Chapter 50

Worried that reporting to the police would make Chen Qing post her photos online, Xu Qairan ultimately didn’t report it. Shen Youwei, having grown up with her, knew her well enough to predict that if Chen Qing threatened her again, she would meet him: “You’re not reporting, but does that mean you’ll just obey Chen Qing? He has these photos, who knows what he wants.”
Xu Qairan said: “He probably just wants to reconcile with me.”
“But if you refuse, he can still post the photos, right?” Shen Youwei tried to persuade her: “If you compromise once, he’ll always have leverage over you.”
Xu Qairan frowned, silent. She understood, but with the photos in Chen Qing’s hands, she had no choice: “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let him take those photos back then.”
At the time, love had clouded her judgment, and she hadn’t thought there was anything wrong. Now, looking back, she wanted to slap her past self.
“Regret won’t help. Prepare for the worst.” Shen Youwei didn’t doubt that, given Chen Qing’s unstable state, he would post the photos online.
“Why are you two taking so long? The food’s getting cold.” Aunt Xu called from outside. Shen Youwei and Xu Qairan composed themselves and left the kitchen.
After lunch, Shen Youwei and Guan Shanyan didn’t rush to leave, afraid Chen Qing might return. They stayed until four o’clock, only leaving when Aunt Xu started preparing dinner again.
Before leaving, Shen Youwei reminded Aunt Xu to keep a close eye on Xu Qairan.
On the way back, Shen Youwei stayed quiet. Guan Shanyan glanced at her: “Still worried about Xu Qairan?”
She nodded: “Yes. I think she’ll probably go see Chen Qing. She’s too scared the photos will be exposed.”
Guan Shanyan: “That’s normal. Anyone would be scared in this situation.”
“So what should we do?”
“There’s no perfect solution. People must face consequences for past mistakes.” Guan Shanyan glanced at her: “If all else fails, we can just say the photos are AI-generated.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
They really thought alike.
The rest of the afternoon passed without incident. Before bed, Shen Youwei messaged Xu Qairan, who didn’t react strangely.
The next morning around five, Shen Youwei was woken by a phone call. Half-asleep, she answered: “Hello, ”
“Youwei, it’s me! Qairan’s gone!” Aunt Xu’s anxious voice came through. “She must have sneaked out while I was asleep!”
Shen Youwei’s mind cleared. Sitting up, she asked: “Do you know where she went?”
“No, I can’t reach her. I asked the security guards, they said she left in the middle of the night and a car picked her up.”
“No doubt, it must be Chen Qing. Don’t worry, it’s probably him.”
Hearing Chen Qing’s name, Aunt Xu panicked: “How much more does he want to hurt my daughter before he leaves her alone?!”
Shen Youwei quickly reassured her: “Chen Qing probably just wants to reconcile. She should be safe. But we should report it to the police immediately.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll call right away.”
After hanging up, Shen Youwei couldn’t sleep either. She got out of bed, washed up, changed clothes, and planned to go to Aunt Xu’s.
As she opened the door, Guan Shanyan’s bedroom door opened too: “It’s still dark. Where are you going so early?”
Shen Youwei looked at him in surprise: “You’re up this early too?”
Guan Shanyan: “I woke up when I heard activity in your room.”

“No way, this house isn’t supposed to be that thin-walled, right?”
“It’s quiet at night,” Guan Shanyan said truthfully, but not the whole truth. Yesterday, when Shen Youwei told him that Chen Qing had contact with Jiang Peipei, he had already been worried that the two of them might try to harm Shen Youwei. He had been keeping a close eye on her ever since, fearing something might happen.
“Going out at this hour, what happened?”
Shen Youwei said, “Xu Qairan went out with Chen Qing in the middle of the night. I couldn’t sleep anyway, so I thought I’d check on Aunt Xu.”
“Wait, I’ll go with you.” Guan Shanyan returned to his room to get ready, taking even less time than Shen Youwei. He changed quickly and came out. “Let’s go.”
“Mm.” Shen Youwei nodded, took out her phone, and snapped a photo of Guan Shanyan. “Wait, I need to save a record first.”
“…” Guan Shanyan watched as she aimed the camera at him and couldn’t help asking, “Do you really have to take a photo of me to save a record?”
Weren’t the photos she took of him changing yesterday already private enough?
Shen Youwei said, “You look good. I like taking pictures of you.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He looked away and cleared his throat. Shen Youwei blinked and teased, “Enjoying it a little, huh?”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
Well, it was acceptable.
Shen Youwei put her phone away and walked out with Guan Shanyan. Along the way, she continued messaging Aunt Xu to ask about Xu Qairan’s situation.
“Aunt Xu already called the police and told them about the photos,” she said to Guan Shanyan, who was driving. “What do you think Chen Qing will do with Xu Qairan in the middle of the night?”
“I don’t know. Surely he’s not going to watch the sunrise, right?”
“Now that you mention it, it’s possible,” Shen Youwei muttered. Last time, a sunrise had caused conflict between them. She remembered being woken in the middle of the night. “But when I saw Chen Qing in the car, his mental state was really bad, like he wanted to drag us all down with him.”
Guan Shanyan frowned slightly before speaking: “That’s because you were in the car. If it were just Xu Qairan, maybe not.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
So Chen Qing basically wanted her dead.
She also recalled how Chen Qing had taken a call from Jiang Peipei in the car. If these two were colluding, then yes, it would be pure hatred toward her.
“Do you think Jiang Peipei knows where Chen Qing and Xu Qairan are?” Shen Youwei asked. “If they’re colluding, maybe he has information.”
Guan Shanyan thought for a moment and said, “It’s possible, but don’t go directly to him. Notify the police and let them contact Jiang Peipei.”
“Okay.” Shen Youwei sent this message to Aunt Xu, who immediately informed the police and anxiously awaited news.
After a while, Shen Youwei received a WeChat message from Aunt Xu:
[Youwei, I’m going to Qingjing Mountain to find Caihong. Don’t come to Mocha Community.]
Shen Youwei frowned as she read it: “Aunt Xu went to Qingjing Mountain. She says Xu Qairan is there.”
Guan Shanyan glanced at her: “How does she know?”
“She didn’t say. Probably got some info from Jiang Peipei,” Shen Youwei replied, worried. “Should we go check too?”
Guan Shanyan thought for a moment: “I’m worried they’ll do something to you. I’ll go alone.”
Shen Youwei disagreed: “If they really wanted to harm me, wouldn’t it be safest to stay with you? You’re a man who doesn’t even fear wild boars!”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
“Besides, I already saved a record. Even if danger comes, we can still cheat.”
“Fine.” Guan Shanyan finally relented. Shen Youwei was right, staying with him was the safest option.
He changed direction and drove toward Qingjing Mountain. Shen Youwei messaged Aunt Xu to stay put and wait for them or the police before taking action.
Qingjing Mountain was vast, and today being the weekend, finding Xu Qairan and Chen Qing among so many people was no easy task. Shen Youwei and Guan Shanyan opted for the cable car instead of hiking.
Earlier, Aunt Xu had sent them a location, saying she had found Xu Qairan. Shen Youwei and Guan Shanyan hurried to meet them, and, unsurprisingly, saw Chen Qing.
Chen Qing sneered at their approach: “I just brought Xu Qairan to watch the sunrise. You made such a fuss and even called the police?”
Shen Youwei wanted to speak, but Guan Shanyan stepped forward, shielding her: “Have you and Xu Qairan reconciled?”
“Of course. We only had minor misunderstandings. If it weren’t for someone meddling, we would’ve reconciled already,” Chen Qing said, still looking at Shen Youwei, clearly implying she was the meddler.
Shen Youwei ignored him and turned to Xu Qairan: “Are you really going to reconcile with him?”
Xu Qairan lowered her head in silence. With the photos in Chen Qing’s hands and the threats to her mother and Shen Youwei, she had no choice but to comply.
Her current situation was entirely her own fault. She didn’t want to drag anyone else into it.
By not speaking, Xu Qairan tacitly agreed. Before Shen Youwei could react, Aunt Xu suddenly charged forward and struggled with Chen Qing: “You scum! You’re trying to kill my daughter! If you won’t let us live, then die with us!”
She grabbed Chen Qing and ran toward the cliff’s edge. Chen Qing, an adult man, momentarily failed to break free: “What are you doing?! Crazy woman, let go of me!!”
Xu Qairan was terrified by the sudden change. She tried to intervene, but Guan Shanyan was faster.
Without anyone noticing, Guan Shanyan had already seized Aunt Xu and Chen Qing. Even combined, they couldn’t break free from him. As he prepared to pull them away from the cliff, another figure suddenly lunged and shoved Shen Youwei toward the edge.
Shen Youwei felt herself falling down the cliff, the fear from a fall at age ten flooding back.
Rocks tumbled underfoot, her vision spun, and just as she was about to go over the edge, a strong hand gripped her wrist. Shen Youwei looked up into Guan Shanyan’s eyes.
He was kneeling at the cliff’s edge, holding her hand firmly, just like fifteen years ago.