The Cold Queen is My Exclusive Little Snack - Chapter 27

When Miss Zhongli Yan said “smash,” she meant smash.

Lamps, walls, and doors—nothing was spared. The only things left intact were the people standing there.

The manager’s face grew increasingly green. The situation had clearly spiraled out of control. Compared to Zhongli Yan’s two bodyguards, the security guards she had summoned were being utterly humiliated like schoolchildren.

With one last glance at the woman standing calmly in the center of the chaos, the manager turned and left.

Faced with the choice between President Liu and Zhongli Yan, no one would risk offending the latter for the sake of the former. Turning a blind eye might even help them avoid being held accountable later.

No one paid attention to her departure. Jiang Shuqing’s sole concern was the door. Despite the commotion, no one had emerged from inside, which meant something must have happened.

Pacing anxiously, she rushed forward the moment the lock was broken.

Her skirt billowed as her pearl-white, chunky-heeled leather shoes crunched over the debris-strewn floor. Just as she was about to step through the wooden doorway, she stopped.

After scanning the scene inside, Jiang Shuqing turned to the bodyguards and ordered, “No one enters except me!”

“Understood, Miss Jiang.”

Before the words had even finished, Jiang Shuqing had slipped sideways through the door and slammed it shut behind her.

Without checking if it was properly closed, she tore off the silk scarf around her neck and rushed over to cover Zuo Xingning’s face.

“Biting people out here? Are you trying to get killed?!”

“……” Zuo Xingning, who had just retracted her baton, looked up and—

“Huh?”

After a chaotic exchange of words, Jiang Shuqing finally believed that Zuo Xingning hadn’t “gone mad” to the point of biting people indiscriminately. The bl00d on her lips was her own.

“How could anyone be so clumsy as to bite themselves?” Jiang Shuqing wondered, feeling her silk scarf had met a tragic end.

Zuo Xingning scratched her cheek, unsure how to explain. “Alright, I’ll buy you a new one. Would an exact replica be okay?”

“This was a limited edition! You can’t even buy it anymore,” Jiang Shuqing huffed, holding up two fingers. “I want two new items from the same brand.”

“…Fine,” Zuo Xingning said, aware of her financial limitations. “But I can only pay in installments.”

“Poor thing,” Jiang Shuqing rolled her eyes and kicked the unconscious President Liu on the floor. “You really went hard on him. Is he still alive?”

“He’s alive. He knocked himself out by hitting his head on the table corner. I already called an ambulance, but I don’t know when it’ll arrive.”

“Ambulance…” Jiang Shuqing suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, I haven’t called the police yet… Wait, where’s my phone?”

Zuo Xingning walked to the door and picked up the phone lying on the floor. “Here. I already called the police. We just need to wait here.”

After cleaning up President Liu, Zuo Xingning turned off the signal jammer, called the police, and summoned an ambulance. Just as she finished, a sudden crash erupted outside. Uncertain what was happening, she hid until she saw Jiang Shuqing approaching.

“Where’s Xu Yang?” Zuo Xingning asked. “Did you see her when you came?”

Jiang Shuqing shook her head. “With all the commotion outside, she’s probably hiding. Let’s not worry about her. After all, the monk can run, but the temple stays put.”

“Right. About today… thank you for coming all the way here,” Zuo Xingning said earnestly. “I didn’t expect you to come. I’m sorry for making you worry, and thank you.”

After knowing each other for so many years, this was only the second time Jiang Shuqing had heard her say thank you. Their relationship seemed to have shifted somehow.

Her ears flushed crimson again, and she turned her head away. “Who would… who would worry about you? Don’t flatter yourself. I just happened to be passing by, you know?”

People often try to change the subject when they feel guilty. Catching a glimpse of metallic silver in her peripheral vision, Jiang Shuqing immediately grabbed it like a lifeline. “What’s this?”

“A baton,” Zuo Xingning said, flipping the metal rod around. Grabbing Jiang Shuqing’s hand, she gave it a sharp push and flick, instantly extending the forty-centimeter alloy steel baton. “This thing packs a punch. Don’t mess around with it.”

Before she could finish, Jiang Shuqing had already yelped and released her grip, backing away. “You only brought a flimsy baton? It might work against one or two people, but what if there’s a whole group?”

“There won’t be a group. When Xu Yang booked the private room at Rongye, she said there would only be three or four guests.”

Jiang Shuqing paused, remembering that she had been the one who told Zuo Xingning about the number of people…

Her face flushed with embarrassment, she knelt down to help pick up the scattered items. “You think I hadn’t considered that? Still, this is too risky… Hmm? What’s this?”

She picked up a palm-sized, pendant-like object. With a gentle flick of her thumb across the side switch, the phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

“It’s an alarm,” Zuo Xingning sighed, swiped her phone to hang up, and tossed it to Jiang Shuqing.

“It has built-in GPS and emergency contacts set to you and my assistant. Pressing this side button will call you, alerting you that I’m in danger and sharing my location.”

Jiang Shuqing’s priorities were a bit skewed. “Why did you list me as an emergency contact?”

“Because you’re the only one who knows everything, of course,” Zuo Xingning replied matter-of-factly. “Now do you believe me? I wasn’t acting recklessly.”

“…Oh,” Jiang Shuqing said, her gaze drifting off, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

After gathering her belongings, Zuo Xingning stood up. Noticing Jiang Shuqing still staring at her handbag, she simply handed it over, letting her rummage through it.

The private room fell silent. Zuo Xingning casually pulled up a chair and sat down, her gaze sweeping over President Liu lying unconscious on the floor. A cold, murderous glint flashed in her eyes.

As Jiang Shuqing had said, she truly was an “excessively kind person.”

She had agreed to help Xu Yang because she had once experienced something similar herself. Sadly, no one had come to her aid back then.

It was during her junior year of college, when she was filming her first drama. Barely twenty years old and utterly naive, she had assumed everyone on set was good-natured, since she got along well with the crew.

At the wrap party, she had only drunk juice, yet her head grew heavy. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in the producer’s room. Caught completely unprepared and terrified, she inadvertently triggered her vampire bloodline.

The sudden transformation purged the drug from her system. Using a vase, she knocked the producer unconscious and fled.

The experience left her deeply shaken. Despite her love for acting, she dared not venture out again, wasting two years in isolation.

Because of this trauma, even knowing Xu Yang despised her and the chances of her asking for help were slim, Zuo Xingning still feared that one-in-ten-thousand possibility—that Xu Yang was telling the truth.

She followed Xu Yang inside, clinging to a final sliver of hope: Could she be forced into this?

As classmates for four years, Zuo Xingning refused to believe the worst of her. Perhaps the producer she had offended years ago was manipulating Xu Yang?

But that wasn’t the case either.

She watched her classmate crumble before her eyes.

Utterly disillusioned, Zuo Xingning was about to leave when President Liu mentioned Chu Shiyin.

Hearing President Liu’s greasy lips spew details of how he had used his power to coerce and pressure the young, inexperienced Chu Shiyin into becoming his personal possession, she experienced true murderous intent for the first time.

Knock, knock—

A crack appeared in the heavy wooden door. Zuo Xingning suppressed the coldness in her eyes and glanced over.

No one entered. Instead, an unfamiliar voice spoke, “Miss Jiang, I found a suspicious person lurking nearby. They seem to be a guest from this private room.”

“I see,” Jiang Shuqing replied, first checking that Zuo Xingning had wiped the bl00d from her mouth and showed no signs of distress. “Bring her in.”

The bodyguard pushed Xu Yang into the room. Xu Yang trembled violently, screaming at the sight of President Liu sprawled on the floor before quickly hiding behind the curtains.

Such a timid person.

The atmosphere froze, suffocating Zuo Xingning. Feeling stifled, she excused herself to Jiang Shuqing, asked the bodyguard outside to keep her company, and stepped out for some air.

Leaving the private room, Zuo Xingning wasn’t surprised to find Zhongli Yan standing alone in the corridor, his hands clasped behind his back.

A single glance at the disarray on the floor revealed everything that had transpired. Zuo Xingning approached him to express her gratitude.

“Don’t mention it. I was just doing what Shuqing asked,” Zhongli Yan shrugged, his expression conveying his helplessness against Jiang Shuqing’s will.

Zuo Xingning’s lips curved into a polite, distant smile. “If I may ask, Zhongli-zongcai, are you truly pursuing Shuqing?”

“Shuqing once told me, ‘To deepen a relationship, you must break free from its established patterns.’ Zhongli-zongcai, perhaps you should try making your feelings more obvious—or even telling her directly. Otherwise, Shuqing might continue to believe you’re just teasing her.”

“She can be a little… oblivious.”

Zhongli Yan paused, then chuckled softly. “I understand. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, inside the private room:

Jiang Shuqing stood up and walked over to Xu Yang, scrutinizing her.

“We were university classmates. Aren’t you ashamed to stoop to this?”

“Ashamed? You’re a privileged young lady, born with a silver spoon. But for people like me, having a face only means it’ll be trampled on by others!”

Xu Yang’s lips curled into a mocking smile, as if she’d heard the joke of the century. “Still playing the innocent? Everything that’s happened to me is your fault!”

“?” Jiang Shuqing frowned. “When have I ever harmed you?”

“Right, Miss Jiang, you’re too important to remember such trivial matters,” Xu Yang spat, glaring at her. “That woman standing outside—your sugar daddy, right? She keeps a tight leash. Last year, I merely exchanged a few words with her, and you not only humiliated me with your words but also cost me my endorsement deal!”

“Ever since then, my opportunities have been dwindling. How dare you claim you had nothing to do with it?!”

“I didn’t,” Jiang Shuqing retorted coldly. “What does any of this have to do with what you’re doing today?”

“Exactly! I’m the privileged young lady, born with advantages, living ostentatiously. I’m an easy target. If you think I wronged you, why didn’t you confront me directly instead of scheming against innocent people?”

“Is it that you don’t want to? Or are you simply too afraid to touch me, only capable of bullying the weak and cowering before the strong?!”

Her anger rising with each word, Jiang Shuqing nearly lost control, a restless crimson flashing in her eyes. “Do you think Zuo Xingning came with you because she was fooled by you? She only did it out of friendship, afraid you might genuinely need help!”

Xu Yang shrieked back, “Then she deserved it!”

Jiang Shuqing closed her eyes briefly, exhaling a heavy breath.

She suddenly felt there was no point in arguing further.

“Zhongli Yan is my friend, not my sugar daddy. He has the worst temper. That time you practically clung to him—if I hadn’t intervened and pulled him away, you would have been blacklisted the next day. ‘Some people are not to be trifled with’—that was a warning, not an insult.”

“I don’t know the details of your endorsement deal, but it certainly had nothing to do with me. I don’t pay that much attention to you, let alone try to sabotage you.”

“Everything you’ve suffered is your own doing.”

With these final words, Jiang Shuqing turned and walked away.

The wailing sirens of police cars and ambulances arrived almost simultaneously. The unconscious President Liu was carried onto a stretcher, while Zuo Xingning and her group were taken to the police station for questioning.

With Zhongli Yan, a figure of immense influence, present, the unconscious local tyrant posed no threat. Without any interference, the preliminary investigation was swiftly completed.

The private room lacked surveillance cameras, but the voice recorder provided by Zuo Xingning was sufficient to reconstruct the events. Overall, President Liu’s broken arm and leg were deemed self-defense by Zuo Xingning, while the hotel damage was attributed to Jiang Shuqing’s desperate attempt to save someone.

However, Jiang Shuqing’s actions were deemed excessive. She was taken aside for a stern lecture by the police. By the time she emerged, looking dejected, the clock had already struck eight.

Dark clouds obscured the moon, casting an oppressive gloom over the sky, as if rain were imminent.

The moment Zuo Xingning stepped out of the police station, a frigid gust of wind hit her. She shivered, lowering her head to fasten her coat. As she buttoned the second button, her arm was yanked violently, and she was pulled into an equally icy embrace.

Zuo Xingning blinked, meeting the furious gaze of her captor. Only then did fear begin to creep into her heart.

Half an hour later, she was brought to a hotel room.

The unfamiliar layout was permeated with Chu Shiyin’s scent.

“Jie… Jiejie,” Zuo Xingning stammered. The air conditioning wasn’t on, and a wave of heat hit her as she entered, causing sweat to bead on her back. But she didn’t dare remove her coat, let alone move at all.

“Why didn’t you discuss this with me?” Chu Shiyin pinned Zuo Xingning against the door, demanding an answer.

On the way back, she had already heard Zuo Xingning’s account of what happened. All she felt was lingering fear.

Never before had she panicked as much as when Zhongli Yan told her Zuo Xingning had been taken to the police station.

Zuo Xingning answered honestly, “I didn’t want you to worry.”

“You didn’t want me to worry? Do you think acting first and telling me later would make me worry less?” Chu Shiyin laughed in exasperation. “Not only am I worried, but now I also… I also want to break your legs.”

Break her legs, lock her up, and she’d never escape again, never face any danger.

“I know I was wrong~” Zuo Xingning’s scalp tingled. She suddenly threw herself into Chu Shiyin’s arms, clinging and whining. For a moment, she genuinely believed Chu Shiyin might actually break her legs.

Unfortunately, her foolproof method failed this time.

After a while of coaxing, Chu Shiyin’s gaze remained terrifyingly dangerous. Zuo Xingning, at a loss, blurted out in desperation, “Why don’t… why don’t you just hit me?”

As she spoke, she grabbed Chu Shiyin’s hand and placed it on her own butt.

When she was a mischievous child, Zuo Xingning had often angered her mother, Zuo Minglan, to the point where she would shout about breaking her legs. But that was just an orange warning; the red warning was silent, meaning Zuo Minglan was too furious to even speak to her. The only way to defuse the situation was to proactively offer herself up for punishment.

Whether she was actually hit or not, it always dissipated some of her mother’s anger.

But Zuo Xingning had forgotten that she wasn’t dealing with Zuo Minglan today.

The slender yet strong hand slid smoothly down the curve of her hips, naturally slipping between her thighs and lifting her upward.

The moment her toes left the ground, Zuo Xingning gasped, her parted lips immediately seized by a probing tongue.

With no leverage, she could only submit to the other woman’s will, clinging to her shoulders, locking her arms around her waist, and pressing herself tightly against her.

Like a drowning person grasping at the last piece of driftwood, she clung to Chu Shiyin to steady herself in the storm.

Finally, they were both breathless.