Chapter 3: Playing the Good Child

The silver Cayenne slammed into the Red Flag state limousine, smoke instantly billowing from its crumpled hood.

Chen Su watched Shen Zhiwei, who had collapsed onto the ground in terror, and felt an indescribable surge of pleasure.

"Get out of the car, Qu Bonan. Come and take a good look at the woman you hold so dear, shaking in terror because of me."

Song Mingyu tilted his head in bewilderment. Looking at the trace of jealousy on Chen Su's face, he almost thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"Su, why are you—"

"Brother Mingyu, I’m so sorry."

The jealousy in Chen Su’s eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by her usual clear-eyed, innocent expression. She said nervously, "I haven't driven in a long time. I got a bit flustered and mistook the gas for the brake."

Looking at her innocent face, Song Mingyu immediately felt he had been overthinking. He had grown up with Chen Su; she was timid, didn't even know how to argue with people, and was as docile as a little rabbit. How could she possibly harbor such a look? Especially toward Shen Zhiwei.

He shook his head. "It’s fine. As long as you aren’t hurt, that’s all that matters. I’ll go check on them."

Chen Su nodded obediently. "I’ll go too. It looked like I hit my brother's car."

She followed Song Mingyu toward Shen Zhiwei, who was just pulling herself up from the ground. Chu Shaowen climbed out of the car and looked at Chen Su, who was dressed in a white gown.

"Little Su?" he scoffed. "The way you drive, one might think you have a blood feud with Zhiwei."

Chen Su did, in fact, have a feud with Shen Zhiwei. A feud over a man.

She glanced inside the car and, realizing that only Chu Shaowen had been inside all along, felt a flicker of triumph. "Brother Shaowen, why is it you? I thought it was my brother."

Chu Shaowen smiled. "He was busy, so he sent me to pick her up."

A smile bloomed on Chen Su’s refined face as she turned to Shen Zhiwei. "Sister Shen, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you with my car." With that, she bowed deeply.

Looking at Chen Su’s innocent, pure face, Shen Zhiwei recalled the girl she had met four years ago, just before she went abroad. Back then, with that baby-faced expression, Chen Su had issued a blunt warning: "Brother Qu belongs only to me! I am going to be Mrs. Qu one day. You’d better stay abroad and never come back, or I won’t let you off!"

At the time, Shen Zhiwei had dismissed it as just a sister’s attachment, but now it was clear that the girl harbored inappropriate desires.

She pulled out her phone, her tone sharp with hostility. "Whether it was intentional or not isn't for you to decide."

Speaking into the phone, Shen Zhiwei described the incident in the briefest of terms. Twenty minutes later, Qu Bonan arrived at the scene. He looked at the Cayenne, its hood practically totaled, and his gaze instinctively fell on Chen Su. She was completely unharmed, save for a small injury on her knee.

Seeing this, Shen Zhiwei immediately stepped forward and clung to Qu Bonan’s arm, acting with the intimacy of a lover. "Bonan, thank goodness your car is so sturdy, or I might have ended up under the wheels. It was truly terrifying."

Qu Bonan gave a low grunt of acknowledgment but did not follow Shen Zhiwei’s lead to demand an explanation. "Get in the car. I’m taking you to the hospital."

Seeing this, Shen Zhiwei wisely let the matter drop and changed the subject. "But your sister seems to have hurt her knee. Let her come with us."

Qu Bonan remained silent. Chen Su felt as if a knife had been carved into her heart.

"No need," she said, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her hands tight, watching Shen Zhiwei’s hand resting on Qu Bonan’s arm. "It’s just a minor scratch. Brother, you should focus on taking care of Sister Shen."

Acting on impulse, she turned and walked away.

Shen Zhiwei raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to chase her?"

Qu Bonan looked at Chen Su’s retreating figure and frowned. "She’s been spoiled rotten at home. She needs to learn a lesson."

Chen Su’s already slow pace quickened, a heavy stone of misery sitting in her chest.

"Su!" Song Mingyu hurried to catch up. "What’s wrong? Was the crash that frightening? It’s all my fault. Let me handle the driving from now on; I promise I won’t let you—why are you crying?"

Watching the tears roll down Chen Su’s cheeks like pearls, Song Mingyu panicked. He reached out to wipe them away with his sleeve.

Chen Su pushed his hand away, hailed a taxi, and sped off.

Once home, she locked herself in her bedroom. By one in the morning, her eyes were red and swollen from crying. As she drifted into a hazy, fitful sleep and turned over, she suddenly felt a cold, large hand slip under the covers, gripping the soft flesh of her thigh.

She bolted awake, a scream rising in her throat, but a hand clamped over her mouth.

"It's me."