Chapter 1

Chapter 1

When I was six, my parents divorced. My mother brought me to the Jiang Family Mansion, where she worked as a nanny, so naturally I stayed as well.

I first met Jiang Chuyi under the silk tree in the garden. He sat with a perfectly straight back, quietly reading a book.

My mother pulled me over and enthusiastically chatted him up:

“This is your Brother Jiang, three years older than you. He’s a top student, plays the piano, is good at Go, and also…”

Jiang Chuyi gave a perfectly timed smile and greeted me politely: “Aunt Xu often mentions you. You really are adorable.”

But I caught the utter indifference in his eyes.

Before I could come to my senses, my mother left me in the garden to do chores.

The moment she was gone, Jiang Chuyi’s face went cold. He sized me up from head to toe, finally settling his gaze on my shoes.

“Shoes caked in mud aren’t allowed inside. My mother is very particular about cleanliness,” he said cuttingly.

That was when I knew, at six years old, that Jiang Chuyi’s politeness was reserved for certain people. And we belonged to different worlds.

After that, I never crossed paths with Jiang Chuyi again. Even living under the same roof, I always steered clear of him.

Later, he finished college and went abroad for further studies. When he returned, he directly took over the Jiang Family business. Meanwhile, I’d just graduated but still had no job prospects.

I was holed up in my room working on my résumé when my mother walked in with a plate of fruit. Judging by the arrangement, it was for Jiang Chuyi.

“What’s the point of tinkering with that résumé all day? Back then I told you to study something practical, but you insisted on learning dance. How much does a dance teacher earn nowadays?”

I’d heard this so many times my ears had calluses, so I just ignored her.

But seeing my reaction, she stormed up to me:

“Chuyi has taken over the company now. In a way, you two grew up together. Get friendly with him and ask him to arrange a job for you. That boy is kind and easygoing, much better than his father.”

Are you sure? I doubted inwardly.

Honestly, my mother was so oblivious. After all these years in the Jiang Family, she still hadn’t noticed Jiang Chuyi couldn’t stand her.

“I’m not going. I can’t talk to him.”

“Xu Ling, can you stop being so ungrateful? Who do you think I’m working so hard for?”

Fine, I’ll go! Just stop nagging…

Under my mother’s coaxing and threats, I finally gave in.

It was just delivering a fruit plate. At least I’d get yelled at less.

Actually, I hadn’t seen Jiang Chuyi in years and wondered if he’d changed much.

Holding the fruit plate, I stood at the door on the third floor. I looked down, double-checking there wasn’t a speck of dirt on my shoes.

Jiang Chuyi’s door was never allowed to be closed. That was a rule set by Madam Jiang.

So I instinctively raised my hand to knock on the door frame as a polite gesture. But the moment I glanced inside, I froze.

Jiang Chuyi sat at his desk, eyes cast down, steadily holding a blade and making slow cut after cut on his arm.

His snow-white sleeves were rolled up, yet still soaked through with seeping blood.

“Such a nuisance…” he muttered lowly, his voice tinged with impatient weariness. He reached for a tissue on the desk, but his eyes flicked to me at the door.

I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice.

The metallic scent of blood mixed with the sweet fragrance of the fruit, eerily like the prelude to a hunt about to begin.

Our gazes collided in midair. He looked at me calmly, without a hint of concealment.

Logically, I should have backed away immediately. But for some strange reason, I took another step inside.

After all these years, you’re still so rude.

Jiang Chuyi casually tossed the razor blade into the trash, his tone sarcastic.

I pursed my lips and walked forward nonchalantly.

“The fruit is delivered. I’m leaving.”

“Stop.”

A cold voice came from behind.

After a rustling sound, a warm breath suddenly brushed against my ear.

Like a sinister snake slowly coiling around its prey.

“If you can’t control your eyes, you’d better control your mouth.”

I turned around, and only then realized how tall Jiang Chuyi had grown.

Looking down at me, an oppressive aura hit me.

“Why don’t you pay me to keep quiet? With money, I can complete the task; without it, I still can, but that depends on my moral integrity…” I thought for a moment and spoke bluntly. “Although I don’t seem to have morals or integrity.”

Jiang Chuyi listened, putting his hands in his pockets, his dark eyes seeming to brew something.

“Cough.” I coughed lightly, feeling a bit guilty. “I don’t want much, just… a hundred thousand?”

His gloomy gaze landed on my face, and he suddenly smiled coldly.

“I can give you more. Do you want it?”

Oh no, the snake was about to stick out its tongue.

Sure enough, the next second:

“Marry me, and I’ll give you a hundred thousand every month.”

Just a crazy sentence.

Jiang Chuyi was a madman; it was normal for him to say any crazy thing, I kept reminding myself internally.

“Sorry to disturb you. Please, enjoy.”

I forced a smile and turned to leave.

Uncle Jiang was recently introducing him to the Shen Family’s daughter.

He was clearly trying to use me as a pawn.

And a dead pawn destined to be discarded.

“Five hundred thousand!”

“We’re not that close. You’d better find someone else for this!”

“Seven hundred thousand!”

“I’m not a greedy person. This life event…”

“One million!”

He slowly uttered the words.

I stumbled over my slipper and stopped dead in my tracks.

I took a deep breath and turned around.

“So, will there be a wedding? If it’s too much trouble, I’ll have to charge extra.”

“Uncle Jiang is a big believer in birth charts; what if it turns out we’re incompatible?”

I paused and asked urgently.

“Never mind, these are minor issues. Most importantly, how will the money be paid?”

I looked at him with utmost sincerity.

Jiang Chuyi let out a cold laugh.

“You’re so fake it’s almost genuine.”

Of course, why would a poor person turn down money?

“Help your fiancé bandage it up.”

He sat back in the chair as if relieved, then thrust his arm in front of me.

I skillfully took out the medical kit.

Seeing the fresh and old cut marks on his arm, it was clear he’d been self-harming for years.

As I picked up a cotton swab to clean his wound, I could clearly feel his gaze fixed on me.

“Back when I was 18, you helped me take care of things when I got beaten up, right?”

Suddenly, he spoke leisurely.

I froze, the cotton swab in my hand halting abruptly.

“This annoying lemon scent has bothered me for years.”

He wearily pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed, his voice hoarse.

“Finish up and get out.”

With that, he lay down on the table and closed his eyes, but his hand holding mine didn’t let go.

The silk tree blossoms outside the window were in full bloom, and memories cracked open, flooding in.