Chapter 3: Chapter One

The banquet held at Han Ze’s restaurant was grand, organized by the Jiang Corporation to celebrate the groundbreaking of its technology park in Suzhou, mainland China. This billion-renminbi investment expanded the Jiang Corporation’s business footprint and put its CEO, Jiang Jie, on the mainland’s radar—he was no longer just a dream man for women in Taiwan, but also a sexual fantasy for women across the strait.

Jiang Jie was a rugged, sun-tanned, strikingly handsome man with a solid, athletic build that inspired absolute trust in women. Though his dark eyes and ultra-short, marine-style haircut gave off an intimidating, dangerous aura, any woman with discernment knew this man was a rare gem.

As host of the banquet, Jiang Jie dutifully greeted guests, yet felt profoundly bored. Lately, he kept asking himself: What else is there for a man to pursue beyond his career?

He didn’t need to chase women—women came to him willingly—so he gained no sense of accomplishment from them. Add to that the blow Yu Siqu had dealt him, and he still didn’t understand women—or rather, he disliked them. He slept with women and went out with them, but to him, their function ended there. Nothing more—until—

He saw the girl at the bar, wearing a silver strapless evening gown. He called her a girl, not a woman, because she looked young, clean, untouched by the world’s corruption.

She was a breathtakingly beautiful woman—tall, elegant, with a flawless figure and an innocent smile that made men’s hearts race. Her body, sculpted as if by a master’s hand, seemed like a spirit fallen to earth, draped in that gown. Not just Jiang Jie noticed her—he was sure everyone’s gaze had shifted to her.

Jiang Jie was no man to waste time. He set down his glass, strode toward her with confidence, radiating an air of absolute certainty.

Bai Ziling tried to remain calm. She knew the man approaching her was Jiang Jie—the host of this banquet—and without Chang Weiwei’s help, she wouldn’t have had an invitation.

Han Ze, who had business ties with Jiang Jie, was also in attendance. He winked at her when he saw the scene, as if the whole world knew Bai Ziling was determined to land a Jin Guixu.

“I’m Jiang Jie,” he said, placing his glass on the bar counter.

Bai Ziling replied calmly, “I know.”

“What’s your name?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Bai Ziling.”

“Which company or organization are you with?”

Bai Ziling smiled. “Neither.”

“Then how did you get an invitation?”

“A friend gave it to me.”

“So…” Jiang Jie smirked, deliberately scanning her from head to toe, as if categorizing her, as if guessing her motive.

“I’m just here to see the scene. Honestly, I don’t know anything about the Jiang Corporation,” Bai Ziling said without pretense. She truly didn’t understand—let alone that she hadn’t even graduated college; even during her time at university, she’d just been killing time, learning nothing.

“You’re honest.”

Jiang Jie rarely gave women high praise, but this girl gave him a decent impression. Besides her beauty and figure, she had a touch of self-awareness. He despised women who were arrogant, clueless about their own worth.

“Do you have plans later?” Jiang Jie asked directly.

“You’re asking that…”

“Let’s go somewhere else.”

She frowned. “Why change places?”

“Whatever we want to do, we do,” he said.

“Jiang Jie…” She used his name outright, regardless of his title. “You need to understand one thing—I’m not one of those girls who sells herself.”

“I never said you were,” he replied coolly.

“Then your suggestion—”

“Did I say I wanted to sleep with you?” he countered.

“But you said ‘change places’…” She grew irritated. “And ‘whatever we want to do’—that kind of implication… do you think I’m stupid enough not to get it?”

“Bai Ziling…” He used her name too. “Some things happen naturally. You don’t need to overthink. Don’t assume I’ll drag you somewhere and suddenly go wild, ripping off your clothes to satisfy my lust. Have you been reading too many strange books or watching too many movies?”

Hearing this, Bai Ziling suddenly realized she’d overreacted.

“Sorry. I guess I’m not a universal magnet—I don’t have deadly charm!” She made a dry joke of herself. “I have plans later.”

“You have plans?!” He sounded genuinely surprised.

“Can’t I have plans?”

“I ask you out and you say you have plans?!” He couldn’t accept it.

“Jiang Jie, you’re not Tom Cruise or Kim Joo-hyuk. Do I have to cancel everything I’ve planned just because you invited me?” Bai Ziling didn’t want him to think she was the type to accept any invitation. “You’re popular, but I’m not that desperate.”

She had truly caught Jiang Jie’s attention. Whether she was playing hard to get or inflating her value, this sensual goddess had left a deep impression.

“When are you free?” he asked more politely.

“I’ll have to check my calendar,” she said with a faint, teasing smile.

“So busy?”

“These days, idle people get mocked.”

“Give me your phone number. I’ll call you later.” Jiang Jie didn’t pressure her. He wanted to see how she’d play this.

Bai Ziling glanced at him, then opened her small pearl-handled purse on the bar, pulled out a lipstick, twisted off the cap, grabbed a napkin, and wrote her mobile number on it in red. She slid it toward him.

“Mobile number?” Jiang Jie frowned. “What about your home address?”

“This is enough. My phone can be turned off—if I don’t want to be disturbed…” Bai Ziling’s expression turned haughty.

“You’re unusual,” Jiang Jie said, slipping the napkin into his pocket. “I hope this isn’t a fake number.”

“I never give fake numbers.”

“I might not call,” Jiang Jie suddenly said. “I’m lazy. I usually avoid anything too troublesome.”

“Do as you like!” Bai Ziling was willing to gamble—see if she could lure a big fish with a long line.

“Bai Ziling, you’re either too clever or too naive.”

“I’ve always been scatterbrained,” she smiled.

“Let the facts prove it.”

Di Zhiwei walked into his cousin Jiang Jie’s office. Usually carefree and irreverent, he now looked sorrowful and serious, his handsome, charismatic face devoid of its usual mischievous grin.

“Grandfather’s gone to meet God!” Di Zhiwei blurted. “Uncle called from overseas.”

Jiang Jie looked up from an investment report. He’d never been close to his grandfather. In fact, none of the cousins were. The old stubborn man had always favored his son, treated his daughters as burdens, and cared little for his grandchildren.

Especially after Grandfather and Uncle moved to America, contact dwindled. The generation before—his mother’s—still kept in touch. But by their generation, they barely saw each other except for birthday calls every few years.

“How old was Grandfather?” Jiang Jie asked practically.

“Eighty-something.”

“Then… it’s a natural death.” Jiang Jie felt a pang of sadness, but to claim deep grief would be excessive.

“I heard Uncle’s coming back to Taiwan for the funeral.”

“Leaves return to their roots,” Jiang Jie said knowingly.

Di Zhiwei pulled over a swivel chair with his foot and sat down in front of Jiang Jie’s desk. His expression turned serious, tinged with suspicion. “There’s something interesting.”

“What?”

“Grandfather’s will.”

“Oh.” Jiang Jie gave a half-hearted reply, not really caring. He was already rich—he didn’t care what his grandfather left him.

“Don’t you want to know?” Di Zhiwei said, deflated.

“Not really.”

“Each grandson gets five hundred million. Each granddaughter gets fifty million.”

“Grandfather’s always been Grandfather…” Jiang Jie couldn’t help sneering. “Even in his will, he discriminates by gender. If our cousins had any pride, they’d just refuse—”

“Cousin, to get five hundred million, there’s a condition. Fifty million comes with no strings.” Di Zhiwei smiled bitterly. “Grandfather wasn’t easy. Alive, he tormented us. Dead, he still can.”

“What condition?”

“Marriage.”

“You mean…”

“If you’re unmarried, you get nothing—not even five yuan.” Di Zhiwei, the playboy, looked troubled. Freedom meant everything to him. He loved women, but marriage repelled him. Yet five hundred million… was fatally tempting.

“Grandfather wants us to get married?” Jiang Jie wasn’t concerned.

“It seems so.”

“Lose freedom for five hundred million…” He shook his head. “I’d rather stay single. Let him take the money to his coffin.”

“Cousin, I know you’re rich, but five hundred million isn’t small change!” Di Zhiwei gritted his teeth.

“If you need it, get married.”

“I don’t want to marry!”

“Then forget it.” Jiang Jie shrugged indifferently.

“Jiang Jie!” Di Zhiwei couldn’t hold back. “Stop acting like this is none of your business! Five hundred million! With the economy this bad, that’s enough to live comfortably for generations. Don’t treat it like nothing!”

Jiang Jie shrugged. “Then fake-marry.”

“No. The will clearly states the woman must get pregnant before Uncle transfers the money to our accounts.” Di Zhiwei sighed.

“Then fake-pregnancy.”

“Cousin—”

“I think Grandfather’s just bored!” Jiang Jie said bluntly. “He wants to use his money to control and torment us. So five hundred million—”

“Cousin, have you still not gotten over Yu Siqu’s rejection?” Di Zhiwei asked cautiously.

“It has nothing to do with her!” Jiang Jie looked at him with arrogant indifference. “I admit I don’t understand women. I hate lifelong commitments to them. That’s why I won’t marry.”

“But we need women.”

“Yes—but we don’t have to be chained to them for life!” Jiang Jie’s face shut down. “This investment report is important. Have you finished talking?”

“You’re really not tempted?”

“Not interested.”

“If a good candidate appears—”

“A woman is just a woman!” Jiang Jie grinned at him. “You don’t need to raise a cow just to drink milk. Milk’s everywhere these days. Don’t be silly.”

Jiang Jie never made the first move to meet Bai Ziling again. Their next encounter was pure coincidence. Lei Hanyu, a banking magnate, threw a birthday party for his wife, Xia Zhen, and sent out many invitations. Due to financial ties, Jiang Jie attended—and saw Bai Ziling again.

She wore the same silver Versace strapless evening gown, just as stunning, just as magnetic.

But Bai Ziling’s reaction was completely different. Seeing him, she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it—or vanish from the earth. She felt utterly humiliated.

Because she was wearing the same dress again.

And because—he never called to invite her, as if he had no interest in her at all, which shattered her feminine dignity, so she wanted to leave.

Bai Ziling scanned the crowd for Xia Zhen’s figure, thinking that if she could just greet her, she could slip away. Chang Weiwei was at home resting, Sima Xingchen was traveling in Italy, and she, alone and isolated, felt profoundly insecure—so fleeing was her only option.

But Jiang Jie blocked her path, standing squarely before her with a confident smile.

“We meet again,” he said with a smile.

“Yeah! What a coincidence,” she replied awkwardly.

“Today you’re…”

“Xia Zhen is my close friend—we’ve been inseparable since childhood. You don’t think I’m just here to mooch free food, do you?” She overreacted, but felt she had to clarify.

“Bai Ziling, I wasn’t implying anything…”

“I’m saying it myself, so no one misunderstands.”

Jiang Jie knew she was angry, so he stayed silent, afraid of saying the wrong thing and making her angrier. He studied her elegant, refined attire with his eyes instead of words.

But Bai Ziling misinterpreted again. “It’s the same one as last time. You don’t need to stare—I bought this secondhand dress for forty-five thousand yuan. I have to wear it a few times to get my money’s worth!” She didn’t want to pretend to be a rich girl, so she spoke plainly.

“It’s beautiful, this dress…”

“I’m not some rich heiress or refined lady—I’m currently unemployed. So what?!” She snapped, like a hedgehog bristling.

“Bai Ziling, what’s wrong with you?” Jiang Jie asked, puzzled.

“I’m just making things clear.”

“Clear about what?” He didn’t understand.

“I…”

His gaze swept over her entire figure, her delicate face, leaving nothing unexamined. A faint smile curled his lips—and this reaction stirred in Bai Ziling a sudden urge to slap that smile off his face.

“Jiang Jie, can you please get out of my way?” She had already given up on him—his success rate was zero.

“Where are you in such a hurry to go?”

“It’s none of your business!”

“Last time we didn’t manage to meet—you seemed so busy…”

“No! You never invited me at all.”

“I was busy,” he explained, forgetting whether he’d invited her or not seemed perfectly normal.

“Then forget it,” she saw through him.

“But now…” Jiang Jie’s gaze was intense, his tone commanding, resolute, leaving no room for refusal. “We’re both free.”

“No! You’re free—I have another appointment soon,” Bai Ziling refused. “You’ll make me late.”

“President Jiang,” Xia Zhen had appeared before them without notice. “It seems I don’t need to introduce you two—you already know each other!”

“Mrs. Lei, I didn’t know you had such a beautiful close friend,” Jiang Jie said politely.

“Just call me Xia Zhen.”

“Then call me Jiang Jie—‘President’ sounds too formal.”

“Ziling is one of my closest friends—a highly sought-after single woman. Sometimes I envy her,” Xia Zhen winked at Bai Ziling. “No family burdens, no troublesome husband or son, free and unbound at all times.”

“I think it’s Miss Bai who envies you—for such a wonderful husband and such a thoughtful son,” Jiang Jie comforted her.

“You two chat longer—I’ll take my leave,” Bai Ziling interjected with a forced smile.

“Ziling, where are you going?” Xia Zhen asked, confused.

“I’m going to…”

“Miss Bai seems to be avoiding me?” Jiang Jie challenged her with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t know what I did to offend you.”

“No way!” Xia Zhen shot a reproachful look at Bai Ziling.

“Xia Zhen, you don’t understand…”

“Jiang Jie, this girl has no guile—she’s always been blunt and straightforward. If she’s offended you, don’t hold it against her. Spend time with her, and you’ll learn her nature,” Xia Zhen made her matchmaking intent obvious.

Bai Ziling glared at Xia Zhen. Now she understood what forced salesmanship and forced luck felt like—Jiang Jie was probably laughing at them both in his mind.

“Xia Zhen, I really have something to do!” Bai Ziling snapped.

“Let me take you,” Jiang Jie immediately replied.

“No need!”

“Ziling, since Jiang Jie is free, let him drive you,” Xia Zhen urged, nudging her. Among the four of them, Ziling was the most eager and ambitious to land a Jin Guixu—so why, when the chance finally arrived, was she slamming the door shut?!

"I'm more than happy to!" Jiang Jie smiled at Bai Ziling with a challenging glance.