Chapter 9: The Madman

"It’s nothing," Qu Bonan replied dismissively. "A bit spicy."

"Spicy?" Mother Qu looked surprised. "I know you prefer a bland diet, so I specifically made sure not to add any chili."

"Drink some water."

Shen Zhiwei thoughtfully poured a glass of water for Qu Bonan. Just as he reached out to take it, Chen Su extended her foot to the most sensitive spot.

Qu Bonan failed to catch the glass, and the water spilled all over Shen Zhiwei.

Seeing this, Chen Su withdrew her leg, quite satisfied, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips.

"Zhiwei," Mother Qu rose at once. "Did you get burned?"

Shen Zhiwei shook her head. "It was my fault for not holding it steady. You two please go ahead and eat; I'll go to the restroom to clean up."

She stood up and headed straight for the restroom.

Seeing this, Chen Su also stood up. "Mom, I’m finished. You and my brother take your time; I’m going upstairs."

She set down her bowl and chopsticks and walked toward the stairs, but instead of going up, she headed for the restroom on the first floor.

While cleaning her dress, Shen Zhiwei saw Chen Su standing at the doorway reflected in the vanity mirror.

Her features were pure, gentle, and harmless, yet the corners of her eyes were upturned sharply.

She looked like a peacock.

Shen Zhiwei looked up. "Looking for me?"

Chen Su crossed her arms, her tone provocative. "Sister Shen, do you really think that just because you've returned to the country, you can marry my brother?"

Shen Zhiwei had known even before going abroad that Chen Su’s surface-level docility was like that of a little white rabbit.

But deep down, she was a black-hearted lotus who could devour people without leaving a trace.

She wiped her hands dry and turned to face Chen Su. "I don’t know if I can marry him, but I do know one thing: he will never marry you, will he?"

In this brief clash, Chen Su lost completely.

She curled her lips. "Is that so? Do you dare to make a bet with me?"

Intuition told Shen Zhiwei that this bet was no good. She turned off the faucet.

"Su Su, you’re still young and can’t distinguish between familial and romantic love. I understand," she said, smiling as she patted her shoulder. "I won't hold it against you. After all, I’m going to be your sister-in-law, so I won’t be making any bets with you."

The term "sister-in-law" felt like it was carving Chen Su’s heart to pieces.

Watching Shen Zhiwei pull her hand away, Chen Su suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Sister-in-law? You’re quite confident, aren't you?"

Chen Su sneered, her grip tightening, the last trace of innocence vanishing from her eyes. "Shen Zhiwei, it seems you didn't take a single word of the warning I gave you when you left the country all those years ago."

Shen Zhiwei felt a inexplicable sense of trepidation. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back. "What are you doing?"

Chen Su arched a brow. "Care to guess?"

Before Shen Zhiwei could even process the thought, Chen Su let go and threw herself onto the floor.

Her forehead struck the wall, and she let out a cry of surprise.

Qu Bonan arrived before his mother. Seeing Chen Su collapsed on the floor, his handsome face darkened instantly, tinged with a hint of panic.

With just one look, he understood what had happened, and the worry in his eyes vanished.

Chen Su’s eyes welled with tears. "Brother Qu, it hurts so much..."

A flash of murky emotion crossed Qu Bonan’s eyes. He bent down and scooped Chen Su up.

Mother Qu arrived at that moment. "What happened here?"

"It’s all my fault."

Seeing that the situation was turning against her, Shen Zhiwei took the initiative. "I didn't watch where I was going when I came out of the restroom and accidentally bumped into Chen Su. Bonan, you should take her to treat the wound; it would be a shame for a girl to be left with a scar on her face."

Qu Bonan gave a curt nod. "You go ahead and eat. I’ll be down in a moment."

He carried Chen Su upstairs.

As they passed, Chen Su shot a provocative glance at Shen Zhiwei.

What a lunatic.

Shen Zhiwei felt that this woman, Chen Su, was at least somewhat mentally unstable.

Upstairs, Qu Bonan pushed open the bedroom door and tossed Chen Su none-too-gently onto the soft bed.

He leaned over, his broad fingers clamped firmly and forcefully around her chin. "Are you done playing?"