Chapter 2

Bai Yin descended the spiral staircase and entered the luxurious living room where her sister Su Anning was complaining to their mother about her.

"She's really cunning!" Su Anning exclaimed.

"Look at her Weibo followers, she gained 500,000 overnight!"

"That fan dance even made it to the trending list!"

Su Anning was so upset that she cried.

"She's a despicable person, just like her mother!" Zou Meizhi, the mother, was also angry because her daughter's program had caused her to lose face. "She made a fool of us by acting ugly!"

"Mom, tell Dad to send her back to the countryside! I don't want to see her again!"

Zou Meizhi calmed down and reassured Su Anning, "Forget it, she's going to get married anyway. It won't affect your career no matter what she does."

Because of Bai Yin's actions, Su Anning had become wary of her. "Mom, do you think she really would willingly replace me in a political marriage? Or is it just another one of her schemes?"

Zou Meizhi replied coldly, "She promised to marry into the Qin family herself. We brought her back to the Su family from the countryside to help her grandmother with her illness. She can't back out now!"

Su Anning was worried. "But if she does back out, then I would be the one in the political marriage."

"Don't worry, you're your father's biological daughter. He won't let you sacrifice your career like that, even if it means being a political pawn."

"But Bai Yin is also his biological daughter!"

"That's different. You're the one I gave birth to."

Zou Meizhi's expression became smug, as she remembered how she had fought and defeated Su Anning's father's fragile first wife for six years, which had led to her current status and family.

"Besides, even if she gets married, my daughter can only marry Chen Huaixiao, not that useless playboy Qin Jue."

When she heard Chen Huaixiao's name, Su Anning's face flushed. Every woman in the northern city wanted to marry him.

A year ago, Su Anning had met Chen Huaixiao at a charity event. Since then, his handsome and aloof face had been engraved in her mind, and she couldn't forget him. Yes, if she ever got married, it would have to be to Chen Huaixiao.

The Su family had tried to make overtures to the Chen family for a political marriage, but they had been rejected, specifically by Chen Huaixiao. He had no intention of getting married.

Bai Yin wasn't interested in the conversation between the mother and daughter and was about to leave the room when she heard Zou Meizhi ask, "Anning, I have a question for you. Do you really like Chen Huaixiao?"

"Of course! I'll only marry him!" Su Anning replied without hesitation.

"If you really like him, then I have a way to make it happen," Zou Meizhi said.

"Really? Mom, can you help me?"

Bai Yin paused in her steps, her expression turning cold. She leaned against a marble pillar and continued listening.

"In three days, there will be a dinner party, and Chen Huaixiao will be there. I have a plan that will make you marry him in a grand way."

The rest of their conversation was whispered, and Bai Yin couldn't hear it.

She paced back to her room, gently closed the door, and sat on the windowsill. She took out her phone, opened a video of a mountain rally that she had collected for a long time.

In the video, Chen Huaixiao wore a black flame racing suit, with a tall and straight figure. He took off his helmet, revealing a face that was neither happy nor sad, with a calm and indifferent expression like frozen soil in a snow-covered mountain. His long and narrow black pupils were alluring, but not glamorous.

The barrage of comments from girls flew by quickly:

"Chen Huaixiao, the dream of billions of girls."

"He's really the embodiment of icy charm."

"My lifelong dream is to marry Chen Huaixiao!"

"Haha, who isn't?"

Who isn't, including Su Anning.

Even... many years ago, it included Bai Yin.

*

Bai Yin had liked Chen Huaixiao for many years.

Back then, under the osmanthus tree in a small town in the south, he leaned against his motorcycle, and the sunlight divided his rugged face. The silver earring on his left ear shone with warm yellow sunlight.

He lifted his chin, glanced coldly at her, and just that one glance made Bai Yin feel her heart skip a beat.

Chen Huaixiao was studying at a university in the south and often visited Grandpa Chen's house next door.

In the quiet water town that was the same every day for ten years, this small-town girl began to hide a secret in her heart, looking forward to every weekend.

Every Friday after school, she would hold her school bag, walk through the ancient town's bluestone path, and rush home as soon as possible.

When passing by Grandpa Chen's house, she would breathe heavily, slow down her pace, and sneak a peek into the yard.

Even though she couldn't see anyone, when she saw the motorcycle parked in the yard, Bai Yin's heart would beat like a startled rabbit. Chen Huaixiao often came to the yard to watch her dance, his gaze carrying a hint of ambiguity that was hard to describe.

At that time, she really thought that Chen Huaixiao was watching her and often blushed with embarrassment.

It wasn't until many years later during her first summer vacation in college that she found out that Chen Huaixiao was actually only seeing another person in her.

During her first year in college, Bai Yin took a bus home for the summer vacation and passed by the provincial capital, where she took the opportunity to visit the university where Chen Huaixiao was studying.

On the bus, she nervously composed a text message: "Brother, I'm transferring in the provincial capital and will be a little late. I'll take the bus to my grandmother's house tomorrow."

chx: "The hotel has been booked for you. Do you need me to pick you up?"

Bai Yin: "No need, brother. I'll find my own way there."

chx: "There's a party tonight. Rest at the hotel by yourself. Don't go out after 10 pm."

Bai Yin stayed in the provincial capital for a day just to see Chen Huaixiao. It had been almost half a year since she last saw him.

Bai Yin: "Can I come and see you? I have something to give you."

Because Chen Huaixiao had an ear piercing on his left ear, Bai Yin specially bought him a black obsidian earring as a gift.

After a few minutes, Chen Huaixiao still sent her the address of a KTV.

Excitedly, Bai Yin took a shower and put on her new black dress, which she had been saving for a special occasion. She even applied some lipstick and a bit of perfume. Like most small-town girls, she had no clue about makeup before going to college. She had learned a little bit from her roommate in the art department, but she was still clumsy at it and tended to overdo the eyeliner, which made her look older.

So, before meeting Chen Huaixiao, she had applied and removed makeup several times, unable to make it look good. She only lightly sketched a few strokes.

When she arrived at the KTV entrance, Bai Yin nervously rubbed her hands together and tiptoed to look through the room's glass door. There were many boys and girls in the room, and the girls sat closely around Chen Huaixiao. He sat in the corner of the sofa, his eyes lazy with intoxication.

Bai Yin had never seen Chen Huaixiao so uninhibited before. In her mind, he had always been like a big brother. This was the first time she had seen his masculine side, and it was full of sexual tension.

Tonight was Chen Huaixiao's graduation party.

A boy noticed Bai Yin peeking through the door and came over to open it. He smiled and asked, "Little sister, who are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for..." Bai Yin shyly glanced at Chen Huaixiao.

Chen Huaixiao waved his hand at her and said, "Little braids, come here."

Her nervous heart suddenly calmed down, and she quickly sat next to Chen Huaixiao. With his drunken black eyes, he looked at her.

When she was a child, she was skinny like a monkey. After college, she had a graceful waistline. Although the dress was cheap, her youthful energy made it look vibrant.

"You've grown up, little braids," Chen Huaixiao said, and Bai Yin sat next to him, her arm occasionally touching his hot skin. She was enveloped in his powerful aura, and her throat was dry, unable to say a word.

"Brother, I bought you a gift." Bai Yin took out the obsidian earrings carefully stored in a velvet box. "Do you like them?"

Chen Huaixiao glanced at them indifferently with his drunken eyes and said, "Sure, put them on for me."

Bai Yin was so happy that her hands were shaking. She carefully put the earring on his left ear.

The obsidian shone on his earlobe, highlighting his wild and uninhibited appearance.

"Hey, Chen Ye, who is this country bumpkin?" A girl next to her saw her sitting so close to Chen Huaixiao and was somewhat dissatisfied. She rubbed her nose and said, "Her perfume smells like dish soap, and it's irritating."

Chen Huaixiao glanced at the girl and said lightly, "Get out."

Although he was smiling, his words were intimidating.

The girl had to leave.

Chen Huaixiao leaned closer to Bai Yin, sniffed her, and smiled slightly. "Little braids, is your college allowance enough?"

"It's enough," Bai Yin replied. With her work-study job and scholarship, living expenses were not a problem.

Chen Huaixiao took out his phone and transferred 30,000 yuan to her. "Buy some more expensive cosmetics and perfume."

Bai Yin blushed with embarrassment, biting her lip and feeling tears welling up in her eyes.

"Don't be shy, you've always taken advantage of me before, haven't you?"

Chen Huaixiao was drunk and didn't notice the shy and ashamed expression on the young girl's face.

After a while, some guys started playing games together, and they began to drink regardless of whether they won or lost.

Bai Yin sat next to Chen Huaixiao, and the other girls around them looked at her with envy. She felt uncomfortable and stood up, ready to leave.

Unconsciously, Chen Huaixiao pulled on her sleeve and said lightly, "Wait, I'll take you home later."

"No, you should stay and play with them."

"Since you're already here, let me take you for some late-night snacks so that my grandfather won't think I didn't treat you well."

At that time, Bai Yin really thought that Chen Huaixiao was taking care of her because of Grandpa Chen.

Later, she realized that she had been naive.

When they left the KTV, Chen Huaixiao was already quite drunk and couldn't handle any more food. He couldn't go anywhere.

Bai Yin had to help him back to the hotel. Once inside, Chen Huaixiao collapsed on the sofa and fell asleep.

Bai Yin pushed him a few times, but he was too drunk to wake up. She had no choice but to bring him a towel to wipe his face, take off his shoes, and undo his clothes.

Squatting on the carpet, Bai Yin looked at the handsome young man's face, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She couldn't help herself and secretly kissed him.

The next second, he held the back of her head and Chen Huaixiao opened her lips and deepened the kiss. "You're back."

Bai Yin was powerless to resist this man's kiss, knowing it was wrong but feeling like she was drunk with him...

She gave all her love and her body to this young man whom she had loved for so many years.

However, it was on that night that Bai Yin heard him call out a name in his drunken stupor, not hers, but another girl's name...

Yao.

"You're back, Yao."

And she, who had deeply loved him for so many years, thought she had finally realized her most beautiful teenage dream.

In the end, it was all just a dream!

After that night, their harmonious relationship...came to a complete end.

When Chen Huaixiao woke up and saw the disheveled girl next to him, so charming and pitiable, his expression was complicated, and his eyes showed some regret.

As for Bai Yin...she had not slept all night and had buried her true feelings. She simply said, "I don't want any compensation. Just promise me one thing, big brother."

Upon hearing this, the tenderness on Chen Huaixiao's face vanished, replaced by a hint of anger.

"Bai Yin, are you serious?"

"Of course." Bai Yin smiled. "Big brother, you...you took my virginity."

"So, you asked me for compensation?"

"This was my first time."

Bai Yin said calmly, and for the first time, Chen Huaixiao, who was usually very composed, showed a flash of anger.

Something beautiful in his eyes was shattered.

He must have thought that all of this... was carefully planned by her.

Originally, this girl was capable of doing anything to get what she wanted.

Chen Huaixiao said coldly, "What do you want from me?"

Bai Yin struggled to put on her clothes, enduring the tearing pain and said only one sentence, "The road ahead is difficult, if one day I am trapped, just give me a hand."

...

Later, Bai Yin learned from Chen Huaixiao's friend that he did indeed have a high school girlfriend named Qin Yao. She was the moonlight in his heart.

After Qin Yao went abroad, the two never met again until college. Chen Huaixiao had always been obsessed with her.

Speaking of which, Bai Yin and Qin Yao do have some similarities, especially when dancing. Their body movements are very similar, just like another Yao.

But their personalities are different. Yao is gentle, weak and cute, the type that easily arouses men's protective desires. However, Bai Yin is strong-willed, stubborn, and sensitive.

Chen Huaixiao could not possibly like a girl who is always calculating. If she didn't look a bit like Qin Yao, Chen Huaixiao probably wouldn't have even given her a second glance.

When Bai Yin learned the truth, her heart was broken.

At that time, her love was sincere and persistent.

Later, she hid her true feelings and completely transformed herself into the person he thought she was.

She tore up all the beautiful memories of the past and then left.

...

Time flew by, four years had passed in the blink of an eye.

In these four years, Bai Yin had transformed herself completely. She was no longer the messy girl from the KTV.

She worked hard, studied every day, exercised in the morning, worked to buy high-end skincare products, danced for hours at the dance studio, and even took a course to improve her posture and enhance her taste. She read a lot of books in the library to improve her aesthetics and taste.

She came back for revenge, for money, for fame and of course, for that man.

If she couldn't get his heart, she would get him as a person. At least from the way he performed that night, Bai Yin didn't lose anything.

...

Bai Yin snapped out of her thoughts.

Although she didn't know what Zou Meizhi had in mind to make Su Anning marry Chen Huaixiao, she would not let her succeed.

She would take everything Su Anning wanted.

Bai Yin opened WeChat and clicked on the chat box with chx.

"Don't come to the banquet in three days," Bai Yin typed.

Chen Huaixiao replied, "Why?"

Bai Yin hesitated for a moment and said, "Because I'll be there too."

In the quiet and solemn conference room, Chen Huaixiao at the end of the long table sank instantly, his black eyes as cold as ice.

The area manager who was giving the report saw his sudden change of expression and even his voice started to tremble.

"As you wish," Chen Huaixiao replied.