Chapter 1

nd..."Is this it, the mall is closed"Cao Yuan was still wearing a cold expression. "I have a way, just tell me the model number. You don't want to be without your phone tomorrow for work, do you You'r...The footsteps outside the tea room coming and going, tonight is Huo's family banquet, many people have come back.

The man's face, with sharply defined features, was reflected in the glass. His eyes held a playful glint as he observed her panicked expression.

Ho Mingzheng was dressed in fine clothes, looking elegant and handsome.

He ranks second among the younger generation of the Huo family. There's an older cousin above him, who is truly the heir apparent of the Huo family, with immense power and influence. He is a figure to be treated with utmost caution and should not be provoked easily.

His gaze fell on the finger marks on Fu Yan's body, dropped his handkerchief, lit a cigarette, and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke.

The jade ring on his left thumb glowed faintly with a ghostly light, cold and chilling to the touch. It was an exceptional dragon stone jade from northern Myanmar, a rare and coveted piece.

"I heard you're looking at cars recently, should 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 just tormented her in every way imaginable. This sentence only poured gasoline on the fire.

"Is this really about drawing a line between us"

Fu Yan lowered her head, fiddling with the buttons on her shirt without speaking. Her fingers were white-knuckled.

"Fu Yan, you've really made something of yourself," Huo Mingzheng sneered.

His gaze shifted away from her, and he took a few puffs before stubbing out his 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 blush on her face had completely subsided and she was sure there were no marks on her body, she came out of the bathroom.

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

At the Huo family dinner, those who came back sat at three large round tables. The atmosphere was lively and bustling, but no one took the initiative to come up and talk 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 didn't even answer your phone." Mother Song Qing霜 came over and pulled her hand, glaring at her disapprovingly.

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

Actually, she heard him, but Huo Mingzheng didn't let her answer. He didn't like to be disturbed about that kind of thing; he would get angry and make things more difficult.

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

Fu Yan heard Huo Mingzheng chuckle softly: "It's nothing."

Ho Mingzheng took off his suit jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. He responded casually to people who spoke to him, without really listening, and no one dared to contradict him.

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

Not like paying for makeup.

She followed her mother into the Huo family when her mother remarried to Huo Mingzheng's fifth uncle.

The Ho family's grandchildren, from eldest to youngest, are addressed as the eldest son, second son, and fifth young lady. Just by their titles, one knows they are members of the Ho family. Only she is called "Miss Fu" by the servants.

He is an outsider.

Song Qing霜 whispered in her ear.

“The old man was already displeased with us, and you are still so disrespectful. Don't you know today is a family banquet Fortunately, the old man didn't blame us.”

The mother remarried, and from the beginning, she was looked at with suspicion, especially after the death of Huo Mingzheng's fifth uncle. The two of them became even less welcome.

Behind the scenes, servants gossiped that Song Qingshuang was a widow-making woman and that Fu Yan was a harbinger of misfortune.

That's why Song Qingshuang was especially careful to follow 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 full of Huo Mingzheng's last meaningful words.

From time to time, the remaining light would glance towards the main table.

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

On the night of her college graduation, she got drunk with her classmates.

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

Huomingzheng, she had secretly liked that man for many years.

Unexpectedly, Huo Mingzheng was also at the bar that night. She had a few drinks and felt more courageous, so she leaned in close to Huo Mingzheng and asked him — Huo Mingzheng, what do you think of me

Huo Mingzheng opened her hand from his shoulder and smiled, asking, "What's wrong"

Fu Yan had never imagined that she, a girl who had always been obedient, 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 hazy smoke asked her, "Dare you"

Fu Yan lightly pecked his chin, once again fearlessly hooking his neck, provocatively saying: "What about you, do you dare"

Huo Mingzheng stubbed out his cigarette, didn't answer, just smiled.

Those eyes, in the flickering lamplight, seemed like an unfathomable abyss of cold, yet also like a fire that could burn everything to ashes.

That night, she became Huo Mingzheng's woman.

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

That night, Fu Yan said a lot of things, so many that she couldn't even remember which ones Huo Mingzheng had said.

After that, Fu Yan was a little afraid. Attracting a man like Huo Mingzheng was dangerous.

Their relationship was kept in the dark, which meant Huo Mingzheng would never admit to her.

She was the one who secretly liked Huo Mingzheng for so many years, she couldn't bear to let go just like that.

But he will eventually get married and have children. I hear his grandfather has already found him a bride.

He never mentioned it, implicitly assuming her shameful identity - a mistress. Fu Yan dared not think about it further.

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

So last weekend, she messaged Ho Ming and wanted to end their abnormal relationship.

Until today, Huo Mingzheng has not given any reply.

As evening fell, she returned to the Ho Residence and ran into him. In a deserted corridor, she lowered her head intending to bypass him, but he seized her wrist and pulled her into the tea room...

Looking at his expression, he seemed to be annoyed by her.

During the meal, as dishes were served one after another, Fu Yan's thoughts were drawn back.

The servant brought up a fish. Tonight's seafood was flown in from abroad. Steamed fish, splashed with hot oil, the fish flesh flipped, the aroma was intoxicating.

Fu Yan struggled to suppress the discomfort, just about to avoid the smell, but before she could react, she let out a “Ugh…” as Xiaowen."Although ten minutes had already passed, Fu Yan seemed to have forgotten about time. She picked up the slightly cold milk and took a sip.That's how it is.A hint of self-deprecating amusem...