Chapter 4: Her Scratches

Perhaps he could help her!

But… would he be willing to go against the Lu family for her sake? After all, Lu Yanchuan was his nephew.

Song Qingyu hesitated, then rummaged through her bag and found Li Huaidong’s business card.

She hesitated for a brief moment.

Right now, she had no other choice.

Taking a deep breath, she dialed his number.

After a few beeps, a cool and distant voice came through the receiver.

“Miss Song, have you finally come around?”

Song Qingyu was taken aback. “How did you know it was me?”

“Because you’re the only one I gave this number to.”

She glanced at the business card in her hand. He only gave it to her?

“What do you need?” Li Huaidong asked.

“I… Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Let’s hear it.”

Song Qingyu explained how her mother had been framed.

Li Huaidong didn’t give her an immediate answer. Instead, he asked, “Can you drive?”

“Yes.”

“Come pick me up.”

Li Huaidong hung up the phone and sent her an address—it was for an entertainment club.

Song Qingyu needed his help, so she didn’t dare delay. She immediately hailed a cab and rushed to the location.

Tonight was the birthday of Huo Siqi, the young master of the Huo family. He loved lively gatherings, so he had spent an entire week rounding up guests and reserving the venue in advance, ensuring that none of the big shots—Li Huaidong included—could refuse to attend.

Li Huaidong was a busy man, someone who usually led a disciplined and restrained lifestyle. It was rare for him to show up at such events, and since he had finally come out tonight, his companions had made sure to ply him with plenty of alcohol.

In the private room, a few young starlets Huo Siqi had invited to accompany them were scattered around. One of them noticed Li Huaidong leaning against the sofa, loosely tugging at his tie, looking slightly intoxicated. Seizing the opportunity, she poured a glass of warm water and sat down beside him.

“President Li, drinking too much is uncomfortable. Have some warm water—it’ll help.”

Huo Siqi chuckled at the sight. “Xier, you’re the only one who knows how to be thoughtful. The whole night, not a single other girl thought to properly take care of our President Li.”

The other starlets exchanged glances. Was it that they didn’t know how? Of course not. They simply didn’t dare.

Li Huaidong wasn’t just anyone—he was a man who stood at the pinnacle of Jin City’s elite. A person so accustomed to looking down on the world from above, someone of his status, wouldn’t spare them a second glance. No matter how much they wanted to climb higher, they knew their own worth and whether they were even qualified.

But Ying Xier was different. She had been a beauty pageant winner in Hong Kong City. No matter what, she had her striking looks to back her up. And men were always more forgiving toward beautiful women.

Sure enough, Li Huaidong took the glass of water Ying Xier handed him.

Just as she was secretly rejoicing, Li Huaidong suddenly raised his hand, grabbed her face without the slightest hint of tenderness, and forcefully poured the entire glass of water into her mouth. Caught off guard, Ying Xier choked violently, water drenching her as she tumbled off the sofa.

“You dare try to drug me? Tired of living?” Li Huaidong’s voice was ice-cold as he casually tossed the glass aside. The moment it hit the floor near Ying Xier’s legs, it shattered into countless pieces.

“President Li, I was wrong… I was wrong… Please, forgive me…” Ying Xier pleaded desperately, her voice trembling with fear.

Moments ago, while everyone was distracted, she had discreetly flicked a concealed aphrodisiac from her manicured nail into the glass, hoping to use Li Huaidong as a stepping stone to a higher status. But to her horror, her petty trick hadn’t escaped his notice in the slightest.

“Get lost. Don’t ever let me see you again.”

With just one sentence, Ying Xier was effectively blacklisted.

Tears streaming down her face, she scrambled out of the private room in a panic—only to crash right into Song Qingyu, who had just arrived to pick someone up.

Song Qingyu had witnessed everything that had transpired inside. Seeing how Li Huaidong dealt with Ying Xier, unease crept into her heart.

Ying Xier had merely failed in drugging him and was already facing total ruin. Yet she… she had actually slept with him. And now, she was voluntarily showing up at his doorstep. Would he deal with her even more ruthlessly?

For a moment, the urge to turn and flee surged within her.

But it was too late.

Li Huaidong had already seen her.

Li Huaidong stepped out of the private room.

Tonight, he wore a black suit, with a cashmere coat draped over his arm. His tie was loosely undone, shedding his usual air of meticulous aristocracy and adopting a more unruly, debonair charm.

“Mr. Li.” Song Qingyu took the initiative to approach him.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

Song Qingyu followed Li Huaidong downstairs.

His Bentley was parked conspicuously at the entrance of the club. Li Huaidong handed her the car keys and slid into the passenger seat himself.

Although Song Qingyu had been the Lu family’s daughter-in-law for three years, they had never bought her a car. Lu Yanchuan never let her touch his luxury vehicles either. For the past three years, whenever she needed to go out, she could only use the family’s grocery-run business van.

This was her first time driving such a luxurious car, and she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

“You really want me to drive?” Song Qingyu sat in the driver’s seat, visibly uneasy.

“Didn’t you say you know how?”

“Knowing and being skilled are two different things.”

The main issue was that Li Huaidong’s car was expensive—if she so much as scratched it, she couldn’t afford to pay for the damage. More importantly, sitting next to her was a man worth an astronomical sum, which only added to her pressure.

Li Huaidong seemed to see right through her concerns. “If you really don’t dare, I can call for a driver.”

But hiring a driver would mean having an extra person in the car, which would make discussing matters inconvenient.

“If Mr. Li dares to sit, then I dare to drive,” Song Qingyu said.

“There’s nothing I don’t dare to do.”

“Alright.”

Song Qingyu asked for the address, then braced herself and started the car. She drove cautiously the entire way, inching forward with utmost care. Eventually, she managed to bring the car safely to Li Huaidong’s villa.

She was drenched in cold sweat. When she turned her head, she saw Li Huaidong leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed—as if he had fallen asleep.

Under the soft glow of the car’s interior light, his shirt collar was slightly open, revealing a distinct Adam’s apple. He looked both effortlessly seductive and completely at ease.

Did he really trust her this much?

“Mr. Li?”

Anxious to save her mother, Song Qingyu had no choice but to gently wake him.

Li Huaidong opened his eyes. “We’re here?”

“We’re here.”

“Not bad. You drove pretty steadily.”

Li Huaidong spoke as he reached for the door handle to get out.

Instinctively, Song Qingyu grabbed his arm. “Mr. Li, about my mother…”

His movement paused. His gaze dropped to her hand—her fingers were slender and fair, her nails neatly trimmed and beautifully shaped. When she scratched, she was like a fierce little wildcat.

Last night, his back had been covered in the marks she left behind.

“I’m a businessman. I never do something for nothing. I can help, but what will you offer in exchange?” His eyes were calm, like a hunter locking onto his prey.

“Myself,” Song Qingyu said. “If your offer of marriage still stands, then I agree.”

Her heart pounded wildly.

Her emotions were tangled—afraid he would accept, but also afraid he wouldn’t.

Their eyes met, the air in the car thick with unspoken tension.

Time stretched. Just when Song Qingyu thought he was going to back out, Li Huaidong finally gave his answer.

“Alright, it’s settled then. We’ll get the marriage certificate tomorrow. Before that, your mother’s situation will be properly taken care of.”

“And the Lu family…?”

“That’s not something you need to worry about.”

Song Qingyu let out a small breath of relief. “Thank you.”

“The car is already at my doorstep, and all I get is a verbal thank you?”

Li Huaidong leaned in closer.

With a swift movement, he wrapped his hand around her slender waist, pulling her tightly against him.

Even through layers of fabric, the heat of his body was just as searing as it had been last night.

The scent on him filled her senses—cool cedar-wood mixed with rich sandalwood, steady and meditative, exuding an understated dominance.

Song Qingyu’s throat tightened, a trace of unease creeping into her chest.

Although they had already been intimate, last night she had been drinking—liquor had given her courage. But now, she was completely sober. And the clearer her mind, the more afraid she felt.

Fortunately, Li Huaidong didn’t actually kiss her.

His lips hovered just inches from hers, his warm breath brushing against her lips. “It’s not like we haven’t done this before. Why are you still so nervous?”

“I…” She didn’t know how to respond.

“Relax. Before we make it official, I won’t touch you again.” He paused, his voice carrying a slow, deliberate weight. “We have plenty of time ahead of us.”

**

Outside the bar.

Lu Yanchuan sat in his Lamborghini, smoking a cigarette. Wisps of smoke curled around him, but his mind kept replaying the moment when Song Qingyu had splashed beer all over him.

Three years of marriage—she had always been obedient, like a puppet on strings. But tonight, for once, she had been alive, like a real person.

Xie Wan’ning got into the car. Seeing Lu Yanchuan lost in thought, she leaned in and rested against his shoulder.

“Yanchuan, what are you thinking about?”

Lu Yanchuan snapped back to reality and gave Xie Wan’ning a slight smile. “Nothing.”

“Are you really planning to let Song Qingyu’s mother go to jail?”

“Depends on how she begs me.”

“You’re still waiting for her to come to you—are you sure you’re not reluctant to cut ties?”

Xie Wan’ning could tell that ever since Lu Yanchuan returned from finalizing the divorce, his emotions had been unstable.

“Silly girl, why would I be reluctant?” Lu Yanchuan turned and pulled Xie Wan’ning into his arms, his fingers brushing over the small bell on her wrist. “Wan’ning, you know this—ever since the day you saved me while wearing this bell, I’ve been in love with you. All these years, the only person on my mind has been you. Marrying Song Qingyu was something my grandfather forced on me. I never had any feelings for her.”

Xie Wan’ning rested against his chest, staring at the little bell. A flicker of guilt flashed through her eyes.

“I believe you. It’s my fault—I shouldn’t have left you three years ago for my studies abroad.”

“It’s all in the past. No need to bring it up again. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see the shop I got you.”

At the mention of the property Lu Yanchuan was gifting her, Xie Wan’ning brightened up.

“Okay.”

**

Thanks to Li Huaidong’s intervention, Song Qingyu’s mother, Qiu Yuexian, was released the next day.

Song Qingyu went to pick her up and take her home, but midway, her mother insisted on stopping by the restaurant first.

“Mom, you barely slept last night. Go home and rest first—you can check on the restaurant later.”

“The employees all saw me being taken away by the police yesterday. They must be anxious and uncertain about the future. I need to go and reassure them.”

Song Qingyu had no choice but to accompany her mother to the restaurant.

Qiu Yuexian’s restaurant was located on Haifeng Street.

As soon as they stepped inside, they saw Xie Wan’ning standing in the middle of the lobby, flanked by two interior designers holding iPads, pointing and discussing their plans. She looked eager to reclaim the space and convert it into her own studio.

“Xie Wan’ning, what are you doing here?” Qiu Yuexian’s anger flared the moment she saw her.

Xie Wan’ning froze for a moment. Wasn’t this old woman supposed to be in custody? How had she been released so soon?

“Auntie, long time no see. Why are you so upset?”

“You seriously don’t know why?” Qiu Yuexian pointed a trembling finger at her. “Xie Wan’ning, search your conscience. I’ve treated you like my own daughter since you were a child, and Qingyu has always considered you her best friend. Every time you were sick, she was the one bringing you medicine—she’s never mistreated you! And now, the moment you return to the country, you steal her husband? Do you have any shame?”

Song Qingyu’s father used to be a chef for the Lu family, while Xie Wan’ning’s father was their driver. Back then, both families lived in the Lu family’s staff quarters and had a good relationship.

Xie Wan’ning’s mother had run off with another man when she was very young, leaving her to be raised by her father. Qiu Yuexian had always felt sorry for her and would often bring her food and drinks. When Xie Wan’ning had her first period, it was Qiu Yuexian who took her to buy sanitary pads.

“Auntie, that’s really harsh,” Xie Wan’ning said, looking aggrieved. “I was with Yanchuan first. Then, right after I left for school abroad, Qingyu married him. Who really stole from whom?”

“What nonsense! You had already been gone for a year when they got married!” Qiu Yuexian snapped. “And besides, you and Lu Yanchuan had already broken up before you left! Do you know what ‘breaking up’ means? It means Lu Yanchuan was single! My Qingyu married a man who had been single for a whole year—what’s wrong with that?

“But you? When you came back and got involved with him, he was still a married man! That makes you the homewrecker!”

As the argument heated up, Lu Yanchuan walked in from outside.

Lu Yanchuan was visibly surprised to see that Qiu Yuexian had already been released from the police station.

“Auntie, please don’t get upset,” Xie Wan’ning said, putting on an air of sincerity as she stepped forward, pretending to support Qiu Yuexian.

“Yanchuan and I are not as terrible as you think. There must be some misunderstanding. Let’s talk things out calmly. There’s no need to get worked up and harm your health.”

“Don’t touch me!”

Qiu Yuexian flung Xie Wan’ning’s hand away. She had barely used any force, but Xie Wan’ning stumbled backward dramatically and landed on the floor with a thud.

“Wan’ning!”

Lu Yanchuan rushed over to help her up. “Are you okay?”

Xie Wan’ning shook her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I’m fine.”

Seeing her act so aggrieved, Lu Yanchuan’s heart ached for her. He turned to glare at Song Qingyu.

“Song Qingyu, I haven’t even settled the score with you over what happened at the bar last night, and now you’re here stirring up trouble with your mother?”

Before Song Qingyu could respond, Qiu Yuexian had already stepped in front of her protectively.

“Lu Yanchuan, why are you taking out your anger on my daughter?” Qiu Yuexian’s voice trembled with fury.

“You’re truly ungrateful! Four years ago, when Xie Wan’ning abandoned you to study abroad, who was the one taking care of you while you drowned yourself in alcohol night after night, barely holding on to life? It was my daughter!”

“It was my daughter! She was the one who pulled you out of the abyss!”

Lu Yanchuan’s words were sharp as knives. “Wasn’t she just scheming to marry into the Lu family by pleasing me?”

“And what did she get after three years in the Lu family? Nothing! She wasted three years of her youth, and in the end, it was all for nothing!”

“For nothing?” Lu Yanchuan sneered.

“Didn’t she tell you she walked away with Lan Garden? That villa alone is worth at least ten million. Song Qingyu spent three years in my family without contributing a thing. And now, after walking away with a fortune, that’s still not enough for you two? You mother and daughter sure are greedy!”

“Qingyu took care of your grandfather on his deathbed for so long—if nothing else, she at least put in the effort! The Lu family is a massive enterprise, and all she got in the divorce was one house, yet you still—”

“You really have the nerve to bring that up?” Qiu Yuexian pulled Song Qingyu protectively into her arms.

“Back then, my Qingyu had already made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. If she hadn’t married you, do you think she couldn’t have earned enough to buy a house on her own in these three years?

Lu Yanchuan, she gave up her dreams for you—this kind of devotion is worth more than gold. And how did you repay her? By cheating on her! Heartless people like you will be struck by lightning one day!”

Lu Yanchuan suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

For the past three years, as Mrs. Lu, Song Qingyu had indeed been beyond reproach. Ever since she was a child, she had excelled at everything she did.

“Enough, stop arguing. It’s all my fault.” Xie Wan’ning suddenly broke into tears. “It’s all because of me. Everything started because of me. I never should have come back. I’ll leave!”

With that, she turned as if to walk away.

Lu Yanchuan immediately grabbed her wrist and gently reassured her.

“Wan’ning, don’t blame yourself. The marriage between me and Song Qingyu was already over. Even if you hadn’t returned, she and I wouldn’t have lasted. The one who should leave isn’t you—it’s them!”

“Yanchuan…”

“Don’t cry.” Lu Yanchuan reached out and gently wiped away Xie Wan’ning’s tears. Then, turning to glare viciously at Song Qingyu and Qiu Yuexian, he ordered, “Pack your things and get out—immediately! I’ve already given this shop to Wan’ning. From now on, this place belongs to her. None of you are allowed to step foot in here again and upset her!”

Standing beside Lu Yanchuan, Xie Wan’ning’s tear-filled eyes shimmered with satisfaction as she glanced at Song Qingyu, a flicker of triumph flashing through her gaze.

“My, my, what a commanding tone, Young Master Lu.”

A woman’s voice suddenly rang out from the entrance.

A woman strode in, dressed in a tailored Dior suit, her sharp stilettos clicking against the floor with an air of dominance. She was the perfect blend of sensuality and icy elegance.

It was Sheng Xingnai.

“Xingnai, what are you doing here?” Song Qingyu stepped forward to greet her.

“I’m here to handle some business.” Sheng Xingnai cast Song Qingyu a reassuring glance before striding directly toward Lu Yanchuan. “Young Master Lu, I came specifically to inform you that last night, someone purchased this entire commercial street at a high price from Mr. Lu—including the very shop you’re standing in right now. So, this shop no longer belongs to you. You have no right to evict anyone, nor do you have the authority to gift it to anyone.”

“My father sold this place?” Lu Yanchuan was in utter disbelief. “Impossible! Why would he suddenly sell the entire street?”

“Who wouldn’t take the chance to make money?” Sheng Xingnai raised the file in her hand. “The contract is right here. If you don’t believe me, take a look yourself.”

“Yanchuan, how could this happen?” Xie Wan’ning was the first to panic. The shop was worth a fortune—seeing it slip through her fingers was unbearable.

“Wan’ning, don’t worry. Let me check the contract.”

Lu Yanchuan snatched the file from Sheng Xingnai’s hands and flipped through the pages. Sure enough, in black and white, it was clearly stated that the Lu Corporation had sold the entire commercial street’s property rights.

“Dongsheng Group?” Lu Yanchuan stared at the company seal on the contract. “I’ve never even heard of this company before. Who bought this entire street?”

“Sorry, that’s confidential information about the buyer, and I can’t disclose it.” Sheng Xingnai’s gaze swept over Lu Yanchuan and Xie Wan’ning with a mocking smile. “I just came to let you know—don’t be so arrogant and overbearing on someone else’s property. It’s embarrassing!”

“You—” Lu Yanchuan was at a loss for words, his expression darkening.

Seizing the moment, Song Qingyu grabbed a mop from the corner and swung it toward Lu Yanchuan and Xie Wan’ning.

“Get out! Stop blocking our business!”

“Song Qingyu! Are you insane?” Lu Yanchuan shielded Xie Wan’ning behind him and pointed accusingly at Song Qingyu. “Your mother was just arrested yesterday and got released today, and now this commercial street suddenly gets bought up? You must have latched onto some rich backer, huh?”

Song Qingyu’s heart clenched.

“Don’t spout nonsense! Get lost!” She shoved the mop straight into Lu Yanchuan’s expensive trousers.

“Forget it, Yanchuan, she’s gone crazy. Let’s just go.”

Xie Wan’ning grabbed Lu Yanchuan’s hand and quickly pulled him away.

As soon as they left, Qiu Yuexian hurriedly turned to Sheng Xingnai.

“Xingnai, who bought all the shops on Haifeng Street?”