Volume 1 Сhарtеr 1: Тhe Henреcked Нusband Who Fеаrs Нis Wifе
“Jiаоjiaо, аrе yоu donе yet?”
“Хingхing, stoр moving аrоund, it’ll bе finished sооn…”
In the dimlу lit rооm, а bеаm оf light fell uрon thе mаn, his muscular lines smoоth and his jаwline shаrр аnd рowerful, rеsembling a gоdlу sсulрture frоm anсient Greеk mуthоlоgу.
Thе young womаn hоlding thе brush sееmed possеssеd bу a musе, sketсhing swiftly.
Graduаllу, thе еerie sсеne toоk shapе.
А hаlf-nаked, hаndsоme prince knelt wounded оn the grоund, his сhеst mаrkеd with suctiоn cup-like rеd imprints, surrоunded bу intertwining рurple-red tentacles that coiled around his limbs. The ground was slick with sticky blood, as if one could almost smell the salty sea breeze.
Jiang Xining dipped her brush into the paint, about to add highlights to the prince’s eyes, when she heard a familiar voice calling out.
“Young Miss, wake up, Young Master Fu’s birthday banquet is about to begin…”
The dream faded away, Fu Huaixu’s face dissolved into nothingness, and Jiang Xining abruptly opened her eyes.
The familiar room, no Xingxing, and her WeChat empty as well… She sat up dazedly, her long lashes half-lowered, as if she had overslept during her nap or perhaps felt a bit disappointed.
“Young Miss?”
Jiang Xining finally snapped back to reality, her eyes as innocent and pure as a fawn’s, untouched by worldly dust.
She smiled sweetly, “Don’t worry, Aunt Tang, I’ve already prepared Dou Dou’s birthday gift long ago!”
…
Amidst the mingling crowd, waiters weaved through, placing glasses of wine into the man’s hand.
“Congratulations, Young Master Fu, on successfully joining the ranks of the semi-married!”
The man speaking carried himself with an air of nonchalance, as if suddenly realizing something, “Look at me, I almost forgot—now I should address you as Young Master Fu.”
“Who doesn’t know that Young Master Fu has been the ‘child from another family’ since he was young? Now, with both wealth and power, and an engagement on the horizon, who could possibly compare?”
Someone nearby chimed in, “No one can compare, we brothers are simply no match!”
Those who could attend the Fu family’s banquet were all distinguished figures, let alone these wealthy young heirs. But the most dazzling and eye-catching among them was undoubtedly the young man at the center of the crowd.
Dressed in a sharp navy blue suit, his eyes and brows exuded an air of self-assured superiority and composure. Though he had only recently made his mark in the business world, he was already a rising star in high demand.
With slender fingers, Fu Jinghao lifted his wine glass, taking a light sip as the rich liquor swirled on his tongue.
“You’ve only just started drinking, and already everyone’s acting drunk.”
Fu Jinghao’s lips curved slightly in a mocking smile, “If you keep flattering me, I won’t hesitate to take the land in the east of the city either.”
The young heirs looked somewhat embarrassed. Even without the flattery, given their abilities, they couldn’t possibly compete for the land in the east of the city.
They were only here to gauge his intentions, thanks to their family elders.
In recent years, Old Master Fu’s authority had shifted, and as the eldest grandson, Fu Jinghao was the undisputed first-in-line heir among all his uncles, aunts, and relatives.
After several rounds of drinks.
As the star of the birthday banquet, Fu Jinghao had made his rounds toasting the elders, basking in the envious, jealous, or sycophantic gazes of the crowd, yet his heart remained largely unmoved.
For him, all of this was simply as it should be.
Gifts piled up like a mountain, but Fu Jinghao paid them no mind. Instead, he leaned against the balcony, watching the elegantly dressed crowd below.
A faint red glow flickered between his fingertips, his eyes distant and unreadable, as if lost in thought.
“Speaking of which, why haven’t we seen Young Master Fu’s little wife today? Usually, the two of them are inseparable, stuck together like glue.”
As if on cue, speak of the devil and he shall appear.As soon as the words fell, a crisp voice came from behind, accompanied by cheerful running footsteps.
“Dou Dou!”
Hearing the voice, Fu Jinghao’s first reaction was to stub out the cigarette in his hand.
Seeing this reflexive action, the person beside him teased, “President Fu, are you really that afraid of your wife? She’s not even married to you yet, and you’re already henpecked.”
“Brother Xu must be jealous. You and I wish we could be henpecked, but we don’t have the chance.”
At that moment, an unpleasant voice abruptly chimed in, “Heh, Dou Dou? What a unique pet name… With such a ‘pure’ fiancée, Young Master Fu is in for quite a treat in the future.”
The person deliberately emphasized the word “pure,” and the expressions of those around grew subtle.
Who in City B didn’t know that the eldest young master of the Fu family had a fiancée who was—a fool with low intelligence.
Fu Jinghao’s expression also darkened, though it was unclear whether it was due to irritation or anger at having his thoughts exposed.
While the group was chatting, Jiang Xining came running onto the terrace with light, hurried steps.
As if in a movie scene, soft lighting focused on the girl, casting a hazy, beautiful glow over her. She was exceptionally pretty—bold yet not sharp, with thick, voluminous black curls. Her delicate collarbone complemented the pearl necklace perfectly.
If not for her overly innocent and naive gaze, she would likely have been one of the top beauties in the socialite circles.
The onlookers stared for a long while before slowly averting their eyes.
Amid soft sighs, someone murmured, “What a pity…”
Such stunning, captivating beauty, yet she was a fool—truly a waste of such a lovely appearance.
While everyone harbored their own thoughts, Jiang Xining remained oblivious.
Clutching an exquisitely wrapped gift box, she panted as she made her way onto the terrace. Perhaps because she wasn’t used to wearing high heels, her steps were unsteady. Finally reaching Fu Jinghao, she nearly twisted her ankle, as the box she was holding blocked her view.
The young men watching nearby tensed, almost reaching out to steady her, but Fu Jinghao was quicker. “Be careful.”
Jiang Xining straightened up, still shaken, and hugged the gift box tighter.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Luckily, you’re here, Dou Dou.”
Fu Jinghao quickly withdrew his hand. Hearing those two words, an indescribable frustration welled up inside him.
He was now twenty-four, addressed as “Young President Fu” by everyone in the group. Once his grandfather stepped down, he would be in charge of all family affairs, big and small. He was no longer the Dou Dou of the past.
Why couldn’t she grow up a little…
Fu Jinghao pushed aside his thoughts and forced a smile. “Why did Jiao Jiao come alone?”
“To give you a gift,” Jiang Xining blinked, speaking mysteriously. “Guess what’s inside?”
Fu Jinghao glanced at it. “…A painting.”
“You’re so smart! You guessed it again!” Jiang Xining’s eyes sparkled as she presented the box like a treasure. “Ta-da! Do you like it?”
“…I like it.” Fu Jinghao opened the gift box, and sure enough, there was a painting inside.
Jiang Xining wasn’t clever and struggled with her studies, but she loved and excelled at painting. For anyone’s birthday, she would gift a painting.
Over the years, his bedroom had become nearly filled with them, large and small.
The delicate brushstrokes were different from the oppressive, gloomy large-scale coloring of her previous works—this one was exceptionally warm. However, as Fu Jinghao looked at the family of three in the painting, his heart grew heavier.
“This is me, and this is you…”Her fair fingertip pointed at the little figure in the painting, her voice filled with longing. “Grandpa Fu said that once I marry you, we’ll have a baby… Dou Dou, do you know how—”
Before she could finish, her mouth was covered.
Jiang Xining blinked in confusion—she hadn’t finished speaking yet.
Fu Jinghao, sensing the suggestive glances around them, lowered his voice. “Jiao Jiao, this is our little secret. Let’s talk about it in private, okay?”
A secret…
“Okay!” Jiang Xining nodded happily. She loved secrets best.
Suddenly, she frowned. “Have you been smoking?”
She didn’t like the smell.
Fu Jinghao stiffened for a moment, his eyes flickering. “No, it was…” He glanced around and decisively threw his friends under the bus. “It was them.”
Under Jiang Xining’s gaze, everyone stiffly waved their hands and promised never to smoke again.
Though they might gossip behind her back about her being a fool, the Jiang family’s power and influence were unparalleled in City B—far surpassing the Fu family or any other.
This Second Young Miss Jiang was the beloved treasure of the entire Jiang family.
A doting father, an overprotective older sister—they practically spoiled her to the heavens.
Even the stern and rigid Old Master Fu treated her like his own granddaughter. For whatever reason, offending her was never a wise move.
Ah, being born into the right family really made a difference. You couldn’t afford to provoke her—not at all.
Jiang Xining didn’t know the people around her anyway. Having delivered her gift, she was perfectly content, her bright eyes sparkling.
“Dou Dou, I’m leaving now. Happy birthday! Have fun!”
For some reason, Fu Jinghao suddenly felt relieved. “Okay, be careful on your way.”
When she reached downstairs, Jiang Xining remembered she’d forgotten to remind him that the painting would light up when plugged in. But just as she turned back halfway, she overheard—
“Senior Student Su seems to be returning to the country soon. Young Master Fu, have you heard?”
Fu Jinghao’s voice came after a long pause, sounding slightly hoarse. “…I know.”
“Senior Student Su is the dream goddess and white moonlight for so many people. Back then, you two were such a perfect match—talented and beautiful. Ah, fate can be so cruel…”
Everyone sighed in agreement. Suddenly, someone spoke up, “Honestly, Brother Fu, do you really like that fool?”
“The Jiang family may be powerful, but once you take over the Fu family and attend all those formal occasions, having a wife like that would only hold you back…”
A drunken voice chimed in—Han Shun. “Exactly. She’s not even as sharp as the girl I hired last night.”
The tone was mocking, laced with sharp malice, piercing through her ears.
Jiang Xining stopped in her tracks, stunned. She thought blankly for a long while.
Were they talking about her when they said “fool”?
She wasn’t clever, but if people spoke slowly, she could understand. She wasn’t a fool.
Dou Dou knew she wasn’t foolish. He would stand up for her…
Jiang Xining waited for Fu Jinghao to deny it, but until the very end, he never spoke.
Reading Note: The female lead was kidnapped as a child and suffered brain damage from a high fever, making her reactions slightly slow. She’s like a confused little otter—communication isn’t an issue, and she has a max-level talent for painting. One part slow, two parts innocent, and a hundred thousand parts sweet!
The content differs slightly from the synopsis. The story is mainly sweet and doting, without angst. No childbirth. The male lead is in the advanced stages of lovesickness—a neurotic, anxious mess who’s oddly reassuring in his madness.This story contains no female rivalry, but plenty of male rivalry. Most of the male characters are malicious—yes, I still love writing them this way
Also, Big Gray Wolf and Huanbao might make an appearance, but only as cameos with minimal screen time.