Volume One, Chapter One: Entwined Together

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A pinky entwined, an ankle chain as a lock—promising you unrestrained passion—Epigraph

“My butt hurts so much!”

“Mr. Lu, can we please not do it tonight?”

Lu Ye’s eyes flicked over the messages on WeChat. He bit his thin lips around a cigarette, lifting one corner in a faint smirk.

It was early morning, yet the scene felt like something rated eighteen plus.

“I think your butt’s just itchy.”

“This scene can’t be postponed any longer. We finish shooting tonight.”

After sending a voice message, Lu Ye stubbed out his cigarette and casually grabbed a tie.

Before he could put it on, a pair of delicate hands intercepted it. “It has to be blue today. Let me do it.”

Lu Ye let her adjust it, used to being cared for by her when dressing.

Since their engagement, at the family’s request, they had lived together for two years.

Except for not letting him touch her, Lu Ye found nothing to fault in her obedience, her attentiveness to every detail.

In the circle, everyone said Gu Yan was head over heels for Lu Ye.

As expected, Lu Ye watched her switch on the “Gu nagging wife” mode again:

“No time for breakfast? I packed you a lunchbox to take to the office.”

“The forecast says rain—remember your umbrella, I left it by the door.”

“You’re still sick, no drinking at tonight’s social.”

Lu Ye turned his head, loosened his tie, and muttered a noncommittal “Hmm.”

“Take your cold medicine three times a day…”

“Leaving now.” Lu Ye interrupted with some impatience and strode out.

He had always treated her like this, probably because, deep down, he never really respected her.

Lu Ye was the golden heir of Beijing’s elite circle, handsome and flawless, refined and distant in his tailored suit.

But Gu Yan knew him well—at his core, he was a playboy, reckless and unrestrained.

After a few seconds, Gu Yan dutifully reminded him again, “Don’t forget the lunchbox.”

The only response was the sound of the car speeding away from the villa.

Turning back, Gu Yan began tidying Lu Ye’s bedroom.

Suddenly, she noticed the coat she had prepared for him still hanging there.

Hurriedly grabbing it, she rushed out.

“Young madam, what’s wrong?” Aunt Zhen was startled by her quick pace. “Hey, slow down!”

Gu Yan reached the doorway, but Lu Ye was nowhere in sight.

She grabbed the keys. “Aunt Zhen, I’m going to deliver Lu Ye’s coat. Please start stewing the beef brisket he likes for lunch.”

Frowning, Gu Yan drove off in pursuit.

Lu Ye was a treasure—if he caught a cold and it worsened without his coat, he wouldn’t be able to return to the old family mansion tomorrow. She couldn’t escape the clutches of the Lu family elders.

Just the thought made her head ache.

Less than an hour later, she arrived at Zijin Media.

Gu Yan held a nominal position there as Lu Ye’s personal secretary, with the Lu family paying her salary and social insurance at the highest level—her own request.

But she had never worked a day.

The receptionist mistook her for a housekeeper when she saw Lu Ye’s coat and sent her straight to the office.

Gu Yan knocked, getting no response.

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She assumed Lu Ye was out and planned to leave after dropping off the coat.

Pushing the door open, the scene inside froze her in place.

The man leaned back, one arm draped across the sofa, the other pressing down on… the head of a woman kneeling on the floor.

Three seconds passed, then Gu Yan decided to step in and closed the door behind her.

“Five minutes enough?” she spoke suddenly, standing there watching without shame.

The two inside were startled, especially the woman, whose features and limbs flailed wildly as if unsure where to hide.

Rumor had it that the last woman who spent the night with Mr. Lu vanished entirely after Gu Yan reported her to Old Master Lu.

Lu Ye opened his eyes and glanced at her coldly, his face dark. “Who let you in?”

“You forgot your coat.” Gu Yan walked over.

Lu Ye didn’t take it, raising his eyes with a mocking sneer. “Why don’t you change the coat to a full set? Might be more fitting.”

Gu Yan looked at the actress. “You’re leaving. I have business with your deputy general.”

“Where are you going?” Lu Ye’s wrist pressed the woman back onto his lap.

It was his office, but Gu Yan called the shots here—how could he save face?

He looked at Gu Yan. “What’s the matter?”

Her voice was icy. “Lu Ye, you promised you’d change.”

Lu Ye laughed.

“Gu Yan, you’re just a good luck charm, thinking you’re the real madam Lu? What right do you have to interfere in my private life?”

“And, a rich wife’s essential lesson—tolerance. You better get used to it.”

Gu Yan was stunned.

Originally, the Old Master had appointed her, arranging the match because their horoscopes matched, said to benefit the Lu family’s prosperity.

She knew the elite of Beijing loved to play around.

But he had promised, and that was why she agreed to the engagement—to gradually build feelings.

Over these two years, he had acted like a different man in front of her and her grandfather. She naively thought he had reformed.

Turns out he was just playing her.

Gu Yan glanced down at the apron still on her, not even taken off, then looked back at Lu Ye’s lecherous face.

Two years. Seven hundred and thirty days.

Fed to the dogs.

Gu Yan stared at him. “Lu Ye, starting today, we’re done. I’m not serving you anymore.”

Lu Ye sneered. Two years of engagement and how many times had she said that?

As Gu Yan left, passing the staff area, her eyes caught a familiar lunchbox on a desk.

Suddenly, she changed course, picked up the lunchbox, and turned back to the office.

Before Lu Ye could react, Gu Yan raised the porridge high—

and poured it down on him.

The actress shrieked, leapt off Lu Ye, and wisely fled.

“Gu Yan!” Lu Ye was splattered, furious.

“I got up at five to make this porridge. You don’t get to ruin it, not even for the dog.”

There was none of her usual softness on her face.

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She spoke and then took off her apron, slapping it onto Lu Ye’s face.

Walking out of the company building, Gu Yan felt a wave of relief.

Today marked their two-year engagement anniversary. She had planned to try giving herself to Lu Ye tonight.

But it seemed the world of the wealthy was a feast for the refined—she was just a wild boar, unable to digest fine bran.

Two years as a prospective madam, and she had exhausted all her acting skills.

Sitting in the car, she felt a twinge of melancholy.

Even if she had cared for a beast, investing two years of sincerity, it still hurt.

At eight in the evening.

Gu Yan stepped into the long-missed South Metropolis Club.

Upstairs, in a private room.

“Mr. Lu, is your wife drinking downstairs?”

Lu Ye paused, unable to picture Gu Yan drinking.

“We broke up this morning,” Lu Ye leaned back casually. “I said some harsh words.”

Others laughed. “She’s so obedient, how could you bear to?”

Lu Ye smiled lazily. “She’ll come back on her own. She never lets a night pass without checking on my shift.”

Always like this.

She simply couldn’t leave him.

As the night deepened, many eyes lingered on Gu Yan.

Born in the entertainment industry, her face and figure outshone the hottest stars, but she refused to compromise and was stuck at the eighteenth tier.

After two years as Lu Ye’s “maid,” today she wore her hidden stash of sweet and spicy style, her long hair down instead of tied up.

Pure and seductive all at once.

He Baizhuo, the owner of South Metropolis, entered and froze upon seeing her.

Then he dialed a number. “Why’s your niece-in-law drinking at my club?”

“Who?” Lu Wentang’s deep, mellow voice sounded calm but unfriendly.

“Don’t play coy,” He Baizhuo spat. “So you changed the venue?”

They had planned to dine out tonight, but in the end, Lu Wentang told him she was at his club.

“The girl’s had too much. Aren’t you going to do something?”

He Baizhuo raised an eyebrow.

“Call her fiancé to pick her up,” Lu Wentang said dispassionately.

Got it.

He Baizhuo went to the front desk and called Lu Ye on the landline.

After the call, Lu Ye hung up without saying if he would come.

He Baizhuo looked back at Gu Yan.

Where was she?

Worried something might happen, he prepared to look for her.

Passing through the corridor, he saw a man and a woman almost entwined.

The man’s profile was unmistakably Lu Wentang.

He Baizhuo returned to the front desk but bumped into Lu Ye, who had just come out of the corridor, leaving him momentarily stunned.