Zhan Rong Xuan remained silent, seated on the sofa in a posture that was both domineering and lazily relaxed. His fingers lightly tapped the armrest, as if he hadn’t heard her words, or perhaps he was considering them.
Zhan Feng grew a bit anxious, mainly because the old master had asked him more than once whether the young master had any women. The issue of heirs had always been a matter of great concern.
Xu Yueyao waited patiently as well. The prolonged wait made her heart race with tension. She had almost forgotten—in the book, he was unpredictable and cruel by nature. What if she not only failed to become his lover but also ended up disliked by him? At least he should give her some money. If only she had just asked for money from the start.
Just as Xu Yueyao was about to lose her patience, the young master finally deigned to speak. “I agree.” It was merely a matter of sheltering a woman, and indeed, he needed a woman in public—one with a clean background.
“Great! Pleasure doing business with you, Zhan Shao!” Overjoyed, Xu Yueyao quickly took off the ring from her finger and handed it to Zhan Rong Xuan with both hands.
Zhan Rong Xuan took the ring and put it on. The warmth from the ring made his little finger tremble slightly. Was this woman’s body temperature really that high?
“Zhan Shao, now that I’m your woman, can I make a few small requests?” Xu Yueyao extended her little finger, indicating how minor her requests were. In truth, she knew that even if she didn’t ask, he likely wouldn’t treat her poorly. But she only wanted what she desired, and she wanted to keep the initiative in her own hands.
“Go ahead,” Zhan Rong Xuan motioned for Zhan Feng to take notes.
“I don’t want to live in my current place anymore. There are too many hooligans around. I’d like to find a place not too far from the university.” After saying this, Xu Yueyao recalled that in the book, after becoming his lover, she was arranged to live in a villa far from the university. To avoid being late, she had to wake up early after serving him at night to attend classes. She couldn’t do that—she loved sleeping in.
Zhan Rong Xuan glanced at Zhan Feng, signaling him to make arrangements. Zhan Feng thought for a moment and said, “The Zhan family has properties in Huafu, near the capital. We can arrange a place for Miss Xu, about a 15-minute walk from Capital University. Would that work?”
“Yes, yes!” Xu Yueyao nodded vigorously. That would be perfect—she wasn’t picky.
“Any other requests?” Zhan Rong Xuan asked.
Xu Yueyao found it a bit difficult to speak up. She wanted some money, mainly to have something to rely on when she was eventually discarded. But she truly couldn’t bring herself to ask. “No more.”
Zhan Rong Xuan felt her expression didn’t match her words. He said to Zhan Feng, “Make arrangements as you see fit.”
Zhan Feng took out a pen, jotting down notes as he spoke. “A property in Huafu will be registered under Miss Xu’s name. Miss Xu will receive a monthly allowance of 500,000 yuan. Jewelry and clothing will be regularly updated for Miss Xu. A maid and a driver will also be arranged for her. Miss Xu’s responsibilities will include attending events as Zhan Shao’s companion. I will arrange for professionals to teach Miss Xu social etiquette. Additionally, during her time as Zhan Shao’s woman, she must maintain distance from other men and avoid any actions that could harm Zhan Shao’s reputation. The initiative lies with Zhan Shao. If Zhan Shao does not let go, Miss Xu will remain his forever. If Miss Xu is no longer needed, she will receive a substantial compensation to ensure her livelihood. Of course, during this period, Zhan Shao will ensure Miss Xu is protected from harm.”After Zhan Feng finished speaking, he looked at Xu Yueyao and asked, “Miss Xu, do you have anything to add? If not, I’ll draft a contract based on this.”
Xu Yueyao shook her head blankly. “If Miss Xu remembers any requests later, you can bring them up. Once Zhan Shao agrees, they can be added at any time.”
Xu Yueyao nodded upon hearing this. “Okay, thank you!”
“Then I’ll take my leave,” Zhan Feng said to Zhan Rong Xuan, bowed, and left.
Xu Yueyao and Zhan Rong Xuan stared at each other, feeling a bit awkward. “I need to use the restroom,” Xu Yueyao said, pulling back the blanket and accidentally tugging at her wound. “Ah!” she gasped in pain. It hadn’t hurt earlier, but now it was excruciating. Xu Yueyao gently supported the area below her wound, taking each step with a soft “ouch!” which made Zhan Rong Xuan unable to suppress a smile, eventually laughing out loud.
As soon as Xu Yueyao entered the restroom and saw her disheveled reflection in the mirror, she let out a loud “Ah!”
Zhan Rong Xuan stopped laughing and walked over. “Xu Yueyao, what’s wrong?”
Xu Yueyao rushed out of the restroom, pointing at the mirror and then at herself, stammering, “I… have I… been looking like this all along? From last night until now, like this… like this?”
Zhan Rong Xuan looked at her, puzzled, and nodded.
Xu Yueyao was speechless. “Aren’t you the Zhan family? With all your wealth and influence, couldn’t anyone wipe my face for me…”
As she was complaining, she looked up and noticed Zhan Rong Xuan’s expression had changed. Her bravado instantly vanished, and she shuffled over to Zhan Shao. “Zhan Shao, this stuff on my face is bad for my skin, and it can only be removed with makeup remover oil. Could you arrange for someone to help me take off my makeup and maybe give me a facial mask for some skincare? Please? My face feels so itchy now. Am I going to get scars?”
“If it’s so bad for your skin, why did you put it on in the first place?” Zhan Rong Xuan couldn’t help but ask.
“I won’t do it anymore, never again,” Xu Yueyao thought to herself. It was all because she was poor and had to buy cheap, low-quality makeup. Her face suddenly felt genuinely itchy—was she really going to get scars? She couldn’t resist the urge to scratch and hurried back to the restroom to look in the mirror.
Zhan Rong Xuan glanced at Zhan Feng, who was stifling a laugh by the door. He had come in after Xu Yueyao’s loud shout. Zhan Rong Xuan said irritably, “Make the arrangements.”
“Yes, Zhan Shao,” Zhan Feng acknowledged and left.
Not long after, Zhan Feng returned with a beautician. Xu Yueyao didn’t hesitate and obediently lay down on the bed. “Thank you for your help.”
The beautician stole a glance at Zhan Shao, then bowed her head nervously and focused on her work. Before long, news spread from the hospital throughout the entire capital: Zhan Shao had a woman, and he doted on her…
Unaware of what was about to unfold, Xu Yueyao lay on the hospital bed, enjoying her facial treatment. She occasionally chatted with the beautician about daily life and discovered that life here was quite similar to reality, which made it easier for her to accept. Xu Yueyao felt she was starting to get the hang of things and was gradually adapting to her new identity.
Soon, Xu Yueyao fell into a comfortable sleep. When she woke up, it was almost dark outside. She had been awakened by hunger. Opening her eyes groggily, she saw Zhan Rong Xuan sitting across from her.
Xu Yueyao carefully supported her wound. “Is it time for dinner? I’m so hungry.”
Hearing Xu Yueyao’s voice, the men who had been chatting all turned to look at her.Xu Yueyao focused her gaze and saw that besides Zhan Rong Xuan, there were three other men. She rubbed her eyes to get a clearer look at them, examining each one from left to right.
The first on the left was a man dressed in a suit and white shirt, appearing gentle and refined. His features were distinct, his gaze soft, with deep dimples and a tall, straight nose. This should be Shen Yan—they all called him A’Yan. He looked sunny and warm, but in reality, he was the most cunning, the type with a fair exterior but dark intentions. It seemed he eventually married a female celebrity named Tian Yi, but he died protecting Zhan Rong Xuan. His wife, pregnant at the time, went abroad.
Another had narrow, slightly upturned eyes, their depths filled with utter indifference. His thin lips were slightly parted, his brows slightly raised, appearing lazy, casual, and harmless. But Xu Yueyao knew he held grudges and repaid every slight—this should be Duan Jingyi. He was in love with his non-blood-related younger sister, seemingly a “raising” type of relationship. Because he was friends with Zhan Rong Xuan, he was targeted and injured in the leg, but he gained love—his sister never left his side.
Then there was Chen Shen. He wasn’t wearing a white coat anymore, instead dressed in casual clothes, looking at her with a faint, ambiguous smile. He had a tall, straight figure, and his expression carried a touch of aloofness. His personality was cool and detached. In the book, aside from being sharp-tongued and disliking trouble, he was relatively normal. However, he was not emotionally committed and had no steady romantic storyline. He was fine, at least his ending in the book wasn’t tragic.
Xu Yueyao shook her head inwardly. Then she looked at Zhan Rong Xuan. He had changed out of his hospital gown, wearing a black shirt with the top two buttons undone and black suit pants that concealed a pair of long legs. Under his black short hair was a face as handsome as an immortal’s, with a tall, straight nose and deep, unfathomable eyes. His perfect jawline exuded an air of nobility. He appeared refined and ascetic, yet carried a sense of distance that went against worldly norms. Even though he had a cigarette in his mouth and his whole demeanor seemed casual, his aura was clean and unrestrained. At this point, he had likely just left the military and still carried a hint of a soldier’s roguishness. Xu Yueyao recalled a chapter describing him in the army, where he twisted off a criminal’s head. Thinking of this, she felt her scalp tingle.
Zhan Rong Xuan exhaled smoke, squinting his eyes as he looked at Xu Yueyao, who had washed her face. Her skin was snow-white and delicate, her hair smooth, her face a delicate oval with willow-leaf eyebrows and watery eyes. Below her small, upturned nose were tender red lips. Her slender figure, draped in the oversized hospital gown, gave off a fragile beauty. Compared to her earlier “color palette” face, she was indeed much more pleasing to look at now.