Chapter 1622

Ding You's hand was abruptly intercepted mid-air by a larger one, while Xiao Qingqing found herself securely cradled in a warm embrace. Her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively turned, intending to push Samuel back inside. But she was too late—the reporters' camera flashes had already erupted in a frenzy at the sight of the unexpected figure emerging from the room. The man who stepped out wasn’t the elderly president of the Qiao Group, but the infamous third master of the Nelson family, Samuel himself! With just one icy, piercing glance from Samuel, the barrage of camera flashes ceased instantly. Yang Yun froze at the sight of him, instinctively taking a fearful step backward. "Uncle Samuel?" she blurted out, her voice trembling. "Why—why are you here? You were supposed to be in—" Mid-sentence, she seemed to realize something and abruptly cut herself off, her bewildered gaze darting toward another room down the hall. She swallowed hard, her expression a mix of shock and confusion. Samuel scoffed coldly. "My girlfriend and I were resting here. Where else would I be?" *Girlfriend.* The word struck like a thunderbolt, stunning everyone—including Xiao Qingqing. With a forceful shove, Samuel sent Ding You stumbling to the floor. His voice was as frigid as midwinter ice: "Keep your filthy hands to yourself. No one touches what’s mine." Ding You shrank back, seething with silent fury but smart enough not to retaliate. Ignoring the stunned disbelief around him, Samuel turned to Xiao Qingqing, his tone softening slightly. "Qingqing, tell me—who accused you of meeting some old man in here?" Her gaze instinctively flickered toward the reporter who had first hurled the accusation. Even with his years of experience, the middle-aged reporter felt a chill run down his spine under Samuel’s icy gaze. This was not a man he could afford to cross. Immediately, he lowered his camera and bent forward in an almost reverent apology. "My apologies, Third Master. Our company received an anonymous tip that President Qiao was secretly meeting a woman here. We were just verifying the rumor, but it turned out to be a huge misunderstanding. I sincerely apologize for disturbing you and Miss Xiao. I’ll delete the footage right away." Other media outlets, eager to protect themselves, quickly followed suit, deleting their videos on the spot. But Yang Yun wasn’t buying it. She had never heard a whisper about her uncle being in a relationship—let alone with Xiao Qingqing, of all people. What right did she have to stand beside Samuel? She was just the despised stepdaughter of the Su family. "No way, I don’t believe it!" Yang Yun blurted out. "Uncle, she was Ding You’s girlfriend just days ago. How could she possibly be with you so soon? Or is it that you’re playing both sides, Xiao Qingqing?" Her words stoked the fury in Ding You, who had just been shoved aside by Samuel. Clenching his fists, he shot a venomous glare at Xiao Qingqing, demanding an explanation. Surprisingly, Samuel didn’t react with anger. Instead, he ruffled Xiao Qingqing’s hair as if soothing a child. "Little one," he murmured, "are you really going to let them walk all over you like this?" Xiao Qingqing froze. He was leaving the choice to her? What if she denied being his girlfriend? Then he’d be ruined—his reputation shattered by last night’s scandal. Nuan Nuan always said Samuel was meticulous, never one to leave himself vulnerable. But why... Samuel leaned in close to her ear, his low, husky voice carrying a faint scent of tobacco as he whispered, "Don't be afraid. Third Uncle has your back." Xiao Qingqing turned her head slightly to meet his gaze, her mind gradually clearing. The moment Samuel had stepped out of that room, he'd already been dragged into this mess by her. Given the circumstances, she couldn't afford to tarnish his reputation any further! Clenching her fists, her eyes took on an icy demeanor that belied her twenty years of age. With natural ease, she looped her arm through Samuel's and cast a disdainful glance at Yang Yun. "Yang Yun, is it really worth dredging up what happened a few days ago? A man like Third Uncle—loving him doesn't take days. One glance is enough! Oh, and I should thank you. If you hadn't climbed into my ex-boyfriend's bed and ruined my relationship, I might never have had the chance to stand by Third Uncle's side!" Hearing this, Samuel's expression remained utterly unreadable, not a trace of emotion betraying his thoughts. Instead, his gaze turned cold and menacing as he glared at Yang Yun. "Playing the homewrecker and then pointing fingers at others? Your father truly raised a shameless disgrace for the Yang family!" Seeing Samuel turn his fury toward her, Yang the Harvey family courage faltered. "Third Uncle, no, I—" "Shut up! Take that worthless trash beside you and get out! Go kneel in your family's ancestral hall and repent. If I come to settle the score with your father and you're not there, don't blame me for what happens to your family." The unmistakable warning in Samuel's eyes was enough to extinguish any defiance Yang Yun might have mustered, no matter how bold she fancied herself. Fuming, she shot Xiao Qingqing one last venomous glare before snorting coldly and dragging away the resentful Ding You, who was still glaring daggers at Xiao Qingqing. That little bitch was nothing but a stepdaughter of the Su family—someone of her lowly status wasn't even fit to polish the Nelson family's shoes! A man as lofty and calculating as Third Uncle would never actually marry her. Once he'd had his fun and discarded her, she'd make sure that wretch paid dearly! The reporters, witnessing the scene, didn't dare linger a second longer. Hastily packing up their equipment, they scrambled to leave. Just then, Samuel's icy voice cut through the air from in front of them: "Leaving so soon? I thought you came here to photograph Qiao Nancheng, not to harass the woman belonging to Samuel." The older reporter from earlier paled, immediately grasping the implication. He hastily replied with deference, "No, Third Master, it's just that President Qiao isn't here—" "Who said he isn't?" Samuel lazily raised a slender finger, gesturing indolently toward a suite not far away. "Last night, I saw Qiao Nancheng enter that room." Xiao Qingqing followed the direction of his finger. So, President Qiao really had come here? Then how had she ended up in Third Uncle's bed? She had thought she'd pieced together what happened, but now everything seemed muddled again. As she stood there dazed, Samuel's voice, laced with a chilling edge, continued, "Go ahead and take your pictures. If I don't see the most truthful report about this incident later, I’ll assume you deliberately crossed me. And the consequences... well, you’re welcome to test me." Though his tone was calm, the underlying threat sent a wave of panic through the crowd. No one dared to leave now. With that, Samuel wrapped an arm around Xiao Qingqing’s shoulders and strode past the crowd of reporters, heading straight for the elevators without a backward glance. Only when they were well out of sight did Xiao Qingqing squirm uncomfortably, trying to slip free from his hold. But Samuel’s grip didn’t loosen in the slightest. "Don’t burn your bridges too soon," he murmured. "They’re still watching." Xiao Qingqing immediately stilled. Once they left the hotel, she made to leave on her own, but Samuel steered her firmly into his car. His reason? Last night’s incident needed to be settled—once and for all.