When Su Zhiyi realized she had been imprisoned by Song Lian, her first instinct was to struggle against the cuffs on her wrists and ankles.
The handcuffs were made of leather, lined with a layer of soft cashmere. Even when she tugged hard, her wrists were only chafed red—and that was her own doing.
The chains attached to the cuffs clattered loudly, but no matter how much she fought, the cuffs wouldn't budge. She only ended up exhausting herself.
"Song Lian is a lunatic..."
She held back her anger, exhaling a breath of frustration, her teeth nearly grinding together.
She had known Song Lian was a madman at heart, an untamable wild dog. She had also been certain that his madness was only directed at the other men around her and would never harm her.
But she never expected that, once pushed to the edge, he would go crazy and bite her back hard.
When had Song Lian started planning this?
Su Zhiyi propped herself up on the soft sheets. In this lavishly decorated room, every breath seemed to smell of money.
The long-prepared invitations, the seemingly coincidental restaurant showdown, the wardrobe full of designer clothes in her size, the room decorated exactly to her taste...
It was a carefully crafted cage, luring her step by step.
She should have guessed.
She had been foolish.
Su Zhiyi's head began to ache, her temples throbbing. She rested her wrist against her forehead, her fluffy chestnut hair hiding her expression as regret washed over her.
If she had known Song Lian harbored such intentions, she would have rather gone back to sleep in the slums last night.
But it was too late for regrets. All she could do was wait for System 030 to come back.
A rare flash of wolf-like ferocity gleamed in her normally gentle doe eyes, chilling enough to make one's heart tremble.
Just then, a soft knock came at the door.
"Zhiyi, are you awake?"
Since things had already come to this, Su Zhiyi didn't bother pretending to be meek and obedient anymore. Her expression turned icy, her gaze piercing the door as if it could stab the person behind it through the wood.
She didn't answer, but the knocker opened the door anyway.
Song Lian walked in, just like last night, carrying a tray. He was dressed casually, and even the curve of his smile hadn't changed. He looked exactly like the gentle, childhood friend she had always known.
If you ignored the cuffs on Su Zhiyi's wrists and ankles.
"I guessed you'd wake up around this time. I've sent Uncle Zhang back to the old mansion. From now on, it's just you and me in this villa—no one else."
"So breakfast today is made by me. It's all light dishes; I thought they'd suit your taste."
He acted as if he couldn't see Su Zhiyi's resentful glare, walking straight to her bedside and placing the carefully prepared foie gras sandwich and heated milk on the nightstand.
His every move was refined and elegant, befitting the upper class. His flawless face smiled gently at her, his voice magnetic, dripping with tenderness. His eyes were full of affection, like an unfathomable swamp—step in, and you'd sink, unable to escape.
Seeing Su Zhiyi's silence, he wasn't upset. He continued speaking in a concerned tone.
"Do you want to eat now? Or if you're not hungry, you can eat later. But later it'll get cold. That's fine too—I'll heat it up for you, or make a new one."
It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who had locked her in this exquisite, luxurious cage with shackles.
Su Zhiyi had decided to wait for System 030 to return. Now that Song Lian had dropped his mask, she didn't want to pretend either.
She showed no respect for Song Lian, raising the cuffs on her wrists.
The chains clanked loudly, the harsh sound shattering any remaining warmth between them.
"What's the meaning of this? Song Lian, what Su Qinghuai said yesterday was right—you're disgusting."
Confronted by Su Zhiyi's blunt accusation, a look not of anger, but of hurt and sorrow, crossed Song Lian's gentle eyes.
"Zhiyi, you used to call me Brother Song."
"When did you start distancing yourself from me? What made us grow so distant?"
As if addressing a lover who was willful and immature, he said regretfully, "I know you love money and power. That's fine—who doesn't like money and power? Whatever you want, if I have it, I'll give it to you. If I don't, I'll find a way to get it and give it to you."
"But then... why did you choose to give up on me?"
His slender, well-defined hand touched Su Zhiyi's cheek.
His palm was warm, but his fingertips were cold. He watched the color drain from the girl's face, a barely suppressible sense of pleasure rising within him.
"Was it because of Si Yanjing? But the Su and Song families are about equal in A City. I'm the eldest son of the Song family, the future heir—I'm even better than him."
"Or was it because of Su Qinghuai? I admit Su Qinghuai is a little smarter than Si Yanjing, but in my eyes, he's still an idiot. His ability and scheming can't compare to mine. Yet he's so greedy, wanting you all to himself, but he's still under the Su family's control."
"Neither of them is as good as me. So why did you choose to give up on me? My dear, I want to hear the truth from you."
"Get lost!"
Su Zhiyi was provoked by Song Lian's snake-like, icy tenderness, her emotions flaring up.
"Talk if you want, but keep your hands to yourself!"
Her pupils shrank. She slapped Song Lian's hand away from her cheek.
Before he could react, she lifted her leg and kicked him hard in the abdomen, trying to push him away.
Song Lian lowered his head, his slightly long bangs hiding most of his expression. The kick only made his body sway a little.