Fu Xingchen withdrew his gaze, his voice a flat, indifferent wall. "I don't know her." Just because she'd tracked him down, was he supposed to offer her an out? Not a chance. The chill emanating from him was a physical force, striking Jiang Lili's face. Those three words—*I don't know her*—shattered her heart, leaving it a ruined mess. She bit her lip, forcing herself back to the present. She was already inside; turning back wasn't an option. The restaurant's clientele was exclusively the city's elite, and causing a scene would tarnish its reputation. Her knuckles whitened as she clutched the hem of her dress, but she finally took a deep, steadying breath and walked toward the piano. The piece they had requested was the famous Pachelbel's Canon. Its sentiment spoke of a man's adoration for a woman. Jiang Lili stared at the sheet music for a long moment before her hands moved to the keys. She had no idea who had requested it. But the foreign man was already jesting, "Mr. Fu, you've really found a treasure in a powerhouse like Vice President Lin!" "Indeed. She's exceptional," Fu Xingchen said, a smile playing on his lips as he praised Lin Xiran without reservation. Lin Xiran accepted the compliment with grace. "I wasn't nearly this capable when I started," she laughed. "It's all thanks to Xingchen's guidance." The prelude of the piece was soft, and the pleasant melody couldn't quite mask their conversation. Jiang Lili knew the score by heart, so she didn't need to look at the music. Her gaze drifted involuntarily to their table. Fu Xingchen was leaning towards Lin Xiran, his arm draped casually over the back of her chair. Lin Xiran switched effortlessly between conversing with the foreign man in fluent English about their business collaboration and turning back to murmur something to Fu Xingchen. Jiang Lili understood English, but the technical jargon of their work was lost on her. The rapport between Fu Xingchen and Lin Xiran was palpable, so in sync that a single glance was all they needed to understand each other. They handled the foreign businessman with practiced ease. The five-minute piece felt like a century. When it ended, her hands fell silent. As the last notes hung in the air, the conversation at the table sharpened into focus. "You two are truly a match made in heaven!" the foreign man exclaimed. He hadn't gained much of an advantage in the negotiation, but he seemed perfectly content, lavishing praise on Fu Xingchen and Lin Xiran. At the phrase "a match made in heaven," Fu Xingchen's brow furrowed slightly. But he was a foreigner, unfamiliar with the nuances of the language, and unaware of how unfitting the phrase was for them. There was no need to correct him. Lin Xiran gave a brilliant smile. "You're too kind, Mr. Mai." A bitter smile twisted Jiang Lili's lips as she pulled her gaze away from Fu Xingchen. Perhaps he found her presence humiliating. After that first glance when she walked in, he hadn't looked at her again, as if terrified that one more look would reveal to everyone that she—this embarrassment—was his wife. And though Su Youyou treasured this piano, rarely letting other pianists touch it, in the eyes of these wealthy patrons, performers like her were just entertainment—the lower class, there to serve them. She should leave. But for some reason, Jiang Lili found herself frozen, staring at Fu Xingchen as he took a drag from a cigarette, unable to stand up. It wasn't until Lin Xiran rose from her chair and walked over, wallet in hand, that she moved. A thin wad of hundred-dollar bills, at least a thousand bucks by the looks of it, was held out to her. "You played well," Lin Xiran said, her voice low. "Consider it a tip from my boyfriend and me." *My boyfriend. A tip.* The words were daggers in Jiang Lili's heart. She looked up at Lin Xiran. Beneath the woman's seemingly calm gaze was a flicker of triumph. It dawned on her then that Lin Xiran knew exactly who she was, and that the anonymous number that had sent her the video was very likely connected to her. She could endure Fu Xingchen's cold indifference, but she couldn't tolerate Lin Xiran's veiled provocations. Jiang Lili's lips parted, about to say something, when— "Still here? What are you waiting for?" Fu Xingchen's displeased voice cut through the air. He shot her a warning look. If she had any sense at all, she wouldn't have cornered him in a place like this. She should have just gone home and admitted she was wrong. His stare landed on her, and something inside Jiang Lili shifted. She took the money from Lin Xiran's hand, stood up, and left. Lin Xiran's confidence was a gift from Fu Xingchen, and that was a battle she couldn't win. There was no point in making a fool of herself for the sake of pride. Why make a scene when she could just get paid? She returned to the main hall and continued playing until her shift ended at ten. While Su Youyou went to get the car, she changed and waited by the entrance. She shoved her hands in her pockets, pulling her clothes tighter against the slight chill of the early autumn night, and stared out at the quiet street. Fu Xingchen came up from behind, stopping beside her. He took out a cigarette and stuck it between his lips. He gave her a sidelong glance. "Don't come looking for me in places like this again. If you have something to say, say it at home." Jiang Lili turned to look at him. He stood a full head taller than her. The overhead light cast a golden halo around him, sharpening the elegant lines of his handsome features. With the cigarette clenched between his teeth, his jawline was stark and defined. An air of lazy, aristocratic arrogance washed over her, and the heart that had grown so numb jolted back to life. But with that life came the pain. Maybe she was so pathetic in his eyes that he was utterly convinced she was only here for him. "You're mistaken," she said, taking a small step away to put some distance between them. "I'm here helping Youyou." *So defiant.* Fu Xingchen's gaze turned grim, and smoke curled from his thin lips. "I don't care why. You're not to come here again. Stop embarrassing me!" "Our marriage is a secret. No one knows I'm Mrs. Fu," Jiang Lili retorted, his cold words stinging her heart. "If it bothers you that much, we can get a divorce tomorrow." On the desolate night, the air between the husband and wife, who had once shared the deepest intimacy, crackled with hostility. Fu Xingchen suddenly scoffed, pressing his tongue against his cheek with a mocking amusement. "Trying to play hard to get with me? I'm not buying it. There'll come a day you'll regret this." Jiang Lili turned her head away, terrified he would see the tears welling in her eyes. Behind him, Mr. Mai emerged from the restaurant. "Mr. Fu, I hope our partnership will be a pleasant one." The sarcastic expression reserved just for Jiang Lili vanished, replaced by a warm smile for Mr. Mai. "Likewise. You should stay in the country a few more days. I'll have Xiran show you around." Mr. Mai chuckled. "I wouldn't dare steal her away from you, Mr. Fu. You should keep her for yourself!" Just then, Lin Xiran pulled up in a car. She got out, walked up the steps to stand beside Fu Xingchen, but addressed Mr. Mai. "Mr. Mai, allow me to take you back to your hotel." "I'd be honored! Thank you, Vice President Lin!" Mr. Mai said, clearly flattered. Fu Xingchen leaned in slightly toward Lin Xiran, his large hand resting on her waist as he murmured, "Be safe." Lin Xiran nodded and led Mr. Mai away. She didn't spare Jiang Lili another glance. It was as if she didn't recognize Jiang Lili in her street clothes, or perhaps she was deliberately pretending not to. Jiang Lili watched their retreating backs, her lips pressed into a thin line.