Chapter 1 "Newlyweb"
Sicily, Italy.
The gunshots cut through the tranquility of the night, and the intense smell of blood permeated the streets and alleys, merging with the accented obscenities that echoed to the end of the street.
"Shit! He has run away!"
"Go and find him!"
Men of foreign characteristics scattered in all directions, looking for the trace of the fleeing man.
Under the dim street lamp, the girl ran swiftly across the bloody alleyway holding a transparent umbrella.
Ahead, in a corner piled with cardboard boxes, a soft grunt caught her attention.
Following that, the man's raspy voice, "Save me, I'll give you everything you want..."
The girl pauses, hesitating for a moment, biting her lip as she takes off.
Gunfights, happening every day.
This place is chaotic, unbearable, dangerous.
With a single misstep, her life would be endangered.
Even if it were her fellow countryman, she dared not save, let alone able to.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded, leaving only the melancholic sound of falling raindrops in her ears.
The man drew a heavy breath, a desolate spark flickered through his blood-coated eyes.
As expected...
He was destined for this calamity!
The familiar curse in a foreign tongue echoed once again, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Straining his eyes open, he was greeted by a faint scent.
A pair of pure white canvas shoes entered his line of sight.
"Hush, don't speak, or we'll both die!"
*
Four years later.
At a bar.
Deafening music filled the air, light and shadow alternately flared, young men and women dressed in revealing attire, swaying their bodies under the dim lights.
In the corner of the bar, Yuan Qingqing was utterly drunk.
"Fu Xiuyuan, that goddamned jerk! He dare fool around with your sister. If I had not discovered their illicit affair, you would have been tricked by him! He's such a two-timing scum, yet he's the current president of Qi Star Entertainment? I should chop off his meat for you!”
Beside her, Lu Xing was furious and drunkenly roaring.
Yuan Qingqing, without uttering a word, downed another drink. Her eyes welled up, choked by the liquor.
This time when she returned to the country, it was not only to investigate the accident from four years ago but also to fulfill the marriage agreement between her and Fu Xiuyuan.
To her surprise, just as she disembarked the plane, she received a photo and video sent by Lu Xing.
It turned out that Fu Xiuyuan had cheated on her long ago, and the other woman was none other than her half-sister from the same father, Yuan Shan!
Looking at the spicy photos on the cellphone, a man and a woman were shamelessly tangled together.
Yuan Qingqing gritted her teeth and slammed her cup on the table, "Another one!"
Lu Xing immediately put his arm around Yuan Qingqing's shoulder, shouting, "What's so good about that scumbag?! Baby, don't worry, if he doesn't marry you, I will!"
Yuan Qingqing herself knocked back two drinks in quick succession. Her mind was fuzzy, and she was leaning on Lu Xing.
"Fine, yo - you, burp - marry me! Once said, you can't go back on your word, else..."
"Else what?" Lu Xing swayed his glass while looking at her.
Yuan Qingqing smirked, her lips curving into a dark smile, "I will make you useless!"
Lu Xing subconsciously crossed his legs and, supporting the drunken Yuan Qingqing who couldn't even walk straight, roared out loud, "Deal!"
The two staggered out of the bar, hailed a taxi, and headed for the Civil Affairs Bureau.
--------------------
An hour later, the freshly minted "newlyweds" were both drunk and collapsed on the hotel's large bed.
"Hehehe, Qingqing, from today onward, I - Lu Xing, am your husband! Fu, Fu Xiuyuan that cheating jerk, he certainly will regret this!"
Lu Xing chuckled inanely, clutching the marriage certificate, and burped satisfactorily before drifting off to sleep.
Yuan Qingqing was curled up like a shrimp, holding a small red book in her hands, with streaks of tears in the corners of her eyes.
"Yuan brother, we are married..."
The very next second.
"Beep—"
The door to the hotel room was abruptly opened.
Lu Xing opened his bleary eyes and the first thing he saw was a face too handsome to describe – the eyes were deep and intense, the lips were thin and slightly pursed, and the jawline, although aesthetically pleasing, was slightly tense. His frosty demeanor suggested he was in a foul mood.
The man walked in, frowns at the smell of alcohol in the room. He stands in front of the bed, wave his hand and his needle-sharp subordinate hoisted Lu Xing to his feet.
His voice was deep and filled with discontent, "Lu Xing, hand over the documents!"
Lu Xing dizzily swayed his head and recognized the man before him.
"It's Uncle Er! Uncle Er, you came at the perfect time. I, got married. This is my wife. Have a look, won't you—"
Married?
Lu Xiao turned to look at the woman lying next to him. She was drunk to the point of unconsciousness, lying on her side, partially hunched over. Her cute little face was streaked with tears, and she was whimpering pitifully, looking as frail as an injured small animal.
He squinted slightly, "Yuan Qingqing?"
Lu Xing cracked a smile, broke free from the man at his side, and flopped down beside Yuan Qingqing, "Isn’t my wife beautiful?"
Lu Xao looked away, casting a nonchalant glance at the other man, "Drag him in and sober him up."
Two men in black suits came forward from behind and hauled up Lu Xing, who was slumped on the bed, laughing foolishly. They dragged him to the restroom.
Lu Xao was left alone in the expansive room with Yuan Qingqing.
Probably disturbed by the actions earlier, Yuan Qingqing sniffled and slowly opened her eyes.
The man's eyebrows seemed to be frosted, as he appeared aloof and indifferent.
Yuan Qingqing pouted uncomfortably, mumbling, "Husband, why are you so fierce? I am a good girl, don't be rough with me."
She reached out cautiously and tugged at the sleeve of Lu Xao's black suit, shaking it in a coquettish manner.
Husband?
Lu Xao's pitch-black eyes were as deep as the abyss, "Let go."
No woman had ever dared to blatantly tug at his sleeve and act coy!
"I won't, I want a hug!"
As she just finished speaking, her soft feminine body launched into his embrace.
Lu Xao halted his motion to push her away.
Yuan Qingqing got what she wanted, and happily nibbled at his face, slobbering over half of his cheek.
Regaining his senses, Lu Xao abruptly shoved her away, a mask of aloof restraint on his face.
"I am not your husband!"
Yuan Qingqing pouted her lips, as if to reproach and retaliate, "We took our vows, how can you not be my husband?"
Yuan Qingqing, with her head lowered, took out her little red book, pointed to the two's photos after flipping it open, with a sense of utter confidence, "Look, that's clearly you!"
The man's dispassionate gaze scanned over, his eyebrows furrowing instantly.
On the marriage certificate, it was indeed Yuan Qingqing and Lu Xiaoan!
Without waiting for Lu Xiaoan's reaction, Yuan Qingqing laughed like a little fox who had succeeded in her scheme, suddenly jumped up, and knocked Lu Xiaoan down on the bed.
"That's okay, I can stay until you admit it!"
Her smooth little hands were like a fish, roaming all over the man's body.
The slight fragrance of the woman's body became even more tempting, and the color in the depths of Lu Xiaoan's eyes became darker and darker, "Are you sure, you want to stay until I admit it?"
This woman, who had disappeared for several years, had indeed become bolder!
Yuan Qingqing blinked her eyes, her red lips becoming even more tempting, "Correct!"
"Yuan Qingqing, don't regret it!"
Lu Xiaoan got up in one move, picked up Yuan Qingqing and walked steadily out of the room.
