The Swan Restaurant sat just ahead. Zhao Nige was here for a blind date.
Her date was the eldest grandson of the Lu family, a military scion and active-duty member of an elite special forces unit. With a retired general for a grandfather, a bank president for a father, and a diplomat for a brother-in-law, Young Master Lu was the most coveted bachelor in the Capital City.
Zhao Nige was determined to win him over.
Three days ago, she had transmigrated into this world, replacing the Zhao family’s biological daughter who had drowned on her way back to the city after being found in the countryside.
She had already fought the fake daughter—who had usurped her place for twenty years—to secure this date. Her goal was simple: capture the heart of the Lu family’s eldest young master.
Either conquer the male lead and become the female lead, or be erased from existence by the World.
After delivering her mission, the system had vanished, leaving her only with a point exchange panel. The panel contained everything she needed, but to earn points, she had to gain the male lead’s Heartbeat Value.
And the Lu family’s eldest young master was the male lead she had to conquer.
***
Lu Shaoyu arrived on time. After waiting half an hour at the Swan Restaurant, his patience was wearing thin.
His mother had nagged him relentlessly until he finally agreed to this blind date, just to get her off his back. He had carved time out of his busy schedule, yet the woman was still late.
He had never wanted to be here in the first place. Now, he was just pissed off that his entire lunch break was being wasted.
Just as he was about to call a waiter to settle the bill, a familiar, imposing figure entered through the restaurant’s revolving door. The moment Lu Shaoyu recognized the man’s cold, handsome face, panic seized him.
Youngest Uncle?!
What was he doing here?
Lu Shaoyu grabbed his jacket from the chair, tossed a bill on the table, and hunched his shoulders, preparing to sneak away.
“Lu Shaoyu.”
The man’s voice, sharp and frigid, cut through the restaurant.
Lu Shaoyu flinched, his body locking up as he slowly raised his head. He found himself staring at the man in camouflage fatigues standing just a few paces away.
“Y-Youngest Uncle…” he stammered.
“What are you doing here?”
“Eating, obviously. What else do you do at a restaurant?” Lu Shaoyu muttered.
The man’s expression remained impassive as he glared at him. “Your training schedule is tight right now. Yet you have time to sneak out for a meal? It seems I need to have your Company Commander intensify your drills.”
“Ah, no, please don’t, Youngest Uncle! I’m already exhausted every day. Today, my mom—” Lu Shaoyu’s face twisted in a desperate attempt to explain, but seeing the man’s ruthless expression, he knew it was useless.
He slumped his shoulders. “I was wrong. I’ll head back to the base right now. Please, just don’t tell the Company Commander.”
“Get lost,” the man said, his brow furrowed.
Relief flooded Lu Shaoyu as he scrambled away.
The man kept his gaze fixed straight ahead as he walked to an empty table by the window and sat down.
***
The sky was overcast.
September had brought a chill to the Capital City, and several days of rain had left the skyline shrouded in a heavy, oppressive mist. Outside the restaurant window, pedestrians hurried along, bundled in coats and clutching bags, their heads bowed against the gloom.
Suddenly, a pale green oil-paper umbrella caught the man’s eye.
It was a splash of vivid life against the city’s monochromatic haze, a single brushstroke of green on a vast, misty ink painting.
He looked up.
The umbrella shielded half of the woman’s body, but beneath its tilted canopy, a slender waist swayed with each step. Her green qipao rippled as she walked, its elegant lines more evocative than the empty spaces of a traditional painting. One hand rested at her side, fingers tapping a slow, idle rhythm that spoke of her utter composure.
She seemed to exist on a different plane from the rushed, numb crowd on the street—as if she had stepped out of a painting to wander the mortal world for a moment before returning to her own.
The woman stopped in front of the restaurant and turned. With a graceful twirl of her umbrella, she revealed a porcelain-white chin and a pair of red lips curved into a lazy, knowing smile.
Lu Yanling lowered his gaze and withdrew his attention, his expression impassive.
He was here to meet an old friend who had just returned from London after several years away. A waiter arrived with a glass of water. Lu Yanling glanced at his watch—the meeting was set for noon, and his friend was already fifteen minutes late.
When he looked up again, his gaze snagged.
A pair of high-heeled feet now stood before him. The same green qipao swayed gently, its hem brushing the floor. The oil-paper umbrella was now folded, its tip resting on the ground.
Lu Yanling’s eyes traced the line of the umbrella’s handle up to the woman’s hand, then slowly ascended to her face.
Their eyes met. The woman’s luminous gaze flickered, and she offered him a brilliant smile. “Sorry I’m late.”
Lu Yanling stared at her in silence.
Without waiting for a response, she pulled out the chair opposite him and took a seat.
“Have you ordered?” she asked casually, leaning her umbrella against the window.
Lu Yanling narrowed his eyes, still silent.
Zhao Nige took his measure, her expression unreadable. He was striking—sharp features, a rigid posture, dressed in camouflage fatigues tucked into black combat boots. The outfit accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, lending him a raw, untamed energy. He radiated a power that demanded attention.
His dark, calm eyes betrayed no emotion.
As their gazes locked, Zhao Nige gave him a top-grade rating in her mind. Not bad. At least he’s exactly my type. If he weren’t, trying to win over the male lead would be a real chore.
Noticing only a single glass of water on the table, Zhao Nige asked the waiter for a menu. She turned to Lu Yanling with a bright smile. “I’m a bit of a picky eater, so I’ll just order what I like. You don’t mind, do you, Eldest Young Master Lu?”
At the mention of his title, Lu Yanling’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He finally broke his silence. “Go ahead.”
Zhao Nige checked off several of the most expensive dishes. “So, Young Master Lu, what do you do for fun?”
Lu Yanling’s right hand tapped the table twice—a subconscious habit when he was thinking.
As a Special Operations Brigade Commander, he had already scrutinized her from head to toe the moment she sat down and picked up the menu, analyzing her motives, purpose, and every suspicious detail.
When she asked about his hobbies, Lu Yanling fell silent for a rare moment.
Just then, a waiter approached. “Mr. Lu, there’s a call for you at the front desk.”
“Excuse me.”
Lu Yanling rose, walked to the landline, and lifted the receiver.
“Hey, Yanling. I’m so sorry, I can’t make it today. Something came up. I’ll make it up to you personally another time!”
Lu Yanling lowered his gaze. “It’s fine. What happened? Do you need any help?”
“No, no, it’s just a family matter. I’m really sorry, man. I’ll call you back once I’ve sorted it out.”
Logically, since his friend had canceled, Lu Yanling should have asked the waiter for the check and left immediately.
Instead, he set the phone down and turned back to the woman sitting by the window, her chin resting in her hand. He paused for a moment, then walked back to the table.
Seeing him return, she looked up and smiled. “You’re a busy man, Young Master Lu. Still handling business during dinner?”
“How did you know it was business?” Lu Yanling sat down, his expression unchanged.
“Just a guess,” she said, blinking.
***
Lu Shaoyu emerged from the restaurant, his heart still hammering with lingering dread. He hurried to the curb, yanked open his car door, and slid inside.
Just as he was about to start the engine, two young women passed by. Their conversation drifted through the open window.
“Zhao Lanxin, weren’t you supposed to go on a blind date with the Lu family’s youngest master today? Why didn’t you?”
So that’s her, Lu Shaoyu thought, his eyes narrowing. The Zhao family’s young lady who made me wait half an hour.
He shot her a critical glance, only to find her sneering as she trashed him to her friend.
“That Young Master Lu is nothing but a pampered playboy,” she scoffed. “He only got into the army by pulling strings. A woman like me, Zhao Lanxin, couldn’t possibly stoop so low.”
Lu Shaoyu was so livid he actually laughed.
He despised gossips. A woman like that would bring nothing but chaos to a household.
Thank god my Living Yama Uncle kicked me out, he thought. If I’d actually ended up with a woman like her, I’d be cursed for eight lifetimes!
He snorted, slammed his foot on the gas, and roared away without a backward glance.
Zhao Lanxin had no idea that the man she’d just insulted had been the very “playboy” she was talking about.
Her friend kept nudging her for details about the blind date, but how could she admit she’d been robbed of the opportunity? Zhao Nige—the girl who had only been back in the family for three days—had stolen the date right from under her.
The Lu family’s youngest master was notorious for his womanizing, but every woman in Capital City still fought tooth and nail to marry into the Lu family.
Zhao Nige, just you wait, she thought. I won’t let you get one over on me.
***
Zhao Nige cut into her steak, her gaze sweeping over the man’s Adam’s apple as he drank. “Do you drink alcohol, Young Master Lu?”
“No.”
Lu Yanling looked up. The crystal chandelier above them reflected a cold light in his glass, casting a mysterious, detached glint in his dark eyes.
Zhao Nige met his gaze for two seconds.
She slowly set down her knife, dabbing the corner of her lips with a napkin. Her table manners were flawless.
“If you’re in a rush, Young Master Lu, we can end the meal here.” She smiled.
The food placed before him had remained untouched. He had only taken a few sips of water—which she had ordered before arriving. He hadn’t asked her a single question, merely observing her with an unreadable, impassive expression.
Lu Yanling gestured for the waiter to bring the check.
When the waiter arrived, he didn’t even glance at the bill, simply pulling a card from his wallet and handing it over.
Zhao Nige watched from the side, her cheek resting on her hand, a slight smile playing on her lips.
As they both rose from the table, she realized that his seated posture had only hinted at his true presence. Standing, he was like a resting leopard suddenly awakened. The dark green camouflage uniform finally revealed its full, sharp edge.
With every step, the muscles beneath the fabric rippled subtly.
From her level gaze, her eyes landed right on his Adam’s apple. She estimated his height at around 185 centimeters.
This man, she thought, has every right to be arrogant. His looks and family background are top-tier.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, Zhao Nige knew first impressions were everything. If she couldn’t leave a lasting mark on Lu Yanling today, a line of women would be waiting to take her place.
She was confident in herself, but Lu Yanling was proving to be an unexpectedly difficult nut to crack.
Once outside, he gave a curt nod. “Goodbye.”
Zhao Nige watched him turn and stride toward a military SUV parked nearby.
“Leaving already, Young Master Lu?”
He stopped mid-stride, one hand holding the keys and the other resting on the car door. He glanced back at her.
The woman stood in the misty street, leaning slightly, a delicate smile on her lips as she held an oiled-paper umbrella.
Just then, a young girl selling flowers appeared, her eyes darting between the man and woman standing a few paces apart. She ran over, her voice bright and clear. “Big brother, want to buy a flower? Give it to the pretty sister.”
Zhao Nige smiled at the girl.
Then she looked up at Lu Yanling. “Little sister, give me a rose.”
The little girl picked the most vibrant rose and handed it to Zhao Nige, then turned her hopeful gaze to Lu Yanling. After all, the big brother was the one who paid for the flowers.
Zhao Nige accepted the rose and leaned down to inhale its fragrance. She looked at Lu Yanling, smiling, but said nothing.
The man found himself staring into two sets of expectant eyes—one large, one small.
Grinding his teeth, Lu Yanling wordlessly took out his wallet and handed over a bill.
The flower girl happily took her payment and skipped away. The woman, however, took the rose and approached him with a graceful, swaying gait.
Lu Yanling’s brow arched in an inscrutable expression.
Zhao Nige stopped half a step away from him. Her gaze, as sharp and shimmering as a willow-leaf blade, swept from his nose to his lips under his imposing stare. Her lashes lowered as she glanced at his broad, firm chest.
“Remember my name, Eldest Young Master Lu,” she said, her eyes swirling with light, her red lips curved into a radiant smile. “I’m Zhao Nige.”
She tucked the beautiful, thorned rose into the pocket of his camouflage uniform.
Her fingertips tapped his chest lightly as she stepped back under her umbrella. Looking up at him with moist, smiling eyes, she said, “We’ll meet again.”