Yu Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
The servant led her to a room—a suite with a bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, and small living room, all fully equipped, with an excellent view facing the lake.
What surprised Yu Yan was that the interior decoration happened to match her tastes perfectly.
The walk-in closet was already filled with clothes, from everyday outfits to evening gowns, from undergarments to accessories—everything in her size.
“Mr. He had all of this prepared,” the servant, Sister Li, said respectfully. “Madam, please let me know if there’s anything else you need, and I’ll arrange it right away.”
Yu Yan shook her head. “That’s enough, thank you.”
She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and gazed at the lake view outside, feeling a sense of unreality.
A week ago, He Fan had broken up with her, shattering her dream of marrying into wealth. She was living in her small self-purchased apartment, troubled by how to completely rid herself of her parents’ pestering.
A week later, she was Mrs. He, living in a lakeside villa, where any random gown in the walk-in closet was worth what an ordinary person might earn in years.
Life was truly absurd.
At dinner, He Chiyan spoke little, and Yu Yan didn’t know what to say either. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
“I’m flying to Hong Kong tomorrow for two days, then I have business in Paris for a week,” He Chiyan said after finishing his meal.
Yu Yan looked up. “What a coincidence? I’m going to Paris next week too—the company has a project I need to follow up on.”
“I know.” He Chiyan set down his knife and fork. “That’s why I postponed my schedule to fly with you. Where are you staying there?”
“The company arranged a hotel, in the 7th arrondissement.”
He Chiyan rose from his seat as he spoke. “I have a villa in the 16th arrondissement, close to where you’ll be working. You’ll stay there. Chen Lu will arrange a driver to take you around. I still have some work to handle—you go rest first.”
He reached the stairway, then paused.
“The Bohe Group has a design studio. After you return from Paris, you can go directly to apply for the director position.”
Yu Yan froze. She was just a newcomer who hadn’t been working long. “Why? Just because I’m your wife, you’re giving me this position?”
She couldn’t help but ask. She had so many questions—why marry her, why her of all people. She had nothing left that could be exploited.
This marriage had given her a deep sense of insecurity from the very start, yet she couldn’t refuse such generous terms.
He Chiyan turned to look at her. “First, because of your talent. Second, I want my wife to shine to her fullest potential.”
For the first time, Yu Yan clearly understood what it meant to be “lifted up.”
But her career plan was clear. Right now, she was still a newcomer and couldn’t handle a director’s position. She needed to first gain experience at Lingyu for a few years and build her reputation.
“Thank you, but I’d like to continue honing my skills at Lingyu for a few more years. I’m not considering leaving for now.”
He Chiyan nodded understandingly. “I respect your wishes.”
With that, he turned and went upstairs.
Late at night, Yu Yan came out of the shower and heard movement downstairs.
She went down and saw He Chiyan sitting on the living room sofa, a laptop resting on his knees.
He had changed into pajamas and wasn’t wearing his glasses, giving him a more relaxed air.
Seeing Yu Yan come down, He Chiyan closed his laptop.
“Still awake?” he asked.
“Maybe I’m just not used to the bed. Can’t sleep,” Yu Yan said honestly.
He Chiyan patted the spot beside him. “Come sit.”
Yu Yan hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down, keeping a person’s distance between them.
He Chiyan glanced at her, then got up and poured a glass of hot mulled wine, handing it to her.
Yu Yan took the cup. The warm wine slid down into her stomach, warming her entire body, and before she knew it, she had finished the whole glass.
“Mr. He.”
“Hmm?”
“Why did you marry me?” Yu Yan turned to look at him, her eyes glistening with a watery sheen from the alcohol. “Just to deal with the old lady? You had many options.”
He Chiyan was silent for a moment.
“Because you’re suitable. You’re smart, clear-headed, you know what you want, and you have the ability to go after it. You have tenacious vitality—like wild grass that can’t be burned out and grows again with the wind. Yu Yan, my wife is someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with me. I think you can.”
Yu Yan didn’t know how to respond. He Chiyan was clearly someone who stood above others, yet she never felt like he was looking down on her.
“So,” He Chiyan suddenly leaned in, reaching out, his fingertips gently brushing her cheek, “Mrs. He, shall we give it a try?”
Yu Yan felt how hot his fingertips were. “How do we try?”
“Starting with fulfilling our marital duties.” He Chiyan lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Perhaps the hot mulled wine had given her courage. Yu Yan didn’t act coy. She closed her eyes, and her hands slowly climbed up to the man’s shoulders.
He Chiyan deepened the kiss, his hand sliding from her cheek to her neck, then lower, slipping into the collar of her pajamas.
Yu Yan trembled slightly.
“Afraid of me?” He Chiyan asked against her lips.
“No. Well, maybe a little.” Yu Yan opened her eyes and looked at him, her voice somewhat muffled. “I want to make it clear—I married you for the money, for the status, and a little bit to get back at He Fan. I don’t love you.”
“Don’t be afraid of me. I know.” He Chiyan said, then kissed her again.
But one day, he would make her fall in love with him.
After he finished speaking, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her upstairs.
The master bedroom door was kicked open, then shut again.
Yu Yan felt that He Chiyan’s body temperature was really high, really hot.
She tilted her head back, looking at the ceiling light swaying in her vision.
“Mr. He.” She called out to him, her voice hoarse.
“Hm?” He Chiyan lowered his head to kiss her collarbone.
Yu Yan: “You have to keep your word.”
Before she could even think about which promise she meant, He Chiyan whispered softly in her ear, “I, He Chiyan, never break my word.”
The next day.
Yu Yan shifted, and couldn’t help but let out a soft hiss.
Her whole body was sore and limp.
What happened to “I won’t touch you until you’re ready”?
What happened to being cold and aloof?
He was absolutely wild.
Yu Yan propped herself up to sit, the blanket slipping from her shoulders, revealing mottled marks.
Luckily He Chiyan had already left. After seeing that other side of He Chiyan, she really didn’t know how to interact with him anymore.
Her collarbone, chest, waist… marks everywhere.
“Rumors really can’t be trusted…” Yu Yan muttered to herself, her voice still a bit hoarse.
Cold and passionless, uninterested in women—what nonsense.
The man who had tossed her around and tormented her until the middle of the night last night was a completely different person from the He Chiyan of the rumors.
Her phone was vibrating.
Yu Yan picked it up—it was a call from her best friend Chen Shu.
“Yan Yan! Have you seen your Moments yet?” Chen Shu’s voice was laced with anger. “That bastard He Fan officially announced his engagement to Su Wanqing last night.”
Yu Yan didn’t react much. “Congratulations to the happy couple.”
Chen Shu was genuinely furious. “You two only broke up a few days ago! And he’s already rushing to make the announcement—he’s clearly trying to provoke you on purpose.”
“Maybe.” Yu Yan got out of bed, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and pulled open the curtains. The lake surface shimmered with ripples, and in the distance was the Lingcheng skyline—a house like this, she could never afford even if she fought alone her whole life.
“Shu Shu, I got married.”
There was at least thirty seconds of silence on the other end of the line.
“What? To who? Are you kidding me?”
“I got married.” Yu Yan repeated. “To He Chiyan.”
“He Chiyan?” Chen Shu’s voice shot up. “He Fan’s dad? Have you lost your mind, Yan Yan!”