Savage Kiss - Chapter 100

After all, money never betrays or hurts.

Xu Qingyi had originally planned to go alone, but when she woke up, Shi Qing was already waiting downstairs.

At first glance, Shi Qing couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you dressed like a peacock?”

Shi Qing glared at her. “Since I was little, my mom always said I was ugly. Now that I’m in a relationship, shouldn’t I spruce myself up a bit? Otherwise, she’ll nag me for half the day when we get there.”

When they arrived at the auto repair shop, Shi Qing parked the car by the roadside.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, turning to look at him.

Shi Qing smiled mysteriously, opened the door, and got out. “Just woke up?”

Shen Yanzhou emerged from inside, casting a casual glance at him without responding.

Shi Qing walked over and nudged Shen Yanzhou’s shoulder, lowering his voice. “Thanks! I’m a man of principle, so I’ve lined up some business for you. Someone will contact you soon.”

He then added, twisting the knife in Shen Yanzhou’s heart, “By the way, help me check if there are any new cars that would suit her. Nothing too flashy, I’m afraid she won’t accept it.”

Shen Yanzhou snorted lightly. “Have all the legitimate 4S stores in Jing City gone out of business? Why do you have to come here to find a car?”

Shi Qing grinned. “You’ve got hidden treasures here!”

How much of a treasure was the car Xu Qingyi was driving now?

Of course, the main reason was to provoke Shen Yanzhou further, hoping he’d give up completely. Otherwise, Shi Qing always felt he couldn’t compete with him.

Shen Yanzhou ignored him and walked over to the car, tapping on the window.

Xu Qingyi, sitting inside, frowned but still rolled down the window, her expression neutral. “Is something wrong?”

“That window breaker at your place, return it sometime, please.”

Xu Qingyi was baffled. What window breaker?

But Shen Yanzhou had nothing else to say. After speaking, he turned and walked away.

Shi Qing returned to the car and continued driving, bringing up the idea of buying her a car.

Xu Qingyi outright refused. Her business with Shi Qing’s mother was confidential, and she couldn’t explain it to Shi Qing. Did he think she and his mother were building a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship?

“I already have a car. Why would you buy me one?”

“Besides, we’re just pretending for your mom’s sake. Don’t act like a human ATM boyfriend.”

Shi Qing laughed at her. “Are you stupid? If you’ve got an ATM, why not use it?”

She smiled. It was better to earn money honestly and feel at ease.

Shi Qing’s mother’s villa was in the Western Hills, as if stepping into nature itself. No wonder they said it offered great privacy.

Xu Qingyi whimsically thought that her line of work was most suited to living in such a place. How wonderful would it be to buy a property like this in her lifetime?

Shi Qing’s mother was having a facial spa and had the housekeeper prepare all the food and drinks, telling Shi Qing to treat it like a vacation.

As for Xu Qingyi, Shi Qing’s mother took her upstairs, saying they would discuss the art of flower arranging.

Shi Qing knew his mother wanted to get to know Xu Qingyi better and didn’t dare follow.

After customizing for Wu Yi, Xu Qingyi found the process of taking personal measurements much smoother this time.

Shi Qing’s mother was very easygoing and chatted casually, eventually bringing up the previous photo incident.

“I heard that girl is severely depressed and attempted suicide?”

For a moment, Xu Qingyi didn’t react. Mi Lian?

Shi Qing’s mother smiled at her. “I heard from Shi Qing that you two used to be friends.”

Xu Qingyi had nothing to hide. “That’s what I thought too.”

Madam Shi raised a brow slightly. “Don’t be upset, just let it go at this point. The reason she’s so publicly exposing all her illnesses is simply to pressure you into making a statement and quell the scandal.”

“To put it bluntly, someone so meticulously self-serving is unlikely to suffer from depression.”

Xu Qingyi knew Zhuang Mi Lian had psychological issues, but she had no time to pity others.

So, no matter how much of a scene Zhuang Mi Lian made online, Xu Qingyi paid no attention.

It wasn’t until this conversation with Madam Shi that she learned Zhuang Mi Lian’s constant playing of the victim had indeed garnered her sympathy from many online.

After returning to her apartment, she checked the related discussions.

[Although she posted photos and cyberbullied Xu, Xu didn’t actually suffer any losses or injuries. Shouldn’t we be a bit kinder? Zhuang Mi Lian is seriously ill, it could even be life-threatening. Would it really be so hard for Xu to comfort her a little or publicly forgive her?]

So now they were turning it around and guilt-tripping her instead?

Xu Qingyi found it deeply ironic. There was nothing wrong with being kind, but it depended on who you were being kind to.

This kind of moral coercion was uncomfortable, so she chose to remain silent.

The Zhuang family was well-off. Even without her, they could find a better way to resolve this. It wasn’t her place to pity them.

For the next two days, Xu Qingyi threw herself entirely into her work, returning to her apartment late every night after leaving the studio.

On the third day, exhausted, she turned off the lights and left the studio a little after eleven.

The studio was at the easternmost end of the building, while her rental apartment was at the westernmost end, requiring her to walk the entire length of the corridor.

Halfway there, she spotted someone standing by her door, disheveled hair, leaning against the quiet corridor’s outer wall.

Even with the lights on, it was a bit eerie. Xu Qingyi’s heart skipped a beat irregularly, and she frowned.

Just then, the person turned to look at her, a weary face breaking into a smile.

It was Zhuang Mi Lian.

Xu Qingyi let out a long sigh, hesitated for a moment, then slowly, step by step, walked over.

“Are you looking for me?” she asked.

Zhuang Mi Lian smiled at her. “Yeah.”

Her mental state didn’t seem as bad as the internet made it out to be.

“What is it?” Xu Qingyi stopped about two meters away from her.

Zhuang Mi Lian kept smiling. “Come a little closer. Afraid I’ll push you over the edge?”

If she hadn’t said it, it might have been fine, but now Xu Qingyi was even more reluctant to approach. Although the corridor’s guardrail wall was waist-high, what if Zhuang Mi Lian had unexpected strength?

A fall from the sixth floor would likely be fatal.

Xu Qingyi stood her ground. “You probably don’t have anything important to say. If there’s an issue, you can take it up with the police.”

Only then did Zhuang Mi Lian’s smile gradually fade. “If the police could handle it, I wouldn’t be here looking for you.”

Zhuang Mi Lian frowned. “I’m just curious, what is it about you that’s so special, that you can string along three men at once?”

Hearing this, Xu Qingyi knew there was no point in further conversation.

But Zhuang Mi Lian seemed unusually intrigued. “Did you discover your talent for seducing men after you started in this industry?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve even slept with Shen Yuqiao? What’s it like sleeping with both brothers?”

Xu Qingyi simply thought she must truly be unwell. “If you have nothing else to say, please leave. I need to rest.”

Zhuang Mi Lian tilted her chin toward the door. “Go ahead and rest. I’m not stopping you.”

Xu Qingyi had no idea what Zhuang Mi Lian was really after, so she simply looked at her, expressionless.

Zhuang Mi Lian took one look at her calm, indifferent expression and felt her jealousy surge even higher. Her face finally turned cold as she said, “What are you pretending for?”

“It’s just that you can seduce men, isn’t it? What’s so great about that?”

“If you enjoy being slept with by all kinds of men, I’ll let you have your way. I won’t compete with you anymore! I don’t even want Shen Yanzhou anymore, so could you please clarify with the netizens that the photo wasn’t me?”