A soft knock echoed at the door. "Young Master," came the voice of Butler Fu from the hallway. Lu Hanting’s thin lips parted slightly. "Enter." Butler Fu pushed the door open. "Young Master, the Young Mistress… what are your instructions?" Lu Hanting stood by the bed, an imposing figure at well over six feet tall. He wore a simple white shirt and black trousers, yet the expensive, custom-tailored fabric accentuated his lean, elegant frame and gave him an air of extraordinary distinction. Lu Hanting’s gaze was lowered, his fingers expertly toying with a gleaming silver cufflink on his sleeve. He shot a careless glance at Xia Xiyuan. "I suppose you don't know, but we keep two wolves in the backyard of Youlan Garden. Perhaps... we should toss you in as their next meal?" Xia Xiyuan’s heart clenched. This marriage had been arranged by the previous generation, linking the four great families of Haicheng: the Lu, the Gu, the Huo, and the Su. The young master of the Lu family was said to be a man of immense power, a legendary business magnate—the youngest and most handsome of his generation. But no one had ever seen his face; he was shrouded in mystery. Youlan Garden was located in a remote area and certainly didn't look like the estate of a wealthy clan. The Xia family had investigated it, only to find an old woman and her grandson living there—the very grandson from the legends. Li Yulan's greatest ambition was to marry her two daughters into Haicheng’s four great families. The reality of Youlan Garden had made her so furious she wanted to dig up the Xia family's ancestral graves and demand an explanation for this cursed engagement. Li Yulan refused to let her own daughter marry into such a place, but Xia Zhenguo, a man bound by tradition and filial piety, was unwilling to break the engagement set by his elders. Since her own daughter was out of the question, Li Yulan’s thoughts had turned to Xia Xiyuan. And so, she had been brought back to be the substitute bride. Based on this, Xia Xiyuan had assumed the man before her was no one of importance, but now, she was filled with doubt. Every gesture of the man before her radiated a commanding, almost contemptuous, authority. A cold, noble grace emanated from his very bones, like a king issuing decrees, compelling an instinctual urge to submit. And he kept wolves in his backyard. Wolves. That was not a pastime for an ordinary man. Xia Xiyuan was about to speak when the man suddenly braced his hands on the table, his handsome features contorting in a mask of pain. The butler's face drained of color. "Young Master, I'll call the doctor right away!" Xia Xiyuan’s clear eyes drifted downward. The veins on the hands he had planted on the table were bulging violently, the clear sign of an attack. He was ill? And it was a terrifying illness. Just then, her gaze met his—a pair of narrow, bloodshot eyes. Lu Hanting turned his head to look at her, but his words were for the butler. "Get her out!" The butler spoke urgently, "Young Mistress, please, you should leave now." Xia Xiyuan knew she couldn't leave. She had returned to the Xia family with a purpose, and she needed the identity of the bride of Youlan Garden to achieve it. Her gaze, clear and unwavering, met Lu Hanting’s. "You're ill. What is it? I have some knowledge of medicine, and I'm skilled in acupuncture. I can treat you." Lu Hanting’s lips pressed into a thin, grim line. A single word rumbled from his throat, "Out." Not only did Xia Xiyuan not leave, but she stepped closer. "Earlier, I smelled the scent of lily, poria, and gastrodia on you, among other medicinal herbs. Those are all used to treat… insomnia. If I'm not mistaken, you suffer from a severe sleep disorder. You can't sleep at night." The butler stared at Xia Xiyuan in shock. "Young Mistress, you…" Xia Xiyuan’s luminous eyes remained fixed on Lu Hanting's handsome face. "How advanced is your disorder? Once it reaches a certain stage, it severely impacts one's mental state. Your body is pushed to the brink of exhaustion but finds no rest, no release. It's like another self begins to live inside you—a darker self, one that is brooding, volatile, terrifying… almost pathological." The corners of Lu Hanting’s narrow eyes grew redder, a shadow of torment settling over his brow. "Young Mistress, stop provoking him!" the butler pleaded, looking ready to intervene. With a swift turn of her wrist, Xia Xiyuan plunged a silver needle into an acupressure point on Lu Hanting's body. His hands went slack, and he sank onto the sofa. Xia Xiyuan gasped for breath. She had not returned this time only to lose her life here. For a moment, she had been truly afraid. The man before her was too dangerous. His mysterious identity aside, the sleep disorder alone could transform him from an elegant, noble gentleman into a monster at any moment. But she had no other choice. This was her only gambit. Taking a moment to steady her breathing, Xia Xiyuan moved behind him. She lifted her slender, pale fingers to his temples and began to massage them gently. Lu Hanting closed his handsome eyes, hiding the crimson hue within. "Is this your treatment? A massage?" "You ought to be pleased with yourself. You're the first man I've ever massaged." "As if you're not the first woman who's had the privilege." "..." So much for conversation. "Let me stay. We can coexist peacefully. You don't ask about my private affairs, and I'll help you keep up appearances for your grandmother. I can also treat your insomnia. What do you say?" Lu Hanting didn't answer. As Xia Xiyuan slid a long, thin needle into a point on his head, his eyes closed completely, and his head lolled back against the sofa. She quickly reached out, her hands gently and tenderly catching his handsome face as he slumped over. He was asleep. The butler stood to one side, his forehead beaded with a cold sweat. Others might not know his Young Master's identity, but he did. This was the heir of the Lu family, a true prodigy who had dominated the business world since his teens, single-handedly forging the Lu Corporation legend. No one had ever dared to… negotiate with his Young Master like this, let alone a young woman. All the girls who had been fortunate enough to meet him had stars in their eyes, filled with adoration and a desperate longing to throw themselves into his arms. But this new Young Mistress was so different. She remained calm, poised, and intelligent, even when facing him during one of his episodes. Even more astonishingly, the Young Master had actually fallen asleep! He hadn't been able to sleep for so long! The specialists they had consulted were top-ranked experts from around the world, but none of their treatments had worked. Yet, here he was, asleep in the Young Mistress's hands. "Young Mistress…" the butler began. Xia Xiyuan raised a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture. "Shh. You can go. I'll stay here with him." For some reason, the butler felt a reassuring strength emanating from her. He obeyed, quietly backing out of the room. ... Silence filled the room. Xia Xiyuan let him rest against her hands for a while, waiting until he was in a deep sleep before gently laying his head back on the sofa. Then she covered him with a blanket. With that done, Xia Xiyuan lay down on the bed, still fully clothed, and drifted off to sleep. A while later, Lu Hanting’s eyes slowly opened. He was awake. He rose from the sofa and walked to the bed. He reached out, his long fingers moving to lift the veil from Xia Xiyuan's face.