The light pouring down from the Czech crystal chandelier above the dining table was blinding, exposing every false face with nowhere to hide. The flames on the silver candelabra flickered gently with the air conditioning, casting wavering shadows across the long table draped in an Hermès tablecloth. Today was my twentieth birthday, but the air at this meticulously arranged family dinner was not filled with warmth, but with a cold, sticky sense of calculation.
I sat quietly, listening to the insincere pleasantries of the relatives around me. The sharp clatter of knives and forks against Wedgwood bone china plates pierced my eardrums, each sound like a tally of the price at which I was about to be sold. Gu Yao, my dazzling elder sister, sat beside our mother, accepting everyone's praise with a radiant smile. She wore a Chanel haute couture gown today, the pale gold silk perfectly outlining her curvaceous figure. Like a proud peacock, her gaze occasionally swept over me, carrying a barely perceptible hint of pity and superiority. Her slender fingers elegantly held a wine glass, the crimson liquid swirling gently, reflecting the satisfaction in her eyes.
I lowered my head, my fingertips curling slightly on my lap, feeling the rough fabric of my out-of-season dress. A cold voice inside reminded me: Gu Nian, stay awake—this warmth never belonged to you. In the family portrait hanging on the wall, everyone's smile was just right, except for me in the corner, always out of place.
As expected, when the dessert was cleared away by uniformed servants, my mother elegantly dabbed her lips with a napkin and then turned her gaze to me. That look held no warmth, only an unquestionable decision. Her lips, painted with nude lipstick, parted slightly, like a judge about to pronounce a verdict. The dining room fell instantly silent, as if all the relatives had received some signal and turned to look at me in unison. Only the faint hum of the air conditioner and the quickening beat of my heart remained in the air.
"Nian Nian," my mother's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly through the entire dining room, calm and cruel, "there's something I'd like to announce while everyone is here today." I lifted my eyes and met her well-maintained yet harsh gaze, a sense of foreboding rising in my heart. At some point, the napkin in my hand had been crumpled, my fingertips icy cold.
"The marriage with the Huo family has been settled. Next month, you will marry in your sister's place."
The air seemed to freeze. The antique clock on the wall ticked, each sound pounding against my heart. A chill shot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head, my heart gripped by a cold, tight fist. Even though I had mentally prepared myself, hearing this verdict-like statement from my own mother's mouth was still so sharp and suffocatingly real.
The scent of white lilies in the center of the table was overpowering, almost nauseating. Marry in my sister's place… to that rumored disabled, gloomy, and marginalized heir of the Huo family—Huo Chen Zhou.
"What? Let Nian Nian marry instead of Yao Yao?" a sharp female voice exclaimed—it was Second Aunt, her face exaggerated in surprise, carefully shaped eyebrows raised high, but her eyes sparkled with gloating excitement. The wine glass in her hand tilted, nearly spilling its contents.
"Oh my, isn't the eldest young master of the Huo family said to be in poor health? And his temper is so strange." Another aunt chimed in with feigned concern, gently stirring her coffee with a silver spoon, the schadenfreude in her tone barely concealed. The pearl necklace on her neck swayed with her movements, reflecting a false luster.
"Gu Nian is so young, is this… really appropriate?" someone asked hypocritically, their voice drowned in the sudden flurry of whispered discussion.
Mother's face showed no emotion, as if she were discussing a business deal that had nothing to do with her. "The Huo family specified they want a daughter from our Gu family. Yao Yao hasn't been well lately and needs rest, besides, she has a bright future ahead of her and can't be delayed. Nian Nian is quiet and sensible—she's the most suitable to marry over." She picked up her teacup, pinky raised elegantly, not a hint of a tremor.
"Unwell?" I nearly laughed out loud. At this moment, Gu Yao looked radiant and full of energy—where was the slightest sign of illness? She simply despised Huo Chen Zhou as a "cripple" and refused to jump into this "fire pit," so they pushed me, the always-marginalized second daughter, out as a sacrifice. She even coughed twice on purpose, pretending to be weak, but couldn't hide the pride in her eyes.
One gaze after another fell on me—sympathy, mockery, disdain, curiosity… like countless fine needles pricking me all over. I had become the most pitiful and ridiculous "stand-in bride" in this wealthy family transaction.
Suddenly, rain began to fall outside, droplets tapping against the window like a soundtrack to this farce.
"How pitiful, a birthday turned into a 'send-off day'."
"I hear the Huo young master is hard to please—Nian Nian's days won't be easy."
"To marry into the Huo family is a blessing—what's there to complain about? It's better than staying at home."
The whispers buzzed around me like flies. I clenched my fists tightly, nails digging into my palms, the pain helping me maintain my last shred of composure. I couldn't lose control, couldn't show the slightest weakness in front of these people. Over the years in this house, I had long learned to bury my true feelings deep inside.
The rain grew heavier, as if venting the anger I could not express. I lifted my head, my gaze slowly sweeping over my mother's face, full of controlling desire, then at Gu Yao. She lowered her eyes slightly, but the smug curve at her lips was unmistakable, as if saying, "See, I'm still the winner in the end." She even deliberately touched the diamond necklace around her neck—the one that should have been mine, a keepsake from our grandmother.
In that instant, all my grievances, unwillingness, and anger miraculously settled into a cold resolve. Rain traced winding paths down the window glass, like tears down a cheek. This home had never given me warmth. My mother's favoritism, my sister's greed, the relatives' snobbery—I had tasted it all. Staying would only mean continuing as their stepping stone, a pawn to be discarded at any time.
Marrying Huo Chen Zhou might be an abyss, but it could also be… my only chance to escape this cage. A marriage that even my mother and sister were eager to avoid—what was really hidden behind it? Was that rumored man truly as worthless as people said? Rather than stay here and be squeezed dry, I might as well take a gamble. Bet that in that unknown wealthy family, there might be a sliver of space for me to breathe.
The rain gradually eased, and a sliver of moonlight struggled through the clouds. I took a deep breath, stood up under everyone's gaze. The hem of my dress brushed the chair, making a soft sound. My voice was unexpectedly steady, even tinged with a faint detachment: "Alright, I agree."
Mother seemed a little surprised by my decisiveness, her brows furrowing briefly before smoothing out, resuming her usual coldness. "Mm, that's what a sensible child should do. The Huo family will arrange everything—you just need to prepare." She motioned for the servant to refill her tea, as if she had just decided something trivial.
Gu Yao also looked up, feigning concern: "Nian Nian, the Huo family has many rules. Be careful when you go, don't upset your brother-in-law." Her voice was sickeningly sweet, but under the table, her fingers tapped her knee in triumph.
I watched her fake performance, my heart frozen. I smiled faintly, the smile so light, yet carrying a clarity I'd never had before: "Thank you for your 'concern,' sister. I'll remember—from today on, I'm no longer the Gu family's second daughter to be manipulated at will."
My words were soft, but like a stone thrown into still water, they silenced the whispers around me. Mother's face darkened, her teacup clattering loudly onto the saucer. Gu Yao's smile froze, her glossed lips parting in surprise. Perhaps they never expected that the always-obedient me would say such things.
I ignored their reactions, turned, straightened my back, and walked out of the suffocating dining room. The sound of my heels striking the marble floor echoed clearly in the silence. The gazes behind me were like thorns, but I knew I could not look back. In the hallway mirror, I caught a glimpse of my pale but determined face.
That night, a low-key, luxurious black Maybach stopped at the Gu family's door. There was no grand wedding procession, just a stern-faced man who introduced himself as Assistant Lin. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, a meticulously knotted tie, and his sharp, restrained gaze glinted behind gold-rimmed glasses.
"Miss Gu Nian, Mr. Huo sent me to pick you up." His tone was respectful, but brooked no argument. Rain had soaked his shoulders, but he seemed not to notice.
I carried only a simple suitcase, holding my few personal belongings. Without looking back at the house where I had lived for twenty years, I got straight into the car. Inside, there was a faint scent of leather and a cold, woody cologne—like the aura of the man I had never met. Neon lights flashed by outside the window, leaving the Gu family's lights far behind. The city's nighttime splendor stood in stark contrast to my inner loneliness. I leaned back, watching the shifting lights outside, rain tracing winding marks on the glass.
Huo Chen Zhou… what kind of person are you? In this marriage forced upon me, will I face the rumored indifference and humiliation, or… something else?
The car drove smoothly toward the Huo family mansion, shrouded in clouds and mist. It was a road entirely unknown, full of uncertainty and danger. Yet strangely, apart from a little anxiety about the future, what I felt most was a cold calmness after breaking free from my bonds. Rumors may be part of the truth, but never the whole story. The "burden" my mother and Gu Yao were so eager to cast off might not be a dead end after all.
I closed my eyes, driving out the chilling faces of the Gu family from my mind. The car splashed through puddles, the sound of water delicate and fleeting. From this moment on, my life as Gu Nian would be my own. Whether ahead lay a vortex of power or the illusion of love, I would no longer be a passive pawn. Perhaps this stand-in marriage would be the start of my reversal of fate.
The car slowly passed through a massive iron gate, street lamps on either side blurring into yellow halos in the rain. Through the foggy window, I saw a huge building looming in the rainy night, like a silent beast. Only a few windows were lit, and behind one on the top floor, a vague figure seemed to be watching the approaching car.
Assistant Lin opened the car door for me, holding the umbrella precisely over my head. "Miss Gu, please watch your step." I stepped out, the cold rain instantly enveloping me. I looked up at the lit window, but it was already empty. Only the heavy curtains swayed slightly in the wind, as if someone had just left.
"Mr. Huo is waiting for you," Assistant Lin's voice pulled me back to reality. He led me toward the heavy carved wooden door, the brass handle shining from the rain. When my hand touched the cold handle, I suddenly had a strange premonition—behind this door was not just an unfamiliar marriage, but a game no one could predict. And I was ready to fight for myself.