of her stare made his body grow warm, stirring unwelcome thoughts. His hand, resting on the small of her back, slowly crept upward to cradle the nape of her neck. As he fixated on her lips, about to lean in, she raised her hand to block his mouth.

“I don’t like you. I’ve rejected you so many times. Why aren’t you upset? What’s your secret? I want to learn,” Su Yinuo asked bluntly.

“Who says I’m not upset?” Qin Wangxuan let out a self-deprecating laugh, then flicked his tongue against her palm before biting down lightly on her slender wrist. After a few playful nips, he pulled her into a tight embrace, lifting his gaze to meet hers. “Oh, actually, I’m not upset. Maybe it’s because I get to hold you like this.”

Seeing the haze of desire in his eyes, Su Yinuo tried to push him away, but he held her waist firmly. He took her hand and pressed kisses to her wrist, his growing restlessness betraying the hunger swelling inside him.

“Be with me?” he murmured against her reddened skin, breath ragged.

“No,” Su Yinuo refused without hesitation.

He gave a bitter laugh, pinning her down onto the sofa. Grabbing her right hand, he placed it against his own neck and whispered in her ear, “Then at least touch me, okay?”

“Promise you won’t do anything else.”

“I promise!”

Su Yinuo gently traced her fingers along his neck, her soft fingertips gliding over the taut veins before settling on his Adam’s apple. She pressed lightly.

Qin Wangxuan let out a hoarse groan, bracing one arm beside her head as he undid his belt with the other.

Su Yinuo had grown accustomed to Qin Wangxuan’s presence, his touch, his embrace, even the occasional nights when he held her as she slept. She didn’t particularly mind. But the idea of intimacy with him was something she couldn’t bring herself to accept. She didn’t love him. When they held each other close, she felt no desire, only, if things went further, a deep-seated revulsion and resistance.

Yet she didn’t dislike Qin Wangxuan either. There were even moments when her heart ached for him, sympathizing with his unrequited love.

So, she indulged him more and more. Her fingers trailed downward, unbuttoning his shirt one by one until they nearly brushed against his burning…

Her fingers withdrew, gliding over his chest.

He shuddered violently, exhaling a scorching breath by her ear: “Help me… Will you touch it, please?”

“No,” Su Yinuo pressed against his exposed chest.

“Fine… As you wish, just stroke.”

Su Yinuo’s palm tightened, her breathing growing heavier.

…

At Qiyuan Sanatorium, Qin Cangye entered the attending physician’s office and said, “Dr. Qi, I’ve been in treatment for almost a month now. I feel my condition has stabilized, even at night, as long as I take the medication, my emotions don’t fluctuate too severely.”

Dr. Qi stood up, gesturing for Qin Cangye to sit, and smiled. “Thinking of leaving?”

Qin Cangye nodded. His expression was remarkably calm, a stark contrast to the man he had been a month ago.

“My suggestion,” Dr. Qi said as he pulled Qin Cangye’s phone from a drawer and handed it to him kindly, “is that you first reconnect with the outside world. The people you want to see, the ones you’re afraid to see, those you resent or even hate, try it all. If everything really goes smoothly, then you can leave.”

Qin Cangye took the phone and returned to his room.

After charging it and turning it on, the first thing he saw was Su Yinuo’s face set as his wallpaper.

Unconsciously, the corners of his lips curled into a smile. When he noticed, he smiled even wider.

With the burden in his heart lifted, it meant he could face her openly. But when he tapped on her contact, hesitation crept in.

There was still some unease, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Reassuring himself, he swiped to Su Yinuo’s number, but instead dialed Wang Yiliu’s.

“Vice Chairman Qin, you… you’ve recovered?” Wang Yiliu’s voice carried rare excitement.

Qin Cangye hummed in acknowledgment, then asked urgently, “How is Su Yinuo? What’s she doing now?”

A long silence filled the line. A surge of intense unease rose in Qin Cangye. Pressing a hand to his constricted chest, he asked, “What… has something happened to her?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” Wang Yiliu quickly replied. “It’s just… she’s with your younger brother now. And she’s… she’s pregnant.”

Qin Cangye froze. The phone slipped from his hand and clattered onto the floor.