In the dim living room, the flickering candlelight on the coffee table cast a fiery glow over the two figures tangled on the sofa. A jolt of pain snapped Jian Huan back to reality, only to be instantly swallowed by a wave of panic. Because the man on top of her wasn't her fiancé. He was her fiancé’s older brother, the one everyone went out of their way to avoid: Second Master Lou, Lou Xiao. A colossal wave of dread washed over her. Her body went rigid as she forced her alcohol-numbed mind to retrace how this had all happened. Just this afternoon, she had gotten engaged to her fiancé, Lou Jingyang. Tonight was supposed to be their first night together… but… but after she’d taken off her clothes, Jingyang had been called away by a single phone call from his cousin. He had even insulted her, calling her "desperate" when she tried to make him stay. After he left, she had downed an entire bottle of red wine by herself. In her drunken haze, she vaguely remembered Lou Jingyang coming back. Only this time, he had been unusually passionate. So passionate that he’d pushed her down right here on the sofa. The clearer the memory became, the colder Jian Huan felt, her lips trembling. "You… you…" The man above her smirked. Beneath a prominent brow, his eyes were deep pools of shadow, and his voice carried the playful disdain of a man who treated life as a game. "What's the matter, future sister-in-law?" At those words, the blood rushed to Jian Huan’s head. She shoved him away with all her might and scrambled to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at him. "Why? Why would you…" Lou Xiao sat up slowly, fished out a pack of cigarettes, and lit one. He took a deep drag, and through the curl of smoke, his gaze roamed shamelessly over Jian Huan’s body. "My apologies. I thought this was your way of welcoming guests." "You!" Jian Huan knew he was twisting the truth, but she was powerless against him. A faint memory surfaced—of her being the one to wrap her arms around him first. Besides, everyone knew the name Second Master Lou. His status was one thing, but his perverse, unpredictable nature was what truly made him terrifying. Who would dare cross him? "Jian Huan." Lou Xiao’s already magnetic voice was now laced with a dark huskiness, the sound waves like fine grains of sand scraping against her eardrums. "Shouldn't you, perhaps, put on some clothes?" Jian Huan instinctively looked down. Her muddled brain finally registered that she was completely naked, a stark contrast to the impeccably dressed Lou Xiao. A sharp cry escaped her lips as she dropped to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself. The movement stretched the delicate line of her spine, a faint tremor running through her that made Lou Xiao's eyes darken a shade more. He picked his suit jacket up from the floor and tossed it over her, then turned his back to smoke. Huddled behind the sofa, Jian Huan pulled on the jacket and dressed herself faster than she ever had in her life. All the while, she fought to calm the storm inside her. The Jian family was strict, their conservatism bordering on pathological. If word of this got out, she was as good as dead. After a fierce internal struggle, she spoke again, her voice eerily calm. "About what happened tonight… I hope you'll forget it ever happened, Second Master Lou." She paused. "You must have been looking for Jingyang. He's not here, and it's getting late." The subtext was clear: *You can leave now.* Jian Huan's mind was a mess; she just wanted to get rid of this dangerous man as quickly as possible. But she didn't know that Lou Xiao was all contrarian bone. The more you wanted him not to do something, the more he absolutely had to do it. If he could cause someone a little trouble, he’d always choose to cause a lot. Seeing her desperate to be rid of him, Lou Xiao not only didn't leave, but crossed his legs, making himself as comfortable as if he were in his own home. His eyes swept over the flowers and wine on the table before landing back on Jian Huan, the mockery in them deepening. "Nice atmosphere. Nice company, too." Jian Huan's cheeks burned. She felt like a fish on a cutting board, gutted and exposed, now being judged by the diner. Lou Xiao's words were another sharp reminder of the circumstances under which her own fiancé had abandoned her. "You've already taken advantage of me, Second Master Lou. Isn't it a bit much to rub salt in the wound?" Right now, Jian Huan was like a single thorn suddenly sprouting from soft dough—prickly, but with no real threat. The sight only made Lou Xiao want to tease her more. He let out a sudden laugh. In the dimly lit room, the shadows carved his features into something even more mysterious and alluring. "Spare me the chaste heroine act. My dear brother is probably off somewhere with his 'good little cousin,' lost to the world. You think he gives a damn about you?" The way he drew out "good little cousin" was dripping with insinuation, the hidden meaning sending a chill down Jian Huan's spine. She forced herself to remain composed. "Jiang Ziying is Jingyang's cousin, which makes her my cousin too. Her parents passed away when she was young, so it's natural for Jingyang to look out for her." Lou Xiao snorted. "Are you really that naive, or are you just pretending to be?" Jian Huan said nothing, but her ragged breathing betrayed her. Suddenly, Lou Xiao stood up and walked toward her, step by step, until she was completely engulfed in his shadow. He rested a long index finger on her shoulder. "Since you said I took advantage of you," he murmured, his magnetic, intimate voice a breath against her ear, "I'll let you even the score. Put on your coat. I'm taking you to see…" He paused, each word deliberate. "A live show."