{“Qian Xu’s second slap had already fallen mercilessly.” 3}

Earlier than Cheng Shuangyi’s exasperation was Shen Qiyue’s silent sigh while eavesdropping. She thought her mother already had a firm hold on her father, unaware that the two were still miles away from reconciliation.

“Go upstairs.”

Shen Qi didn’t spare Shen Qiyue even a glance. His attitude toward his children had always been one of neglect. A gray haze seemed to shroud his eyes, and when he glanced at Cheng Shuangyi again, there wasn’t a trace of patience left. “Why are you still here?”

“If you’re so reluctant to leave your kids behind, why not take them with you and leave this house together?”

Cheng Shuangyi couldn’t comprehend how Shen Qi could utter such heartless words. In her mind, while Shen Qi had always been calm and rational, he wasn’t a completely cold-blooded person.

She had no choice but to blame Qian Xu for all of this.

If not for that woman’s appearance, her Shen Qi would never have become so unrecognizable.

There was no way she would take the kids and leave. It wasn’t just because she didn’t like children—if she had any sense at all, she wouldn’t hand Shen Qi the freedom to embrace a new family, free of attachments.

The only way to keep Shen Qi tied to her was by keeping the children linked to him, ensuring he could never completely forget about her.

But she consistently underestimated Shen Qi’s capacity for cold-bloodedness.

A person capable of being ruthless to others is one thing. But someone who is equally harsh with themselves, disciplined to an extreme, and adept at suppressing emotions—such a person is capable of anything, no matter how shocking.

—

Cheng Shuangyi genuinely wanted to meet the infamous Qian Xu, a woman rumored to excel at enchanting others. Her own children had fallen under Qian Xu’s spell, eagerly seeking her out only to be rejected. What Cheng didn’t know was that Shen Qi himself was no exception, also being turned away by Qian Xu. If not for this, Cheng Shuangyi might not have been meeting Qian Xu in such a calculated way.

In the harmonious symphony playing inside The Fan’s Restaurant, a sharp female voice suddenly broke the peace.

Immediately afterward came the sound of a waiter apologizing profusely. “I’m sorry, ladies, but all the other tables are already occupied.”

“Can’t you rearrange something?”

“Why not have them give me that table instead?” Xu Yun, without any need for coaching, had naturally picked up a knack for entitlement. She wasn’t pointing anywhere else but directly at the table where Qian Xu was seated.

Seeing the server’s distressed expression, the manager came over personally. Aware of Xu Yun’s reputation, he could hardly believe her boldness. “I apologize, ladies. That table was reserved in advance by this lady’s friend, so we’re unable to make any changes.”

“Are you sure there’s no way?”

Xu Yun wasn’t discouraged. She pulled out the black card she had painstakingly coaxed from her boyfriend, intending to impress Cheng Shuangyi with her efforts.

Surely, if people didn’t respect a person’s status, they would respect their money.

However, even this worldly manager remained unmoved.

“If not for their prior reservation, there might not have been any seating available at all today. Perhaps you and your friend could make do? I’m afraid we truly cannot rearrange things for you.”

“How about this,” he added diplomatically, “we prepare a special dessert for two beautiful ladies like yourselves later?”