Next Morning.
The sky was still painted in pale shades of dawn when Guo Min slipped out of the Wang mansion. She preferred it this way, quiet, without curious eyes following her. Her visits to her mother's tomb were private, sacred moments she never liked to share.
The road was empty as she drove through the morning mist, the hum of the engine steady against her restless thoughts. Soon, she reached the graveyard, a lonely expanse where silence pressed down heavier than the air itself.
She carried a small bouquet of fresh lilies in her hand. Her heels clicked softly against the stone path as she walked to the familiar spot. Kneeling before the tomb, she laid the flowers gently, brushing away a few fallen leaves from the gravestone.
Then, she just sat there.
For hours, she didn't move. She let the rustle of the trees and the whisper of the wind fill the silence. It was strange, how peaceful the graveyard could be, and yet, there was always a faint chill, the kind that crept into her bones and reminded her she was surrounded by the dead.
Tears didn't come anymore. She had shed too many over the years, until grief had hardened into a scar. What remained was emptiness… a quiet ache that no amount of time could erase.
Finally, she rose to her feet. Leaning down, she pressed a gentle kiss against the cold stone. Her voice, soft and steady, broke the silence.
"Bye, Mom."
She turned, slipped back into her car, and drove away.
---
The drive was smooth, the city slowly waking up around her, until fate decided otherwise.
The screech of tires, a jolt, and the crunch of metal. Her car lurched slightly, colliding with another. It wasn't a brutal crash, more like an unwelcome scrape, the kind that left angry lines across polished paint.
Guo Min's jaw tightened as she killed the engine.
The other driver stepped out immediately, panic flashing across his face. "Madam… oh no, you've left a scratch!"
Guo Min arched a brow, unbuckling her seatbelt before stepping out of the driver's seat with the kind of calm that was more dangerous than rage. Her voice dripped with sharpness. "Are you implying this was my fault?"
The driver faltered, swallowing hard.
She crossed her arms. "Forget it. Get your boss out here. I'll talk to him directly."
The man froze, clearly reluctant, but eventually shuffled toward the backseat window. Lowering his voice, he said nervously, "President Zhu… she wants to speak with you."
From inside the car came a cool, clipped response, each word decisive.
"Give her my card. She can come to the office. I have an urgent meeting."
No room for negotiation.
The driver returned quickly, as though the air around Guo Min burned. Her expression sharp, made his palms sweat. Without daring to explain, he thrust a business card into her hand, then practically sprinted back to the car. Within seconds, the sleek vehicle pulled away, carrying his boss with it.
Guo Min's nostrils flared as she stared at the retreating car. "Hey, you piece of shit!" she snapped, hurling her phone in frustration against the already moving car, which left another scratch.
Her anger froze in her throat when she finally glanced down at the card in her hand. The bold name printed across it made her eyes widen, her heartbeat faltering for a beat.
Zhu Zihan.
She gasped, the realization cutting deep. Of all the people who she could have crossed paths this way… she was a little screwed. Okay, maybe not just a little, more than a little.
Her fingers tightened around the card as her lips pressed into a thin line. Trouble had found her again, and this time, it wore the name of one of China's most dangerous men.
Guo Min had driven to Serene Hotels first, convincing herself that she didn't need to rush into this, that she could let the matter go, toss the card into the trash, and walk away.
But curiosity was a dangerous thing. It gnawed at her until she couldn't sit still any longer.
By the time lunch was over, her decision was made. She got into her car and headed straight for the Zhu Empire headquarters.
---
Zhu empire.
The building was an intimidating monolith of glass and steel, towering against the skyline like a sentinel. Every inch of it screamed power, polished, untouchable power. Guo Min parked, squared her shoulders, and strode through the massive glass doors.
At the reception desk, her voice was steady and sharp. "Tell your boss...the girl he had an accident with this morning is here."
The receptionist blinked, then quickly picked up the phone. Within moments, Guo Min was told she had clearance.
She stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor. The doors slid shut, and in that brief silence, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her reflection in the mirrored panel stared back at her, sharp eyes, set jaw. She adjusted her expression, softening it into one that revealed nothing.
When the elevator chimed and the doors opened, she walked down the pristine hallway and stopped before the largest door. Raising her knuckles, she knocked once, then pushed it open.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Zhu," she said evenly as she entered.
Zhu Zihan was seated behind a sleek black marble desk, a stack of documents spread before him. His posture was impeccable, movements precise as he flipped through a file. For a moment, it was as though she didn't exist. Finally, he lifted his gaze. His eyes, dark and unreadable, locked with hers, and not a trace of warmth flickered within them.
"What's with the rush?" His tone was calm, detached, as if her arrival was an inconvenience. "You are early."
Guo Min held his gaze, unflinching. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, slicing past his question without hesitation.
The corner of Zhu Zihan's mouth twitched, barely there, but enough to show amusement. He leaned back into his chair, posture immaculate, fingers steep lining together as his dark eyes studied her with unnerving calm.
"Straight to the point," he said quietly, his tone carrying a weight that silenced the room. "I see."
For a moment, he said nothing else. The pause itself felt deliberate, like he was drawing out her discomfort just to watch how she handled it. Then, without warning, he slid a paper across the desk toward her.
Guo Min reached for it, her brows pinched in irritation. But when her eyes scanned the figure, her heart almost leapt out of her chest.
"Huh?!" Her voice nearly cracked. "Five hundred thousand yuan?" She stared at him in disbelief, heat rising to her face. "For that little scratch?"
Her mind reeled. Half a million yuan, enough to eat a hole through her entire investment budget for the year. She would sooner fight a tiger with her bare hands than hand it over so easily.
Zihan raised a brow, his expression unreadable save for the faintest glimmer of mockery. "Too small?" His words rolled out with a calm, taunting edge.
Guo Min slammed the paper back onto the desk, scoffing in outrage. "Are… are you mocking me right now?" Her eyes blazed, her voice sharp. "You're such an arrogant brat. And for your information, I don't have that kind of money to give you."
Her fury hung thick in the air.
For a long moment, he simply watched her, silence stretching. Then, his lips curved into the faintest, most dangerous of smiles. He spoke softly, as if testing something out.
"…Then marry me."
The words landed like a bomb between them, so casual yet so destructive.
Guo Min froze, blinking as though she hadn't heard right. "What?" Her voice was flat, stunned. Then it rose, sharper, and angrier. "No. Not happening. Never going to happen."
She spun on her heel, storming out of the office like an oncoming thunderstorm. The doors slammed behind her, leaving the echo of her anger in the pristine office.
For a moment, the room was quiet again.
Zhu Zihan sat still, his expression calm, but a small, deliberate smile slowly crept across his face. She had caught his attention, not just because she was bold enough to defy him, but because she had the fire to match his ice.
Now, he was hellbent on having her.