Rong Jingyang frowned slightly, a hint of helplessness in his expression. His wife was perfect in every way, except for one small thing—
Shaking his head, the man drove towards Jing Nian Academy.
—
Aitai En woke up early, her eyes red and swollen. After returning to Lantian Guishu the previous night, she had stayed alone, buried under the covers, heartbroken for who knew how long.
Her first kiss, she had wanted to save it for the man she loved most, or her future husband.
And now... it was gone!
The worst part was that she hadn't even seen what the man looked like. Was he thin or fat? Tall or short? Ugly or handsome?
Wuwuwu—
Touching her lips, which she had washed countless times, she felt utterly dejected.
Lying listlessly in bed, Aitai En looked as if life held no meaning. She wouldn't get up, wouldn't wash, wouldn't eat breakfast.
The sun rose in the east. When it was high in the sky, a maid knocked on her door.
"Knock, knock—"
"Miss, are you awake?"
Aitai En, her mood low, replied, "What is it?"
The maid: "The kitchen is preparing lunch. What kind of cuisine does Miss prefer?"
Aitai En: "Anything is fine, I'm not picky."
Except for Indian food, she had traveled the world with her grandfather, so she was accustomed to Western, French, Italian, Chinese, and other cuisines.
The maid: "Understood."
Aitai En listened to the maid's receding footsteps and sighed softly—was it already noon?
She had slept in for several hours.
She got up and pulled open the curtains.
The bright sunlight streamed into the room through the glass, irritating Aitai En's eyes.
After a moment of adjustment, she saw a man's tall, straight back in the garden ahead.
Master?
As if forgetting her sorrow, Aitai En rushed into the bathroom, composed herself, washed up, and put on a white dress before leaving the bedroom.
She found the butler and asked, "Isn't Master going out for business today?"
The butler, highly educated and understanding English, replied, "No." He paused, thinking that since his boss had brought this young lady back, she must be special. The butler added, "Around seven this morning, after breakfast, Master has been sitting there for nearly three hours. Why don't you go see him?"
Aitai En gasped in surprise, "Ah," but then, remembering how kind Master had been to her, she nodded, "Alright."
Carrying some fruit, she approached Kristino and respectfully called out, "Master."
Kristino did not respond. His cold, sharp demeanor made people want to keep their distance.
Aitai En wanted to leave; she was not used to dealing with such situations.
But having promised the butler, and out of concern for Master, she braced herself and said, "Are you troubled by something?"
【You can tell me about it.】
Aitai En added this silently in her heart. Though she might not be able to solve Master's problems, she could be a good listener.
Kristino glanced at her, his voice cold, "No."
Aitai En softly replied, "Oh," and then found herself at a loss for words.
How awkward!
To avoid the continued spread of the eerie atmosphere, she tried hard to find a topic. "Um, I heard that the Dragon Boat Festival in China is in two days."
"Master, will you be celebrating it here?"
Kristino stared at the teacup in front of him, his voice icy, "Not necessarily."
Aitai En's heart pounded rapidly. Master was so cold and imposing. She said nervously, "Then... do you want to..."
Kristino interrupted her, "If you have nothing else, go shopping. Don't linger around me."
Aitai En's expression froze. Immediately, like a student being reprimanded, she obediently replied, "Yes."
Turning.
Stepping back.
Running.
Her movements were fluid, a seamless transition.
So scary!
Since Master didn't like to be disturbed, she would quietly be an invisible presence.
After lunch, Aitai En went shopping at a nearby mall.
Before leaving, she asked the butler for a bodyguard, as she didn't want to experience the fright from last night a second time.
It could be fatal.
On the bustling streets, Aitai En marveled at the vibrancy and prosperity of China.
It was a beautiful city.
The environment was good, clean everywhere, with no pollution, and people could be seen relaxing from time to time.
Aitai En fell in love with E City at first sight.
As she walked, she was suddenly drawn to a giant screen at an intersection.
On the nearly 30x30 naked-eye 3D screen, an advertisement for family outfits featuring Du Ruoxin, Rong Doudou, and a male actor was playing.
"Miss Du?"
So beautiful.
Although she had seen her in person, Aitai En couldn't help but feel amazed.
She—
Wasn't she the young madam of the Rong Group?
Why was she endorsing an advertisement?
She was also from E City and lived in this city.
Right, Miss Du had promised to help her contact Shirley. Aitai En took out her phone and called her.
Unfortunately, she couldn't get through.
Aitai En noticed a brand of clothing endorsed by Du Ruoxin in the shop window opposite. Without a second thought, she walked in.
Among the racks of all-white clothing, Aitai En browsed and finally picked out a women's garment with a starry sky pattern printed on the back.
When she went to pay, the cashier said it was a couple's outfit and asked if she wanted to buy one for her boyfriend.
Aitai En didn't have a boyfriend and asked, "Can't it be sold separately?"
The cashier: "Yes, it can."
Aitai En paid and left the store with her bag. After browsing around for a while, she got tired and entered a coffee shop to rest.
But as soon as she stepped through the door, she didn't see the step and stumbled forward with a crash.
She collided head-on with someone coming her way.