Chapter 1: My Lover Was Beaten

"Have you heard? The top star of the Caron Club has been taken off the market. Just a couple of days ago, someone gifted them a limited edition Lamborghini and 9,999 roses—so extravagant."

"What a romantic gesture, but that star has so many admirers. It’s not like just anyone can win them over, no matter how hard they try. Who could it be?"

"No one knows. It's all quite mysterious. But speaking of that top star, they're really stunning."

At the next table, the conversation was lively, with everyone critiquing the star’s looks.

Lin Wanbai sipped her orange juice through a straw, listening in with quiet curiosity. She was a lady of leisure, a full-time housewife now, and, to be honest, she’d been a pampered heiress with nothing to do even before marriage.

It was the weekend, and she’d arranged to meet her girlfriends for a quiet afternoon at the bar. By chance, she overheard the hottest gossip—about herself.

She glanced at her watch. Liang Zhixia was running late; just as she was about to call and hurry her along, her phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Miss Lin Wanbai?"

"Yes, this is she."

"Your boyfriend has been badly injured and taken to the hospital. Could you come over?"

Boyfriend? This had to be a scam.

"Boyfriend? Who is this?"

"Ye Run."

Oh, the top star of Caron.

...

Lin Wanbai hurried to the hospital. Ye Run was still in the emergency room, so she inquired about his condition and went to wait nearby.

The emergency department was bustling. She kept backing away until she found herself standing in the corridor. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone sitting at the far end—a figure that seemed oddly familiar. She looked more closely, and as if sensing her gaze, the person turned slightly, meeting her eyes.

When she saw his face clearly, Lin Wanbai unconsciously straightened, holding her breath.

It was Fu Juxing—her lawful husband.

A man stood beside him, likely his assistant.

Lin Wanbai hesitated a moment, then decided to approach. Since they’d already run into each other, she couldn’t just ignore him.

The assistant noticed her and greeted her politely, "Mrs. Fu."

She nodded. "Yes."

The assistant then excused himself, leaving space for the two of them.

Lin Wanbai glanced over at Fu Juxing.

He wore a dark suit and black shirt, no tie, the collar slightly open to reveal a hint of his collarbone. His hair was a bit tousled, his expression cold and unreadable, the sharp lines of his face making him seem especially distant, almost forbidding.

His hands rested on his knees, and the ring on his fourth finger remained—a clear mark of his married status. There was a faint cut on the back of his hand, the blood already dried.

Lin Wanbai thought of Ye Run, still lying in the emergency room, and paused for a moment.

She quickly regained her composure and sat down beside Fu Juxing. "What a coincidence, running into you at the hospital. Are you the one who’s ill, or is it your lover?"

Her tone was light, a smile on her lips, casual and relaxed, with just a hint of teasing. The chaos of the emergency room seemed very far away.

Fu Juxing turned his gaze toward her, his eyes dark as night, studying her intently, his emotions unreadable.

"And you?" he replied, answering her question with one of his own. His voice was calm, neither loud nor soft, but carried an undeniable weight.

Lin Wanbai's lashes fluttered. She always dressed up meticulously, but today she’d been lazy—no makeup, dark circles under her eyes from sleepless nights, a few pimples, her outfit casual, hair pulled back in a ponytail, making her look like a college girl who hadn’t quite grown up.

She hadn’t expected to meet him here, nor that after three months of leaving home, their next encounter would be in such circumstances.

"My lover was beaten up," she replied, meeting his gaze steadily, deliberately emphasizing the word "lover."