Chapter 5: The Chaebol Heir’s Canary — Taking Responsibility for Me Includes My Body

The elders chattered enthusiastically about her marriage to Pei Shuyu. Jiang Qiuyan was growing weary of the engagement and was about to end the tiresome meeting when Shi Huaixin was suddenly called out.

Her instincts told her nothing good would come of it, so she followed.

Shi Huaixin shoved Shi Yu, who was cowering by the doorway, into the room and slapped her hard across the face.

“Hasn’t been beaten for a few days and gotten bold? You actually dared to run away?!”

Shi Yu’s face burned. The taste of blood filled her mouth. She kept her head down and said nothing, teeth gritting audibly.

Shi Huaixin wouldn’t go easy on her just because outsiders were around. Quite the opposite: the more people watching, the harder he hit.

He was a complete psychopath.

“Oh my, Brother Huaixin, why so angry? The child’s back, isn’t she? What a pretty little face. It would be a shame to ruin it.”

The alpha walked toward Shi Yu, hand reaching out to paw at her, when the private room door was suddenly pushed open.

Jiang Qiuyan stood in the doorway. Seeing Shi Yu’s swollen cheek, her gaze darkened in an instant. But she quickly composed herself, and no one noticed anything amiss.

“Sorry to interrupt, Uncle. I saw you slip out mid-meeting and thought you might have an important friend here. I wanted to pay my respects.”

Shi Huaixin’s raised hand lowered awkwardly as he put on a smile.

“Not at all. My daughter was just being naughty, so I taught her a lesson.”

He stepped forward as he spoke, blocking most of Shi Yu’s body from view.

Jiang Qiuyan drew a quiet breath and kept her tone even: “I see. Are you finished? If so, let’s head back up together?”

In that moment, Jiang Qiuyan deeply regretted agreeing to the engagement with Pei Shuyu. Without that connection, she would have simply taken Shi Yu away and made Shi Huaixin pay.

Even if she couldn’t touch him now, someday she would avenge Shi Yu.

Shi Huaixin couldn’t easily refuse. “Let’s go then. Don’t keep your mother waiting.”

Jiang Qiuyan nodded coolly and deliberately added, “Second Miss should come up too. You don’t look well. It’s better to be with family.”

As she spoke, she swept a seemingly casual glance at the alpha beside Shi Yu. Her gaze turned razor-sharp.

Shi Yu’s nose suddenly stung. When she was dragged back, she hadn’t cried. When Shi Huaixin hit her, she hadn’t cried. But hearing Jiang Qiuyan say that, her eyes grew hot.

Shi Yu followed without hesitation. Jiang Qiuyan lagged behind Shi Huaixin by a step and, when he couldn’t see, gently patted Shi Yu’s head.

“It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.”

Her voice was very low, drifting into Shi Yu’s ears like a soft breeze, filling her with inexplicable comfort.

Shi Yu’s injuries drew everyone’s attention. Pei Yiyi had probably guessed what happened. She shot Pei Shuyu a look and said, “Shuyu, take her to get that cleaned up.”

It wasn’t that she cared about Shi Yu; she just didn’t want Bai Lingshuang to see the family’s ugliness.

Jiang Qiuyan followed them out. She asked for ice for Shi Yu to press against the swelling, then pulled Pei Shuyu aside.

Shi Yu didn’t know what they were discussing and didn’t care.

What she wanted to know was how Shi Huaixin would punish her when they got home.

Given his cruelty, he might beat her to death.

What should I do? The only person who can help me now is…

Shi Yu turned her head. Jiang Qiuyan happened to be walking toward her, anger still lingering on her face. Their eyes met and Jiang Qiuyan paused, her expression softening instantly.

“Let’s go. Time to head back.”

Pei Shuyu was there too, so Shi Yu had no chance to speak.

The adults’ conversation was winding down. By the time they went over, the group was already leaving the private room. Pei Shuyu, trained to read her parents’ moods, was too timid to speak up. It was Jiang Qiuyan who broached the subject.

“Uncle, Auntie, could Shuyu come stay at our place for a few days?”

The words startled Pei Yiyi and Shi Huaixin, and even Bai Lingshuang looked at her with suspicion.

She knew her daughter better than anyone. Even when Jiang Qiuyan insisted on meeting the other family’s parents, it didn’t necessarily mean she liked the other party.

Suddenly inviting someone to stay at home, what was the reason?

Jiang Qiuyan’s expression was always impassive, her feelings never showing on her face, making it hard to read her thoughts.

Bai Lingshuang was helpless but still had to support her daughter.

“My, I was about to suggest that myself, but Yanyan beat me to it. My wife is away on a business trip and it’s just Yanyan and me at home. It’s been rather lonely. Let Shuyu come keep me company.”

Pei Yiyi affected a troubled look. “That’s not really my call. It depends on what the children want.”

What she said was, in effect, agreement.

Pei Shuyu sighed with relief and nodded when Bai Lingshuang took her hand and asked if she’d like to go.

“Shuyu might not be used to being alone. Why not have Second Miss come along too?”

Jiang Qiuyan tossed out the suggestion, and Pei Shuyu ran with it: “Mom, can I bring Little Yu too?”

Pei Yiyi frowned. She worried Shi Yu would embarrass the family. But Pei Shuyu had asked, and if she held Shi Yu back, she’d look petty.

In the end, Shi Yu found herself dazedly climbing into the Jiang family’s car.

Pei Shuyu rode with Bai Lingshuang. Shi Yu rode with Jiang Qiuyan. They could have shared a car, but Jiang Qiuyan refused.

The car glided along the road. Inside was eerily quiet. Shi Yu could sense Jiang Qiuyan was angry but didn’t know why.

She racked her slow brain the entire ride before saying meekly, “Thank you.”

Jiang Qiuyan turned to look at her, puzzled.

“Thank you for stepping in for me. If you hadn’t…”

Shi Yu clenched her fists. Her thin, frail body curled in on itself, looking impossibly small.

Jiang Qiuyan felt a pang of tenderness, along with a spike of anger, the kind born of wanting more for someone.

“I handed you the shortcut. You were the one who insisted on the path full of thorns.”

Shi Yu shivered. Her thoughts churned with conflict. She wanted to ask whether Jiang Qiuyan’s earlier words still counted, but the other kept staring out the window, seemingly uninterested in talking.

Shi Yu swallowed her words. After arriving at the Jiang family estate, she obediently followed Pei Shuyu and listened to Madam Jiang’s arrangements.

Fortunately, Madam Jiang didn’t ignore her just because she was unloved. She arranged a very luxurious room and spoke warmly and kindly, as if treating her like a daughter.

Bai Lingshuang deliberately tried to pair up Jiang Qiuyan and Pei Shuyu. After dinner, she had them stroll the garden to digest. Shi Yu returned to her room on her own, refusing to be the third wheel.

Lying in bed, Shi Yu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Thinking of Shi Huaixin’s hideous face during the day sent a wave of terror through her.

She absolutely could not go back to the Pei family.

Shi Huaixin had people watching her. The moment she stepped out of the Jiang estate, she’d fall back into his clutches. Escape was impossible.

She couldn’t stay at the Jiang family forever either. When Pei Shuyu went home, she’d have to follow. Was there any way to avoid going back?

The only possibility Shi Yu could think of was that one.

But Jiang Qiuyan seemed angry. Did she still want me to take responsibility?

The day had been exhausting. Before long, Shi Yu’s eyelids drooped and she fell asleep. Not long after, her door opened gently. Jiang Qiuyan slipped in on light feet and sat down by the bed.

Why make yourself suffer like this? She sighed softly and dabbed ointment on Shi Yu’s swollen cheek.

Whether Shi Yu agreed to be with her or not, she wasn’t going to let her go back. That ruthless old bastard Shi Huaixin clearly delighted in tormenting Shi Yu. Left unchecked, the girl would be abused to death sooner or later.

Call her domineering, call her crazy. She was keeping Shi Yu by her side. Only then could she protect her.

I hope you won’t hate me. She gently smoothed the hair at Shi Yu’s temples, her gaze tender.

Shi Yu spent a week at the Jiang family, and the biggest feeling was comfort.

The Jiang servants didn’t bully her. No endless chores. Good food every day. Madam Jiang even told her about things she’d never encountered before. Everything except Jiang Qiuyan’s coldness made her feel beyond grateful.

Just as she was sinking into this warmth, Pei Shuyu told her they were going back tomorrow.

Shi Yu snapped awake as if from a dream. Every inch of her body seemed to ache, places where Shi Huaixin had once left her scarred and bruised. She never wanted to relive that nightmare.

Being trapped in a mire of endless darkness where she’d never see the light, once was more than enough.

Shi Yu looked at the torrential rain outside the window, her gaze growing steely.

Night deepened. The rain showed no sign of letting up. Amid the interplay of lightning and thunder, Shi Yu climbed the stairs step by step toward Jiang Qiuyan’s room.

Standing at the door, Shi Yu’s courage faltered again.

Jiang Qiuyan and Pei Shuyu seemed to be getting along well these days. Jiang Qiuyan had been very cold toward her. What if she’d changed her mind? Wouldn’t barging in be asking for humiliation?

A bolt of lightning crashed down. Shi Yu flinched and curled up. She drew a deep breath, steadied herself, and with a surge of resolve, knocked on Jiang Qiuyan’s door.

Jiang Qiuyan opened the door and raised an eyebrow. “It’s late. Something you need?”

Shi Yu threw herself into her arms without preamble and asked in a muffled voice, “Do you still mean what you said before?”

“I’ve said a lot of things. Which one do you mean?”

“That you want me to take responsibility for you…” Shi Yu’s voice grew even smaller.

Jiang Qiuyan’s lips curved upward, a look of assured confidence filling her eyes. She loosely wrapped her arms around Shi Yu and played with the long strands of hair between her fingers.

“I did say that. But you rejected me, and it broke my heart.”

Shi Yu looked up at her, eyes red-rimmed. “What do I have to do so you won’t be sad?”

Jiang Qiuyan leaned down until their noses almost touched. “Figure it out yourself. But first, you need to understand one thing: taking responsibility for me also means taking care of my body.”

A faint scent of pine and cypress drifted into Shi Yu’s nose. Only then did she realize that Jiang Qiuyan appeared to be in heat.

Shi Yu swallowed hard, released a wisp of pheromones, and stood on tiptoe to peck Jiang Qiuyan’s lips.

“Is this okay?”

Jiang Qiuyan’s gaze darkened. She wrapped an arm around Shi Yu’s waist and pulled her inside, kicking the door shut with her foot.

Pine-and-cypress scent mingled with floral fragrance. The alpha cupped the back of Shi Yu’s head and bit down on her flushed red lips.

“Not enough.”