Her Wild Rose - Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Kidnapping (Part 2)
“What’s wrong?”
Li Xinxin looked at Su Qian nervously, worry creeping onto her face.
When Su Qian had taken the first call, she had already motioned for them to mute their mics. Now, hearing her issue a threat over the phone with such a chilling tone, they instantly realized something serious had happened.
“Was it because of that guy from earlier?”
Zhou Yu had also noticed Chen Shen’s attempt to woo Su Qian from behind the bar. Watching the situation closely, she quickly pieced it together—it had to be Chen Shen, furious from being rejected, who had taken Tang Tang.
At that moment, Su Qian’s phone on the table buzzed again. Seeing the unfamiliar number, her expression shifted from icy to furious.
How could someone be so blind as to keep dancing on her landmines, again and again?
“Hello? What is it?” Su Qian answered the call, her voice colder than ever. “If you’ve got something to say, say it. Don’t waste our time.”
On the other end, the delivery guy was so startled he had to take several deep breaths to stop himself from stammering.
“Um… Is this Ms. Su Qian? Miss Tang Tang ordered flowers for you. They’ve arrived. Could you please come to the front of the bar to collect them?”
Flowers?
From Tang Tang?
Su Qian frowned, and in an instant, it all made sense—why Tang Tang had so easily followed a stranger out.
It was because of her.
Guilt surged through Su Qian’s usually cold gaze. Her hands at her sides clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms, leaving deep imprints.
She calmly walked out of the bar, and the surveillance camera at the entrance captured nothing but her fading silhouette.
“Why did Su Qian and Tang Tang both leave? With the main duo gone, what are we even watching now?”
“Right?! One pair’s off on a date, another’s still fighting, and now Su Qian and Tang Tang are gone too. Are we just supposed to watch Li Xinxin make cocktails?”
“I’m starting to suspect the remaining two pairs are rigged by the producers.”
“Can you guys stop with the conspiracy theories? Su Qian and Tang Tang didn’t leave together. Something must’ve happened.”
“Exactly. Su Qian looked like she was threatening someone when she got that first call.”
…
The viewers were sharp. In just a few minutes, they had decoded Su Qian’s post-mute conversation, translating and analyzing every word. Fans, eyes burning red with worry, flooded the production company and agency hotlines.
Their idol was in danger, and the studio still wanted a good night’s sleep?
Su Qian walked out to the bar entrance and, just as expected, saw a delivery guy in a yellow uniform holding a large bouquet of roses.
She glanced at him briefly before her eyes settled on the massive bouquet. Black tulle wrapped around perfectly trimmed black roses, secured with a gold lace ribbon that added a hint of luxury.
The roses appeared freshly cut—droplets of dew still clung to the green leaves and stems. Embedded in the bouquet was a small string of golden fairy lights, adding a rare warmth to the otherwise somber flowers.
At the very center of the bouquet was a soft pink blossom. If Su Qian wasn’t mistaken, it was a garden rose.
Tang Tang was born in July. She often compared herself to a garden rose.
“Did she… order anything else?”
Su Qian’s voice trembled slightly. She accepted the bouquet, feeling as though it weighed a thousand pounds.
“She left a different number initially,” the delivery guy scratched his head, a bit puzzled. “When I couldn’t reach her, I called yours instead. As for anything else… hmm…”
He thought for a while, then suddenly smacked his forehead like he just remembered.
“Oh, right—this!” He fished a card out of his pocket and handed it to her carefully. “She also requested this specific style. I went to several stationery shops to find it.”
“Thank you.”
Su Qian took the card with hands that trembled uncontrollably. Her fingers gently stroked the plastic cover on the card as she struggled to maintain a smile.
The delivery guy looked at the dazzling woman in front of him—from the crystal hairpin to her custom-fitted dress—and couldn’t help but frown in confusion.
He was someone who ran around nonstop every day, and he truly couldn’t understand why someone like her would get so emotional over a card that looked like something only a schoolgirl would love.
Maybe this was the kind of game rich people played.
With that thought, he turned and accepted another delivery order—better to run more shifts and save up for his future child’s formula money.
Su Qian watched the delivery guy disappear into the distance. Her face turned grim.
She handed the bouquet to Zhou Yu, who had followed her out.
“Zhou Yu, please take the flowers back. Do what you need to do with the show. I’ll handle what happened with Tang Tang.”
“Okay.”
Zhou Yu nodded without debating about whether they should go to the police. She trusted that Su Qian had her own way of handling things—and the best thing she could do now was not get in the way.
It was already past midnight. The wind in Liangcheng was finally living up to its name—chilling to the bone. Su Qian’s phone had been silent for a while now, suggesting that Chen Shen had even more patience to wait than she did.
She frowned, trying to recall why that man seemed so oddly familiar.
The first time she saw him, she had the nagging feeling she’d seen him somewhere before.
Wait…
Wasn’t it at that private salon party Shen Jia took her to last year…?
Just as Su Qian slapped her thigh and prepared to call Shen Jia, her phone rang—Shen Jia was already calling her.
“Su Qian, I know who Chen Shen is.” Shen Jia didn’t waste words. She paused, then said, “Remember the salon hosted by Tian Qingqing’s father last year? We met this one super boastful talent agent there.”
With Shen Jia’s reminder, the image of that person finally overlapped in Su Qian’s mind.
She remembered that agent—and remembered him all too well.
“I’m Li Xiang, CEO of Chenxing Entertainment,” said a dashing middle-aged man who had walked up to her as she was settling into her seat. He elegantly took the empty chair beside her, swirling a champagne glass between his fingers. “You must be Su Qian. I’ve heard a lot about you from people in the industry.”
“I’ve heard about you too,” Su Qian replied with a guarded smile, instinctively looking for an excuse to leave. But when she glanced up, she saw a young, delicate-faced man behind Li Xiang.
“Is he one of Chenxing’s artists? He looks like he has potential.”
“Artist? No, I’m his lover.” The boy, clearly offended by her misjudgment, practically draped himself over Li Xiang like he was marking his territory.
“Ah—my mistake. I see.” Su Qian’s smile froze for a moment. She looked at the boy with a complicated expression, watching Li Xiang go stiff with awkwardness.
That boy would never receive real love from Li Xiang. Just wasted youth.
“Thinking of stepping in?” Shen Jia asked as they walked and chatted in hushed tones. “Sure, Li Xiang is a notorious womanizer. But he spoils that kid rotten. Won’t let him appear in public, sure—but anything else, he’d hand him the moon if he asked.”
“So what? He’s still a caged canary.”
Su Qian took a sip of champagne without care, then looked back at the boy. “Could’ve been a great star. Now he’s just some sugar baby kept by an older man.”
…
The memory ended there.
Su Qian sighed, finally realizing Chen Shen was that same kid. She couldn’t help but feel a little wistful.
“So it was him. He’s changed a lot.”
Hearing that Su Qian didn’t sound too panicked, Shen Jia also relaxed a little. Now that they knew Chen Shen was Li Xiang’s person, it’d be much easier to handle.
After all, no matter how much Chen Shen hated Tang Tang, he wouldn’t dare cross the line too far—not as the lover of a public company’s CEO.
“Yeah, but I still think it’s odd,” Shen Jia said, the sound of her mouse clicks in the background. She was clearly digging up information. “Word is, Li Xiang’s been spoiling Chen Shen even more over the years. He’s infamous in almost every bar in Liangcheng.”
Spoiled and arrogant—classic case.
Su Qian sneered coldly, tapping her phone screen.
After a long pause, she finally spoke. “Shen Jia, I want to talk to Li Xiang.”
“You want to what?”
Shen Jia’s voice spiked. She clearly hadn’t expected that. “No way. Li Xiang already has beef with you. He’s not going to talk.”
“He doesn’t have a choice.”
There was steel in Su Qian’s voice.
Over the past few years, Red Star Entertainment had grown rapidly. With her status as a top-tier star and IP holder, many of her artists had gained traction. Red Star’s market share was rising fast—and threatening Li Xiang’s turf.
Both companies recruited non-academy talents and competed for similar resources. Naturally, there were frictions—especially lately. Li Xiang had publicly and privately slandered Su Qian multiple times.
But rumors aside, grudges aside—some things had to be settled.
“Su Qian, what are you planning?” Shen Jia heard a dangerous impulse in her tone—the same energy Su Qian had when she handled the Tian Qingqing incident. “Li Xiang’s father is a big shot in the entertainment industry. Are you sure you want to go up against him?”
“So what? It’s just his son’s bedmate who made a mistake.” Su Qian’s tone was indifferent. “I don’t believe the old man would go to war for someone who’s not even family.”
“And what about Li Xiang? You two already hate each other. You really think he’ll help you?” Shen Jia sounded desperate. “Su Qian, just call the police. Only they can handle this.”
“But if the police get involved, it’ll escalate. Chen Shen might hurt Tang Tang.”
“And right now? Don’t forget—Li Xiang is capital. He won’t pass up the chance to humiliate you.”
“Shen Jia, I think you forgot something.”
Su Qian suddenly smiled.
“I’m capital too.”