It was only then that Fu Nancheng realized he was holding the young maid, not Su Xue. A faint frown creased his handsome brow. This was the second time he’d made that mistake. Just then, a maid’s voice drifted in from outside, “Young Madam.” Su Xue was here. A wave of panic washed over Su Ci. With his hands still wrapped around her waist, she frantically shoved at his arms. “Young Master, let me go! The Young Madam is here.” His arms were firm and powerful. As her hands scrabbled against him, she happened to grab the expensive steel watch on his wrist. The cold, luxurious metal sent a tremor through her fingertips. Fu Nancheng released her. As Su Ci turned to leave, her fingers brushed against a sharp thorn on a rose stem. She drew in a sharp breath. Blood welled from the tiny puncture on her fingertip. Fu Nancheng watched her, his gaze taking in her flustered state. She always seemed so afraid of him, her head constantly bowed, never daring to meet his eyes. He remembered she had clear, dewy eyes—the kind that could speak, the kind that could hook a man. “Are you hurt?” he asked in a low voice. “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, Young Master.” Su Ci quickly brought her pale finger to her lips, sucking on the tip to stop the bleeding. Fu Nancheng’s gaze dropped, settling on her mouth. Her lips were like cherries, plump and glistening with a natural, siren-red hue. Fu Nancheng’s eyes darkened. At that moment, Su Xue walked in. The sight of Fu Nancheng and Su Ci standing together made her face fall. She snapped, “Su Ci, what are you standing there for? Get back to the kitchen!” “Yes, ma’am.” Su Ci practically fled the room. “Darling, shall we go have breakfast?” Su Xue cooed, turning her attention to Fu Nancheng. Fu Nancheng strode into the dining room. ... In the kitchen, Su Ci fought to steady her breathing, her heart still hammering against her ribs. For a terrifying moment, she thought Fu Nancheng had recognized her. Thankfully, he had just mistaken her for someone else. All she wanted now was to rescue her grandmother. She wanted nothing to do with such a dangerous, powerful man. “Su Ci, bring out the milk.” Su Ci carried the milk to the dining room, just in time to hear Su Xue bad-mouthing her. “Darling, that Su Ci is just some ugly girl from the countryside. No one wants to be near her—one look at that ugly face is enough to make you lose your appetite. It was only out of the goodness of my heart that I took her in as a maid.” Su Ci’s expression remained neutral. She was used to Su Xue tearing her down to build herself up. She glanced at the man. Fu Nancheng sat at the head of the table, engrossed in an English-language business paper. At thirty, his allure came not just from his handsome, aristocratic features, but from the calm, profound authority of a mature man—and an impenetrable, sharp-edged aura. He seemed oblivious to Su Xue’s words, his attention fixed on the paper. Su Ci breathed a small sigh of relief. She looked at Su Xue’s surgically-enhanced face. Having a similar face isn’t the problem, she thought. The real embarrassment is being the ugly one. ... During the day, Su Ci attended classes at T University. As soon as school let out, she hurried to the main gate and stood by the road, trying to hail a cab back to the Yuyuan residence. But no taxi would stop for her. Just as she was about to give up, a Rolls-Royce glided to a halt in front of her. The world-class luxury car, worth tens of millions, radiated an aura of supreme opulence. The rear window slid down, revealing Fu Jue’s handsome face. “Hey, ugly girl. Need a ride? Hop in, I’ll give you a lift.” Everyone called Su Ci “ugly girl.” Fu Jue was her classmate, the heartthrob of T University and a notorious campus tyrant. Since she couldn't get a cab here, Su Ci had no choice but to get in. “Thank you.” The moment she opened the back door and slid in, Su Ci regretted it. She recognized the man behind the wheel. Fu Nancheng was driving. This was Fu Nancheng’s car. “Ugly girl, let me introduce you,” Fu Jue said with a smirk. “This is my uncle.”