Chapter 2

Yi Siling was truly baffled, watching that figure walk out of the restaurant
in confusion, disappearing. Only later did she realize, with some
annoyance.

She had never been ignored and treated so coldly since childhood. She threw
her lipstick into her bag with some force.

Yi Leling happened to return just then and saw this scene, though unaware of
the details, only knowing that a man had picked up Yi Siling’s lipstick for
her.

She said to Yi Siling, “That handsome guy just now had quite a style,
just your type.”

Yi Siling deliberately asked, “Handsome guy? Who?”

Yi Leling replied, “The one who picked up your lipstick for you.”

“Oh,” Yi Siling drawled lazily, commenting, “He’s too
ordinary.”

Yi Leling teased her, “Could it be that he wasn’t attracted by your
beauty, so you deliberately belittled him?”

Yi Siling’s face suddenly turned red, “Second sister, you’re so
annoying today, daring to help outsiders bully me!”

Yi Leling clasped her hands together over her head, pleading with her to let
it go. After coaxing her for about ten minutes, she promised to help Yi Siling
obtain the ruby that slipped away from her at the auction, and Yi Siling
reluctantly stopped arguing with her.

After dinner, the two sisters parted ways—one went to work at the group
headquarters, the other came downstairs to the hotel to check in.

The Yi family dabbled in many industries, including real estate, shipping,
gold and jewelry, and hotels—four main sectors. Among the ten hotels, Xing Ding
was the first establish founded by Yi Kunshan, the most meaningful, given to
his eldest daughter as an 18th birthday gift.

Other tycoons typically give their daughters nothing less than jewelry,
luxury clothes, cars, and watches, but when Yi Kunshan makes a move, it’s
always a top-tier luxury hotel. This gift made Yi Siling famous in e Lite
circles, envied by countless wealthy young ladies—not just for the hotel.

Yi Kunshan was a “weird flower” in the tycoon circle—no sons, no
messy affairs or illegitimate children, just four daughters, each a cherished
treasure. Yi Siling, as the eldest, enjoyed so much love and favor that it was
beyond the imagination of those with piles of legitimate brothers and sisters.

The hotel employed professional managers for daily operations; Yi Siling
rarely visited, as she had many of her own affairs.

Every year, she received hundreds of invitations from major brands,
magazines, clubs, socializing with Yi Siling organizations, or
individuals—dinners, parties, fashion shows, and various celebrity events were
routine. Her popularity in these circles made Xing Ding performance soar over
the past four years, culminating in a collaboration with the century-old
jewelry brand Bariaya. Bariaya’s chief designer personally designed the
Christmas decorations for the hotel’s exterior for four consecutive years.

This collaboration significantly boosted Xing Ding reputation, making it the
top luxury hotel on Hong Kong Island. Her motto was to make money while having
fun; she would never stoop to working at the group headquarters to earn money.

As usual, she toured the hotel, signed a few documents, and returned to the
Yi mansion near dinner time.

“You’re back?” Aunt Li came out of the kitchen, surprised to see
Yi Siling, as the young lady rarely ate dinner at home.

“Having dinner? The kitchen has stewed soup; would you like to taste
some?” Aunt Li, whose full name was Hu Lili and who was ten years
older than Yi Siling, had been taking care of her daily life since Yi Siling’s
junior high school days.

Yi Siling said she wasn’t having dinner and would just have a glass of
unsweetened yogurt. She had specifically come back to see what Yi Kunshan and Liang
Yongwen were up to, as she doubted they could hide it for long.

“Neither of the bosses has returned yet?” Hua Hua ran over
happily, rubbing against her leg. Yi Siling bent down and picked her up.

Hua Hua was a tabby cat with white spots, wearing a sparkling blue sapphire
necklace on her chest. Five years ago, this cat was a stray who accidentally
wandered into the Yi mansion’s garden and was discovered by Yi Siling,
subsequently reaching the peak of cat life, from being hungry to adorned with
jewels.

Yi Siling had brainstormed for three days to come up with the name Hua Hua.

Because when she touched its little paws, they would blossom.

As Aunt Li poured yogurt, she said, “Mr. and Mrs. flew to Beijing late
last night; didn’t you know?”

Yi Siling had no idea about this. She had been dancing at a friend’s
birthday party last night.

Moreover, the two bosses never disclosed their itineraries, making them
difficult to find.

As Aunt Li sprinkled a handful of washed blueberries into the yogurt,
complementing the bellflower porcelain cup in light gold and grass green color
scheme, she handed it to Yi Siling. “I heard it was something very
important, so they flew over.”

“Something important?” Yi Siling stroked Hua Hua’s fur, pondering
but unable to figure out why both of them went to Beijing together.

Was it business-related? Didn’t seem like it. After all, for both husband
and wife to act simultaneously, it would be too grand for just a business
negotiation—talking about marriage Yi Siling seemed more likely.

Her intuition smelled something fishy.

After finishing the yogurt, Yi Siling went back to her room to rest. A while
later, Yi Qiong Ling, the fourth sister, came to talk to her, and somehow the
conversation drifted back to her marriage Yi Siling.

“I was hiding near the study door the day before yesterday and
overheard them discussing your dowry! And the wine list for the wedding
banquet! What on earth is going on?”

Yi Siling was momentarily stunned by the succession of bad news.

She slumped backwards in a sprawl on the bed, one ostrich feather slipper
dropping onto the carpet while the other dangled precariously.

Mischievous Hua Hua insisted on playing with the pink ostrich feather on Yi
Siling’s foot, pulling several strands loose, which floated lazily in the air.

“Yi Qiong Ling, I’m so annoyed, please stop,” Yi Siling muttered.

“My heartaches for you, Sister Yi Siling, having to walk into the
grave at only twenty-four. I never getting married.”

Yi Siling rolled over to look at her. “You’re only fifteen. Isn’t that
too mature to say?”

Yi Qiong Ling replied, “Fifteen isn’t that young.”

Yi Siling sighed weakly. “If you’re not getting married, are you at
least dating? I might just tell Dad you’re dating early.”

“Why do you always threaten me with that?  Like I’m scared of
you,” Yi Qiong Ling giggled. Fifteen years old and she’d already had
boyfriends since elementary school, even double dating at times until both boys
found out and stopped talking to her.

She leaned over Yi Siling, resting her chin on her hand, filled with
optimistic fantasies about the future. “Who says dating has to lead to
marry Yi Siling? I can date for a lifetime! If I don’t like a man, I can just
switch. It’s so great to have money.”

Yi Siling couldn’t help but laugh at her. “… Little pig, where did you
learn all this?”

“Don’t call me little pig.”

Yi Qiong Ling kicked her playfully, her young voice carrying a tone of
solemnity. “Anyway, marrying is serious business, Princess. Don’t let Dad
lead you by the nose. If you don’t love that person, why should you marry
him?”

All three of them loved calling Yi Siling “Princess.”

Yi Siling remained silent. She thought to herself that this little pig
didn’t understand.

“Did you hear me?”

“I heard…”

Yi Siling covered her face with her hands, staring at the ceiling through
her fingers, the voice from the French crystal chandelier seeming distant,
washed out, and deeply weary after these days of turmoil.

The kitten playfully nibbled at her toes, but she didn’t move.

Of course, she knew that marriage was a matter to be approached cautiously.
It wasn’t just about liking someone; a little love wouldn’t suffice. It
took a lot of love to muster the courage to step into the grave of marriage.

But in families like theirs, love was the least of concerns. As the eldest
daughter, the possibility of autonomous marriage was zero. She had fought for a
lot of freedom for herself already. She couldn’t enjoy the benefits of wealth
and then blame them for being in shackles, and prisons.

Among the four sisters, if she didn’t marry, the others would. She couldn’t
pass on the mess to someone else.

Yi Leling had planned to start a business abroad after graduation, but
returned to work in the group for her sake.

Yi Siling turned over and buried her head in the pillow. The bedding was
newly changed, warmed by sun Light and faintly scented with Lily.

If she had to marry Zheng Qijun, so be it.

She had like him once, but in the end, she found this kind funny and
she hated it more and more.

Outside the window, the night thickened, and the angry sounds of the waves
could be heard if one listened carefully. Yi Qiong Ling felt the silence was
too empty and turned on the Bluetooth speaker, playing a song, filling the
quiet space with music.

It was a Cantonese song.

“But love, after resentment sets in, becomes dirty and impure, Don’t
mention silent smiling roses, The thorns in return only trust defense.”

The next day, Yi Siling regained her spirits and, as usual, slept until
eleven-thirty.

She wasn’t one to seek out trouble, especially not when there was such a
huge problem. Once she entered her dressing room, all worries would dissipate
in the face of the mountains of beautiful clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry,
where even women could still have worries.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Yi Siling stretched lazily, the silk pajama sleeve’s Lipping down to her
shoulder, revealing a smooth, delicate arm.

After unlocking with her fingerprint, the sliding doors of her dressing room
automatically opened, releasing a fragrant breeze that brushed against her
face.

Early in the morning, Aunt Li had already replaced the flowers in the vase,
and the scent of Freud roses permeated everywhere.

She loved Freud roses the most, as everyone who knew her could attest—she
would obsessively favor what she Like and dismiss everything else.
Consequently, her bedroom, dressing room, and study only ever showcased this
particular flower.

The dressing room spanned two floors, a total of eight hundred square meters
meticulously organized to house an array of items. Hua Hua often wreaked havoc
here, running around freely.

Clothing was categorized by daily wear, sports, evening wear, and
after-parties, further sorted by season. Three entire walls were dedicated to
handbags and shoe cabinets, with specific areas for hats, scarves, socks,
sunglasses, jewelry, and even rare collectible dolls and quirky little
trinkets. Under the brilliant lights, any first-time visitor would feel the
tangible impact of wealth.

Deeper into the room, the lighting was brightest.

A Persian rug lay on the herringbone black walnut floor. On a rare cloisonne
stone table imported from Brazil, a variety of velvet and leather display racks
held over two hundred dazzling pieces of jewelry and watches, more
awe inspiring than a jewelry museum.

But these were just a small part of Yi Siling’s jewelry collection.

Only extremely cherished and valuable pieces made it into her safe, like the
Russian-style emerald Yi Siling crown her mother gifted her at nineteen.

As for the over three hundred high-fashion dresses mentioned in the Hong
Kong media, she stuffed them all upstairs—they took up too much space.

What Yi Siling cherished most was her dressing room, her meticulously
nurtured secret garden. From incense to sofas and tables, everything was
carefully selected from around the world. To maintain it, she employed five
specialized servants, each signing confidentiality and security agreements.

The thought of moving her dressing room after marriage made her feel
restless to the point of madness.

Marrying that shameless scumbag Zheng Qijun had some benefits—marrying
close to home meant she wouldn’t have to move her dressing room.

An hour later, Yi Siling was dressed and ready, though breakfast had cooled.
Aunt Li took it to reheat while she grabbed her car keys and headed to
the underground garage.

Her driver was off today, and she rarely drove herself.

The gates of the Yi Mansion opened slowly, and a white Bentley emerged,
merging onto the mountain road. The morning mist had cleared from Repulse Bay,
waves crashing against the rocks, lush greenery surrounding, and a vast golf
course visible in the distance.

Almost simultaneously, the gates of the neighboring Zheng Mansion opened,
and a blue supercar slid out, its roar akin to rolling storm clouds.

Zheng Qijun hadn’t expected to encounter Yi Siling’s car. He accelerated to
catch up, but the Bentley suddenly speeds up, leaving him far behind.

“Honk!”

“Honk honk!”

Zheng Qijun floored the accelerator, chasing after her while honking.

The supercar’s performance was superior, quickly closing the gap.

Yi Siling glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing the persistent pursuit. On
the deserted mountain road, golden sun Light filtered through palm leaves, and
the rushing wind rustled the fronds. She suddenly jerked the steering wheel to
the right, slammed on the brakes, and pulled over to the side of the mountain
road.

Zheng Qijun’s temple throbbed fiercely. He was angry and worried, cursing
“crazy girl” under his breath before slamming on his brakes. Parking
his car, he got out and hurried over.

“Yi Siling, driving like that is dangerous!”

Yi Siling lowered her window, keeping her gaze straight ahead. “Some
mangy dog insisted on following me.”

Zheng Qijun’s face darkened with helplessness. Softening his tone, he
continued, “I know I was wrong. I’ve broken up with that woman. Forgive
me, okay?”

Yi Siling chuckled, not understanding his intentions.

Was he putting on a show before marrying Yi Siling, saving face for both
families? Or had he genuinely had a change of heart, the prodigal son returning
home?

“It’s simple, let’s do our own thing from now on.”

She didn’t even mention the word “marrying Yi Siling.” A bad omen.

Zheng Qijun didn’t grasp Yi Siling’s underlying message, thinking she wanted
a complete break from him, to go their separate ways. He thought about the
baseless gossip, that Yi Siling was getting married, and heard she had a new
boyfriend last night—he hadn’t slept a wink.

He confirmed with his father multiple times. Initially, the Yi family had
intended to ally with the Zheng family, but recently, there had been no signs
of it.

He had her in his heart. When he pursued her in the beginning, he was
serious. Later, in their relationship, he always doted on her unconditionally.
That time they argued, he was influenced by those bad friends and got
hot-headed, otherwise it wouldn’t have escalated like this.

Those friends said—

“Zheng, you’re a prominent figure on Hong Kong Island, a big shot.
She’s just a rich girl from the Yi family. You can spoil her, but don’t let her
ride over your head!”

“What if she’s the Miss Yi? She still has to behave in front of young
master Zheng.”

“A man shouldn’t spoil a woman too much!”

Zheng Qijun felt annoyed thinking about these words. Even if Yi Siling had
a bad temper, was difficult to handle, and threw tantrums, so what? He like
her. When she got angry, she was relentless, but when she acted cute, she was
adorable, gazing at you with her charming eyes.

No other woman had her strange charm, and certainly none were more beautiful
than her.

Damn, she was so beautiful. Suddenly, Zheng Qijun could endure anything.

“Don’t talk about living separately. I’ve broken up with that unlucky
guy. Let’s make up, and from now on, I’ll always yield to you. I won’t look for
another woman to make you jealous.”

When has young Master Zheng ever been so humble?

“Yi Siling, I never like her. I was only with her to make you jealous.
She’s just an accessory. Don’t take it seriously, and don’t be mad at me.”

Damn it! What a load of nonsense!

Yi Siling glared at him angrily, “Well, my apologies. I’ve fallen madly
in love with my current boyfriend. He’s taller, handsome, and richer than you.
I’m going to tell Dad that I’m marrying no one but him in this lifetime.”

“He’s my true love!”

With that, she ignited the engine, shifted gears, floored the accelerator,
and the Bentley roared away like an arrow.

[Do you know what he told me? He said he was with other women just to make
me jealous! I can’t finish eating Wagyu, Basque cuisine, Michelin-starred
meals, but this is too much!]

[I feel bad for the little model who was with him now!]

[I can’t believe I misjudged him. He’s got a screw loose!]

Meanwhile, Yi Leling was busy dealing with a bunch of old fogies at the
office. When she received Yi Siling’s message, she couldn’t help but suppress a
smile.

“Meet me here first.” Yi Leling waved her hand at the people in
the meeting room. “We’ll continue next time.”

Once the people in the meeting room gradually left, she called Yi Siling and
had her secretary bring over a cup of American coffee to help her wake up.

“He already knows you have a boyfriend?”

“Now that I’ve put it out there, whether to proceed with this marriage
it’s up to him. If he doesn’t want to be laughed at across Hong Kong Island, he
better annul me quickly.”

“From his reaction, this marrying Yi Siling is probably doomed.”
Yi Leling took a sip of coffee.

Yi Siling also felt it was doomed and scooped a spoonful of Basque cake into
her mouth.

The taro-flavored Basque cake was her favorite. Whenever she was in a bad
mood, she’d reward herself with half a piece.

A whole piece was too much, and she’d feel guilty eating it all, so she
often wasted the other half.

“After this is settled, I’ll take you to Monaco.”

“I don’t have much on next month, so I’ll see if I can free up a few
days.”

After hanging up, Yi Siling walked out of the coffee shop, her purple silk
high heels stepping into the sun Light. The dessert shop was tucked away in a
small alley in Central. The Bentley was parked across the street. Before
getting in the car, Yi Siling casually glanced sideways.

Inside the bright glass window, the remaining half of the Basque cake was
being taken away by the waiter, destined to end up in the trash.

She suddenly wondered, if there was a man who could finish the cake, she left
behind.

Two days later, Yi Siling finally met the elusive Yi Kunshan and Liang
Yongwen at the Yi Mansion.

It was midnight, just as Cinderella’s clock struck twelve, and the Bentley
carrying Yi Siling arrived to pick up the princess from the dazzling world of
fame and fortune.

Yi Siling returned home after an evening banquet.

She was still dressed in an extravagant haute couture gown, with ostrich
feathers swirling around the hem. The jade on her wrists and neck shimmered
under the moonlight, lush and captivating.

Her parents were sitting in the living room waiting for her, which
startled her.

“You’re still up so late!” she exclaimed, clutching her chest and
glaring. “You scared me.”

Liang Yongwen smiled warmly and waved her over. “We just got back
this afternoon. Come here, darling. Your father and I have something to discuss
with you.”

Yi Siling had a rough idea of what it might be, but she pretended not to
understand and obediently walked over.

“What’s the matter that you have to talk about so late?”

She sat down on the sofa, the layers of her gown pooling around her feet,
and grabbed a cushion to hold in her arms, feeling tired.

Liang Yongwen nudged Yi Kunshan, and Yi Kunshan rubbed his hands
together, unable to hide his excitement despite the fatigue from the journey.
“Darling, your mother and I have already discussed your marriage. It’s set
for the day after next month, on the 28th, which is an auspicious day.”

Liang Yongwen chimed in eagerly, “How do you feel about it,
darling? Happy?”

Yi Siling was initially stunned for a moment, then horrified. “The day
after next month!?” This completely exceeded her psychological limit,
instantly dispelling her drowsiness.

“I refuse to marry anyone surnamed Zheng. Absolutely not. It’s a
dream!”

Yi Kunshan and Liang Yongwen exchanged a glance. “What Zheng? What are
you talking about?”

“Zheng? Isn’t it Zheng Qijun?” Yi Siling suddenly felt lost in
confusion, blinking her eyes in bewilderment.

Liang Yongwen caught on and chuckled, “Why are you concerned
about Zheng Qijun? Your father respects your opinion, and we haven’t considered
him for a long time. This time, we’ve picked out the absolute best husband for
you from around the world. You can rest assured.”

“The best husband in the world,” that line couldn’t fool a
three-year-old.

“…Who?”

Yi Siling squeezed the moisture in her palm, nervously watching Liang
Yongwen. Her heart throbbed in her chest, as if waiting for her death sentence.

It couldn’t be the young master from the Zhuang family, right?

Or Chen Weiqi’s older brother? Or the Lu family’s?  Li family’s? Yu
family’s??? All possible candidates flashed through her mind.

Yi Kunshan laughed nonchalantly, “Xie Xunzhi.”

“The young master of the Xie family in Beijing, it’s their Blue Yao
Group belongs to him.”

Beijing. Xie family. Blue Yao Group.

Just these three phrases alone could explain why they were so delighted. The
Yi family had already reached such a high position, and anyone who could make
the Yi family want to associate with them was certainly not as simple as the
Zheng, Lu, Zhuang, Chen families.

“The young master of Blue Yao! Surprised, darling!”

“……”

Yi Siling felt her head explode for a moment, at a loss for words.

Recently, she seemed to have heard the surname “Xie” somewhere, a
fleeting impression in her mind, but she couldn’t recall. All her attention was
in Beijing.

A hundred thousand miles from Wan Chai 28th to 29th.

No.

It’s the distance from Wan Chai to Beijing.

Yi Siling suddenly stood up, both angry and frightened, “Are you kidding me?
You want me to marry someone from another country.