A single stalk of herb, capable of lulling me into a hypnotic sleep, kept me company throughout the entire night.

Before Shu Nian could react, her throat was flooded with the rich, slightly astringent taste of red wine. Unaccustomed to such intensity, she couldn't help but cough. In her past life, she had been a woman who could drink thousands of cups without getting drunk, but now, as a naive young girl just starting out, how could she possibly handle alcohol?

Fu Zhouye watched her, a flicker of amusement crossing his eyes before it quickly faded into calm. "It seems you aren't much of a drinker," he murmured, his voice laced with a faint, imperceptible smile. Her thin lips were coated with a glistening moisture, making them appear as tempting as berries waiting to be picked.

Stripped of his gentle and refined facade, what lay beneath was violent, paranoid, dictatorial, and insufferably arrogant. Shu Nian struggled to steady her breathing. She looked up at him, despite her heart hammering wildly. The man emanated a uniquely dangerous aura, and his gaze made him seem like a stranger. At that moment, Fu Zhouye’s mood had hit absolute zero. Watching Shu Nian’s dazed, lost expression—like a little rabbit that had lost its way—he felt the urge to "toy" with her for the first time.

Fine, she had delivered herself to his doorstep; she couldn't blame him for whatever happened next. He chuckled, raised his eyelids, and curled his eyes in a leisurely manner, leaning close to her ear to whisper: "Since you've come, don't leave. Stay and keep me company."

He retracted his smile and sat upright, looking poised and elegant. Beneath this civilized exterior, he was a total beast in human clothing—a man with a dark soul hidden behind a glamorous facade.

Seeing Fu Zhouye like this, a reckless idea flashed through Shu Nian’s mind. She put on an act of being a virtuous wife: "I love Yunyang with all my heart; it is not appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone in a room together."

"You know it's inappropriate for a man and a woman to be alone, yet you still knocked on my door. How will you learn your lesson if you don't face the consequences?"

"Because... because I have something important to tell you."

"But nothing is important now."

Fu Zhouye gently gripped her slender chin, forcing her to open her mouth. The wine bottle in his hand seemed to become a symbol of power, and he ruthlessly poured the liquid into her mouth once more. Shu Nian did not struggle, knowing her strength was insignificant against Fu Zhouye’s absolute dominance. The wine spilled from the corners of her mouth, staining her collar red. Once she had finished the bottle, she felt a burning sensation throughout her body, and her mouth began to spill those words involuntarily...

When she finished, Shu Nian felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted. Wanting only to sleep, she collapsed limply onto the sofa. Fu Zhouye watched her, his gaze cold and piercing. He stood silently in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on her. Her breathing was steady; she had clearly fallen into a deep slumber. Fu Zhouye’s face remained expressionless, his eyes deep and unfathomable. To him, Shu Nian was nothing more than a child.

Her world was filled with fairy tales and dreams, while Fu Zhouye’s was built on reality and calculation. Her grand, dramatic gestures seemed like nothing more than a trivial farce to him—and the woman was clearly not bright, claiming to be in a passionate unrequited love while chasing after a tasteless scumbag.

The next morning, she slowly opened her eyes. A splitting headache was the immediate consequence of the hangover, as if an invisible thread were pulling at her nerves, reminding her of the previous night’s indulgence. Shu Nian tried to move, only to find a warm, solid weight across her waist—Fu Zhouye’s arm.

Her body stiffened for a moment as memories flooded back. She carefully turned her head to see his sleeping profile; his breathing was steady and deep, undisturbed by her movement. She lingered on his face for a moment, a complex emotion rising in her heart. She still had fuzzy memories of the previous night. She remembered saying everything—including the meeting with Elder Fu.

She moved gently, trying to slip out of his embrace without waking him. Though her movements were soft, they inevitably caught his attention. Fu Zhouye had been awakened by her, but he continued to feign sleep. Believing she had been careful, she scrambled back to her room. She quickly changed into a simple floral dress and small pearl earrings, then hurried down the stairs.

Butler Li, seeing his lady acting so guiltily, greeted her: "Good afternoon, Madam."

Shu Nian, preoccupied with her upcoming audition, was startled. "G-good afternoon, Butler Li." She offered a faint smile, then suddenly, like a startled rabbit, grabbed his hand and asked excitedly, "Wait, it's afternoon? Are you sure it's already afternoon?"

The seventy-year-old butler, thoroughly bewildered, nodded. Remembering she had to meet Qiao Jiaoyun to venture into the entertainment industry, she ran off. Suddenly, she stopped, having forgotten something, and hurried back to ask anxiously: "Butler Li, where are the keys?"

"In the drawer of the study on the second floor. Note that it is not the study belonging to the Master, but the other study to the left of his."

Shu Nian rushed up to the second floor to retrieve the keys. Seeing so many, she grabbed the most inconspicuous Maybach key and ran back down, heading straight for the garage. Watching her hurried back, Butler Li felt a sense of relief. It seemed there was finally a normal person in this mansion!

At that moment, Fu Zhouye caught sight of Shu Nian’s frantic departure. It looked as if she were fleeing from a disaster. *What, am I so unbearable that you have to hide from me just for the sake of some scumbag?*

As Butler Li turned, he saw Fu Zhouye dressed in a tailored black suit, radiating nobility in its simplicity. But why did his gaze and posture look so much like a "waiting-for-my-wife" stone? *No, no, no.* Who was his boss? This was Fu Zhouye—a powerful business elite with a cold, decisive personality, handsome looks, and a sharp gaze. Having followed him into the business world since his teens, the butler knew his master was like a dark night where no sun could shine—barren and desolate. Any living thing that wandered in would be ruthlessly devoured. How could such a man be interested in his wife? Besides, she was just a vase he had brought home to be displayed until he finished dealing with the rot within the family.

"Sir, why are you down so late today?"

"A medicinal herb that lulls me to sleep kept me company all night."

Butler Li was baffled, but he replied vaguely, "If it is a herb that can lull you to sleep, Sir, you must treasure it." Privately, he made the "bold" guess that the Madam must be this extraordinary herb. Perhaps his master was simply interested in the changes his wife had undergone.

Fu Zhouye did not answer. Butler Li, long accustomed to this dynamic, simply held his tongue.