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Chapter 2 – “Get In.”

The rain had begun to ease.

The windshield wipers sliced through the mist as the air filled with a damp chill. Inside the car, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Only when that slender figure disappeared at the end of the estate drive did Uncle Wang, the driver, finally ask cautiously,
“Sir, would you like to get out?”

Mr. Wen owned many properties, and this estate at the top of Victoria Peak was one of them.

Fine rain fell silently.

The man in the back seat sat partially cloaked in shadow. His long fingers leisurely removed his gold-rimmed glasses and gently wiped them. His expression was unreadable.

“Mm.”

The single syllable left his thin lips—calm, emotionless. Uncle Wang dared not speculate on the boss’s thoughts. Mr. Wen had returned to Hong Kong unexpectedly; the question had been casual, and he hadn’t expected a reply.

The engine was turned off, and the car waited silently outside the estate.

The assistant opened the car door and raised a black umbrella.

---

The rain continued.

The estate was massive, like a maze—a relic from the previous century. Its Gothic architecture was both ancient and mysterious. Fountain statues dotted the grounds. Towering spires loomed, offering panoramic views of the city below. The pointed rooftops were a symbol of old-world aristocracy and power.

Behind the heavy oak doors, the brightly lit hall inside was grand and lively. Laughter and music filled the air. Luxurious tapestries hung from the walls, and every candleholder seemed meticulously placed.

Tonight, Wen Qi was hosting a party here to welcome back an old friend from abroad.

Wen Hezhi’s appearance caused quite a stir.

Everyone present knew his story like the back of their hand—sent abroad at a young age, a rising star on Wall Street by twenty, and five years later returning to take over the family business. In the business world, his methods were known to be swift and ruthless. He had earned the nickname Jade-Faced Asura.

The women were mesmerized by his cold, striking looks, while the men fought tooth and nail to curry favor with him.

The usual routines followed: toasts, small accidents, all excuses to get close…

But none of them got far—his assistant blocked everyone out.

Amid the shifting light, Wen Hezhi stepped upstairs.

Shen Tang followed a server through the boisterous crowd. As she moved through the party, she brushed past Wen Hezhi—two shadows crossing on the lavish wall like butterflies, briefly touching before drifting apart.

A drop of rain hit the Tiffany glass with a crisp tap.

Shen Tang walked down a long corridor and finally heard Wen Qi’s voice from outside a parlor far from the main hall.

“Wait, Qi-ge, you’re really going to get engaged to that adopted daughter from the Shen family?”

Her hand paused on the door handle. The polished metal reflected half her face.

Inside, the conversation continued, tone light and teasing.

“Qi-ge, what about Miss Shuran? Have you really forgotten her?”

“If he really had, that thing with the actress last time wouldn’t have happened.”

“I figure this engagement with that adopted girl is just to provoke Miss Shuran into coming back.”

Wen Qi didn’t respond.

But silence was as good as confirmation.

Everyone knew that the playboy Wen Qi had one unforgettable first love—Qin Shuran.

After they broke up, she had gone to Europe for school. Over the last four years, Wen Qi had humbled himself countless times trying to win her back, but she never once said yes.

The server beside Shen Tang whispered,
“Miss, would you still like to go in?”

Shen Tang slowly lowered her lashes. Remembering the purpose of her visit, she pushed open the door.

Conversation stopped abruptly.

Wen Qi had a cigarette lazily dangling from his lips. When someone bumped his arm, he looked up and spotted Shen Tang, a flicker of discomfort flashing across his face.

“Tangtang?”

Everyone knew the Shen family’s adopted daughter who was engaged to Wen Qi was named Shen Tang.

So the moment he spoke, several people turned to size her up.

At events like this, it was common to bring a female companion. Amidst all the glamorous women, Shen Tang’s appearance stood out—for its plainness.

She had come straight from work, wearing a simple, design-less pale dress. Her smooth black hair was casually tucked behind her ear, and she wore no makeup—just a clean, bare face.

Under the warm light, her soft features and fair, oval face gave her a gentle, well-mannered look.

She wasn’t the same type as Qin Shuran, but in terms of beauty, Shen Tang didn’t lose.

In fact, the longer they looked at her—especially compared to their heavily made-up companions—the more striking her calm, natural presence became.

The room fell into an awkward silence until someone smoothed things over.

“Sister-in-law, when did you arrive? You didn’t say a word!”

Shen Tang kept up appearances.
“Just got here.”

These were all seasoned socialites, skilled at reading the room. They exchanged glances, knowing it wasn’t worth stirring up trouble.

They all laughed and joked along.
“No wonder Wen-shao’s been so distracted tonight—he was thinking about you!”

Seeing that Shen Tang’s expression remained composed, Wen Qi quietly let out a breath of relief. He gestured to the table and asked,
“Play a round with me?”

Shen Tang didn’t know how to play cards, but since Wen Qi asked, she couldn’t really say no.

She played a few rounds based on instinct and soon lost half her chips.

Wen Qi lit a couple more cigarettes. It was clear he was in a foul mood.

Sensing the tension, Shen Tang pushed the cards to him.
“You play. It’s stuffy in here—I’m going out for air.”

The windows were shut. Heavy perfume mixed with the scent of alcohol and smoke. It really was dizzying.

Wen Qi didn’t stop her—just said,
“Come back soon.”

“Okay.”

She walked past the screen divider and opened the door. The humid air, tinged with the scent of soil and grass, rushed into her nose. Shen Tang shut the door behind her, cutting off the heavy scent of the room.

The rain outside came in scattered waves. Shen Tang stopped at a half-open window.

Just then, her phone rang—perfectly timed, almost too perfectly.

It was a call from Shen Yu—her so-called younger brother.

She picked up. “What’s wrong?”

“Jie… Dad just got back from his trip,” Shen Yu said hesitantly. “He saw the newspaper… about Brother Wen… he’s furious.”

Rain drifted in through the open window. The dense night outside felt like a wild beast, ready to swallow all emotion whole.

Ever since she saw that news a week ago, Shen Tang had known this day would come. Her visit here tonight was precisely because of that.

The marriage arrangement between the Wen and Shen families had been set by their grandparents.

But in recent years, the Wen family had changed leadership. Their business expanded rapidly across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau—becoming the region’s new financial powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Shen family had suffered repeated failures in the business world. Their market value kept falling.

The scales between the two families had tipped drastically.

It just so happened that Shen Tang had recently graduated and settled into a stable job. The Shen family brought up the old engagement again, hoping that a marriage alliance could help them recover from their current crisis.

---

The Wen family had indeed kept their word, and Wen Qi and Shen Tang had begun interacting with the intention of marriage.

It was only two months ago that they officially confirmed their romantic relationship.

“Even Little Sister got scolded tonight,” Shen Yu’s voice came through the phone again. He was in the middle of puberty, his tone caught between raspy and youthful, tinged with worry. “Sis, you really have to be careful when you come home tonight.”

Their father, Shen Moshang, had treated this arranged marriage like a lifeline. He’d said long ago that Shen Tang must cling tightly to Wen Qi no matter what.

Now, with such a scandal making headlines, it was a slap in the face for him in front of everyone.

So it wasn’t surprising he was furious.

Shen Tang took a deep breath and said, “Mm, I understand.”

Hearing how calm she sounded, Shen Yu gave a few more words of concern before reluctantly hanging up.

After the screen stayed lit for thirty seconds, the phone went dark.

Shen Tang stood quietly in place. Outside the corridor, the pond’s water lilies trembled under the falling rain. Plantain leaves drooped low, raindrops pattering steadily on the eaves, trickling slowly down the glass.

Wen Qi couldn’t forget Qin Shuran, but it wasn’t as if Shen Tang had ever wanted this arranged marriage either.

To her, the so-called blessed union between prestigious families was nothing more than jumping from one cage into another.

Her own wishes and freedom didn’t matter in the slightest.

Shen Tang sighed softly and was just about to head back when her gaze suddenly stopped—

Among the sea of flashy luxury cars parked outside the estate, a single Rolls-Royce with Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau license plates stood out. Its low-key presence was somehow still striking.

It was silently parked outside the estate, shrouded in darkness.

Early cicadas buzzed softly from the low hedges. Shen Tang, without meaning to, thought again of the man in that car.

The lighting inside had been dim, but even so, it was clear the man had fine features. With his gold-rimmed glasses, he exuded cultured elegance. Every move he made radiated quiet grace and authority. Even helping others, he didn’t need to lift a finger himself.

He had remained composed and unhurried throughout.

Yet he was like a magnetic enigma—pulling people in, tempting them to guess at his depths.

Her gaze lingered for a moment. Then, through the rain, she slowly looked away.

A light drizzle drifted in through the window and landed near Shen Tang’s toes. She stepped back a couple of steps, intending to close the window.

As she raised her hand, a faint sandalwood scent wafted up from her sleeve—the subtle trace must’ve clung to her when she’d covered herself with the blanket in the car.

The sandalwood was warm and gentle, mixed with a hint of incense. Shen Tang guessed the man must be a Buddhist.

In this part of Hong Kong, most people were at least a little superstitious. Famous feng shui masters were nearly impossible to book. Shen Moshang had adopted Shen Tang because one such master said her birth chart was auspicious, good for the family’s fortune and helpful to his business.

Shen Tang slowly lowered her eyelashes. Her slender shadow stretched long under the light.

Maybe she’d stayed outside too long. Or maybe it was because Wen Qi actually felt guilty this time, that this arrogant young master had come out looking for her.

“Tangtang, you haven’t fully recovered from your cold—don’t catch another one,” he said.

Only then did Shen Tang realize she’d left the window half-open. She quickly shut it and responded, “Okay.”

“What were you just thinking about?”

Wen Qi reached out and took her hand as if nothing had happened—just as close as ever.

Shen Tang glanced toward the reception room behind him and, recalling the conversation she was about to have, casually pointed to a pavilion nearby.
“Let’s talk over there.”

Wen Qi didn’t suspect a thing and followed her.

The pavilion was farther away, surrounded by blooming crabapple trees. It was the height of summer, and their branches were lush and full.

Shen Tang said nothing along the way. Wen Qi assumed she was still upset from last time and took the initiative to explain,
“Tangtang, what happened last week was really just an accident. There’s nothing going on between me and that woman. We didn’t do anything.”

Shen Tang looked up at him, paused, and said,
“Mm. I believe you.”

She was a woman of appearances. Pretending not to know while clearly understanding was no hard task.

She had come back tonight specifically to ask Wen Qi to help calm Shen Moshang down.

Her eyes filled with a couple of tears. Shen Tang deliberately hesitated, then said,
“But Wen Qi, that scandal from last week… it’s already reached my father’s ears.”

Wen Qi knew a little about her precarious position in the Shen family.

And besides, no man could resist a beautiful woman on the verge of tears.

He immediately promised,
“I’ll go to Uncle Shen myself tonight and explain everything. Don’t worry, Tangtang—I won’t make things hard for you.”

Shen Tang took the opportunity to say,
“Next time, please don’t let this kind of thing make the news again, okay?”

The Shen family couldn’t afford another blow to their reputation. The Wen family might be big, but for the Shen family, even one scandal was damaging.

As an adopted daughter caught in between, Shen Tang’s situation was especially precarious.

Wen Qi wiped her tears with pity and pulled her into his arms.
“Alright. I promise you.”

Rain drummed softly on the crabapple leaves.

At that moment, a man in a tailored suit stood by the second-floor study’s window. Tall and poised, his sharp features were shadowed by the glass. He silently observed the two below in their intimate moment, his expression unreadable.

No one knew how long he had been watching.

The man downstairs was leaning in, as if about to kiss the girl.

The next second—

“Zzt.” The sound of a lighter wheel scraping.

The tiny flame flared and faded.

From high above, Wen Hezhi looked down.

“Wen Qi. Come upstairs.”

His voice was calm, even warm, with a hint of a smile, and deliberate in its cadence.

Yet somehow, it cut clean through the breeze and drizzle—landing directly in the ears of the two people below.

The intimacy was suddenly shattered.

Wen Qi’s heart flared with annoyance, but as he looked up, he saw the second-floor study lit up, and a tall figure clearly visible behind the window.

It was like seeing a ghost.

All the fire in his chest was instantly doused—replaced by fear, the way a house cat feels when it sees a tiger.

Because only one person had access to the second floor of the estate.

That was the Living King of Hell, even the old master of the Wen family had to defer to him.

With that thought, Wen Qi’s attitude instantly became respectful.
“Yes, I’m coming now.”

There were very few people in this world who could make the unruly Wen Qi tremble.

Shen Tang followed his gaze. But the night was too dark, and the crabapple branches overlapped too heavily. All she could glimpse through the gaps were two long, slender fingers holding a cigarette—cold and white like jade, the ember glowing red.

Her gaze moved slowly upward. The man’s sharp neckline was perfectly outlined by his well-fitted suit. His Adam’s apple was prominent, his throat line distinct.

Beyond that, she couldn’t see anything else.

But Wen Hezhi could see her clearly.

From above, his gaze swept slowly over the girl’s soft, pretty features—finally landing on the man’s hand draped over her slender shoulder.

He looked relaxed and casual, but his eyes were sharply invasive.

A breeze passed by, and Shen Tang felt a chill down her back. She instinctively shivered.

She asked softly,
“Who’s that upstairs?”

“A family elder,” Wen Qi said quickly, tidying his appearance like something urgent had come up. He apologized to Shen Tang,
“Tangtang, wait for me here.”

“I have to go up now.”