The room was a scene of complete devastation — there was barely a clear patch of floor to step on.

Xie Yan’s gaze swept the room once before he found Brother Qiao.

Brother Qiao was huddled on the side of the sofa, his face covered in blood, muttering something under his breath.

“I wronged you all — it was my fault. Don’t kill me. Don’t kill me.”

Then he began frantically bowing his head toward some invisible point in the room. “Don’t kill me. Don’t kill me.”

Even the onlookers were stunned — and so was Xie Yan.

But his gaze quickly shifted. At the foot of the window curtains, he spotted Shen Ruoxi. She was crouched there with her arms wrapped around herself, looking as though she were terrified.

Xie Yan crossed the room in several strides and crouched down before her.

“Shen Ruoxi.”

Shen Ruoxi was staring at the floor. When she heard the familiar voice, she slowly raised her head.

Xie Yan saw she was completely unharmed — only her face had gone rather pale. A breath of relief moved through him.

“It’s all right now. Don’t be afraid.” Xie Yan went down on one knee and gathered her into his arms, patting her gently on the shoulder. “It’s all right.”

Shen Ruoxi was caught off guard by his embrace. She froze for a moment, her whole body going rigid.

Whatever his intentions might be, the fact was that at this moment he was holding her — as though he had built a shelter from the wind around her. And that kind of feeling was something utterly foreign to her.

“What happened to Brother Qiao?” Foreman Hu saw that Brother Qiao had gone completely to pieces and didn’t dare go near him. “How did he end up with all those injuries?”

When Shen Ruoxi heard Foreman Hu’s voice, she remembered to push Xie Yan away.

“What happened here?” Xie Yan asked in a low voice.

Everyone was looking at Shen Ruoxi — she alone knew what had taken place in that room.

Shen Ruoxi shook her head, her face a picture of bewilderment. “I don’t know. He suddenly went berserk. He seemed to have seen something… unclean… and fell completely apart. He kept saying he’d wronged them — that he owed debts to the women he’d killed, and he would repay them. Then… then he started hitting himself with bottles…”

Shen Ruoxi seemed to shrink from the memory, covering her face with both hands. “He just kept beating himself, like someone possessed. I called out to him, but he didn’t respond. I was afraid he’d hit me, so I hid behind the curtain.”

“All right, that’s enough.” Xie Yan frowned. “I’ll take you out of here.”

He took hold of Shen Ruoxi’s wrist and pulled her from the room without a word.

Foreman Hu stared at the wreckage and at Brother Qiao, soaked in blood, and had absolutely no idea what to do.

“What are you all standing there for? Go find the manager.” Foreman Hu stamped her feet in desperation.

With Brother Qiao in this state, he might as well have lost half his life. If he died, that would be one thing — but if he survived and came asking questions, there would be no way to deal with the fallout.

Xie Yan had Shen Ruoxi walking alongside him all the way to the office in back. Once inside, he slammed the door behind them.

“Xie Yan, what do you think you’re doing?” He had her pressed against the wall, his chest blocking any way of retreat.

Xie Yan fixed his eyes on hers, as though trying to see all the way into her soul.

“Shen Ruoxi — what exactly happened to Qiao Dahu?”

Shen Ruoxi said, “I just told you.”

“Why did Qiao Dahu suddenly go mad?”

“When he recovers, you can ask him yourself.” Shen Ruoxi’s brow creased. “What are you trying to imply by asking me this — are you suggesting I was the one who drove him to that state?”

Xie Yan didn’t answer. He simply stared hard at her eyes — in those dark pupils, he could see his own reflection clearly.

Shen Ruoxi drew a steady breath, meeting his searching gaze without flinching. “Do you think I have that kind of ability? To drive a grown man out of his mind? It’s plain that he’d done too many terrible things and was punished for it — those women he killed came back to collect what he owed them.”

“You believe in vengeful spirits?”

Shen Ruoxi turned it back on him. “Do you?”

Xie Yan watched her for a long moment, then finally let her go.

“There’s something strange about this, no question.” He studied her again. “You weren’t hurt?”

“No.”

“Who sent you in to keep Qiao Dahu company?”

Shen Ruoxi smiled slightly. “What — are you going to stand up for me? I came back to this dance hall fully prepared to face whatever it brings. I’m a singer — the guests are paramount. When the foreman sends me to someone, I have no grounds to refuse.”

She looked at him. “Isn’t that exactly what Mr. Xie made clear to me — the reality of things? If it can’t be changed, one must learn to adapt.”

He had indeed told her those words. But hearing them from her mouth now, he felt unexpectedly displeased — though he couldn’t quite say why.

“This is my territory. You can use my name to go wherever you please.”

“And on what grounds, if I may ask, Mr. Xie?”

Xie Yan was stumped by the question.

“I appreciate Mr. Xie’s good intentions.” Shen Ruoxi said coolly. “I know what I’m doing. Thank you for your concern.”

She turned to leave.

“Shen Ruoxi.” Xie Yan pulled her back and pressed her against the wall again, staring down at her with fierce intensity. Before she could say a word, he lowered his head and kissed her hard on the lips.

Shen Ruoxi was both mortified and furious. She tried to push him away, but her hands were pinned above her head, and her raised knee was shoved back down with force. She was like a caged bird — utterly unable to break free.

He plundered her mouth with a rough and forceful urgency. When the mood took him, he bit at the tip of her tongue.

Shen Ruoxi felt the sharp pain but could not struggle at all, and had no choice but to let him do as he pleased.

After some time, he finally released her. A gleam of moisture shone on her lips, and a flush crept across her face.

“Xie Yan.” Shen Ruoxi glared at him through nearly gritted teeth, wishing she could bite a chunk out of his neck.

“Let go of me.” Shen Ruoxi pulled hard at her own wrists, but his grip was like iron clamps — she couldn’t budge an inch.

Xie Yan paid no attention to her protests. Instead, he brought his handsome face even closer, his breath landing entirely on her cheek as he spoke.

“Sweet.”

“You’re shameless.” Shen Ruoxi turned her head away, trying to escape his breath — it was making her agitated in ways she couldn’t quite sort out.

“What’s there to be embarrassed about — it’s not the first time.” Xie Yan smiled wickedly. “Be more cooperative. You might even enjoy it.”

Shen Ruoxi swallowed the curses she wanted to hurl at him and only glared.

“All right, all right.” Xie Yan released her wrists. “Stop glaring like that. You’ll strain your eyes.”

Shen Ruoxi, now free, immediately rubbed at her wrists.

“Shen Ruoxi, I have a question for you.”

Shen Ruoxi turned her head to the side, clearly not inclined to answer.

“I’m talking to you.” Xie Yan tilted her chin up and turned her face toward him. “Have you slept with a man?”

“Shameless!”

“Have you, or haven’t you?”

“What business is it of yours?” Shen Ruoxi snapped. “Mr. Xie doesn’t lack for women — one word from you, and they’d be lining up at your door.”

Xie Yan tipped her chin higher, his expression somewhere between a smile and not. “Jealous?”

“Your comprehension skills leave something to be desired.” Shen Ruoxi’s eyes went wide. “Me? Jealous of you? That’s a fine joke.”

“You’re not?”

“Why would I be jealous?” Shen Ruoxi let out a short laugh. “Is Mr. Xie so self-assured that he thinks every woman is bound to fall for him?”

Xie Yan didn’t speak, as though he was genuinely considering the question.

He had always had women jealous over him — it was simply what he was used to. And no woman could resist the pull of his wealth and power, and if those weren’t enough, there was always his face.

“Mr. Xie.” A subordinate’s voice came from outside. “The manager is back and wishes to see you.”

Xie Yan glanced at Shen Ruoxi. “Go on, then.”

Shen Ruoxi felt as though a sentence had been commuted. She fled the office as if running for her life.

Xie Yan watched her retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slowly.

“Mr. Xie.” The subordinate pushed the door open and entered.

“Have Qiao Dahu sent to the military police bureau. Tell Director Shi I want someone to look into what caused Qiao Dahu to go mad.”

The subordinate said, “Qiao Dahu’s injuries are severe — he’ll probably need to go to the hospital first.”

“Hospital first, then the military police bureau.”

“Yes, Mr. Xie.” The subordinate couldn’t help asking, “Mr. Xie suspects Qiao Dahu’s madness had a cause?”

“Whether there was a cause or not — an investigation will tell.”

Shen Ruoxi… is this incident connected to you somehow?

Shen Ruoxi returned to the dressing room, and Yun Jing immediately rushed over and circled her several times.

“Yun Jing, what are you doing — inspecting me?”

Seeing Shen Ruoxi completely unharmed, Yun Jing finally let out a breath of relief. “I’ve been on edge this whole time, terrified something might happen to you.”

“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.” Shen Ruoxi said, reassuring her. “That Qiao Dahu had too much blood on his hands — he got what was coming to him.”

“What do you mean?”

“He saw the vengeful spirits of the women he’d killed. Then he lost his mind and started smashing things against himself — just like the beatings he’d given those women.”

“Something like that actually happened?” Yun Jing was both astonished and thrilled. “He truly deserved it. At least those who died at his hands can rest in peace now.”

As the two were marveling over this, Meimei walked in.

She had already heard about what had happened to Qiao Dahu, and now seeing Shen Ruoxi completely unscathed, fury rose like a tide within her.

She had already arranged everything with Qiao Dahu — he was supposed to torment Shen Ruoxi thoroughly. Not only humiliate her physically, but break her mentally as well. By whatever means necessary, as long as he could crush the spirit out of her.

Yet things had gone nothing like she’d planned. Qiao Dahu hadn’t even laid a hand on her before he snapped himself — and the reports said he’d been raving and self-destructing in the room, dragged out in a bloody mess.

Qiao Dahu’s fate was uncertain, and Shen Ruoxi was standing there without a scratch.

Meimei shot a vicious glare in Shen Ruoxi’s direction, her eyes full of seething resentment.