Xie Qingman saw Ye Yansheng again at Tanzhe Temple in western Beijing, feeling a rare flutter of hope and nostalgia amid the peaceful surroundings, which made her wonder if this moment could change everything.
A stark contrast to that night in Hong Kong, where Ye Yansheng's cold gaze and guarded demeanor hinted at a deeper, unspoken pain behind his stoic exterior.
Ye Yansheng gazed at her with deep, intense eyes, his voice slightly hoarse, sending shivers down her spine:
"Ah Yin, be good, sit here."
The gun pressed against her in the Koenigsegg passenger seat, the stranger outside the cemetery, the incense burner in the Siheyuan-each scene layered with risk, fueling the audience's sense of danger and intrigue.
He was a dangerous variable.
Yet, in life, there are too many desires. Power forms the cage, fame and fortune the net. Even without anyone setting a trap, she still walked right in, wanting to lure him into her own cage instead.
② Five years ago, in the city of sin, revelry lasted through the night. Xie Qingman accidentally stumbled into a criminal exchange and was discovered. In her panic, the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against her forehead. "Don't move."
A critical moment, a thin line between life and death.
A young man, smelling faintly of alcohol, gripped her slender neck and lifted her, his expression cold and stern. "Didn't I tell you to wait for me in the car? So disobedient."
The youth had neat short hair and a tall, straight figure, half his face shrouded in shadow. "She's mine. No need for your concern. I'm taking her."
By heaven's grace, the criminal gang was rounded up, and Xie Qingman escaped successfully, sealing away this youthful memory in her mind.
Five years later, amidst neon lights and lavish indulgence.
Rumors swirled that the Ye family scion held clouds and rain in his hands, controlling the lifelines of countless people. He was the untouchable "ancestor" of the Imperial City, cold-hearted and indifferent to women. Those who approached him met defeat, ruining their own prospects without gaining any favor.
In truth, Xie Qingman had been living with him day and night for two years.
At a banquet, she accidentally spilled wine all over him. The crowd watched as Ye Yansheng's face darkened, thinking her "scheming to cling to him" had backfired, and waited for the drama to unfold.
Only Xie Qingman, seeing the familiar face of the man she had shared a pillow with, suddenly felt a jolt of confusion and dread, as memories jumbled—her mind racing to reconcile the man before her with the one from her past.
Holy shit, isn't this that criminal from back then?
◆ Beijing's unhinged tycoon × Hong Kong's scheming beauty. The events of five years ago are a flashback, a misunderstanding, a mix-up—Brother Sheng was assisting in a mission and has now inherited the family business. The female lead is a temporarily down-and-out Hong Kong heiress who later reclaims everything.
**[Mini Scenes]**
① At the annual gala, Xie Qingman wore a gown that cinched her slender waist, highlighting her exquisite figure. Drunk, she mistook Ye Yansheng for a persistent admirer: "Get lost, stop bothering me."
Later, on another day, Ye Yansheng gripped her chin and pressed her against the mirror, his deep voice unconsciously husky and seductive. "Stand steady, hold on."One day, an anonymous exposé suddenly topped the hot searches—Xie Qingman was seen accompanying two big shots from Zhonghai and T& C late at night." Had she acknowledged a sugar daddy or a cousin?
Rivals fanned the flames, and rumors spread like wildfire across the internet.
Amid the chaos, before Xie Qingman could respond, Zhonghai and T& C issued statements one after another—
**[Zhonghai International V]**: Taking our young lady away, don't @ us.
【T& C Group V】: Taking our future CEO's wife under our wing. The boss is working to win her back. Please be mindful of your words and show some mercy, gossip bloggers. Don't make things harder for our boss, or we'll see you in court.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
◎Among countless ambitions, the greatest is you. — Ye Yansheng
