Chapter 30: The Order to Leave

"Moonlight Harbor? What are you up to?" Lu Qiqi’s eyes darkened. She was puzzled as to why Si Qinyu would suddenly bring up Moonlight Harbor, especially since he had never involved himself in maritime business before.

Chu Linchen was also eyeing Moonlight Harbor. Could it be that something had happened at sea recently that she was unaware of?

Si Qinyu’s lips curled into a faint smile, his gaze deep and tender. "Qiqi, I want to give you a one-of-a-kind surprise. But it’s not the right time yet; I can’t tell you just yet."

The man’s voice was low and magnetic. Had Lu Qiqi not already discovered his true colors, she might have actually believed he was preparing a surprise for her.

Unfortunately, Lu Qiqi would not be fooled.

"Moonlight Harbor is my surprise. If you won't tell me, I won't give it to you." Lu Qiqi sneered inwardly, though she feigned a coquettish tone, her eyes dancing with playful mischief.

She moved slowly toward Si Qinyu, resting her fingers lightly on his shoulder, eyeing him with a half-smile. "Darling, if a surprise turns into a shock, that wouldn't be very pleasant, would it? Or is it that you’re hiding some unspeakable secret and are afraid I’ll find—"

Before she could finish, a guilty-stricken Si Qinyu interrupted her, grabbing the hand she had placed on his shoulder and wrapping it gently in his own, as if to mask his inner panic. "Qiqi, don't let your imagination run wild. How could I possibly keep secrets from you? You’ve built Moonlight Harbor with your own two hands, and I’ve seen your hard work over the years. I just didn't want you to be so exhausted; I wanted to share the burden."

"Then why didn't you just tell me directly? Besides, I don’t find it exhausting at all. On the contrary, I find it quite satisfying to be able to spread my wings. You don't think I’ve put too much effort into the harbor with ulterior motives, do you?" Lu Qiqi played the part of the innocent, her expression one of confusion, making it clear in every word that she had no intention of handing Moonlight Harbor over to him.

Si Qinyu, not expecting Lu Qiqi to be so insistent, tried to hide his calculations behind a smile. "Qiqi, are you interrogating me? I am your husband. You have to trust me. Manli is here too; she can vouch for me."

He shouldn't have mentioned Shen Manli. At the mention of her name, it all came back to Lu Qiqi.

She tilted her head slightly, her gaze drifting past Si Qinyu as if catching something in the air, a cryptic smile playing on her lips.

In her mind, she saw Shen Manli’s gentle face—a face that masked a sense of inevitable triumph—and the interactions between her and Si Qinyu that seemed casual yet were thick with hidden currents.

"Since when did Manli become a witness to our affairs? Have the two of you been keeping little secrets from me lately—things that I, as your wife, don't know? Otherwise, why were you so worried about her just now?" As she spoke, Lu Qiqi’s gaze sharpened, as if piercing through every disguise to reach the secrets hidden in the depths of the human heart.

Beside them, Shen Manli felt a tremor at Lu Qiqi’s piercing look. Her face paled, but she forced a calm demeanor and stepped forward, hands clasped gently in front of her. She smiled softly, "Qiqi, don't misunderstand. Young Master Si was just speaking casually. What secrets could we possibly have? You know I’ve always considered you my closest sister; how could I ever keep anything from you?"

As she spoke, her watery eyes fluttered, as if trying to squeeze out a few tears. Her innocent demeanor was meant to evoke pity.

However, Lu Qiqi remained unmoved. A cold sneer played on her lips, her eyes filled with mockery, as if she had seen right through everything. "You consider me a sister, yet you splashed water on me and then tried to turn the tables? Perhaps you should go practice your acting skills some more?"

"Manli, I am so disappointed in you."

Shen Manli opened her mouth, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her lips—a smile laden with too many emotions: disappointment, resentment, and an indescribable complexity. "Qiqi, you are so outstanding that I feel immense pressure when I’m with you. That’s why I acted that way. I just wanted to see if there would ever be a moment when you were embarrassed. I’m sorry..."

Her explanation for why she had framed Lu Qiqi for the tea incident was plausible, yet it sounded far too forced.

As she spoke, Shen Manli’s eyes reddened, tears welling up but stubbornly refusing to fall. She lowered her head, her long hair obscuring half her face, leaving only a trembling silhouette.

They say to stay away from "green tea" women to cherish your life, and wasn't the person before her a living example?

Lu Qiqi couldn't help but roll her eyes. Just as she was about to speak, Si Qinyu, seeing the situation, furrowed his brows, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He stepped forward to gently pat Shen Manli’s shoulder in consolation, then turned to face Lu Qiqi, his gaze gentle yet firm. "Qiqi, Manli was just momentarily confused; she isn't a bad person at heart. We’ve known each other for years, and you should understand her. She has apologized, so for my sake, please forgive her this once."

He slowly reached out, intending to take Lu Qiqi’s hand, but she skillfully dodged him.

"I won't dwell on today’s events, but I won't forgive her either." Lu Qiqi was truly too lazy to waste any more breath on them. Impatience etched across her brow, she waved her hand as if shooing away an annoying fly. "Fine, both of you leave. I have a lot of work to do and no time to waste here with you."

"I hope some people can learn to keep their place."

With that, she turned to her desk and picked up a document, scrutinizing it with focused intensity, as if to bury herself in work to shut out the disturbance the two of them had brought.

Lu Qiqi was afraid that if she didn't restrain herself, she would expose them on the spot, so she forced herself not to look at them; watching them was nauseating enough as it was.

Si Qinyu’s expression was complex. He knew deep down that what Shen Manli had done today was indeed going too far; he hadn't expected her to lose her composure and provoke Lu Qiqi.

It was clear that Qiqi was truly angry this time. He felt a pang of heartache; that vibrant, lively girl had truly been hurt.

"Qiqi, I know you’re upset. If you have any grievances, just say them out loud; don’t bottle them up." Si Qinyu’s voice was gentle and slightly urgent. He tried to move closer to Lu Qiqi, only to be stopped by her icy glare.

Lu Qiqi looked up, her gaze like a torch, a cold, temperatureless sneer on her lips, as frigid as a winter wind. "Darling, have you ever been backstabbed by the person closest to you? I suppose not. That’s why you can’t understand—what I need has never been hypocritical apologies or cheap excuses."

"I..." Si Qinyu opened his mouth and took a deep breath, wanting to say something but fearing he would say the wrong thing. He simply stood there, his gaze gentle and conflicted.

"Goodbye, I won't be seeing you out!" Seeing that the two were still standing there, Lu Qiqi issued a final order to leave.