Yun Qian Meng was twenty-five years old when she got married. She was from a family of billionaires, but a conservative one where good daughters never said no to their parents. Her father wanted her to get married and she just said, "If that is what makes you happy, I will do it gladly."
It wasn't 'love'—wealthy heiresses were taught never to get caught in that mess. A business decision, her father, Yun Sui Bo, had called her marriage. She had come from a family that built a real estate empire under Yun Corporation.
The dream began.
The union had been a move made to win their struggle against Mo Building Solutions, their most prominent and hardest competitors. The Bai family owned a well-known building materials import company in the mainland, which helped cheapen the price of materials used for the operation of the Yun Corporation.
It had been a grand success. The Bai and Yun family came together to widen the prospects of their companies. She accepted her father's choice graciously. She truly came to appreciate the presence of the man, his serene and respectful behavior, his gentle words, and his respect for her private space.
And yes, it was never a happy marriage.
The Bai family had strict rules when it came to the conduct of the wives. They were only allowed clothes that hid their skin; they couldn't drink outside of the home, even with their husbands.
She loved her wine and beer. She loved to wear fashionable dresses and skirts. At first, she rebelled. She ate what she wanted, she wore what she wished to. But the screams grew louder and the words harsher.
Her husband, Bai Ye Qing, was a gentle man. He was a year older than her but he had been spoilt since young. Despite being in a prominent position within the company, he often made bad choices and couldn't clearly see the deals he should have invested in.
When his mother tormented her, he would stand up for her and lend her a shoulder to cry on.
"Help me take over," Bai Ye Qing announced one day, astonishing Yun Qian Meng. "You built your company with your own hands and you are an excellent investor. Teach me."
She didn't know what to say, at first. But since young, she had been taught that a good wife helps their husband at all times and paves the way for their success. She taught him everything she knew, helping him invest and judge. His position grew stronger, his authority in the family growing before her eyes. She had been so proud.
If it was love, she didn't know, but she felt like someone was finally listening to her. She even saw him as a friend. She had never received love from her family or the attention she deserved, maybe because she was a female. Bai Ye Qing's devotion had moved her heart. She finally felt wanted.
His father passed away within a year of their marriage. Yun Qian Meng hadn't been close to the man but knew him to be a hard worker who had single-handedly built the family business. She couldn't deny that she respected him.
After her father-in-law's passing her mother-in-law became a demon. The shouting and abuses from early on in their marriage reappeared. Qian Meng finally understood what an evil in-law was like.
It was no joke.
After a couple of weeks, Bai Ye Qing took charge of the family business. Qian Meng was happy and supported him but the abuses from home became unbearable. Most of the time, she couldn't go to work or keep track of her investments; she was too busy making her husband successful.
One day, Bai Ye Qing came home and announced that they would be moving to a penthouse close to his office. It shook her mother-in-law, but Qian Meng was ecstatic. On the day they moved to the new apartment, she stared at the vastly empty space and decided on how she would decorate it.
This would be her house. She would adorn it as she wished. And she did that. She filled the place with warmth and love.
Another year passed, they tried to have a baby. Bai Ye Qing grew busier every day. She was left in their mammoth apartment, staring at the ceiling, making sure his life was in order. Sometimes she would cry, sometimes she would wonder what she had done wrong to deserve this. She felt wretched. Two years of trying... two years of trying and she didn't conceive.
Those that hated her smirked and told her it was a pity. She didn't say much in return.
She had failed the duty of a good daughter and wife. Yun Sui Bo called her often to remind her. Deals with the Bai family were falling through. She needed to produce an heir to appease Bai Ye Qing. She didn't have the face to say no.
At that point, she had not seen her family for a year. Her father never called her. Her step-mother was happy to be rid of her. Her little step-brother was off to college in a foreign land and never had time away from studying.
She could only do one thing. She signed over shares of her companies to Bai Ye Qing, giving him the majority shareholder position and ensuring that he continued to work closely and to the advantage of the Yun Corporation.
Mo Building Solutions had gained market share rapidly, making the Yun Corporation lag behind. Under the hands of their new chairperson, Mo Qingchen, everything seemed to go about like a dream.
Another year passed. Bai Ye Qing had bought the apartment on the floor under them. He had transformed into his office. He had told Qian Meng that he needed a space of his own.
"Have I not decorated well enough?" she had asked him, showing disappointment.
"It's wonderful," he had said in a soft voice, caressing her face.
Four years into their marriage, she had gone out to buy some food. When she was coming back the security guard handed her a letter.