Chapter 02

Lin Jinshen.

The man she had chosen as her potential match for an arranged marriage.

Lu Yi was sure that he didn’t recognize her—or at most, found her vaguely familiar. His glance had been indifferent, like a stranger passing by, with no other discernible emotion.

Only now did she learn that the Huating Hotel, where their exhibition was being held, was part of the high-end luxury hotel brand under the Lin Group’s Huayu division.

As they parted ways after dinner, Yu Yin teased her, “So, will you meet him again?”

“Yes,” Lu Yi replied.

Yu Yin took a deep breath, exasperated. All the advice she had given earlier had seemingly gone to waste.

The reasoning behind meeting him again was simple: Lu Yi didn’t have a terrible impression of Lin Jinshen. Whether things could work out, only more interactions would tell.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Yu Yin drove a top-spec Porsche 718—a white car with a classic red roof.

Lu Yi’s car, on the other hand, was a British racing green Mini, a purchase she made after securing an offer at Yixing. It cost over 300,000 yuan—expensive by middle-class standards but not excessive. Colleagues had asked if she paid in full or in installments, but beyond that, they didn’t pry.

She found it easy to drive and rarely used her family’s other cars.

When she got home, her parents were still awake.

Her father, Lu Kangcheng, was typically working at his desk in the study, but tonight he was drinking tea in the living room.

As the eldest son of his family, Lu Kangcheng had taken on company responsibilities early on, even while still in school. Later, he inherited the family business and bore the weight of the Lu Group and all its employees.

Despite this, he had always taken a hands-off approach when it came to Lu Yi’s career. He never pressured her to join the company, simply hoping she could pursue what she loved and be happy.

Lu Yi put down her car keys, changed into slippers, and sat down to watch TV with him for a while.

Her father voiced mild disapproval of her overtime hours. “Why not change companies? Your Uncle Chen’s son runs a cultural business. If you want to work there, it’s just a matter of asking.”

“No need. Once this project wraps up, I’ll have some downtime. I promise I’ll work regular hours.”

“As long as you’ve got a plan. If it gets too much, let me know,” he said with a smile, giving her the freedom to choose.

Her mother, Xu Shuyi, then brought up the arranged marriage. While their family supported the idea, they insisted on her liking the person first. They weren’t in a rush and encouraged her to take her time getting to know him.

“How’s it going between you two?” Xu Shuyi asked. A few days ago, she had shared Lin Jinshen’s contact details with Lu Yi so they could start chatting and arrange a meeting.

Lu Yi had been so busy with work that she’d forgotten all about it. Evidently, the other party wasn’t prioritizing it either, as they hadn’t even added each other as friends yet.

Not wanting her mother to worry, Lu Yi nodded. “We’re getting along well.”

“That’s good. You two should keep talking. Once you’ve gotten to know each other better, you can arrange to meet in person.”

“Alright.”

Lu Yi agreed and held her phone, realizing she needed to find the contact and add him as a friend.

“Get some rest,” her parents said.

“Goodnight, Dad and Mom.”

When she reached her room, she heard a soft meow before even opening the door.

It was Puff, her calico cat. The little kitten had attached itself to Lu Yi when she found it during a walk. Frail at the time, Puff had quickly secured a permanent place in her life. Lu Yi named it Puff, hoping it would grow strong and healthy. Now, the cat was as fluffy as its name suggested, resembling a little truck in the cat world. Puff loved sleeping, eating, and lazing around, rarely descending from Lu Yi’s room.

When Lu Yi came home, though, Puff would meow a few times as if to fulfill its daily social obligations.

Squatting down, Lu Yi stroked Puff’s head and gave it a few pieces of freeze-dried chicken breast—not too much, as Puff couldn’t afford to get any chubbier.

She then changed in the closet and went to the bathroom to remove her makeup, with Puff trailing her, taking measured, dignified steps as if on a patrol. This brief stroll was likely its entire day’s exercise.

Having completed its inspection, Puff returned to its bed and sprawled out.

After showering and changing into pajamas, Lu Yi noticed a message from Yu Qian. Since the project ran late that day, Yu Qian had asked how much longer she’d waited and whether Li Chengming had made things difficult for her. Lu Yi replied that the project had wrapped up smoothly.

Yu Qian apologized profusely, feeling guilty about leaving her behind during the movie.

“I’ll treat you to coffee when we’re back at work!”

“Alright, thank you.”

“No, I should be the one thanking you! Lu Yi, I hope we get assigned to the same team again next time!”

She sent several heart-filled stickers along with the message.

Smiling, Lu Yi wished her a good night. As she put her phone down, she noticed a friend request notification. Tapping it open, she saw a profile photo of a glacier at night, with the username Pioneer.

Pioneer?

The method of addition showed it was a recommended contact.

Checking her chat history with Xu Shuyi, she confirmed it matched the recommendation.

Images of Lin Jinshen flashed through her mind: cold and distant, yet surprisingly fitting the username.

She set her phone aside, accepting the request just before going to bed—not wanting to deal with the awkwardness of immediate conversation.

—

Meanwhile, Lin Jinshen returned to the Lin family home late at night.

He poured himself a glass of water in the kitchen, only to be intercepted by his mother, Qin Ruyun, who came downstairs in a bathrobe.

“There’s pear syrup in the kitchen. Drink it before you go to sleep.”

This tone meant Lin Jinshen wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon.

The chilled pear syrup was sweet and refreshing. As his spoon clinked softly against the bowl, Qin Ruyun asked, “How’s it going with the Lu family’s daughter?”

“We haven’t talked,” Lin Jinshen replied flatly.

Qin Ruyun frowned. “Is it because you didn’t talk to her, or she didn’t talk to you?”

Knowing her son well, she figured either could be true.

“Work’s been busy. We haven’t added each other yet.”

“…” Qin Ruyun sighed. “If you’re not interested in the arranged marriage, your father and I can let the Lu family know. But if you’ve agreed to get to know her, don’t you think your attitude is disrespectful?”

“I understand.”

“Don’t just say that. Keep in mind, the Lu family isn’t only considering us.” Qin Ruyun was quite satisfied with Lu Yi—beautiful, well-educated, with an impressive family background and an agreeable personality.

“Add her now,” she insisted.

“Fine.”

Lin Jinshen stared back at her, expressionless.

His detached demeanor had always baffled Qin Ruyun, as neither she nor her husband shared it. Their daughter was a beloved sweetheart. Eventually, she realized he resembled his late grandfather.

Under her watchful gaze, Lin Jinshen sent the friend request.

“Don’t forget to add a note!” Qin Ruyun reminded him.

Too late—the request was already sent.

Having done enough to appease her, he pocketed his phone and said, “Goodnight, Mom.”

The request wasn’t accepted until after midnight, long after Lin Jinshen had turned in for the night.

When he saw the new contact the following morning, the name Selene caught his attention—a reference to the moon in Greek mythology.

He glanced at it briefly, set down his phone, and went about his day.

—

Although the two had added each other, their interactions were scarce.

Aside from a polite introduction, there was little else:

[Lin Jinshen]: Hello, Miss Lu. This is Lin Jinshen.
[Lu Yi]: Hello, I’m Lu Yi.

Lu Yi had expected him to follow up, but he didn’t. Being naturally reserved herself, she wasn’t inclined to initiate further conversation either. Placing her phone aside, she returned to work.

The theme of the exhibition she was responsible for was urban space—a project she found particularly intriguing since entering the curation industry. Her team aimed to create a sense of spatial narrative, aligning the design and layout closely with the theme. Their goal was to make the space not just a container but an immersive experience for the audience.

Through the use of sound, light, shadows, and scents, they sought to heighten the atmosphere and infuse the exhibition with storytelling.

On the day of the exhibition, Lu Yi arrived early to make preparations.

Her colleagues trickled in one after another.

“Have you heard? Li Chengming has been kicked off this project,” Yu Qian whispered conspiratorially as she leaned closer.

Lu Yi, focused on making coffee, lowered her eyes and replied, “I didn’t know.”

“Darling, that Li Chengming was so adamant about not coming earlier. Then when he finally showed up, I heard you kept him waiting for hours, and he didn’t even complain.”

This was something Lu Yi had preemptively discussed with Yu Qian: if the client had any concerns, they should contact Lu Yi directly. If it became too overwhelming, she’d simply turn off her phone. And she had done exactly that—switching it off had been immensely satisfying.

It wasn’t until after the workday that she learned Li Chengming had shown up, only to be ignored by her. Even more surprising, the boss hadn’t reprimanded her after everything was resolved.

Shortly thereafter, news broke that Li Chengming had been removed from the project.

It was like a scene straight out of a modern revenge drama.

“Be honest with me—do you have someone backing you up?” Yu Qian joked.

Just then, someone approached Lu Yi with a work-related question, interrupting their conversation. After Lu Yi addressed the matter, she turned back to Yu Qian and asked what she had just said.

Yu Qian shrugged with a grin. “I was joking about you having a powerful backer. If you really did, would we have put up with that jerk for so long?”

Lu Yi smiled faintly.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of someone getting kicked off a project this close to its completion. I couldn’t stand him from the start. Just because he’s the client, he thought he could treat us like dirt. Do you know how much crap we’ve endured from him? And all because he got rejected while trying to pursue someone! What kind of person turns to petty revenge like that? He wasn’t chasing after someone—he was just being a creep.”

Yu Qian was practically fuming, venting her long-held frustrations.

Lu Yi placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “At least it’s finally over.”

Yu Qian clasped her hands together in mock prayer. “Buddha bless us—please let the next client be a decent human being.”

In the afternoon, while working, Lu Yi received a new message.

Pioneer: “Do you have time to meet today?”

The sudden directness left her wondering if it was a rare break in his busy schedule or a calculated effort to squeeze in this unavoidable meeting. After a moment of thought, she replied:

Selene: “I’m free after work.”

When it came to choosing a location, Lin Jinshen asked if she minded meeting at the café on the ground floor of their hotel. She didn’t. In fact, she saw no reason to complicate things and simply sent her current location.

Selene: “Our exhibition is being held in your hotel.”

Pioneer: “See you at the exhibition hall at 7.”

Lu Yi: “Alright.”

Within a minute, their meeting time and location were finalized.

Lu Yi didn’t mind this kind of efficiency. From a certain perspective, they seemed to have reached an understanding: since this was a matchmaking arrangement, treating it like a business transaction was perfectly acceptable.

After work, Lu Yi had dinner with her colleagues.

Someone mentioned a newly released movie with good reviews and invited her to watch it with them. Lu Yi declined, saying she had other plans.

“What plans? Don’t tell me you’re just using that as an excuse to bail,” one of them teased.

“A matchmaking date,” Lu Yi replied calmly.

Yu Qian nearly choked, coughing until her face turned red. She looked Lu Yi up and down and exclaimed, “You? A goddess like you needs matchmaking?”

“It’s a family arrangement.”

The others, many of whom had experienced similar family pressures, immediately showed understanding expressions. “But aren’t matchmaking dates usually over dinner? Could this guy be… stingy?”

“…”

Everyone exchanged sympathetic looks, imagining the worst-case scenario for her upcoming encounter.

The conversation shifted to past matchmaking experiences. Many had stories of bizarre dates, including one infamous “Napkin Guy” who demanded to split the cost of napkins, calculating down to the last sheet. His mathematical precision was almost impressive.

“Have you seen his picture? What does he look like?” one colleague asked.

Lu Yi nodded. “Not bad.”

“That’s a problem. Guys who look good in photos—nine out of ten are gay.”

“…”

By the end of dinner, the mystery man in question had been saddled with several unfounded assumptions.

Lu Yi couldn’t help but laugh, the humor easing her pre-meeting nerves.

—

After a meeting, Lin Wenjun stopped Lin Jinshen as he was leaving.

“Uncle,” Lin Jinshen greeted politely.

Lin Wenjun, with her short hair and decisive demeanor, was known for her bold and independent style. She was also one of the few directors who had supported Lin Jinshen during the meeting.

Lin Jinshen had proposed a $200 million acquisition of KS, a boutique hotel chain. However, KS’s positioning didn’t align with Huayu, leading to objections. Critics argued that the deal could harm the brand’s image and was a gamble, with steady development being the safer choice.

Despite this, Lin Jinshen was resolute. If the acquisition succeeded, it would diversify their brand portfolio. With Huayu’s existing commercial engine, KS’s future growth would be exponential.

“Take your time—don’t rush it,” Lin Wenjun advised. “Chairman Fang and the others aren’t wrong; no one wants to damage Huayu’s reputation. Keep refining the plan. I’ll help mediate.”

Lin Wenjun admired her nephew, who possessed both steely resolve and decisive action. She had little doubt the company was in capable hands.

“I understand.”

As they talked, Lin Jinshen received a call from his mother, Qin Ruyun. After confirming his meeting with Lu Yi, he ended the call and prepared to leave.

Twenty minutes later, as the summer sky remained bright, his car smoothly pulled into the hotel’s driveway. From the window, he caught sight of a slender figure under a pale-colored parasol. She held it slightly askew, obscuring her face, but her long neck and graceful silhouette caught his attention.

As she stepped into the revolving doors and lowered her umbrella, her appearance became fully visible. Simple yet elegant, she carried herself with a natural charm.

He recognized her.

They had briefly crossed paths at the hotel the day before. Now, seeing her again, he found her WeChat nickname, Selene, surprisingly fitting.

Lu Yi didn’t know that Lin Jinshen had spotted her first.

She had just entered the lobby and was waiting for someone, about to send a message to let them know she had arrived. Her lowered gaze caught sight of a pair of polished black leather shoes.

She looked up and met a pair of cold, deep-set eyes.

Lin Jinshen was once again dressed in a dark suit. His tall frame filled out the structured lines of his attire perfectly. He wore a Stefano Ricci tie secured with a silver tie clip. His overall style mirrored his personality—cool, aloof, and so meticulously proper that it bordered on rigid.

He spoke, his voice low and steady: “Miss Lu.”