Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Qiao Lian lay on the bed staring at the ceiling after the evening shower. She couldn’t fall asleep.
The moment she closed her eyes, the look of contempt on Shen Liangchuan’s face appeared in her mind.
She raised her hand and pressed it against her chest. All she felt was a dull ache in her heart now.
She had grievances she could not speak of and they were choking her.
She was penniless when she first arrived in Beijing.
As a woman, what other ways were there to make money?
But what right did Shen Liangchuan have to be angry at her past? What right did he have to leave her in a huff, just because he felt that she was in some way associated with Old Liu?
She turned to the side and took a deep breath, but it did nothing to suppress that bitterness in her heart.
Biting her lip, she suddenly sat up.
No, she wasn’t going to let herself be bullied like this.
She immediately changed and went downstairs. She walked out of the house and towards villa 18.
It was 11 p.m. now and the lights in the villa were still on.
She pushed the door open and walked into the apartment. At that moment, she ran into Auntie Li.
Auntie Li was a little surprised to see her. “Madam, why are you here?”
Qiao Lian waved her hand and asked, “Is Mom asleep?”
Auntie Li nodded. “She woke up for a bit to have some food and then went back to sleep. The doctor says that rest will bring her blood pressure down.”
Qiao Lian glanced at the upper floor. “So who’s watching over Mom now?”
“Miss Yuanxi. Madam is fine now, but Miss Yuanxi is still worried and insists on sleeping in Madam’s room. She says that this way, Madam could be looked after in case something happened in the middle of the night.” Auntie Li sighed as she continued, “Miss Yuanxi and Madam are like mother and daughter. The affection Madam gives her is not in vain.”
Qiao Lian nodded and asked, “And what about Sir?”
“He’s in the study.”
Once she knew Shen Liangchuan’s whereabouts, Qiao Lian didn’t speak much further. She informed the housekeeper, “I’ll go up and see him.”
Auntie Li nodded.
Qiao Lian went up the stairs slowly and pushed the study door open.
Shen Liangchuan was there, sitting behind the desk and staring into space.
When he heard the door open, he looked up and their eyes met.
Qiao Lian bit her lip and entered the study, shutting the door behind her.
Shen Liangchuan did not speak. Qiao Lian stood before him and continued, “Shen Liangchuan, do you mind my past so much?”
Shen Liangchuan lifted his gaze slowly until he was looking at her squarely in the face.
Seeing that look in his eyes, her anger rose immediately. “I know you hate the paparazzi, but there are many people who earn a living doing this. Just because you happen to dislike the profession, doesn’t mean it’s not a profession. Shen Liangchuan, you cannot be biased against me—”
Shen Liangchuan interrupted her before she could finish. “The news report on Li Rui’s affair years ago. It was you who sold the information to that reporter, wasn’t it?”
Qiao Lian was stunned for a moment before she replied, “How did you know?”
Shen Liangchuan stood up. His big and tall frame was towering over her, “When I first entered the entertainment industry eight years ago, Li Rui patiently showed me the ropes. He was my mentor in a way.”
Qiao Lian bit lip. She had no idea that he was so close to Li Rui. “But I did spot him being intimate with a girl. It wasn’t a normal relationship and that’s a fact.”
“A fact?” Shen Liangchuan laughed sarcastically. “And did you also know then that Li Rui and his wife had already secretly divorced by that time?! He and his girlfriend got to know each other after his divorce.”
“But because of your article, he was branded as an unfaithful husband and was forced to leave the entertainment industry for good.”
“Qiao Lian, do you still think that you have done nothing wrong?”
