After leaving the Jiang family estate, Elena Shen holed up in her small apartment like a frightened quail and didn't come out for two full days.
Mrs. Lin had even called to ask the housekeeper, Eric Chen, to bring her food and necessities, worried she couldn't take care of herself. But Elena declined the offer, using schoolwork as an excuse.
For two days and two nights, she stayed inside with her sleeping schedule completely out of sync. On the first day back on campus after the holiday, she finally grabbed Annie's flash drive and headed out, just barely making it in time for class at Huaihai University.
Due to the abrupt change in her engagement, Elena found herself distracted for the entire lecture.
Fortunately, she had already completed the coursework over the summer in an effort to avoid returning to the Jiang household, so even if she didn't pay attention now, it wouldn't affect her.
Sitting next to her, Annie, who had been grounded for three days by her family, still hadn't figured out what exactly had gone down over the Mid-Autumn Festival. Seeing Elena so distracted, she naturally assumed it had something to do with Adrian Jiang.
During a short break, Annie scooted closer, thumped her chest, and said gallantly, "Elena, if you're feeling down, just say the word. I've got ideas."
Elena blinked at her. "What?"
Annie gave her a sidelong glance, an expression that practically screamed," Don't bother hiding it from me—I already know everything.
"Adrian Jiang, duh." Annie lowered her voice, full of righteous indignation. "Since when is being well-behaved a flaw? But somehow, in his mouth, it becomes 'boring'!"
Elena finally understood—this girl must have heard about what Adrian said that night at Club Zenith.
Elena, for her part, didn't feel much about it anymore.
She had more pressing things on her mind now.
Just as she was about to explain, Annie leaned in mysteriously, eyes scanning her from head to toe. In a conspiratorial whisper, she suggested:
"Listen, babe. Change out of that cardigan tonight. I'll take you to a bar. See some new faces. Trust me—once you've had a taste of variety, you'll forget all about Adrian Jiang."
Elena gave her a deadpan look.
She gently shoved Annie away. "Girl, did you forget how you got locked up for three days?"
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Annie rebelled against her arranged marriage by booking a private room at Club Zenith and hiring male models. Halfway through the night, her older brother Winston Gu caught her red-handed and dragged her home, where she was grounded for three whole days.
Annie gritted her teeth at the memory, but her voice was nonchalant, even a bit defiant. "There are dozens of bars in Huaihai. We'll just avoid Club Zenith—easy fix."
"So? You in or not? Time to live a little!"
Elena turned back to her laptop, scrolling through a class PowerPoint. "Please, don't start again. I swear you'll end up grounded for a week next time."
When she realized Elena wouldn't budge, Annie finally gave up.
She slumped on the desk, resting her chin in her palm, eyes fixed on her best friend's annoyingly perfect face.
After a moment of silence, Elena looked at her suspiciously—Annie had gone uncharacteristically quiet.
"Annie," Elena waved her hand in front of her friend's face. "Did you get possessed? What are you staring at?"
Annie grabbed her hand, pulled her closer, then whipped out her phone and pulled up a photo of Ethan Jiang from a recent financial interview.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Pressing her lips together to hold back a squeal, she whispered her absurd suggestion again.
"Elena, I'm serious. You and Mr. Jiang? Perfect match."
She pointed at the screen, then at Elena's face, looking absolutely thrilled. "Look at this! Face, body, vibe—don't they just scream compatibility?"
She leaned even closer, nearly vibrating with excitement. "If you and Mr. Jiang got together... d*mn—that would be hot!"
"Just imagine if—mmph!"
Before she could finish, Elena clamped a hand over her mouth and flipped her phone face-down on the desk.
"In broad daylight?! Annie, you need to flush your brain out."
Annie blinked innocently, then pried her friend's hand away and muttered, "I'm telling you, it makes perfect sense."
She began counting on her fingers. "Think about it. You're engaged to the Jiang family, but it doesn't have to be Adrian. Why not switch?"
"And my brother," said Mr. Jiang hasn't had a single woman around him all these years. If you agree to the marriage—"
Elena groaned and rubbed her temple. To shut her up, she unwrapped a chocolate and stuffed it into Annie's mouth. "Here,Eat. No talking."
Annie, cheeks puffed with chocolate: "…"
As the room finally quieted down, Elena returned to editing the PowerPoint.
Barely a minute later, a wave of murmurs rose from the hallway outside.
Annie, still chewing on candy and leaning on her elbows, peeked through the glass window. She clicked her tongue. "Now that's the kind of girl Adrian Jiang calls 'not boring'."
Elena looked up and followed her gaze.
Just outside, the art department's beauty officer, Grace Su, was walking past the corridor, surrounded by assistants and a gaggle of fans.
Adrian Jiang had always rejected the life mapped out for him. After graduation, he refused to join Tiansheng Group or take on any family business. Instead, he defied his parents and founded a media company, Lumière Studios, pouring money into the entertainment industry.
Grace Su was his hand-picked protégé—his first personal investment.
As Elena glanced out, Grace Su looked over as well.
She was dressed in a flowing red gown with flawless makeup that made her look both pure and seductive. On the surface, she seemed approachable and harmless. But the moment their eyes met, Elena caught a flash of open provocation in her gaze.
Annie had no idea Grace had just thrown a silent challenge Elena's way. She simply found Grace's celebrity airs infuriating.
Especially since Grace, in Annie's eyes, was just a low-tier actress who thought that being close to Adrian Jiang made her better than everyone else.
Looking at her posh entourage and brainless fans, Annie curled her lip in disdain.
"Groupies. A lot of them."
As Grace and her entourage moved out of sight, the hallway grew quiet again.
But Elena found her thoughts drifting back to an old memory.
She didn't know Grace well.
But this wasn't the first time they'd met.
The first time was two years ago, during a gym class.
Elena had been helping a classmate retrieve equipment and, unfamiliar with the campus layout, had mistakenly opened the wrong door. She realized instantly she had the wrong room—it was the rest lounge, not the equipment storage.
She was about to close the door and leave when something caught her eye.
In the quiet back corner of the lounge, Grace's trench coat had slipped off one shoulder. Her high heels clicked against the floor as she leaned against Adrian Jiang, lips tilted upward in a kiss.
At the time, Elena hadn't seen Adrian in months—not since the day after she finished her college entrance exams.
Their relationship has grown cold ever since.
She hadn't understood why—why he stopped coming home, why he avoided her.
So when she saw that scene, her whole body froze.
Outside, the sun was blazing, but she felt chilled to the bone.
Adrian was the first to notice her.
He didn't accept Grace's kiss—but he didn't push her away either.
He stood there like an outsider, lips curled in that familiar lazy smile, completely detached.
Even when the door opened, he didn't flinch. He looked straight at Elena—calm, indifferent.
No panic, no guilt.
He just looked past Grace's silhouette and met Elena's gaze.
Only when Grace was inches from kissing him did he finally, half-heartedly, push her away.
All the while, he never looked away from Elena.
Elena had once had so many questions to ask him.
Why had he stopped coming home?
Why did he start avoiding her?
Why had they grown so distant?
But at that moment, all those questions withered.
She panicked, let go of the doorknob, and turned to flee.
Then, just as she moved to leave, his voice called out—unhurried and calm.
No explanation. No excuse.
Just one question:
"Elena."
"They say once you turn twenty, we'll get married. What do you think about that?"
Some things don't need to be said outright.
Like arranged marriages.
His question alone made it clear—he didn't accept it. Didn't accept her.
So after that day, she moved out of the Jiang estate.
And never sought him out again.
Their relationship, like a kite with a severed string, drifted farther and farther, until it disappeared.