Chapter Twelve: The Dangerous Man

After leaving the Luo family, Shang Qi’s tears poured down uncontrollably. Her heart felt shattered and riddled with wounds by Luo Yichen’s actions. She couldn’t understand why he could forcefully kiss her and then act so self-righteous. This man never considered her feelings; all he knew was to act on his own whims. Especially in front of others, he completely treated her as a tool to show off.

Shang Qi was in unbearable pain, unaware that a car had been following her all along. Inside was Xi Jingpeng. After being driven away by Luo Yichen, he had intended to leave immediately. But after calming down, he sensed that Shang Qi’s attitude wasn’t entirely willing. So, he waited at the Luo family’s gate, hoping to see if they would leave together.

As expected, Shang Qi walked away crying alone. Xi Jingpeng didn’t pull her into the car. She surely didn’t want anyone to see her tears. He drove slowly, following her all the way to her home. Just before entering, she wiped her tears and put on a façade of composure.

Yu Xiufen had been awake, waiting for her daughter to return. Shang Qi said, “Mom, your heart isn’t well. Please get some rest early.”

Without waiting for her mother to respond, Shang Qi went straight to her room. Lying on the bed, she felt utterly exhausted in body and soul. It wasn’t until almost dawn that she finally fell asleep. The next day, she slept until noon, feeling dizzy and extremely unwell.

In the afternoon, Shang Qi’s high school best friend, Liu Yuxin, invited her out for a chat. Troubled at home, Shang Qi agreed to meet for a while. Liu Yuxin had married soon after graduation, and her child was already quite grown. She was the only one who knew about Shang Qi’s relationship with Luo Yichen.

With a bitter expression, Shang Qi sat opposite her friend. Liu Yuxin bluntly asked, “Did you have a fight with Luo Yichen?”

Shang Qi briefly recounted the events. She concluded, “I think this time Luo Yichen will give up on me. We were never meant to be.”

“You look like you’ve just been heartbroken,” Liu Yuxin remarked.

Shang Qi looked up, surprised. “No, I’m actually relieved to finally be rid of him.”

Liu Yuxin glanced behind her and called out, “Luo Yichen! What a coincidence to run into you here.”

Shang Qi didn’t even turn around. “Who are you trying to fool? He wouldn’t come here.”

Liu Yuxin stuck out her tongue. “See? You know him so well! Still say he’s not on your mind?”

Shang Qi frowned. “Can you speak properly?”

“Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Last night, it was Luo Yichen’s fault, but you shouldn’t be so relentless either. He’s been chasing you for years, and you never gave him hope. Any man would get impatient. Now that Xi Jingpeng has interfered, no wonder Luo Yichen is furious! Why do you take this crazy man’s actions so seriously?”

Shang Qi adjusted her hair, feeling a little relief from her inner turmoil. Thinking back to the slap she gave Luo Yichen the night before, she admitted it was a bit excessive. She was probably the first in the company to dare hit him. Now that he had started making things difficult, work would undoubtedly become troublesome, which troubled her greatly.

“I’m not one to be stubborn with him,” Shang Qi said. “I have self-awareness; I don’t indulge in unrealistic love.”

“It’s precisely your fearless attitude that makes people angry. Which man can stand it if the woman he likes doesn’t take him seriously? Luo Yichen is generous to have tolerated you this long. Besides, you’ve gained a lot relying on him—no losses there!”

Angrily, Shang Qi snapped, “You think of me the same way as everyone else?”

Liu Yuxin didn’t hold back. “I’m just stating facts. We graduated the same year. I haven’t even become a supervisor yet, but you’re already the vice president of Luo Corporation. All of that is thanks to Luo Yichen working behind the scenes for you.”

Shang Qi had no argument. After a long silence, she said, “I admit, when Luo Yichen first pursued me, I used his influence in the company. But over time, I realized I had fallen into his trap. He made me unable to leave him, yet he couldn’t give me what I wanted. Even if he divorces now, the Luo family’s elite status would never accept someone like me, a nobody.”

“Have you told him this?”

“No. If I said everything clearly, it would really be over.”

Liu Yuxin secretly worried for her friend: a relationship like this with Luo Yichen was too dangerous and would eventually cost her everything. She advised, “You should quit and find another job! Since you won’t have a future with him, you have to cut it off cleanly.”

“I can’t leave him—not just emotionally, but financially. With the Luo family’s power, if Luo Yichen so much as speaks, I won’t find another job. A large portion of my mother’s medical bills have been paid by him. I can’t even repay that.”

“Sigh! How did you end up with such a formidable man?” Liu Yuxin complained.

Shang Qi sipped her coffee, her eyes filled with helplessness and sorrow. Gazing into the distance, she slowly said, “Actually, I should be grateful to him. Without him these past three years, I might not be better off than now. Maybe I would have sold myself for money long ago. Compared to that, selling myself to him was a better deal.”

Liu Yuxin exclaimed, “Qi Qi, what nonsense are you talking? Selling yourself? Your relationship with Luo Yichen isn’t a transaction of money and sex. What kind of person do you think he is? And what do you think of yourself?”

“No one believes there’s any love between us,” Shang Qi said with a bitter smile. “To others, our relationship is filthy. I’m the other woman who destroyed a marriage, a bad woman who seduced her boss for promotion.”

“What others think doesn’t matter! What matters is how you and Luo Yichen see this relationship.”

Shang Qi recalled that Luo Yichen had said the same thing last night. But under all the pressure, how could she pretend she hadn’t heard? Humans are social creatures; they cannot live only in their own world. Though others’ opinions aren’t most important, they do carry some judgment.

She drained her coffee, the bitterness flooding her mouth, throat, and straight into her heart. She asked, “Do you think Luo Yichen loves me?”

Liu Yuxin hesitated, then answered, “I’m not sure. Only the people involved really know.”

“I don’t know either. But one thing I’m certain of: his love for me isn’t selfless; it always comes with conditions.”

Liu Yuxin laughed. Shang Qi looked at her confused. “Do I sound ridiculous?”

“Come on! You really haven’t been in love. So many chased you in school, and you just buried yourself in studying! Men’s love is always selfish. If he didn’t want you, that would be strange! I guess you and Luo Yichen are just involved emotionally but keep it proper?”

Caught off guard, Shang Qi blushed deeply, lowering her head into silence.