Chapter 377: Chapter 263: Spinoff – The Dream Destroyer (8)

Ziyan looked at him with some delight; it was as if she was searching for a company that could compete with Tang Shaosheng’s capabilities, so even if Tang Shaosheng found out, she wouldn’t have to be terminated without reason again.

“Go back and think about it, shall we have lunch together tomorrow? We can chat while we eat.”

Ziyan nodded: “Okay, I’ll give you an answer tomorrow, thank you.”

Li Jingyang smiled: “Could I have your contact information?”

Ziyan wrote down her phone number on a piece of paper, feeling an immense joy of rebirth in her heart.

Her mood improved even for the evening class.

Tang Shaosheng had initially called to invite her to dinner, but since Ziyan had an evening class, he had to let it go.

Ziyan told him over the phone that she wouldn’t be coming home tonight, but she didn’t expect to see him standing at the classroom door when she walked out after class.

Tang Shaosheng was dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, attracting quite a few glances from girls as he stood there.

His gaze unreservedly fell on Ziyan, and he walked over familiarly, asking, “Class is over?”

Ziyan wanted to pretend she didn’t know him and was about to walk away with her head buried in her hands, but Tang Shaosheng directly stepped forward and grabbed her hand.

Many people around started to gossip, Ziyan kept her head buried low, dragging him to another corridor until they were out of sight before stopping and looking at him to ask, “Why are you here?”

“Am I that embarrassing?”

Ziyan frowned: “Aren’t we supposed to keep our relationship a secret?”

“Who said?”

Ziyan didn’t want to argue about this and just said: “Didn’t I tell you I won’t be back tonight? Why did you still come?”

Holding her hand, Tang Shaosheng walked downstairs: “I came to see if you were lying to me.”

Ziyan knew he probably feared she would secretly work and disgrace him.

Fortunately, she really had a class tonight.

“I haven’t had dinner yet, come with me to eat first.”

While buckling her seatbelt, Ziyan asked, “How come you haven’t had dinner so late?”

He started the car, complaining: “Who asked you not to go back and cook for me?”

“Hey! Let’s eat here!” Ziyan suddenly pointed outside the window.

Tang Shaosheng looked at the small restaurant with distaste in his eyes.

“I’ve pretty much tried every place around here, this rice bowl place tastes not bad.”

Tang Shaosheng had never eaten at such small eateries, but upon her strong recommendation, he still parked the car.

Ziyan, having only eaten a little rice noodle soup that evening, was a bit hungry too, so she ordered a portion to share with him.

“How is it? Tastes good, right?”

Tang Shaosheng didn’t speak but cleaned his plate thoroughly.

Seeing this, Ziyan picked some vegetables from her plate and gave them to him: “I can’t finish it, you eat.”

He frowned with disgust: “You’re giving me your leftovers?”

Saying so, he still picked up the vegetables she placed on his plate and put them in his mouth.

When he wasn’t being stubborn, he was actually quite nice.

That evening, he didn’t go out again, and both of them lay on the bed.

Ziyan hesitated whether to tell him about Li Jingyang wanting her to sign a contract, perhaps she could discuss it with him and pursue her singing career openly.

But thinking it over, she dismissed the idea knowing if he found out, he would surely cut off this path for her.

So the next day, she met Li Jingyang at a nearby restaurant and settled the contract details.

“I have checked your previous company’s album and bought the copyrights over, but it needs some modifications, see when you are free to come by the company.”

“This afternoon, I’ll be free this afternoon.”

Li Jingyang smiled: “Then let’s go together later, keep my phone number, from now on, I’ll take care of you.”

Ziyan was immersed in joy and nodded fervently.

She went to his company with Li Jingyang in the afternoon, and being in the same music field, the usually quiet Ziyan found it quite easy to talk to him, keeping the atmosphere from becoming too awkward.

“You got married so early?” Li Jingyang suddenly shifted from the music topic and asked.

Ziyan nodded awkwardly: “It’s because of my family.”

Seeing that she wasn’t willing to elaborate, Li Jingyang didn’t ask further.

“It might go on until eight or nine tonight, I’ll take you back afterwards.”

“No need, I can go back by myself…”

Suddenly realizing she had many secrets.

Not wanting people to know about her marriage with Tang Shaosheng, not wanting Tang Shaosheng to know about her work.

But secrets don’t stay hidden forever.

Tang Shaosheng knew she was deceiving him, she only had class on Tuesday evenings.

Last night she said she was going shopping, he tentatively believed her, but today she said she didn’t have time for dinner together, so he drove to the school right before class ended and followed her.

He had warned her more than once, if she didn’t listen, he wouldn’t hesitate to be ruthless.

Following behind a bus, he drove for almost an hour.

Watching her enter an office building, the building had “Jingyang Media” written in front.

So she was being disobedient, thinking if the place was farther he wouldn’t be able to do anything about her?

After she entered the elevator, he followed suit, only making a move once her elevator stopped at the 16th floor.

He then entered another elevator and pressed the same number.

Once on the 16th floor, he began searching room by room.

Ziyan was short on time, so the staff were working swiftly.

Upon arrival, they immediately started doing her makeup, and Li Jingyang came right over to discuss the details of the music piece with her.

Li Jingyang, stooping slightly, spoke while marking the sheet music with a pen.

Ziyan listened intently, and as she looked up, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure in the mirror, causing her to freeze in shock. Only after a delayed reaction did she turn her head to see Tang Shaosheng had already approached her from behind.

Ziyan bolted upright from her chair: “How did you get here?”

She hadn’t expected him to find her so quickly.

Li Jingyang also turned around, standing behind Ziyan as he looked at Tang Shaosheng.

Tang Shaosheng reach out and pulled Ziyan to his side: “Should I not be here?”

Knowing better than to contradict him, she said: “Go back first. We’ll talk about this when we get home.”

“Song Ziyuan, I’ve warned you before!”

Li Jingyang, seeing Tang Shaosheng getting agitated, stepped forward to shield Ziyan behind him: “Sir, please calm down.”

Tang Shaosheng shoved him aside: “Who the fuck are you? What right do you have to interrupt when I’m speaking with my wife?”

“Stop causing a scene here!” Ziyan pushed him away, then went to help stabilize Li Jingyang: “Are you alright?”

Li Jingyang shook his head: “Your husband?”

Ziyan nodded, feeling embarrassed about the commotion at someone else’s workplace, a feeling Tang Shaosheng never considered.

“What’s this? Fallen for this pretty boy?” Tang Shaosheng said bitterly, seeing them stand together as if united against him.

“As a man, you lack decency. It’s only normal that she’d choose me,” Li Jingyang said, loosely embracing Ziyan.

Tang Shaosheng charged forward and punched Li Jingyang in the face: “Decency? You talk to me about decency while holding my wife?!”

“Tang Shaosheng! Stop!” Ziyan rushed to intervene, but Tang Shaosheng harshly grabbed her by the collar and threw her to the side, popping several buttons off her shirt.

Li Jingyang wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and retaliated with a punch of his own.

Then he helped Ziyan up and draped his jacket over her.

“Mr. Li, I’m afraid I can’t stay tonight, I’m sorry…”

Before Ziyan could finish, Tang Shaosheng pulled her towards him, threw off the jacket she was wearing, and dragged her outside.

Li Jingyang frowned but did not follow, as it was a matter between husband and wife.

“Tang Shaosheng, can’t you be reasonable?”

“When have you ever listened to reason from me? I’ve told you before, stop fucking thinking about singing!”

Ziyan clutched her open blouse, “Maybe this is embarrassing for you, but it’s my lifelong belief.”

It’s what keeps me going.

Silenced, Tang Shaosheng didn’t retort as the elevator doors opened, and he roughly dragged her to the car and threw her inside.

Sitting up straight, Ziyan waited for him to get in the car and then said as calmly as she could, “If you can’t accept it, then we should just separate.”

He didn’t answer, just drove fast.

Ziyan made her stance clear: “No matter what, even if you oppose it, I will continue with this.”

“Screech—” He slammed the brakes, and the car came to a stop on the side of the road.

Ziyan, not wearing a seatbelt, hit her head hard, and a little crimson was visible among her hair.

Tang Shaosheng smiled eerily, repeating her words: “You will continue? Heh…”

He scoffed coldly, took a half-drunk bottle of water from next to the seat, and from his pocket, he pulled out a long white packet resembling an instant coffee sachet.

He tore it open with his teeth and poured the powder inside into the water. Due to his roughness, some of the powder scattered outside.

Covering her forehead, Ziyan hadn’t grasped what he was doing.

Tang Shaosheng then forcefully clamped her face, forcing her mouth open and pouring the drug-laced water down her throat, “I want to see what you will use to continue!”

Ziyan struggled, some of the water entering her nose, some splashing onto her clothes, and much of it she swallowed.

Immediately, she felt a burning pain in her throat, and her tongue became stiff and numb…

At first, her moans of discomfort were audible; gradually, she just clutched her throat, her mouth open, unable to make a sound.

Tang Shaosheng frowned, not as pleased as he had imagined.

He restarted the car, deliberately not looking at her contorted, pained expression.

It hurt his heart.

He didn’t like this feeling.

Once the worst was over, Ziyan, in a state of panic, realized she couldn’t talk.

The punishment he spoke of turned out to be so devastating…

She couldn’t express how she felt.

Was it painful? Maybe. But it felt oddly serene, like the calmness of death.

At least she could still fall asleep when she closed her eyes.

The next day when she awoke to the bright day outside, she tried to speak but despite her efforts, she could make no sound.

Closing her eyes, she appeared peaceful.

Since she couldn’t even utter basic sounds, there was no need to go to school anymore.

It was as if everything had reset, even the one thing she truly owned was now lost.