Chapter 1

My husband is Beijing's most eligible young master, yet ever since we got married, he has worn the same icy expression day after day.

My mother-in-law finally couldn't take it anymore. “Would it kill you to smile?”

But my husband ignored her completely, staring at his phone and scrolling through messages like a man possessed.

His expression only darkened with every passing second.

It went without saying: that so-called “white moonlight” of his must have stirred up trouble online again.

I curled my lip in contempt. He couldn't even handle one old flame? Pathetic.

Nothing like my little boy toy, who stayed home obediently waiting for me every day.

So I let my eyes redden and put on my most patient, resilient expression. “Mom, I'm fine. As long as my husband is happy, it doesn't matter what happens to me. I believe that once a man gets tired of fooling around, he'll come home sooner or later.”

My in-laws looked both pleased and heartbroken, and became even more dissatisfied with their son.

My father-in-law even loudly demanded that someone beat him up.

At last, my husband looked up from his phone and fixed his eyes on me.

I gave him a timid glance, then shrank behind my mother-in-law.

He laughed, handed me his phone, and said gently, “Honey, I picked up the wrong phone just now. This one is yours.”

!!!

1

I hadn't needed to marry for an alliance in the first place.

But the Xu family didn't like my older sister.

When Mom called me home from abroad, I shouted furiously, “You're all a bunch of old-fashioned feudal fossils! I'm a modern woman. I believe in true love! And now you want me to marry for an alliance? What alliance? Go eat shit!”

Mom calmly replied, “Our family and the Xu family have several projects about to launch. Whoever marries into the alliance gets twenty percent of the profits.”

I sneered. “You think a little money can buy me?”

Dad's face appeared on the screen. “At least ten billion.”

I immediately changed my tune. “Mom, Dad, I can't bear to see you working yourselves to the bone. Your daughter is willing to come home and help you through this difficult time.”

2

The Xu family of Beijing had risen to dizzying heights. Their assets were… well, honestly, impossible to estimate.

More than half of Beijing might as well have the surname Xu.

When I went on the blind date and saw Xu Xingzhi's face, I finally understood why my older sister—who spent all day “collecting fish” and treating life like a game—had been so heartbroken after her own date with him fell through.

Holy hell, he was devastatingly handsome!

His sharply defined features looked as if some divine demon had carved them with painstaking care. His eyes were keen and alluring.

And then there were those long, pale fingers, tapping slowly on the table.

Everything about him made me want to get pregnant right then and there.

Who needed to talk about money?

3

I sat shyly across from him.

“Hello, Mr. Xu. I'm Zhou Jiajia,” I said demurely.

His voice was cool as a mountain stream. “Hello. I'm Xu Xingzhi.”

His expression remained as cold and stern as ever.

Oh my God.

If I could marry a man this good-looking, I'd be perfectly happy just looking at his abs every day.

Why were we even talking about money?

4

Xu Xingzhi wasn't particularly enthusiastic about me.

But this time, he didn't have much of a choice.

My family had only two daughters: my older sister and me.

If he still didn't like me, his only options would be one of my older or younger brothers.

So after three months of dating, we got married.

5

Before the wedding, I knew he was being pressured by his family into marrying me.

He also had a “white moonlight” who was currently active in show business.

I worriedly asked my older sister, “What kind of cursed marriage is this? Do I have to fight off one mistress after another?”

But as she applied her makeup, she asked with disdain, “Are you still a virgin?”

“Get lost.”

“Then you're not losing out.” She practically drooled. “A man that handsome? Every time you sleep with him, you win. And you can get a fortune out of the Xu family, too.”

“Besides, he's the Xu family's only son. Everything will belong to your child one day. Just wait until he dies.”

I snapped, “How can you have such a terrifying thought?”

“Marriage is sacred. No matter how much a man plays around outside, he'll come home in the end!”

“But if he's going to have fun, then so will I. If my husband has so many admirers, how could I, his wife, have nobody interested in me?”

6

Compared with the grand wedding, I was looking forward to our wedding night even more.

He certainly didn't disappoint me.

His performance left me very satisfied.

But…

He was quiet. Very quiet.

For the first three days after the wedding, he didn't go to work.

He either slept or ate.

In bed, I was a poor little white flower, trampled until I was utterly brokenhearted.

So pitiful it made anyone who saw me ache for me.

Once he came back to his senses, he'd pick up some old book or newspaper and read.

It never occurred to him to share a tender moment with me.

He'd been the same way when we were dating: dinner, a movie, and conversations as simple as they could possibly be.

“Chinese or Western food?”

“What movie do you want to see?”

“Milk tea isn't good for you.”

“Spicy food isn't good for your stomach.”

7

Now, even those conversations were gone.

All I got were:

“It's late. Go to bed.”

“We're going to my parents' for dinner tomorrow.”

“I have to work overtime tonight. Don't wait up for dinner.”

“Bring the blue folder from my study to the office.”

I felt less like a wife than a tool.

The sex was pretty good, at least.

But as soon as we were married, he went straight back to work.

We didn't even have a honeymoon.

The older generation in both families said everyone was busy because the projects were underway.

A newlywed bride left home alone—just thinking about it was depressing.

And I didn't want to go out and work.

Then my sister sent me a link.

“Bai Shuangshuang dates mysterious man at hotel.”

From the back, it looked exactly like my brand-new husband.

I replied, “Whatever he does, I'll forgive him.”

“Do you know Chen Jinyan from that boy band? I'm a fan.”

“I have to meet my idol and soothe my empty, lonely, cold heart.”

My sister replied, “Okay.”

8

Chen Jinyan was bright and handsome, always smiling at everyone.

And he was still squeaky clean.

My sister had investigated him for me. No one had gotten their hands on him yet.

He'd only debuted recently.

Not famous, but not a nobody either.

But what could I do? I liked watching variety shows.

Heh heh.

A cold husband and an enthusiastic, puppy-like young man—taking turns. What a mood booster.

Whenever my husband made me feel wronged, my boyfriend could comfort me.

9

Chen Jinyan was immediately signed to my sister's entertainment company.

After that, any money or resources I wanted to give him went through my sister's account.

The villa he lived in belonged to my sister, too.

It wasn't far from the newlywed home Xu Xingzhi and I shared.

Our house was halfway up the mountain.

Chen Jinyan lived at its foot.

Honestly. Who has an affair with this much fanfare?

I really didn't understand why Xu Xingzhi had let those rumors get out.

10

One evening, my husband went to shower.

I lay on my stomach in bed, playing on my phone.

Chen Jinyan was telling me all the latest gossip from show business.

I was so engrossed I couldn't pull myself away.

Then he asked, “Sis, want to see my abs?”

I swallowed.

Then he sent me a picture.

Not just his abs.

His abs were covered in water droplets.

He said, “Sis, I miss you. My schedule's light lately. When are you coming to see me?”

“It's fine if you don't come. I just miss you.”

11

I hurried to reassure him. “Be good. My husband has a business trip in a few days. I'll come see you then.”

My husband said he was going to City S.

His white moonlight, Bai Shuangshuang, happened to be filming at Hotel H.

I clicked my tongue. The one who cheats will get cheated on someday.

The bathroom door opened.

I said at once, “I'll stop here.”

Then I deleted the conversation and logged out of my alternate account.

Heh heh.

I picked up the book beside me and pretended to read.

My husband came over, still wet from his shower, and took the book from my hands. “Honey, let's go to bed.”

I obediently murmured, “Mm,” and shyly lowered my eyes.

In the end, he pinned me down and made me read with him.

Sigh.

I suppose I came out ahead.

12

That weekend, we went to his parents' house for dinner.

He was leaving on a business trip Monday.

I couldn't help looking forward to it.

I was so excited my hands even trembled a little.

Of course.

Sneaking around was more fun.

I told my sister, “You should get married, too. It's a different kind of feeling.”

She replied, “? You mean fighting one mistress after another?”

“Sneaking around is thrilling.”

She ignored me after that.

I scrolled through Weibo for a while and saw Bai Shuangshuang had posted that she was ill and in the hospital getting an IV drip.

I glanced at Xu Xingzhi, who had his eyes closed as he rested, and felt sorry for him.

He'd gone all the way to City S in secret, only to find some sickly beauty.

That had to be a bit of a letdown.

I couldn't help logging into my alternate account and asking, “Baby, are you still feeling well these days?”

Chen Jinyan immediately sent me a picture.

He was lifting weights, sweat sliding down the contours of his muscles…

“You care about me so much. How could I let you worry?”

He sent a few more pictures, excitedly telling me that he was bored at home and had been learning to cook. He'd make something for me when I visited.

I was just about to look more closely when the car arrived.

Xu Xingzhi opened his eyes, too.

I hurriedly turned off my phone.

13

My mother-in-law was as warm toward me as ever, pulling me aside to chat.

The housekeeper took everything from our hands.

My mother-in-law led me upstairs and gave me a set of jewelry.

One glance told me it was worth an unimaginable amount.

I was immediately moved to tears.

She patted my hand. “Xingzhi is a workaholic. You two are married, but you haven't even gone on a honeymoon. You must feel wronged. I know. If he does anything wrong, tell him—or tell me, and I'll scold him for you.”

I sniffled. “Mom, I'm fine. No matter how much I suffer, I do it willingly. Xingzhi may be cold to me all the time, but I'm used to it.”

My mother-in-law patted my hand sympathetically. “You're such a good girl.”

14

When we went downstairs, Xu Xingzhi was on his phone and his father was reading the paper.

As my mother-in-law and I came down, she scolded him. “Xingzhi, look at yourself! You finally have a rare weekend off, and you can't even sit and talk with your parents. All you do is fiddle with that useless phone.”

My father-in-law put down his newspaper, displeased. “I've wanted to say this for a while. Look at Giajia. Since she became our daughter-in-law, she comes to keep us old folks company all the time, and you hardly show your face. Are you the president of the country, or what? How can you be so busy?”

I hurried to defend my husband. “Mom, Dad, please don't scold Xingzhi. It's my fault for not taking good enough care of him. He works overtime every day and is so exhausted that he doesn't have time to visit you.”