After a passionate, steamy night, Xu Weilai felt the man beside her rise from the bed and enter the bathroom. She lay sprawled across the bed, exhausted and unmoving.

The sound of water flowing could be heard coming from the bathroom. Xu Weilai forced her eyes open and glanced at the clothes scattered all around the floor. The fresh memory of the night's activities surfaced in her mind, and she instinctively clutched the blanket as her cheeks blushed crimson.

She and Gu Yu…

Since they were young, both of them had been betrothed to each other by their respective families. However, Gu Yu hadn't harbored much interest in this betrothal. He had been indifferent to her, and she could never guess what he was thinking.

It was only after he had met with a car accident, and she had stayed by his side for three months to take care of him, that his attitude toward her had improved tremendously.

They had been together for a while, and now that they had consummated their relationship, he was going to take responsibility and marry her, wasn't he?

She couldn't help but quiver in excitement at that very thought, and her eyes twinkled brightly.

As she was lost in her thoughts, the door to the bathroom suddenly opened. The man walked out leisurely. Xu Weilai looked over. He had tied a towel around his hips, revealing his sexy, sculpted chest. His body was still covered in water droplets, and he looked mesmerizing.

Even though they had already been intimate, Xu Weilai still couldn't help but lower her eyes.

Gu Yu's handsome face carried an air of frostiness. His eyes looked dark and cold. As he strode past her, he did not spare her a single glance. He loosened his towel and put on his clothes unhurriedly.

Xu Weilai tightened her fist around the blanket. She took in a deep breath and considered her next words carefully before gently saying, "Gu Yu, we…"

Xu Weilai voiced out a few words, but she was too shy to finish the statement. However, Gu Yu didn't seem like he was about to say anything to fill the void. She stopped for a short moment before steeling herself and continuing, "Since we've already done it, don't you think…"

Gu Yu did the last button on his suit before turning around. He lifted his eyebrows and rested his eyes on her. Xu Weilai instinctively stopped talking.

His expression didn't betray his emotions, and the look in his eyes was candid. However, Xu Weilai could feel an indescribable and imposing aura emanating from him, and it made her feel very unsettled.

Gu Yu's eyes slowly raked through Xu Weilai's exceptionally beautiful face. When he saw that she was beginning to panic, the corners of his lips slowly lifted, and he replied, "Done it? Done what?"

Xu Weilai froze in shock.

What was that supposed to mean? They had just consummated their relationship. Wasn't he supposed to follow the script and marry her now?

Gu Yu saw the blank look in her eyes, and his lips twitched. As it dawned on him what she was asking, he sarcastically and crudely retorted, "You voluntarily threw yourself into my arms and gave me your virginity. And now you're telling me that you want me to take responsibility for you?"

The sound of his voice was so pleasant to Xu Weilai's ears. But the words that he just uttered chilled her to her bone. The blood drained from her face, and her hands trembled.

Although she had indeed initiated the first move and kissed him under the influence of alcohol, he hadn't rejected her advances. In fact, he had taken it one step further and pinned her beneath his body… Everything had been fine. Why did he suddenly become so cold? Why was he saying such cruel things? Had she done something wrong?

Gu Yu sneered and took two steps up to her. His long and slender fingers tilted her chin up, and his eyes narrowed. He stared into her ashen face before declaring chillingly, "I will give you an answer."

-

Xu Weilai waited an entire week for that answer. It came through Gu Yu's phone call. No… actually, it came through his assistant's phone call.

The assistant succinctly relayed Gu Yu's intentions; he wanted to break off the engagement!

After the call was disconnected, Xu Weilai sat on the couch, dumbfounded. Her face slowly turned white.

Her father saw her expression, and asked matter-of-factly, "Weilai, was that Yu on the line? What did he say? Is there going to be a wedding soon?"

Her mother looked at her expectantly from the side, waiting for her reply.

Is there going to be a wedding soon?

That question broke Xu Weilai out of her stupor, and she jerked her head up. She met her parents' eyes as she trembled involuntarily and bit her lip subconsciously.

After that fateful day, the news of her spending the night together with Gu Yu had been spread by an unknown source. Before she knew it, everyone in their circle had become aware of that fact.

When the news reached Mr. and Mrs. Xu, they were elated. Because of Gu Yu's indifferent attitude towards their daughter, they had been expecting the betrothal to go up in flames sooner or later. It, therefore, came as a pleasant surprise that Gu Yu had consummated his relationship with Xu Weilai.

With this relationship consummated, Gu Yu would naturally have to marry their daughter!

Xu Weilai observed the joyful smiles on her parents' faces. She opened her mouth, but no words came out, and she closed it again. She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

She was quiet for a long time, and the look in her eyes was somber. Xu Weilai's father finally realized that something wasn't right. The smile disappeared from his face, and he asked in a serious tone, "Weilai, is something wrong? Just what did Yu say?"

Xu Weilai didn't dare to meet her father's gaze. She knew how much her parents were hoping for her and Gu Yu to get married, and for her to become the mistress of the Gu family!

She lowered her eyes and stared at her pale fingers for a good 20 seconds before forcing the words out of her throat, "Gu Yu said that he wants to break the engagement…"

Her voice was weak and feeble.

Her father was silent immediately, while her mother was stunned.

It was a long while before Mrs. Xu was finally able to find her voice. She asked in disbelief, "You're saying that after Yu consummated his relationship with you, not only does he not want to take responsibility, he wants to break the engagement?"

Mr. Xu's brows knitted together. However, he was, after all, a businessman, and was able to remain calm. He mumbled something to himself before asking, "Weilai, did something happen between you and Gu Yu?"

Over the past week, Xu Weilai had been replaying this question over and over in her head. However, regardless of how much she thought, she couldn't come up with an answer. She, too, couldn't understand why Gu Yu had suddenly turned so cold when their relationship had warmed up to the extent that he had slept with her.

Mrs. Xu saw the perplexed look on Xu Weilai's face and couldn't hold herself back. She said, "Why don't you give Yu a call and have a good talk with him?"

"No!" Xu Weilai objected without a second thought. "That previous phone call was made by his assistant! It is obvious that he doesn't want to have anything to do with me. If I were to call him now, I will just be bringing shame and insult upon myself!"

It would be just like the other night when she had summoned up her courage and asked him to take responsibility. The cold and cruel words he had said in reply to her still pierced her heart to this day.

She knew Gu Yu's personality like the back of her hand. A man like him was lofty and overbearing. Once he had decided upon something, nobody could change his mind. Since he had decided that he wasn't going to marry her, if she threw all her dignity away, that would only intensify his disdain for her.

"Are we just going to let him break the engagement like that? What will happen to you? Who will be willing to marry you in the future? You'll become the shame of the family!"

What had transpired between them that night had become public knowledge. If news of their broken engagement got out, it went without saying how embarrassed Xu Weilai would be. The Xu family would be shamed, and they'd become the butt of everyone's jokes!

Xu Weilai remained silent as she heard her mother's words of admonishment.

After some time, her father, who had remained silent until then, turned to look at Xu Weilai and said straightforwardly, "Go overseas for a while. Come back when this matter has died down."

Although his tone was light, it was an unquestionable command..

Although her father had told her to go overseas for a while, Xu Weilai knew that this while would last for a long, long time…

Even so, she didn't possess the right to say no.

The next day, Xu Weilai packed her luggage, and, using the excuse that she was going to study, she left for the United States.

Although the breaking of the engagement wasn't publicized, the social circle was small enough that everyone in it was talking about it within a few days. In the end, the rumor that became fact was that Xu Weilai had climbed into Gu Yu's bed in an effort to force him to marry her. However, the plan had backfired, and Gu Yu had broken off the engagement instead. Such a brazen and shameless woman was unfit to be the mistress of the Gu household! Because of the shame she had brought upon the Xu family, she had been exiled to a foreign country.

By the time this story reached Xu Weilai's ears, she had already been overseas for more than a fortnight. Throughout everything, Gu Yu had not contacted her at all!

Following that, she had all domestic news blocked out, and Gu Yu, whom she had once thought that she would spend the rest of her life together with, eventually became a stranger to her.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

-

When Xu Weilai walked out of the airport, the Xu family's chauffeur, Uncle Chen, was already waiting at the entrance. He spotted her and quickly rushed up to greet her, taking her luggage from her as he did so.

"Miss Weilai, you must be tired from the long journey."

Xu Weilai nodded her head lightly and smiled in reply.

As the car sped through the wide roads, Xu Weilai lowered the window and looked out of the car.

The Capital had changed a lot in three years. High-rise buildings had sprung up, and the population had increased. Most eye-catching of all were the ads of Su Ziqian that were posted at every road and junction.

Su Ziqian was a belle who had gained national popularity in recent years. Even while overseas, Xu Weilai had heard of her.

When the car stopped at a red light, Xu Weilai turned her gaze to an enormous poster of Su Ziqian hanging on the exterior of a huge shopping mall. She had beautiful and expressive eyes that were complemented by a sweet smile. She was a beauty, indeed.

Xu Weilai gazed at the poster in deep thought for a moment before looking away.

-

The moment she reached home, she wasn't given a chance to rest before her father brought her out again.

A small banquet was being hosted in the grand and magnificent country club.

It was the birthday party of her father's business partner, Mr. Wu. All the invited guests were rich and wealthy. She was attending, firstly as her father's plus one, and secondly… because her father wanted to introduce her to a prospective husband.

Indeed, the reason why she was finally able to return to China after three years of exile overseas was that her family needed her to form a marriage alliance.

Three years ago, cracks had begun to show in the management of the Xu Corporation. After her betrothal to the Gu family fell apart, the company was saddled with even more problems. The fate of the Xu Corporation was currently hanging on a thread, and if no further investments rolled in, the company would have no option but to file for bankruptcy.

In order to save the company, Xu Weilai had to ensure that she made a good impression on this date. As long as he fancied her and was willing to marry her, the Xu Corporation would stand a chance of being resurrected!

"Weilai, although Mr. Zhang is a little older than you, he's very steady and mature. He'll treat you well. Most importantly, he holds two listed companies in his hands. That makes him an ideal choice of husband for you. You must remember to present yourself well later."

Xu Weilai frowned imperceptibly and pursed her lips when she heard her father's instructions. Her only reply was a single sound of acknowledgment.

Her obedience earned her a smile of approval from Mr. Xu. He held her and led her through the crowd toward Mr. Zhang.

Mr. Zhang was of a medium build and was almost the same age as Xu Weilai's father. His stomach was round, and his eyes were cloudy. When he caught sight of Xu Weilai, he looked at her openly from head to toe.

Without waiting for Mr. Xu's introduction, he rushed up hurriedly and held on to Xu Weilai's hand. "Miss Xu, you're indeed as beautiful as Mr. Xu told me you'd be!"

Xu Weilai frowned, but before she could give a response, there was a sudden commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall!