Chapter One Qin Mengxue was deeply troubled.

The first gentle rays of sunlight spread softly across the bedroom, while the cool morning breeze drifted in through the open window, bringing with it a sense of ease and tenderness—the promise of a new day. It should have been a refreshing and pleasant morning, but Qin Mengxue felt none of it. To be precise, she hadn’t slept at all the night before.

Qin Mengxue stared blankly at the alarm clock, which had been ringing for almost ten minutes, unmoved. She had tossed and turned all night, unable to find rest. The loud, incessant clamor of the alarm echoed through the room.

Just then, a knock sounded at her bedroom door. “Mengxue, are you awake? Come on, get up! I know you must be excited after learning that news, but being happy doesn’t mean you can stay in bed all morning,” came the gentle voice of her mother, Lan Yingyan, from outside.

“I know, I know, I’m getting up. Mom, you don’t need to make breakfast for me, I’ll eat at work!” Qin Mengxue slapped the alarm clock off, ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, and replied absentmindedly, though inwardly she fumed: “Happy? As if!”

Stepping into the dressing room and catching sight of herself in the mirror, she was startled by her own reflection. Her once flawless oval face was now pale, with dark circles under her eyes, which were bloodshot and rimmed with red.

No matter how irritable she felt, she had to put her appearance in order first. As the celebrated beauty and CEO of Menghua Group, she must always present herself at her most elegant and impeccable.

In Tianyang City, Northeast China, there was hardly anyone who didn’t know Qin Mengxue. She was the unattainable goddess in the dreams of countless single men, nearly to the point of enchanting both men and women, young and old alike.

This fame wasn’t just due to her stunning looks, but also her extraordinary achievements in business. At twenty, she had graduated early from Harvard in the United States with dual doctorates in Finance and Economic Management, an accomplishment that invited envy.

Not only had she excelled academically in her prime, she had also decisively taken over the faltering Menghua Group from her father, Qin Lanwan, against all opposition. In just two years, she had elevated the company from the brink of bankruptcy to a leading industry giant in both Beiyang City and the entire Northeast region, providing new opportunities for the city’s economic development.

When she first took office, she initiated a sweeping overhaul, ruthlessly cutting away the deadweight and troublemakers within the group. Her resolute and efficient management left no room for doubt; no one dared underestimate this young female president. She soon earned the nickname “The Business Rose of Tianyang City.”

After nearly half an hour of grooming, Qin Mengxue finally restored herself to a satisfactory state. She studied her lightly made-up, beautiful face in the mirror: arched brows, phoenix-like eyes, and a small, enticing cherry mouth.

With a soft sigh, she opened the door and headed downstairs. The house was empty; her mother, who had just knocked on her door, had vanished without a trace.

Qin Mengxue hurriedly began searching, calling, “Mom! Dad! Where did you two go? You’re grown-ups, not children playing hide-and-seek!” Then she noticed a note on the table, written in a few strong, scrawled lines: “You little rascal, time for you to find somewhere else to sleep. Your mother and I have gone to West Asia for a trip. Do whatever you like, go wherever you want, just don’t annoy me.”

There was no doubt—this was her father’s handwriting. Qin Mengxue’s brows furrowed in irritation and resignation. In her twenty-three years, though she’d handled countless business crises, this was the first time she’d felt so frustrated, and even a touch weary of being a Qin.

After all, yesterday at work, her father had suddenly called to tell her that her fiancé was coming.

For someone like Mengxue, who had never experienced romance in her twenty-three years, this news struck like a bolt from the blue. She’d immediately retorted, “Impossible! I’ve never even dated anyone—how could I possibly have a fiancé? Don’t tell me you’ve sold me off!”

Her father had only scolded her, “What are you saying? At your age, if you’re not getting ready to marry, what do you plan to do? Be a strong-willed spinster all your life? Enough, don’t bother me with nonsense. If you have questions, ask someone else. All you need to know is what I’ve told you.”

After repeated confirmations—even calling her grandfather, Qin Yichen—Mengxue was forced to abandon her last hope. Inexplicably, she now had a fiancé.

What was more absurd, it seemed that everyone in the Qin family except her knew about it. The engagement had been arranged by her grandfather’s generation; his explanation left her speechless.

“Oh, back in the day, I fought side by side with that old fellow. We made a pact—whoever had a daughter or son first in the next generation would marry into the other’s family. But as you know, our family’s second generation is all boys, and so is theirs, so the engagement has been passed to the third generation... Anyway, I hear that boy will be back in Beiyang City soon. Mengxue, you absolutely cannot refuse, or your grandfather will be heartbroken...”

Before she could protest, her grandfather had hung up, leaving her to her complaints.

So, poor little Mengxue spent the whole day troubled by the harsh news. Even sleep brought no relief; the thought of suddenly acquiring a fiancé, when she’d never even been in love, left her feeling aggrieved and helpless. She hadn’t closed her eyes all night.

Rubbing her tired eyelids in an attempt to perk herself up, she made her way to the garage. She deliberately chose the understated black Volkswagen Phaeton and drove towards the company.

Though as a wealthy young woman she owned better cars—a Bentley and the Aston Martin DBS her father gave her for her twenty-second birthday, both far more expensive than the Phaeton—she’d always harbored a special fondness for this unassuming vehicle.

In the late spring morning, the flowers and grasses stretched toward the new day. The air was soft and sultry. As Qin Mengxue drove, she occasionally caught sight of young couples on the street, lost in passionate French kisses—a fitting scene for the season.

In the past, such sights had never evoked any special feelings in her. But now, knowing she had a fiancé, her heart seemed to have changed; she suddenly found such behavior rather indecent.

After about half an hour, she arrived at Menghua Group. After parking in the underground lot, she made her way to the company’s entrance.

Composing her expression, smoothing the hem of her business suit, and restoring her usual frosty, imposing demeanor, she pushed open the company’s doors.

The greetings began at once. “Good morning, President Qin!” “Good morning, President Qin!” She acknowledged each with a slight nod, then stepped into the president’s elevator, heading straight to her office on the twenty-third floor.

As the elevator doors opened, she saw her secretary, Yu Xiaoxiao, waiting as usual with a steaming can of Blue Mountain coffee. A smile crept to Qin Mengxue’s lips; everything felt reassuringly familiar.

“President Qin, you don’t look well. Is something wrong?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked softly, handing her the coffee.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was helping my parents pack last night—they went on a trip—so I slept a bit late. Really, it’s nothing to worry about. By the way, Xiaoxiao, you look especially lovely today!” Qin Mengxue lied without missing a beat, tossing in a compliment for good measure.

Yu Xiaoxiao blushed at the remark. “Oh, President Qin, you’re teasing me! I’m the same as always. But you should get some rest too!”

Yu Xiaoxiao truly was a fresh-faced beauty—just twenty-two years old, radiating youthful energy and warmth. Her low ponytail lent her a childlike, wholesome air, while her large, grape-dark eyes sparkled with vitality, like polished black gemstones. The more one looked at her, the more pleasant she seemed. Though her looks were perhaps not as striking as the icy beauty Qin Mengxue’s, her cheerful, lively nature made her all the more approachable.

Qin Mengxue flashed her a brilliant smile. “Alright, let’s get to work. We have to give it our best today, too!” With that, she headed straight into her office, leaving Yu Xiaoxiao momentarily perplexed. Did she really look any different today?

Yu Xiaoxiao hurriedly checked herself over, searching for anything out of the ordinary, but found nothing amiss. She murmured softly, “Why is the president acting so differently today...?”

Naturally, Qin Mengxue didn’t hear this. Surrounded by the familiar atmosphere of her company, she found her smile growing brighter. Yesterday’s news suddenly seemed like no big deal.

In that moment, a new resolve took root in her heart: “A fiancé? I’ll just send him packing. An engagement? They can all go to hell. I am still the business rose of Menghua Group. Marry without ever having loved? Impossible! Grandfather dotes on his granddaughter—surely he’ll forgive a little rebellion and a few coquettish protests!”