When Asking for Help, Act Like You're Asking for a Favor

Jinling Grand Hotel, rooftop terrace.

As one of the tallest buildings in Jinling, the rooftop offered a panoramic view of the city's nightscape.

When Shen Fei arrived, there was only the wind on the rooftop.

Wearing a black cashmere overcoat, he stood by the railing with his hands behind his back, looking down at the myriad of twinkling lights.

The entirety of Jinling spread out beneath his feet, as prosperous as a dream.

There were tens of millions of people in this city, but from this height, everyone was as insignificant as ants.

The elevator doors opened.

The clicking of high heels echoed from behind.

Crisp, slow, and carrying a hint of hesitation.

Shen Fei did not turn around.

Su Qingxue stepped onto the terrace.

The night breeze blew through her long hair, her black coat accentuating her snow-white skin.

Even though she was utterly exhausted, Su Qingxue was still breathtakingly beautiful.

But at this moment, her eyes were completely bloodshot.

She hadn't closed her eyes for days.

There wasn't much money left in the Su Group's accounts, and the banks were pressing harder and harder. If they couldn't find an injection of capital, they would have to file for bankruptcy as early as next week.

The livelihoods of over three thousand employees, and the fates of dozens of members of the Su family, all rested heavily upon her shoulders.

She looked at Shen Fei's back.

Tall, straight, and unhurried.

The wind fluttered the hem of his overcoat, yet he stood like a statue, impossibly steady.

Standing on this very same rooftop, facing this very same city.

She felt small, whereas Shen Fei seemed like the master of the city.

"You're here?"

Shen Fei finally turned around.

Under the night sky, his facial features appeared even more sharply defined. The noble air and composure in his brow made Su Qingxue fall into a momentary daze.

This man was completely different from the day she broke off their engagement.

No, perhaps he had always been like this.

It was just that on that day, she only had eyes for Ye Chen and had never truly looked at him.

"Sit."

Shen Fei walked toward the open-air bar in the corner of the terrace, where two glasses of red wine and some exquisite snacks had already been set out.

It had clearly been arranged in advance.

Su Qingxue walked over and sat opposite Shen Fei.

A small table separated the two of them.

The red wine on the table gleamed with a dark crimson luster under the lights.

Su Qingxue didn't touch her glass.

She looked straight into Shen Fei's eyes and took a deep breath.

"Shen Fei, you should be well aware of the Su family's situation."

"I came today to ask you to give the Su family a chance."

Her voice was calm, but Shen Fei noticed her hands clenching slightly beneath the table.

Only she knew how difficult it was for an iceberg female CEO, who had been proud her entire life, to say the word "ask".

Shen Fei picked up his wine glass, swirled it gently, but didn't drink.

"Miss Su, you seem to have misunderstood something."

Su Qingxue frowned slightly.

"You were the one who broke off the engagement."

"And you brought the withdrawal of capital upon yourself."

"Now that the Su family can't hold on anymore, you come looking for me."

Shen Fei's tone wasn't heavy; it could even be described as mild.

But every word felt like a dull knife slicing through flesh.

Su Qingxue pressed her lips tightly together, a fleeting trace of imperceptible humiliation flashing across her face.

"Why do you think I should help you?"

Shen Fei put down his glass, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his arms over his chest.

He gazed calmly at Su Qingxue.

Like he was looking at a math problem.

Devoid of emotion, purely calculating whether it was worth it.

Su Qingxue's heart sank.

She had prepared a lot of arguments.

Things like the historical ties between the Su and Shen families, the future prospects of their collaboration, and how breaking the engagement was just a moment of impulse.

But facing Shen Fei's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, those excuses suddenly felt incredibly ridiculous.

Shen Fei didn't need reasons.

What he needed was an attitude.

Su Qingxue remained silent for over ten seconds.

Then, she did something that even she found unbelievable.

She stood up.

Walked around the table.

Stepped in front of Shen Fei.

Bent at the waist, bowing at a perfect ninety degrees.

Her long hair fell forward, hiding her expression.

"Shen Fei, it was I, Su Qingxue, who was blind. Breaking the engagement was my fault."

"I am not speaking to you right now as the CEO of the Su Group negotiating a partnership."

"I am here to beg you."

Her voice was trembling, but she enunciated every single word clearly.

Only the sound of the wind remained on the rooftop.

Shen Fei looked down at the bowing Su Qingxue.

Her neck was slender and pale, and her back was trembling slightly.

What did it feel like for a woman proud to her very bones to bend her spine?

It probably felt like ripping her heart out of her chest, throwing it on the ground, and letting someone trample on it.

Shen Fei didn't tell her to rise.

He picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Slowly set it down.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Su Qingxue maintained her bowing posture, motionless.

Her hands were shaking, but she did not straighten up.

Five seconds.

Seven seconds.

Ten seconds.

Shen Fei finally spoke.

"Miss Su, your bowing posture isn't quite up to standard."

Su Qingxue's body stiffened.

"If you're going to beg, you should look the part."

These words came out of Shen Fei's mouth so lightly, like a feather.

But falling into Su Qingxue's ears, they hit harder than a slap across the face.

Her eyes instantly turned red.

But she held it back.

Su Qingxue straightened up and looked at Shen Fei.

Her eyes brimmed with tears, but not a single drop fell.

"What do you want?"

The words were squeezed out from between her clenched teeth.

Shen Fei set down his glass and stood up.

He stepped in front of Su Qingxue, the distance between them less than half a meter.

He was nearly a head taller than her, looking down at her.

Su Qingxue had to tilt her head up just to meet his gaze.

This angle made her instinctively want to step back, but she gritted her teeth and stayed put.

Shen Fei reached out his hand.

Su Qingxue's body tensed.

But Shen Fei merely raised his hand and tucked a wind-blown strand of hair behind her ear.

The movement was very gentle, his fingertips barely brushing against the shell of her ear.

Su Qingxue shuddered, a blush instantly creeping onto her face.

"The day after tomorrow is the Jinling Chamber of Commerce banquet. You know about it, right?"

Su Qingxue paused, not understanding why Shen Fei would suddenly bring this up.

The Jinling Chamber of Commerce banquet was a massive annual social event. All the top wealthy families and business tycoons in Jinling would attend.

The Su Group used to be qualified to participate, but in their current state, the Su family couldn't even get an invitation.

"You will attend as my date."

Shen Fei stated his condition.

Su Qingxue froze.

His date?

With her status as Su Qingxue, acting as Shen Fei's date?

Everyone knew exactly what that meant.

It was equivalent to announcing to all of Jinling that Su Qingxue was Shen Fei's woman.

The iceberg female CEO who had once arrogantly broken off her engagement to the Shen family, turning around and appearing in public as Shen Fei's date.

How would those people view her?

They would think she was a joke.

They would think her breaking the engagement was just playing hard to get, and in the end, she obediently came crawling back anyway.

They would think that Su Qingxue was nothing special, and without the Shen family, she was absolutely nothing.

Su Qingxue clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

This condition was too ruthless.

He didn't want her money, nor did he want her company shares.

He wanted her dignity.

He wanted her to shatter her pride in front of everyone.

If Su Qingxue had even the slightest alternative, she would never agree.

But she had no choice.

The Su family's three thousand-plus employees.

Her father's aged face.

The debt collection calls from the bank.

The contracts that acted like death warrants.

These things weighed heavily on her heart, far heavier than any humiliation.

Su Qingxue closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, the struggle in her beautiful eyes was gone.

"Alright."

She said only one word.

So softly it was almost scattered by the wind.

Shen Fei smiled.

The smile was gentle and handsome, like that of a boy next door.

But Su Qingxue couldn't help feeling that something was hidden behind that smile.

Like a cat that had finally pinned down the mouse it had been toying with, narrowing its eyes in satisfaction.

"Very good."

Shen Fei took a black card from his pocket and handed it to Su Qingxue.

"Go buy a decent evening gown tomorrow. This card has no limit; swipe it as you please."

Su Qingxue took the card, her fingertips brushing against Shen Fei's.

Cold and warmth intertwined for a fleeting moment.

She immediately retracted her hand, clutching the card tightly in her palm.

"Also."

Shen Fei turned and walked toward the railing, his back to Su Qingxue.

"As for Ye Chen, you should know what to do."

Su Qingxue's heart suddenly tightened.

Ye Chen.

The man who came down from the mountain and saved her.

The man who had made countless promises to her.

The man she once thought she could rely on.

Shen Fei didn't explicitly say what she needed to do.

But his meaning was crystal clear.

Draw a clear line with Ye Chen.

Completely.

Su Qingxue remained silent for a long time.

The wind howled past her ears.

Finally, she nodded.

The movement was slight, but resolute.

"I understand."

She turned and walked toward the elevator.

After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped, without looking back.

"Shen Fei."

"Hmm?"

"To what extent will you help the Su family?"

Shen Fei's voice came from behind her, carrying a hint of nonchalance.

"I'll help to the extent of how well you perform."

Su Qingxue's back stiffened for a moment.

Then she continued walking and stepped into the elevator.

The moment the elevator doors closed, she leaned against the cold metal wall, finally unable to hold back.

A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

Just one tear.

She quickly raised her hand to wipe it away, took a deep breath, and restored her icy facade.

By the time she reached the ground floor, the silhouette of her walking out the hotel doors looked exactly the same as when she entered.

Straight, proud, and unapproachable.

But only she knew that from today onward, some things could never go back to the way they were.

...

On the rooftop, Shen Fei watched Su Qingxue leave.

The night breeze ruffled the hem of his clothes.

He picked up the last half glass of red wine and drained it in one gulp.

The system panel flashed quietly in his field of vision.

[Su Qingxue (Core Heroine of the Child of Destiny) trust in Ye Chen has significantly decreased!]

[Su Qingxue's trust in Ye Chen: 62 to 41]

[Su Qingxue's affection for Host has increased!]

[Su Qingxue's affection for Host: 25 to 38 (Awe + Reliance)]

[Core Heroine of Child of Destiny Ye Chen begins to detach! Luck Value fluctuating!]

[Ye Chen's Luck Value: -400]

[Current Ye Chen's Luck Value: 6488 to 6088]

Shen Fei looked at the string of numbers.

6088.

It was still a long way from zero.

But there was no rush.

The day after tomorrow was the Jinling Chamber of Commerce banquet.

That night, he would let everyone see Su Qingxue standing by his side.

Ye Chen would see it too.

When that time came, what kind of expression would that heaven-ordained divine doctor who came down from the mountain have?

Shen Fei placed the empty wine glass on the railing, turned, and walked toward the elevator.

The smile on his lips never faded.

This is what makes it interesting... Ye Chen...

...

Su Family Villa.

It was already late at night when Su Qingxue returned home.

As soon as she walked into the living room, she saw Su Zhenbang sitting on the sofa waiting for her.

The old man's eyes looked straight at her.

"How did it go?"

Su Qingxue placed the black card on the coffee table.

"He agreed to help."

Su Zhenbang stood up abruptly, his eyes lighting up!

"The conditions? What are the conditions?"

"I will attend the Jinling Chamber of Commerce banquet the day after tomorrow as his female companion."

Su Zhenbang froze for a moment, then let out a long breath.

"This condition... is very simple."

Su Qingxue did not speak.

Su Zhenbang looked at his daughter's expression, hesitated for a moment, and still asked.

"Then what about Ye Chen..."

"I will handle it."

Su Qingxue's voice was very calm.

"Dad, from now on, Ye Chen is no longer allowed in and out of the Su family."

Su Zhenbang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately just nodded.

"Make your own decisions."

Su Qingxue turned and went upstairs, walking into her own room.

She sat on the edge of the bed and took out her phone.

The notification bar showed over a dozen missed calls from Ye Chen.

She looked at the digits, her thumb hovering over the screen.

Finally, she opened her contacts and found Ye Chen's name.

Her finger trembled slightly.

Then she pressed the delete button.

"Confirm deletion of contact Ye Chen?"

Confirm.

The screen flashed, and Ye Chen's name disappeared from the contacts.

Su Qingxue put down her phone, lay on the bed, and stared at the ceiling.

Her eyes ached with dryness, but no more tears would flow.

She knew she had made the right choice.

But the right choice didn't mean it didn't hurt.

...

Shen Family Villa, Study.

Shen Fei put down his phone and glanced at the new notification popping up on the system panel.

[Su Qingxue has deleted Ye Chen's contact information! The bond between the Core Heroine and the Child of Destiny is crumbling!]

[Ye Chen's Luck Value: -200]

[Current Ye Chen's Luck Value: 6088 to 5888]

Shen Fei leaned back in his chair, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

The banquet the day after tomorrow would be the real show.

He was going to pull the woman Ye Chen cared about most into his arms in front of all of Jinling.

To let everyone know who Su Qingxue belonged to.

To let Ye Chen see with his own eyes just how thoroughly he had lost.

Shen Fei closed his eyes, resting to gather his strength.

...