Chapter 18: Drunken Antics

Li Huaidong frowned.

She sure got bold when she was drunk.

The last time at the hotel, she had lifted her skirt and perched herself on his lap. This time, she went straight for a kiss.

Song Qingyu wasn’t very skilled at kissing—every time, it was Li Huaidong who took the lead. But now, with him staying still, her tongue fumbled around aimlessly, leaving her frustrated.

Annoyed, she raised her hand and gave Li Huaidong a light punch.

Li Huaidong was already on the verge of losing control—her soft lips had nearly driven him to the edge of reason. But he held himself back.

The last time, things had happened in a blur. She hadn’t even realized who he was until the next morning when the alcohol had worn off. He had no idea under whose name he had spent the entire night proving himself. This time, he refused to let things happen so thoughtlessly again.

He reached out, cupped her face, and asked, “Song Qingyu, who am I?”

“Li Huaidong… You’re Li Huaidong…”

Good. At least she hadn’t mistaken him for someone else.

Li Huaidong had more to say, but before he could, she kissed him again. Her breath, warm and unsteady, teased at his resolve.

Under the soft glow of the living room lights, he noticed the shimmer of unshed tears beneath her trembling lashes.

Li Huaidong caught her restless hands, holding them firmly in place.

“What’s wrong? Is it because of what’s happening online?” he asked.

“You’ve seen the posts too?” Song Qingyu opened her eyes and looked at him, a wry smile curling at her lips—one that looked even sadder than crying. “So? You won’t touch me… Are you afraid I might have some kind of disease too?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Then why won’t you want me?” Her drunken eyes locked onto him, hazy yet intense, as her hands wandered over his body like a restless little fish. “Didn’t you always want to do it after we got our marriage certificate? Well, come on then!”

“……”

“Look at you—you don’t dare. You’re afraid I really have something, aren’t you?” Song Qingyu let out a soft chuckle, but as she laughed, tears slipped down her face. “Even you suspect me? You, of all people, should know the truth. It was my first time with you. I have never—never—sold my body or slept with anyone for favors.”

“It’s not that I don’t dare, and I don’t doubt you.” Li Huaidong gazed into her eyes. He knew she was drunk, yet he still explained patiently, “I just don’t want to touch you when you’re like this. I don’t want our every time to happen when you’re not fully conscious.”

“No… You’re just scared… Hahaha, coward…”

“Qingqing.” Li Huaidong kissed her damp eyelids. “I know—I am your only man. No one believes in you more than I do.”

Hearing his words, Song Qingyu’s tears fell even harder.

Without another word, Li Huaidong scooped her up into his arms and carried her all the way to the bedroom on the second floor.

“Sleep.” He placed her gently on the bed.

Song Qingyu cried herself to exhaustion. The drunkenness and drowsiness hit her at once, and she curled up under the blanket, falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning, when she opened her eyes, her head was splitting with a painful headache.

After washing up in the bathroom, she drank a glass of warm water downstairs, which helped ease her discomfort.

Li Huaidong came back from his morning run and, seeing her, gave her a mysterious smile. “Good morning.”

The hangover had clouded Song Qingyu’s memory, but from Li Huaidong’s meaningful look, she could tell she must have done something outrageous the night before.

“Sorry, I got drunk last night.”

“Mhm.”

“I…”

“Don’t drink so casually in the future.”

“Did I go on another drunken rampage?”

“You did.”

“Was it really that bad?”

“Want me to demonstrate it for you?”

Song Qingyu hesitated for a few seconds before shaking her head. “Never mind, I won’t make things difficult for you.”

Li Huaidong leaned closer to her. “It’s not really making things difficult.”

After speaking, he tossed his wireless earbuds aside and leaned in to kiss her…

“…”

Song Qingyu quickly pulled back, avoiding his kiss, but the movement had been enough for her to understand just how far her drunken antics had gone the night before.

She didn’t know why she always seemed to provoke him every time she got drunk.

“I’m sorry.” Song Qingyu apologized.

“No need to apologize.” Li Huaidong walked over to the island counter and poured himself a glass of water. “You’re much more charming when you’re passionate after drinking, compared to how you’re avoiding me now.”

Passionate?

This was the first time Song Qingyu had heard someone describe her that way.

“You’re right. I really shouldn’t drink so casually in the future,” she said seriously, reflecting on her actions.

“Did you go to the golf course yesterday to meet Lu Yanchuan?” Li Huaidong asked.

“Mhm.”

“What did you need him for?”

Song Qingyu vaguely detected a hint of jealousy in his words, but then she dismissed the thought. How could Li Huaidong possibly be jealous over her?

“I had a question, and I wanted to ask him about it,” she replied.

“Did you get the answer?”

“Yes, I did.”

“So, will you still go looking for him in the future?”

Song Qingyu sensed even more jealousy in his words. She looked at Li Huaidong—he had just finished his run, his black, moisture-wicking shirt clinging to his body, beads of sweat on his neck. The unmistakable scent of male pheromones surrounded him, and his gaze was intense and dangerous, as if one wrong word from her would make him pounce on her like a predator.

“I won’t go looking for him again,” Song Qingyu said.

This wasn’t just an answer to placate Li Huaidong—it was the truth from her heart.

She had completely let go of Lu Yanchuan.

That man had been heartless and unfaithful, and he didn’t deserve her love, let alone her lingering feelings.

“Good. Remember what you said.” Li Huaidong stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “From now on, don’t shed a single tear for him. Your tears should be saved for the one who loves you.”

“Mhm.”

Li Huaidong went upstairs to take a shower and change into fresh clothes before coming downstairs to have breakfast.

Song Qingyu, having lost her appetite, called Quan Xinya in the living room.

“Sister Quan, how’s the situation online? Has it been handled?”

“We’ve already found out who’s behind the smear campaign. I’m working with the PR team on how to fight back. I’ve also saved screenshots of all the disgusting comments from the haters. We’ll be sending them lawyer letters one by one soon.”

“Who’s the one spreading these lies about me?”

“Your ex-husband’s current girlfriend, Xie Wan’ning.”

Song Qingyu fell silent. So it was Xie Wan’ning behind all this. No wonder the whistleblower knew such detailed things, like how Lu Yanchuan received her medical report on their wedding day.

Lu Yanchen had really told Xie Wan’ning everythinuag.

Her hatred for Lu Yanchn deepened in that moment.

“Sister Quan, how did you find out?”

“I was just about to tell you about this. It’s really strange. I don’t know who’s been helping with the investigation, but when I woke up today, my inbox was filled with evidence.”

Hearing Quan Xinya’s words, Song Qingyu’s first instinct was to glance toward the dining room.

Li Huaidong was sitting there, eating a salad, but as soon as he noticed her looking at him, he turned and met her gaze, his eyes silently asking if something was wrong.

Song Qingyu guessed that it must have been Li Huaidong who helped her. He was the only one who would do such things for her without saying a word.

“By the way, this mysterious person not only found out who was behind the smear campaign, but they also sent me evidence of Lu Yanchuan and Xie Wan’ning’s affair during our marriage,” Quan Xinya said excitedly. “Qingqing, this time, we’re going to strike back hard. We’ll catch those scumbags off guard and make them pay!”

“By the way, that mysterious person didn’t just uncover the mastermind behind everything—they also sent over evidence of Lu Yanchuan cheating on Xie Wanning during their marriage straight to my inbox,” Guan Xinya said excitedly. “Qingqing, this time, we have to strike back hard—catch that scumbag and that shameless woman off guard and make them pay!”

**

After finishing her call with Guan Xinya, Song Qingyu saw that Li Huaidong had also finished his breakfast.

“I’m heading to work,” he said to her. “If you’re still feeling unwell, have Aunt Kang make you some hangover soup.”

“Wait,” Song Qingyu stopped him.

“What is it?”

“The online investigation—was it you who arranged it?”

“Mm.”

Li Huaidong responded lightly, as if it were nothing worth mentioning. If she hadn’t asked, he might not have even told her.

A wave of warmth spread through Song Qingyu’s heart.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

He didn’t respond, just reached out to ruffle her hair before turning and walking away.

The driver was waiting for him in the courtyard. Song Qingyu stood frozen for a moment, only realizing what had just happened when she heard the sound of the car starting. She absentmindedly touched her head.

inished his breakfast.

After breakfast, Song Qingyu still had a headache, so she decided to take a nap.

When she woke up, the online situation had completely changed.

Quan Xinya, acting on behalf of the “Song Qingyu Studio,” released an official statement that addressed the series of online accusations against Song Qingyu.

The statement clarified that, first, Song Qingyu had indeed divorced, but the reason for the divorce was her ex-husband, Lu Yanchuan’s affair during their marriage.

Second, Song Qingyu had been in the entertainment industry for many years, maintaining her personal integrity. There was no truth to the rumors of her “trading her body for resources,” nor was there any truth to the claim that she had contracted a disease from such activities.

These were clearly premeditated slanders. The studio had already reported the situation to the authorities. The internet was not a lawless place, and if netizens continued to spread unfounded defamation, the studio would collect evidence and pursue legal action.

After releasing the statement, the studio posted two more updates on Weibo.

The first Weibo post contained a video—surveillance footage from a private club. In the footage, Lu Yanchuan and Xie Wan’ning were entangled in a passionate embrace, with scenes so explicit that they had to be heavily censored.

The timestamp on the surveillance footage was clearly visible. To drive the point home, the studio also attached a screenshot of Song Qingyu’s divorce certificate, allowing netizens to easily compare the dates. The evidence left no room for doubt—Lu Yanchuan had been involved with Xie Wan’ning before his divorce from Song Qingyu. His infidelity was now indisputable.

The second Weibo post featured a single image. It revealed that the studio had traced the original poster of the defamatory rumors back to their source. The account that first spread the false claims had been registered with Xie Wan’ning’s personal phone number.

A cheating husband, a mistress who smeared the ex-wife’s reputation after the divorce, and fabricated malicious rumors—the shocking reversal of events left netizens stunned.

Li Huaidong’s expression darkened as he stared at the trending topic on the screen. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, exuding a sense of restrained power.

“Marriage within three years, a wife as beautiful as Song Qingyu, and yet you still cheated?” His father, Li Jianping, sneered as he threw a stack of printed screenshots onto the desk. “You’ve really outdone yourself this time.”

Li Huaidong’s gaze swept over the images—candid shots of a luxurious club’s dimly lit private room, blurry yet unmistakable figures intertwined. Next to them, a neatly compiled timeline of his so-called “affairs.”

He exhaled, suppressing the storm brewing within.

“I never cheated,” he stated, his tone steady.

Li Jianping let out a cold laugh. “Spare me the lies. The evidence is right in front of you.”

Li Huaidong met his father’s sharp gaze. “If I really did it, I wouldn’t bother denying it. But this—” He pointed at the documents. “—is fabricated.”

His father narrowed his eyes, weighing the truth in his son’s words.

“Young Master Lu, Mr. Lu wants you in his office.”

“What’s it about?”

The assistant hesitated before replying, “You’ll find out when you get there.”

With no other choice, Lu Yanchuan forced himself to suppress his exhaustion and headed to his father, Lu Jianping’s office.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Lu Shiyuan sitting on the sofa. Dressed in a black suit, his presence was as dark and imposing as the leather couch he occupied.

Ever since Lu Shiyuan had returned to the Lu family, Lu Yanchuan had constantly been compared to him. Worse still, Lu Shiyuan excelled at everything he did, making their father increasingly dismissive of Lu Yanchuan over the years. The resentment he harbored toward Lu Shiyuan ran deep.

“Father, what did you need me for?” Lu Yanchuan walked up to Lu Jianping’s desk.

“You don’t know what you’ve done?” Lu Jianping snatched the tablet from his desk and hurled it at him.

“Father—”

The tablet landed on the thick carpet without breaking.

Lu Yanchuan glanced at the screen and was shocked to see a scandalous video of himself and Xie Wan’n­ing at the club playing. Panicked, he quickly picked up the tablet and shut off the video.

“Father, how do you have this video?”

“I don’t! It was exposed online!” Lu Jianping was so furious that the veins at his temples throbbed. “Right now, the internet is flooded with news about your affair during your marriage. It’s completely tarnishing the Lu Corporation’s reputation. You don’t need to come to the office tomorrow!”

“Father, what do you mean? What do you mean I don’t need to come to the office?”

“From now on, I’ll be handing over all headquarters operations to Shiyuan. Once the scandal dies down, you can focus on familiarizing yourself with our overseas business.”

“You want to send me abroad?” Lu Yanchuan was furious.

“Father, have you lost your mind? I am your biological son—your legitimate heir if this were ancient times! And what is Lu Shiyuan? A bastard, the illegitimate spawn of a cheap woman. Who even knows if he’s really yours? And yet, you’re handing over the family business to him? If we had known this would happen, my mother should have just killed that bastard along with his whore of a mother back then!”

Lu Shiyuan sat calmly, his handsome face partly obscured by shifting light and shadow, his expression unreadable.

“Shut up! Useless fool!” Lu Jianping roared.

“If it weren’t for the old man protecting you because you married Qingyu, I would’ve packed you off overseas long ago! And yet, even after getting married, you still couldn’t behave yourself, causing scandal after scandal and dragging the company down with you! If you don’t straighten up, you can forget about handling even the overseas business!”

“Oh, so I strayed after marriage? And whose fault is that? Ever heard the saying ‘The crooked rafters at the top make the lower ones slant’? Like father, like son!”

Lu Jianping’s patience snapped. He swung his hand and slapped Lu Yanchuan hard across the face.

“You hit me? Fine! Go ahead, hit me all you want… Just don’t regret it later!”

With that, Lu Yanchuan stormed out in fury, slamming the door behind him.

Lu Shiyuan watched him leave, then calmly stood up, poured a glass of water, and handed it to Lu Jianping.

“Father, don’t be angry. Big Brother isn’t as terrible as you say.”

“He insulted you like that, yet you still speak up for him. Shiyuan, you truly are the kindest of all.”

Lu Shiyuan turned his head slightly, the corners of his lips curving into a cold, fleeting smirk.