The young pop star froze, the public rejection taking a few seconds to sink in. Lin Yuxi caught the fleeting look of humiliation that crossed her face—an expression she couldn’t quite conceal in her shock. A bitter, knowing smile touched Lin Yuxi's lips. She remembered a moment of her own, just as humiliating. Zhou Yanjing hadn't come home for days. Lin Yuxi had tracked him down at a dinner gathering, only to see him leaning back in his chair, a lazy, cruel smirk on his face as he told the table: “If you can’t marry the one you want, you settle for someone else, don’t you?” That was Zhou Yanjing. One moment he could charm you into thinking you were the center of his universe, cherished and adored; the next, he could casually drive a knife through your heart. A tightness constricted her chest. Lin Yuxi picked up her glass and nudged it toward Yu Jiaxiao. “Pour me one.” Yu Jiaxiao immediately obliged. “What do you think? It’s good, right?” The wine was mellow on the tongue with a long, lingering finish. Lin Yuxi nodded. “Definitely worth the price.” Yu Jiaxiao poured her another, slinging an arm over her shoulder. “Drink up. A good wine cures all woes!” Lin Yuxi was curious. “Is that your secret to being so happy? You just love to drink?” “Of course not,” Yu Jiaxiao said, tossing her hair. “It’s pretty obvious I’m happy because I’m an airhead.” Lin Yuxi couldn't help but laugh. “Well, at least you’re self-aware.” But she hadn't anticipated just how strong the wine's delayed kick would be. She had no idea when she passed out, nor where. She had a vague memory of having a few drinks with Yu Jiaxiao, and then nothing. A complete blackout. When she next opened her eyes, her seven a.m. alarm was blaring. Her body, leaden and sluggish from the hangover, refused to cooperate. Eyes still sealed shut with sleep, she fumbled behind her for her phone. An arm reached past her, silencing the alarm before she could. Lin Yuxi felt herself being held in a warm embrace. In a hazy, half-dream state, she saw the sharp line of a man's jaw. Zhou Yanjing… Was she dreaming again? Groggily, she tightened her embrace, burrowing her head into his chest. The chest was warm and broad, the muscles beneath her cheek hard and solid. The sensation was too real, and slowly, the last vestiges of sleep began to fade. She opened her eyes. She stared for a few seconds at the sharp, masculine line of his throat before tilting her head up. Her dazed eyes met Zhou Yanjing’s deep, inscrutable gaze. He was watching her with an unreadable expression. “Comfortable?” Clarity crashed down on her. She realized she was clinging to him like an octopus. Her brain, short-circuited by alcohol, had let her body act on pure instinct. The feeling of warmth and comfort evaporated. Lin Yuxi unwrapped her arms from his waist and pulled back, apologizing. “Sorry.” So polite. “Oh, so you're a stranger now? Who was it wrapped around me last night, refusing to let go?” Zhou Yanjing shot her a sideways glance. “You can’t hold your liquor, so what are you doing trying to drink like that? Do you even know how you got home?” Lin Yuxi could almost picture the look of annoyance on his face then. She curled her fingers into the blanket. “I was drunk. I didn’t mean to cling to you. If I was bothering you, you could have just left me with Yu Jiaxiao.” “Your friend was even more wasted than you were. Or would you have preferred I dump you at the bar for someone else to pick up?” With a soft scoff, Zhou Yanjing got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Lin Yuxi grabbed her phone and saw that the alarm hadn't just rung once. She was already running late for work. She rushed through her morning routine, changed, and jogged out the door without even a bite of breakfast. She raced to the hospital, just barely clocking in during the final minute before starting the immediate handover with the doctor on duty. By the time she finished, half the morning was gone. It wasn't until she was buying a coffee from a vending machine that it hit her. She had forgotten to talk to Zhou Yanjing about the divorce again. She’d finally had him in front of her, but between being drunk last night and rushing this morning, it had completely slipped her mind. She tapped her head in frustration and found a moment to call Yu Jiaxiao. Yu Jiaxiao sounded like she had just woken up, her voice weak. “Hello…” “Why do you sound so faint?” Lin Yuxi asked. “Don’t ask. Some jerk dropped me off at my apartment last night, left me right at the front door, and took off. I slept on the floor all night!” Yu Jiaxiao lived in a building with only one apartment per floor, accessible by key card. It was safe, but she woke up with an aching back, feeling like she’d been beaten up, and she might have been coming down with a cold. The problem was, she’d blacked out too and couldn't remember who the culprit was. “Don’t let me find out which son of a bitch it was!” she fumed, pounding a fist on her couch. “Leaving someone right at their doorstep… what’s the difference between that and all foreplay with no follow-through!” Lin Yuxi fell silent. She didn’t dare mention that the jerk was probably Zhou Yanjing. She just cursed along with her for a bit before hanging up. Shi Tang had dropped by Boyu’s new office to check it out and grab lunch with Zhou Yanjing. Zhou Yanjing emerged from the conference room, followed by a procession of executives in sharp suits. Spotting Shi Tang playing a game on the sofa, Zhou Yanjing gave a slight wave, and Shi Tang immediately shut off his game and hurried over. “Did you get her home last night?” “Don’t even talk about it.” Shi Tang was still fuming at the memory. Lin Yuxi and Yu Jiaxiao had downed a few glasses and then both collapsed onto the table. Zhou Yanjing had taken Lin Yuxi and ordered him to deal with Yu Jiaxiao. He couldn’t believe how heavy a drunk woman could be. And she was a terrible drunk. Not only did she throw up in his car, but it took every ounce of his strength to drag her upstairs. When he asked for her keys, she clutched her purse like it was her child and refused to let him touch it, yelling, “Mugger! I’m calling the police!” while kicking and punching him. “Damn it. Look what she did to me.” Shi Tang pulled up his pant leg, revealing several purplish bruises on his shin that still hadn’t faded. A few of the nearby executives chuckled. “Young Master Shi, I bet you’ve never been treated like that in your life.” “How did my sister-in-law end up with such a shrew for a friend?” Shi Tang grumbled, then added, “See how well-behaved my sister-in-law is when she drinks.” Zhou Yanjing, hands in his pockets, lazily lifted his gaze. “Who told you she’s well-behaved?” Shi Tang froze. “She hit you too?” The executives all paused, exchanging glances, wondering if they should excuse themselves from such a confidential topic. Into the sudden silence, Zhou Yanjing said casually, “No, nothing like that.” Everyone relaxed. Shi Tang let out a breath of relief. “That’s what I thought. She seems so qui—” “She accosted me.” Shi Tang: “…” The executives: “…” That evening, as Lin Yuxi was leaving work, she was surprised to see Zhou Yanjing’s Bentley parked at the hospital entrance. She assumed that he had finally carved out some time from his busy schedule to see his wife, but when she got in the car, she realized he wasn't there. “Where is he?” “The Second Master had a commitment this afternoon and isn't finished yet. He asked me to pick you up first,” said the driver, Lao Liu. “Where are we going?” “Old Master Shi has a new great-grandson, and today is the one-month celebration. The Second Master would like you to accompany him.” “The gown has been arranged. Would you like to go for a fitting now?” It had been a long time since Zhou Yanjing had taken Lin Yuxi to a private gathering with friends. He only needed her for occasions like this, to play the part of a loving couple for outsiders. As if anyone didn't know he never even came home. It was all just an act. Suddenly, Lin Yuxi was tired of this life. She was exhausted after a full day of work. “I don’t want to go.” She was usually so compliant. Her uncharacteristic defiance today seemed to fluster Lao Liu, who tried to reason with her. “The Zhou and the Shi families go way back. The Second Master and young Master Shi grew up together. If you don’t attend…” “And what does any of that have to do with me?” Lin Yuxi said. “Take me home.” Lao Liu looked troubled. “If you don’t go, I won’t know how to answer to the Second Master…” Lin Yuxi simply opened the door, got out, and hailed a cab home herself. When she got home, she washed her hands, changed into lounge clothes, and was playing with her cat in the cat room when Mrs. Chen came in to get her. “The Second Master is home,” she said. “He wants to see you. Immediately.”