Chapter 15 Find Me a Stepfather

Qin Monong blurted out instinctively, “Impossible! Yanran would never dare disobey me.”
“If you don’t believe me, go downstairs and see for yourself.”
But instead of going downstairs, Qin Monong walked to the balcony and saw that Qin Yanran’s car was still parked in the garden—it hadn’t left at all. She was momentarily stunned.
“That girl, acting on her own again, defying my words!”
Qin Monong was by nature a domineering woman who could not tolerate any challenge to her authority or disobedience to her commands.
In the company, her word was law; at home, it was no different.
Because Qin Yanran and Wang Huirong had taken it upon themselves to get rid of Lin Yang, one was expelled from the family, the other dismissed outright.
But now, her authority and strength had been utterly crushed in front of Lin Yang. Instead, she found herself repeatedly begging for mercy.
A terrifying thought flashed through Qin Monong’s mind, and she quickly locked the door to her room.
“Then doesn’t that mean Yanran heard everything?!”
“With a voice that loud, it would be hard not to hear,” Lin Yang teased.
Qin Monong’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she seemed at a loss for what to do.
“If you knew she hadn’t left, why didn’t you warn me?”
“Why should I warn you? I’m not afraid of her knowing.”
Lin Yang grinned mischievously. “Besides, you were already struggling so much to endure it. I kept quiet for your own good.”
“You scoundrel!”
Qin Monong, furious, walked over and threw her fist at Lin Yang’s chest.
She detested the feeling of being manipulated by him at every turn.
“You’d best stop provoking me, or I’ll have to come and collect my due from you again,” Lin Yang said, seizing her fist.
Qin Monong panicked and quickly withdrew her hand.
She truly couldn’t handle any more—her body still throbbed with pain.
One more time and it would be the death of her!
Unable to leave the room and with Lin Yang refusing to go, she was completely helpless. Shooting him a resentful glare, she fetched a basin of water and, with a towel, began to clean up after their battle.
“Don’t think you’re so wronged. After two years of being imprisoned and tormented by you, isn’t it only fair that you wait on me for once?”
Lin Yang thoroughly enjoyed the moment. This was Qin Monong, after all; to be attended to by her was enough to make one feel like a god.
“One day I’ll kill you,” Qin Monong spat between clenched teeth.
“I look forward to it,” Lin Yang replied with a smile.
After she cleaned Lin Yang up meticulously, Qin Monong donned a nightgown and prepared to sleep on the sofa.
“Come here,” Lin Yang beckoned with a finger.
“I won’t!”

“I’ll go downstairs, then.”
“Lin Yang, you bastard!”
Qin Monong was so furious her teeth ached. She had lost all initiative in front of Lin Yang, completely under his thumb.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Resigned, Qin Monong returned, took a clean set of sheets from the wardrobe, and remade the bed.
The old sheets were soaked in several places, thanks to her earlier outbursts.
Only after changing them did she slip under the covers. At first, she felt awkward and disgusted, keeping her body rigid and maintaining a distance from Lin Yang.
But she soon found herself no match for his assertiveness; he simply pulled her into his arms from behind. She struggled a few times in vain and eventually gave up.
“Go to sleep. If you keep moving, I can’t promise I won’t do something again.”
Lin Yang whispered softly in her ear.
Qin Monong shrank her neck, mortified and seething, but didn’t dare move. She obediently closed her eyes.
Perhaps she was too exhausted; her body gradually relaxed, her breathing grew even and gentle, and she drifted into sleep.
Lin Yang gently turned her toward him, raising a hand to stroke her hair and face.
Though the room was shrouded in darkness, his heterochromatic eyes gave him night vision.
Looking at Qin Monong so close, he realized how truly beautiful she was.
He found that any hatred he once felt for her had vanished.
Morning came. Qin Monong was awakened by the ring of her phone. When she glanced at it, she saw it was already ten o’clock.
She had never slept so late before.
Though ruthless and strong-willed, at her core, Qin Monong was a woman who desperately lacked a sense of security.
It all stemmed from her past: at fifteen, she was violated by a powerful figure and barely managed to escape his clutches. The memory haunted her like a nightmare.
Thus, she clawed her way upward by any means necessary, seeking protection in status and wealth—her only sources of security.
She often awoke from nightmares, gripped by fear, her sleep always restless.
But last night was the most peaceful and secure she had felt in twenty years.
In her daze, she sensed a strong, warm embrace protecting her, filling her with a rare sense of safety.
She realized she had been sleeping in Lin Yang’s arms all night.
She quickly ended the call, got up, and tidied her clothes and hair.
“I saw you sleeping so soundly, I didn’t wake you,” Lin Yang said.
“Hurry up and go, before Yanran sees you.”
Qin Monong’s expression was cold.
Lin Yang said nothing more and was about to get dressed when a knock sounded at the door.
“Mom, are you up yet?” came Qin Yuyan’s voice from outside.
Qin Monong jumped in fright. Thank goodness the door was locked. “Not yet. What is it?” she replied.

“I have something I’d like to talk to you about. May I come in?”
Qin Monong frantically signaled for Lin Yang to leave, terrified he might suddenly make a sound.
But Lin Yang remained unmoved, still lying in bed, making her want to throw him out the window.
“Just say it from there,” Qin Monong replied.
Qin Yanran seemed to gather her thoughts, then said, “Mom, you don’t have to be so hard on yourself. It hasn’t been easy for you all these years. If you want to find me a stepdad, I really don’t mind.”
Qin Monong’s face flushed red; she nearly died of embarrassment on the spot, glaring daggers at Lin Yang.
But Lin Yang only smiled and nodded approvingly, as if to say he agreed wholeheartedly.
For the first time, he found Qin Yanran considerate—being her stepfather sounded rather interesting.
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Qin Monong snapped.
“Mom, I’m already twenty, not a little girl anymore. I didn’t go to the hotel last night. I heard everything. Instead of comforting yourself, why not find me a stepdad?”
Qin Yanran spoke solemnly.
Qin Monong was beside herself, nearly driven mad, while Lin Yang almost burst out laughing.
She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him.
“Mom, I really wouldn’t mind having a stepdad. As long as it’s someone you love who treats you well, I promise I won’t object. I’ll treat him like my real father. Just think about it!”
Qin Yanran continued.
“That’s enough. Not another word. Go downstairs, now!”
Seeing Lin Yang struggling to hold back his laughter, Qin Monong was fuming, her lungs about to explode. She hastily shooed Qin Yanran away.
Only after hearing her daughter’s footsteps fade did Lin Yang say, “Your daughter is really thoughtful. I think she makes a good point. I’d be glad to be her stepfather. Should I just tell her the truth?”
“Shut up!”
Qin Monong had finally reached her breaking point, pouncing on Lin Yang in a rage, wishing she could swallow him whole.
“Lin Yang, I’m warning you—if you dare let Yanran find out about us, I’ll fight you to the death!”
Her eyes gleamed with murderous intent as she threatened him.
Lin Yang didn’t care for her threats in the least. He got dressed, teasing, “I truly envy you for having such a good daughter who always thinks of you. You should be grateful.”
“Go to hell!”
Qin Monong, her usual grace and poise nowhere to be seen, lunged at him again, utterly undone by just a few words from Lin Yang.
He dodged, darted to the balcony, and called out before leaving, “I’ll be back tonight.”
“You little fiend, if you dare come tonight, I swear you’ll never walk out alive—I’ll tear you to pieces!”
Qin Monong hurled her fiercest threats after him.