Autumn, 2015. Xia Xiwan was on a train pulling away from the countryside, bound for the city of Haicheng. She had been cast off to the countryside at the age of nine, summoned back only now for a single purpose: the Xia family needed a daughter to marry into the Youlan Yuan estate. The Xia family had two daughters, neither of whom was willing to marry. So they recalled the one they had fostered in the countryside to take their place. Xia Xiwan was settled in her sleeper berth, engrossed in a book, when the door was suddenly thrown open. A blast of frigid air rushed in, carrying with it the cloying, metallic scent of blood. Xia Xiwan looked up just in time to see a tall, well-built figure stumble in from the corridor and collapse. Unconscious. Moments later, several men in black stormed in. “Boss, no one’s here. Let’s send him straight to hell.” “Who said no one’s here?” The leader, a man with a prominent scar on his face, turned his gaze to Xia Xiwan. Xia Xiwan hadn't anticipated such a sudden turn of events. The man who had collapsed in her compartment had brought a lethal danger with him. The scarred man's eyes were filled with a murderous intent; he clearly meant to leave no witnesses. Without betraying her thoughts, Xia Xiwan glanced at the weapons in their hands, then quickly adopted a look of terror. “Please, don’t hurt me,” she pleaded, her voice trembling. “I didn’t see anything.” The scarred man stepped forward, studying her face. She wore a veil that obscured her features, but her almond-shaped eyes were visible. They were incredibly clear, and with just a flicker of her gaze, they held an enchanting allure. The scarred man had never seen such captivating eyes. He was mesmerized. That, combined with the fact that he hadn't been with a woman in days, sparked a vile idea in his mind. “Well now, little beauty,” he sneered. “We can let you live... but first, you have to take good care of me and my boys.” Xia Xiwan’s long lashes fluttered. “I don't want to die,” she whispered, sounding utterly helpless. “I'm so scared... As long as you don't hurt me, I'll… I'll do whatever you want.” The girl’s soft, pliant plea was all it took. The scarred man lunged, pinning her beneath him. “You go first, Boss. We’ll finish this guy off, then the rest of us can have some fun.” Amidst the lewd laughter and the promise of a soft woman, the scarred man set his weapon aside and reached for the buttons of her blouse. But in the next instant, a slender white hand shot out and clamped around his wrist. The man looked up, his eyes meeting hers again. The panic was gone, replaced by a cold, splintered light. “You—!” Before he could speak, Xia Xiwan moved with swift precision, plunging a silver needle from her hand deep into a pressure point on his head. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the floor. “Boss!” The other men in black started forward in shock, but at that moment, the man on the floor suddenly opened his eyes. In a fluid motion, he snatched a weapon from one of the assailants. One by one, the men in black fell to the ground. It was over in the blink of an eye. Xia Xiwan sat up. She had known all along the man was only feigning unconsciousness; the blood on him belonged to someone else. She met the man's gaze. He was watching her with narrow, incredibly deep-set eyes, sharp as a hawk's. They held a darkness that felt like twin abysses, threatening to pull in anyone who dared to look too long. “Young Master, we’re late.” Reinforcements had arrived and began to efficiently clean up the scene. A trusted subordinate handed the man a clean handkerchief. He elegantly wiped his hands, then, with a steady gait, walked over to Xia Xiwan. His long, well-defined fingers closed around her delicate chin. He narrowed his eyes, studying her with a playful curiosity. His voice was low and magnetic. “Now, what do you think I should do with you?” Her chin was trapped by the calloused pads of his fingers, forcing her to look up at him. He was tall and imposing, strikingly handsome, with an aura as powerful and cold as the dead of night. He had wiped his hands, but she could still smell the metallic tang of blood on him, mingled with a chilling aura of violence. She had seen too much. Getting away clean would be difficult. This man was dangerous. *Smack!* Xia Xiwan slapped his hand away. “How dare you!” she declared, her voice firm. “I am the bride of Youlan Yuan!” The bride of Youlan Yuan? The man arched a brow. Interesting. *His*… bride? “You’re from Haicheng, aren’t you? Then you must have heard that a daughter of the Xia family is marrying into Youlan Yuan. The whole city is talking about this wedding. *I* am that bride. If something were to happen to me, do you think you could avoid an even bigger mess? Let me go. I saw nothing, and I’ll say nothing!” Xia Xiwan had to thank her stepmother, Li Yulan, for this. Li Yulan had forced her to take a cheap train back to Haicheng, but she had orchestrated an extravagant, city-wide spectacle of a wedding to boost her own reputation. A Xia daughter marrying into Youlan Yuan was the biggest piece of gossip in Haicheng. Xia Xiwan was betting that this man would want to avoid the trouble. The man watched her with amusement. He'd been ambushed by business rivals who'd hired killers, and running into this girl was an unexpected complication. She couldn't be more than twenty. Though her face was pale and her clothes disheveled, her clear eyes shone with a bright, sharp intelligence. And most importantly, she was his bride. The man withdrew his gaze and left with his men. The tension drained from Xia Xiwan's clenched fists as her fingers slowly uncurled. Just then, the man paused and looked back at her. His lips formed words she could easily read: “We’ll be seeing each other soon.” … Ligong Manor. The Xia family wedding was being held here today. In the bridal suite, Xia Xiaodie sneered at her half-sister, Xia Xiwan. “Your mother died when you were nine. Then you pushed Grandpa down the stairs with your own two hands. Even the fortune-teller said you were a jinx, so Dad sent you away. If they didn't need you to come back for this, you'd be rotting in the countryside for the rest of your life. So you better know your place. You're not some pampered Xia family princess. You're just a dog they keep!” Xia Xiwan, sitting before the dressing table, replied calmly, “And who is this dog barking at?” Xia Xiaodie planted her hands on her hips. “The dog is barking at you!” A small smile touched Xia Xiwan’s lips. “I know. So you can stop now.” Only then did Xia Xiaodie realize she'd been tricked. She glared at Xia Xiwan's clear, almond-shaped eyes. Her sister had worn a veil ever since she returned, but the eyes it revealed were enough to suggest a breathtaking beauty. A wave of jealousy washed over Xia Xiaodie. She wanted nothing more than to gouge those eyes out. How could this country bumpkin possibly be beautiful? It had to be a trick. She was probably just an ugly girl hiding her face! “Xiwan, it's time! We must go!” Just then, Xia Zhenguo and Li Yulan entered, followed by a group of distinguished guests.