Shen Xizhou stood in place, his hands clenched at his sides.
He had intended to speak up for An Nuan when she was in a difficult spot, to comfort her, to ask why everyone was targeting her. But just as his heart softened, Nangong Jin appeared, crushing his resolve.
Seeing what Nangong Jin did for An Nuan, standing up for her without hesitation, a knot tightened in his own heart.
It felt as if he was the cause of all this.
Watching An Nuan link arms with Nangong Jin and leave, seeing the smile on her face as she agreed to cook for him, he felt a pang of jealousy.
It wasn't until Xu Ruowei, standing beside him, tugged hard at his arm, pulling him back to reality, that he realized what he had just done.
What ridiculous thoughts had he entertained?
They shouldn't have existed.
"Xizhou, what's wrong?" Xu Ruowei had seen everything that had happened and noticed An Nuan's presence. Yet, she feigned ignorance, her eyes full of questioning as she asked.
Shen Xizhou snapped back to attention, his gaze falling on Xu Ruowei. He said coldly, "Nothing."
"Then Xizhou, shall we go look at wedding dresses..."
Before Xu Ruowei could finish, Shen Xizhou cut her off.
"Ruowei, there's something important at the company that needs handling. You go by yourself."
Shen Xizhou took out a black card from his pocket and placed it in Xu Ruowei's hand. His tone was slightly urgent as he said, "The money in this card should be enough for you."
With that, he left without waiting for Xu Ruowei's reply.
Shen Xizhou didn't notice his own lapse.
Xu Ruowei watched him leave her behind to chase after someone else, her eyes filled with hatred.
What important company matters?
Heh, did he really think she hadn't seen? Did he really think she knew nothing?
No, that wasn't it. She had seen it all clearly.
She had even dared to hope that he wouldn't notice An Nuan, wouldn't care about her.
But everything that had just happened had slapped her face hard.
...
Shen Xizhou waited in his car until nightfall.
Finally, he saw An Nuan descend.
The moment he saw her, the ferocity within him could no longer be suppressed. He dragged her into the car.
He choked her, demanding ferociously, "An Nuan, what did you and Nangong Jin do? Why did it take you so long to come down? An Nuan, will you die without a man?"
An Nuan flailed her hands wildly.
She also scratched Shen Xizhou.
Shen Xizhou stared at the scratches on his arm, but a cold smile curved his lips, his gaze on An Nuan filled with bloodlust.
An Nuan didn't back down, instead meeting his gaze directly. "Mr. Shen, who I am with and what I do are my own business."
"Mr. Shen is being far too nosy."
After speaking, An Nuan reached out to open the car door.
The space inside the car was suffocating.
However, before her hand could touch the door handle, Shen Xizhou pulled her back again.
Shen Xizhou's hand slowly reached for An Nuan, gently tracing her face. He said coldly, "An Nuan, you don't actually think that having Nangong Jin means you can fear nothing, do you?"
"Oh, and if Nangong Jin knew that I'm suppressing him because of you," Shen Xizhou's voice boomed like a demon's, "do you think he would still treat you this well?"
Would he?
He probably would.
But the answer, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to say.
"Shen Xizhou, you can't do this. If you want to deal with someone, deal with me."
"Whatever you want to do, you can do it to me."
An Nuan's response completely enraged Shen Xizhou. He looked at her coldly and said, "An Nuan, to throw yourself at another man like this. Weren't you just swearing to me that you would never bow your head to me, never be subservient? And yet, how much time has passed before you're begging me now."
Shen Xizhou curved a cold smile on his lips. He pinched her chin, saying with disdain, "Is this how you beg someone?"
An Nuan's body stiffened. She looked at the man before her in surprise, as if she hadn't expected him to say such things.
Perhaps she hadn't expected Shen Xizhou to relent so easily.
After a long moment, she seemed to realize something and immediately knelt down, bowing her head. Her face was indistinct in the dim light. Humbly, she said, "Please, can you let Nangong Jin go? This is all my fault. Whatever you want to do, do it to me. Don't involve those around me, okay?"
An Nuan kept her head bowed, not daring to look up.
She knew that her humble plea might be useless. Yet, in the end, she chose to do it.
Knowing the outcome, she still wanted to try.
"Mr. Shen, I've done as you said. You'll keep your word, won't you?" An Nuan's voice lacked confidence.
This was the only thing she could do now.
Shen Xizhou looked at the woman he loved, now begging him so humbly for another man. The thought itself seemed ridiculously absurd.
But what fueled his jealousy was that she had never made such sacrifices for him. How could he tolerate this?
"An Nuan, back then, even for your brother, Ye Qingcheng, and those people, you weren't this concerned. Are you doing right by them by acting like this?"
"An Nuan, I never imagined I'd see you begging again. It's truly unexpected."
An Nuan knew that Shen Xizhou was saying all this to provoke her.
But in the end, she managed to restrain herself.
"Mr. Shen, please be merciful," An Nuan said mournfully.
Shen Xizhou only smiled more triumphantly. He looked at An Nuan and said, "An Nuan, I'm telling you now, begging me is useless. I will still take action."
With that, Shen Xizhou pushed An Nuan out of the car.
His eyes were filled with coldness and malice. His gaze of disgust lingered on her.
An Nuan watched the departing car, her heart sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
She muttered to herself with self-mockery: I'm really good at making things worse. I can't do anything right.
Perhaps if she hadn't said those words, this wouldn't have happened. But she had said them, she had begged. In Shen Xizhou's eyes, what she had just done was nothing but a joke.
She thought everything would get better.
She thought she would never have to beg Shen Xizhou again. But in the end, she had begged, she had bowed her head.
Thinking about it now, she was truly pathetic.
It turned out that in front of Shen Xizhou, she was truly nothing.
Without Nangong Jin's help, she still couldn't say anything, couldn't do anything.
Suddenly, she realized how truly pitiful she was.
She had returned to seek justice.
But now, not only had she failed to get justice, but she had also stirred up trouble for herself.
She was truly useless.