Chapter 19: The Chaebol Heir’s Canary — Five Million. Leave Jiang Qiuyan.

Shi Yu murmured “mm-hm” and hung up, curling up with her arms around her legs.

Did Pei Shuyu know that Jiang Qiuyan liked her? If she did, what would she choose?

Her mind was a tangled mess she couldn’t sort through. Shi Yu closed her eyes and curled into the corner of the sofa, barely bigger than a throw pillow.

Jiang Qiuyan sent her a message every hour. Shi Yu didn’t find it annoying at all. Instead, she replied patiently and carefully, letting Jiang Qiuyan settle down and focus on work.

In the evening, Pei Shuyu contacted her again, saying she was near where Shi Yu lived.

Shi Yu grabbed her phone and headed out. She ran into the housekeeper returning from grocery shopping, told her she was going out, and left. The housekeeper nodded, then only remembered Jiang Qiuyan’s instructions much later.

“Oh no! Miss Jiang said to keep an eye on Miss Yu and not let her go out alone!”

She turned around, but Shi Yu was long gone.

At the coffee shop where Pei Shuyu was waiting, the two sat in silence for a long time before Pei Shuyu asked: “Have you been well?”

Shi Yu nodded and asked back: “What about you? Did your parents scold you?”

Both knew what she meant. Pei Shuyu didn’t deny it. Instead, she said: “It’s okay, Little Yu. I don’t blame you.”

“You might not blame her, but she’s been stabbing you in the heart as hard as she can!”

Pei Yiyi’s cold voice came from behind. Shi Yu flinched instinctively. She looked up at Pei Shuyu, but Pei Shuyu avoided her gaze and murmured: “I’m sorry, Little Yu. I had no choice.”

Pei Yiyi sat down next to Pei Shuyu with an imperious air. “Speak. What will it take for you to leave?”

Shi Yu didn’t want to talk to her and stubbornly kept her mouth shut.

“I know what you’re after. Isn’t it just to disgust us while lining your pockets? Your mother was the same way, and you saw how she ended up. I don’t want to say anything too harsh. If you were smart, you’d make the choice that benefits everyone.”

I really am not a smart person, Shi Yu thought. Her brain had absolutely nothing to do with cleverness.

But she still asked: “What’s the choice that benefits everyone?”

Seeing she’d gotten through to her, Pei Yiyi took a card from her bag and set it before her. “There’s five million on this. Leave and never come back.”

She could have dealt with Shi Yu in other ways, but with things blown up like this, it was best to keep it simple.

Seeing Shi Yu hesitate, Pei Yiyi’s eyes darkened. “Not enough? As long as you promise to stop clinging to Jiang Qiuyan, I’ll give you another five million.”

“How generous of you, madam.”

Ten million might be nothing to Pei Yiyi, but to Shi Yu it was an astronomical sum. With that money, she wouldn’t have to live this hopeless life anymore.

But Shi Yu instinctively resisted. She knew that taking Pei Yiyi’s money meant betraying Jiang Qiuyan, and she didn’t want to do that.

“Take your money back. I don’t want it.”

Pei Yiyi’s temper flared, her voice rising several pitches. “Do you want to be a homewrecker your whole life, just like your mother? Destroying someone’s family brings karmic retribution! Get out of Hai City while I’m still being civil. Don’t push your luck!”

However annoying she was, Shi Yu had always thought of Pei Yiyi as someone with depth and grace. She didn’t think so anymore.

“I was already planning to leave, but since you put it that way, I’ll take the money.”

Shi Yu took the card and stood up, walking out without looking back.

“You’d better keep your word!” Pei Yiyi shouted after her.

Shi Yu paused and replied: “Don’t worry about that. After I’m gone, remember to transfer the other five million to the card.”

Pei Yiyi’s eyes narrowed, watching Shi Yu’s retreating back with a deep, unreadable gaze.

“Mom, aren’t we being too harsh on Little Yu?”

“Harsh? Is stealing your fiancée not harsh?”

Seeing her mother’s displeased expression, Pei Shuyu didn’t dare say more.

Shi Yu tucked the card into her pocket and wandered the streets aimlessly. She didn’t want to go back and face Jiang Qiuyan. If she saw those smiling eyes, she wouldn’t want to leave.

“Little Yu!”

As the voice rang out, she was yanked into someone’s arms. The force was so great it hurt her chest.

A familiar scent drifted into her nostrils. Shi Yu wrapped her arms around that lean waist and buried her face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling.

“Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

She squeezed Shi Yu even tighter, as if holding a precious treasure she’d lost and found again.

Her ragged breathing told Shi Yu she’d run all the way here. Shi Yu’s heart leaped. She couldn’t help but wonder: Could Jiang Qiuyan actually like her, just a little?

“Pei Shuyu asked to meet up.”

Jiang Qiuyan’s expression stiffened. “Did you meet? What did she say?”

It was rare to see Jiang Qiuyan this tense. She must be afraid that Shi Yu would say something to Pei Shuyu.

Shi Yu laughed at herself for the delusion she’d just had and said, looking at her: “We met. Just exchanged a few pleasantries. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell her anything.”

Even if she wanted to say something, what could she say? From the very beginning, Jiang Qiuyan had treated her as a stand-in, never giving her any room for misunderstanding.

Jiang Qiuyan’s expression shifted. “That’s not what I meant…”

“Let’s go home. The housekeeper should have dinner ready.”

Shi Yu gently pushed her away and walked toward home ahead of her. Jiang Qiuyan stared at her thin, fragile back, the unease in her heart growing.

Jiang Qiuyan started leaving early and coming home late. To keep a closer eye on Shi Yu, she installed cameras at home and had the housekeeper stay with Shi Yu until she returned.

Shi Yu thought carefully about when things had changed. It was after she’d met with Pei Shuyu.

It seemed Jiang Qiuyan really was afraid she’d do something to Pei Shuyu.

Shi Yu couldn’t help thinking of those TV drama tropes where the other woman parades in front of the legitimate partner. She laughed out loud, but the laughter soon turned sour and her eyes stung.

When Jiang Qiuyan came home from work, she found Shi Yu sitting on the balcony hugging her knees. The last rays of sunset streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling on the little omega’s face and catching the glistening in her eyes.

Jiang Qiuyan crossed over in a few quick steps and pulled the tiny figure into her arms. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying for no reason?” she asked softly.

Shi Yu slowly turned her head and gave her a brilliant smile. The moisture in her eyes gathered into tears and fell, landing on Jiang Qiuyan’s hand and scalding her heart.

“I suddenly missed my mom. I’ve never visited her since she passed away.”

Jiang Qiuyan knew she was lying. But she decided to take Shi Yu to her mother’s grave anyway, because she knew Shi Yu wasn’t happy.

If being by her side made Shi Yu unhappy, then she would work hard to make her happy.

She could do anything. But she would absolutely not let Shi Yu leave her.

The expensive car rolled down a desolate country road, completely out of place with its surroundings. The morning had been clear, but in the blink of an eye, dark clouds covered the sky. The air inside turned muggy and uncomfortable.

Shi Yu rolled down the window to feel the rain-laden wind, but her thoughts gradually blurred.

Someone seemed to be calling her name in her ears. She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound.

It felt like being roasted over an open fire. Her whole body burned with pain, even the marrow in her bones tingling, as if she’d shatter at the lightest touch.

Someone touched her cheek and forehead. The cool sensation brought a sliver of clarity.

Shi Yu turned her head and saw Jiang Qiuyan, eyes filled with worry.

“Little Yu, what’s…”

Soft lips covered hers, swallowing Jiang Qiuyan’s words. Her eyes shifted, and her hand slowly slid down to circle Shi Yu’s waist.

In the summer storm that swept down without warning, Shi Yu’s heat arrived.