The Chi family villa. As night fell, Li Lan, clad in a silk nightgown, sat on the living room sofa waiting for Chi Haiping. In her youth, she had been a delicate Jiangnan beauty. Her first husband, Chi Jianguo, had adored her, pampering her to the point that she’d never had to lift a finger. After remarrying Chi Haiping, who inherited Chi Jianguo's estate and company, she watched as he expanded the business exponentially, transforming her into a wealthy socialite. She had meticulously maintained her appearance over the years and still possessed a mature, captivating charm. Just then, the maid opened the front door. Chi Haiping was home. A delighted smile instantly bloomed on Li Lan’s face. She rose to greet him, helping him out of his suit jacket. “Darling, what kept you so late?” Unlike the honest, staid Chi Jianguo, Chi Haiping had been a handsome charmer in his youth. Years as the company's boss had only added a layer of authority that Li Lan found utterly intoxicating. “I had a work dinner tonight,” Chi Haiping said. Suddenly, Li Lan caught the scent of perfume on his jacket. It was a familiar fragrance—the one worn by his newly hired female secretary. Anger flared in her eyes. “Husband, were you with that secretary again?” Chi Haiping’s brow furrowed in annoyance. “Li Lan, must you always be so suspicious? C-God won’t see Jiao Jiao, and she’s miserable. You should be comforting her instead of this. I’m tired. I’m going upstairs.” He started for the stairs. “I have a way to get C-God,” Li Lan said abruptly. Chi Haiping stopped dead in his tracks. He spun around, strode back, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Lan Lan, you’re incredible. You never let me down. You’re my treasure.” He knew exactly how to sweet-talk a woman, satisfying the romantic notions that were so deeply ingrained in her Jiangnan soul. Li Lan leaned into his embrace, casting him a coquettish, reproachful glance. “I have one condition. You have to fire that secretary of yours.” “No problem,” Chi Haiping said. “I’ll fire her tomorrow.” With that, he swept her up into his arms. Li Lan melted against him, her eyes clouded with desire. “But I thought you said you were tired?” Her nightgown fell open, revealing the sexy lace lingerie beneath. Chi Haiping gave her a wicked grin. “Looking at you dressed like this? Who could resist?” Li Lan playfully tapped his chest. “You’re terrible~” He laughed, his voice husky. “And you don’t love it?” ... The next day. Chi Wan received a call from Li Lan at her apartment. Li Lan’s voice was dripping with maternal affection. “Wan Wan, I was wrong at the hospital the other day. I’ve cooked a table full of your favorite dishes. Please, come home.” From the kitchen, Su Xiaofu poked her head out. “Wan Wan, don’t go. She’s nothing but Chi Haiping’s lapdog. So old and still acting like a love-struck teenager. She’s a lost cause.” Chi Wan’s expression was indifferent. “I’m busy.” She was about to hang up. But Li Lan’s voice came through the receiver again. “Wan Wan, when you were born, your father buried a bottle of Daughter’s Red wine for you, to be opened when you grew up. I’ve already dug it up. Please come back.” Chi Wan’s long lashes fluttered. Li Lan knew exactly how to press on her most vulnerable spots. ... When Chi Wan arrived at the Chi family villa, Chi Haiping and Chi Jiao were not there. Li Lan had indeed prepared a lavish feast, and on the table sat the bottle of Daughter’s Red wine. The three characters for “Daughter’s Red” had been written by her father himself. The script was a little clumsy; he hadn’t had much formal education, a self-made man who had built his fortune from nothing—unlike Chi Haiping, who had been a university student even back then. Chi Wan’s pale, slender fingers slowly traced the characters on the bottle. She, too, had once had a happy childhood. She had been the apple of her father’s eye. Li Lan was in high spirits today, her face glowing with a satisfied, rosy sheen. She opened the wine and poured two bowls—one for herself, one for Chi Wan. “Wan Wan, let’s have a toast.” Chi Wan looked at her mother, her voice cool and clear as she asked, “How did my father really die?” The question made Li Lan’s hand tremble, nearly spilling the wine from her bowl. Li Lan’s gaze flickered away. “Wan Wan, your father… he died of an illness. I told you, you wouldn’t understand. You’re not a doctor!” A cold smile touched Chi Wan’s lips. She slowly drained her bowl of wine in one go. She would find out how her father died. She set the empty bowl down. “I have things to do. I’m leaving.” Chi Wan moved to stand, but just then, a man appeared. It was Wang Shi, and he was walking toward them. Chi Wan frowned. “Who are you?” Wang Shi was a middle-aged man with a deceptively gentle appearance. But his eyes raked over Chi Wan’s body, and a crude, leering smile spread across his face. Li Lan put down her wine. “Wan Wan, this is Director Wang from the Chinese Medicine Hospital. He knows C-God and can arrange for him to treat Jiao Jiao.” Chi Wan stared at this Wang Shi. He knew C-God? Ha. A smirk played on her red lips. “So?” The mask of maternal love finally dropped from Li Lan’s face. “Wan Wan, you’ll sleep with Director Wang once. That’s how we’ll save Jiao Jiao.” To save Chi Jiao, her own mother was telling her to sleep with a man? So this was the real reason Li Lan had summoned her home. At that moment, Chi Wan felt her body go limp. A wave of heat, intense and suffocating, washed over her. Something was wrong. Her eyes fell on the bottle of Daughter’s Red wine. She understood. Li Lan had drugged her father’s wine. Was there anything her mother wasn't capable of? A watery red flush slowly crept into Chi Wan’s clear, pale eyes. She looked at Li Lan, her gaze filled with utter disappointment. She didn’t know what she had done wrong. Why was she so unloved? Li Lan avoided her daughter’s gaze and turned to Wang Shi. “Director Wang, she’s all yours.” Wang Shi rubbed his hands together in glee and lunged toward Chi Wan. “Come here, my little angel! You look so pure, let’s see if you scream like a sinner in bed!” Li Lan turned and left. ... The moment Li Lan was gone, Wang Shi crumpled to the floor, knocked unconscious by a dose of Chinese medicine. Chi Wan’s cheeks burned as if on fire. The drug Li Lan had given her was potent. She reached for her waist, trying to pull out her silver needles. But her belt was empty. Dammit. The needles were back at the villa. Chi Wan scrambled out and rushed to the villa as fast as she could. She hadn't set foot in the place since she’d left with her suitcase. She ran into the master bedroom to find her needles, but they were gone. The housekeeper, Wu Ma, must have thrown them out while cleaning. Chi Wan was not a drinker, and the full force of the Daughter’s Red wine was hitting her now. Her head swam, and the reason she had clung to was being battered by the surging heat inside her. *Ugh, it’s so hot…* Just then, the sound of steady footsteps approached from outside the door. Someone was home. Huo Sihan? Was he back? Chi Wan’s eyes lit up. The door swung open, and as Huo Sihan stepped inside, a scorching, boneless body collapsed into his arms.