Qin Yi had just arrived at the company entrance when Sun Tian also showed up.
"Yiyi, why are your eyes so red and swollen? Did someone bully you?" Sun Tian asked with a look of concern.
Qin Yi shook her head slightly. "I'm fine!" With that, she headed straight to her office.
Sun Tian was puzzled and muttered to herself, "Yiyi's eyes are clearly swollen from crying, but who could have upset her this early in the morning?" Suddenly, she remembered Yang Chen, whom Qin Yi had mentioned a few days ago, and it clicked. "It must be that loser. Who else would provoke her at this hour?"
The two had been close friends since high school and even attended college in the same city. Their bond was as strong as sisters, and seeing Qin Yi bullied infuriated Sun Tian.
"Yang Chen!" At that moment, Sun Tian spotted a familiar figure stepping out of the elevator. She quickly chased after him, blocking his path with an angry glare. "Yang Chen, are you even a man? You're just a live-in son-in-law of the Qin family, freeloading off them, and now you dare to bully Yiyi?"
Yang Chen found Sun Tian's self-righteous attitude both irritating and amusing. Though her actions annoyed him, he had to admit Qin Yi had a loyal friend. It was the start of the workday, and the lobby was bustling with people. Many stopped to watch as Sun Tian berated him.
Yang Chen smirked and raised his voice playfully, "Do you have a crush on me or something? Why else would you keep seeking me out to talk?"
"What did you say?" Sun Tian's eyes widened in disbelief. She never expected Yang Chen to say something like that—and so loudly, in front of so many colleagues.
"I know you're into me, but save it for after work. This is the office—focus on your job. You can chase me all you want once you're off the clock." With that, Yang Chen brushed past her.
It took Sun Tian a moment to recover. She let out a frustrated scream, her face burning with humiliation, and snapped at the onlookers, "What are you all staring at? Don't you have work to do?"
Yang Chen chuckled to himself. "Little girl, you're no match for me."
As he stepped out of the office building, he spotted another familiar figure.
"My sister works here. I just need to talk to her for a minute, then I'll leave," Qin Fei argued, blocked by a group of security guards.
The head guard remained cold. "If your sister is an employee, call her to come get you."
"If I could reach her, would I be explaining this to you?" Qin Fei, as the eldest son of the Qin family, wasn't used to being treated this way and was growing angry.
He had already called Qin Yi multiple times, but she hadn't answered—in fact, she'd blocked him. With all of the Qin family's partners unilaterally terminating contracts, every passing day was a disaster for them. He was desperate.
"You'd better think carefully. This isn't just any place—even a first-tier family wouldn't dare cause trouble here, let alone a small fry like the Qins," the head guard sneered.
Qin Fei snapped back to reality. Frantic, he grabbed the guard's arm. "Please, I'm begging you. Let me in. I really need to see my sister. I'll leave as soon as I talk to her."
"Get off!" The guard shoved Qin Fei away, sending him stumbling backward.
Just then, Qin Fei noticed a familiar figure and his face twisted in disbelief. "You trash? How are you here?"
To him, Yang Chen was worthless. If even he couldn't get in, how could Yang Chen come and go freely?
"Mr. Yang!" The guards immediately straightened up and greeted Yang Chen respectfully.
The security chief had been personally instructed by General Manager Luo to treat Yang Chen with deference. Though his exact status wasn't spelled out, the chief knew Yang Chen was someone important.
The scene left Qin Fei dumbfounded. He rubbed his eyes hard, wondering if he was hallucinating. But no matter how much he rubbed, the person in front of him was undeniably Yang Chen.
Yang Chen smirked. "Oh? So this 'trash' can come and go as he pleases, while the mighty eldest son of the Qin family can't even step through the door? I wonder where you get the nerve to call me names."
Qin Fei nearly choked on his rage. He turned to the head guard, livid. "He's just a useless son-in-law who was kicked out of the Qin family! Why is he allowed in? Are you all blind?"
"Shut your mouth!" the head guard barked. "One more word, and we won't be polite."
"You wouldn't dare!" Qin Fei shouted, incensed. "I'll report you! You must've taken bribes to let him in. Let's see what your superiors have to say about this!"
The head guard laughed coldly. "Go ahead and report me—if you can even get in."
Since General Manager Luo himself had ordered them to respect Yang Chen, Qin Fei's threats were laughable.
"Yang Chen, stop right there!" Qin Fei tried to rush forward, but the head guard blocked him.
"Mr. Yang, go ahead. We'll handle this trash," the guard said smoothly.
Yang Chen gave him an approving nod and walked away.
"Let me go!" Qin Fei's furious shouts echoed behind him.
"Damn it, he's trying to attack us! Beat him!" the head guard suddenly yelled. Instantly, five or six guards swarmed Qin Fei and started punching and kicking him.
In truth, Qin Fei hadn't lifted a finger. The charge of "causing trouble at the entrance of Yanchen Group" was entirely fabricated.
The head guard sneered. "Daring to offend Mr. Yang? You're digging your own grave."
Qin Fei never made it into the building. Bruised and battered, he stood far from the entrance, his face twisted with fury.
"Yang Chen, I'll make you pay!" he roared.
He spent the entire day lurking near the company, watched closely by the guards. It wasn't until the workday ended that he finally saw Qin Yi.
"Xiao Yi!" Qin Fei called out from a distance, running toward her eagerly.
Qin Yi frowned at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?"
"Xiao Yi, no matter what, I'm still your cousin. Now that you've made it big, you can't just cut ties, can you?" Qin Fei said, forcing a smile.
He'd been treated like a criminal, forced to loiter far from the building all day just to catch her. And now, her coldness stung. But for the sake of convincing her to help the Qin family, he had to swallow his pride.
"I have nothing to say to you. Wasting another word on you feels like a waste of breath," Qin Yi retorted bluntly.
Unlike Qin Xi, she had long since given up on the Qin family.
Suppressing his anger, Qin Fei forced a smile. "Xiao Yi, I was wrong this morning. But don't worry—I've returned everything to your home, down to the last cent. I sincerely apologize. I'm sorry!" He bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.
Qin Yi was taken aback. She hadn't expected an apology from Qin Fei. But it didn't change her feelings toward the family.
"Xiao Yi, I'm begging you. Because of what happened this morning, the Su family has turned against us. All our partners have terminated contracts, the factories are shut down, and the banks are calling in loans." Qin Fei's voice cracked as tears streamed down his face. "The Qin family is on the verge of collapse. Please, talk to the Su family and ask them to spare us!"
Qin Yi was stunned. She hadn't known things had gotten this bad for the family. But instead of pity, she felt a twisted satisfaction. Coldly, she said, "Qin Fei, I already told you this morning—those gifts weren't betrothal presents from the Su family to me. They were tokens of gratitude for Yang Chen. If you want to beg for mercy, don't come to me."