Chapter 5 Be Good

Amidst the stunned gazes of Qi Yi and Qi Er, Shen Qingtang reached out her right hand and gently touched Qin Guanlan's chin. With a "snap," she decisively dislocated the other's jaw, then fed him a mouthful of food. Afterward, she pressed it back down, forcefully clamping the other's entire jaw and forcing him to chew.

After repeating this two or three times, Qi Yi touched his chin and felt a sharp pain. He hugged his arm and trembled, looking at Shen Qingtang with the eyes of a demon.

He secretly examined himself, wondering if he had been a bit too harsh on Shen Qingtang earlier.

Disheartened, Qin Guanlan closed himself off and became indifferent and apathetic to everything, but this did not mean he could ignore the pain.

Five minutes later, he frowned, maneuvered his wheelchair to avoid Shen Qingtang's outstretched hand again, and finally said his first words to Shen Qingtang: "I'm not eating, get out."

Even sitting in a wheelchair with a pale face, Qin Guanlan's innate aura of authority remained undiminished. His brows were sharp and cold, like a dagger, sending a chill down one's spine. His green eyes involuntarily evoked images of cold-blooded snakes, followed by a chilling feeling that lingered in one's bones.

His serious face and cold demeanor possess a mysterious and irresistible charm that compels people to obey; many have previously fallen for his piercing gaze.

For some reason, Shen Qingtang seemed to have experienced such scenes countless times, and had even dealt with worse situations with composure. Therefore, she turned a deaf ear to it, and even boldly reached out to touch the other person's head, saying calmly, "Brother Qin, be good, don't be angry. If you're not feeling well, you should eat properly."

"Eat well so you can grow taller, and then I can treat your legs."

Upon hearing the word "good boy" and the tone used to coax a child, Qi Yi was completely stunned.

Brother Qin used to be known as King Yama Qin in the army. His cold, sharp gaze was like a knife with a chilling wind, scaring countless new recruits to tears. Yet Shen Qingtang remained calm and unaffected, even comforting people.

He glanced at Shen Qingtang out of the corner of his eye, his eyes filled with more admiration than before.

Qi Er was also stunned on the spot, but he was more composed than Qi Yi, so he pursed his lips tightly to suppress the curve of his lips, so as not to be caught in the crossfire.

Qin Guanlan wasn't much better off hearing this. When he met the woman's calm eyes, an inexplicable anger rose within him.

good……

Is this woman trying to coax him like a child?

His eyes were lowered, his gaze dark and unfathomable, but his tone grew increasingly cold: "Shen Qingtang, I'll say it again."

"I don't need your care. As for my leg, it's beyond repair. You can leave."

"One, two, let's see the guests off."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yi and Qi Er hurried over, their eyes conveying a clear message. Seeing that Shen Qingtang remained motionless, Qi Er lowered his head slightly and gestured towards the door, saying, "Miss Shen, please don't make things difficult for us." His tone carried a hint of threat.

She felt a little disappointed, though, as it seemed that Miss Shen couldn't control Brother Qin.

Shen Qingtang calmly put down the soup spoon, stood up, and looked directly at Qin Guanlan, saying, "Brother Qin, do you really want me to leave? Don't you really resent me in your heart?" She lowered her head, supported herself with her left hand on the wheelchair, and placed her right hand on Qin Guanlan's calf, moving it upwards.

"If your legs were intact, you should be able to feel the slight itch on your skin and the warmth of my palms when I touch them." She paused, her long, slender, white fingers lingering on the inside of her thighs, giving them a firm pinch, and said, "And the feeling of pain now."

At this position… Qin Guanlan’s arm tensed instantly, his breathing became a little erratic, and he suddenly grabbed Shen Qingtang’s restless right hand. The smooth, white touch made him even more taut, like a fully drawn bowstring. His eyes sharpened as he asked, “Shen Qingtang, what exactly do you want to say?”

Perhaps because the two of them were too close, he could not only feel the ticklish sensation of Shen Qingtang's flowing long hair brushing against his nose, but also smell the faint fragrance emanating from her.

Like a tulip and a lily, his eyes darkened for a moment, his thoughts drifting slightly away.

Is it the smell of the shower gel... or her natural scent?

Shen Qingtang, completely oblivious to Qin Guanlan's unusual behavior, continued, "Brother Qin, I don't believe you don't hate me. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have followed me in your car. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have suffered this undeserved disaster, ending up with a lifelong disability just to protect my life."

"Brother Qin, do you really not want to take revenge on me, the culprit? You're so desperate and sad, are you really willing to watch me stand before you with both legs intact, without receiving the slightest punishment? To live out the rest of your life carefree and happy?"

Shen Qingtang's highly seductive words finally ignited the anger and resentment that Qin Guanlan had been hiding beneath his icy exterior, and his eyes turned gloomy, tinged with resentment.

Because this is indeed the truth.

After returning from military service, Qin Guanlan joined the Qin Group. Unlike Qin Rongyun, who entered the entertainment industry as an actor as soon as he returned to China and became an untouchable young master in the entertainment industry thanks to the Qin family's background, he spent three years honing his skills in a remote subsidiary before being promoted to the position of general manager of the headquarters. He was like a ship about to set sail, and everyone knew that he would have a bright future, including himself.

But just as he was presiding over a group meeting, he was involved in a car accident and became paralyzed in both legs. His life plummeted to rock bottom. No one expected that the ship would sink so quietly. Who wouldn't be devastated by such a dark moment?

However, the education he received from childhood taught him that crying and making a scene was never the solution, so he chose to endure it, just as he had always endured the pain. Others kept quiet about it, and even words like "run," "jump," "leap," and "squat" were used cautiously in front of him, as if mentioning them would touch on his painful memories. So he simply pretended to be deaf and dumb. But he never expected that Shen Qingtang would deliberately expose this fact.

Feeling Qin Guanlan's long-suppressed anger, Shen Qingtang raised her watery eyes and tightly grasped his hand, saying, "Brother Qin, if you're going to drive me away, you can't use the excuse of taking care of me to torment me anymore."

"Aunt Su said that if you never get better, I will take care of you for the rest of my life." Her tone was calm, as if she were narrating from the perspective of an observer, rather than someone who was about to be tormented.

Qi Yi and Qi Er were even more surprised. What kind of perpetrator would keep urging the victim to stay so that he could "torture" him properly?

Qin Guanlan gave Shen Qingtang a deep look, and had to admit that this wicked thought had always been rooted in his heart, and now it was sprouting and bearing fruit at a rapid pace. But he still took a deep breath and raised his voice impatiently, saying, "I don't need to use this method of torturing others to deceive and comfort myself."

"Get out of here. I'll give my mom an explanation."

After saying this, he let out a soft breath, and his previously heavy chest felt a little better.

For a mature, respectable, and cultured member of a wealthy family, telling someone to "get lost" is undoubtedly a sign of breaking off all ties, let alone saying it to a delicate young girl.

But Shen Qingtang didn't cry or make a fuss. Instead, she smiled and said encouragingly, "Brother Qin, scold me a little more."

She freed herself from Qin Guanlan's right hand, and the empty feeling in his palm made Qin Guanlan slightly dazed. But he quickly noticed a heavy pressure on his chest and said, "All diseases arise from anger. Anger causes qi to rise. Brother Qin, you've been holding back this anger in your chest for too long. As the saying goes, it's better to channel than to block, and better to guide than to channel. Shout at me a few more times and let out your hidden anger."

Feeling the expectant look in the other person's eyes, Qin Guanlan was so angry that he was speechless. He felt like he had punched a cotton ball. His ears turned red for no reason. He took a deep breath and said, "With skin this thick, you would definitely be number one in sales if you were in business."

Shen Qingtang blinked and suddenly asked, "Can the Qin Group hire me? Brother Qin, can I get in through your back door?" She spoke with some sincerity. Although Aunt Su had refunded her money for the clothes, 1.5 million yuan seemed insufficient to cover the difficult task of curing her legs.

If I could have a job and an income, that would be the best.

Qin Guanlan clenched his fist, but before he could speak, he heard Qi Yi burst out laughing.

Noticing Leng Rui's gaze sweeping over him, Qi Yi quickly pinched his lips between his thumb and middle finger, making a duck-like shape with his beak, and stared intently at the floor as if he were focused on finding money. Of course... if only his shoulders hadn't been shaking so violently.

Shen Qingtang patted Qin Guanlan's bulging chest and said disapprovingly, "Brother Qin, don't hold back your anger. It's bad for your health." Seeing that he didn't speak for a long time, she nodded knowingly, "Brother Qin, are you not very good at swearing? I'll search for some for you." Then she clicked on the audio playback, and a mechanical, stiff female voice read it out clearly.

"Don't take advantage of the fact that you have a problem with your head to do whatever you want."

“You never do anything that involves people.”

"You have cerebellar hypoplasia, and your brain is completely underdeveloped."

"You'd better hide, the garbage collectors are coming."

Qin Guanlan: "..." My silence was deafening.

Upon hearing Shen Qingtang urging him to repeat after him once again, he coughed with his fist pressed to his lips and quickly stated, "I'm not angry anymore."

Shen Qingtang readily nodded and said, "Okay, Brother Qin, let's eat some more." She seized the opportunity to pick up a soup spoon and shovel a mouthful into her mouth.

Qin Guanlan: "..." Seemingly having figured out Shen Qingtang's stubborn nature, he said, "Didn't you just say you would listen to me from now on?"

Shen Qingtang nodded, her gaze open and honest: "Brother Qin, whatever you say, I'll listen to you."

Qin Guanlan pursed his lips and said, "Then you should leave now. I don't want to eat."

Shen Qingtang nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go out after you finish eating."

Qin Guanlan: "..." What kind of talk is this? He was slightly annoyed and raised his voice to urge, "Qi Yi, Qi Er, why aren't you kicking her out?"

Qi Yi and Qi Er exchanged a glance, looking at the half-empty bowl of rice, and then retreated to the doorway of the room, looking as if they were keeping their eyes and ears to themselves.

Seeing this, Qin Guanlan's face turned as black as charcoal. Shen Qingtang, however, seemed completely oblivious, feeding him bite by bite of rice and vegetables, and if Qin Guanlan didn't open his mouth, she would take forceful measures.

Finally, Qin Guanlan could no longer bear it and snatched the spoon from the other person's hand, saying, "I'll eat it myself."

Ignoring the other person's agitation, Shen Qingtang helped adjust the position of the plates and said in a calm tone, "Brother Qin is really amazing, he can eat by himself now."

The words, spoken in a childlike tone and as if a kindergarten teacher were praising someone, made Qin Guanlan feel inexplicably ashamed. Her ears turned bright red, and she lowered her head and ate in silence.

Because he hadn't eaten for three days and three nights, his hand holding the soup spoon trembled, and the first spoonful he scooped up spilled a lot of food onto the table.

Qin Guanlan was secretly annoyed. He quickly glanced at Shen Qingtang's expression and saw that she looked normal and did not show any extra emotion. He then secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Upon witnessing this scene, both Qi Yi and Qi Er cast admiring glances at Shen Qingtang.

Meanwhile, Su Rong arrived at Madam Qin's villa with a heart full of trepidation.

The Qin Mansion occupies a large area, and since the main branch of the Qin family is not very large, the residences are naturally arranged according to individual preferences. Madam Qin, who was born into a prominent family in the port city, prefers the design style of a traditional Chinese courtyard house. However, due to her advanced age, mobility issues, and declining health, she is often confined to a wheelchair, especially before and after humid weather.

He had just taken some painkillers and was resting with his eyes closed under their influence.

Su Rong took a deep breath and stepped into the main hall. After glancing around, she immediately softened her footsteps and respectfully greeted the maid standing to the side: "Sister Ying, I'm here. Is Mom asleep?"

Although Yingjie is just a maid, she was specially brought over from Hong Kong by Old Madam Qin. The two are two years apart in age, have a deep bond, and have always been by each other's side. She knows a lot about the secrets of wealthy families, and she basically raised all the children in the family herself. Her status is very high, equivalent to half of Old Madam Qin.

Because the Qin family was in the jewelry business, she had also studied jewelry appraisal under the guidance of Old Madam Qin and had a deep understanding of jewelry. Naturally, Su Rong treated this Sister Ying with great courtesy both inside and outside the family.

Unlike the usually stern Old Madam Qin, Yingjie was an approachable, round-faced woman with a kind and gentle demeanor. She greeted Su Rong, saying, "Madam, please have a seat." She then hurriedly ordered tea and refreshments to be served, explaining with a smile, "Miss has just taken her medicine, so please wait a little longer, Madam."

Su Rong held the tea but didn't drink it. Her heart was pounding. She smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm the junior, so it's only right that I wait a little longer." After speaking, she paused and glanced at the tea leaves in the teacup, saying, "Sister Ying, does Mom still like this Da Hong Pao tea? My family sent me some Xinyang Maojian tea a few days ago. I'll have someone bring some over later so Mom can try it."

Yingjie smiled kindly and said, "Madam, you've gone to so much trouble. Miss will surely be happy to know your thoughtfulness." Seeing Su Rong looking around every now and then, she added, "Madam, are you getting restless?"

Su Rong's expression froze for a moment, then she quickly shook her head and said, "No, no." Under the other person's silent reminder, she straightened her slumped back again.

After sitting there obediently for ten minutes, Old Mrs. Qin slowly opened her eyes and said to Su Rong, "Little Su, you're here. How has Guan'er been lately?"

Mentioning this topic, Su Rong felt a pang of sadness, and her eyes suddenly reddened as she said, "Mom, the expert from Aus said that Guan'er injured his spine, and the nerves inside are intricately intertwined. Even if surgery is performed, the success rate is only 10%, and it could also lead to life-threatening situations. It would be better to leave it as it is."

The so-called "maintaining the status quo" means being paralyzed in both legs for life.

Thinking of this fact, Su Rong, who was usually tough, choked up, "After Guan'er found out about this, he didn't eat or sleep for three days and three nights. He could only maintain his vital signs by injecting glucose every day."

"A person who is 1.83 meters tall now only weighs 110 kilograms." Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she wiped them away and said, "Miao'er said she wanted to come back to take care of Guan'er. She called me several times to say so, and I want to book her plane ticket as soon as possible."

Hearing this, the previously expressionless Old Mrs. Qin revealed a hint of anger. Her cold, sharp eyes, gleaming with a greenish light, swept over her eldest daughter-in-law, and she scolded, "Foolish! Su Miao is at a crucial stage of her graduation. She fell behind on her thesis progress after her last trip back and received a warning from the professor. How can you let her act recklessly? There are so many servants in the house, plenty of people to take care of her. Doctors and caregivers live here; it's already professional enough. Don't go and cause any more trouble."

Although Shen Qingtang wasn't mentioned, Su Rong knew perfectly well that the other party was using this as an excuse to criticize her for making a mistake and causing trouble. Her face darkened, and she gritted her teeth as she argued, "Mom, those people are professional, but aren't they all just after money? They say one thing to your face and gossip behind your back. How could Guan'er not notice? Miao has always had a close relationship with her brother; it's good for her to come back and take care of Guan'er. At worst, she can postpone her studies. Anyway... anyway, things aren't like they are in Hong Kong..."

Before she could finish speaking, Su Rong was silenced by a cold glance from Old Madam Qin, realizing she had said the wrong thing.

After graduating with her master's degree, Mrs. Qin had the opportunity to pursue a doctorate abroad, but she had to interrupt her studies due to a marriage into a wealthy family. This became a knot in her heart, so she paid special attention to the education of the younger generation.

Fortunately, Sister Ying quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Miss, Madam didn't mean that. It wasn't easy for Miao'er to get into the M University Art Department, and she feels sorry for her too. They're both her children, and she won't feel good if she favors one over the other." She then smoothly changed the subject, saying, "So that's why Madam brought Miss Shen here to take care of Guan'er, right?"

Su Rong quickly gave Yingjie a grateful look and nodded, saying, "Yes, yes." Seeing the disapproving look on Old Madam Qin's face, she licked her lips and said, "Mom, I think Miao'er is right."

"Guan'er broke her leg, ruined her future, and was jilted because of Shen Qingtang. Shen Qingtang should suffer a bit and take care of Guan'er for the rest of her life."

Grandma Qin rubbed her temples and said, "Can you guarantee she won't take this opportunity to retaliate against Guan'er?"

""

Su Rong shook her head and said, "No." Thinking of the other person's clear black and white eyes, she said with inexplicable certainty, "Shen Qingtang is not that kind of person. She said she wants to take good care of Guan'er to atone for her sins and also help Guan'er heal her legs."

Before Old Mrs. Qin could speak, a series of footsteps approached.

"Sister-in-law, you are so kind. Don't forget that Shen Qingtang is a notorious unfilial daughter in the capital."

"I happened to run into Xiaoqian at the door, so I brought you in. I heard that Shen Qingtang didn't take good care of Guanlan at all."

"I heard you bought her a lot of clothes. What a pity, a dog that bites like that can never be tamed."

A woman with delicate features, wearing a white cheongsam embroidered with peonies, walked over with a sorrowful expression. She was Bai Rou, Su Rong's sister-in-law, Qin Ming's wife, and Qin Rongyun's mother.

The person closely following behind was Xiaoqian.

After saying that, she slowly bowed to Old Mrs. Qin and handed her a box of health supplements, saying, "Mom, I've come to see you." Old Mrs. Qin responded indifferently, and Yingjie stepped forward and accepted it with a chuckle.

Hearing this, Su Rong's eyes darted around, her brows furrowed, and she immediately demanded, "Xiaoqian, what's going on?"

"Miss, we were trying to persuade the young master to eat, but Shen Qingtang kicked us out, took away our plates, and wouldn't let him eat." Xiaoqian's real name was Su Qian. She was someone Su Rong brought from her maiden home to serve her, so she was trusted and naturally no one doubted the truth of her words.

Therefore, she was furious after hearing this.

She had just made a promise to Old Madam Qin, but Shen Qingtang's actions the next second slapped her in the face, making her feel utterly humiliated. Without asking her more than a few questions, she immediately led her people over in a flurry of activity.

Watching Su Rong come and go in such a hurry, Old Madam Qin sighed softly, "She's really useless." She showed a hint of disdain on her face, "I really don't know how I chose her from among all these young ladies from prominent families."

When Old Mrs. Qin gets sharp-tongued, she doesn't even spare herself.

Yingjie knelt down and tucked the warm towel around her legs, saying, "Didn't Miss say that even though the First Madam has many flaws, her love for her children is the purest?"

Grandma Qin chuckled and said, "That's true." Seeing the other woman's gaze lingering towards the door, Yingjie immediately understood and asked in a low voice, "Miss, should I go and take a look too?"

Grandma Qin was always fair and impartial, but it was undeniable that among her three grandchildren, she liked Qin Guanlan the most. This was not only because he had green eyes inherited from her, but also because his style of doing things best resembled her own personality when she was young.

Hearing this, Grandma Qin blinked and waved her hand, saying, "There are so many people, let's not cause any more trouble. I'm tired, take me back to my room."

Sister Ying nodded knowingly and pushed her wheelchair, saying, "Then I'll go take a look when I have some free time."