In the north city, at the Su family villa.
Su Lan choked on her words, clutching her beloved daughter's hand.
"My sweetheart, Mommy doesn't want to force you into a marriage alliance either, but our family has really hit rock bottom. The company is on the brink of bankruptcy, and without the support of the Gu family, we will soon be out on the streets..." She sobbed.
Suti struggled to pull her hand away, a look of speechlessness on her face.
"Mom, please stop the show, your acting skills are atrocious," she said flatly. "That man you're talking about is an old bachelor whom no one dares to marry. Do you really have the heart to push your daughter into such a predicament?"
With a slight frown, Suti took the cigarette nestled between her fingers to her mouth, took a puff, and exhaled a graceful smoke ring.
Seeing her daughter's outright refusal, Su Lan frantically signaled to the butler on the side who, understanding her hint, quickly stepped forward to explain.
"Miss, it's not that the lady wants to push you into a tight spot, but because he specifically requested for you..."
"Just because he requests, I need to marry him? Based on what?"
Suti scoffed.
She already owed a mountain of debts and being pestered by that rascal from the Gu family is trouble enough. And now they want her to marry an old man?
Absolutely not! No way!
"I, Suti, would rather starve to death or get kicked out of the family than marry that old man!"
Seeing her self-pitying drama failed to convince her daughter, Su Lan knew she had no choice but to bring out her trump card.
"If you agree to the marriage, countless wealth, diamond-covered sports cars, sexy male stars - take your pick!"
"Also, pretend to be married for a year. Both of you are free to live your own lives. Absolute freedom!"
"How about it? Would you like to make this deal with mommy?"
Suti laughed, her face full of disdain.
Countless wealth, diamond-covered sports cars, sexy male stars? As if she hadn't seen the world.
Suti exclaimed irritably, "Mom, do you see me as the type to bow down to money?"
“Let the old man wait at the Civil Affairs Bureau at nine o'clock tomorrow morning!”
The butler initially wanted to persuade her, but he suddenly realized.
So, did the young miss agree?
Su Lan clapped her hands, her smile especially brilliant.
"True to form as my daughter, so decisive!"
Suti stood, "I have something to take care of at the bar, I'll go first. After it's done, remember to make good on what you just promised. My dear mommy~”
She blew a kiss and then left the villa.
A sham marriage for a year, in exchange for boundless wealth, luxury vehicles, and beautiful companion.
It's a good deal, such a good deal!
Outside the Charm Bar.
"Su Ti, I dare say, no one else in Beicheng would dare to marry you except me!"
Su Ti was leaning on the bar's entrance, smoking. She looked at the drunken youth kneeling in front of her and indifferently spat out two words.
"Idiot."
She turned around, just about to take a drag from her cigarette when an abrupt howl from behind gave her a start!
"Su Ti! Marry me!"
The young man held out a bunch of flowers and shouted, displaying a resolution as if he would not stand unless she agreed.
Su Ti moved the cigarette to her lips, taking a deep draw.
This Gu Jingyan was clinging onto her very persistently, stubbornly refusing to give up.
He had even stalked her before and hid in her house trying to give her a surprise, which nearly scared the life out of her.
This love-lost fool, his family really should control him better!
Su Ti exhaled a ring of smoke, her delicate features faintly visible through the mist.
"If you're sick, go to the hospital, don't make a scene here!"
Gu Jingyan continued to hold up the bouquet of roses. In the center of the bouquet was a little exquisite box with its lid opened, revealing an expensive diamond ring inside.
His cheeks flushed with nerves, his gaze tenderly fixated on the woman he loved.
"Su Ti, my love, our families will be united in marriage soon, and you'll have to marry me sooner or later!"
"If you don't marry me, both your family business and this bar will collapse. Can you really stand to watch the place you've worked so hard to manage go bankrupt?"
"Trust me, I'm the only one who can help you now!"
Gu Jingyan was drunk, his words passionate and sincere, revealing his deepest emotions, oblivious to the commotion behind him.
From the crowd that was standing by the bar door watching the spectacle, a sudden uproar emerged.
A Maybach parked on the roadside, understated luxury attracting everyone's attention.
Including Su Ti's.
The driver jumped out first, and scurrying to open the rear car door, a man with pale skin and a chilling aura stepped out, his long legs carrying him forward.
The man's towering figure was elongated by the street lights, a pair of silver-rimless glasses perched on his handsome nose, glinting subtly in the illumination.
As he looked up, his slender fingers instinctively adjusted his glasses.
Cold dignity, opulent charm.
As Su Ti looked over, she met the man's deep black eyes.
Inexplicably, her heart fluttered, yet she also felt nervous.
The man before her was both refined and elegant, his white shirt buttoned all the way up to the collar, impeccably tailored.
Her first impression of him was one of self-discipline and restraint.
But it was extremely dangerous.
As Shen An strode towards here, with a solemn complexion, his whole body radiated a terrifying ruthlessness.
Onlookers, seeing this, retreated in droves, making way for a spacious path.
Vaguely, it seemed they could smell the crisp scent of pine in the air.
The fingers of Su Ti, who was holding a cigarette, slightly drooped, a spark of excitement flashing in her eyes.
God, this man is so damn handsome!
Suddenly, she regretted agreeing to obtain a marriage certificate with that old man from her family.
Gu Jingyan, kneeling on the ground, however, was oblivious to this. Taking advantage of his drunkenness, he kept shouting and making a scene, forcing Su Ti to accept his proposal.
"Big sister Su Ti, do you not believe in my love for you? I would even show you my heart if you wanted!”
"Su Ti, I love you! In the whole world, I only love you!”
"I..."
Before Su Ti had time to curse, Gu Jingyan was lifted by Shen An's single hand, as if picking up a pitiful chick.
"Bam!"
The man’s fist landed cleanly on Gu Jingyan's face, cutting off his confession mid-sentence.
Su Ti froze in place, her eyes wide open. She watched as the cold man beat up the drunk, kneeling youth.
"Are you sober now?"
The man's voice was deep and chilling.
Gù Jǐngyán touched the swollen side of his face, turning his head to look.
"Uncle..."
With a casual flick of Shěn Ān's hand, Gù Jǐngyán stumbled, suddenly falling onto Sū Tí who was beside him.
Gù Jǐngyán reeked of alcohol, and took the opportunity to grasp onto Sū Tí, revealing a idiotic smile.
"Uncle, your timing is just right!"
"This is my wife, Tí Tí...Just the right time to introduce you to each other..."
Shěn Ān's dark eyes swept over Gù Jǐngyán's hand, a dangerous glint flashing at the bottom of his eyes.
The man lowered his gaze slightly, and as he approached the two, he unbuttoned his sleeves, rolling them up leisurely.
"Bang!"
Without any guard, Gù Jǐngyán's other side of the face once again received a solid punch.
The punch made the young man fall straight to the ground, seeing stars. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a warm stream gushing from his nose.
"Ah! Blood..."
With a thud, Gù Jǐngyán directly fainted.
"Hiss--"
The onlookers all froze, their faces filled with shock.
Everyone said that Shen An, the illegitimate son of the Gu family, was a ruthless figure who should not be messed with. They didn't expect him to be so ruthless, not bothering with any preamble he knocked out the legitimate young master with a punch.
Seeing is indeed believing!
Following that, Gu Jingyan, unconscious as a dead pig, was carried away by two bodyguards.
Su Ti, with her arms crossed, watched the man standing before her with great interest.
He was Gu Jingyan's.... younger uncle?
At that moment, the man received a handkerchief from his assistant, wiped the blood off his hands unhurriedly.
Elegant, noble, a complete gentleman.
As if he was not the one who had just beaten someone up.
Su Ti watched him intently, one phrase floating in her mind.
A gentleman on the outside, scum within.
She bent over, picked up the diamond ring that had rolled off the rose to her feet, and handed it to the man before her.
"Here."
When Shen An reached out to take it, she purposefully retracted her hand, her fingertips brushing against the man's elegant fingers.
Su Ti smiled with alluring charm.
"Do you, handsome, have any interest..."
With a slight exertion of force, Shen An took the ring from her hand, casually tossed it into a nearby trash bin, his voice deep and cold.
"Not interested."
"..."
Su Ti’s smile froze.
Damn!
Why is he so difficult?
Rejected before even speaking?
Now you're avoiding me, just you wait, soon you'll be too low for me!
Su Ti leaned slightly forward, giving him a playful wink like hoping for a money tree.
"Do you, handsome, have any interest..."
"In becoming the top performer in our shop?"
Shen An stared straight at her, not dodging.
Accommodating Su Ti's softer whispers close to his ear.
"You seem very skilled."
Shen An lowered his eyes slightly, instantly noticing the delicate red string wrapped around her waist.
On the red string was a Buddhist bead, swinging back and forth on her waist, captivating yet eerie.
His gaze slid past the bead, landing on her face once again, experiencing a sense of daze as if traveling through a thousand years.
Su Tee, we finally meet again.
