Chapter One

TomatoTV Live Studio.
The female host turned to the stunningly handsome man seated opposite her—a man radiating an aura of noble restraint—and posed the final question of the interview. “President Shang, is your return to China this time focused on expanding into the entertainment market?” A purely business-oriented question. If he answered smoothly, as he had throughout, this session would conclude perfectly. The man crossed his long legs, impeccably dressed in a tailored black haute couture suit, lounging effortlessly on the sofa. The top button of his black shirt was fastened tightly beneath the clean, defined lines of his throat, projecting an intense sense of austerity. His gaze was lowered slightly, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high-bridged nose. The lenses reflected the studio lights, obscuring his eyes and thoughts, but doing nothing to diminish the powerful, almost oppressive aura surrounding him. “No.” His voice was deep and detached. The host blinked. “Hmm?” The man lifted his eyes. Deep, icy pupils stared directly into the camera lens through his glasses. “For a woman.” The entire studio froze at his words.

The man was Shang Chi, head of the Shang Group. In just three years abroad, he had expanded the group’s influence into virtually every major industry overseas. His reputation was built on decisiveness, ruthlessness, and unparalleled business acumen. Within six months of returning to China, under his leadership, the Shang Group had ascended further, nearing a monopoly over the domestic market. The name “Shang Chi” became synonymous with dread in the business world. Months earlier, he had acquired the country’s top entertainment company, becoming the new CEO of Tianheng Entertainment. Hence, the host’s question. Securing an interview with a man at the pinnacle of power was notoriously difficult. Countless networks had tried and failed over the past six months. No one knew why he had agreed to TomatoTV’s request. Given this rare opportunity, every question had been meticulously vetted, deliberately avoiding anything remotely personal. No one expected him to drop the bombshell himself.

Drawing on years of experience, the host seized the moment. “Is she… the woman you love?” Shang Chi didn’t answer immediately. His expression remained unreadable, his thumb idly stroking the simple silver band on his index finger. The mundane ring stood in stark contrast to the expensive watch on his wrist. Within seconds, a thin layer of sweat formed on the host’s back. Had she overstepped? Just as she began frantically searching for a safer follow-up, he spoke. “A woman who once rejected me.” His voice was utterly flat, as if commenting on the weather. Yet, a dark, almost excited intensity flickered deep within his eyes, vanishing too quickly to decipher. Shock rippled through the studio. Who could possibly be so blind as to reject a man standing atop the world?

In a car nearby, assistant Xiao Ran, watching the live stream on her iPad, shared the sentiment. “Wow! That woman who rejected the big boss must be crazy! Right, Jiang Zhi?” She glanced at the woman beside her – thick glasses, pockmarked skin, dark complexion. Jiang Zhi murmured a distracted agreement. The man’s voice held a faint, unsettling familiarity, but not enough to hold her attention. She barely glanced at the iPad before looking away. Grabbing her bag and the carefully crafted cake box from the bakery beside her, she smoothly opened the car door and stepped out. She had no inkling that the owner of that voice, Shang Chi, would become her legal husband just days later. Standing outside the car, Jiang Zhi offered Xiao Ran a polite smile. “Please compile Chairman Shang’s interview notes and email them to me later.”

Understanding the new CEO’s preferences should have been her top priority. But today was her boyfriend Jiang Nian’s birthday, and her thoughts were already miles away. Xiao Ran was the only one who knew about their relationship. Xiao Ran flashed an ‘OK’ sign, grinning knowingly. “Got it. Go celebrate the Film Emperor’s birthday!” Remembering the “battle attire” Jiang Zhi had bought earlier, she added cheekily, “After all, a night of spring passion is worth a fortune in gold~” Jiang Zhi flushed crimson, suddenly feeling the strap of her bag burn against her hand…

Back at the apartment, Jiang Nian was likely still at his fan birthday event. Jiang Zhi sent him a quick text, took a deep breath, and pulled a sleek black nightgown from her bag, heading to the bathroom. Steam fogged the bathroom mirror, blurring the reflection of a woman with luminous skin and a stunning figure. She slipped the black slip dress over her curves. The straps were thin, barely clinging to her shoulders. The stark contrast between the deep black lace and her pale skin was visually arresting, inviting endless imagination. Jiang Zhi tugged self-consciously at the hem grazing her thighs – it was her first time wearing something so revealing. She picked up a cherry-blossom lip tint, applying it to her full lips. The pockmarked, dark makeup was gone, revealing her true, radiant beauty beneath. What will Nian think when he sees me like this? She checked her phone. No reply yet.

Leaving the bathroom, she kept the lights off for the surprise. Moving through the dim apartment towards the fridge with the cake, she was halted by noise outside the front door. Jiang Zhi’s eyes lit up. She started towards the entrance, but after only a few steps, her feet rooted to the spot. Beyond the door, mingled with Jiang Nian’s voice, was a woman’s soft, seductive laugh. Blood drained from Jiang Zhi’s face, replaced by a rush of heat. Impossible. He wouldn’t betray me. As the door clicked open, instinct took over. She darted into Jiang Nian’s bedroom and squeezed herself into the wardrobe, pulling the door almost shut, leaving only a sliver of light.

The sounds that followed shattered her world. Heavy breaths. Tangled limbs. The unmistakable symphony of betrayal played out mere feet away. Jiang Zhi watched, paralyzed, through the crack in the wardrobe door, as her boyfriend of five years made love to Wen Nian – the actress who despised her most. Needles pierced her heart, the pain radiating through her entire body. This was the first birthday she’d missed, feigning a business trip… all for this surprise.

Burdened by her father’s sins, faith had offered Jiang Zhi solace. With Jiang Nian, she’d maintained physical boundaries within that faith. She believed he was her salvation. Today, she’d mustered the courage to shed those constraints, ready to give herself to him completely. Instead, she received a betrayal that felt like a thousand cuts. The sounds from the bed finally subsided. Jiang Zhi clung to a desperate hope: He must be drunk. He mistook Wen Nian, who looks a bit like me… But the lovers’ conversation that followed shattered that fragile illusion, exposing her hope as the foolish, pathetic delusion it was. In that instant, with one sentence, one clear thought, her feelings for him evaporated. He’s just a rotten vegetable now. Whoever wants him can have him. I’m done.