Chapter 40: Bloodthirsty Damage

Luo Yichen pulled her into his arms as if no one else were around, saying, "If I had told you beforehand, you definitely wouldn't have come."

The people around them began to take notice, whispering and speculating about their relationship. Shang Qi immediately pushed him away. "Let go!"

Caught off guard, Luo Yichen staggered back. Under the gaze of the crowd, his expression darkened. Still, he restrained himself and said, "Don't leave after the reception ends! I have something very important to tell you."

With that, he turned to attend to his guests. Shang Qi stood frozen in place, her heart filled with confusion and unease.

Time passed quickly, and the anniversary reception was drawing to a close. Elder Luo, advanced in age, had left early, and the Luo couple followed suit, concerned for his well-being. As the guests gradually departed, the banquet hall grew quiet, leaving only the media waiting to interview Luo Yichen.

Luo Yichen scanned the room and finally spotted Shang Qi in a corner. He walked over and asked, "Are you bored?"

Shang Qi disliked such events and had spent the entire evening alone. She looked weary. "I'm fine. It's getting late, and I'd like to go home. What was the important thing you wanted to tell me?"

Seeing that Shang Qi had waited all night for him, Luo Yichen felt a surge of warmth. He smiled mysteriously and said, "I have one more interview, but it will be over soon. Wait a little longer. The time isn't quite right yet to tell you!"

Just as Shang Qi was about to reply, a waiter carrying a tray collided with her. Luo Yichen pushed her aside, and the wine from the tray spilled all over his head and clothes. Fortunately, this spot was secluded, and no one noticed the incident.

The waiter apologized profusely, "Mr. Luo, I'm so sorry! Let me help you wipe it off."

Luo Yichen signaled for silence and whispered, "Be more careful next time!"

He glanced around and noticed the entrance to the stairwell nearby. "I'm going to room 308 upstairs to clean up," he told Shang Qi. "Go find Mu Lichen and have him send me a change of clothes."

Shang Qi understood; the media was still waiting for an interview, and he couldn't appear in such a state. If photos were taken, there was no telling what they would write. She hurried off to find Mu Lichen. After hearing the situation, Mu Lichen had someone bring a suit.

"I'll explain to the reporters and delay the interview," Mu Lichen said, handing the clothes to Shang Qi. "Go take these to him. Don't let anyone see you, so we can avoid any trouble."

Shang Qi agreed and headed toward the room. Upon reaching the door of 308, she saw a waiter ringing the bell and asked, "Is something wrong?"

The waiter replied, "The guest ordered room service, a glass of water. I'm not feeling well; could you please take it inside for me?"

"Sure, give it to me," Shang Qi said.

When she entered with the water, Luo Yichen had just finished washing up. Having consumed a fair amount of alcohol at the reception, he was parched. Seeing the water, he said, "I'm thirsty! Give it here."

As soon as she handed him the glass, he drained it in one gulp. Shortly after, he felt a sudden, intense heat coursing through his body, followed by an uncontrollable wave of desire. He tried to steady his mind and splashed cold water on his face.

*What is going on?* he wondered. *I only had a little to drink at the reception; how could this happen? Could there be something wrong with the water? Did Shang Qi do this? Impossible! My heart is entirely with her; why would she resort to such tactics? But then again, she has deceived me before for the sake of Xi Jingpeng and Mu Lichen. Could it really be her this time?*

Luo Yichen was used to being surrounded by beautiful women vying for his attention, but he was always cautious. If it hadn't been for Shang Qi handing him the water, he would have inspected it first. The mere thought that Shang Qi might be involved fueled his reason with a destructive rage.

Shang Qi noticed he was acting strangely. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Just then, Luo Yichen’s phone rang. Fighting to maintain his composure, he pressed the speakerphone button. Shang Qi’s voice came through: "Luo Yichen is rich and powerful, and he treats me well. Even if I divorce him later, I'll still get a huge alimony settlement..."

The look in Luo Yichen's eyes turned icy as he glared at her, his eyes bloodshot as if he could devour her. He grabbed her tightly and roared, "I treated you like a treasure, and this is how you treat me?"

At that moment, the surging desire left him delirious. His brain could no longer think clearly. Clinging to his last shred of reason, he fought to restrain himself, but the burning in his body tortured him until he was drenched in sweat.

Terrified, Shang Qi backed away. "I asked you," he shouted, "was that you speaking just now?"

Under his intense pressure, she stammered, "I said those things, but at the time, it was just..."

Luo Yichen’s face turned scarlet as he struggled on the edge of sanity. Her words pushed him to the point of madness. He stared at her with a demonic, fiery gaze, grabbing her wrist. "Did you drug me?"

Shang Qi was frightened by his state. It was clear he had been drugged, but how could he suspect her? "Let go of me! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Let me be clear then! You've been playing with me all this time just for money. Now you're so desperate to sit in the position of Mrs. President that you'd stoop to this, right?"

Shang Qi could not believe he would label her like that. In a fit of spite, she retorted, "That's right! So what? I am that kind of shameless woman. As long as I can climb into your bed, I'll do anything!"

"Fine! Then I'll give you exactly what you want!"

The fury in Luo Yichen’s heart erupted like a volcano. He could no longer control himself and pulled her into a wild, frantic kiss. His kisses felt like hailstones, striking her face and body.

Shang Qi was horrified. She realized he had lost his mind and was no longer the man she knew. She pushed him with all her might and ran for the door, but it wouldn't open. Luo Yichen caught her and pulled her back.

She looked at him in terror, but before she could explain, he dragged her to the bed. No matter how she struggled, she could not stop his assault. In an instant, the room was filled with her cries and pleas, piercing the air like the howling of wolves.

When it was over, Shang Qi pushed him away like a frightened bird. Luo Yichen, exhausted and his voice hoarse, asked, "Why play the innocent? Isn't this what you wanted?"

Shang Qi slapped him hard across the face, screaming hysterically, "Why did you do this to me? Why?"

Her features were twisted with extreme rage, and her lips trembled as she shivered uncontrollably. Even Luo Yichen was taken aback. He reached out to steady her, saying, "Weren't you the one who approached me for money?"

Shang Qi slapped him again. She never imagined he would do such a thing to her and then shift the blame onto her—it was utterly shameless. She scrambled off the bed, threw on her clothes, and ran for the door. Luo Yichen’s mind went blank; he stared at her blankly. To her, he was nothing more than a beast in human clothing, and she never wanted to see him again.

Luo Yichen’s thoughts were a chaotic mess; he couldn't distinguish truth from falsehood. He felt as though he had fallen into a bottomless abyss, unable to move. In the darkness, he could only lick his own wounds. The metallic scent of blood began to permeate the room.

As soon as Shang Qi opened the door, a crowd of reporters who had been waiting outside caught sight of Luo Yichen half-reclining on the bed. They immediately began snapping photos.

Shang Qi’s face was streaked with tears and pale as paper. The collar of her dress was torn, and she hurriedly covered herself. The blinding flash of cameras was like laser fire, leaving her shocked and mortified.

The reporters scrambled to ask questions: "Miss, what were you and Mr. Luo doing just now?"

"Miss, what is your relationship with Mr. Luo?"

"Miss, could you please introduce yourself?"

Faced with their aggressive questioning, Shang Qi felt a wave of dizziness. Her legs turned to jelly, and she lost all her strength. Suddenly, the world went black, and she collapsed into the crowd.

Luo Yichen was shocked by the noise. Seeing the reporters flooding the doorway, he was filled with questions: *Why were there reporters here? This couldn't be a coincidence; it was a carefully designed trap. Who? Who could have done this, and what was their goal?*

He couldn't worry about Shang Qi now. Taking advantage of the chaos, he wrapped himself in a bedsheet and ducked into the bathroom. He discarded the sheet, pulled on a bathrobe, and pressed his ear against the door to listen.

He heard voices from outside: "Miss, are you alright?"

"She has injuries on her arms, look at all these bruises."

"Call an ambulance, save her first!"

"Don't move her yet, we don't know if she's hurt anywhere else."

Hearing that she was injured, Luo Yichen felt a pang of worry. He blamed himself for his madness and for hurting her. But as he thought of the conspiracy behind it all, his heart hardened, and he pushed thoughts of her aside. Until he found the truth, he could not trust anyone.

After a long while, Mu Lichen’s voice came from outside: "Come out! The reporters are gone."

Luo Yichen opened the door a crack, and only after confirming no one was left did he emerge, looking disheveled. His face was ashen, and his eyes kept darting back toward the doorway. He clenched his fists tightly, radiating an aura of suppressed fury.