Chapter 1: Disguised Blind Date?

The business gathering ended precisely at ten in the evening.

He Yanci had a faint scent of alcohol on him and did not drive himself. The chauffeur had been waiting outside the clubhouse for a while. As soon as he saw He Yanci coming out, he swiftly opened the rear car door.

He Yanci bent down and got into the car, his long fingers tugging slightly at his tie. After a moment, he waved his hand, and the chauffeur understood, starting the car and smoothly driving onto the main road.

The lights of the capital city shone brilliantly, exuding prosperity.

He Yanci's tall figure leaned against the seatback. With his fingers resting on the bridge of his nose, he tapped lightly on the high nasal bone, seemingly lost in thought.

When He Yanci returned to the villa and came out after taking a shower, he found a message from the old master He on his phone.

A string of numbers.

The saved contact name: Wen Ruan.

Following it was the old master’s ‘kindly’ reminder:

[He Yanci, you know very well the relationship between me and Old Wen. After you meet Wen Ruan, you must handle it properly! Don’t even think about saying anything inappropriate to upset her. Wen Ruan has been frail since childhood. Her grandfather went through great efforts to raise her into what she is today—she can’t handle your nonsense.]

A delicate flower in a greenhouse?

Not quite.

He Yanci vaguely remembered a chubby little girl trailing behind him years ago. When she ran too fast, she would pant heavily, her little face turning red from coughing. Her round eyes would become watery and red, like a little rabbit’s—pitifully adorable.

A tiny body that would bleed from even the slightest bump, crying out in pain, demanding to be comforted, and tearing up at a harsh word.

Delicate beyond words.

She lacked breath but had plenty to say—chattering non-stop.

In short, an extremely pampered little girl.

He Yanci lightly knocked his forehead with his fist: [Grandpa, you’ve learned to send messages now?]

[Is that the point?] As if he couldn’t have asked someone to send it for him?

He Yanci swiped his fingers across the screen: [A disguised matchmaking attempt?]

[Matchmaking? You two are already set in stone.]

[As a man, you should take the initiative.]

"..." He Yanci.

Soon, another message from the old master popped up:

[Pay attention to Wen Ruan’s preferences and taboos.]

[Don’t think it’s unnecessary—taking care of a lady is just basic courtesy.]

"..." He Yanci.

When He Yanci saw the document the old master sent, he wasn’t particularly displeased. After all, a well-protected, delicate young lady was bound to be different from ordinary people. It was normal for her to have many preferences and restrictions.

He Yanci opened the document, only to find it much shorter than he had expected.

Concise, almost official in tone.

Likes: Quiet environments, white tea.

Hobbies: Chess, reading.

Taboos: Crowded places; areas with poor air circulation; dislikes sweets, especially chocolate.

Allergies: Dust, animal fur.

After reading it, He Yanci let out a light chuckle. It was indeed succinct—just that every point seemed troublesome.

Time passed, and after finishing his work, He Yanci rested his head in his hands for a moment.

After a brief respite, he removed his glasses, feeling somewhat fatigued. He rubbed his temples, his fingers brushing against the phone beside him.

He picked it up and glanced at the time—11:10 PM.

At this hour, he wondered if the young lady was already asleep.

This matter required some form of progress, or else his grandfather would surely hassle him the next day.

He Yanci rubbed his temples again.

It was late, so instead of calling, he simply sent a message.

—

[The old master wants us to meet first. When are you available? I'll have my assistant arrange it. —He Yanci.]

Wen Ruan had a habit of reading before bed. When she received the message, she was in the middle of a book.

She paused for two seconds, recalling some past memories.

He Yanci—her fiancé, arranged by their families since childhood.

Her memories of He Yanci were stuck in the years before she turned ten. Most were vague, lacking any deep impressions.

The only clear memory was that He Yanci didn’t seem to like her much.

Wen Ruan had assumed that she would never have any real interaction with this nominal fiancé in her lifetime.

A few months ago, her grandfather had collapsed in a private estate in Russia. He adamantly refused to receive treatment abroad, insisting on returning to his homeland for his final days.

The family respected his wishes, and a week later, when his health slightly improved, he was transferred to the best hospital in the capital.

Regarding the early, somewhat absurd engagement between Wen Ruan and He Yanci, both families had tactfully avoided mentioning it, seemingly waiting for it to fade away.

However, when Old Master Wen fell seriously ill, Old Master He visited the hospital to see his old friend. During their conversation, the once-verbal engagement between Wen Ruan and He Yanci was unexpectedly brought up again.

Despite the renewed talk of marriage, He Yanci had done nothing about it for three months.

Now, at this hour, he was finally reaching out—clearly just fulfilling family obligations.

Wen Ruan chuckled lightly.

The sooner it was settled, the better.

Her slender fingers typed out a reply: [Anytime. Whatever is convenient for you, Mr. He.]

He Yanci had sent the message purely as a formality. He hadn't expected Wen Ruan to still be awake. A frail young lady—shouldn’t she have a strict sleep schedule?

He instinctively typed: Why aren’t you asleep yet?

Then, realizing it was unnecessary, he deleted the words one by one.

Instead, he checked the schedule his assistant had sent and modified his message:

[How about the day after tomorrow at 5:30 PM?]

Wen Ruan: [That works.] She was in the capital anyway, so it made no difference.

He Yanci: [Alright, I’ll come pick you up. I’ll try to be early.]

Wen Ruan didn’t refuse. Both families were dignified, and such courtesies were expected.

As predicted, their meeting would be known to both families immediately.

If He Yanci didn’t personally pick her up, it would reflect poorly on the Wen family.

Wen Ruan’s prediction was spot-on. The next morning, her personal designers were already waiting in the living room. They had brought over a dozen dresses, eight qipaos, and several gowns.

Min Qing, her mother, carefully selected outfits for her, finally settling on a modified moon-white floral qipao. It wasn’t overly traditional but carried an indescribable elegance and sensuality.

Wen Ruan had a beautiful, well-proportioned figure, with a classic hourglass silhouette. The qipao highlighted her curves perfectly. The modest slit revealed her fair, slender legs, adding a hint of allure.

Her beauty wasn’t the fragile, bony kind. Every inch of her skin was just right—neither too thin nor too full. Some said true beauty was in the bones, not the skin. But Wen Ruan had both—an elegant balance of grace and seduction.

Her mother was very satisfied. Even the assistants and stylists couldn't hide their amazement.

“Ruan, you look stunning. Your fiancé is going to be completely mesmerized.” The designer draped a specially treated, matching cashmere coat over her shoulders and exclaimed in admiration.

Wen Ruan smiled faintly, without much emotion.

She didn’t remember He Yanci well, but she did remember how much he disliked her.

When she was young, she often followed him around in the capital.

Back then, his group of friends found her annoying, never letting her play with them.

It didn’t matter—this was just an obligation.

However it played out, she would deal with it.