Chapter 1: There Will Never Be an Engagement Ceremony Again

Before the engagement ceremony even began, Tang Yu received a call from someone claiming to be a lawyer.

She was being sued for bigamy.

Tang Yu immediately flew into a rage.

“I just got engaged today! What bigamy are you talking about?! You damn scammer from northern Myanmar!”

“Mrs. Lou, this is not a scam call. Your marriage certificate with Mr. Lou has been authenticated by the embassy…”

Clearly a liar, yet he spoke with such detail and conviction that Tang Yu angrily hung up and blocked the number.

She was just about to get engaged—how could there be any bigamy?

What terrible luck!

No sooner had she hung up than Zhou Ruancheng entered. Tang Yu turned to him with a beaming smile.

“Acheng, do I look good?” she spun around for him.

The wedding dress was custom-made, its scattered diamonds sparkling under the light. Tang Yu looked exactly like a princess from a fairy tale.

But Zhou Ruancheng only glanced at her perfunctorily.

Though Tang Yu was tall and beautiful, with a curvaceous figure, Zhou Ruancheng had no interest in admiring her beauty.

Seeing his expression, Tang Yu’s heart sank, her smile fading.

It was all too familiar.

At their last engagement ceremony, he wore the same expression—canceling everything without a word and leaving her to clean up the mess alone.

“Acheng—”

“Tang Yu, the engagement is off. Go explain to the guests. I’ll apologize to your parents later and arrange a more grand ceremony.”

“Zhou Ruancheng!”

With that, Zhou Ruancheng left hastily, not giving Tang Yu a chance to speak.

She watched the door to the lounge where he had disappeared, filled with disappointment and sorrow, a huge emptiness growing in her heart.

All because of his childhood sweetheart.

If she was so important, why didn’t he just marry her outright? Was dangling Tang Yu like a toy really that fun?

Tears slipped from Tang Yu’s reddened eyes as she nervously but calmly called Zhou Ruancheng.

But he refused to answer.

Tang Yu then sent him a message—

“If you don’t come back, there will never be another engagement ceremony between us!”

Scrolling through the past year’s messages, she saw it was all her reaching out, while he replied with perfunctory “okay” or “hmm.” Her passion was met with indifference.

They had been together for three years; he hadn’t always been like this.

In the beginning, he was like any other boyfriend—always responding, never neglecting her.

Since his childhood sweetheart’s breakup and suicide two years ago, he kept running back to her side. Now he didn’t even have time for dinner with Tang Yu, barely a passing word.

What did she even mean to him now?

Waiting and waiting, her messages vanished into silence.

Just like that, he was gone.

Finally, Tang Yu forced herself to give up on the stubborn hope and decided to let go.

Zhou Ruancheng, there will never be another engagement ceremony between us. I hope that satisfies you.

Collecting herself, Tang Yu changed out of her wedding dress and left the hotel.

Perhaps this was exactly what he had been waiting for—to see her give up on him and his childhood sweetheart.

With no sight of the couple, the emcee came looking for them but found only the abandoned wedding dress on the floor.

What was going on?

On a remote, quiet asphalt road with little traffic, Tang Yu drove wildly, her vision blurred with tears.

Her phone screen kept flashing with incoming messages.

But Tang Yu knew none were from Zhou Ruancheng.

He wouldn’t be distracted when he was with his childhood sweetheart.

Through the tears clouding her eyes, suddenly a Maybach appeared beside her car, blocking her path and steering her toward the undeveloped sandy land.

Tang Yu’s anger had nowhere to go. She slammed the wheel toward the Maybach and pressed the accelerator to the floor, aiming to hit it head-on.

The Maybach was expensive—but she wasn’t cheap either!

Tang Yu’s main job was a financial reporter, with several side gigs, including an amateur racer.

However, because Zhou Ruancheng disliked her taking dangerous risks, she hadn’t raced in nearly two years.

But the more thrilling, the better for venting emotions; racing was one of her outlets.

Since she was done with Zhou Ruancheng, she was determined to play again.

In the end, Tang Yu won against the Maybach!

The driver was a young man who couldn’t accept defeat and threatened to call the police, accusing Tang Yu of hitting his car.

Feeling cursed, Tang Yu thought whoever chose this engagement date clearly had no regard for her wellbeing.

Could such a day ever be lucky?

At the police station, Tang Yu finished her statement and waited for the young man to come out to discuss compensation.

While waiting, a tall, imposing and handsome man entered through the door.

Casually, Tang Yu looked up and instantly couldn’t look away; the police station suddenly seemed less dull and serious.

His appearance, height, build, and aura perfectly struck a chord deep within Tang Yu’s heart—more so than Zhou Ruancheng. Her favorability meter shot through the roof.

Lou Xizhou cast a guarded, inscrutable glance at Tang Yu and walked in steadily.

Soon he led the young man out, with a policeman beside him guiding the way to Tang Yu.

“Miss Tang, Mr. Lou is his guardian. You two will handle the compensation yourselves. Once agreed, just sign and you may leave,” the policeman said, then walked away.

Tang Yu knew the young man must come from a wealthy family to drive a Maybach, but she hadn’t expected such a young and handsome father.

Unfortunately, he seemed to care for appearance but not discipline.

Lou Xizhou took a black business card with gold trim from his suit pocket. His long fingers pinched a corner as he handed it to her.

“Miss Tang, this is my card.” Then he glanced briefly at the young man beside him. “Lou Huainan.”

Just for negotiating compensation, she hadn’t expected such formality. Tang Yu stood and took the card.

But she didn’t look at it, slipping it casually into a pocket.

“Brother, I’m truly sorry!” Lou Huainan bowed deeply and respectfully to Tang Yu.

Tang Yu disliked people who deliberately ram their luxury cars into others. She said coolly, “Be more careful next time.”

Seeing her displeasure, Lou Xizhou motioned for Lou Huainan to leave.

“You’ve probably been briefed on what happened, Mr. Lou?” Tang Yu glanced at Lou Huainan’s tall, slender back.

Lou Xizhou’s deep eyes remained fixed on her as he nodded.

“I’m sorry for the trouble caused to Miss Tang. I will educate him more strictly to prevent future harm to society. I’ll take full responsibility for Miss Tang’s car—how about I replace it with a new one?”

Hearing this, Tang Yu looked at him but quickly averted her gaze.

He spoke properly and looked sincere, yet meeting his eyes made her oddly uneasy.

His gaze wasn’t sharp but felt unfathomably deep—almost tender—making her heart race and breath short.

She, a woman freshly heartbroken, was inexplicably flustered by a stranger. It was totally inappropriate!

But to be fair, just standing there, this man forced anyone to struggle helplessly under his damn masculine charm.

His allure was overwhelming.

Elegant and measured, his demeanor was fully embodied in their brief exchange.

This man was not someone ordinary like her to be involved with—just admire from afar.

“No need. Whatever compensation is due, I’ll accept it.”

Tang Yu didn’t want to stay alone with him longer. Just as she was about to say she was in a hurry, her phone rang.

Lou Xizhou glanced at the caller ID and answered.

“Mr. Lou, Mrs. Lou has blocked me,” came a plaintive voice.