Chapter 1, Chapter 01...
Fate's jokes always come unexpectedly.
Xie Tang looked up at the "palace" from her childhood memories.
The Roman columns still stand tall, the reliefs remain exquisite, and time has not diminished its grandeur.
Eighteen years ago, when Qin Ruhai and his gang kicked her out of this door, her tears mixed with dust and flowed into her mouth, bitter and salty.
Eighteen years later, she was ushered in by the butler with a bow, each step feeling like a blow to the Qin family's dignity.
Xie Tang curled her lips into a cold smile. She knew the Qin family's current situation better than Qin Ruhai did.
The high heels clicked crisply on the marble steps, like a knife slowly dissecting this gilded cage.
The crystal chandelier in the hall reflected a dazzling light, and the polished floor reflected her slender figure.
The servants kept their heads down, not daring to breathe, while only Ji Yan stared at her with a sinister look.
Xie Tang ignored it and casually handed his coat to the nearest servant.
The other person was stunned for a moment before hurriedly catching it—the movement was so natural as if she had never left.
In the study, Qin Ruhai sat behind a large solid wood desk.
"You've come." His voice was steady, but his gaze involuntarily fell on her face.
She looks so much like Xie Shuang, especially her eyes, which seem to see right through his dirty thoughts.
Xie Tang didn't say anything, but walked straight to the French windows, turned her back to him, and looked down at the garden.
"The roses have been changed to a different variety," she suddenly said. "You dug up Grandpa's favorite crabapple blossoms?"
Qin Ruhai's Adam's apple bobbed. "Those flowers... are difficult to care for."
"Is that so?" She chuckled, her fingertips brushing against the window frame as she turned away. "I thought you were afraid of seeing them and being reminded of some wrongdoing you had done."
The air condensed.
Qin Ruhai thought she would become hysterical, and would angrily question him. But she didn't.
She just stood there, looking at him with the kind of eyes that "look at an ant," with a smile on her lips.
This made his heart pound more than any roar.
He suppressed his anger and said, "Sit down."
Xie Tang didn't move. He took out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled the smoke.
A look of disgust flashed in Qin Ruhai's eyes. He suppressed his emotions and pushed a document towards Qin Wu: "The marriage alliance with the Chu family needs you to complete it for Qin Wu."
"Why should I?" Xie Tang lowered her eyes and sneered. "You haven't thought of me, your daughter, all these years, but now that Qin Wu has run away from the wedding, you suddenly remember me to clean up this mess?"
Qin Ruhai remained expressionless, took out a check and pushed it over: "Marry Chu Song, and ten million is yours."
Xie Tang's gaze lingered on the check for a second.
—Of course she needs this money.
My mother's imported medicine costs 48,000 yuan per dose, which is not covered by medical insurance.
Last month, the doctor said that the condition was worsening and a new treatment plan was necessary.
Domestically produced drugs are cheap, but they have significant side effects.
She remembered her mother curled up on the hospital bed vomiting, so thin she was just skin and bones, yet she still said, "A-Tang... I'm fine."
She looked up and smiled: "President Qin has done a very thorough investigation."
He reached out, placed his index finger on the check, and slowly dragged it towards himself. "You even found out what medications my mother was taking?"
Qin Ruhai's expression softened slightly, and just as she was about to speak, the check suddenly tore into several pieces between her fingers.
"Ten million?" She lightly scattered the shards on the table. "Is this all the sincerity Mr. Qin has to offer me in making a deal?"
What do you want?
"Ten million, plus this villa..."
Qin Ruhai slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly: "You're dreaming!"
Xie Tang took out a USB drive from his bag. "How about we talk about the fines for Cisco's tax evasion... enough for several tens of millions?"
Qin Ruhai suddenly stood up, the chair scraping loudly. "You investigated me?"
"You forgot? I'm a lawyer, it's a professional habit."
"Ah Tang..." Qin Ruhai's voice was dry, and the light made his face look pale. "We are family."
"Family?" Xie Tang leaned forward slightly, placing her hands on the table as she approached him, as if she had heard a joke. "President Qin, when you stopped paying my child support back then, why didn't you think of us as family?"
"Okay, I promise you!"
Just when Xie Tang thought he wouldn't agree, he gave in.
She dug her fingertips into her palm.
I remember that rainy day many years ago, when my usually proud mother lowered her voice for the first time: "As long as they leave, I won't care about anything else..."
The little boy next to Ji Yan tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with cruel curiosity, "Mommy, when she cries, she sounds like a dog..."
At that time, the Qin family had assets of nearly 100 million yuan, but they were given 500,000 yuan like beggars.
In this world, some people's hearts are colder than rain.
Xie Tang raised his hand and threw the cigarette butt onto the Persian carpet, looking at the charred mark.
"The reason for the substitute marriage?"
“Three days ago…” Qin Ruhai sighed, “Qin Wu and Chu Yi got their marriage certificate.”
He looked up at Xie Tang, his eyes bloodshot. "That idiot! She has no idea what offending Chu Song means!"
Xie Tang was stunned for a few seconds. In his memory, the Chu family clearly only had two young masters.
She had met the eldest son, Chu Li, and the second son, Chu Song, when she was a child.
Chu Yi? Who is this? When did the Chu family gain another young master?
Seeing Xie Tang frown, he added, "The third young master of the Chu family, Chu Song's half-brother."
Xie Tang almost burst out laughing.
That stepsister who didn't even dare to raise her head when she spoke actually dared to elope with someone on the eve of Chu Song's engagement banquet.
No wonder Qin Ruhai thought of her; the Chu family needed a scapegoat for their anger, and she was the only eligible woman with Qin family blood left.
Moreover... she and Chu Song got along quite well when they were little.
But they hadn't seen each other for eighteen years.
She's going to marry a stranger whose face she can't even remember anymore?
This is so absurd it's like a farce.
But right now, fate has presented her with a choice even crueler—to watch her mother pass away in pain? Or to be left homeless after her house is auctioned off by the bank?
Over the years, those astronomical medical expenses have been like a bottomless pit, swallowing up all her savings, youth, and even dignity.
It was nothing more than a transactional marriage.
Since fate had already pushed her into the abyss, exchanging a marriage contract for her mother's chance to live was a worthwhile deal no matter how you looked at it.
Xie Tang forced a wry smile. "Deal."
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Light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and slanted onto the dark conference table.
Fu Xiu pushed the tablet to the center of the table, tapped it lightly, and brought up a file.
"Xie Tang—the eldest daughter of the Qin family, a top student at Zhongjing University of Political Science and Law, and a star lawyer at Yingzheng Law Firm, with a 70% success rate in four years of practice."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chu Song, who sat upright in the main seat, "His professional skills...are outstanding."
The woman on the screen had a bright, pure smile that was almost blinding.
Chu Song rested his hand on the edge of the table, the wristwatch peeking out from his sleeve reflecting a cold light.
“But her life story isn’t so glamorous.” Fu Xiu scrolled through the screen. “She was kicked out of the Qin family when she was eight, and her mother fell seriously ill when she was twenty-one. All the money she earned over the years went into medical expenses, but she would rather borrow money than lower herself to her biological father.”
Chu Song replied coldly, "It's not that she's unwilling to back down."
A faded photograph suddenly popped up—a short-haired girl standing side by side with the smiling Chu Yun.
The mystery surrounding that "accidental" car accident from years ago has resurfaced.
“Qin Ruhai is now desperate and will definitely force her into a marriage alliance,” Fu Xiu said in a low voice. “But given her personality…”
"She'll agree." Chu Song interrupted, his fingertips tracing the stubborn corner of the girl's mouth in the photo.
Fu Xiu raised an eyebrow: "So certain? Marrying her would mean..."
She had no choice.
Moreover, only she could give him what he wanted.
He recalled Xie Tang at the age of six, the little sun that Mr. Qin cherished in his hands.
That year, at the Chu family's birthday banquet, the whole house was filled with noisy children.
Chu Song was building a tower of blocks alone in the side hall when suddenly a pile of colored glass beads rolled off the floor.
He looked up and saw a little girl with her hair in a bow-shaped bun leaning against the screen, her eyes shining brightly.
"Found you!" Xie Tang jumped out as if she had discovered a treasure, her skirt fluttering as she squatted down in front of him. "Brother's tower is taller than theirs!"
She suddenly leaned closer, her voice carrying the sweet scent of osmanthus sugar, "But why don't you go eat the cake?" The tower of blocks suddenly collapsed.
Chu Song looked at the eyelashes so close to his face and his Adam's apple bobbed: "...Too noisy."
The little girl nodded seriously: "Then I won't go either."
As she spoke, she poured out colorful candies from her purse, "Brother, please have some candy."
"A-Tang!" Old Master Qin stood at the door with a stern face. "Why are you bullying Brother Chu Song again?"
"No, that's not it!" Xie Tang rushed to her grandfather's side. "I was teaching my brother magic tricks!"
She grabbed Chu Song's wrist and stuffed the candy into his sleeve. "Look! The candy flew away—"
Amidst the laughter filling the room, Chu Song's ears burned.
The girl's fingers were warm and soft, leaving sticky sugar stains on his palm, which miraculously soothed his agitation with the crowd.
Later, at every family dinner, two children would always appear behind the screen, secretly hiding snacks.
In my memory, little Xie Tang was always chattering away, like a cheerful lark.
She sat down next to Chu Song, swinging her legs, and poured out all her "feats" from kindergarten—
"I hid Chen Xiaopang's crayons! Who told him to say my little duck looked like a roast goose!" she complained angrily, but her eyes sparkled with pride.
Chu Song rarely spoke, but listened quietly.
Occasionally, she would suddenly turn around and show the back of her head, saying, "Brother, please take it off for me, the hair tie is hurting my scalp."
He reached out, his movements very gentle, his fingertips carefully running through her soft hair, as if afraid of hurting her.
As the bow loosened, her black hair fell down, carrying a faint floral scent—she always loved to rub her hair with jasmine from the garden.
Xie Tang shook her head, her hair brushing against his wrist, tickling him.
She turned around with a grin, "I feel so much better now! My brother is the best!"
Chu Song didn't speak, but silently put the removed hair tie into her palm.
Just like later, he hid all her vulnerable moments and never spoke of them.
Until that rainy night, when the Qin family's car drove into the Chu family's gate, she was nowhere to be seen.
How could she have imagined back then that eighteen years later, fate would bind them together in this way?
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Inside the Qin family study, Ji Yan paced anxiously back and forth in her high heels, her voice shrill: "I told you she was hard to deal with! Back in the school cafeteria, she dared to dump food on Xiao Wu's head in front of everyone. Xiao Wu still trembles when she sees her. So ill-mannered..."
"Shut up!" Qin Ruhai slammed his hand on the rosewood desk, making the celadon teacup vibrate.
He stood up abruptly, his gaze sharp as a knife: "If it weren't for what your daughter did, would I need to beg her?"
Ji Yan shrank back at the shout, then her eyes darted around before she leaned forward again: "Actually, A Yuan and Xie Tang look somewhat alike. Didn't you manage to fool everyone when you met Old Master Chu on Xie Tang's behalf last time? Why don't you..."
"Do you think Chu Song is blind?" Qin Ruhai grabbed an inkstone and smashed it against the corner of the wall. "Get out!"
Ji Yan hurriedly fled outside the study to eavesdrop and heard Qin Ruhai say, "...Yes, prepare the property transfer documents."
She was so angry she gritted her teeth!
-----------------
As Xie Tang walked out of the Qin family villa, her phone suddenly vibrated.
The moment the call connected, a heart-wrenching sob pierced her ears: "Attorney Xie, the enforcement judge said Xu Da has no assets left. He transferred all the money away, and my mother was so upset she was hospitalized..."
My fingertips fumbled for the car keys in my bag, but instead touched the cold cigarette pack first.
The case, which should have ended with a victory in the second instance, has been dragged into a quagmire by the unpaid contingency fee and the desperate cries of the client.
“Let’s go to the hospital first.” She placed the cigarette pack on the stone railing. “I’ll contact the enforcement bureau.”
A note from the author:
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