"Don't worry, since I let you into the car, I'll definitely make sure you get out safely." Ling Jue's dark eyebrows lifted slightly as he withdrew his hand from hers, smiling as he started the car.
He, too, recalled their first meeting.
After the memorial service ended, feeling the air inside stifling, he stepped out for a cigarette. His gaze immediately fell upon Qin Shuyi by the roadside—dressed in a black dress, her face clean and serene, holding a large umbrella as she stood in the drizzling rain.
Quiet, peaceful, earnest yet distant.
He found himself inexplicably watching her for a few moments longer.
Once his cigarette burned out, the car picking her up arrived. He extinguished the butt and turned back to bid farewell to the deceased's parents at the memorial service.
He thought it was nothing more than a chance encounter, but the very next day, Qin Shuyi's personal file was placed on his desk.
Those extra glances he had cast had also caught someone else's attention.
For people or things that interested the Ling Family Crown Prince, he didn't need to ask—those eager to please him would offer them up willingly.
The cold cover of the file felt absurd and laughable.
Yet, after finishing his official duties that day, out of sheer boredom, he casually flipped through the document that should have ended up in the trash.
Her background was simple, her life story clear.
Qin Shuyi, 24 years old, born in S City, Jiangnan. She attended university in the Imperial Capital and, after graduation, joined a high-end private funeral company as a mortician, earning a solid reputation.
Her mother, Zhou Yunhe, was a Doctors Without Borders physician, while her father, Qin Yuan, served as a Peacekeeping Police officer. Both were often abroad for work, and Qin Shuyi was their only daughter.
Ling Jue scoffed.
This was a family entirely different from the bizarre extravagance and power struggles of the Imperial Capital's elite circles.
If there was any connection at all, it was Qin Shuyi's aunt, Zhou Tinglan, who had remarried into the Jiang Family—a third-tier wealthy family in the Imperial Capital—by marrying its head, Jiang Shiheng.
Jiang Shiheng had a son, Jiang Yuzhou, from his previous marriage, and after marrying Zhou Tinglan, she brought along her own daughter, Qian Youyou, who was around the same age.
With Qin Shuyi's parents often busy and away from home, she grew quite close to this aunt. She also got along well with Zhou Tinglan's daughter, Qian Youyou, and her stepbrother, Jiang Yuzhou, occasionally staying with the Jiang Family in the Imperial Capital.
Her decision to work in the Imperial Capital might well have been influenced by this aunt.
Ling Jue closed the file.
Such a rule-abiding, well-behaved girl wasn't his type. The women around him varied in style, but without exception, they were open-minded, willing participants who were easy to handle. Qin Shuyi clearly didn't fit that category.
Yet, just as he was about to forget that glimpse in the rain, fate brought them together once more.
For Zhou Tinglan's birthday, her husband Jiang Shiheng booked a vacation manor in advance, planning to take her and the three children for a holiday celebration.
At the manor, they unexpectedly ran into another group of wealthy young heirs out for fun.
Noticing Ling Jue's gaze fixed on Qin Shuyi, someone tactful extended an invitation to the Jiang siblings and their cousin Qin Shuyi to join their group.
Even though the Jiang Family was wealthy, the circle they had encountered was beyond their usual reach.
The Jiangs didn't quite understand why, but when the other party offered an olive branch, they saw no reason to refuse.
Jiang Shiheng didn't try to climb the social ladder either. He tactfully left with Zhou Tinglan, claiming they wanted to enjoy some couple time and letting the younger ones have fun together.
Of the three younger ones, Jiang Yuzhou was outgoing, and Qian Youyou carefree—both quickly blended in with the group. Only Qin Shuyi remained on the outskirts, quietly sipping her juice. She wasn't enthusiastic, but she didn't spoil the mood either.
Someone interested wanted to approach and strike up a conversation but was subtly nudged in the side by a companion.
Couldn’t they see who was standing behind the beauty?
The man took a clear look at Ling Jue behind Qin Shuyi, got a fright, and immediately turned and ran.
Ling Jue chuckled softly, leaning down to look at Qin Shuyi. “Tennis, want to play?”
He was truly good-looking. Qin Shuyi didn’t know his identity, but she glanced a few more times at those captivating peach blossom eyes before nodding in agreement.
Thus, the group witnessed the young master, who usually looked down on everyone, not only actively inviting a woman to play but also clearly going easy on her.
Ling Jue’s shots were just like him—aggressive, unpredictable, sharp, and forceful. His unconventional playstyle quickly overwhelmed Qin Shuyi, whose technique was conservative and strength insufficient.
She stopped on her own. “I lost.”
In competitive sports, as in social interactions, what’s the fun in one side overpowering the other? The back-and-forth, the give-and-take, is what makes it interesting.
“I thought you wouldn’t admit defeat,” Ling Jue raised an eyebrow.
Qin Shuyi appeared gentle, but even knowing she was outmatched, she hadn’t retreated for a second until the score was settled.
He thought she would grit her teeth and fight on.
Qin Shuyi wiped her sweat with the towel handed by a staff member, her expression calm. “Losing isn’t a big deal.”
Ling Jue was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. “Then you owe me a bet.”
They had agreed before the match that the loser would have to grant the winner one request.
Qin Shuyi looked at his face. “I accept the outcome.”
…
But she never expected this bet to be cashed in so quickly.
That night, in the dimly lit private room, Qin Shuyi leaned back on the spacious single sofa, her slender waist held by a pair of long, elegant hands. The man’s head was almost pressed against the crook of her neck, his stray hair brushing her cheek as he spoke in a low, slightly amused voice,
“Miss Qin, could you help me out?”
Truth or Dare.
He had lost.
When the drawn slip demanded that Ling Jue find someone to kiss passionately for a minute, the entire room fell silent for a second.
Everyone knew that Jue Ye rarely played such childish games, let alone accepted such a punishment in public.
More importantly, he had never lost before!
In their hearts, everyone cursed the person who suggested playing something more intense tonight.
However, the table wasn’t flipped. Instead, the man stood up and strode toward the sofa in the corner.
The previously gloomy crowd went from crying faces to stunned expressions.
Only the Jiang siblings, Jiang Yuzhou and Qian Youyou, who had been grinning widely while watching the show, instantly dropped their smiles, no longer amused.
The two who jumped up like monkeys poked in the butt to protest didn’t even have time to speak before being frantically muffled and held down by the others.
Qin Shuyi had been distracted, replying to a WeChat message, and when she looked up, she found the room eerily quiet and saw the tall figure bending down and closing in on her.
“Miss Qin, could you help me out?”
His voice was low, as if negotiating, yet also coaxing.
She could push him away.
But before this, no one who had lost or been asked to assist with a punishment had refused.
Once you’re at the game table, you can’t be a sore loser.
That was the unspoken rule.
She lifted her face, meeting his lazy, dark pupils.
“Is this a request?” she asked.
Realizing she was asking whether this favor could offset the bet from the tennis court, he curved his lips. “Yes.”
His lips brushed ever so lightly against her ear. “I’m the one asking you.”