He stole his best friend's photos and fell for a tycoon's heir through online dating.

"Do you understand, baby? Are you scared?"

Zhou Siyan pinched Xia Ruo's little nose and gently rubbed her nose with his fingertip.

"What do you want to eat for lunch? Let's take the baby out for a nice meal."

"Noon..." Xia Ruo took a half step back, dodging his hand that was about to squeeze hers, "I've already made plans with Wanwan."

Zhou Siyan's hand paused in mid-air, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and his tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction and grievance:

"Baby, she's so clingy, it's affecting our date."

I'll give her some work to keep her busy.

"No way!" Xia Ruo glared at him. "I left early last night and made Wanwan cry. I have to comfort her, so you're not allowed to cause trouble."

Zhou Siyan looked at her, remained silent for two seconds, and then put on a pitiful expression.

"Then... can you take me with you?"

Xia Ruo looked at him warily: "What are you doing?"

"I also want to be comforted by the baby." He rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I won't cause trouble. I'll just follow along and not say a word."

"Can you please stop being so adorably unexpected, Mr. Zhou?"

"What, baby doesn't like it?" He looked up, a hint of seriousness and pride in his eyes. "I asked Doubao, and Doubao said that girlfriends like their boyfriends to act cute sometimes."

Xia Ruo's face flushed red.

She does quite like him—a brooding, powerful figure in public, but a cute, affectionate puppy in private.

She looked away, her voice barely audible, "...I'm going out. You'll have lunch by yourself."

"Wait." Zhou Siyan grabbed her wrist.

"I have to go back to the old house this afternoon."

I'll leave Assistant Zhang with you. I'll take you to the apartment after work; everything's arranged there. You can stay for a while.

Xia Ruo turned to look at him, her eyes widening slightly.

She hadn't expected him to be so respectful of her—at breakfast that morning, she thought he wouldn't let her and Wanwan stay at the hotel.

"Why that look? You seem so incredulous," he chuckled softly, leaning closer to her ear, "Want to live with me?"

"No way!"

Zhou Siyan straightened up and gently rubbed the inside of her wrist with his thumb:

"Good girl, baby. Although your husband seems a bit domineering, I will seriously consider everything you say and won't make things difficult for you."

But only if you stay by my side obediently. Understand?

He leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

Xia Ruo lowered her head, her ears turning bright red: "...I understand."

-

After work, Assistant Zhang drove the two of them to the apartment.

Lin Wanzhi leaned back in her chair, pondering the apartment the company had arranged for her.

It's probably just an average apartment in a typical residential complex, with two bedrooms and a living room, average decor, but passable.

She was looking down at her phone, oblivious to the street scene outside the window.

She only looked up when the car turned into a tree-lined avenue full of ginkgo trees.

"Huh?" She paused, looking out the window at the row of neatly arranged entrance halls with access control. "How did we end up here?"

Xia Ruo also glanced outside; it was her first time here too.

Assistant Zhang spoke calmly, as if stating something perfectly normal: "President Huo's apartment is right here."

Lin Wanzhi's mouth slowly opened: "But this is... Rongyue Mansion."

"There are no ordinary apartments here, only large single-level apartments starting at 300 square meters."

"A large flat can also be an apartment," Assistant Zhang said without changing his expression.

Just as Lin Wanzhi was about to say something, her gaze suddenly fell on one of the buildings, and she abruptly stopped talking.

She blinked, then leaned closer to the car window for another look, as if confirming something.

"This building..." she paused, "my brother lives in this building."

"What?" Xia Ruo turned her head instantly, her eyes meeting Lin Wanzhi's.

Assistant Zhang's gaze swept across the rearview mirror, and his fingers gripping the steering wheel tightened imperceptibly.

-

at the same time.

Lin Wanxun sat in her office with a roster and photos sent by her assistant spread out in front of her.

The lights were cold and white; as I turned the pages, they were all people well-known in City A.

His fingers suddenly stopped when he turned to a certain page.

The face in the photo—high and sharp brow bones, deep-set eyes, and slightly pursed thin lips—was none other than Huo Sinian.

However, in the name field below the photo, three words are clearly written: Zhou Siyan.

Lin Wanxun's pupils contracted slightly.

He recalled the banquet held by the Zhou Group a few years ago.

Mr. Lin was fortunate enough to be invited. He had seen Zhou Siyan from afar once before – the man was speaking on the stage, and in just one minute, all the guests below held their breath.

He didn't pay attention to that face at the time, not because he looked down on it, but because the difference in appearance was too great.

The Lin family was considered influential in City A, but compared to the Zhou family, they were nothing more than a dwarf blade of grass under a big tree.

To my surprise, it was him.

Lin Wanxun's fingers slowly tightened, her knuckles turning white.

Why?

Why would the heir to the prestigious Zhou family conglomerate become the president of a small media company? What is his motive?

He recalled Zhou Siyan's words on the phone, words as cold as a knife: "My employees are none of Mr. Lin's concern."

The possessiveness in that tone was so intense it was suffocating, even through the receiver.

Is it for Ruoruo?

Lin Wanxun's brows furrowed more and more tightly.

Does Zhou Siyan like Ruoruo?

How did Zhou Siyan and Xia Ruo come to know each other? How did they meet?

A person standing at the top of the pyramid should have had no connection with Xia Ruo.

He suddenly stopped, a thought flashing through his mind like a cold wind sneaking in through the crack in the door.

Could it be that... he discovered something?

Lin Wanxun slowly leaned back in his chair, staring at the light on the ceiling, the light so bright it made his eyes sting.

Did he discover something from something that happened twenty years ago?

He closed his eyes, his fingers clutching the roster.

No! He has to stop it!

This person is ruthless and decisive in the business world, and extremely shrewd. We absolutely cannot let him get entangled with Ruoruo.

Lin Wanxun picked up her phone, her fingertips already tapping Xia Ruo's number, but she stopped just as she was about to press the dial button.

He stared at the name on the screen, a sudden wave of bitterness washing over him—

He could sense that Ruoruo was deliberately avoiding him.

This realization was like a fine needle, piercing his chest with neither too much nor too little force.

What right did he have to call her? He was just her best friend's brother, someone who had been watching from the shadows for years without her noticing.

Lin Wanxun closed her eyes, her Adam's apple bobbing up and down. She then found another name in her contacts and pressed the dial button.

-

The private elevator in Rongyue Mansion leads directly to the top floor.

As soon as the door opened, Lin Wanzhi and Xia Ruo were both stunned.

It's a duplex!

The high-ceilinged living room connects the two floors, and a full-length curved window extends from the first floor to the second floor, framing the city skyline in its entirety.

Dusk seeped in through the glass, bathing the entire space in a gentle golden hue. The light spread slowly along the dark gray stone floor and then climbed up the clean-lined staircase opposite.

The staircase is suspended, with dark wooden treads embedded in the white wall, and warm yellow light strips shining through the edges.

The living room floor is paved with dark gray stone, the sofa is a low-saturation off-white, and a black grand piano is placed next to it.

Lin Wanzhi stood at the elevator entrance, looking up at the staircase leading to the second floor, then turning to look at the floor-to-ceiling window that almost filled the entire wall. It took her a while to find her voice:

"Is...is this really an apartment arranged by the company?"