Next Day – Serene Hotels
The golden morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Serene Hotels, casting a warm glow across the sleek office. Guo Min sat at her desk, flipping through documents when her phone buzzed.
Her phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a message from an unknown number.
Zhu Zihan: Dinner. 7 PM. I'll send the location.
Guo Min arched an eyebrow at the bluntness. No greeting, no pleasantries—just a statement. Typical. She smirked and typed back.
Guo Min: Is this a request or an order, CEO Zhu?
A response came almost immediately.
Zhu Zihan: Does it matter?
She exhaled sharply, shaking her head in amusement. He really was as arrogant as they said. But instead of annoyance, she found herself intrigued.
Ruoxi, lounging on the couch across from her, noticed the shift in Guo Min's expression. "Who's that?" she asked, sipping her coffee.
"Zhu Zihan," Guo Min replied, setting her phone down.
Ruoxi nearly choked. "Wait—he asked you out?"
Guo Min leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers against the desk. "Seems like it."
"And you're going?"
There was a brief pause before Guo Min smirked. "Why not?"
Ruoxi's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Min, be careful. You know what kind of man he is."
Guo Min met her gaze, something unreadable in her eyes. "I do."
And yet, that didn't stop her from replying.
Guo Min: 7 PM it is.
7 PM – Crystal Jade
Guo Min stepped into the upscale restaurant, her sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit space. The air was filled with the soft murmur of conversations, the clinking of fine china, and the faint aroma of expensive wine.
Zhu Zihan was already there, sitting at a private table near the window. He didn't check his phone, didn't glance around impatiently—he simply waited, calm and composed, as if he already knew she would come.
She walked over, her heels clicking against the polished floor. "You didn't even ask if I was available."
Zihan finally looked up. His dark eyes studied her for a brief moment before he spoke. "You came."
Not a question, just a statement.
Guo Min slid into the seat across from him, crossing her legs. "Curiosity."
Zihan nodded slightly, signaling the waiter without another word. Within seconds, a bottle of wine was placed on the table, the waiter pouring them both a glass before stepping away.
She watched him, intrigued. "So, are you always this silent, or am I just special?"
Zihan took a slow sip of his wine, his gaze never leaving hers. "I talk when necessary."
A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Efficient."
He inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her words but offering nothing more. The silence between them wasn't awkward—it was charged, layered with unspoken thoughts.
Guo Min picked up her glass, swirling the liquid. "Why the invitation?"
Zihan set his glass down, his fingers tapping lightly against the stem. "You'll be my wife."
She arched a brow. "That's it?"
A pause. Then, his gaze sharpened, unreadable. "I need to understand you."
Guo Min tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Understand me?"
He didn't blink. "Yes."
She exhaled, taking a sip of her wine. "And? What have you understood so far?"
Zihan leaned back, his expression unreadable. "You don't like being controlled, but you're drawn to power."
Guo Min's grip on her glass tightened slightly. He was observant. Too observant.
"And what about you?" she countered. "What should I understand about you?"
His gaze remained steady. "I don't play games."
A small smile ghosted her lips. "Neither do I."
For the first time that evening, a flicker of something passed through his eyes—something unreadable, something dark. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.
They ate in silence after that, the weight of unsaid words lingering between them.
By the time dinner ended, Guo Min stood first, adjusting her coat. "Well, CEO Zhu, this was… enlightening."
Zihan rose as well, his movements deliberate, controlled. "I'll have my driver take you home."
She smirked. "What if I say no?"
He held her gaze for a long moment before speaking. "Then you won't."
Guo Min exhaled, shaking her head with amusement as she walked toward the exit.
Zihan watched her go, his expression impassive, but his fingers tapped lightly against the table—a habit of his when observing.
The Drive Home
Guo Min sat in the back of the sleek black car, her eyes on the city lights blurring past the tinted windows. The quiet hum of the engine was the only sound, aside from her own thoughts circling in her head.
Zhu Zihan's driver was efficient—no unnecessary conversation, no idle chatter. Just like his employer.
She leaned back, exhaling softly.
Zihan was… interesting. He wasn't like the men who tried to charm her with empty words and predictable arrogance. He didn't need to impress. He simply existed in his cold, controlled way, and somehow, that was more compelling than any well-rehearsed flattery.
Her phone buzzed.
Zhu Zihan: Text when you get home.
She smirked, tapping out a response.
Guo Min: Worried about me, CEO Zhu?
A few seconds later, a reply.
Zhu Zihan: No. Just ensuring efficiency.
She chuckled to herself. Always so precise. So detached.
And yet…
She glanced out the window again, a flicker of something unnameable settling in her chest.
---
Zhu Zihan's penthouse.
Zihan stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse, a glass of whiskey in his hand. The city stretched beneath him, a sea of lights and movement, but his mind was elsewhere.
Guo Min.
She was unpredictable, sharp, and entirely too perceptive. Most people tried to understand him by prying, by pushing, by demanding answers he never gave. But she didn't. Instead she watched.
His phone vibrated on the table.
Guo Min: Home safe, CEO Zhu. Efficient enough for you?
A faint smile ghosted his lips.
Zhu Zihan: Adequate.
He set the phone down, swirling the whiskey in his glass.
This wasn't the beginning of a game.
It was the beginning of something, and Zhu Zihan never started something he didn't intend to finish.