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

The dignified little poison fairy of Miao territory was now crying like a helpless girl who had broken someone else's beloved toy.

She abandoned all her wildness and pride, leaving only a heart full of fear.

The three mature women on the sofa showed slight changes in their expressions. As children of the highest echelons of society, they knew all too well the cruelty of family infighting. Qu Feiyan's tragic experience dissipated most of their previous hostility, replacing it with a touch of pity.

Meng Wanqing sighed and pushed the file folder aside. Fu Xinghe poured a glass of warm water and placed it on the coffee table in front of Qu Feiyan. Gu Qinghan adjusted his glasses, his gaze shifting between Zhu Xunchuan and Qu Feiyan.

Zhu Xun Chuan walked around the coffee table, bent down, and reached out to grab Qu Fei Yan's wrist.

He pulled Qu Feiyan up from the single sofa and, with a forceful pull, pressed her into his arms.

Qu Feiyan was stunned. With her nose pressed against his strong chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, she forgot to cry.

"Why are you crying?" Zhu Xun Chuan put his left arm around her soft waist and rubbed the back of her head with his right hand.

His movements were extremely gentle, but his words carried an undeniable arrogance and an extreme protectiveness.

"I'll take care of your debts. If the Qu family dares to touch my people, I'll chop off whichever hand they reach out with."

A deep voice echoed in the lounge.

Qu Feiyan gripped Zhu Xunchuan's shirt tightly with both hands and buried her face in his chest. The grievances and fears of half a year of wandering found an absolute haven at this moment, and she finally cried out loud without any restraint.

The three women watched the two embracing without interrupting. The sense of responsibility this man carried was precisely why they were so devoted to him.

"Buzzing—"

Zhu Xun Chuan's encrypted phone, which was on the coffee table, suddenly vibrated.

Pei Yanyu's number was displayed on the screen.

Zhu Xun Chuan's eyes sharpened. He released Qu Fei Yan, picked up his phone, and pressed the speakerphone button.

"Mr. Zhu, how have you been?" A woman's chilling laughter came from the other end of the phone. She spoke with a heavy southwestern accent, and even through the screen, you could sense her sinister malice.

"Where is he?" Zhu Xun Chuan asked only two words, without any further explanation.

"Miss Pei is so delicate, it makes my heart ache." The woman chuckled sweetly, then her tone suddenly turned serious.

"Mr. Zhu, Miss Pei is so beautiful. If you don't follow the rules and send my little deserter along with the bone ring, the Gu worms in her stomach will gnaw through her intestines tonight."

"Mr. Zhu, what's your decision?" The woman's voice on the other end of the phone, with a southwestern accent, was sticky and cold.

The air in the lounge suddenly cooled. Gu Qinghan's fingers rested on the holster at his waist, while Fu Xinghe's brows furrowed. Qu Feiyan sat on Zhu Xunchuan's lap, her nails digging deeply into her palms.

Zhu Xun Chuan didn't look at anyone. He leaned back on the leather sofa, his tone calm and even.

"Twelve hours, plenty of time." Zhu Xun Chuan tapped lightly on the glass of the coffee table. "But you'd better understand one thing. If Pei Yan Yu loses a single hair, or gets an unexpected cut, I guarantee that the Thirty-Six Villages of the Qu Family in Southwest China will be erased from the map forever. I mean what I say."

These words, though spoken without raising their voices, carried a suffocatingly bloody undertone.

The laughter from the other side abruptly ceased. The Zhao family was wiped out in twelve hours, the Chen family's heir fell from power overnight, and Zhu Xunchuan's reputation in the capital was enough to terrify any out-of-town power.

"Don't worry, Mr. Zhu, we know the rules." The woman's voice held a hint of apprehension. "Those on missions are all female bodyguards from the inner sect of the Qu family. We Miao women disdain such despicable acts, and Miss Pei's innocence is beyond reproach. However, the Heart-Eating Gu only recognizes the time. Tonight at 11 PM, at the abandoned mine in the western suburbs, bring the deserter and the bone ring. No waiting for latecomers."

Beep, beep. The call ended.

Qu Feiyan was somewhat surprised to hear the name Pei Yanyu, but she only considered it as a case of sharing the same name and surname, and given the current critical situation, she didn't think much of it.

Qu Feiyan's eyes were red-rimmed, and she bit her pale lips tightly. She placed her hands on Zhu Xunchuan's shoulders and suddenly stood up.

"I caused this mess, so I'll go." Qu Feiyan's voice carried a resolute air of despair as she ripped off the silver necklace from her neck. "I'll wear the bone ring. They want me. I'll give my life back to the Qu family if necessary, but I can't drag your friends down with me!"

She had barely taken half a step when a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist.

Zhu Xun Chuan remained seated, his fingers tightening around her slender waist, and pulled her back forcefully.

Qu Feiyan gasped, losing her balance and tumbling back onto Zhu Xunchuan's broad, firm thighs. The force was so great that her back slammed directly into the man's warm chest.

"What are you doing! Let me go!" Qu Feiyan struggled.

Zhu Xun Chuan put his left arm around her waist, raised his right hand, and pinched her delicate chin with his long fingers, forcing her to turn her head to look at him.

"My woman, when did it become your turn to be a sacrificial lamb?" Zhu Xun Chuan stared at her flickering eyes, his voice low and deep. "Stay obediently behind me. If the sky falls, I'll hold it up."

These words shattered all of Qu Feiyan's defenses. She stared blankly into Zhu Xun Chuan's deep eyes, her lips trembling slightly, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal. The faint medicinal scent of his masculine hormones completely enveloped her, giving her a sense of surrender that she would gladly accept even death.

Meng Wanqing, who was standing next to her, picked up the file folder on the table and clapped her hands.

"Alright, let's go home. We need to plan tonight's plans properly."

……

Night falls on the top floor of the Kyoto International Trade Building.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the dazzling neon lights cast a backdrop of light pollution. Inside, however, the atmosphere is one of oppressive luxury in dark tones.

Xia Wanying was dressed in a deep red haute couture business suit, clearly having just abruptly left the board meeting. She casually tossed her million-dollar Hermès Birkin bag onto the sofa, walked over in high heels, arms crossed, her striking figure on full display.

"The merger and acquisition of three listed companies is waiting to be finalized, and I forced dozens of senior executives to come back from the meeting room. Zhu Xun Chuan, if you dare to go and die at this critical juncture, I will immediately remarry with Dinghe's capital." Xia Wan Ying's tone was cold and sharp, but her eyes hid deep worry and resentment.

Zhu Xunchuan and everyone else present simultaneously thought to themselves, "They're not even married yet!"

Jiang Yao slammed a Beretta 92F onto the coffee table. She wore a black silk camisole nightgown, exuding a wild charm, and skillfully twirled a butterfly knife in her hand. "Two thousand Northern Death Squads are ready to go. Brother Chuan, just say the word, and I'll raze that crappy mine to the ground tonight."

Gu Qinghan adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, holding a set of architectural blueprints from the western suburbs. Fu Xinghe, meanwhile, stood beside her, leisurely adding hot water to his teacup.

Four stunningly beautiful women with immense power shed their composure in the outside world, revealing only their intense concern and domineering nature towards the same man.

The silk pajamas on the leather sofa and the cold, hard firearms create a striking visual contrast. Ambiguity and murderous intent coexist, transforming the entire living room into an extremely dangerous battleground.

"You're still under the influence of the poison, you can't make a move tonight." Gu Qinghan's tone was cold and firm, brooking no argument.

"I won't allow you to take any risks." Fu Xinghe placed the teacup next to Zhu Xunchuan. "The Municipal Party Committee's Special Operations Unit can directly take over that area."