I Want a Lifetime with You
Chapter 470

Shu Qing practically fled as if her life depended on it. She couldn't tell where her fear had stemmed from, but one thing she knew was that she was afraid of facing Shi Nuan.

She sat in the car, gazing off into the distance. When her manager saw the look on her face, his brows furrowed slightly. "Ms. Shu, you really shouldn't have spoken to Ms. Shi in such a manner just now!"

"Then tell me, how exactly should I have spoken?" Shu Qing sneered. "You knew from the beginning that Shi Nuan was going to come, didn't you?"

Shu Qing's eyes bored into her manager, but the latter shifted his gaze away instead.

The manager's reaction was enough of an answer for Shu Qing. "You clearly knew that I didn't want to see her. So why did you take me there anyway?"

"Ms. Shu, unless you don't want to develop in Z Nation anymore, you'll have to see her one way or another. Not just today, but even in the future if she wants to meet you. There's really no way for you to reject her invitation!"

"You..."

"Don't forget, Ms. Shu. You still have to rely on Xinhuang now, and Xinhuang belongs to Shengyuan. You should know your priorities well. Besides, turning back isn't an option. There's no way for you to go back there anymore."

"Enough!" Shu Qing cut her manager off. "You don't need to keep reminding me. I know my own past better than anyone else. Aren't you just waiting to watch me turn into a joke? Not just you, but Su Huaibei too. You're merely Su Huaibei's dog!"

Her manager snorted coldly, but remained silent otherwise.

He dropped Shu Qing off at the Su family's residence. Then, he reported everything to Su Huaibei. Su Huaibei had a dark expression on his face. No one could determine the thoughts that were running through his mind.

"You can go now. Come here again tomorrow."

After dismissing the manager, Su Huaibei remained in his study for a while longer before heading to Shu Qing's room. Shu Qing was taking a shower in the bathroom. It was as though she was trying to scrub off a thick layer of dirt on her skin. She only came out after one full hour.

The moment she exited the bathroom, she was met with the sight of Su Huaibei standing on the balcony. She walked toward him as if she were in a trance. With a towel in her hands, she lifted them up. In that transient moment, countless scenarios emerged in Shu Qing's mind.

Push him. Push him down. All of your pain and troubles will cease to exist.

However, Shu Qing's hands froze midair. Her whole body trembled, but she did not dare to move any closer.

Her eyes seemed to shimmer with a layer of mist as she gazed at the man in front of her. She only needed to steel herself and push with all her might, and this man would undoubtedly die. Even if he didn't, he would be bedridden for the rest of his life.

The whispers of the devil on her shoulder seemed to almost drown out everything else, and she felt overwhelmed by her poisonous thoughts.

Su Huaibei had been looking straight ahead the whole time, not seeming to have sensed Shu Qing's presence.

This opportunity was one in a million. If she failed to grab it, it would slip out of her reach forever.

Shu Qing closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to thrust her palms forward, the man's voice sounded out from above her head. "It seems like you still can't bear for me to die!" Shu Qing's eyes flew wide open, her gaze meeting Su Huaibei's eyes that resembled bottomless pits; dark and terrifying. She jolted with fright and backed away two steps. Drawing in another deep breath, she leveled her gaze with his.

Su Huaibei stared at Shu Qing with a smile tugging on the corners of his lips, but his eerie smile did nothing to make her feel better.

Shu Qing bit her lips and balled her fists. "Su Huaibei, you deserve to be thrown into hell!"

"Is that so? Well, perhaps! However, if I go to hell, I'll be sure to drag you down with me. It's too bad that you'd lost such a great opportunity just now, hmm?" Su Huaibei lifted Shu Qing's hand. Only then did he notice that her fists were clenched together tightly, her whole body trembling like a leaf.

A chuckle escaped Su Huaibei's lips all of a sudden. "I didn't know that you knew fear too!"

"Let go of me, you b*stard!"

"I've said this before. If you can't kill me, I'll make sure that you'll stay by my side. Be it dead or alive, you're mine forever." Su Huaibei coldly flung Shu Qing's hand away. "Furthermore, look, you actually can't bear to see me die. Otherwise, you wouldn't have hesitated for such a long time just now!"

"You think I wouldn't dare to do so? I was merely worried that I'd get my hands dirty with all your filth!"

"All my filth? Am I any filthier than you, someone who has slept around with the entire entertainment circle? How many rich heirs have you spread your legs for?" Su Huaibei's eyes were filled with indifference. Shu Qing's body quaked violently at that. "Su Huaibei, you're such a b*stard. B*stard!"

Shu Qing raised her hand and was about to bring it down on Su Huaibei's face, but his hand shot out to grab her wrist before she could do so. "I'm a b*stard? Even if that's the case, you still gave birth to a daughter for me, didn't you?"

"You mean that b*stard child..."

Before Shu Qing could finish her sentence, Su Huaibei grabbed her chin hard. The force of his grip caused her jaw to be dislocated.

Tears of pain gathered in Shu Qing's eyes, streaming down her cheeks and pooling on the space between Su Huaibei's thumb and forefinger.

He continued pinching her chin as his eyes reddened with anger.

"I dare you to repeat that again! Do you really think that I wouldn't do anything to you? Huh?" Su Huaibei's rage was channeled into his fingers on her chin. The force of it was just like it had been previously when he had seen Shu Qing coming out of Shen Feng's room. He had almost snapped her neck.

Shu Qing reached out to slap Su Huaibei's hand away, trying to say something. To her misfortune, the pain in her jaw was so bad she couldn't speak.

When Su Huaibei saw Shu Qing in such a condition, he extended his other hand to caress her face. “Tell me. Why are you always so disobedient, hmm?" He moved his hand to her forehead. "If you behaved better, I wouldn't need to treat you this way."

Still trembling all over, Shu Qing's eyes were filled with fear.

"Don't ever speak ill about that child again, understand?"

Shu Qing shook her head, then nodded again, looking as though she was about to fall. Su Huaibei held her up with a smirk on his lips. "Did you show her your long face today? Hmm?"

Shu Qing didn't utter a word, but the fear in her eyes was evident.

"You made her suffer during the first twenty years of her life. You know what? I can let all of that go. However, she's living a good life now. If you or that useless daughter of yours dare to give her trouble again, you should know what will lay in store for you, right?"

Shu Qing nodded. When Su Huaibei saw her response, he finally released her.

Shu Qing immediately fell to the ground from the immense pain that she felt. She stretched out to cover her chin, wanting to speak. Unfortunately, drool gathered at the edges of her mouth and she couldn't speak at all.

Shu Qing raised her head to stare at Su Huaibei pitifully. Reaching out to tug on Su Huaibei's trousers, she pleaded with words that were barely coherent, "I-I... b-b..." I beg you!

Despite knowing what Shu Qing was trying to say, Su Huaibei stood his ground and peered at her from above. "It's late. Rest first and I'll call Qing to come back tomorrow morning. He's a doctor." "Don't..." Don't go!

Shu Qing pulled at Su Huaibei's trousers, refusing to let go.

Su Huaibei crouched down to pry off her fingers one by one. There was not a trace of emotion in his eyes when he uttered, "This is your punishment for misbehaving. You know that I'm fine with letting you do whatever you want, but if you speak ill of Nuan, I'll make you understand that there's no limit to my cruelty!"

Shu Qing lifted her head to look at Su Huaibei, her heart growing colder by the second.

On the other hand, Su Huaibei didn't spare her a second glance. Instead, he turned on his heels to leave her room as he locked the door behind him. Shu Qing stared at the door as despair crept into her heart She felt as though she was born only to live in darkness.

Su Huaibei, why? Why are you so cruel to me?

Shi Nuan returned to the Fu Residence, completely exhausted. She had only just stepped into the house when the servant rushed over to take the things from Shi Nuan's hands. "Welcome back, Young Mistress."

Shi Nuan nodded in response. "Where's the Young Master?"

"Young Mistress, the Young Master is in his study playing chess with the Old Master." The servant peered closely at Shi Nuan before asking, "Are you feeling tired, Young Mistress?"

Shi Nuan waved her hand and answered, "I'm fine. Why don't you put my things in my room first?"

"Alright!"

When Shi Nuan walked further into the house, she saw Ning Xin and Song Zhenyan in the living room. These two women who were previously always at loggerheads with each other seemed to be getting along quite well now.

Shi Nuan went over to them with a smile. When Ning Xin saw that Shi Nuan was back, she waved her over and chirped, "Shi Nuan, you're back! Come here and sit with us!" "Aunt Ning!" Shi Nuan called out. She paused to look at Song Zhenyan and greeted, "Mom."

Song Zhenyan blinked in surprise upon hearing that before she stared at Shi Nuan with mild incredulity. She pursed her lips slightly with a faint, stern expression on her face. Shi Nuan's smile remained intact and Ning Xin couldn't help but stare at her in surprise as well.

She never expected Shi Nuan to be such an open-minded woman. Hence, Shi Nuan scored a few more brownie points because of this. "Zhenyan, are you so happy that your words have failed you?" Ning Xin couldn't help but tease.

Song Zhenyan abruptly regained her senses, but there was a layer of mist in her eyes. Her lips twitched slightly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she hummed a reply.

Shi Nuan's smile broadened at that. "What are the two of you looking at?"

"Nothing much!"

Song Zhenyan was still not used to hearing Shi Nuan address her in such an intimate way.

She initially thought that with how badly she treated Shi Nuan last time, Shi Nuan would definitely hold a grudge against her even if she didn't voice it out loud. Never in a million years did she expect Shi Nuan to take the lead in patching up their relationship before she could even take a step forward.

Song Zhenyan suddenly felt embarrassed, but Shi Nuan seemed unperturbed. If it was for the sake of Fu Chengyan, she was willing to take that step. It was because she loved him.

Shi Nuan stayed to chat with Song Zhenyan and Ning Xin for a while before she headed upstairs. Just when she reached the top of the stairs, she saw Fu Chengyan coming out of the study.

Fu Chengyan saw her as well as he waved his hand. Shi Nuan came over to him and asked, "Done playing chess with Grandpa?"

Fu Chengyan nodded and reached out to stroke her head. "How was today?"

His voice was gentle and had a soothing effect to it, gradually warming Shi Nuan's initially chilly heart.

She reached out to give Fu Chengyan's hand a rather hard pinch. "Were you aware of it from the beginning?"

Fu Chengyan's brows furrowed. "You found out?"

Shi Nuan nodded. "I'm not an idiot, you know?"

"She didn't want to acknowledge you, and she'd even..."

"That's enough. I'm not a three-year-old kid. Do you really think that I'm that fragile?" Shi Nuan was actually very happy that Fu Chengyan was always looking out for her. However, she did not want to live under his protection forever. "Don't worry. I won't be affected by these things. I've gone through much worse."