Volume 1, Chapter 34: In the Past, You Never Refused Me

Su Wanqing was yanked forward by a powerful hand and shoved into a room. The man’s strength was immense; with a single toss, she lost her balance and fell backward.

With a heavy thud, the door slammed shut.

Su Wanqing’s heart jolted in panic. Before she could even glimpse the intruder’s face, she fell unexpectedly onto the bed, which was covered in creamy white velvet sheets. The moment her back hit the mattress, the cool fabric wrapped around her like a tide.

Before she could scramble up, the furious man was already looming over her.

Xie Yanchen pulled off his tie, grabbed her flailing hands, and gently bound them together above her head. With his legs, he pinned her restless body down. His movements were imbued with unquestionable strength, yet he was not excessively rough.

"Xie..."

She barely managed to speak before he lowered his head, pressing a kiss onto her lips that burned with intensity. His actions were laced with a sense of urgency, though not entirely savage; he simply claimed her breath, leaving her no room to retreat.

Su Wanqing’s eyes widened, a storm raging within her heart.

Xie Yanchen was kissing her? What had come over him?

Over the past five years, they had shared countless moments of intimacy, but save for the very first time—when he had mistaken her for Su Wanning—every subsequent encounter had felt like the fulfillment of a duty. He had always maintained a restrained distance, his actions direct but devoid of any warmth, let alone a kiss so predatory.

After each time, she would feel physically and mentally exhausted, needing days to recover.

Seeming to notice her distraction, the man nipped her lip in dissatisfaction.

A sharp, stinging pain flared on her tongue. She snapped back to reality, only to find his hand resting against her waist through her clothes, making no further move.

"No..."

She instinctively tried to pull away, her body twisting slightly. Her strength was negligible before his, yet her slight struggle only caused him to frown.

After an indeterminate amount of time, he finally released her slightly swollen lips. He hooked his finger under her chin and raised an eyebrow. "Unwilling? You weren’t like this before."

"In the past, you never refused me."

Su Wanqing didn’t understand why he was acting this way. The sting on her lips made her brow furrow, and a faint, metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. She ignored it, shouting with reddened eyes, "We are already getting a divorce!"

Just a moment ago, the image of him and Su Wanning smiling at each other in front of the restroom yesterday flashed through her mind. Her heart felt as though it were being tightly squeezed, leaving her with a bitter, sour ache.

He had always loved Su Wanning. Now that they had finally gotten their wish to be together, why treat her like this? What was this kiss even supposed to mean?

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, and the world before her eyes blurred.

Xie Yanchen looked down and sneered, his fingertips carelessly tracing her chin. His voice held a mocking, icy edge. "Divorce? Su Wanqing, you still remember those words."

He suddenly raised his gaze, the dark abyss of his pupils swirling with a mocking tide that crashed into her eyes. "Can you stop being so calculating?"

"You feigned a request for divorce, certain that I wouldn't dare let you go. Then, when you saw I was serious, you started to panic. Now that the cooling-off period is almost over, you're desperately dragging Grandma out to save the situation. The thirty-day idea was your proposal, wasn't it?"

"That act of tears you put on earlier was truly well-performed. I almost thought you were so noble that you wanted the child instead of the money."

As he finished, he let out a low laugh. His Adam's apple traced a cold, hard arc in the light, but the laughter never reached his eyes. It was like shards of ice hitting velvet, leaving even the air freezing.

Su Wanqing felt her temples throb violently. The suspicion in his words felt like thorny vines, choking her until she couldn't breathe.

She instinctively hunched her shoulders, gripping the hem of her skirt. "I don't understand... let me go! I really have to leave!"

She had to see Dr. Li Shan that afternoon to discuss Xie Kexin’s treatment plan; she had no time to listen to his delusions of who she was. She didn't want to explain anything either; he would never believe her anyway.

"Where do you want to go? Do you need me to take you?"

Xie Yanchen pressed down on her again. The scent of his cologne surged into her senses, terrifying her into trying to shrink back, but she couldn't. She could only clench her teeth and watch him nervously.

This time, he didn't kiss her. He clamped his palm against the back of her neck, his thumb rubbing against her tense muscles with irresistible force.

Their noses were almost touching. His pupils held a scrutinizing light, as if he wanted to cut through to the emotions buried in her eyes. However, after staring for a long time, he saw only a misty, confused gaze, and a single tear that escaped, sliding down her temple onto the sheets to leave a dark, damp stain.

Xie Yanchen’s heart sank abruptly. The sight of Su Wanqing’s tear-stained face suddenly overlapped with a blurred memory deep in his mind.

The same grievance, the same reddened eyes—yet, just as he tried to grasp the memory, it dissipated like smoke.

"You... let me go!"

Su Wanqing’s voice trembled almost imperceptibly, her body stiff as a wire under his restraint.

The man’s warm breath carried an undeniable sense of oppression, enveloping her completely. Beneath his tailored suit was a steady, powerful frame that made her instinctively curl inward. In the past, to fulfill her duties as a wife, she would always submit and cooperate even when she felt uncomfortable. But now, they were getting a divorce; she didn't want any intimacy with him anymore.

Xie Yanchen chuckled, his nose brushing against her trembling lips. His thumb gently caressed the delicate skin of her neck. "Hasn't our relationship always been like this?"

His tone was casual, but he deliberately leaned down, letting her feel the vibrations in his chest.

Su Wanqing’s cheeks burned, a wave of intense shame washing over her. How could he speak of those things so calmly? Especially at such an awkward moment! Furthermore... the image of those two entangled figures behind the glass door wouldn't leave her mind.

Su Wanqing bit her lower lip hard. The moment Xie Yanchen raised an eyebrow, she used all her strength to slam her forehead against his.

"Bang!"

The dull thud of bone against bone exploded in the silence.

Xie Yanchen stumbled back in pain, blood seeping from his skin onto the expensive sheets, blooming like dark red flowers. He stared at her in disbelief, his eyes swirling with shock and rage. "Su Wanqing, have you lost your mind?!"

Su Wanqing took the opportunity to break free from his arms, the red marks on her wrists becoming more prominent in her struggle. Even though her head spun with dizziness, she steadied herself against the wall, her gaze cold as ice.

"Mr. Xie," she said, deliberately emphasizing the title. "Since you have already confirmed your relationship with Su Wanning, please maintain some dignity."

She gripped her crumpled skirt, looking directly into his stunned eyes. "What you are doing now is a filthy insult to me, to her, and even to yourself."