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

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

Five French chefs dressed in snow-white uniforms stood in the open kitchen of the China World Trade Center penthouse.

On the counter were freshly air-freighted Alba white truffles, bluefin tuna belly, Kobe beef, and a whole jar of Caspian sturgeon caviar. These were top-quality ingredients that Xia Wanying had sourced directly from their origins using Dinghe Group's private shipping lines.

Several chefs worked quietly, their knives cutting through the meat with a low, muffled sound.

Xia Wanying leaned against the island counter, lowered her head and signed her name on an international air waybill, then handed the form to her assistant next to her.

Today, she'd ditched her usual powerful businesswoman attire for a champagne-colored, deep-V haute couture evening gown. The silky fabric clung to her slender waist, and the side slit plunged to her upper thigh. Around her neck adorned a flawless emerald necklace, and her red lips were alluring.

This is the combination of her most prized asset and beauty.

The fingerprint lock beeped. The heavy security door was pushed open.

Gu Qinghan carried two boxes of constantly warm wine into the entryway.

She changed into slippers, looked up at the kitchen, and her gaze met Xia Wanying's.

Gu Qinghan wore a pure black silk halter-neck dress. The front of the dress was completely closed, not even a sliver of her collarbone was exposed, and she still wore her signature gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, exuding an aloof and unapproachable aura.

But as she stepped into the living room and turned to place the wine box on the coffee table, a large expanse of her snow-white back was exposed to the air. Minimalist black straps crisscrossed around her smooth shoulder blades, perfectly showcasing a restrained yet intensely sexy contrast.

Two women stood at either end of a huge circular sofa.

The air was filled with the unique scent of a blend of top-tier perfumes.

"President Xia is quite generous." Gu Qinghan adjusted his glasses and glanced at the ingredients on the island counter. "For just a few casual meals, even a Michelin three-star team has moved into our home."

"Xun Chuan has worked hard these past few days, so someone has to take care of the logistics." Xia Wanying picked up her wine glass, swirled the sparkling wine inside, and parted her red lips slightly. "The wine that Teacher Gu brought is also quite good. It's a 1990 Romanée-Conti, which is extremely rare and expensive on the market. The Gu family certainly has a deep background. I just don't know if Teacher Gu will be able to enjoy this wine."

"It's not about the vintage of the wine, it's about who you drink it with," Gu Qinghan said coldly, showing no sign of backing down.

Zhu Xunchuan sat in the center of the leather sofa.

He changed into a dark gray casual suit, with a black turtleneck sweater underneath, and fiddled with the metal windproof lighter in his hand.

The crisp sound of a lighter being opened and closed echoed in the living room.

He looked at the glamorous female tycoon on his left with her deep V-neck and the aloof head teacher on his right with her bare back.

Neither of these two battle robes was worn casually. Every fold, every cut, seemed to be subtly vying for dominance, each trying to capture absolute attention in his own territory.

Zhu Xun Chuan didn't interrupt this silent battle. This was the daily life he wanted. These women who could command respect outside, under this roof, could only revolve around him.

The encrypted phone in my pocket vibrated violently.

Zhu Xun Chuan paused. He took out his phone, and a gray profile picture without any contact information popped up at the top of the screen.

"I'm going to have a smoke."

Zhu Xunchuan stood up and walked straight to the open-air balcony.

As I opened the glass sliding door, the cold autumn wind rushed into my collar, temporarily shutting out the aroma of wine and perfume in the living room.

The sun was setting, turning the skyline of Beijing a dark red. A chilly wind blew through the air.

Zhu Xun Chuan leaned against the glass railing and opened the only dialogue box.

The message contained only eleven words.

"Hearing of the victory, I hope you are well. Come quickly."

Zhu Xunchuan stared at the screen.

Song Xingyao was extremely ruthless. He cut off all of Fu Xinghe's external communication devices and assigned 24-hour special medical personnel to keep her under house arrest, claiming that he wanted her to "rest for ten months during her pregnancy."

Under such close surveillance, the fact that this aloof and arrogant Peking University professor was able to send out this message must have come at a great cost, possibly even risking being discovered by Fu Yuan by using the top-secret hotline of the municipal party committee compound.

"Hearing of the victory" means she learned of the Zhao family's destruction.

"I hope you are well" was the deep worry she had suppressed in her heart for three days.

And that phrase, "Come quickly."

Zhu Xun Chuan rubbed the edge of his phone with his fingers. Those two words completely shattered Fu Xing He's usual composure and restraint. She was no longer the aloof professor standing on the podium lecturing on pre-Qin literature, but a little woman trapped in her boudoir, desperately craving a man's comfort.

She's demanding. She's asking him to keep his promise.

The fake pregnancy was a colossal lie that Fu Xinghe told to protect him, risking his own innocence and future.

Song Xingyao gave a ten-month deadline.

If he doesn't have a child in ten months, Zhu Xunchuan must get out of Beijing.

Zhu Xunchuan opened the input box, quickly typed two words, and clicked send.

"wait for me."

The moment he pressed the send button, he turned off his phone screen.

Now that this burden has been placed on my head, I must make the best of a bad situation as soon as possible. After dealing with these vixens in the living room tonight, it's time to find an opportunity to sneak into the municipal party committee compound and personally "take care of Professor Fu's pregnancy."

Zhu Xun Chuan didn't light a cigarette. He turned around, opened the sliding door, and returned to the warm and cozy living room.

The door closed.

Gu Qinghan, wearing seven-centimeter black stilettos, walked straight up to Zhu Xunchuan.

She stopped very close to him, so close that Zhu Xun Chuan could smell the cool, pine-scented fragrance emanating from her.

"Your neckline is open."

Gu Qinghan's voice softened, completely lacking the sternness she displayed during the day. She raised her hands and placed them naturally on Zhu Xunchuan's collar, her slender fingers pinching the edge of his sweater and gently pulling it up.

Her fingertips traced, intentionally or unintentionally, Zhu Xunchuan's warm neck.

She tilted her head back, her eyes, behind her gold-rimmed glasses, glistening with a watery light, staring intently into Zhu Xun Chuan's eyes. It was an undisguised seduction.

The dull thud of high heels on the carpet came from the side.

Xia Wanying walked over carrying two wine glasses.

She completely ignored Gu Qinghan, who was tidying up Zhu Xunchuan's clothes, and walked to the other side of Zhu Xunchuan.

Xia Wanying held one of the wine glasses to Zhu Xunchuan's lips. On the rim of the glass was a clear half-red lip print, the spot where she had just drunk from.

"Conti just woke up." Xia Wanying's eyes were gleaming, and she leaned forward slightly, revealing her neckline. "Teacher Gu certainly has good taste. Mr. Zhu, would you like to try some?"

She precisely aligned the red lip print on the rim of the cup with Zhu Xun Chuan's lips.

Gu Qinghan stopped what she was doing. She turned her head and stared at the wine glass in Xia Wanying's hand.

Xia Wanying did not back down, raising an eyebrow and looking back.

The air in the entire living room instantly became thick and sticky.

Zhu Xun Chuan stood still, with the cool, aloof professor's fingertips touching him on his left and the richest woman offering him a glass of red wine on his right.

He didn't push any of them away.

Zhu Xun Chuan lowered his head slightly and, using Xia Wan Ying's hand, drank the sip of red wine with the lip print on it. The richness of the red wine and Xia Wan Ying's unique aroma mingled in his mouth.

At the same time, he raised his left hand, pressed down on the back of Gu Qinghan's hand that was resting on his collar, and gently rubbed her hand twice with his thumb.

The movements were fluid and graceful.

A hint of smugness flashed in Xia Wanying's eyes. Gu Qinghan's lips also subtly curved into a smile.