Volume One, Chapter 14: Duan Xiadong's Furious Outburst

“No, no need, I just need to rest for a while.”
Li Shuhe hadn’t expected Fang Shenzhai’s gesture. Coming back to her senses, she quickly pushed him away and declined.
The position was far too awkward.
She was already engaged, and Fang Shenzhai was a diplomat. If anyone saw them like this, they would be drowned in scorn.
Back on solid ground, Li Shuhe shifted her weight onto the other foot, thanked him, and reached for her bag.
“Where are you headed?”
Fang Shenzhai’s gaze met hers, the familiarity between them growing stronger.
“To the nearest bus stop.”
Li Shuhe felt the heat of his stare and blinked, her cheeks flushing as she thanked him again.
“Thank you, not just for this time, but also for saving me last time.”
Fang Shenzhai’s knuckles cracked. It had been a long time since they had spoken so calmly.
Ever since Li Shuhe missed their meeting five years ago and he boarded the ship to Harbor City alone, her attitude towards him had been nothing but mockery and curses.
“Mm.”
Fang Shenzhai responded quietly, acknowledging her words.
“If there’s a chance, I’d like to treat you to a meal to show my gratitude.”
Li Shuhe looked sincerely at Fang Shenzhai.
He turned his head, fingers lightly touching his glasses’ frame, his voice cold and hard: “No need. I just happened to be passing by. Even if it were some stray cat or dog, I would have helped.”
Li Shuhe was stunned, her face turning ashamed.
She had been reading too much into it.
After all, considering what she had done to Fang Shenzhai in these five years, there was no way he had saved her on purpose.
“Sorry.”
Li Shuhe lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.
Fang Shenzhai paused, thinking that after what he said, she would mock him as before. Unexpectedly, she apologized.
“Sorry.”
She repeated, this time with genuine sincerity, even though she was not the one responsible for the terrible things that had happened.
Fang Shenzhai pressed his lips together, silent, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

“Let’s go quickly.”
Fang Shenzhai urged Li Shuhe; he didn’t want to see her anymore. Their futures were destined never to intersect again.
Li Shuhe nervously clenched her fingers, keeping her head down, avoiding his gaze.
“Alright! Li Shuhe! It’s only been a moment, and you’re already cozying up to him! Aren’t you disgraceful!”
Suddenly, Duan Xiadong’s car stopped beside them, and the rear door was flung open forcefully.
Duan Xiadong stepped out briskly and grabbed Li Shuhe’s hand, causing sharp pain in her wrist. She grimaced inwardly.
He forced her to look up, and with just one glance, his anger flared even more.
“Look at how despicable you are. Why did you take off your makeup? What, planning to rekindle things with him?”
Duan Xiadong yanked Li Shuhe’s hand away, his eyes blazing with fury.
Li Shuhe could not resist his strength; she lost her balance and fell hard to the ground.
Her bag dropped heavily, rolling several times on the concrete before tumbling into the roadside crops.
“Mr. Duan, you’re being excessive.”
Seeing Li Shuhe fall, Fang Shenzhai instinctively took a half-step forward but stopped just in time.
He was angry—someone he once cared for deeply was being treated this way by Duan Xiadong.
Yet he had no standing to blame him.
“Hmph!”
Duan Xiadong ignored Fang Shenzhai and roughly pulled Li Shuhe up again.
“Get up and tell me! Who made the first move, you or him? When did you two start this?”
Li Shuhe’s face twisted in pain, but her mind raced.
She couldn’t let Duan Xiadong turn his anger toward Fang Shenzhai.
“Brother Xiadong, you’ve misunderstood.”
Li Shuhe suddenly clung to Duan Xiadong’s waist.
“You know how much I love you. How could I be interested in another man? I didn’t take off my makeup. When you left me here, I was scared. I thought you abandoned me, so I cried off my makeup. Look, my eyes are still swollen.”
Duan Xiadong was satisfied with her attitude, and indeed her eyes were swollen. He believed her, but that wasn’t enough.
“Then why were you two seen together here?”
“I was too scared. I wanted to find you, but my foot wasn’t fully healed, and I twisted it while running. So I sat down to rest. I don’t know why he was here—maybe just passing by. I only just saw him, and then you showed up.”

Li Shuhe trembled as she clung tightly to Duan Xiadong, burying her face in his chest.
“Brother Xiadong, please don’t abandon me.”
Fang Shenzhai took a step back. Words of explanation had risen in his throat but were swallowed whole. He laughed bitterly to himself, folding his arms and watching the pair with cold eyes.
“Since you’ve made it clear I was merely passing by, I won’t disturb Mr. Duan and Mrs. Duan any longer. I only hope Mr. Duan refrains from slandering me in the future. I cannot bear that.”
Duan Xiadong, holding Li Shuhe, shot him a challenging look. “That’s not certain. Though I believe my fiancée loves me, I don’t trust you.”
“Who knows if you still harbor feelings for my fiancée...”
Before Duan Xiadong could finish his taunt, Li Shuhe interrupted.
“Brother Xiadong, my foot hurts badly. It seems worse than before. Could you take me to the hospital?”
At that moment, Fang Shenzhai’s icy voice rang out: “I have no interest in married women. Mr. Duan should mind his own business. Leaving your fiancée alone in a place like this is not the act of a good man.”
“Hmph, our marital affairs are none of your concern.”
Duan Xiadong supported Li Shuhe’s hips and lifted her into the back seat of the car.
Li Shuhe stiffened, not daring to meet Fang Shenzhai’s eyes.
“My bag!”
She called out after the car door closed.
The driver, having good presence of mind, ran to retrieve it, though the bag was soaked.
Li Shuhe reluctantly opened it and quickly reapplied her makeup in the car.
Duan Xiadong was very sensitive about makeup, so she avoided touching on that topic.
After finishing, neither spoke.
“What are you thinking about?”
As they neared the hospital, Duan Xiadong broke the silence first.
Li Shuhe’s lashes fluttered slightly, and she shook her head timidly, whispering, “Don’t leave me.”
“I’m not planning to leave you.”
Duan Xiadong smiled, his earlier anger dissipated. He was pleased with her dependence on him.
“From now on, stay away from Fang Shenzhai.”