Volume One, Chapter 11: Disdain

Song Qingyu sneered coldly, her icy gaze fixed on Song Yanfeng.
“You said my mother failed to raise me properly, but you and your wife have certainly taught your daughter well. Just like you, she enjoys taking what belongs to others.”
With that, Song Qingyu walked away, leaving Song Yanfeng fuming, his mustache bristling with rage.
Song Xinrui approached to comfort him. “Dad, if elder sister is useless, you still have me. Once I marry into the Gu family, let’s see who dares to look down on us.”
Song Yanfeng’s expression softened a little, and he patted Song Xinrui’s head. “You’re the sensible one, Rui. Our family will depend on you.”
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll definitely win over Gu Yuandong.”
—
After leaving, Song Qingyu went straight to the Chu Group.
Chu Xingzhi hadn’t been to the office for several days, resulting in a mountain of work waiting for him.
Though he was overwhelmed, he had instructed both his secretary and the reception to notify him immediately if Song Qingyu came looking for him.
The receptionist recognized Song Qingyu, and despite sensing tension between them, respectfully allowed her to take the CEO’s exclusive elevator, then called Chu Xingzhi.
When Song Qingyu arrived at the CEO’s office, Chu Xingzhi had already tidied up and was sitting leisurely in his chair.
It was as though he’d expected her visit, waiting just for her.
Song Qingyu regarded Chu Xingzhi as if meeting him for the first time, feeling an unfamiliar distance.
Chu Xingzhi noticed the slap mark on her face and immediately rose to approach her. “What happened to your face?”
Song Qingyu avoided his touch, her eyes devoid of warmth. “I’ll say what I came to say, then I’ll leave.”
“I was the one who broke up with you, and I was the one who chose to marry Pei Jingmo. If you have a problem, take it out on me, not on an innocent person. That’s truly beneath you.”
Chu Xingzhi’s expression darkened in an instant. “You came here just to say that?”
“And since you refuse to part on good terms, then before you destroy me, I’ll see this through to the end.”
A dull pain throbbed in Chu Xingzhi’s heart.
He loved her too much to ever harm her.
Song Qingyu finished and turned to leave, but in his desperation, Chu Xingzhi grabbed her arm.
“And what about ‘The Interpreter’? Are you abandoning it?”
Song Qingyu stared at him blankly. “Do you really think threatening me with ‘The Interpreter’ and forcing Song Yanfeng to sell the villa would make me reconcile with you?”
Song Yanfeng feared Chu Xingzhi’s affection for her; without Chu Xingzhi’s prompting, he wouldn’t have dared sell the villa.
“I... I wasn’t threatening you, I just wanted...”
“Regardless of your intentions, I want you to know: Even if I can’t save ‘The Interpreter’, even if I lose everything, I will never be with you.”
Chu Xingzhi felt helpless and furious. “What do you want me to do, then? What must I do for you to forgive me?”
“Never forgive!”
Those four simple words felt as if the sky was collapsing. Chu Xingzhi’s steps faltered, nearly losing his balance as he staggered backward.
Then, a wave of rage surged within him. “You heartless woman!”
“Do you really think marrying Pei Jingmo will bring you happiness?”
“He’s just a poor laborer; he can’t even buy an apartment in Jing City. How can he give you a good life? He can’t even afford to take you to a Michelin restaurant.”
“He doesn’t need to give me anything. All I want is loyalty.”

“I can do that too! I promise, from now on you’ll be the only woman in my life; I’ll never touch anyone else again.”
Chu Xingzhi gripped Song Qingyu’s shoulders, his heart in turmoil. “Baby, I know you’re marrying him purely to spite me. I don’t care that you’re marrying someone else, nor will I mind that you’re divorced. Just come back, and we can return to how we were.”
Song Qingyu coldly pushed Chu Xingzhi away. “You may not mind, but I do.”
On her way downstairs, Song Qingyu ran into Lin Tiange.
Or rather, Lin Tiange had anticipated Song Qingyu’s visit to Chu Xingzhi and was waiting for her.
“Miss Song...”
Song Qingyu looked at Lin Tiange. Until this moment, she hadn’t truly looked at her.
A face pure and gentle, beautiful and captivating. Unbidden, the image of Lin Tiange and Chu Xingzhi entangled in the pool flashed through her mind.
Feeling nauseated, she ignored Lin Tiange and walked away.
Lin Tiange stepped forward to block Song Qingyu’s path. “Miss Song, it’s all my fault. President Chu has always loved you. I shamelessly seduced him. Please give him another chance—please forgive him.”
“You like Chu Xingzhi, don’t you?”
Lin Tiange froze.
“You deliberately sent me that message, then withdrew it, arousing my suspicion and causing me to go to the villa. Wasn’t that all so you could see me and Chu Xingzhi break up?”
“I...”
“Honestly, your tricks aren’t clever, but my breakup with Chu Xingzhi really has little to do with you. It’s just between the two of us.”
Lin Tiange had done wrong, but if Chu Xingzhi truly loved her, truly valued their love, no matter what anyone did, he would never have betrayed her or lied to her.
Song Qingyu’s words struck Lin Tiange like a slap.
Lin Tiange’s face flushed and turned pale, looking wretched.
She had destroyed Song Qingyu’s relationship with Chu Xingzhi, but Song Qingyu didn’t even care about her.
How much did Song Qingyu disdain her!
After leaving Lin Tiange with a curt “Take care of yourself,” Song Qingyu departed.
Lin Tiange clenched her fists in humiliation and anger. Suddenly, her phone rang—it was Chu Xingzhi calling. She answered immediately.
“President Chu...”
“Get to my office. Now.”
As soon as Lin Tiange entered, Chu Xingzhi grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall.
His face was dark and terrifying. “What did you just say to Qingyu?”
“Cough... I said I seduced you, but you still love her. I begged her to give you another chance.”
Chu Xingzhi paused, hope flickering. “What did Qingyu say?”
“She...”
Lin Tiange lowered her eyes, afraid to speak further.
Chu Xingzhi already knew the answer. His hope dashed, and anger surged. “Didn’t I tell you to leave Chu Group? Why are you still here?”
“President Chu...”
Lin Tiange grabbed his hand in desperation. “It took me so much to get into Chu Group; I can’t leave.”
Chu Xingzhi threw a card at her. “There’s two hundred thousand on it. Don’t let me see you again.”

—
By the time Song Qingyu returned to the villa, she was drained, her spirit wilted.
Pei Jingmo was smoking at the door. When he saw her, he immediately stubbed out his cigarette and walked over. “Are you alright?”
Seeing her swollen, reddened face, his handsome features darkened. “What happened to your face?”
Song Qingyu shook her head, listless and devoid of energy. “Pei Jingmo, I have no home anymore. I have nothing left...”
He guessed she’d been wronged at the Song household, and a cold glint passed through his somber eyes.
“Who said you have nothing?”
“Hm?”
“You still have me.”
Song Qingyu’s nose tingled, and her eyes reddened involuntarily.
Pei Jingmo placed a safety helmet on her head.
“Where are we going?”
“Doesn’t matter where. Are you willing to go with me?”
She had nothing left, but he hadn’t left her. Why shouldn’t she be willing?
As they left, Song Qingyu glanced back at the villa. “Mom, wait for me. Someday, I’ll buy the villa back.”
Pei Jingmo took Song Qingyu to an older, but peaceful and well-equipped residential complex.
Cloud Rest Gardens.
Pei Jingmo carried a bag, and together they took the elevator to the twenty-second floor.
It was a two-apartment-per-floor building, and they stopped at the door of unit 2202.
Pei Jingmo took out the key, opened the door, and gestured to Song Qingyu. “Come see our new home.”
Song Qingyu was momentarily lost, led inside by Pei Jingmo.
He took her to the master bedroom. “You’ll live here from now on; I’ll be in the room next door.”
The decor was pink, just as she liked, with many Cardcaptor Sakura pillows and Clow Card figurines.
Song Qingyu stared dazedly at Pei Jingmo, who smiled and pulled her into another room.
He opened the door; inside was a game room, beautifully arranged, full of atmosphere, with an extremely expensive computer.
“This is the game room—you can work here, too.”
“I asked around. There’s a swimming pool and gym downstairs; the water is clean and changed daily.”
“It’s close to your studio, so it’s convenient for you to commute.”
Song Qingyu’s heart raced, emotions swirling. “You... how did you...”
“The apartment is rented. As long as you pay, the landlord will decorate it according to the tenant’s preferences.”
Song Qingyu clutched his hand tightly. “That’s not what I meant. I’m asking you—why...”
He was just a laborer, earning money the hard way. Why didn’t he save it, but spent it all on her?