Chapter 50 - Su Nian's Confession

The windshield shattered, and Su Nian’s first instinct was to use his body to shield Lin Xiaowen beside him. As Lin Xiaowen awoke in terror, her eyes landed immediately on Cheng Yishu, standing in front of the car, furious and menacing.

“Are you alright?” Su Nian asked with concern, glancing at the still-shaken Lin Xiaowen. But Lin Xiaowen’s gaze was fixed, staring at Cheng Yishu, whose eyes burned red with rage, fists clenched tightly.

Though Su Nian bent forward, careful not to touch Lin Xiaowen, to Cheng Yishu outside the car, it appeared an unmistakably intimate posture.

Suddenly, the car door was yanked open from outside. Su Nian felt his collar seized forcefully, and his entire body was dragged out of the vehicle.

Lin Xiaowen stared in disbelief as Cheng Yishu, his brows furrowed and eyes cold with uncontrollable anger, hauled Su Nian from the driver’s seat. She immediately rushed out, and amid her startled cry, another heavy fist landed on Su Nian’s face.

“Cheng Yishu, are you insane? Why are you hitting people? Let him go!” Lin Xiaowen staggered, grabbing Cheng Yishu’s arm to stop his next punch. Su Nian, sprawled on the ground, merely wiped the blood from his mouth and nose.

He lifted his gaze to Cheng Yishu’s darkened face, saying nothing, though a fierce aura began to gather around him.

“Cheng Yishu, what are you doing at my door in the middle of the night? And why are you hitting my friend for no reason?” Lin Xiaowen, anxious and bewildered, glared at Cheng Yishu, who glared back. Su Nian stood up, pulling Lin Xiaowen protectively behind him.

“Here we go again!” The muscles in Su Nian’s face quivered with restrained anger, his fists tightening, making a grinding sound.

“That’s my line. If I’m not mistaken, your name is Su Nian, isn’t it?” Cheng Yishu, annoyed, shook his bruised fist, deliberately acting indifferent.

“Come on. Earlier, I lost my temper. Now, let’s do this properly!” Su Nian took a step forward, but Lin Xiaowen pushed him aside, positioning herself between the two men. Her almond eyes widened as she looked from one to the other, then she shouted at Cheng Yishu, “What do you want? I’m asking you, what right do you have to hit people?”

Did this man think his wealth gave him license to hit people without reason? Or did he think, just because someone liked him, he could come and go as he pleased? Who did he think he was? Did he expect everyone to revolve around him?

“What do I want?” Cheng Yishu’s eyes glinted coldly as he smiled and continued,

“Do you really think I’d sit outside your building for forty-five hours, this late at night, for no reason? Or perhaps you should ask the gentleman behind you—ask what he’s been up to…”

Lin Xiaowen’s heart skipped a beat, startled by Cheng Yishu’s words, and she stood frozen in place, unable to recover. So, he had been waiting for her? And for so long?

Su Nian’s teeth ground together as he strained to keep himself from lashing out in front of Lin Xiaowen. But when he heard Cheng Yishu about to expose his recent behavior toward Lin Xiaowen, he could no longer restrain himself, lunging forward.

His calloused fist swept toward Cheng Yishu’s chest with a sharp gust. Cheng Yishu reacted swiftly, stepping back and turning to dodge the punch with ease. Su Nian, caught off guard by Cheng Yishu’s quickness, showed a trace of surprise in his eyes, then launched another punch toward Cheng Yishu’s face.

Amid Lin Xiaowen’s cries, the two men traded blows, ignoring her pleas as if she were invisible. In desperation, she summoned her courage and, eyes shut, rushed between them.

The sound of a fist slamming into flesh rang out, accompanied by a man’s muffled groan. Lin Xiaowen’s heart leapt wildly; opening her eyes, she found herself facing Cheng Yishu’s slightly open shirt collar and the exposed pale skin beneath.

Painful breaths echoed above her, followed by the familiar scent of sandalwood cologne she thought she would never again encounter.

It turned out that, just before Lin Xiaowen threw herself between them, Su Nian’s fist was mere inches from striking Cheng Yishu. In that critical moment, Cheng Yishu could only turn sideways, shielding Lin Xiaowen in his arms, presenting his back to Su Nian.

The punch was not light; Cheng Yishu felt that, had he not bitten his lip, he might have spat blood. He thought only, “Damn, this guy’s trained!”

“Cheng Yishu, are you…are you alright?” Lin Xiaowen, up close, saw Cheng Yishu’s face turn pale, his body hunched in pain, brows tightly knit. Concern rose in her heart.

“I’m fine…” Cheng Yishu exhaled and shot her a glare. “Are you stupid? Why would you get between fighting men?”

Lin Xiaowen’s lips trembled as she looked at him—the man who, despite the pain, still found time to ‘teach’ her a lesson. For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.

“One punch each. We’re even!” Su Nian’s cold voice drifted from behind. Cheng Yishu gritted his teeth, turned to face him, lips curled in mockery, his eyes full of contempt.

“Even? Don’t you want to say anything else?” Cheng Yishu’s meaning was clear; he had no intention of letting Su Nian walk away so easily.

Lin Xiaowen, even more confused, pulled Cheng Yishu aside and asked, “What are you two talking about?”

“You foolish woman, you don’t even know you’ve been taken advantage of…” Cheng Yishu looked at Lin Xiaowen, who was clueless, his anger rising.

Earlier, as soon as Su Nian parked the car, Cheng Yishu had noticed them. It was already the early hours, and the car stopped at the alley entrance. Even if he didn’t recognize the car, it wasn’t hard to guess Lin Xiaowen had returned.

But after waiting a while and seeing no one exit, Cheng Yishu walked toward the car. He saw Lin Xiaowen asleep, and Su Nian, looking sly, secretly kissed her.

Lin Xiaowen, shocked and suspicious at Cheng Yishu’s words, looked at Su Nian, whose eyes were downcast. She whispered, “Su Nian…”

She called his name but could say nothing else.

Could it be? Su Nian had always been respectful to her. Even when she sensed his feelings, he had never acted inappropriately. Today…

“I’m sorry…Xiaowen.” Su Nian looked up at Lin Xiaowen, as if making a decision. “I like you. I believe you’ve always felt it, even though I’ve never confessed. But today, I want to make it clear. I like you. I’ve liked you ever since three years ago…”

“Stop!” Cheng Yishu interrupted Su Nian’s abrupt, ill-timed confession, stepping forward, disbelief written all over his face.

“You’ve got nerve—trying to take advantage, and when you fail, confessing on the spot. Do you have any shame?”

Su Nian’s gaze passed straight over Cheng Yishu, landing on Lin Xiaowen’s astonished face.

“I mean it. I know I’m just a nobody, not good enough for you. But Xiaowen…if you’re willing to be with me, I can change for you…I’ll give you and Ranran a home.”