Chapter 5

The long luxury car came to a steady stop in front of Tan Zhuang's large penthouse apartment in the city center, just as a light misty rain began to fall outside.

Tan Zhuang got out of the car, holding an umbrella, and took a few steps forward, the wind making the umbrella sway a little. As she recalled the marriage agreement confirmed in the car, she suddenly stopped, feeling like she had overlooked something.

Instinctively, she turned around.

The Bentley had not yet started, and the rear passenger window was slightly open. Through the misty rain curtain, the young man's profile was strikingly superior, with refined and distinguished features. He was likely preparing to read documents on the return trip, wearing delicate silver-rimmed glasses that gave off a chilly, distant air.

In any case, he did not seem like the kind of person who would casually fulfill a marriage contract with a bankrupt fiancée without expecting anything in return.

Zhao Huidu seemed to sense something and looked over calmly. "Is there something else?"

In the dim light, his eyes behind the glasses seemed to contain countless secrets but remained unmoved, as if this marriage mattered less to him than his work.

Tan Zhuang took a deep breath, moved closer to the car, her eyelashes wet from the mist. "And what about you? What do you need me to do?"

If Zhao Huidu was marrying her, he must have some ulterior motive. If Zhao Huidu marrying her was like a pie falling from the sky, not having a prenuptial agreement would be like a giant pie within that pie.

The bigger the pie, the harder it would be to eat.

Tan Zhuang's pretty face showed a stubborn expression; she needed a clear answer immediately.

As she leaned closer to the car window, her long hair, which had been cascading down her back, fell forward, revealing a slender and fragile neck. There were still fresh kiss marks on it, like marks left by a beast.

How pitiful.

Zhao Huidu's gaze paused for a few seconds, showing a rare trace of compassion. "Miss Tan, being so impatient will only hurt you in business negotiations."

Tan Zhuang, already delicate, had her wrist aching from holding the umbrella for so long. He was speaking words she barely understood.

So she decided to take action and decisively opened the car door for him. "Come upstairs and have a seat."

She needed to clarify this matter today; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to sleep.

The next second, the night wind and fine rain poured into the car.

Secretary Cui, sitting in the front seat, shivered from the cold. He thought to himself: Miss Tan's actions were unexpected and audacious; no wonder President Zhao decided to fulfill the marriage contract.

Instead of being angry at her actions, Zhao Huidu, closest to the wind, calmly removed his glasses, now speckled with raindrops, and put them back in the compartment.

His thin lips curved into a profound smile. "My honor."

As Tan Zhuang was momentarily stunned, Zhao Huidu had already gotten out of the car, taking the umbrella from her hand. His tailored trousers accentuated his tall, well-built legs, and he exuded a vigorous, powerful presence, like lava hidden beneath ice, full of intrigue.

But Tan Zhuang felt something was off about his words.

What was so honorable about going upstairs?

Oh no—

It seemed like there might be a problem with her wording!

"Come upstairs"—

Could Zhao Huidu think she meant "come upstairs to do something"?

No way?

No way!

Seeing her expression amusing, Zhao Huidu moved the umbrella back a few inches and kindly reminded her, "Come closer; I'm getting wet."

Tan Zhuang moved closer, looking up into the clear amber eyes of the man. 

She should have overthought it.

He was being so gentlemanly, even holding the umbrella to keep her from getting wet; how could he have any bad intentions?

A few seconds later...

Wait, who is getting wet?

Gentleman? Nonsense!

---

Tan Zhuang quickly regretted inviting this esteemed person upstairs.

When the elevator doors opened, she was greeted with a sea of flowers.

The scent of roses wafted from the elevator to her door, the entire hallway filled with red roses, even blocking the door completely.

This apartment was a gift from her grandfather for her eighteenth birthday, and very few people knew about it. Now, it was covered with roses, just like her studio.

This meant her only sanctuary had been discovered by some admirer.

And the key point was, it was in front of her future husband!

Tan Zhuang quickly reacted by pretending to check the door number and then feigned realization, preparing to retreat into the elevator. "I must have gone to the wrong door."

The next moment.

The man's long arm blocked her path.

Zhao Huidu looked at the "romantic surprise" outside his fiancée's door, bent down slowly, and with a half-smile, scrutinized her. "Feeling guilty? Is this from a boyfriend?"

Though he was smiling, his words were filled with coldness, delivering a simple verdict in her ear, "You're deceiving me."

The cold sandalwood scent from the man aggressively cut through the rose aroma, inch by inch, pressing into her breath.

Apart from the moving scent, everything seemed to freeze.

Tan Zhuang's steps faltered, accidentally stepping on several roses, causing their petals to burst and the scent to intensify.

Her delicate back pressed against the wall, and it felt as if all she could smell was the sandalwood from the man.

In her panic and desperation, Tan Zhuang immediately denied, "I didn't!"

She wouldn't dare to deceive Zhao Huidu!

This man was terrifying.

She looked up with a pitiful expression, meeting the man's almost inorganic gaze, and just as she was about to continue her act, she stuttered, "J-just... just that I am too charming, with many admirers, including... some uncouth ones."

Zhao Huidu's palm, pressed against the wall, slowly moved down, his long fingers brushing through her disheveled hair as if straightening it.

His voice softened slightly. "Is that so?"

"Yes!"

The danger seemed to pass.

But...

Tan Zhuang's brows furrowed slightly. The door was blocked by flowers, so how could they get in?

Under the shifting light and shadow, the man's imposing figure was overwhelming.

Tan Zhuang's bright eyes twinkled as she thought: well, here's a piece of free labor!

"President Zhao, could you help me? I can't move them."

After saying that, she waved her delicate wrist in front of him, signaling that she was a helpless little flower, and boldly tugged at his sleeve.

Zhao Huidu was wearing a black shirt, and at this moment, the cuff was pulled up by Tan Zhuang, revealing a smooth, muscular arm.

He held her cold fingers, applying just enough pressure to act as a warning.

Tan Zhuang withdrew her small hand, giving a light huff. "What's the big deal if a man shows a bit of skin?"

The next moment, Zhao Huidu's sleeve slid back down to his wrist.

---

He calmly shifted his gaze away from the young woman's snow-white, lotus-like arm and called to notify his bodyguards.

**Tan Zhuo:** Oh right, I almost forgot that this man isn't an ordinary person—he's someone who always travels with twelve personal bodyguards. It's likely I'll never see President Chao doing manual labor in this lifetime.

As she lamented, the bodyguards approached and asked, "Miss Tan, where should we move these?"

The flowers sent by admirers all met the same fate. Tan Zhuo was ruthless towards these "delicate flowers" and pointed towards the hallway window. "The trash bin downstairs."

True delicate flowers and fake ones, only one can exist!

There were too many roses, and although the bodyguards were very careful, petals occasionally fluttered up and down as they moved them. 

Typically, girls like beautiful flowers, but Tan Zhuo showed no sign of regret as she watched. The vividly colored petals scattered around, with a lingering fragrance. Chao Huai Du glanced over indifferently and asked, almost casually, "Don't you like roses?"

A critical question! 

Danger, danger!

Tan Zhuo's inner alarm bells rang loudly, and her bright eyes fluttered for a moment before she firmly stated, "I don't like them." 

"I'm a principled woman and only like roses given by my husband!"

As she spoke, a bright-colored petal floated down from her forehead and was about to touch her lips. It itched slightly, and she instinctively tried to press it down.

Chao Huai Du raised his hand to pinch the edge of the petal, tossing it into the plastic trash bag already filled with roses, watching it join the others.

He then took the disinfectant wipe from Secretary Cui, elegantly wiping his fingers that had touched the petal, and calmly replied, "Well, these roses aren't worthy of you."

Tan Zhuo, not modest at all, said, "I think so too."

She was even more beautiful than roses.

Once the area was finally cleared, Tan Zhuo sighed in relief. As she opened the door and gestured for Chao Huai Du to look inside, she said, "Check it out, I haven't hidden any wild men here."

At this moment, the vintage clock on the wall struck a few times.

The hands pointed to ten o'clock.

"It's so late." Tan Zhuo glanced at the time. Since no guests had ever come here, she grabbed a ceramic cup she used, poured a glass of boiled water, and handed it to him with both hands, showing genuine intent. "Men should drink more hot water."

Definitely not a sign of laziness in hosting.

Chao Huai Du looked at the excessively cute cat-ear cup. 

He hesitated slightly.

Tan Zhuo blinked and asked, "Aren't you going to drink it?"

"At this late hour, someone as disciplined as President Chao should avoid coffee and tea," he said.

Chao Huai Du's fingertips brushed over the cat ears. Under her expectant gaze, he took a sip and lightly remarked, "Miss Tan is very considerate."

He then placed the cup down without showing any emotion.

His persona remained intact.

Tan Zhuo was relieved. Thinking about her purpose in inviting him up, she wanted to get straight to the point but didn't know where to start.

Seeing the young woman's face full of confusion, Chao Huai Du elegantly offered the topic. "The Chao family's relationships are complex, with many factions. The position of Mrs. Chao isn't so easy to hold."

Tan Zhuo remembered the casually obtained Lu Jin black card and the recent various suitors.

Given her current situation, being Mrs. Chao couldn't be any worse, especially considering…

Realizing this, the young woman finally relaxed and leaned back on the sofa, her eyes slightly lifted in a light pink hue. "President Chao is so capable, you will definitely protect me, right?"

She was very clever.

Under the dazzling white light, the man's expression was solemn and graceful. His hands were casually folded, fingers gently stroking, as if weighing the pros and cons.

After a moment, he smiled and replied, "Naturally."

The two talked for nearly an hour.

For example, Chao Huai Du needed to get married and obtain the family crest ring to be recognized as the legitimate heir, otherwise, his position would be shaky and the company's high-level officials would still be restless.

There was no time to settle personal assets, and not notarizing them made sense.

Tan Zhuo understood. It was likely that Chao Huai Du needed a wife to solidify his position, and she happened to fit the bill, with a marriage contract left by their elders.

At this point, the clock struck again.

The hands had moved to eleven o'clock.

With the purpose clarified, Tan Zhuo felt relieved. She had learned what she needed to know and was about to get up to see Chao Huai Du off.

Suddenly, her phone, which had been left by the sofa, rang.

Tan Zhuo opened the message without any defense.

It was from an unknown number: "The roses I sent you were specially airlifted from abroad, as dazzling as you are. Tan Zhuo, I love you so much, how can you throw them in the trash and bring another man home?"

During this time, Tan Zhuo had received countless similar messages from suitors sending roses as declarations of love.

She was used to this and was about to block the number.

But before she could do that, the next moment, the screen suddenly showed a photo of a shirtless male torso: "Is it big? Is it hard?" 

"Is it bigger or harder than mine?"

"???"

The sudden explicit photo shocked her, causing her to slip and stumble, just as she was about to fall towards the man standing across from her. 

The phone also fell from her hand.

Chao Huai Du was knocked into by the fragrant, soft body of the young woman, catching Tan Zhuo while simultaneously catching the phone that was about to hit her feet.

Through the thin shirt material, Tan Zhuo felt Chao Huai Du's firm, hard abs clearly—perfectly sculpted, surpassing all men!

But she noticed that after seeing the crude language on the screen, his usually calm eyes turned cold.

Almost forgetting, this was a successor raised in a prestigious family; he probably had never seen such vulgar language.

Tan Zhuo immediately steadied herself, withdrawing her hands and resolutely refusing to take any advantage from President Chao. She anxiously declared:

"What kind of thing is this? How dare it compare to you!"

"President Chao does everything with propriety, even in sleepwear. He is a refined person."

"Who would deal with a pervert like this, sending half-naked photos of himself to a young woman in the middle of the night, with no sense of decency!"

In response to the praise of being a 'refined person,' Chao Huai Du showed no joy, his expression remained solemn as he looked at the screen.

Indeed, the next moment.

The sender sent another message: "I saw him holding you."

Tan Zhuo felt a chill run down her spine.

Instinctively, she moved closer to the tall, reassuring figure next to her and looked around. "This person, is he monitoring my home?"

Chao Huai Du took her phone, blocked the sender, and then calmly asked, "Stay here or come home with me?"

"Come with you, with you, with you!"

Tan Zhuo clung tightly to Chao Huai Du's sleeve, afraid he would leave.

Although she had many admirers since she was young, including some who made gestures to win her favor, such as sending roses, she had never encountered a stalker like this.

Especially one who was hiding and constantly watching her!

It was very frightening!

The young woman spoke quickly, trying hard to control her fear, but her face, instantly panicked and helpless, was illuminated by the bright light, and her every move was drenched in stunning, breathtaking beauty.

Such a striking appearance, nurtured by power and wealth, could fully display her beauty and charm, but once she lost her shelter from the storm, and was within reach, everyone wanted to take her away.

Rationally, she was troublesome.

But possessiveness completely dominated.

The man coldly instructed the bodyguards: "Tear down all the surveillance equipment."

"Find the person and deal with it."

Tan Zhuo, scared, talked more, "Deal with it? Is it going to be silenced?"

Chao Huai Du slowly lowered his gaze, his voice as always clear and cold: "Are you scared?"

Tan Zhuo was originally joking, but Chao Huai Du's expression didn't seem like a joke. "Maybe… we should let the police handle it instead."

Seeing that she was truly scared.

Chao Huai Du's clean fingertips lightly touched her reddened eyes, and his cold voice finally carried a hint of reassurance. "Don't worry, the Chao family is in legitimate business."

---

Chao Huai Du's residence, 'Tai He Residence,' is located on Li Qing Road in the new affluent area of Jiangcheng. It's said that a master from North City calculated that it's the most auspicious central location in the entire southern region. When it was first launched, big shots from all over the country flocked to buy it, and later, several purchase slots were auctioned off at sky-high prices.

It's privately referred to as the 'Imperial Palace,' a place only fit for emperors.

These are all highly secretive rumors.

In any case, acquiring a villa here requires not just financial resources but absolute power.

Chao Huai Du owns three here.

He even

 connected them all, forming a space of about five to six thousand square meters, resembling a manor. Entry and exit require driving.

Tan Zhuo, as a young lady from a wealthy family, had seen many good things since she was young, but… she had never seen anything like this.

Is this the true power and wealth of a prestigious family?

It's said that this is just Chao Huai Du's temporary residence.

She believed it; Chao Huai Du's asset liquidation alone would take three to five months.

This man is really bold.

He doesn't even bother with asset notarization. He really isn't afraid of her taking half in a divorce, huh?

After experiencing something unpleasant and moving to a new, unfamiliar place, Tan Zhuo thought she wouldn't be able to sleep. To her surprise… she slept soundly through the night.

The next day.

She was awoken by the ringing of her phone.

In the opulently decorated room, sunlight streamed through the warm-toned stained glass windows and reflected onto the large bed.

A slender, pale hand fumbled out from under the thin blanket, finally managing to grasp the phone.

Tan Zhuo, still groggy, saw on the screen: "Hello, Senior Brother?"

Mei Xiting: "Junior Sister, Mr. Yuan bought your blue and white porcelain vase!"

Tan Zhuo was jolted awake by the unexpected windfall, sitting up abruptly, her voice clear now: "Ninety-nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand?"

"Yes."

"Ah, love is truly valuable."

After hearing Mr. Yuan's love story for hours, she thought he might offer a very low price. 

Unexpectedly, he bought it at that high price, intending to preserve it for his elders' future.

With this smooth first business deal, Tan Zhuo gained confidence in her future antique career!

Hanging up, she glanced around at the luxurious but unfamiliar environment and suddenly realized she was staying at Chao Huai Du's place!

She was one step closer to Mrs. Chao.

Even better, Chao Huai Du had given her her own private space.

There were no marital obligations implied.

Tan Zhuo sighed in relief.

She wasn't ready to live with a man, have no secrets, and sleep together every night just yet.

Going downstairs.

The Chao family's kitchen team had prepared breakfast, both Chinese and Western options.

The butler and servants were also on standby to serve her.

They were much more orderly than her family's servants before their bankruptcy.

Tan Zhuo didn't think there was anything wrong with being served; she was used to it from a young age.

Seeing that the grand dining room was empty except for her, she asked casually, "Where's Chao Huai Du?"

The butler responded without changing expression: "Mr. Chao is on a business trip abroad for a week. Please make yourself comfortable."

Hmm?

Tan Zhuo looked at the huge estate.

So it was hers for the week?!

She could enjoy the luxurious lifestyle without the burdensome marital duties!

Today seemed to be full of good news.

With Chao Huai Du not at home, Tan Zhuo took a tour of the place. Although the decoration exuded the grandeur of a prestigious family, there were many details she didn't like.

It was uncomfortable to live in and needed some renovation.

Even though Chao Huai Du had told her to make herself at home, she wondered… should she act as the owner or the guest?

It was very important.

Tan Zhuo's gaze fell on her phone lying face down on the table. After hesitating for a few seconds, she decided not to be overly self-restrictive and opened WeChat.

She discovered that Chao Huai Du was already in her friend list.

When did he add her?

She remembered he hadn't added her last time when her Senior Brother interrupted her.

Never mind, it didn't matter. What was important was clarifying her current status in his home.

To her surprise.

As soon as she opened the chat, the unfinished message she had sent earlier popped up: [Your wife (...]

It showed as sent.

Your wife—your wife—your wife—

Tan Zhuo was surrounded by those three words.

Alright, alright.

No need to ask.

When you're out, your status is given by yourself.