After ninety-nine online romances, I finally met my ex in person when school started.

Two terrifying women with top-tier backgrounds who could overturn the entire city of Tianjin at any moment.

They exchanged a glance across Zhu Xun Chuan, rolled their eyes at each other in perfect unison, and then simultaneously took out their phones to issue the retreat order.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the observation room on the second floor.

Su Mucheng hid behind the heavy velvet curtains, covering her mouth tightly with both hands, not daring to breathe.

She was well aware of Jiang Yao's background.

She was initially filled with despair and inferiority because of Pei Yanyu's coercion and Xia Wanying's sudden arrival. She felt that she wouldn't survive even one episode in this huge battlefield.

But now, she looked at the man on the beach.

With just one sentence and two subtle movements, that man easily stripped the richest man in North China and the heiress of the underworld of all their fangs, making them obedient.

The inferiority complex in Su Mucheng's heart dissipated. In its place was an almost pathological dependence and fanaticism.

She doesn't need to fight for any power. As long as she obeys him and gives herself to him without reservation, this man can shield her from all the storms of the world.

On the beach, the convoy and bodyguards quickly withdrew. The sound of the waves once again took over.

Jiang Yao nestled close to Zhu Xun Chuan's chest. She tiptoed, brought her red lips to Zhu Xun Chuan's ear, and whispered in a very low voice.

"Honey, I received some inside information from the old man." Jiang Yao's eyes revealed a hint of seriousness. "Someone in Kyoto is investigating the background of this dating reality show. They've erased all traces; their methods are extremely sophisticated."

Zhu Xun Chuan's eyes were deep and expressionless.

The waters of Kyoto have long been muddied. Whether it's the Gu family patriarch behind Gu Qinghan, the power behind Meng Wanqing, or the capital Pei Yanyu offended when she left the entertainment industry, there will always be people who can't help but jump out.

But all of these are on his chessboard.

"Okay." Zhu Xun Chuan patted Jiang Yao on the back. "Get some rest."

Night was falling.

The next morning, the rising sun painted the sea with a shimmering golden hue.

Inside the Sea Cliff Resort, staff members were busy moving around, and various camera positions were re-set.

Director Wang, beaming, held the thick script. Although the first episode was interrupted last night due to various unforeseen events, Zhu Xunchuan's few killer love lines have already secured the highest popularity for this year's dating reality show.

"All departments, prepare! Observation room cameras on!"

Wang Daoxing excitedly pushed open the solid wood door of the observation room on the second floor, ready to go over today's schedule with the mentors.

The moment the door opened, Director Wang gasped. The pleasantries he had planned were abruptly cut off.

Behind the large, long table in the observation room.

Gu Qinghan and Pei Yanyu's seats were already empty.

Instead, there were two women whose auras were enough to freeze the entire room.

On the left, Xia Wanying had changed into a minimalist, pure white haute couture suit, her long legs crossed. She held a cup of black coffee in her hand, her gaze coldly fixed on the monitor in front of her.

On the right, Jiang Yao was still wearing that tight and sexy black leather outfit. She was chewing bubble gum, and the silver butterfly knife in her hand made a "swish, swish" sound. Her eyes were filled with undisguised aggression.

One black, one white. Capital and violence.

Director Wang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Having been in the entertainment industry for many years, he had naturally heard of these two individuals. He didn't dare to even breathe loudly and could only grit his teeth and order all departments to start filming.

Zhu Xunchuan sat in the center. Su Mucheng sat to his right, her hands clasped on her knees, her posture upright and extremely well-behaved.

The big screen lit up and began playing clips of the fourth pair of non-celebrity guests, Lu Zhou and Chen Nian.

The scene unfolds in the kitchen of a seaside villa in the early morning. Lu Zhou and Chen Nian are preparing breakfast. They fell in love in their youth but broke up three years ago due to differences in their life plans. After reuniting, their understanding remains unchanged. Chen Nian is cutting tomatoes, while Lu Zhou reaches for a plate. Their hands inadvertently touch.

Lu Zhou froze, quickly withdrew his hand, and turned to get the milk from the refrigerator. Chen Nian paused in her tomato-cutting, a clear hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

"I still care, but I don't even have the courage to get close." Su Mucheng looked at the big screen, her eyes slightly red. She remembered her past in the entertainment industry, when she was helpless and could only desperately try to please others. She understood all too well that feeling of wanting to hold on yet being afraid of losing.

At that moment, Chen Nian's phone, which was on the kitchen counter, suddenly lit up on the screen, and an anonymous text message flashed across the screen.

The camera panned by so quickly that even Director Wang didn't notice. But Zhu Xunchuan keenly caught the first three digits of the number and its unique location code, which matched perfectly with the number Pei Yanyu had sent him the night before.

Zhu Xun Chuan pondered. The undercurrents in the capital had already infiltrated this ordinary person who was involved in a dating reality show. This was a large net being cast against him.

"What's there to worry about?" Jiang Yao exhaled a pink bubble, which popped with a "pop".

She tucked the butterfly knife into her leather jacket pocket and scoffed at the camera: "If you like him, just do it. Don't think it's right? Then tie him up, break his legs, and keep him around to work things out slowly. If one day isn't enough, then a year will do, until he obeys. Dragging it out is a complete waste of time."

Jiang Yao's remarks were broadcast live, and the chat exploded instantly.

"Holy crap, that girl in the leather jacket is so cool! So crazy!"

"Is this a script? This statement is so hardcore!"

"Tie me up and break my legs? We can't afford to mess with that!"

Xia Wanting, who was sitting on the left, put down her coffee cup. The bottom of the cup made a crisp clinking sound against the marble tabletop.

"Miss Jiang's logic is far too primitive." Xia Wanying straightened the cuffs of her white suit, her voice cold and aloof. "Love is essentially a resource exchange. The breakup three years ago has already proven that this asset restructuring has completely failed."

Xia Wanying looked directly into the camera, displaying the absolute rationality of North China's richest woman: "These irretrievable feelings are sunk costs. The capital market doesn't believe in lingering resentment. Old debts with no value are better liquidated directly to cut losses in time. Repeatedly testing the waters will only lower one's worth."

The comments section went on a frenzy again, with the two opposing viewpoints clashing fiercely online.

In front of the camera, the two women subtly exchanged barbs. Beneath the long wooden table, out of the camera's view, a fierce battle was about to erupt.

Jiang Yao's lips curled into a provocative smirk. She stretched out her right leg, clad in black leather pants and heavy Doc Martens, and pressed it against Zhu Xun Chuan's calf, directly across the edge of the table. The hard leather of the Doc Martens slowly rubbed up the fabric of the trousers, carrying an extremely dangerous and provocative tone.

Xia Wanying noticed the movement under the table. Her expression remained icy, but her right leg quietly extended. Her slender calf, encased in top-quality black stockings, straightened, and her black pointed-toe high heel precisely touched Jiang Yao's Martin boot.

With a slight push of the heel, Jiang Yao raised an eyebrow, her leg muscles instantly engaging to forcefully push against Xia Wanying's high heels as she continued upwards.

Zhu Xun Chuan remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged. He listened to their statements in front of the camera, but his hands quietly removed from the table.

Zhu Xun Chuan reached out with his left hand. His large palm accurately gripped Jiang Yao's knee. He pressed his thumb and forefinger against several key acupoints on Jiang Yao's leg, and then squeezed hard.

Jiang Yao gasped. Her long, taut legs instantly lost their strength. A tingling, numb sensation shot from her knees to her brain, causing her delicate body beneath her leather jacket to tremble violently, and a blush quickly spread across her cheeks. She gritted her teeth, forcing back the soft moan that almost escaped her lips.

At the same time, Zhu Xun Chuan reached out with his right hand. He grabbed Xia Wan Ying's ankle, which was resting on Jiang Yao's shoe.

The black stockings felt incredibly smooth to the touch. Zhu Xun Chuan's fingers slipped directly through the straps of her high heels, his palm resting on her slender ankle, his thumb pressing heavily on her navicular bone.

Xia Wanting's fingers tightened abruptly around the coffee cup, her knuckles turning white. A crack finally appeared on her perpetually icy face. Her breathing became rapid, and she could only press her legs tightly together, completely losing the imposing aura she had displayed moments before.

One hand grips the knee of the violent, yandere, while the other pinches the ankle of the soft, capitalist queen.

"What does Mr. Zhu think?" Seeing the heated debate in the live chat, the host quickly turned the conversation to Zhu Xunchuan, who was sitting in the middle.

Zhu Xun Chuan slowly released his hands from under the table and placed them back together on the marble tabletop.

He didn't look at Jiang Yao, nor at Xia Wanying. He turned his head, his deep gaze falling on Su Mucheng's face to his right.

"True love is not about repeatedly weighing gains and losses, nor is it about calculating sunk costs." Zhu Xun Chuan's deep and mellow voice carried throughout the studio through the microphone, "It's about being willing to smash through walls for her even if you know there are obstacles ahead."