Two hours earlier, Tang Lingyi was still dozing off in the taxi on her way to Tianye Group.
Outside Tianye Group's main entrance, a boxy Mercedes-Benz G-Class suddenly pulled up. Several young men in black suits stepped out, led by a strikingly handsome figure with sharp, star-like eyes and straight, bold brows. His posture was upright, his presence commanding.
This man was Qin Xiu.
He strode confidently into the lobby and, upon seeing the receptionist, smiled and said, "Hello, miss. Please call your Chairman, Tian Yushu, and tell him Qin Xiu is here."
The receptionist frowned inwardly. Though Qin Xiu's face was smiling, his tone reeked of arrogance. She'd worked here for two years and had never seen anyone demand to see the Chairman so brazenly.
"The Chairman is very busy. He doesn't see visitors without an appointment," she replied curtly, though she kept her tone polite.
Qin Xiu raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing slightly—but his smile didn't fade. "Do I really need an appointment?"
"I'm sorry, it's company policy," the receptionist said, masking her irritation with professionalism.
"Hey! You little—!" One of the burly men behind Qin Xiu started to curse, but Qin Xiu raised a hand to stop him.
"She's just doing her job," he said with a shrug. "It's Tianye Group that's still so rigid." He pulled out his phone and dialed.
"Uncle Tian, it's Qin Xiu. I'm already in your lobby, but the front desk won't announce me… Yeah, okay."
The receptionist watched him skeptically. She didn't believe someone with that tone could actually get the Chairman to come down.
But moments later, she was utterly stunned.
Just minutes after the call ended, Chairman Tian Yushu himself rushed into the lobby, flanked by several top executives, all visibly flustered.
"Qin Xiu! You should've given me a heads-up before coming!" Tian Yushu wiped sweat from his brow and forced a smile.
"I wanted to surprise you, Uncle Tian—though it seems I only gave you a fright," Qin Xiu replied lightly.
"Ah, no worries, no worries. Let's go upstairs and talk."
"Sure. You all wait down here—I'll go up alone," Qin Xiu said, glancing at the receptionist. Seeing the shock still frozen on her face, he gave a satisfied nod and followed Tian Yushu into the elevator.
Upstairs, Tian Yushu led Qin Xiu into a large conference room. After seating Qin Xiu in the head chair, Tian Yushu sat across from him and cut straight to the point: "Qin Xiu, is it really true that you can help Tianye Group through this crisis?"
The "crisis" he referred to was the recent avalanche of scandals that had sent Tianye Group's stock plummeting.
First, rumors surfaced that Tian Yushu's daughter wasn't his biological child but the result of his wife's affair. Then, CEO Hu Zhen was exposed partying in nightclubs. Finally, Tian Suimei was accused of marital infidelity and fleeing overseas. This triple blow had devastated investor confidence—Tianye Group's stock was now on the verge of delisting.
"Of course, Uncle Tian," Qin Xiu said smoothly. "I happen to have funds ready to revive Tianye Group. But… I do have one condition."
"What condition?"
"The publicly traded shares are too few. After my investment, I'll use the surplus to buy shares directly from your major shareholders—and I expect a seat on the board, with full involvement in all corporate decisions."
The executives exchanged uneasy glances. It was clear: Qin Xiu was using this crisis to infiltrate Tianye Group from within.
Tian Yushu hated the idea of diluting his own stake—but desperate times called for desperate measures. Reluctantly, he agreed.
"I'll sell you my personal shares at market value. If your holdings rank among the top ten in the company, a board seat is naturally yours."
"Straight to the point, Uncle Tian. Pleasure doing business with you," Qin Xiu said, standing to shake Tian Yushu's hand.
Tian Yushu relaxed slightly—Qin Xiu seemed focused only on business matters.
But his relief lasted less than two seconds.
"Oh, and one more thing," Qin Xiu added casually, yet with unmistakable finality, "I'm taking Tian Suimei with me."
"Qin Xiu, you and Qing'er are already divorced."
"That divorce was only valid because the state declared me 'dead.' Now that I'm alive again—and I've filed to legally restore our marriage—we're still husband and wife, aren't we, Uncle Tian?"
Tian Yushu sighed deeply. "Qin Xiu, I know Qing'er did you wrong… But for my sake, can't you just let her go?"
"No," Qin Xiu replied with a gentle smile—but his refusal was absolute.
His sheer dominance silenced every seasoned executive in the room. None dared speak up for Tian Yushu.
Not because they were cowards—but because they all knew:
The Qin Xiu standing before them now…
was a man who could end lives.
Speaking of Qin Xiu—he was practically the textbook protagonist of a novel.
Born in 1995 into S City's powerful Qin Group, he was the long-awaited firstborn son of Chairman Qin Wanchuan, who was already in his forties. Overjoyed at finally having an heir after years of waiting, he named his son "Qin Xiu"—meaning "the child earned through disciplined cultivation."
From childhood, blessed with wealth and doting family, Qin Xiu lived like a true golden boy. Yet unlike many heirs, he never abused his privilege. Instead, he was refined, courteous, and kind.
Because he smiled often—and his smile radiated warmth—he earned the nickname "The Smiling Young Master Qin" among S City's elite.
Qin Xiu had adored one girl since childhood: Tian Suimei, born in 1998, three years his junior.
They first met when he was eight. The moment he saw her, he thought she looked like a delicate porcelain doll. Unable to believe her beauty, he gently pinched her cheek—so gently, in fact, that he was shocked when she burst into tears. He got scolded severely for it.
From that day on, he learned: this girl was fragile. He'd have to treat her with utmost tenderness.
Of course, back then it was just childish affection—no real romance yet.
His feelings deepened when he turned twenty-one. That year, his father passed away, forcing Qin Xiu—then studying overseas—to return and inherit the family empire. At his father's funeral, as he wept uncontrollably, his eyes accidentally fell on the grown-up Tian Suimei.
She was eighteen, with crimson lips, pearly teeth, and cheeks like peach blossoms. Qin Xiu was so captivated he forgot to cry.
From that moment on, he was hopelessly ensnared by her beauty. After taking over the company, he devoted himself to winning her heart, constantly hovering around her, eager to please.
His dream finally came true at twenty-three. That year, Tianye Group faced bankruptcy due to severe financial deficits. Desperate, Tian Yushu turned to Qin Xiu for help—and knowing Qin Xiu's feelings for his daughter, he boldly promised: "If you save us, I'll marry Suimei to you."
The honest, earnest Qin Xiu didn't hesitate. He immediately invested heavily, rescuing Tianye Group and setting it on a path to prosperity. True to his word—and with Suimei now of marriageable age—Tian Yushu arranged their wedding.
Overjoyed, Qin Xiu held a grand ceremony, inviting all of S City's elite to celebrate his union with the twenty-year-old Tian Suimei.
But on their wedding night, just as Qin Xiu leaned in for intimacy, Tian Suimei burst into tears, trembling and saying she was too scared to go through with "that kind of thing."
Qin Xiu, who had always hated seeing her cry, instantly backed off and spent the night comforting her instead.
Thus, his twenty-three-year-long virginity remained intact—and would continue to do so.
Their marriage became one of zero physical contact. As Chairman of Qin Group, Qin Xiu traveled constantly for business.
Three months into the marriage, a friend told him rumors that Tian Suimei was seeing another young heir. Enraged, Qin Xiu shouted, "Nonsense! Qing'er is too shy even for the marriage bed—how could she possibly cheat?!"
But two months later, a video arrived in his hands—showing Tian Suimei in bed with another man.
In that instant, his entire worldview collapsed.
The woman he'd never even held hands with… was now shamelessly intimate with someone else.
He abandoned work that day and rushed home to confront her.
When Tian Suimei saw the video, her face first flushed red—then she screamed, "That's not me! Someone's framing me!"
Qin Xiu was stunned. "But… it looks exactly like you."
"I don't know! They must've used AI face-swapping! I didn't do anything!" she sobbed, covering her face.
Qin Xiu was a pushover when it came to her tears. All his fury melted into a meek whisper: "Don't cry… I believe it wasn't you."
His blind trust won her favor. For a while, she visited him at work or called just to check in—leaving him flattered and hopeful.
He thought: Maybe Qing'er is finally falling for me.
Late at night, while he slept soundly, she'd sometimes wake him just to show off luxury cosmetics she wanted—and ask him to sign checks for them. Half-asleep and wealthy beyond need, he'd sign without a second thought.
On his twenty-fourth birthday, Tian Suimei suggested they finally take their postponed honeymoon—to celebrate his birthday and see the deserts of a distant continent.
Qin Xiu didn't understand the appeal of sand—but if Qing'er liked it, he'd go.
There, under her guidance, they chartered a local helicopter to view the desert from above.
"The clouds are too thick—we can't see anything down there, Qing'er," Qin Xiu said, peering out the open door.
"Really? Lean out and look again."
"Seriously, look—ahhh!!"
As he leaned forward, a powerful shove hit his back. His body tumbled helplessly out of the helicopter.
Mid-air, he twisted around—horrified—to see Tian Suimei standing in the doorway.
And on her face… was a smile straight out of hell.
His eyes widened in shock.
*So all this time… you've wanted me dead.*
But…
Why?
"WHY?!" he screamed into the void, voice raw with despair.
But above, Tian Suimei merely chatted and laughed with the pilot—as if she hadn't heard a thing.