Chapter 4: Early Transaction

Zhan Rongxuan remained silent, sitting on the sofa with a domineering yet relaxed posture. His fingers gently tapped the armrest as if he hadn’t heard her words, or perhaps he was carefully considering them.

Zhan Feng grew a little anxious. The old master had asked him multiple times whether the young master had a woman, showing great concern about the matter of heirs.

Xu Yueyao also waited patiently, but the long silence made her incredibly nervous. She had almost forgotten—wasn’t he supposed to be moody and ruthless in the novel? What if she not only failed to become his lover but also ended up being hated by him? At the very least, he should give her some money. If she had known, she would have just asked for money directly.

Just as Xu Yueyao was about to lose patience, the young master finally spoke: “I agree.”

To him, sheltering a woman was nothing significant. Besides, he did need a woman to be by his side in public—one with a clean background.

“Great! Looking forward to our cooperation, Young Master Zhan!” Xu Yueyao was overjoyed. She quickly took off the ring from her hand and respectfully handed it to Zhan Rongxuan.

Zhan Rongxuan took the ring and put it on. The warmth from the ring made his little finger tremble slightly. Was this woman’s body temperature always this high?

“Young Master Zhan, since I am now your woman, may I make a few small requests?” Xu Yueyao extended her pinky finger to indicate how minor her requests were. She knew that even if she didn’t ask, he wouldn’t treat her badly. However, she only wanted what she specifically desired—she wanted to be in control of her own choices.

“Go ahead.” Zhan Rongxuan signaled for Zhan Feng to take note.

“I don’t want to live where I currently am. There are too many thugs around. I’d like to find a place near my school,” Xu Yueyao said. She suddenly recalled that in the novel, after becoming his lover, she was placed in a villa far from her university. To avoid being late, she had to wake up extremely early after serving him at night. She couldn’t handle that—she loved sleeping in.

Zhan Rongxuan glanced at Zhan Feng, signaling him to make arrangements.

Zhan Feng pondered for a moment before saying, “The Zhan family owns property in Hua Residence near the Imperial Capital. It’s about a 15-minute walk from Imperial University. Would that be acceptable?”

“Yes! Absolutely!” Xu Yueyao nodded enthusiastically. That was perfect! She wasn’t picky at all.

“Any other requests?” Zhan Rongxuan asked.

Xu Yueyao hesitated. She wanted some money, too—not for luxury but to have something to fall back on in case she was abandoned in the future. However, she just couldn’t bring herself to say it. “No, that’s all.”

Zhan Rongxuan noticed that her expression didn’t seem like she had no more requests. He turned to Zhan Feng and said, “Handle it as you see fit.”

Zhan Feng took out a notepad and, while writing, announced:

“A property in Hua Residence will be registered under Miss Xu’s name. She will receive a monthly allowance of 500,000 yuan. Jewelry and clothing will be regularly updated. A housekeeper and a driver will be provided. Miss Xu’s responsibilities include accompanying Young Master Zhan at public events. A professional etiquette coach will be arranged for social training. Additionally, during her time as Young Master Zhan’s woman, she must maintain proper distance from other men and avoid any actions that could damage Young Master Zhan’s reputation. The decision-making power lies with Young Master Zhan—if he does not release Miss Xu, she will always belong to him. If he no longer requires her presence, she will receive a generous compensation to ensure a comfortable life. During this period, Young Master Zhan will protect Miss Xu from harm.”

After finishing, Zhan Feng looked at Xu Yueyao and asked, “Miss Xu, do you have any additions? If not, I will draft the contract accordingly.”

Xu Yueyao dumbly shook her head.

“If you think of anything later, you can bring it up. As long as Young Master Zhan agrees, it can be added anytime,” Zhan Feng assured.

Xu Yueyao nodded, “Alright, thank you!”

“I’ll take my leave then,” Zhan Feng said to Zhan Rongxuan, bowed, and exited.

Now, Xu Yueyao and Zhan Rongxuan were left staring at each other awkwardly.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Xu Yueyao said as she lifted the blanket. However, the movement pulled at her wound. “Ah!” She gasped in pain, sucking in a breath. She hadn’t felt any pain before, but now it hurt like hell. She gently held the area below her injury, wincing with each step.

Her exaggerated reactions made Zhan Rongxuan smirk, and eventually, he couldn’t hold back his laughter.

As soon as Xu Yueyao entered the bathroom, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror— “AHHH!” She screamed.

Zhan Rongxuan, who had been smiling, immediately straightened up and walked over. “Xu Yueyao, what’s wrong?”

Xu Yueyao ran out of the bathroom, pointed at the mirror, then at herself, stammering, “I… have I… looked like this… this entire time?! Since last night?! All this time?!”

Zhan Rongxuan looked at her, puzzled, and nodded.

Xu Yueyao was speechless. “Aren’t you the Zhan family? With all your wealth, no one thought to wipe my face?!”

She was still complaining when she noticed that Zhan Rongxuan’s expression had changed. Her arrogance instantly deflated. She took small steps toward him and said in a soft voice, “Young Master Zhan, the stuff on my face is bad for the skin. It can only be removed with makeup remover. Could you arrange for someone to help me take it off, put on a face mask, and do some skincare? My face is starting to itch. I don’t want to be disfigured.”

Zhan Rongxuan raised an eyebrow and asked, “If it’s so bad for your skin, why do you wear it?”

“I won’t anymore! Never again!” Xu Yueyao thought to herself that it was because she was poor—her makeup products were low-quality. Now her face was starting to itch. Was she really going to be disfigured?! She resisted the urge to scratch and rushed back to the mirror to check.

Zhan Rongxuan noticed Zhan Feng standing at the door trying to hold back laughter. “Make arrangements.”

“Yes, Young Master Zhan,” Zhan Feng replied before leaving.

Shortly after, he returned with a beautician.

Xu Yueyao didn’t act shy at all. She lay obediently on the bed and said, “Thank you for your trouble.”

The beautician sneaked a glance at Young Master Zhan before nervously lowering her head and starting her work.

Before long, rumors spread throughout the entire Imperial Capital— Young Master Zhan had taken a woman and was spoiling her immensely…

Xu Yueyao had no idea about any of this. She was lying on the hospital bed, enjoying her beauty treatment, casually chatting with the beautician about daily life. She realized that the lifestyle here was quite similar to the real world, making it easier to accept.

As she settled into her new reality, she soon drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up again, the sky had darkened.

Her stomach growled.

She rubbed her eyes and saw Zhan Rongxuan sitting across from her.

She carefully adjusted her posture, mindful of her wound, and asked, “Is dinner ready? I’m starving.”

At her words, the men chatting in the room all turned to look at her.

Xu Yueyao blinked and realized that, aside from Zhan Rongxuan, there were three other men.