Chapter 3

While Zhou Jinyi went home to catch up on sleep, I went to the company to complete my onboarding.

I hadn’t joined the head office where he worked. Instead, I’d joined a Zhou subsidiary that lost money year after year.

Its main products were in the same category as my family’s.

His parents had given me this company to cut my teeth on. They’d clearly put some thought into it.

I’d only just returned to China. I needed results quickly, to increase my worth and establish myself in a circle full of all sorts.

As I got into the car with my files, Zhou Jinyi’s restless little “songbird” held out a hand to stop me.

She wore barely-there makeup and a soft white dress, taking her innocent dream-girl image to its absolute limit.

Enunciating every word, she said, “Hello, Miss Su. I’m Zhou Jinyi’s girlfriend. My name is Xu Yao.”

I was leafing through a report riddled with problems, simmering with anger. The old guard at the company were deliberately putting me in my place.

“Miss Su?” She looked displeased. “Are you so guilty you can’t even look at me?”

I laughed in disbelief. “What’s wrong with you?”

She bit her lip. “I don’t think this is a suitable place to talk. There’s a café over there. Let’s go.”

…

Once the server brought the coffee, I asked for a pen and worked methodically through the report, circling every problem before sending it to my secretary.

Xu Yao waited and waited for me to speak. Her perfect smile was beginning to slip.

“Miss Su, you’re a modern woman. Surely you’re opposed to things like arranged marriage.”

A giant question mark flashed through my head. I stared at her as though she were an idiot.

“Why would I oppose it? Do you know the Zhou Group’s annual turnover? I’m not brain-damaged. Why would I object?”

Did I look like someone who’d turn down money for her dignity? Surely not. I was very clearly the gold-digger here.

Her jaw dropped.

“But he doesn’t love you! You’re hurting us and yourself! Would you really sacrifice happiness for money?”

I had no words.

“As if being broke guarantees happiness. If he were penniless, would you still love him?”

Her eyes were resolute. “Yes! I’d love him even without money!”

The sheer absurdity of it nearly made me choke.

“You’re out there handing out flyers, and you’re here talking to me about love? Are you nuts?”

“If you told me you were after his money, I’d at least respect your ambition and your determination to get cash out of a man. But you’re after his feelings? You’ve lost it in broad daylight.”

“The Zhous will never accept a daughter-in-law without a family background. Even if I weren’t Mrs. Zhou, you never would be. Wake up. Get what money you can, buy a house and a car, and stop picking fights with me. I’m busy.”

Humiliated and furious, she threw her coffee over me. “You’re the homewrecker! What gives you the right to insult me?”

I stared furiously at the burn on my hand. If I hadn’t blocked it, she’d have scalded my face.

I slapped her hard, twice. “Reports of the Zhou-Su marriage alliance are all over the internet. We’re both old hands at this. Who are you trying to fool with the innocent act?”

“I’m not Zhou Jinyi, that idiot. Keep your sugar daddy happy. If you provoke me again, you won’t get off with two slaps.”

My mother-in-law called. “Nannan, the wedding dress is here. Do you have time to come over?”

I let go of Xu Yao, picked up my bag, and headed out. “Auntie, I’m on my way.”

“It’s Mom now. Jinyi told me everything. Registering early was the right thing to do.”

“Mom,” I called sweetly.

She couldn’t stop laughing. “Good, good. I’ll transfer the villa in the south of the city into your name. Consider it your gift for calling me Mom.”

“Thank you, Mom!”

“You can have the one in the west, too!”

When I arrived, she saw my burned hand and cried out, “What happened?”

I’d deliberately left it untreated, allowing it to worsen so she could see it and take care of the situation.

I didn’t want to waste precious time on her son’s mess. I had more work than I could count and no attention to spare for that disgusting pair.

“I accidentally touched something. It’s fine, Mom. Let’s look at the dress.”

When I got home that evening, Zhou Jinyi was on the bedroom balcony, talking on the phone with a cold expression.

A cigarette between his lips, he said, “Xu Yao, have you lost your fucking mind? You threw scalding coffee at her?”

“She hit you?”

His laugh was cold and cruel. “Then take it. Don’t you know what you are? Don’t try to play the virtuous woman with me.”

“I wouldn’t so much as touch a hair on my wife’s head. Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Three million a month isn’t enough? You want to be Mrs. Zhou? If you can’t find water to see your reflection in, use your piss. Are you worthy?”

“Have I let you get above yourself?”

He turned and saw me. His hard expression softened. He hung up and put out the cigarette. “I’ll have someone sweep up. How’s your hand?”

“Much better. Mom had a doctor treat it.”

He apologized. “I mishandled things with Xu Yao. I—”

I cut him off. “You certainly did. I don’t want a repeat. An injury to my hand or my face affects my work, and neither of you can afford to take responsibility for that.”

His thin lips pressed together. “Get some rest. I’ll organize the wedding over the next few days.”

I opened my laptop and went back to work without looking up. “Keep it simple. I don’t have time to plan it, so please handle everything.”

His voice chilled. “Su Nan, I have work too.”

I smiled. “Time for a mistress but none for a wedding? Then cancel it. We’re already legally married. The ceremony’s just a formality.”

He fell silent, something menacing settling around him. Holding back his anger, he asked, “Are you saying that because you’re angry, or do you mean it?”

I looked up at him without much feeling. “I mean it. I don’t have time to sulk at you. You aren’t worth it.”

He turned and slammed the door behind him. A moment later, I heard a car start outside.