Chapter 1613

The trio arrived at the club just in time to see Samuel making a phone call in the lobby on the first floor. Spotting them, Samuel ended the call and strode over with his long, confident steps. Mu Nuan and Xiao Qingqing chimed in unison, "Uncle Samuel." Samuel gave them a gentle nod before shifting his gaze to Ye Heng'an's face. Ye Heng'an asked, "So, Uncle, is the person still here?" Samuel replied calmly, "Perfect timing—I just finished up. Let me take you upstairs." After speaking, he glanced briefly at Xiao Qingqing, then turned and headed toward the elevator. The three followed him to the top floor. When they reached a room, Samuel paused, leaning casually against the wall before looking back at Xiao Qingqing and gesturing toward the door. Xiao Qingqing understood. She took a few steps forward and pressed her ear lightly against the door—only to hear unmistakably... intimate sounds from inside. She jerked her face away, her expression freezing in shock, too stunned to react. Behind her, Mu Nuan exchanged a glance with Ye Heng'an. Without a word, Ye Heng'an stepped back, pulling out his phone to activate the camera, while Mu Nuan stepped up and knocked on the door. The noises inside abruptly stopped. Moments later, an irritated woman’s voice snapped, "Who is it?" Mu Nuan pitched her voice into a deferential tone. "Good evening, madam. Mr. Ye has prepared an exquisite bottle of red wine for our esteemed suite guests. May we deliver it to you?" Within seconds, the door swung open from the inside. Yang Yun emerged wrapped only in a white bathrobe, her cheeks flushed and a few glistening beads of sweat still clinging to her collarbone. Even without hearing the earlier commotion, anyone seeing her in this state could easily guess what she had just been doing. When she pulled open the door and saw Mu Nuan and the others standing there instead of the spa attendant, she froze for a second. But then, the corner of her lips curled into a provocative smirk. "Oh, it's you guys. What do you want?" Hearing Yang the Harvey family voice, the man inside the room grew curious and stepped down from the bed, a towel wrapped around his waist. But the moment he reached the entryway and saw Xiao Qingqing's pale face at the door, his entire body stiffened. Xiao Qingqing's gaze locked onto his face. The unease in her expression melted into bitter self-mockery the instant she saw Yang Yun. So... it really was him. Ding You snapped out of his daze and rushed to the door, grabbing Xiao Qingqing's wrist in a trembling grip. "Qingqing, listen to me—it's not what you think! This whole thing—" Xiao Qingqing tried to pull her hand free, but Ding You, frantic, held on with all his strength. Mu Nuan moved to intervene, but Xiao Qingqing gently caught her hand and shook her head. Understanding that Xiao Qingqing wanted to handle this herself, Mu Nuan took a step back, rejoining Ye Heng'an, who was quietly recording the scene. Xiao Qingqing stopped struggling. She closed her eyes briefly, then met Ding You's gaze again, forcing her voice to remain steady. "Ding You, let go." "No, I won't!" His eyes reddened with desperation. "Qingqing, I didn’t mean to betray you! Yang Yun blackmailed me—I—" "Ding You!" Yang Yun yanked his arm, glaring at him. "What the hell are you saying? You're a grown man, and I'm a woman—it's not like I dragged you here. You can't just deny everything after getting what you wanted!" "Shut up, Yang Yun!" Ding You shook her off, fury burning in his eyes. "You threatened me with my job!" He turned back to Xiao Qingqing, his voice cracking. "I never told you, but the company I interned at was Yang Yun’s family business. I was doing well—I was supposed to get a full-time offer. But then she found out I worked there and used it against me. She said if I slept with her just once, she’d make sure I got the position and leave me alone afterward. I—I was weak. I thought if I gave in, she’d stay away from me. I let her exploit me." "So," Xiao Qingqing let out a bitter laugh, "this isn't the first time, is it?" "I... Qingqing..." "Ding You, you're quite the actor. I actually believed you genuinely hated Yang Yun at school." Despite his disheveled appearance, Ding You raised his hand in a solemn vow. "I don't like her, I swear." "You don't like her, yet you slept with her?" Xiao Qingqing shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, maybe I'm just... not progressive enough to understand your logic or accept your actions. We're done." "No, Qingqing, I love you. I can't lose you." Ding You stepped forward, but she immediately retreated, maintaining the distance between them. Her voice was icy. "Ding You, remember what I told you the day I agreed to be with you?" His expression froze. She knew he remembered, yet she repeated it anyway: "I said I'd accept your courtship under two conditions. First, I won't betray you emotionally—if I'm with you, I won't develop feelings for anyone else. The same goes for you. Second, we can argue, we can disagree, but neither of us can ever use 'breakup' as a weapon during fights. Because once those words are spoken, I won't look back." Tears welled in Ding You's eyes. "Qingqing, please. I truly love you. Give me one more chance—just one. I swear I'll never betray you again, not in this lifetime. I promise." Pain flickered in Xiao Qingqing's gaze, but her resolve remained unshaken. "I'm sorry, Ding You. I won't." She tried wrenching her hand free again, but his grip held firm. "Ding You, let go!" Through his tears, he shook his head. Everyone could see the depth of his regret. But it was too late. Just as he was about to continue harassing her, his wrist was suddenly seized by an iron grip. The sharp pain forced him to release his hold, and when he turned his head, he found himself staring into the face of an unfamiliar, imposing man. At the same time, Yang Yun, standing behind him, recognized the newcomer and gasped in surprise. "Third Uncle?" Before her voice had even faded, Xiao Qingqing, now freed from his grasp, swiftly turned and bolted away without a backward glance. "Qingqing!" Mu Nuan's heart ached at the sight of her fleeing figure, and she instinctively moved to follow. But Samuel was quicker. He turned toward Mu Nuan and Ye Heng'an, his tone decisive. "I know this area well—I'll go after her. You two handle these two troublemakers." As Samuel strode off, Mu Nuan watched his retreating figure with concern and glanced at Ye Heng'an. "Do you think Third Uncle can manage this?" Ye Heng'an frowned slightly, his gaze lingering on his uncle's distant silhouette. Since when did Third Uncle... start meddling in other people's affairs?