Dejected after another fruitless visit to the police station, Xia Xingchen stepped outside. Five sleek black cars glided to a precise halt directly in front of her.
The door of the lead car opened. A figure of imposing height emerged.
Having witnessed the previous convoy's display of power, Xingchen was wary, her guard firmly up.
"Miss Xia."
Leng Fei approached, offering a slight, formal bow. "His Excellency requests your presence."
Xingchen frowned. "Who is your 'Excellency'?"
"All will be revealed upon your arrival."
"You expect me to just go with you, without even knowing who he is?"
Leng Fei offered a knowing smile. "Miss Xia, if you wish to see Young Master Bai again, you will join us in the car. Otherwise..." He let the implication hang heavy in the air. Finding Bai Daba would be impossible without their cooperation.
"Fine. I'll come." Xingchen lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm eager to meet this 'Excellency' who operates with such brazen impunity."
Leng Fei's smile deepened. "I assure you, you won't be disappointed. Please." He gestured.
A subordinate stepped forward, opening a car door with practiced deference.
...…
The journey was tense, Xingchen's mind a whirlwind of apprehension about what awaited her.
Soon, Leng Fei guided her to a sprawling estate dominated by an opulent Western-style mansion.
"Young Master Bai is currently in his lessons and will return later. You may explore the house if you wish. However," Leng Fei's tone shifted from informative to declarative, "starting today, you will reside here with the young master. Consider this your home."
"What?" Xingchen was stunned.
But Leng Fei wasn't asking; he was informing. Refusal wasn't an option.
"Your room is upstairs. A maid will show you around." Leng Fei checked his watch. "Please take the opportunity to refresh yourself. His Excellency will arrive in approximately two hours to personally express his gratitude for your... sacrifices over the past years." A pause. "You may consider what form of compensation or thanks you desire. His Excellency is prepared to grant any reasonable request within his power."
Xingchen let out a short, incredulous bark of laughter. "How magnanimous! Must I be scrubbed and perfumed just for an audience? Is he the President?"
Leng Fei merely offered an enigmatic smile. He summoned the steward. "Steward, Miss Xia is in your care."
Xingchen had no intention of "refreshing." Yet choice was swiftly removed. Several maids efficiently ushered her into a bathroom of staggering luxury and deposited her into a vast, bubbling jacuzzi tub.
She initially resisted, but the decadent comfort proved irresistible. Warmth seeped into her bones, melting her resolve. The man certainly doesn't skimp, she thought, taking in the obviously priceless details – a bathroom larger than her entire apartment with Daba. Maybe Daba having this wealthy father isn't all bad... At least he'll never want for anything... The thought brought a pang of bittersweet loss. Would he forget his penniless mother now?
Emerging later, wrapped in a plush robe, Xingchen found maids waiting with an array of elegant dresses – unmistakably Chanel, each worth a small fortune. Garments she could only dream of, the kind Xia Xingkong possessed in abundance, showered with the affection Xingchen lacked.
She pushed the bitterness aside.
"He does throw money around," she remarked dryly, selecting a dress without ceremony.
"Miss Xia, it suits you beautifully," a maid offered.
"Thank you," Xingchen replied, managing a small smile. "How long until your 'Excellency' arrives?"
"Perhaps enjoy some tea downstairs. He will be here shortly."
Xingchen agreed, descending the grand staircase. Anticipation warred with nerves. She needed to confront him.
She was flipping through her tenth magazine on the plush sofa when the distinct sound of car engines approached outside.
Instantly, the household staff sprang into motion. They moved with hushed urgency, filing out the front doors in disciplined silence.
What now?
Xingchen looked up, puzzled, as the elderly steward emerged from the wine cellar, hurriedly adjusting his bow tie. Spotting her, he beckoned urgently. "Miss Xia! Please, come quickly! His Excellency has arrived!"
Xingchen set down the magazine and stood. The curiosity that had driven her now churned into a frantic flutter in her chest. Her hands clenched slightly at her sides, palms damp. The memory of that intense, dream-like week surfaced – phantom sensations of heated kisses. Now, she would see the face behind them.
Following the steward outside, she saw several cars parked along the estate's drive. The door of the second car opened. And there he was.
The man who had existed only in the shadowy realm of her dreams stepped into the bright daylight, entering her reality.
The sun was blindingly bright. Standing a commanding 188cm, flanked by five attendants, he walked towards her, wreathed in golden light. She had to squint against the glare, obscuring the finer details of his features.
What struck her first was his aura: an intimidating presence radiating effortless power, an aloof nobility in his bearing, a chillingly aristocratic grace that was impossible to ignore. The impossibly exalted man she thought couldn't exist… was real. Standing right before her.
His long shadow engulfed her. At 165cm, Xingchen suddenly felt diminutive, forced to crane her neck to meet his gaze.
"Xia Xingchen?" His voice, cool and detached, came from above, pronouncing her name like a statement of fact.
That voice.
The very voice from her dreams.
Her heart lurched violently, a chaotic mix of emotions flooding her – anger, recognition, betrayal, the lingering ghost of forbidden intimacy.
Jaw clenched, Xingchen rose onto her toes. Her hand shot out.
CRACK! A sharp, startling sound split the air. Her palm connected forcefully with his cheek, snapping his head to the side.
A collective gasp ripped through the assembled staff. Maids froze, faces draining of color, cold sweat beading on their brows. Oh God! Does she know who she just struck?!
They looked to the President. His flawlessly handsome face was now a thundercloud, dark and dangerous, promising a storm that sent shivers down their spines.
Instantly, two men from his retinue stepped forward, their hands clamping down on Xingchen's shoulders with steely force.