Chapter 1

a cigarette case and lighter from his pocket, leaning against the door as he lit up. He seemed unconcerned by her silence, patiently waiting for her to speak.Her phone rang. She glanced at the caller...The footsteps coming and going outside the tea room, tonight is a family dinner at the Huo family, many people have come back.

The man's face, with its sharp contours, was reflected in the glass. His eyes held a hint of mockery as he observed her panicked expression.

Ho Mingzheng was dressed in fine robes and looked handsome and elegant.

He ranked second among the younger generation of the Huo family, with an older cousin who was the true heir apparent to the Huo family. He held immense power and influence, making him a formidable figure to trifle with.

The man's gaze fell on the bruises on Fu Yan's body. He dropped his handkerchief, lit a cigarette, and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke.

The jade thumb ring on his left hand shimmered with a faint fluorescence, cold and chilling. It was an exceptional piece of Imperial Jade from northern Myanmar, a rare find.

"I heard you're looking at cars lately, how about I buy you one"

"No, I'll buy it myself." Fu Yan put on her clothes, clenched her fingers tightly, and didn't look at the man's face in the mirror.

She knew he was angry, having tormented her just moments ago. This remark only added fuel to the fire.

"Are you really serious about drawing a line between us"

Fu Yan lowered her head and fiddled with the buttons on her shirt, saying nothing. Her fingers were white-knuckled.

"Fu Yan, you've really made a name for yourself," Huo Mingzheng sneered.

His gaze shifted away from her, he took a few puffs and stubbed out the cigarette.

Fu Yan lowered her head and got up from the ground, running into the bathroom to tidy herself up.

The door to the tea room opened and closed again. She knew Huo Mingzheng had gone out.

After a while, when the flush on her face had completely subsided and she was sure there were no marks on her body, she came out of the washroom.

By the time she arrived at the restaurant, most of the people were already there.

At the Huo family's dinner, the returned guests sat at three large round tables, bustling with conversation, but no one came forward to speak to Fu Yan.

Fu Yan also didn't want to deal with the Huo family, so she lowered her head and looked for her own seat.

"Where have you been I've been looking for you all day, and you haven't answered your phone." Mother Song Qing˪ came over and pulled her hand, glaring at her disapprovingly.

Fu Yan withdrew her hand without a trace and whispered, "I didn't hear anything."

Actually, she heard it, but Huo Mingzheng didn't let her answer. On that kind of thing, he didn't like to be disturbed, he would get angry, and even more troublesome.

As soon as Fu Yan Gang sat down, he heard someone at the main table say, "Second Brother, why is your sleeve wet"

Fu Yan heard Huo Mingzheng let out a light chuckle: "It's nothing."

Ho Mingzheng took off his suit jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. People spoke to him, and he responded nonchalantly with a few words. No one dared to contradict him.

He has always been the center of attention in the Huo family.

...not like paying rouge.

She married into the Huo family with her mother, who married Huo Mingzheng's fifth uncle.

The Huo family's grandchildren, ranked from eldest to youngest, went by titles like the Eldest Master, the Second Master, and the Fifth Miss. These names clearly identified them as members of the Huo family. However, she was addressed as "Miss Fu" by the servants.

He is an outsider.

Song Qingshuang whispered in her ear.

"The old man was already displeased with us, and you're being so disrespectful. Don't you know this is a family dinner Luckily, the old man didn't scold us."

Mother remarried, and from the beginning, she was looked down upon with suspicion, especially after the death of Huo Mingzheng's fifth uncle, they were treated even worse.

Behind closed doors, the servants say Song Qing˪ is a widow maker, and that Fu Yan is a bad luck charm.

Therefore, Song Qing˪ was especially careful to observe the rules of the Huo family.

Fu Yan had already gotten used to it and didn't pay much attention to her complaints. Her mind was occupied with Huo Mingzheng's last meaningful words.

From time to time, the remaining light would glance in the direction of the main table.

The unbreakable relationship between her and Huo Mingzheng made her thoughts drift back to two years ago.

That night, she got drunk with her classmates after graduating from university.

Actually, she used to be teetotal before that day. That day was because the Huo family was preparing to arrange a marriage for Huo Ming.

Huo Mingzheng, she secretly liked the man for many years.

Unexpectedly, Huo Mingzheng was also at the bar that night. She had been drinking, and her courage grew bolder. She stuck close to Huo Mingzheng and asked him - Huo Mingzheng, what do you think of me

Huo Mingzheng snatched her hand off his shoulder, a sly smile playing on his lips. "What's wrong"

Fu Yan had never imagined that she, a girl who was always well-behaved, would do something so rebellious. Huo Mingzheng was her nominal cousin, after all.

She tiptoed to Huo Mingzheng's ear and whispered, "Be my woman."

Ho Mingzheng leaned against the wall, lit a cigarette, and in the swirling smoke asked her, "Dare you"

Fu Yan lightly pecked his chin, then boldly hooked his neck again, provocatively saying, "What about you Do you dare"

Ho Mingzheng extinguished his cigarette and didn't answer, just smiled.

Those eyes, in the flickering lamplight, seemed like fathomless icy chasms, yet also like flames that would burn a person to ashes.

That night, she became Huo Mingzheng's woman.

At the moment of life and death, Huo Mingzheng bit her earlobe, "Fu Yan, remember what you said tonight."

That night, Fu Yan said a lot, so much that she couldn't even remember what Huo Mingzheng had said.

After that, Fu Yan was a little scared. Getting involved with a man like Huo Mingzheng was dangerous.

Their relationship was a secret, which meant that Huo Mingzheng would never admit to her.

She is the kind of person who has secretly liked Huo Mingzheng for so many years and can't bear to let go just like that.

But he's going to get married and have kids after all. I heard his grandfather has already found a bride for him.

He didn't mention it, tacitly acknowledging her shame, the identity she tried to hide: lover, mistress. Fu Yan dared not delve deeper.

If this relationship is destined to be unequal, then she is unwilling to be humble anymore.

So last weekend she messaged Ho Ming, wanting to end their distorted relationship.

Until today, Huo Mingzheng has not responded at all.

In the evening, she returned to the Huo residence and bumped into him. In the deserted corridor, she lowered her head intending to bypass him, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the tea room...

He looks like he's been annoyed by her.

As dishes were served one after another, Fu Yan's thoughts were drawn back.

The servant brought up a fish. Tonight's seafood was all flown in from abroad. It was steamed, with hot oil poured over it. The fish flesh flipped, and the aroma filled the air.

Fu Yanqiang endured the discomfort, just about to dodge the smell, but couldn't help but let out a: "Ugh...", not your old flame anymore"Shen Wei's hand trembled, and he hastily deleted the text message. A chill ran down his spine.The phone rang again the next second.She hung up.The phone rang again.Her fac...