I'm sorry, but your fiancé loves me.

The banquet ended after nine o'clock.

The chilly autumn night wind swept in from the end of the street, and a group of people emerged from the revolving door in twos and threes, carrying the lingering warmth and smell of alcohol from the private room. Some were still laughing and saying goodbye, while others took out their phones to call a designated driver.

Zhou Xue, supported by two girls, had a faint blush on her face and her speech was somewhat slurred, but she still maintained a proper posture and waved to a few classmates.

"I'll send you invitations next month, and not a single one of you is allowed to miss them."

Zhou Yao said to her, "I'll take you home. Park the car over there."

Yun Muqian shook her head casually, "No need. I'm going to a friend's house later. It's not far from here; I can just take a taxi there."

Zhou Yao frowned slightly: "Going to a friend's house so late? Which friend? Do you want me to walk you downstairs?"

"Just a friend, he just got back from out of town and insists on meeting up tonight." She smiled and gently nudged his arm. "You should go home; your sister's drunk."

Zhou Yao glanced back at Zhou Xue's direction, hesitated for two seconds, and then gave in.

"I know." She waved to him, then turned and walked to the other end of the street.

After walking a dozen or so steps, the smile on his face slowly faded.

The autumn night air was dry and chilly. She put her hands in her coat pockets, lowered her head, and walked quickly. When she reached the third street corner, a black car was parked in the middle of the alley.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yao suddenly caught up with her and told her to call him when she got home that night.

She said she understood, and after Zhou Yao left, she went to open the passenger door and got into the car.

Qin Qihan sat in the driver's seat, closing the car door to shut out the chill from outside: "Have you eaten? Do you want to go get something to eat with me? Or should I cook for you at home?"

There was a few seconds of silence in the carriage before Qin Qihan spoke:

"You and Zhou Yao are so close."

Her heart tightened suddenly, remembering how he had deleted Zhou Yao's contact information in front of her last time.

"No, I just came over for a meal. Miss Zhou is here too, as you know. I'm really not that familiar with him."

Qin Qihan ignored her. By the time the car returned to her villa, it was almost ten o'clock. He turned off the engine, and the two of them went inside one after the other.

She changed into slippers, and as soon as she turned around, her back slammed against the edge of the entryway cabinet.

Before she could utter a sound, Qin Qihan had already pressed down on her, one hand on her waist and the other gripping the back of her neck, so tightly that she couldn't move at all.

"Qin Qihan..." Her voice was squeezed out of her throat, trembling slightly.

He didn't speak. The movement of leaning down carried a ruthlessness that had been suppressed for a long time. His lips landed on the side of her neck, his teeth biting down lightly on her skin, leaving a red mark.

Her body tensed up abruptly, and she pushed against his chest with her hand, but he didn't budge.

He unzipped her coat with one hand, his cold fingertips touching the skin of her waist, and she shivered uncontrollably.

"No..." Her voice lowered, and she turned her head away as if to avoid it. "What's wrong with you?"

Her neck was gripped tightly by his hand, and she couldn't break free. His breath was hot and rapid on her earlobe, like something that had been suppressed for a long time finally losing control.

"You were having dinner with him, I knew you were lying to me, you never intended to be with me properly!"

He suddenly sprang up, and after what seemed like an eternity, she collapsed to her knees, almost kneeling on the floor tiles.

He grabbed her waist with one hand and pulled her into his arms, half-lifting and half-embracing her.

He turned on the bathroom light, placed her in the bathtub, then knelt down and turned on the tap to adjust the water temperature. Hot water gushed out, and steam quickly fogged the mirror.

He tested the water temperature, then took the showerhead off, supporting her with one hand while using the other to spray water on her.

Knowing she didn't like sleeping drenched in sweat, he made sure to clean her up afterwards, and he never forgot this, no matter how angry he was.

As the hot water washed over the red marks on her skin, she gasped slightly, her inner thighs and sides burning hot.

"Qin Qihan...why won't you talk to me?"

She suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse, with a lingering soreness in her nose.

Qin Qihan continued washing her hands, brushing the wet streaks of hair from her face, and asked him, "Are you angry?"

"No," he said softly, "I'm not angry."

He said he wasn't angry, but he didn't speak to her again until he fell asleep that night.

On the third day, the sky outside the window was already beginning to lighten. She turned her head and glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table; it was 9:47 a.m.

The seat next to him was empty; Qin Qihan had left sometime earlier.

Meanwhile, at the Zhou family's house, Zhou Yao was nestled in a large sofa, holding a game controller in his hand, watching his character on the screen blow the last enemy's head off with a single shot.

The living room was quiet. The nanny was in the kitchen, talking to the servants. Her chattering voice came through the door.

Just then, a noise came from the entrance hall.

Zhou Yao didn't look up, assuming it was his father returning from out of town, and casually called out, "Dad."

Before he could finish his sentence, a servant from the Zhou family hurried in from the entrance hall:

"Young master, your brother-in-law is here."

Zhou Yao said "Oh," placed the controller on his knees, and slowly sat up straight.

He thought for a moment and realized that his sister and brother-in-law had made up. After all, couples often quarrel in bed and make up before they get out of bed; there's no such thing as holding a grudge overnight.

He stood up, shuffling towards the entryway in his slippers: "Brother-in-law, my sister's upstairs, I'll go call her—"

Before he finished speaking, he turned the corner of the entrance hall.

A fist came crashing down on my face.

He didn't even see how Qin Qihan made his move. In a flash, he took a solid punch, the force of which made him stagger back two steps, and he groaned in pain.

The Coke can slipped from my hand, and brown liquid gushed out of the can, splashing all over the ground and bubbling.

"Holy crap—"

Zhou Yao covered his face and squatted down. His nose bridge felt sore and numb. He raised his head and saw that half of his face had swelled up rapidly. Blood from his nose flowed from between his fingers and dripped down his chin onto the floor tiles.