The chill of the late autumn wind swept across Imperial City's international airport, but it couldn't compare to the ice buried in Feng Yuxi's heart.
Wrapped in a fitted charcoal coat, sunglasses hiding half her face, she stepped off the private jet with the grace of a born aristocrat. Her heels clicked softly on the tarmac, but each step echoed like thunder in her soul. Six years ago, she'd been tossed aside like trash. Now, she was back — cloaked in a new name, a new face, and a storm of secrets.
The woman known to the world as Xia Zhi, an up-and-coming actress from overseas, had nothing to do with the once-beloved eldest daughter of the Feng family.
At least, not on paper.
A black car slid into position at the bottom of the stairs, its gleaming body a mirror to the world she would soon face.
The driver opened the door, bowing respectfully. "Miss Xia, the Young Master is waiting."
She slipped into the car, smooth and silent.
Inside, her phone buzzed. A single message appeared on the locked screen:
Li Zeyan: Don't be late. The marriage license office closes at six.
Her lips curved into a smile — icy and unreadable.
The Civil Affairs Bureau was nearly empty, its sterile white walls glowing under the fluorescent lights. In one of the VIP rooms, a man sat by the window, legs crossed, exuding the kind of quiet power that could bend boardrooms to his will.
Li Zeyan.
CEO of Li International. The business world called him ruthless. The tabloids called him heartless. But to Feng Yuxi, he was something else entirely:
Her weapon.
Her shield.
Her temporary husband.
She stepped into the room, every inch the elegant stranger. "Mr. Li."
His eyes met hers — sharp, dark, and piercing. He studied her without rising, his expression unreadable.
"You're late."
"Traffic," she replied coolly, lowering her glasses. "But I'm here, aren't I?"
He stood, towering over her, the scent of cold cedar clinging to his expensive suit. "We sign the papers today. You move into Li Manor tomorrow. One year. No real relationship, no scandal. Play your part, and I'll play mine."
She took the pen from his hand, brushing her fingers deliberately against his. "Of course. A contract marriage — clean and simple."
Their signatures danced across the document in practiced strokes.
Husband.Wife.
A flicker of amusement flashed through her eyes.
Clean? Nothing about her return would be clean.
As the official stamped their certificate, sealing the deal, Li Zeyan glanced at her. "Why me?"
She smiled.
"Because I don't need a husband," she said softly. "I need a shield with sharp teeth."
Meanwhile, across the city, a small boy sat in a high-tech playroom, eyes fixed on his tablet screen. With a few taps, he accessed a hidden database encrypted under layers of corporate firewalls.
Target locked: Li Zeyan.
Status: Now legally married to Subject F.Y.
He grinned.
"So that's the man Mommy chose? Hmph. He better be worthy."