Chapter 26: Pretending to Faint Isn't Amusing Anymore

She had no doubt that Bo Jinhang would expose her secrets in public and ruthlessly humiliate her just to avenge Ning Qian.

When Ning Qian saw Shen Ling push someone, her furious gaze shot over and she shouted, “How dare you push Mr. Bo?”

Shen Ling’s head throbbed from the piercing shriek, her face etched with impatience as she ground out, “Don’t bother me.”

She could no longer care about the consequences of angering Bo Jinhang. Xu Shengye’s involvement had made the situation far more complicated, and she was determined not to let their relationship become fodder for gossip. All she wanted was to leave.

But Bo Jinhang had no intention of letting her go so easily. His tall, imposing figure blocked her path, his voice laced with a veiled threat: “You stay.”

Xu Shengye, witnessing this, tried to push open the glass door to clear a path, intent on helping Shen Ling leave first.

The two men were evenly matched, locked in a silent struggle that dragged on with neither able to gain the upper hand.

Not wanting Xu Shengye to be dragged further into the mess, Shen Ling urged him to go first.

Bo Jinhang sensed her favoritism, and the frost deepened in his dark, bottomless eyes. If looks could kill, Shen Ling would have died a thousand deaths under his gaze.

Yet she remained oblivious. Ning Qian, seeing all this, anxiously tried to defend Bo Jinhang and rushed over to grab Shen Ling’s arm. “Let go of him!”

In her haste to leave, pestered by someone persisting at her side, Shen Ling didn’t have time to think. On instinct, she raised her hand and shoved the other woman aside.

“This has nothing to do with you.”

In the next instant, a loud crash echoed through the room. Everyone froze where they stood, turning in unison to look.

Ning Qian had fallen heavily to the floor, her face drained of color, lips bloodless, her entire body limp and slack, as if she had lost all consciousness.

Bo Jinhang’s expression changed. He strode over and caught her wavering form.

“Ning Qian, wake up.”

There was no response. Her head lolled to one side, eyes tightly shut.

Shen Ling too was rattled, completely unprepared for such an outcome. Suddenly, Bo Jinhang’s gaze, sharp as a blade, slashed toward her, making her heart skip a beat.

Uncontainable fury boiled in Bo Jinhang’s chest. His tone did not rise, but his words were stern and cold: “Shen Ling, you’ve gone too far!”

Her lips pressed in a calm line, Shen Ling looked steadily at Ning Qian, her demeanor unruffled.

Though Ning Qian’s face was pale and she appeared to have fainted, the delicate tremor of her lashes betrayed her true condition.

Shen Ling knew she hadn’t used much force when she brushed her aside. How could Ning Qian be so seriously affected?

To confirm her suspicion, Shen Ling walked over and took Ning Qian’s hand, pressing hard into the web between her thumb and forefinger.

Sure enough, pain flashed across Ning Qian’s face. Her eyes flew open, and she shot Shen Ling a fierce glare before turning back to Bo Jinhang, her expression instantly shifting to one of pitiful distress, voice trembling with sobs.

“It hurts. It hurts so much.”

Watching her performance, Shen Ling understood at once and let out a cold laugh, exposing her without hesitation, “Miss Ning, isn’t it pointless to pretend you’ve fainted?”

The spot she pressed was so sensitive that unless someone was truly unconscious, few could endure the pain.

But Ning Qian clutched her hand, tears welling in her eyes and glistening delicately on her cheeks, like a fragile flower battered by wind and rain. “Miss Shen, why must you make things so difficult for me? I was already knocked out, and yet you still want to hurt me?”