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

The French chef served the final dish, braised beef in red wine, and led his team to quietly leave the spacious apartment. With the heavy security door locked, the enormous 600-square-meter space became their private domain.

A warm yellow glow emanated from the Murano crystal chandelier overhead. Jazz music flowed through the in-wall speakers, masking the mingled, fermenting scents of perfume in the air.

Zhu Xun Chuan sat at the head of the long marble dining table. To his left was Xia Wan Ying in a deep V-neck champagne-colored dress, to his right was Gu Qing Han in a black silk halter-neck dress, and directly opposite him was Jiang Yao in a red and black jacket.

"Mr. Zhu, this is a toast to you." Xia Wanying picked up the Burgundy crystal glass, her wrist swaying slightly, the Bordeaux red wine clinging to the glass reflecting an intoxicating dark red hue.

She leaned forward, revealing her impressive cleavage, and said, "I also respect Dinghe Group's official takeover of the Southern Pharmaceutical Market today. They amassed a billion-dollar deal in just two hours; my billion-dollar stepping stone was well worth it."

This statement directly highlights the crucial role she played in the downfall of the Zhao family, showcasing her powerful presence as the empress.

"It's just a game of capital, don't overestimate yourself." Gu Qinghan held a pure silver knife and fork, gracefully cutting open the Kobe beef in front of him.

She lowered her head, her voice cold and clear, "If it weren't for the city bureau's online drills dragging down the Zhao family's PR team, your online trolls and trending topics would have been banned within half an hour. Order and rules are always above money."

"Bang!"

Jiang Yao didn't take a knife and fork. She directly pulled out the butterfly knife and stabbed it into the solid wood placemat with a "thud".

"Stop spouting nonsense. One of you is spending money, and the other is typing on the keyboard." Jiang Yao picked up an Argentine red shrimp, peeled it open, and said with a disdainful look, "How many desperados does the Zhao family employ? If it weren't for my six hundred brothers from the Northern Territory branch sealing off the black market in the East District overnight, Zhao Tingzhi's henchmen would have already stormed in. If we're really talking about merit, I took the knife and lives for him."

Three sentences. Capital, order, violence. Three women, each with a distinctly different demeanor, engaged in their first fierce battle at the dinner table.

Zhu Xun Chuan listened to their heated argument. He did not stop them.

He picked up his wine glass, tilted his head back, and took a sip of red wine. His deep gaze swept over three equally beautiful faces, each with a different expression.

Just as the three women were vying with each other, Zhu Xun Chuan's right hand had already left the table and silently slid down.

Beneath the tablecloth lies another hidden battlefield.

Gu Qinghan was wearing sheer black stockings today. Her legs were crossed and placed to the side to maintain an dignified sitting posture. Zhu Xunchuan's hand accurately covered her calf.

Through the delicate black silk, the astonishing heat emanating from the large hand sent a shiver through Gu Qinghan's body.

Her hand gripping the knife and fork tightened suddenly, and she instinctively tried to pull back. Zhu Xun Chuan's fingers slightly tightened, and he firmly grasped her ankle, fixing her taut long leg to the outside of his thigh.

Gu Qinghan's chest heaved. She bit her lower lip, and her usually cold eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses instantly welled up with tears, but she dared not make a sound in front of Xia Wanying and Jiang Yao.

On Zhu Xunchuan's left, Xia Wanting was equally determined.

The billionaire woman kicked off her left red-soled high heel, and her toes, encased only in stockings, slid up Zhu Xunchuan's trouser leg. Her toes, through the fabric, provocatively brushed against his shinbone.

On the surface, she appears to be a dignified and noble business queen, but underneath the table, she's as unrestrained as a vixen.

One on the left, one on the right. Completely different tactile sensations.

Zhu Xun Chuan remained calm. He picked up his knife and fork with his left hand and steadily placed a piece of top-grade Wagyu beef that he had cut from his plate onto Gu Qing Han's bone china plate.

"Your stomach isn't good, so don't eat anything too raw. This cooking time is just right," Zhu Xun Chuan said in a deep and gentle voice.

Gu Qinghan froze. Her ankle was being tightly gripped under the table, yet she was receiving such meticulous care on the table. That sense of privilege, belonging only to her, instantly soothed the jealousy in her heart. Her face flushed, and she gave a soft "Mmm."

Then, Zhu Xun Chuan pulled out a wet wipe. He leaned forward, across half the table, and grabbed Jiang Yao's hand, which was covered in shrimp oil.

"You've gone to a lot of trouble carrying the knife for me, my dear Yao Yao." He gently wiped Jiang Yao's fingers clean one by one, his dark eyes looking directly into hers. "I love the way you act all cute."

Jiang Yao's temper flared up quickly but subsided just as fast. The phrase "our Yao Yao" instantly broke her composure, and she couldn't help but let her lips curl into a wild smile, obediently putting away her butterfly knife.

Finally, Zhu Xunchuan picked up his wine glass and turned to look to his left.

He took the initiative to touch the rim of his wine glass to the bottom of Xia Wanting's glass. A crisp "clink" sounded.

"You've thrown in a billion. Tonight, I'll pay you back, principal and interest, with my own life." Zhu Xun Chuan stared into Xia Wan Ying's eyes, his voice low and deadly magnetic. Under the table, his left leg suddenly thrust forward, firmly trapping Xia Wan Ying's unruly foot.

Xia Wanying's breath hitched for a second. Her proud desire for control crumbled before this man, her cheeks flushed red, and she obediently tilted her head back to drink the glass of red wine.

One person picks up food, another wipes their hands, and the third clinks glasses.

In less than a minute, the impending chaotic scene was perfectly orchestrated by Zhu Xun Chuan. Every woman was certain that she had received the highest level of favor from this man.

The dinner party drew to a close, fueled by the aroma of red wine.

Xia Wanying rested her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling. Gu Qinghan's back relaxed slightly, her long, black-stockinged legs no longer resisting, obediently pressing against Zhu Xunchuan's legs. Jiang Yao, meanwhile, lay on the table, staring intently at Zhu Xunchuan's Adam's apple.

It was at this extremely ambiguous moment, when the air was thick with tension.

The encrypted phone on the table suddenly vibrated twice.

This is not the frequency of a regular text message.

Zhu Xunchuan loosened Gu Qinghan's ankle and took the phone. The screen unlocked.

This is a "self-destructing" photo sent through a special internal network channel.

The background of the photo is a second-floor bedroom in the red brick building in the municipal party committee compound. Moonlight shines in through the carved window.

Fu Xinghe sat on the edge of the bed. Her usual formal suit was gone, and she was only wearing a thin, semi-transparent white silk nightgown.

Her slender, pale wrists were crossed over her knees. On her right wrist, there was a glaring red mark—the trace of when her communication device was forcibly taken away.

Below the photo is a line of text.

"My mom added three more special security teams, and even sealed off the balcony. I can't escape. Do you dare come?"

Provocation. Cry for help. And a desire to abandon all reason.

That aloof, unapproachable professor standing on the Peking University podium is now trapped in the cage of power, waiting for her madmen to break down the door.

Zhu Xun Chuan's eyes suddenly narrowed.

A powerful possessiveness exploded from the depths of his heart. How dare Song Xingyao imprison his woman and leave a wound on her wrist! He had to settle this score with Song Xingyao tonight.

The photo flashed on the screen for five seconds, then automatically disappeared, turning into a bunch of gibberish.

Zhu Xun Chuan put down his phone. He picked up the half-empty glass of Romanée-Conti in front of him, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. His Adam's apple bobbed, the liquor flowing down his throat and into his lungs, igniting the wildness in his blood.

He stood up.

He took long strides and pushed the chair aside.

"Mr. Zhu, aren't you going to drink anymore?" Xia Wanying raised her head, her voice carrying a hint of drunken charm.

Gu Qinghan and Jiang Yao also looked over at the same time.

Zhu Xun Chuan picked up the dark gray suit jacket from the headboard and casually draped it over his shoulders.

He looked down at his three tipsy confidantes, a wicked smile spreading across his lips.

"I've had enough alcohol."

Zhu Xun Chuan's long, slender fingers gripped his tie and pulled it down forcefully. The top two buttons of his shirt popped open, revealing his strong collarbone.

"You guys go to bed early tonight. I have to go out and hand in an 'urgent assignment'."

The afterglow of the banquet had not yet faded. This "stealing the jade and fragrance" operation targeting the top-level security network of the municipal party committee compound had officially begun.