🦚 Wu A-Ning (吴安宁)

The Hidden Phoenix

Age: 17

A-Ning is a young woman who seems far too gentle for the complicated world she was born into. With her soft voice, graceful manners, and kind smile, most people assume she is a sheltered girl from a wealthy family. She rarely raises her voice and treats everyone with respect regardless of status.

Behind that gentle appearance, however, lies one of the greatest secrets of the Nine Gates.

Since childhood, she was trained by her cousin, Zhang Qiling, in martial arts, survival, and discipline. She possesses extraordinary combat skills but hides them completely. Her true dream is not power or prestige, but medicine. She travels to Germany to study modern medicine so she can combine it with her family's centuries-old traditional Chinese medical knowledge.

A-Ning prefers Republican-era Chinese fashion, often wearing elegant qipaos, long coats, jade accessories, and embroidered dresses that make her appear as though she stepped out of an old painting.

Her greatest secret is the Phoenix Tattoo hidden across her back.

🦅 Matthias von Herhardt

The Hunter

Age: 22

The Duke of Arvis.

Matthias is the embodiment of privilege, intelligence, and power. Blessed with exceptional looks and a sharp mind, he grew up knowing that most people admired him, feared him, or wanted something from him.

Cold and emotionally detached, he rarely forms meaningful relationships. He enjoys hunting, dislikes unnecessary social interactions, and has little patience for weakness.

Everything changes when he encounters Wu A-Ning.

At first she is merely a curiosity.

Then she becomes a distraction.

Then an obsession.

The more he learns about her, the more he realizes he knows nothing about the girl who occupies his thoughts.

🐉 Zhang Qiling

The Silent Dragon

Age: 20

A legendary member of the Zhang Clan and A-Ning's cousin.

Qiling speaks little and reveals even less. Calm under any circumstance, he possesses a frightening level of skill and self-control. Many people find him intimidating because his expression rarely changes.

Despite his cold exterior, he has always been protective of A-Ning. He personally supervised much of her training and understands her strengths better than anyone else.

If Matthias wishes to court A-Ning, earning Qiling's approval may prove more difficult than winning A-Ning's heart.

📚 Wu Xie

The Protective Brother

Age: 20

A-Ning's older brother and future head of the Wu Family's business empire.

Unlike his sister, Wu Xie openly displays his intelligence and confidence. Charismatic and resourceful, he is highly respected within the family.

Although he appears easygoing, he becomes fiercely protective whenever A-Ning is involved.

His opinion of Matthias can be summarized in one sentence:

"Stay away from my sister."

👑 Zhang Qishan

The Great Buddha

A-Ning's respected great-uncle.

A powerful and influential elder of the Nine Gates, Zhang Qishan commands immense respect wherever he goes. His wisdom and leadership helped shape the clan's history.

Though strict and disciplined, he has always had a soft spot for A-Ning and often indulges her more than anyone else.

🌹 Claudine Kyle

The Rose of Europe

Age: 21

Beautiful, sophisticated, and ambitious.

Claudine was raised among Europe's highest circles of society and grew up believing she would one day marry Matthias von Herhardt.

She is intelligent and elegant but also proud.

When A-Ning unexpectedly captures Matthias's attention, Claudine's pride is wounded.

Unable to accept being overlooked, she begins viewing A-Ning as her greatest rival.

Her attempts to undermine A-Ning become one of the central conflicts of the story.

☀️ Kyle

The Gentleman

Age: 22

A talented medical student

Kyle is warm-hearted, considerate, and everything Matthias is not.

He quickly becomes friends with A-Ning and admires her dedication to medicine and her genuine kindness.

Over time, those feelings quietly develop into love.

Unfortunately, A-Ning only sees him as a trusted friend.

💎 Xie Yuchen

The Flower Master

Age: 20

A-Ning's cousin and one of the most influential young members of the Nine Gates.

Elegant and intelligent, Xie Yuchen is known for his impeccable manners and sharp business sense.

He enjoys teasing people and often finds amusement in Matthias's growing obsession with A-Ning.

🔥 Huo Xiuxiu

The Scarlet Princess

Age: 19

A-Ning's closest female cousin.

Bright, fashionable, and energetic, Xiuxiu is one of the few people capable of making A-Ning laugh openly.

She adores romance and constantly attempts to push A-Ning and Matthias together, often creating embarrassing situations for both of them.

🎩 William "Bill" Llewellyn

The Guardian

A-Ning's uncle and legal guardian in Germany.

A trusted financial advisor to the Herhardt family, Bill is calm, wise, and dependable.

He knows more about A-Ning's secrets than almost anyone else and often acts as the bridge between the Herhardt family and the Nine Gates.

The Phoenix Arrives in Germany

September, 1992

The airplane slowly descended through layers of gray clouds.

Seated beside the window, seventeen-year-old Wu A-Ning watched the unfamiliar landscape appear beneath her.

Germany.

The country she had dreamed about for years.

The country where she would study medicine.

The country where nobody knew who she was.

A small smile appeared on her lips.

For most of her life, people had known her as the daughter of an influential family.

The treasured younger sister of Wu Xie.

The beloved niece of Zhang Qishan.

The cousin of Zhang Qiling.

Everywhere she went, her family name followed her.

But here?

She was simply Wu A-Ning.

A medical student.

Nothing more.

The thought made her strangely happy.

When the airplane finally landed, passengers began gathering their luggage.

A-Ning waited patiently.

As always.

Her grandmother often said she possessed the patience of a saint.

Her brother claimed she only looked patient because nobody had ever seen her training.

The truth was probably somewhere in between.

A few minutes later, she stepped into the airport.

The moment she appeared, heads turned.

A-Ning didn't notice.

She was too busy looking for her uncle.

Several travelers slowed their steps.

A businessman walking past accidentally bumped into another passenger.

A young woman stopped in the middle of a conversation.

Even airport staff found themselves glancing twice.

It wasn't merely beauty.

It was presence.

A-Ning looked like she belonged to another era.

Her long dark hair flowed like silk down her back.

Her skin was flawless and remarkably pale.

Her brown eyes were soft and bright beneath delicate lashes.

Instead of following modern fashion, she wore an elegant cream-colored Republican-era coat over a modest dark green dress.

Simple.

Refined.

Graceful.

Like a character who had stepped out of an old photograph.

And unlike many beautiful people, she seemed completely unaware of her appearance.

"Uncle Bill!"

A-Ning's face lit up immediately.

The smile transformed her entire appearance.

William Llewellyn nearly laughed.

Every year she became prettier.

Every year he worried more.

"Welcome to Germany."

A-Ning hugged him.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

After greeting each other, they headed outside.

A black luxury car waited near the entrance.

A-Ning blinked.

"Did you buy another one?"

Bill coughed.

"Maybe."

"You already have six."

"Seven."

"Uncle."

"Eight."

A-Ning sighed.

Some people collected books.

Some collected paintings.

Her uncle collected vehicles.

Cars.

Motorcycles.

Anything with wheels.

And unfortunately, she had inherited the same interest.

The drive to Arvis Estate took nearly two hours.

The scenery gradually changed from city streets to beautiful countryside.

Golden fields stretched beneath the autumn sun.

Ancient forests covered distant hills.

Small villages appeared occasionally along the roadside.

A-Ning watched everything with fascination.

Germany felt different from China.

Quieter.

Slower.

Peaceful.

Eventually enormous gates appeared ahead.

The Herhardt Estate.

A-Ning stared.

The gates alone were larger than some buildings.

As they entered, the landscape expanded endlessly.

Gardens.

Lakes.

Forests.

Stone roads.

Elegant mansions.

It looked less like a private estate and more like a small kingdom.

"Uncle."

"Hm?"

"How rich are the Herhardts?"

Bill laughed.

"Very."

That was not reassuring.

Bill's residence stood near the eastern side of the estate.

Although everyone referred to it as a small mansion, A-Ning considered the description ridiculous.

The building was enormous.

Servants greeted them at the entrance.

The moment A-Ning stepped out of the car, silence briefly fell.

Several maids stared.

One nearly dropped a tray.

Another forgot to speak.

A-Ning immediately became worried.

"Did I do something wrong?"

The head housekeeper recovered first.

"No, Miss Wu."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure."

The older woman secretly thought:

Good heavens, she's beautiful.

After unpacking, A-Ning decided to explore.

The mansion was beautiful.

But something else quickly captured her attention.

"Meow."

A-Ning froze.

"Meow."

Another appeared.

Then another.

Then another.

Within seconds, six cats surrounded her.

A-Ning gasped.

"UNCLE!"

Bill immediately knew what had happened.

The cats had found her.

He sighed.

There was no hope now.

A-Ning crouched down.

A tiny orange kitten climbed directly into her lap.

The battle was over.

Later that evening, she discovered the garage.

And immediately forgot about everything else.

Motorcycles.

Rows of motorcycles.

Vintage motorcycles.

Sports motorcycles.

Touring motorcycles.

A-Ning's eyes sparkled.

Bill watched from behind.

"No."

"I didn't ask anything."

"You were thinking about it."

"I was appreciating them."

"No."

A-Ning smiled innocently.

Bill was not fooled.

Growing up among the Nine Gates had given A-Ning a very unusual childhood.

Many people assumed wealthy young ladies spent their time attending parties.

Learning etiquette.

Shopping.

Preparing for marriage.

A-Ning had done some of those things.

But she had also learned:

Martial arts.

Survival training.

Traditional medicine.

Herb identification.

Swordsmanship.

Motorcycle riding.

Within the Nine Gates, capability mattered.

Male or female.

Young or old.

Everyone was expected to develop useful skills.

As a result, A-Ning never considered herself unusual.

Other people disagreed.

Strongly.

The following morning, she woke before sunrise.

The habit had been drilled into her since childhood.

After changing clothes, she quietly left the mansion.

The estate remained silent.

Most people were asleep.

The cool autumn air felt refreshing against her skin.

Following a narrow trail, she entered the nearby forest.

Birdsong echoed through the trees.

A-Ning smiled.

This was her favorite part of the estate.

Nature.

Peace.

Freedom.

Deep within the forest, she found a secluded clearing.

Perfect.

Nobody was around.

Carefully placing her coat on a nearby branch, she took a deep breath.

The transformation was immediate.

The shy medical student disappeared.

The warrior emerged.

Her posture straightened.

Her eyes sharpened.

Her breathing became controlled.

Focused.

Years of training awakened naturally.

A-Ning began moving.

Step.

Turn.

Strike.

The movements flowed like water.

Fast.

Precise.

Beautiful.

Deadly.

If anyone from university could see her now, they would never recognize her.

The gentle girl who apologized when someone bumped into her had vanished.

In her place stood someone trained by the legendary Zhang Clan.

Someone who could break bones with her bare hands.

Someone carrying secrets older than most countries.

An hour passed.

Then another.

Finally, A-Ning stopped.

A light sheen of sweat covered her forehead.

Warmth spread through her body.

Beneath her skin, hidden beneath her clothing, faint crimson lines briefly flickered across her back.

The Phoenix.

The tattoo quickly faded again.

A-Ning never noticed.

She had long since become accustomed to it.

Looking upward, she watched a group of birds flying between the trees.

A smile returned to her face.

Gentle.

Soft.

Completely harmless.

At least, that was what everyone believed.

Far away, another airplane was descending toward Germany.

A young man with gray eyes sat silently by the window.

Recently graduated.

Future Duke of Arvis.

Matthias von Herhardt was finally returning home.

Neither of them knew it yet.

But within days, their paths would cross.

The hunter would meet the phoenix.

And nothing would ever be the same again.

End of Chapter 1 🦚🌸🦅

The Hunter Returns to Arvis

The Arvis Estate had always been quiet.

But that morning, it felt different.

Not peaceful.

Not calm.

Something heavier lingered in the air, as if the estate itself was waiting for something to happen.

Something—or someone.

The Return of Matthias von Herhardt

A black carriage crossed the stone bridge leading into the estate.

Inside, a young man sat with one leg crossed over the other, staring out at the passing landscape.

Matthias von Herhardt had returned.

Twenty-two years old.

Recently graduated.

Heir to the Herhardt Duchy.

To most people, his return would have been an event.

Servants would have lined up.

Nobles would have sent greetings.

The estate would have stirred with excitement.

But Matthias preferred it quiet.

He disliked unnecessary attention.

He disliked unnecessary emotions even more.

His gray eyes moved slowly across the familiar scenery.

Forests.

Gardens.

The lake near the eastern wing.

Everything was exactly the same.

Nothing had changed.

Which, for some reason, disappointed him slightly.

“Welcome home, young master.”

The driver spoke carefully.

Matthias didn’t respond immediately.

After a moment, he said flatly:

“It doesn’t feel like home.”

The driver hesitated.

“Pardon?”

Matthias looked away.

“Forget it.”

The Mansion of Bill Llewellyn

At the eastern guest residence of the estate, William Llewellyn was having a very bad morning.

“No.”

A-Ning tilted her head.

“Uncle.”

“No.”

“It’s just a short ride.”

“No.”

“I already know how to ride.”

“Absolutely not.”

A-Ning blinked.

Then she smiled.

That smile.

Bill immediately felt danger approaching.

“You are not touching another motorcycle inside this estate without supervision.”

A-Ning nodded politely.

“Understood.”

Bill relaxed slightly.

Then she added:

“Can I have supervision?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to live.”

A-Ning sighed softly.

Outside the window, sunlight reflected off the garage where several motorcycles were parked.

She had already counted them.

Seven.

One was especially interesting.

A deep black model with silver detailing.

Fast.

Heavy.

Beautiful.

Bill followed her gaze.

“No.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were thinking it.”

“I was appreciating engineering.”

Bill rubbed his forehead.

This was going to be a long day.

The First Rumor

By noon, something strange had already begun spreading through the servants.

A new girl had arrived.

Young.

Foreign.

Beautiful.

Too beautiful, according to some.

“She looks like she stepped out of a painting,” one maid whispered.

“She smiled at me and I forgot my name,” another admitted.

“She speaks very softly,” said a gardener. “But she thanked me for my work. No noble has ever done that before.”

The estate had seen many guests over the years.

Nobles.

Diplomats.

Wealthy families.

But this girl felt different.

Not because of her status.

But because of how she carried herself.

As if she did not realize the effect she had on people.

A Walk Through the Estate

That afternoon, A-Ning decided to explore again.

Bill reluctantly allowed it.

“With one condition,” he said.

“What condition?”

“No trouble.”

A-Ning smiled innocently.

“I never cause trouble.”

Bill stared at her.

A long silence.

“Uncle?”

“…Just go.”

The estate gardens were vast.

A-Ning walked slowly along the stone path, observing everything carefully.

Flowers were carefully arranged.

Fountains reflected the sky.

Statues stood between hedges like silent guards.

She paused near a rose bush.

A group of young servants were working nearby.

When she passed, they immediately stopped.

Not because they were told to.

Because they couldn’t help it.

A-Ning noticed.

She frowned slightly.

“Am I in the way?”

“No, miss!” one of them quickly answered.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, miss!”

She nodded and continued walking.

Completely unaware that every step she took left silence behind her.

Not fear.

Not discomfort.

Just attention.

The Horse Stable

A little farther away, the sound of hooves echoed.

A-Ning turned toward the stables.

Curiosity pulled her forward.

Inside, several horses stood calmly.

One black horse in particular caught her attention.

Strong.

Elegant.

Dangerous in a controlled way.

She approached slowly.

“Hello,” she whispered.

The horse turned its head slightly.

Then surprisingly leaned forward.

A-Ning smiled.

“You like people, don’t you?”

“Careful.”

A deep voice interrupted her.

A-Ning froze.

She turned.

A young man stood at the entrance of the stable.

Tall.

Perfect posture.

Cold expression.

Gray eyes that seemed to measure everything at once.

Matthias von Herhardt.

He looked at her first.

Then at the horse.

Then back at her.

“You should not approach that horse so casually,” he said.

A-Ning blinked.

“Oh.”

Silence followed.

Matthias observed her carefully.

Something about her felt unfamiliar.

Not her appearance.

Not her clothes.

Something else.

She didn’t behave like the people he was used to.

Most people in the estate reacted in one of two ways when seeing him:

Fear.

Or admiration.

This girl did neither.

Instead, she simply stood there.

Calm.

“Are you a servant?” he asked.

A-Ning shook her head.

“No.”

“Guest?”

“Yes.”

“Name?”

She hesitated for half a second.

“Wu A-Ning.”

Matthias repeated it silently in his mind.

Then nodded once.

“A-Ning.”

He looked at her again.

This time more carefully.

The stable fell quiet.

Even the horses seemed calmer than usual.

A-Ning suddenly felt slightly awkward.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

Matthias didn’t answer immediately.

Then he said:

“You’re new here.”

“Yes.”

“From where?”

“China.”

That made him pause.

China.

He had dealt with international families before.

But something about her didn’t fit the usual image he expected.

She didn’t act like someone trying to impress him.

She didn’t act nervous.

She didn’t act intimidated.

Instead, she seemed… uninterested.

That was new.

Very new.

The First Interest

Matthias stepped slightly closer.

A-Ning instinctively stepped back.

Not fear.

Just habit.

He noticed.

Interesting.

“You shouldn’t walk alone in the estate,” he said.

A-Ning blinked again.

“Why?”

A pause.

“Because it’s large.”

“I can remember paths.”

“That’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

Matthias looked at her for a moment.

Then replied:

“People get lost.”

A-Ning considered this seriously.

“I don’t get lost.”

For the first time, something almost like amusement flickered in Matthias’s eyes.

Almost.

“You seem confident,” he said.

A-Ning nodded politely.

“I just pay attention.”

A simple answer.

But Matthias found himself watching her a second longer than necessary.

The wind moved through the stable.

Her dark hair shifted slightly.

Sunlight caught her profile.

And for a brief moment, Matthias thought:

She doesn’t belong here.

Not in a bad way.

But in a way that made her stand out.

Like something rare placed in a world too ordinary.

He looked away first.

A rare thing for him.

“You should leave the stables,” he said.

A-Ning nodded.

“Alright.”

Then she walked away calmly.

No hesitation.

No lingering glance.

Matthias watched her leave.

And realized something strange.

He wanted her to look back.

She didn’t.

The Beginning of Something Unwanted

Later that evening, Matthias stood alone on the balcony of the main estate building.

The wind was cold.

The sky was turning dark.

Somewhere below, the estate lights began to glow.

He sipped his drink slowly.

Then, without meaning to, he thought again:

Wu A-Ning.

A name he had heard once.

A face he had seen briefly.

A presence that should have meant nothing.

Yet somehow…

It didn’t leave his mind.

Far away in the guest mansion, A-Ning was happily petting one of Bill’s cats while complaining about motorcycle restrictions.

Completely unaware that the future Duke of Arvis had just experienced something unfamiliar.

Interest.

And worse than that…

Curiosity.

And in his world, curiosity was always the beginning of obsession.

End of Chapter 2 🦚🌸🦅