Chapter 51: A Sincere Proposal

Luo Yichen wanted to stand up, but his foot slipped in a panic, causing him to fall heavily to the ground. Frustrated, he hurled his phone far away, his eyes blazing with fury. Yet, he had no idea how to vent the grievance simmering inside him. He had orchestrated the smear campaign against Shang Qi entirely by himself; whom could he possibly blame now?

The room felt stifling to Luo Yichen. Impulsively, he got into his car and drove away aimlessly. Before he knew it, he found himself parked outside the Xi family villa. Inside, Shang Qi stared blankly at the wilderness outside the window, her gaze vacant. Sister Li and Shang Qi's elderly parents had driven into town to buy some groceries, leaving her entirely alone.

Suddenly, a figure materialized outside the window—it was Luo Yichen. Although Shang Qi was no longer paralyzed by absolute terror around people, she still jumped in fright. Luo Yichen asked, "Are you alright?"

Shang Qi closed the window and drew the curtains shut, making her message crystal clear: I do not want to see you! She gently picked up the MP3 player from the nearby desk and switched it to recording mode.

Guilt was etched all over Luo Yichen's face. He pleaded, "I was forced into a corner, which is why those photos were posted online. Please, don't misunderstand!"

Even to Luo Yichen himself, this explanation sounded utterly unconvincing. Yet, he had to say something, anything, to mend the fractured relationship between them. Shang Qi's face was completely devoid of color. She parted her lips, straining to speak, but not a single sound emerged. Silently, she vowed in her heart: That doesn't matter anymore. I will make sure you rot in prison!

"Can we talk this through properly? I was under the influence of drugs when I did those things. Now that matters have reached this point, I will take responsibility for you," Luo Yichen said, lowering his pride.

He paused for a moment, gazed intently at the window, and said with utmost sincerity, "Let's get married!"

Suddenly, a desolate burst of laughter echoed from behind the window. Shang Qi was actually laughing out loud, a sound so chilling it made one's hair stand on end. Luo Yichen could hear the unspoken message in her laughter: *Get married? Things have reached this catastrophic point, and you actually have the nerve to suggest we get married?*

Gathering his courage once more, Luo Yichen said earnestly, "Believe it or not, I have always loved you. That night, when I asked you to wait for me, I intended to propose."

Hearing the word proposal froze Shang Qi for a few seconds. A wave of profound bitterness, laced with a lingering hint of sweetness, swept across her heart. She suddenly felt how utterly absurd she was to be hearing this now. Luo Yichen was truly shameless; how could he utter the words "I love you" right after trying to push her into legal ruin?

Even if that initial incident wasn't entirely his fault, could everything he did afterward really be against his will? He must have realized how out of hand the situation had gotten, and terrified of a prison sentence, he was now trying to use marriage to me to smooth things over. Luo Yichen, what a magnificent performance!

Seeing that the window remained firmly shut, Luo Yichen's eyes filled with anxiety and disappointment. In truth, he had anticipated Shang Qi's reaction. Yet, actually facing it broke his heart. This was the first time he had ever proposed to a woman, only to be rejected by a chorus of bleak laughter.

Luo Yichen pressed on, "I know you resent me! But now is not the time to be stubborn. I am doing this for your own good, to shield you from any further harm."

The window remained tightly closed. Shang Qi relentlessly repeated to herself: I am already numb to the pain; it cannot hurt me anymore. I must never dwell on our past affection again—doing so would be no different than a moth flying into a flame.

Realizing how resolute she was, Luo Yichen knew any further persuasion would be futile. Finally, he said, "Think it over carefully! If you agree to the marriage, call and let me know. I will do everything in my power to make it happen."

Shang Qi thought to herself: What does he mean by this? He is actually giving me time to consider? Luo Yichen has always been calculating and far-sighted. There must be a reason behind such a proposal. Could they be plotting even more extreme measures to force my hand? Or perhaps they are holding some trump card I know nothing about?

Just then, Shang Qi heard shouting from outside. Shang Wende and his wife had returned, and the moment they saw Luo Yichen standing in the courtyard, rage instantly consumed them.

Shang Wende cast all etiquette aside and bellowed, "Get out of here! Get out!"

Luo Yichen stood his ground without moving. Before he could utter a word, Shang Wende rushed forward and dealt him a hard slap across the face. Luo Yichen made no attempt to dodge and took the blow squarely. Unsatisfied, Shang Wende raised his hand to strike him again, but You Xiufen hurried over to pull him back. If a physical brawl truly broke out, Shang Wende wouldn't necessarily have the upper hand. Moreover, she feared giving Luo Yichen grounds to file another lawsuit for intentional assault.

Held back firmly by You Xiufen and unable to reach Luo Yichen, Shang Wende could only shout, "You did such a vile thing to Qi Qi, and yet you still have the shamelessness to show your face at our home?"

Luo Yichen touched his stinging, burning cheek and said, "Uncle, Auntie has a weak heart; she cannot handle this kind of loud commotion! Shang Qi's mental state is also fragile right now. If we make a scene like this, it will only subject her to even greater trauma. Why don't you step into my car so we can talk calmly?"

With just a few brief sentences, Luo Yichen effectively stripped Shang Wende of any excuse to continue the physical confrontation. Shang Wende couldn't help feeling that Luo Yichen was far more formidable than he had imagined.

You Xiufen interjected from the side, "Just leave right now! We have nothing to discuss with you."

Shang Wende thought to himself: He wouldn't dare show up here without a purpose. It might be better to hear what he has to say; perhaps I can glean some insight into their next moves. I cannot afford to pass up this opportunity. With that thought, Shang Wende said, "Let's go! We'll talk outside!"

You Xiufen grabbed his arm and urged, "Don't go! What is there to talk about with him? If negotiations break down, you two might end up fighting again." She left the rest unsaid, but inwardly, she worried that if it came to blows, Shang Wende was no match for Luo Yichen at all.

Luo Yichen assured her, "Auntie, no matter what Uncle does to me, I will not fight back."

Pushing You Xiufen aside, Shang Wende said, "Go inside and check on Qi Qi first; I'll be back in a moment." With that, he followed Luo Yichen to the car and got in.

Luo Yichen drove a short distance to the riverbank and parked the car steadily. "Uncle," he began, "I came here earlier to apologize to Shang Qi. I am hoping we can reach a reconciliation and drop the lawsuit."

Consumed by rage and looking fiercely menacing, Shang Wende retorted, "You committed such a despicable act, and then slapped Qi Qi with false accusations! And now you actually have the audacity to come and apologize. Such behavior defies all reason!"

Calmly and evenly, Luo Yichen replied, "Uncle, please control your anger! I was framed in that incident as well. Much of what happened afterward was beyond my control. It was precisely because I was terrified of causing Shang Qi any further harm that I came here with this proposal."

Sensing there was hidden meaning behind his words, Shang Wende demanded, "What else are you planning to do? Isn't what you've done already enough?"

With an apologetic expression, Luo Yichen said, "I'm sorry! This lawsuit doesn't merely concern me personally; it involves the interests of the entire Luo Group. In many matters, my hands are tied. Uncle, this battle has technically only just begun, yet Shang Qi is already shattered beyond endurance."

Shang Wende pondered inwardly: What he says is true. Although Xi Jingpeng is helping us now, trying to go toe-to-toe with the Luo Group is like an egg smashing against a rock. Even if we win the lawsuit, Qi Qi will emerge from it battered and bruised. If she has to endure any greater pressure, there is no telling whether she might suffer a total psychological collapse.

Noticing that Shang Wende's expression had softened somewhat, Luo Yichen pressed on, "Uncle, let me marry Shang Qi! That way, all the rumors and disputes will be put to rest."

"What nonsense are you spouting? How could you two possibly marry? That would condemn Qi Qi to a lifetime of misery. That is out of the question!"

Luo Yichen continued, "This is merely an expedient measure. Once the dust settles, if Shang Qi still wishes to have nothing to do with me, I will grant her a divorce."

The more Shang Wende heard, the angrier he became. Unwilling to continue arguing with Luo Yichen, he pushed the car door open and stepped out. There was simply no point in pursuing such a conversation. Luo Yichen also got out of the car, intercepted him, and pleaded, "Uncle, please don't leave! Hear me out."

Shang Wende snapped, "There is nothing left to talk about. I will never throw my daughter into a den of wolves."

Luo Yichen cried out passionately, "Uncle, are you trying to drive Shang Qi to her death? Given her temperament, she will fight this to the bitter end, dragging both of us down. But tearing open her own wounds over and over for the world to see will cause her a thousand times more agony than the initial trauma itself."

Hearing this, Shang Wende froze in his tracks.

Luo Yichen urged, "Please consider my suggestion. If you can persuade Qi Qi to consent to this marriage, I will handle everything else."

"I cannot marry my daughter off to you! Whatever the circumstances were back then, you ultimately committed this atrocity. If you truly regret harming Qi Qi, go turn yourself in to the police immediately!" With those words, he walked away.

Realizing there was no turning the situation around, Luo Yichen had no choice but to give up for the moment.

As Xi Jingpeng drove toward the villa, he spotted Luo Yichen standing by the riverbank. He thought to himself: Why is this bastard appearing here? Could he be heading to see Shang Qi? Fired up by that thought, he pulled his car over to the side, strode up to Luo Yichen, and demanded, "What are you doing here?"

Recognizing Xi Jingpeng, Luo Yichen had no desire to exchange pleasantries and turned to get back into his car. Xi Jingpeng reached out to block him, warning, "I am warning you, do not ever show your face in front of Shang Qi again."

Luo Yichen shot a piercing glare at Xi Jingpeng, making it blatantly clear: Mind your own business. He shoved Xi Jingpeng's arm aside, only to find that Xi Jingpeng was resisting with hidden force. Without a moment's hesitation, Luo Yichen applied seven or eight tenths of his strength and shoved Xi Jingpeng backward.

Losing his balance, Xi Jingpeng nearly stumbled to the ground. Regaining his footing, he lunged forward again, grabbed Luo Yichen by the collar, and snarled, "What gives you the right to act so righteous? Do you not know what you did to Shang Qi? How on earth do you still have the face to see her?"

Feeling a twinge of guilt, Luo Yichen fell momentarily silent, allowing Xi Jingpeng to keep his grip on him.

Xi Jingpeng roared, "Stop coming to see Shang Qi! What you're doing is pure cruelty to her."

Hearing those words, Luo Yichen could no longer hold back his retaliation. He retorted, "This is a matter between her and me, and it requires no concern of yours!"

This statement acted like pouring oil on fire. Xi Jingpeng threw a punch straight at Luo Yichen's face. Dodging swiftly, Luo Yichen reached out, grabbed Xi Jingpeng's arm from behind, and pinned his shoulder. No matter how frantically Xi Jingpeng struggled, he found himself completely immobilized.