CHAPTER 147

Club Private Room Entrance.

"Pleasure working with you." Qin Yinong extended her hand politely to the cold-looking man in front of her, and they shook hands. The icy temperature made one think of a venomous snake lurking in a dark alley.

"Pleasure working with you too." The man returned the handshake, lightly brushing his thumb over the back of Qin Yinong's hand. "You take good care of yourself, Ms. Qin."

Qin Yinong maintained her smile.

Li Yichuan, the head of the Li family, appeared much younger than his actual age. He looked to be in his thirties, with very few wrinkles, and time had left almost no trace on his face. He and Han Yuping were from the same era, a few years younger than Han Yuping, but this year they both reached a remarkable age. His skin was fair, a pale color that lacked vitality, almost translucent. He always carried a handkerchief in his pocket to cover his mouth and nose when he coughed.

It was said to be an illness he had since birth, something he could only manage and live with for his entire life.

They released their hands.

Li Yichuan's narrow eyes curved slightly, and he suddenly said, "Ms. Qin, can we negotiate the conditions you offered?"

Qin Yinong tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Li, it's not good to change your mind at the last minute, is it?"

Li Yichuan's gaze swept over the woman's face.

Ten years had passed, and she had changed a lot. The greenness had faded away, leaving behind a fully ripe red cherry, exuding a charm that could captivate anyone. Li Yichuan licked his lips and said, "Without signing a contract, everything can be changed."

Qin Yinong remained silent, her lips curved into a smile. "What else does Mr. Li want?"

"I want you to accompany me for a night." Li Yichuan smiled ambiguously, his gaze provocatively scanning the woman from head to toe, lingering on the curves in front of her.

Qin Yinong stared at him, and Li Yichuan met her gaze.

After a few seconds of eye contact, they both burst into laughter.

Li Yichuan seemed to be laughing so hard that tears were about to come out. He took the handkerchief handed to him by his assistant, covered his mouth, wiped his hands, neatly folded the handkerchief himself, and said in a feigned manner, "I was just joking, Ms. Qin, please don't be angry with me."

Qin Yinong understood and smiled, saying, "Why would I be?"

Li Yichuan handed the handkerchief back to his assistant, the laughter disappeared from his eyes, and he changed the topic, saying, "But every time I see your face, it reminds me of the past. This anger inside me rises uncontrollably, and if our cooperation is not pleasant, then I don't want to cooperate."

Qin Yinong responded amiably, "So, what would make you happy then?"

Guan Han lowered her gaze, her fingers clenched tightly behind her back, her knuckles turning white.

It has been two months, and the negotiation process between Qin Yinong and Li Yichuan has been back and forth, like playing with a cat and teasing a dog, keeping Qin Yinong hanging and refusing to give a definite answer. Unfortunately, Qin Yinong is in a weaker position and knows the other party's intentions, yet still falls for it.

In Qin Yinong's words, both sides have accumulated grievances for a long time, and if Li Yichuan wants to vent his frustration, she will cooperate.

Clearly, neither of them wanted to provoke each other before. But now that Li Yichuan has found a weakness, it feels like Qin Yinong's throat is being squeezed. Tang Ruoyao is the lifeline she depends on.

And...

Guan Han's gaze swept over the bottle on the table. Qin Yinong had recently undergone surgery, and the doctor strictly forbade her from drinking alcohol. However, during this period, she had started drinking again to deal with Li Yichuan.

Li Yichuan patted Qin Yinong's right shoulder, a nostalgic look appearing on his face, and asked, "Did you use this hand back then?" He clicked his tongue, revealing his white teeth and smiled slowly. "If you had lost this hand, we would have settled everything."

Qin Yinong shrugged her shoulder, avoiding Li Yichuan's touch, and smirked, "It wouldn't be interesting if you put it that way, Mr. Li."

Li Yichuan shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, and signaled to his assistant, who opened the private room door.

They bid farewell at the door.

Qin Yinong watched Li Yichuan's arrogant figure as he left, her expression calm, showing no signs of joy or anger.

Guan Han clenched her teeth tightly. She was usually composed, but at this moment, she wished she could beat that despicable man with a stomach full of treacherous thoughts until his face bloomed with bruises.

Qin Yinong looked at Guan Han and said lightly, "Forget about it. He has so many people around him. Two fists are no match for four hands."

Guan Han said, "Qin Jie, he doesn't want to reconcile at all. Why bother—"

Qin Yinong gently interrupted her, "It's just that the conditions aren't compelling enough for him." They were all businessmen, and Li Yichuan was a typical unscrupulous businessman. They had their grievances, but in the face of common interests, what did personal grudges matter?

Guan Han said, "He's still not satisfied. You're risking all your years of hard work. He's clearly taking advantage of the situation!"

Qin Yinong smiled, "If the roles were reversed and I had leverage over him, I would also take advantage of the situation."

Guan Han blurted out, "But you wouldn't."

Qin Yinong glanced at her, her gaze warm.

"Regardless of whether I would or not," Qin Yinong said, "Money can be earned again if lost, and a company can be reopened if it fails. But if something happens to Yao Yao because of me, I won't be able to forgive myself in this lifetime."

"You don't have to reconcile with Li Yichuan. Why don't you just assign a few more people to protect her? Or better yet, let her stay at home. He can't possibly come knocking on the door."

Qin Yinong patted her shoulder, not wanting to say much, and said, "Let's go."

There is still a month left until the agreed time, and she will make Li Yichuan relent. Today, Li Yichuan mentioned their past on his own initiative, indicating that he is considering it. Qin Yinong has lowered her posture to such an extent, showing her sincerity. If he tries to take further advantage, he should also consider the risk of ruining everything. It's better to settle when things are still good.

Would Qin Yinong not understand what Guan Han said? But Qin Yinong's concern is not just about ensuring Tang Ruoyao's personal safety. She also wants her to have a smooth journey on this path, to avoid unnecessary setbacks, and to be able to live peacefully together in the long years to come without constant fear.

Li Yichuan is a hurdle that must be crossed. There's no escaping it.

Qin Yinong sighed in her heart. If she had anticipated that she would be with Tang Ruoyao in the future, she would have made preparations early on. It was her own lack of consideration that caused trouble for the other party.

A familiar burning pain emanated from her stomach. Qin Yinong's footsteps subtly paused, and cold sweat beaded on her temples.

Guan Han followed her every day and could tell from her reaction that her gastric condition was acting up. She quickly reached out and supported Qin Yinong's arm. Qin Yinong lowered her head and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Give me the medicine."

Guan Han took out water and the medicine from her bag and handed it to her. They took it in the corridor.

"Cough." Suddenly, a cough came from behind.

Qin Yinong's body stiffened for a moment, but she quickly relaxed and curved her lips into a friendly smile. She turned around and politely greeted, "President Ji."

Ji Yunyao straightened her lazy figure against the wall, squinting her narrow phoenix eyes, looking towards the corner where the figure had long disappeared, and said with a teasing tone, "If I didn't see it wrong, were you having a meal with Li Yichuan?"

Qin Yinong nodded slightly.

Ji Yunyao asked, "Since when did you have a relationship with Li Yichuan?"

Qin Yinong didn't expect her to ask this and was momentarily stunned. She replied, "Is there a problem with him?"

"No, there isn't." Ji Yunyao suddenly approached her, the distance between the two less than ten centimeters. The young woman had a smile on her lips and said, "That person is a bit cunning, very capable in business, but it's better to avoid being friends with him."

Qin Yinong thought to herself: You do things based on your preferences, unpredictable, not much different from Li Yichuan, right?

Qin Yinong smiled and said, "Thank you for your advice."

Ji Yunyao moved closer to her, their heights matching, almost touching her ear, and said with a smile, "You're my little auntie, no need to thank me. It's only natural. If Li Yichuan dares to bully you, you tell me, I'll help you... take care of him."

She said the last four words softly, and her lips lightly brushed against Qin Yinong's ear, making Qin Yinong's scalp tingle.

Qin Yinong had no idea she would run into Ji Yunyao, let alone understand the meaning behind her words. Faced with Ji Yunyao's "kindness," Qin Yinong simply replied politely, "I will, thank you."

Ji Yunyao waved her hand. "I've already said no need to thank me. How's Ningning? I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to visit her. Has she mentioned missing me?"

The only thing Qin Yinong could be sure of in Ji Yunyao's words was her concern for Ningning.

She truly cared for Qin Jianing, sometimes even more than Qin Yinong, her biological mother. According to Ji Shulan, Ji Yunyao took Ningning to an amusement park not too long ago. Qin Yinong, with her current identity, couldn't be an ordinary mother. For safety reasons, she wouldn't even take Ningning outside the villa gate, and their activities were limited to the villa and the small garden.

Ningning was quiet and sensible, never asking Qin Yinong to take her out to play. But during their video call that night, when Ningning mentioned the amusement park, her pure little face showed obvious excitement. She mentioned it a few more times afterward.

Qin Yinong was grateful to Ji Yunyao for this. Her gaze softened slightly as she said, "Yes, she said you promised to take her to Disneyland?"

Ji Yunyao smiled. "Yes, I did promise, but we don't have it in the capital. I'll take a few days off and make a trip to S City." She raised her lips in a smirk. "Can you trust me with Ningning, little auntie? Are you afraid I'll run away with her?"

Qin Yinong replied calmly, "The Ji family is so big, even a monk can't run away from the temple."

"Hahaha." Ji Yunyao was taken aback, once again struck by Qin Yinong's peculiar sense of humor. She leaned against the wall, laughing so hard that she had to hold her sides.

Qin Yinong watched her silently, accustomed to her antics.

Ji Yunyao wiped away the tears of laughter and gasped for breath. "I'm always happy when I see you. I was in a bad mood just now."

Qin Yinong said calmly, "I'm honored."

It was hard to tell if Ji Yunyao's words were sincere or not, and Qin Yinong doubted her.

Ji Yunyao sensed her thoughts and emphasized, "I'm serious. I had to deal with a business partner who never stopped bragging, drinking all night, mixing white and red wine. My stomach still feels uncomfortable."

Her gaze shifted to the side, landing on Guan Han, and she asked with a smile, "Assistant Guan, do you have any stomach medicine?"

Guan Han looked at Qin Yinong, who nodded.

Guan Han handed the medicine to Ji Yunyao.

Ji Yunyao held her in her hand but didn't eat it, saying with a meaningful tone, "Little auntie, how high does one have to climb to be satisfied?"

Jiang Lao, the Ji family, and Li Yichuan—every time Ji Yunyao saw her, she was groveling to different people. Perhaps "groveling" wasn't the right word, as she and Li Yichuan were at least equals in status. It gave Ji Yunyao a strong gambler-like impression, seizing every opportunity, constantly climbing upward.

Life is a grand gamble—Ji Yunyao liked that phrase herself. However, there was someone in front of her who could gamble even better than her. She couldn't quite describe her feelings, admiration? There was also a hint of indistinct jealousy.

She realized that she couldn't be as bold as Qin Yinong. She wasn't a qualified gambler. Her natural beauty and talent made her appear suitable to be a delicate and dependent vine, growing entwined around branches, making life much easier. But she insisted on being a tall and upright bamboo, unwavering in the face of wind and rain.

Qin Yinong remained calm and composed, calmly saying, "Naturally, one climbs as high as they can."

Ji Yunyao smiled casually and asked her, "Is fame and fortune so alluring?"

Qin Yinong countered, "And how do you know that everyone is pursuing fame and fortune?"

Not everyone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth like her. Even though the Ji family was full of talented individuals, her ability to stand out was her own skill. Becoming the heir to the next generation of the family was already a goal that many people would never reach in their entire lives.

"Then why do they pursue it?" Ji Yunyao blinked her eyes, showing genuine confusion in her gaze.

"For self-preservation." And also to protect others.

"Hmm?"

Qin Yinong glanced at Ji Yunyao with a steady gaze, her smile fading from her face. She nodded politely and said softly, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't keep Ms. Ji company any longer."

Ji Yunyao tilted her head, her gaze following Qin Yinong's retreating figure until she disappeared around the corner, still lost in thought.

Qin Yinong.

Ji Yunyao pressed her tongue against her lower jaw and silently repeated the name in her mind, squinting her eyes.

She returned to the private room, and as she entered, everyone in the room instinctively fell silent for a moment. It was only when Ji Yunyao took her seat again that time slowly resumed its flow.

After the gathering, Ji Yunyao sat in the backseat of her luxury Mercedes-Benz and beckoned to her secretary with a finger.

The secretary leaned in.

Ji Yunyao whispered, "Go and find out what kind of relationship exists between Qin Yinong and Li Yichuan."

The secretary nodded.

Ji Yunyao leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes to rest.

Li Yichuan is well-known in the circle, just as Ji Yunyao warned Qin Yinong. He is excellent in business, but he is also cunning and unscrupulous, resorting to less honorable methods. Ji Yunyao naturally isn't afraid of him, but she has no interest in dealing with such a person. Besides occasional business interactions, the Ji family and the Li family keep their distance.

Ji Yunyao felt that Qin Yinong had placed a significant bet this time, and Li Yichuan, as the house, might not make things easy for her. She didn't have any immediate thoughts but was curious about Qin Yinong's true intentions in choosing such a person.

Ji Yunyao tapped her index finger rhythmically on her knee and suddenly opened her eyes, saying, "Can I free up some time lately? I want to take a child out to play for a few days."

The secretary lowered her head, tapping on her tablet and replied, "If we compress the schedule, you will have three free days in a week."

Ji Yunyao paused with her fingertip and said lightly, "Then let's compress it."

The secretary adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose and said, "In that case, you won't be able to go home now. We'll have to fly to the Hong City overnight."

Ji Yunyao: "..." She ground her teeth and said, "Okay, change course to the airport."

......

Hongmeng Manor.

Sounds of retching came from the bathroom.

Guan Han stood at the kitchen door, staring at the sobering tea on the stove while listening to the sounds coming from the bathroom.

After more than ten minutes, the final flush sounded, and Qin Yinong opened the door. With a freshly washed face, a few drops of water inadvertently clung to the tips of his hair, dripping down onto his snow-white slender neck, creating a stark contrast.

Qin Yinong let out a sigh of relief and sat down at the dining table with Guan Han's support.

Guan Han brought the sobering tea and honey water, placing them in front of Qin Yinong.

Qin Yinong drank them one by one, his expression obedient.

Guan Han asked, "Feeling better?"

Qin Yinong raised her head and smiled tranquilly at her, "Much better."

Guan Han said, "Tell me the truth."

Qin Yinong carefully felt his body and said, "Indeed, much better. After drinking it, my whole body feels warm."

Guan Han didn't hesitate, "Drink another bowl, there's more in the kitchen."

Qin Yinong: "..."

As a result, Qin Yinong ended up drinking a bellyful of soup. She struggled to support herself against the back of the sofa, trying to aid digestion while standing.

After receiving a resentful glance from Qin Yinong, Guan Han returned to the kitchen. She washed the dishes with extra force, gritting her teeth as if the bowl in front of her was her mortal enemy.

In the past, when Qin Yinong was working hard, she had reasons to persuade herself that money was endless, and she could take a break at the appropriate time. But now, she couldn't even persuade herself. Qin Yinong didn't intentionally harm her own body, she had reasons that forced her to do so. She could rest, but her enemies wouldn't rest and were always ready to deliver a fatal blow.

No need for Guan Han's explanation, she always obediently took hangover medicine before drinking, drank plenty of water and ate food during the process to minimize the harm of alcohol to her stomach. Afterwards, she would induce vomiting, drink sobering tea and honey water, leaving no details unchecked.

What else could she say? Should she say not to care about Tang Ruoyao's life and death? Or not to care about the hundreds of mouths in the company? Or not to care about the projects that have been launched, the women, children, and vulnerable groups living in dire situations? If Qin Yinong could truly disregard everything, she wouldn't be Qin Yinong anymore.

Guan Han stayed in the kitchen for a long time before coming out, just in time to see Qin Yinong hang up the phone, with a soft and gentle "Goodnight, Yao Yao."

Guan Han relaxed her brows, lowered her head, and smiled to herself.

Fortunately, she could still find some comfort in Tang Ruoyao. Although she was tired, Qin Yinong should be happy.

She hoped this ordeal would pass, and they could have a peaceful and smooth future without any more disturbances.

Qin Yinong was focused on scrolling through her chat history with Tang Ruoyao and didn't hear Guan Han approaching.

"Qin Jie."

"Hmm?" Qin Yinong locked her phone and turned around.

Guan Han took out a warm sachet from her pocket and handed it over, saying, "This is for you."

"What is it?" Qin Yinong examined it and smiled.

"It's a protective charm." Guan Han said, "I asked my mom to get it from the temple. They say it's very effective."

Qin Yinong teased her, jokingly asking, "Did you ask your mom to get you a love charm?"

Guan Han: "..."

"I'm just kidding." Qin Yinong raised the protective charm in her hand, "I'll keep it with me. Thank you."

......

The next day, Qin Yinong had a notice. Lately, she had been busy with both the company and Maple Red. In addition, Li Yichuan was involved, so she rarely attended events purely as an artist. But this time was an exception, it was a charity auction, and she was invited to attend and provide a famous painting from her collection for auction.

Many celebrities participate in charity auctions nowadays. Some are genuinely enthusiastic about charity, while others do it for show. Regardless, the presence of celebrities boosts the popularity of the auction.

Qin Yinong would attend whenever she had the time, even if it meant being criticized by netizens for showboating or not receiving media coverage. After all, Qin Yinong's participation in a charity auction was such a uninteresting thing compared to her legendary scandals, which had much more heat.

The auction was in the evening, followed by a dinner, but they had to leave in the afternoon. Qin Yinong changed into nice clothes and put on makeup. She left the company and got into the prepared extended black Bentley to go to the auction venue.

As they neared their destination, Qin Yinong suddenly felt a strange twitch in her eyelid, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened.

As if responding to her premonition, her phone rang at the same time.

Before Qin Yinong could say anything, An Ling's urgent voice came through, "Something happened! Come back quickly!"

"What happened?"

"I just received news that Ningning has been exposed!"

Qin Yinong's mind buzzed. It was as if she suddenly couldn't understand what people were saying. She knew the meaning of each word, but when they were put together, it became chaotic, and she couldn't piece together the complete meaning.

Her lips trembled, "What do you mean... exposed?"

An Ling had just received the news and said with anger, "Someone took pictures of Ningning, and her nursery, and all the information has been exposed."

A layer of cold sweat crawled over Qin Yinong's back like ants.

She held her phone, her eyebrows and eyes slowly freezing, turning into a stone that couldn't speak.Trouble followed one after another.

"Qin Jie—" Guan Han nudged Qin Yinong's shoulder and said, "There are reporters."

The Bentley had already entered the encirclement set up by the reporters. Suddenly, a large group of people rushed out from both sides of the road, brandishing cameras and microphones, instantly blocking the road and making it impassable.

Like cats smelling fishy odor or bloodthirsty jackals, the reporters crowded around.

Qin Yinong's car was trapped in the chaos, unable to move.

The driver turned back, anxiously seeking help, "Ms. Qin."

The reporters pounded on the windows, pulled the doors, and even through the thick tinted film, they could see their excited and fanatical expressions, their wide open mouths constantly saying something.

The sound of pounding on the windows was incessant.

Thump, thump, from all directions, like the relentless beat of a haunting drum, tightly gripping people's hearts, making it hard to breathe.

The clamor of voices, separated by a car window, couldn't stop them from reaching the ears of those inside the car.

Guan Han quickly contacted the bodyguards in the car behind, and eight strong and sturdy bodyguards in suits made a difficult escape from the outside, standing in front of Qin Yinong's car, frantically blocking the reporters' prying eyes.

Guan Han tried to get the driver to move the car, but the reporters were well-prepared and accustomed to such situations. They didn't take the bluffing threat seriously and instead became even more arrogant, pushing forward and sitting directly on the hood of the car. Their cameras were aimed at the blurry figures inside, attempting to capture them.

Guan Han listened to the voice of the bodyguard reporting through her earpiece.

"There are too many people, we can't hold them back. There's no way to safely escort CEO Qin out."

"Should we contact Director An to send another team over?"

Guan Han looked at Qin Yinong who was beside her.

Qin Yinong hadn't spoken a word the whole time, and her expression hadn't changed either.

Guan Han lowered her gaze and saw Qin Yinong's fingers clenched into fists on both sides, the veins on her fair backhand protruding one by one. Then the veins on her temples started to twitch slightly, revealing a hint of fierce determination.

Qin Yinong closed her eyes and said in a calm voice, "Get out of the car."

Guan Han said, "There's no way to escort you safely out right now."

Qin Yinong remained expressionless and repeated, "Get out of the car."

Guan Han said, "Qin Jie..."

Qin Yinong called for the driver to unlock the car and reached over Guan Han to grab the door handle.

Guan Han hurriedly said, "I'll inform the bodyguards outside first."

Qin Yinong lowered her eyelids and didn't say anything, but she retracted her hand. She had heard it.

The stalemate had a movement. The scattered bodyguards suddenly gathered around one side of the car door. The reporters with keen senses immediately knew that Qin Yinong was about to come out. They went crazy and rushed towards that direction.

The bodyguards were scattered several times and regrouped, but finally, they seized the opportunity. Guan Han heard the urging voice in her earpiece, "Quick! Right now!"

The rear door of the Bentley opened, and Qin Yinong bent down and walked out.

She had applied light makeup today, almost appearing without any makeup, and her attire was low-key as well, wearing a shirt and trousers. She came to the charity auction in a dignified manner, carrying a painting. However, her beloved daughter, who she cherished like her life, had been exposed by someone. Her appearance, the nursery she attended, and her daughter was not even four years old yet, but she was blocked on the way to the auction.

Looking into the distance, it was a terrifying sea of black.

The familiar frenzy of the entertainment media once again fell upon her.

A few days ago, your father gave an interview, confirming the fact that you had relations with several men. What is your take on this?

"The evidence is solid. Do you still want to argue?"

"The lies you told have been exposed by your own father. Your image as an innocent and pure woman has collapsed. What do you have to say to your fans who have always supported you?"

The scene shifts back to the present.

"Qin Yinong, can you confirm if you have a secret child?"

"Who is the father of the child?"

"When did you give birth to this child? Are you already married in secret?"

Qin Yinong pursed her lips and remained silent. The bodyguards struggled to protect her in the middle, but a few microphones still managed to push against Qin Yinong's face, quickly brushed away by Guan Han.

"Please answer our questions!"

"Please say something!"

"As a public figure, shouldn't you face the public's scrutiny? Shouldn't you give us an explanation?!"

Qin Yinong paused and, following the direction of the voice, glanced at the reporter who asked the question.

Her red lips slightly curved, revealing a chilling smile. "An explanation, you say?"

The reporter froze, suddenly feeling a chill down their spine.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Yinong reached out and unexpectedly snatched the microphone from the reporter's hand, fiercely throwing it away in front of everyone's astonished gazes.

The microphone landed on the ground, emitting a long buzzing sound.

A commotion broke out.

Qin Yinong spoke softly, "This is my explanation."

She lifted her gaze, sweeping across the entire venue, and coldly uttered a single word, "Leave."

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