Chapter 1: Be Obedient

“Others say you are ruthless, but I say you have a compassionate heart.”

“I, Fu Huaizhou, am compassionate, but only for one person.”

——

As the banquet reached its peak, the main hall was filled with elegant people in fine clothes. But in the small, detached house behind the banquet hall, it was completely dark.

There was no sound of conversation, the air was sticky and hot, only the sound of heavy breathing intertwined.

The usually neat bed sheets were now a mess, and clothes that could no longer be worn lay scattered on the floor.

“Who am I?” The man’s usually indifferent voice was even deeper due to the effects of the drug.

The girl’s cheeks were flushed, a light sheen of sweat forming on her forehead. Her small, pale hands were struggling with her cumbersome dress, her vision blurry, but she could vaguely see the sharp, mature features of the man in front of her.

“Fu Huaizhou… I know,” she murmured softly.

Her voice was sweet and delicate, and now filled with a new kind of boldness. She reached out to wrap her arms around the man’s shoulders. “There’s no way I’d mistake you for Fu Xingchuan. I’m not an idiot…”

The man, who was also under the influence of the drug, inhaled the fragrance from her body, his heat intensifying. He had no patience for her mindless rambling and pulled her directly into his arms.

The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly dangerous.

“I know it’s you too, so there’s no misunderstanding.” Fu Huaizhou’s aura was completely dominating. Even in this moment, he hadn’t lost his composure.

His hot fingers peeled away the strap of the girl’s dress from her pale shoulder, slow yet forceful, leaving the little rabbit in front of him with no escape.

Her porcelain-like skin was exposed to the air, absorbing the man’s cedarwood scent. Ruan Li shivered and curled up into his embrace.

Amidst the chaos, tears fell onto the man’s shoulder, and she no longer cared about how things would end.

“It hurts… Uncle…”

The man’s voice softened slightly. “Be obedient.”

——

One week before the banquet.

This summer in the capital city was busier than usual, and the young masters and ladies, who usually weren’t interested in much, were buzzing about two things.

One was that Fu Huaizhou was returning to officially take over the Fu family. The Fu family, which dominated the upper echelons of the capital’s society, was known to everyone, and as the heir, Fu Huaizhou had become the family’s trump card in recent years.

The second piece of news was that the Ruan family’s daughter, Ruan Li, who had been pampered for over a decade, was actually a fake heiress. The real daughter had recently been found.

“Miss, you’re already late for the banquet.” Chen Jing, the agent beside her, looked worriedly at the girl still touching up her makeup.

With a snap, the small handheld mirror was closed, revealing the girl’s small, delicate face. Her mesmerizing almond-shaped eyes were full of charm, her red lips and black hair an irresistible combination.

“Since I wasn’t called back to the Fu family for dinner in advance, I’m obviously not the main character. Arriving late is just perfect.” Ruan Li casually adjusted the shawl on her arm, her slender fingers smoothing her red lips to make the lipstick appear more natural.

Ever since Chen Jing had started working with this young lady, she’d been living a carefree life. There was never a shortage of resources—Ruan Li’s face and connections guaranteed that. Gossip was never an issue either; this young lady was notoriously hard to please and never even spared a glance at any man.

What’s more, Ruan Li was generous with those around her—designer handbags and end-of-year bonuses were never in short supply. The only issue was her occasional spoiled behavior—

“Oh no, there’s ink on this dress. Let’s just throw it away, shall we?” Ruan Li blinked innocently at Chen Jing, as if seeking her opinion.

Well, maybe not just occasionally spoiled. Chen Jing was already used to it.

The dress, which was a masterpiece by a renowned designer, was exclusive to high-end VIPs. But she guessed that by tomorrow, it would be tossed in a corner of the closet.

“Should we change your makeup? If anyone asks later, we can say you were feeling unwell on set, which is why you’re late,” Chen Jing suggested, scratching her head for ideas.

Ruan Li frowned slightly. Chen Jing sighed in relief, thinking her suggestion had been accepted, but then she heard a firm rejection.

“It’s not like I’m late on purpose. Besides, I refuse to look ugly. I made a vow when I was seven—”

“That you must look beautiful even in death.” Chen Jing had heard this vow so many times her ears were about to fall off.

The more Ruan Li looked at the ink stain on her dress, the more annoyed she felt. She had been filming a historical drama recently, filled with scenes of calligraphy and ink. The second female lead seemed blind, even bumping into her after the scene had wrapped and she had already changed into her regular clothes.

“I hate rainy days the most, everything feels so damp…”

The black car sped down the road as a torrential downpour washed away the early summer’s oppressive heat.

“The Fu Group officially announces its new leader: Fu Huaizhou.”

“Rumor has it that Fu Huaizhou, who has spent the past few years abroad, will return tomorrow. As the youngest of the Fu family’s three sons, his return is expected to bring challenges as he takes over the Fu family’s business empire.”

In the midst of the rain, the headlights of an elegant Rolls-Royce pierced the night, the black car sleek like a hunting panther.

“The old master has officially retired and gone abroad with the lady of the house. The only people left at the Fu estate are the deputy chairman’s family,” Assistant Qin reported from the front seat.

“Hmm,” came the man’s cold reply. The news flashing on the city’s largest screen they had just passed seemed to have no impact on him. A multi-billion-dollar empire was merely a flick of his fingers.

Fu Huaizhou’s return had long been expected. The old master of the Fu family had three sons.

The deputy chairman, Fu Zhen, the eldest, had some business acumen but was incapable of managing such a vast empire. The second son, Fu Jun, had long been in the military and was a prominent figure in politics, uninterested in family affairs.

Only the youngest, Fu Huaizhou, known for his ruthless efficiency and sharp mind, had made a name for himself in the capital years ago.

“Several invitations have already arrived since your return. I’ve filtered out the unimportant ones for you…”

Suddenly, a loud “bang” rang out, sharp in the rain, followed by the screech of tires skidding to a halt on the road.

Assistant Qin’s report was abruptly cut off as he was almost thrown against the dashboard, saved only by his seatbelt.

“What happened?” he asked, turning to the startled driver.

“The car behind rear-ended us, Mr. Fu,” the driver reported truthfully. No one expected that even after entering the Fu family estate, someone would still be so careless.

Both cars, worth a fortune, were now completely wrecked.

“Is everyone okay?” Chen Jing, startled, immediately looked over at the girl who had almost hit the seat in front of her.

Ruan Li waved her hand dismissively; today really wasn’t her day.

The driver, trembling with fear, stammered, “I’m so sorry, Miss. I didn’t see the distance clearly in the rain. It’s my first time driving this car, and I’m not very familiar with it…”

Ruan Li patted her chest lightly, calming herself. This driver had indeed been a last-minute replacement. That morning, Ruan Shu had needed to go out and had switched out the driver Ruan Li usually used.

She glanced at the other car, which was in worse shape than hers. She still didn’t recognize what kind of car it was, but she figured it wouldn’t be something she couldn’t afford to compensate.

“As long as no one’s hurt. I’ll head down and see whose car it is,” Ruan Li adjusted her shawl and prepared to get out, not treating the situation too seriously. Since everyone here was attending the Fu family dinner, it likely wasn’t a stranger.

Chen Jing held an umbrella for her as Ruan Li walked toward the main hall, just in time to see who owned the car.

“Mr. Fu, you go ahead inside, I’ll handle this,” said the assistant.

Fu Huaizhou nodded slightly. Assistant Qin got out of the car first, opened the door, and held up a black umbrella, waiting for the man to step out.

There was still some distance to the main hall, and Fu Huaizhou walked at a steady pace. The rain was coming down too heavily. Even with the umbrella, it was impossible to avoid getting wet, and small puddles had formed in places due to the uneven ground.

His leather shoes splashed water, some of it landing on the black custom shoes and also on a piece of white fabric in front of him.

The air was silent for two seconds, as Assistant Qin hadn’t noticed the person walking alongside them.

Then came the sound of a girl gasping in shock, or rather, a scream.

“Who… who are you?” Ruan Li looked at the dirty hem of her dress, now splattered with water. Even though it was just the edge of the skirt, it was unbearable, almost matching the ink stain she’d gotten earlier. And this person holding the umbrella—why was he holding it so high that the water was running down onto her?

“Miss, if you have any compensation requests, you can talk to me,” Assistant Qin quickly understood the situation. Who would’ve thought someone at the Fu estate would dare walk beside Fu Huaizhou instead of stepping aside?

Ruan Li looked at the man who had stepped in the puddle, and he remained silent.

His face was hidden under the black umbrella, dressed impeccably in a suit and tie. The top button of his shirt was fastened, his Adam’s apple prominent, and his posture tall and straight.

The black umbrella moved aside slightly, and the man tilted his chin.

Thin lips pressed together, his features cold and sharp, with a straight nose. Behind his frameless glasses, his eyes were emotionless—only indifference and danger.

Fu Huaizhou’s glasses were speckled with rain, obscuring his view. He glanced down at the person next to him and only saw the pale skin that stood out against the dark night before he looked away.

Ruan Li had been angry about her skirt, but the reminder that she’d rear-ended his car quickly shifted her priorities. Her skirt could be tossed aside, but someone’s car wasn’t as easy to get rid of.

She softened her previously angry expression. “I apologize, it was my fault for the car accident. Please make a list, and I’ll handle the compensation.”

Ruan Li thought her attitude was reasonable—she’d already considered his perspective. The least he could do was apologize for dirtying her skirt.

But the man only glanced at her coldly before turning away and continuing on, leaving Ruan Li standing there, dumbfounded in the rain.

“Who does he think he is, so arrogant?” Ruan Li grumbled, resisting the urge to stomp in frustration, afraid of getting her clothes even dirtier. She could only hold her temper. “What’s his problem?”

Chen Jing hadn’t expected anyone to dare provoke this particular lady either. In the capital, those with less power and influence than the Ruan family wouldn’t cross Ruan Li, and even those more powerful than the Ruan family generally got along well with her because of her beauty and delicate nature.

“You’ll catch a cold; let’s go inside,” Chen Jing suggested, feeling that tonight’s dinner might not be as simple as it seemed.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was lively as both families engaged in pleasant conversation. The man’s entrance, however, interrupted their chatter.

“Huaizhou?” Fu Zhen stood up from his seat at the head of the table, looking at the imposing man before him. “Weren’t you supposed to come back tomorrow?”

“Brother.” Fu Huaizhou nodded slightly.

The three members of the Ruan family hadn’t quite processed what was happening yet. Although everyone in the capital knew Fu Huaizhou was returning, they hadn’t expected to run into him like this.

“Uncle,” Fu Xingchuan also stood up. He had always both feared and admired his uncle growing up.

“Everyone, sit,” Fu Huaizhou said, gesturing with his hand.

Assistant Qin, ever perceptive, stopped the servant from closing the door to the main hall.

What was supposed to be an ordinary dinner between two families instantly became tense with Fu Huaizhou’s arrival.

Who didn’t know that Fu Huaizhou had founded his own company back in college and had since become a true business genius with swift, decisive methods?

“Uncle,” Ruan Shu called out, following her parents’ lead in addressing him according to Fu Xingchuan’s rank.

But the man didn’t spare her a glance, leaving Ruan Shu awkwardly pulling on Ruan Cheng’s arm and whispering, “Where’s my sister? She hasn’t shown up yet; did something happen?”

“What could happen to her? She’s got plenty of people around,” Ruan Cheng replied, though he too felt Ruan Li’s lateness was a bit much tonight.

“No big deal, just a car accident,” a playful female voice rang out from outside the door.

The two siblings walked into the hall one after the other. When Ruan Li entered, the man in front had just handed his coat to a servant.

“A car accident?” Ruan Shu stood up quickly. “You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

Ruan Li tilted her chin slightly. “I hit someone else’s car.”

“And you’re proud of it?” Ruan Cheng snapped, his mustache bristling with anger. “You’re always causing trouble—clean up your own mess!”

Ruan Li huffed. Fine, she’d clean up her own mess. She had a job and money, didn’t she? She glanced at the man beside her, whose cold demeanor made it seem like she didn’t even exist.

“I already apologized. Unlike some people,” she muttered, deliberately emphasizing the last three words, just in case he hadn’t heard her.