Chapter 22: “Shen Qingci and the Dog Are Not Allowed Inside

Xi Xingye immediately had a bad feeling. “What are you doing?”

Shen Qingci asked directly, “What’s your relationship with Lou Xinyue? Are you cheating?”

Her calm tone sent a shiver through everyone present—except Lou Xinyue.

The memory of the last incident at the entertainment city, where someone got severely beaten, was still vivid.

Lou Xinyue was only slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected Shen Qingci to be so composed yet daring enough to speak to Xi Xingye like this.

Under the table, Xi Xingye secretly kicked Xu Zijie.

Think of something, say something!

Xu Zijie’s head was almost buried in his bowl; he remained silent.

Shen Qingci ignored everyone else and spoke softly, “Do you remember the third clause in my requirements?”

Clause Three: You are not allowed to find other women outside.

She didn’t give Xi Xingye a chance to respond—she dragged him out herself.

“What are you doing!” Xi Xingye struggled to pull back, clutching his collar. “Let go!”

Xu Zijie shakily stood up, ready to back up his brother. “Sis… sis, why don’t we finish our meal first? Then talk?”

Shen Qingci, holding Xi Xingye with one hand, stopped and glanced at the table full of fine food and wine. “No need to eat. I have no appetite.”

Then she lifted the edge of the table with her other hand.

With a flick of her strength, the table spun 360 degrees into the air, flipping all the food onto the floor.

The crash was deafening.

“You don’t have an appetite either? Then don’t eat.”

Having said that, she dragged Xi Xingye out of the private room.

Lou Xinyue was dumbfounded, staring at the mess on the floor and Shen Qingci’s retreating figure.

What… what kind of crazy woman is this?! She just dragged Xi Xingye away? And he didn’t get angry??? No one is stopping her?!

When Master Xi hurried to both homes upon receiving the news, Xi Xingye was still arguing with Shen Qingci.

He stomped on the sofa, eyes narrowed arrogantly, trying with all his might to intimidate her.

Shen Qingci sat cross-armed on the sofa. Though her posture was low, her piercing eyes swept over him with undiminished authority.

Xi Xingye shouted, “I wanted to take you out for dinner with my brothers tonight, and you embarrass me like this!”

“And if she’s provoking you, what does that have to do with me? Go find her yourself!”

Shen Qingci lifted an eyelid lazily. “I’m not interested in fighting with a mistress; I only deal with men.”

Then she called, “Zhang Jie, enforce the house rules.”

Zhang Jie shivered, glancing at Master Xi, and whispered, “Madam… there are… no house rules…”

“No house rules?” Shen Qingci stamped her boot. “Then let’s make one right now. Can’t control your lower half? Castrate him directly.”

Castrate him?!

Everyone in the room—not just Xi Xingye but all the male servants—felt a chill run down their spines.

Xi Xingye exploded. “Shen Qingci! Don’t think just because I pick you up from work you can do whatever you want! I’m still in charge of this house!”

With that, he stormed upstairs—into the guest room.

Bang!

The door slammed loudly.

Master Xi tapped his cane on the ground. “What on earth is going on this time?!”

Upstairs, Xu Zijie video-called Xi Xingye to make sure his brother was safe before relaxing.

“You don’t understand!” Xi Xingye leaned against the sofa, squinting his peach-blossom eyes. “I’ll go home and scold Shen Qingci until she’s stunned! She dares to touch me? I’d need ten more guts to make that happen!”

He stood up and kicked around the room.

“Anyway, the one thing I hate most in life is unreasonable, possessive women!”

“This… unless she personally apologizes to me, forget it!”

After hanging up, Xi Xingye cracked the door and shouted downstairs:

“Wang Sao! Breakfast, now! I’m not eating with certain people!”

He slammed the door again, leaving a sign on it:

[Shen Qingci and the Dog Are Not Allowed Inside]

The next morning at 8:30, Shen Qingci leisurely finished breakfast. Not seeing Xi Xingye, she didn’t wait.

She slipped on her leather jacket, donned a black helmet, twisted the handlebar of her jet-black motorcycle, and sped off.

Xi Xingye stood on the balcony, watching her neat, confident figure ride away, feeling increasingly uneasy.

You still want me to take you to work? Dream on! he muttered, kicking a pot of marigolds off the balcony.

The pot shattered crisply, and Xi Xingye crossed his arms and returned inside.

At 10:30, Shen Lan arrived at Shen Qingci’s office as promised.

“Where’s the evidence you mentioned?” He leaned against a cabinet, impatient. “I think you’re talking nonsense! Shirou is such a good person, yet you keep siding with outsiders against the Shen family!”

“Did I ever teach you not to point at people when talking?” Shen Qingci pulled out a long ruler from somewhere and smacked it on Shen Lan’s extended finger.

Glancing at her phone, she said, “No need to rush. It’s here.”

She stood and pushed Shen Lan behind a wooden screen, completely hiding him.

At that moment, Shen Shirou stomped in on her platform heels, chin raised.

“Sign the resignation papers!”

She threw the contract in front of Shen Qingci.

Shen Qingci reached for it. Shen Shirou leaned over and pressed her hand on the document.

“Shen Qingci, feeling proud now?” she sneered. “Do you think with me gone, Shen Yuan can come back from the dead? Dream on!”

Shen Qingci glanced at Shen Lan behind the screen and sat back in her chair, arms crossed.

“Why assume I can’t?” she asked, smirking.

Shen Shirou retorted, “All the accounts went through me! I know which ones are problematic! Sixteen hundred million yuan—you can’t cover that! The Xi family won’t pay for a company that’s being acquired!”

Shen Qingci had already checked, so she knew. Hearing her say it aloud made her heart sink slightly.

She leaned back, half-smiling: “Sixteen hundred million? Just enough to cover my Xi Xingye’s extravagance.”

“Shen Qingci! How dare you!”

Thinking of the Xi family’s power, Shen Shirou gritted her teeth and swung at her.

As expected, Shen Qingci caught her wrist.

“I’m proud. What, embarrassed?” Shen Qingci smiled.

Shen Shirou, nearly driven mad: “You shameless woman! Everything of mine, I could take once, I could take again!”

“Shen Yuan’s ownership, your mother’s life’s work, even her life, and her beloved foolish son! You won’t protect any of it!”

“Shen Qingci! You’re destined to be my defeated pawn!”

She roared, eyes bloodshot.

“Shirou…” Shen Lan stepped out from behind the screen, also with reddened eyes, in disbelief.

Mom really… is you?

Shen Shirou’s face paled, then returned to normal.

She looked at Shen Qingci, then at Shen Lan, giving up.

“Since you’ve heard everything, I won’t hide anything. I didn’t think you’d be this stupid, fooled in a few words. If your mom died because of me, it’s partly your fault!”

Who told you to be so stupid?

A figure stormed out. Shen Lan’s tears froze his face.

Half an hour later, an assistant reported: “President Shen, young master ran to the entertainment city.”

Shen Qingci rubbed her temple. “Noted.”

Shen Qingci sped along the asphalt road on her jet-black motorcycle. The wind flapped her leather jacket.

Soon, people at the entertainment city stumbled into the private room.

“Xi… Xi Shao! The Madam is here!”

Music and chatter abruptly stopped.

Under the crystal chandelier, Xi Xingye stretched his long arm across the black sofa, stopping mid-drink.

Xu Zijie grabbed his coat, ready to rush out.

“Xi Shao, my sow’s about to give birth, I have to go!”

“Stop!” Xi Xingye barked.

He frowned and patted the sofa. “Sit back down, or I’ll delete all the novels on your phone! And don’t complain to your grandmother about forced love here!”

Xu Zijie whimpered, “No, Xi Ge! I… I’ll call another brother to keep you company…”

“Call someone?!” Xi Xingye’s voice was low. “Why be afraid of her?”

Checking the time on his phone: It’s not even noon! What else does this woman want?

Ruffling his hair, Xi Xingye stood up.

The entertainment city attendant hesitated: “Looks like she’s looking for someone… but not you, Xi Shao.”

“Not for me?” Xi Xingye raised an eyebrow.

Then who else could she be looking for?

Xu Zijie finally relaxed a little.

“Follow her.” Without giving Xu Zijie time to settle, Xi Xingye kicked him and headed out.