“Shen San, I heard your marriage has been arranged.”
When Shen Bingci first heard those words, she was dissatisfied, resentful, and full of resistance. Even so, she could not help imagining what kind of person her fiancé might be.
Her brother, Shen Jinbai, personally gave her a name.
“The Crown Prince of Hong Kong, Xie Yuli.”
Xie Yuli, the eldest son of Hong Kong’s most prestigious family. His family’s business empire had flourished for centuries, making him the undisputed number one young master of Hong Kong. Naturally, Shen Bingci had heard of him.
“What did you say?”
Shen Jinbai curled his lips faintly.
“He is the future husband our parents carefully chose for you. If you marry him, you’ll be secretly celebrating for the rest of your life.”
For a moment, Shen Bingci stood frozen.
She was stunned.
Her parents had chosen the most outstanding, most distinguished, and most elite husband in all of Hong Kong for her.
But she had never known Xie Yuli. She didn’t understand him, didn’t know what he looked like, or whether he suited her tastes. She searched online and even hired private investigators, yet she couldn’t find any information about him.
Among the three young masters of the Xie family, all were exceptional and beyond criticism. Only Xie Yuli remained a mystery. People knew his name but never saw his face. Catching even a glimpse of him was said to be a blessing from heaven.
As one of the most central figures in the highest circles of power, secrecy, security, and strict privacy surrounded him. Not even a single photograph had ever leaked to the public. He was mysterious to an unbelievable degree.
Everyone said Xie Yuli was graceful, noble, elegant, and refined. No one could point to anything remarkable he had done, yet everyone who knew him seemed enchanted, praising him endlessly and giving him an extraordinary reputation.
But what did any of that have to do with her?
For perhaps the first time in her life, a rebellious streak emerged within her. In her heart, she criticized this moon-like, flawless fiancé in every possible way.
People said he was handsome—but where were the photos? Obviously a lie.
People said he had good character—but words meant nothing. Character could be faked. That was probably a lie too.
In short, she disliked everything about him.
One day, she attended a gathering to welcome a close friend back from overseas.
Shen Jinbai had also been invited, though he would arrive a little later. Shen Bingci was escorted to a VIP room to wait for Sang Shiqing’s parents.
After all, she was a member of the Shen family and had to be treated with proper respect.
Shen Bingci always dressed exquisitely. Her pink gauze evening gown was adorned with expensive beadwork, white fur decorated the chest, and her skin was as smooth as jade. Her eyes resembled peach blossoms.
Sitting on the sofa, her long fair legs crossed elegantly, she radiated the aura of a pampered heiress. Around her neck hung a complicated pearl necklace.
A born princess.
The only problem was her expression.
She stared at her phone, frustrated. Everyone she had hired had failed to get close to her mysterious fiancé, making things extremely difficult.
A while later, the door opened.
A man walked in.
The moment Shen Bingci looked up, her pupils trembled.
The man’s bearing was overwhelmingly noble.
He wore a custom-tailored black suit. The vest emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making his figure exceptionally attractive.
But the most striking thing was his face.
Cold and elegant as the moon, beautiful enough to shame flowers and snow. His expression was indifferent, yet he possessed the pure and refined aura of jade and bamboo.
The light touched his features like frost on a winter branch.
With her sharp eyesight, she immediately noticed the beauty mark beneath his right eye.
The man seemed slightly puzzled. Out of courtesy, he greeted her before taking out his phone to check a message.
Shen Bingci’s heart began pounding.
The moment he entered, it felt as though all the air in the room had thinned. Warm sparks danced within her chest, leaving her momentarily speechless.
Who… was he?
A few days earlier, Shen Bingci had learned of her engagement just like everyone else.
The person discussing it with her was her best friend, Zhuang Zhenying, while the future bride herself was attending a social event.
Although Shen Bingci wasn’t entirely sure whether the rumors were true, she knew her parents had recently begun arranging her marriage. The only thing they hadn’t revealed was the identity of her mysterious fiancé.
The Shen family of Beijing was a century-old aristocratic family. Their ancestors had rendered great service to the nation, and the family stood proudly among the capital’s most prestigious clans.
Everyone in Beijing knew the Shen family.
As the beloved third daughter of the Shen family, Shen Bingci had grown up like a princess admired by all.
The princess herself pouted.
Even the white ostrich-feather heels she had carefully chosen today no longer seemed beautiful. Under the luxurious golden lighting, they glittered brilliantly, yet she closed her eyes in frustration.
“Yingying, stop talking. I don’t want to hear it. Are you jealous of me? I’m about to marry someone I’ve never even met.”
Wasn’t that tragic?
Shen Bingci tapped her gold-trimmed heels against the floor and frowned delicately. She checked her phone again.
Her parents hadn’t sent her a single message.
Everyone said she was the most cherished daughter of the family, yet the supposedly cherished daughter could be married off at any moment. She had even learned about her own engagement from other people.
The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to smash her phone.
She didn’t want to waste time here.
She wanted to march straight to her fiancé and boldly declare:
“I don’t want to marry you.”
Zhuang Zhenying looked at her with amusement.
“Do you want to know who your fiancé is?”
That only made Shen Bingci more annoyed.
“Zhuang Er, aren’t I miserable enough already?”
“You think you’ll get to marry someone you love?” Shen Bingci jabbed at her friend’s chest, trying to strike back.
The Zhuang family was equally famous in Beijing, one of the country’s top financial conglomerates. Children born into families of that level rarely had control over their own marriages.
Even Shen Bingci, despite being adored by her family, had no say in her engagement.
If her parents told her to marry, then marry she would.
Love.
Romance.
Affection.
All of it was insignificant in the face of family interests and alliances—mere grains of sand in a vast desert, easily discarded and swept away.
Zhuang Zhenying understood this well.
Taking a sip of red wine, she said calmly:
“CiCi, everything comes with gains and losses. Being born into families like ours is already a blessing. As for the rest, naturally we have to sacrifice something.”
“Besides, I don’t have anyone I like right now, so it doesn’t really matter.”
How convenient.
Shen Bingci sighed.
Her beautiful eyes sparkled like stars.
Since childhood, people had praised her appearance, figure, talents, and abilities.
But the feature most praised of all was her eyes.
“Hey, Yingying. If you had someone you loved but were forced into an arranged marriage, what would you do?”
Her naturally upturned eyes carried a seductive charm. Combined with the elegance and refinement cultivated by years of pampering, she resembled a graceful little fox.
An oval face.
A high nose bridge.
Pale jade-like skin.
Beauty that seemed almost fragrant.
Even after knowing her for over twenty years, Zhuang Zhenying was occasionally stunned by her looks.
“If that happened, I’d probably argue with my parents.”
“Because if I had a boy I truly liked, I definitely wouldn’t want to marry a stranger.”
Shen Bingci fell into thought.
She had taken countless etiquette classes growing up. Posture, manners, abilities—everything had to be perfect.
She was the very definition of a proper young lady.
In other words, she had never done anything rebellious in her entire life.
She always followed the rules.
Even her occasional acts of spoiled behavior were limited to asking for beautiful clothes or collecting antiques. Her father adored her and often searched the country for rare treasures to bring back to her.
She knew she was cherished.
Raised like the brightest pearl inside an oyster shell.
Unaffected by the tides.
Forever shining brilliantly in Beijing.
Forever the beloved Third Miss Shen.
But this time, for the first time in her life, she wanted to resist.
She truly did not want to marry a stranger.
She did not want to bury her marriage at such a young age.
The person who invited her to the banquet was Sang Shiqing, her university friend.
The two had studied together at a famous overseas art school and had been childhood companions.
Sang Shiqing was gentle and elegant, the type elders naturally adored. She wore a white dress and nude-colored heels, like a delicate flower blooming in a quiet valley.
“Bingci, I finally came back to the country. Why are you so unhappy?”
She handed Shen Bingci a rose cake on a golden tray.
Shen Bingci accepted it listlessly.
She had no appetite.
The double-strand pearl necklace around her neck was intricate and noble. Such luxurious accessories suited her perfectly.
Wealth and elegance seemed carved into her bones.
Her white strapless gown had been specially flown in from overseas.
Her shoulders were graceful.
Her skin was as white as porcelain.
Only today, that porcelain seemed ready to crack.
Naturally, Sang Shiqing had heard about the engagement.
Smiling gently, she tucked a strand of hair behind Shen Bingci’s ear.
“Do you know who your fiancé is?”
Shen Bingci shook her head.
Zhuang Zhenying had wanted to tell her, but she hadn’t listened.
Yet even after avoiding the answer from her friend, news still came from her brother.
She answered his call irritably.
As usual, he repeated the same words he had said countless times.
“Mom and Dad would never harm you. I know your fiancé. His appearance, background, and character are all worthy of you. There’s nothing to complain about.”
Shen Bingci immediately snapped back.
“How can you be so sure he’s a good person? People’s personalities can be faked. What if he cheats on me or abuses me after we’re married? Who am I supposed to complain to?”
“In the end, you just like his family background. You’re selling your daughter in exchange for wealth and status. I don’t want that…”
As she spoke, her voice became choked with grievance.
After a moment of silence, Shen Jinbai finally said:
“…The Crown Prince of Hong Kong, Xie Yuli.”
Xie Yuli.
The eldest son of Hong Kong’s most prestigious family.
The heir to a business empire spanning centuries.
The undisputed number one young master of Hong Kong.
Naturally, Shen Bingci had heard of him.
“Why are you telling me about him?”
Shen Jinbai smiled faintly.
“He is the future husband our parents carefully selected for you. If you marry him, you’ll be secretly celebrating for the rest of your life.”
Shen Bingci froze on the spot.