Chapter 1: Crashing into His Arms

Under the night sky of Jing City, the prestigious entertainment venue “Heaven on Earth,” owned by the Li Group, sparkled brightly with extravagance and indulgence.

The air was thick with decadence and vanity, the decadent music never stopping for a moment.

Si Tiantian was there with her best friend Gu Yazhi to attend a classmate’s birthday party.

She wore a light-colored silk spaghetti-strap dress that made her skin look as fair and delicate as jade, with a soft blush tint. Her graceful curves and soft, cascading curls over her shoulders made her so stunning that it was hard to look away.

She sat quietly in a corner of the private room, out of sync with the rowdy atmosphere around her, yet she still became the center of attention.

Several guys came over to chat her up, their eyes full of heated interest, but she turned them all down with a few light, polite words.

The private room buzzed with noise and excitement. Feeling a bit stifled, she decided to step out for some air.

“I’m going to the restroom,” Si Tiantian told Gu Yazhi, who was having a great time.

Gu Yazhi turned around, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Want me to come with you?”

“No need. I’ll be right back.” Si Tiantian didn’t want to spoil her mood, so she got up and walked out alone.

On her way back, as she turned a corner in the hallway, she walked a little too fast and didn’t notice what was ahead of her.

Bang—

She accidentally ran into a tall, solid chest. The force of it was so strong that she lost her balance in her high heels, stumbling backward.

“Ah!” she gasped, falling awkwardly to the ground as a sharp pain shot through her ankle.

Frowning in pain, she rubbed her ankle and looked up, trying to see who she had bumped into.

What met her eyes was an extremely cold and stern face, with sharply defined features and eyes like icy blades—intense and intimidating, radiating the aura of someone used to power and control.

A chilly aura surrounded him, as if he could freeze the air around him.

Li Hanye had been walking forward deep in thought when the collision happened. His gaze instantly turned frosty.

In his experience, women who threw themselves at him in this kind of place always had an agenda.

His expression remained indifferent, not even showing the slightest intention to help her up. He simply looked down at her, cold and detached.

Tears welled up in Si Tiantian’s eyes from the pain. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with anger as she glared at the man who had knocked her down and didn’t even offer a hand.

What the hell is wrong with this guy? Not even a shred of decency!

Li Hanye looked down—only to unexpectedly lock eyes with those teary, indignant eyes.

In that moment, the noisy surroundings seemed to fade away, and time itself appeared to stop.

Those eyes—so clear, so pure—didn’t belong in a world as flashy as this.

Like a wounded kitten still baring its little claws, both delicate and stubborn.

His breath caught. A strange, unfamiliar tremor stirred in his chest. A powerful wave of possessiveness surged within him, so strong he wanted to hide this girl away, not letting anyone else lay eyes on her.

As if under a spell, he bent down and carefully scooped her into his arms, like she was the most precious treasure in the world.

With Assistant Lin staring in disbelief as if his jaw might fall off, Li Hanye carried her straight back to his VIP suite.

Startled by the sudden lift, Si Tiantian let out a small cry and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck in a panic. Then, realizing what she was doing, she grew flustered and angry.

“Who are you?! Put me down right now, you big jerk!”

Li Hanye didn’t stop walking, holding her steadily in his arms, completely ignoring her struggles.

He looked down at her, his gaze deep, as if pondering something.

“Big bad wolf?” he murmured, his voice low and magnetic, tinged with amusement.

This woman was the first to ever dare call him that to his face. Interesting.

“You are a big bad wolf! A completely unreasonable one!” Si Tiantian pouted, trying to push him away.

But the man’s arms didn’t budge an inch. She felt like she was clamped in an iron grip, utterly immobile.

Assistant Lin, trailing behind, was completely stunned—his jaw practically hit the floor. Who was this woman? How dare she talk to Master Han like that? And even more shocking—Master Han actually let her?! He was holding her?

But Lin didn’t dare delay and quickly sped up to follow.

Everyone in Jing City knew Master Han as the notorious “Living King of Hell”—a man utterly indifferent to women, infamous for his extreme cleanliness. He wouldn’t even spare women a second glance.

And now? He was carrying one? Willingly? This was more absurd than the sun rising in the west! Lin’s years of professional training were suddenly being pushed to their limits.

Si Tiantian was still fuming. She’d been pampered like a little princess all her life. When had she ever been treated like this?

She had been bumped into without so much as an apology, and now she was being carried away like some object—this man was completely lawless!

Her watery, beautiful eyes glared at him fiercely. She looked both wronged and pitiful, like she was on the verge of crying.

Li Hanye carried her straight into his private room. The few trusted subordinates inside, including Yan Chengyang, were instantly petrified when they saw this scene—mouths agape, as if they could fit an entire egg inside.

Master Han—carrying a woman? And such a delicate, stunning one at that? What kind of fantasy world was this?

Yan Chengyang was the first to snap out of it. He widened his eyes, pointed at Si Tiantian, and stammered, “H-Han… Han-ge… Is she… is she our sister-in-law?”

He glanced at Si Tiantian’s breathtaking face, then looked at the utterly focused expression on his normally indifferent brother’s face. The visual impact hit so hard that his brain short-circuited and the words just slipped out.

Li Hanye shot him a cold glare, and Yan Chengyang immediately fell silent, shrinking his neck like a turtle. Stupid mouth, he cursed himself.

Si Tiantian felt as if the room was spinning. The next second, her body sank into an incredibly soft sofa.

She opened her eyes in alarm and found herself in an enormous private suite that could only be described as luxurious beyond reason.

A light, expensive scent filled the air. A crystal chandelier above scattered dazzling light, and every corner of the room radiated luxury—completely at odds with her current sorry state.

Li Hanye knelt beside her, his tall frame casting a looming shadow that brought with it an invisible pressure.

He gently lifted her injured foot. The sleek black Jimmy Choo stiletto looked especially jarring against her pale, delicate ankle.

His long, slender fingers carefully unbuckled the elegant strap and removed the shoe. When he lightly gripped her ankle, his hand was warm—almost scalding—making Si Tiantian’s body tense up. She instinctively tried to pull her foot back.

Pain shot through her ankle, making her suck in a sharp breath.

Her delicate brows furrowed tightly, and fine beads of sweat appeared at her temples.

“Don’t move,” Li Hanye said in a low voice, commanding and firm, leaving no room for argument.

His movements were exceptionally gentle as he examined her ankle. It was already red and swollen.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, his voice unusually soft—completely unlike his usual self.

“Mm.” Si Tiantian nodded, her voice barely above a whisper and tinged with a sob.

Li Hanye paused, his deep gaze falling on the space between her brows. His eyes grew even darker.