C19 The past Was Bitter

"Thank you, ma'am," they said to the owner of the establishment.

"Enjoy your meal, then. I'll go check on the other customers," she replied before leaving them to their privacy.

The pair casually selected some fried skewers and settled into a secluded corner. Shen Qingli sipped his beer, his gaze deep and shadowed as he raised his beautiful eyes and inquired softly, "Did I overhear the owner say you used to frequent this place?"

"Surprised?" Fu Yunyi countered.

"You're usually so discerning; naturally, I'm taken aback," he admitted.

With a faint pull at the corners of her mouth, Fu Yunyi explained, "The first time I came here, my stepmother had just married into the family and was pregnant. My father was entirely preoccupied with her, leaving no time for me."

She shook her head ruefully, "Actually, it's been that way since then; my father has always neglected me."

"I didn't want to go home back then, so I ended up here aimlessly, and the owner was kind enough to take me in."

There was a softness in Fu Yunyi's eyes as she recalled the owner's gentle tone, reminiscent of a mother's warmth.

"The food here is quite good, comparable to the truffles and foie gras I'm used to, which is why I kept coming back."

Her voice was even, detached as if she were recounting someone else's tale.

Shen Qingli watched the woman's face, touched by the solitude etched there. It was clear why she would stoop to such simple fare; this place was her sanctuary.

He remained silent, his slender fingers refilling her glass.

"What's this?" she asked with a playful arch of her brow. "Trying to get me drunk?"

With a wry smile, Shen Qingli raised his beer can. "When you're troubled, it's good to drink. Tonight, you're in luck—I'm here to keep you company."

Known for her magnanimity, Fu Yunyi was feeling particularly heavy-hearted that evening and welcomed the distraction.

She clinked her glass against his, her eyes sparkling. "Well then, let's not head home until we've had our fill."

By the night's end, the table was littered with empty bottles, and the once-clear eyes of the petite woman were now clouded with a drunken haze, her gaze languid and half-closed. She was thoroughly inebriated.

Shen Qingli's thinking remained sharp despite the woman's condition. He took a slow sip of his wine, his gaze casually drifting over her flushed cheeks, a subtle smile forming on his lips.

"Yunyi, you're drunk, aren't you?" he asked, his voice laced with a teasing undertone. "Your face is so red right now."

The young woman unsteadily shook her head, slurring her words, "I... I'm not."

Denials like that usually meant she was indeed quite inebriated.

Savoring the last drops of wine on his lips, Shen Qingli's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Come here and take the Young Madam and me back home," he instructed.

The driver responded promptly, "Yes, Young Master."

After issuing the command with a cool detachment, Shen Qingli was about to end the call when something crossed his mind. "Wait a moment."

"Young Master, is there anything else?" the driver asked.

"Change of plans," Shen Qingli's voice was smooth, his eyes shining with intent. "Take us to the hotel instead."

In a haze between sleep and consciousness, Fu Yunyi felt herself being roughly deposited onto a soft bed. She tried to speak through the nausea, but her clothes were being forcefully ripped away by the man.

Her skin prickled with goosebumps as it met the cool air, and a heated moan escaped her lips, "Don't..."

"You don't get to say no," Shen Qingli said, his eyes burning as he held her chin. "Yunyi, I want you."

"You can't do this—"

Even with her thoughts muddled, Fu Yunyi clung to her principles, her voice a faint whimper, "You promised you wouldn't touch me."

Shen Qingli's chuckle echoed in the expansive suite, his laughter unrestrained and mocking. "I said I wouldn't touch you, and you believed me? You're far too naive, Yunyi."

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