Chapter One: Meeting Him While Expecting a Child

Night had fallen over the South China Psychiatric Hospital.

A piercing, desperate scream echoed down the long, shadowy corridor—a young woman's voice, sharp with terror.

"Stop! Please, don't hit me anymore! My baby... my child!"

Yuan Xiangdie had not been in the psychiatric hospital long. Because she was pregnant, they'd placed her alone in a private room. Just moments ago, the door had opened—she'd thought it was a nurse bringing her meal, never imagining that the intruders were thugs sent by Yao'er, disguised in nurses' uniforms. Two women seized her by the hair, dragging her to the floor, and she was met with a barrage of merciless fists and boots.

She screamed, her body trembling uncontrollably as she curled up, arms fiercely protecting her swollen belly.

One of the attackers wore her hair in a wild, tousled mess, her eyes rimmed with smudged black makeup, intricate tattoos winding up her bare arms, her whole body reeking of cheap perfume. Xiangdie recognized her—back in school, she'd been a notorious delinquent at the gates, Yao'er's most loyal accomplice.

She yanked Xiangdie’s hair, forcing her head back and blowing cigarette smoke into her face. "Crying? Playing the victim, are you? So where was your conscience when you poisoned Daddy’s food? Did you ever think how much pain you caused Yao'er?"

Xiangdie’s delicate face remained stubborn, refusing to confess. Hoarse from crying, she shouted, "I've said it so many times—it wasn’t me! I have no idea why there was poison in the food I cooked!"

She was innocent—framed.

"Oh, still won’t admit it?" The tattooed woman waved for the others to continue. "Keep going!"

She didn't know how long the beating lasted. Her hands, slick with blood, tugged at the woman's sleeve. "Please, Yao'er, let me go. I just want to give birth to my baby. He’s innocent..."

"Ha... Impossible!"

A vicious slap cracked across her face, knocking her to the ground, her belly exposed. The others immediately kicked her in the stomach.

"Ah!" Xiangdie clenched her teeth as a searing pain ripped through her abdomen, like a nest of snakes tearing into her flesh. She could barely breathe, her delicate features twisted in agony, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I’m begging you! My baby is innocent..."

Even as she pleaded, blood and murky amniotic fluid seeped from her body... It was too late. Everything was too late.

She gazed around, bewildered, as the world faded to grey. She thought she was going blind, but then darkness swallowed her. Her hand fell limp.

...

Three years later.

Yuan Xiangdie leaned against a stone by the grassy verge. The nurse gently patted her shoulder, waking her, and kindly told her that after observation, her health had improved—she could be discharged today.

She nodded politely, every movement steady and reserved.

Three years in the asylum had taught her silence. Had taught her restraint.

She gathered her cluttered design drafts, carefully placing each one into a document folder, sealed it, and slung her bag over her shoulder, ready to pack up the rest of her things.

Everything was calm and unhurried. She wheeled her suitcase out the hospital’s front door. Waiting at the entrance was a limited edition Mercedes G-Class. The family butler opened the door for her with solemn respect.

She hesitated, pausing for two seconds.

The butler spoke again, "Congratulations, Miss, on your recovery. Please, get in the car."

Yuan Xiangdie ran her slender hand over the car’s surface, murmuring with a faint, wry smile, "Bringing the flashiest car in the family to pick me up—do you want the whole world to know the Yuan family’s eldest daughter was once committed?"

The butler’s eyes flickered with discomfort. He explained, "It was Miss Yao’er’s idea. She said it’s been hard for you to recover and leave the hospital, you deserve a proper welcome."

Blood trickled down Yuan Xiangdie’s forehead. She blinked, noticing a small, soft child at her side—the little hands tugged and beat at the advertisement board on her, gnawed at it with clumsy determination, but just couldn’t budge it.

Xiangdie was both amused and moved to tears. Why make such a tiny child, only four or five years old, struggle so hard? Even if she died here, at least she’d saved a life. It was worth it.

But the small child refused to leave her side.

The flames were spreading quickly. She knew staying wasn’t an option, so she caught the child’s hand, stopping him from wasting his strength.

Firelight flickered in her eyes, the situation behind her desperate, yet she forced herself to smile, not wanting to let the child sense her fear. "Go find your family. Get them to help me."

The little one shook his head.

"Be good... Otherwise, we’ll both die here..."

He looked heartbroken, as if he understood. He slipped off his little watch, placed it in front of Xiangdie, then dusted off his hands and scampered toward the entrance.

What an adorable child... If only her own baby had survived, he would be about this age now...

Xiangdie’s lips curved in a final, gentle smile. She didn’t think she’d last until help arrived—the oxygen was almost gone. Let it burn. Let everything be consumed.

It was just a pity Yao’er would benefit.

Her backpack, with tens of thousands of design sketches, would also go up in flames...

Her vision blurred; when she closed her eyes, she passed out.

Outside the shopping mall, a stretched Lincoln was parked, with a row of men kneeling before it.

Jin Yuan sat in the car, his expression colder than ice. He flexed his hands, the designer watch on his wrist glinting, long legs crossed, the murderous aura around him more suffocating than the fire raging in the mall.

"Can anyone explain what happened? Hmm? I was gone for a business meeting, and you managed to lose the young master?" Jin Yuan’s gaze drifted to the burning building. "And you think he slipped into the mall? Hmm?"

With a fire that large, could anyone escape? The young master was so little—if he bumped into anything... The prospects were grim.

The assistant hurried to shift blame. "It was the bodyguard’s fault. He insisted on taking the young master wandering about."

The bodyguard, usually a burly man, was wiping away tears, kneeling before Jin Yuan and sobbing, "The young master wanted ice cream. He threw a fit when I wouldn’t buy it... What was I supposed to do? He’s just a child, why are you all being so hard on such a sweet kid..."

Jin Yuan raised a foot and kicked the bodyguard away with his polished shoe. "Enough. Go find him. If you don’t, you’ll all die with him."

The bodyguard scrambled back, kowtowing repeatedly. "President Jin, we’ve already sent people—please, spare us... Ah—wait, is that the young master?"

He pointed at the small figure dashing their way, the adorable running gait unmistakable.

"Young master, you’re finally back!" The men surged forward, embracing him as if they’d been reborn, pinching his cheeks and kissing his little hands.

The old butler, standing aside, pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. These brutes—would they ever let go?

The little one shook them off, then, with a childish shout, raged at them, "Let go of me!"

Everyone froze.

"Wait, did I just imagine that? The young master spoke?"

He broke free, ran straight to Jin Yuan, and latched onto his long leg.

Jin Yuan raised an eyebrow. "You know to come back? Didn’t I tell you not to run off?" He asked a string of questions, but the boy kept clinging to his leg, gesturing wildly at the burning mall. "Auntie... fire... blood..."

"What?" Jin Yuan crouched down, catching the fragments of words and piecing together what had happened. He straightened, eyes sharp as blades, staring at the flames. "Everyone, follow me. You can redeem yourselves with this."

"Yes, sir!"

The boy pointed urgently into the mall. "Save her! Save her!"

The butler tried to hold him back. "Second Master, the fire’s too intense. Let the firefighters—"

But the flames were growing. Even a second’s delay could mean another explosion—lives hung in the balance.

The little one stomped his feet, shouting, "No time! Save her!"

He scrambled up Jin Yuan, tiny fists beating his chest.

Jin Yuan was surprised—his son had never asked him for anything before. This rare urgency only strengthened his resolve. His son wanted this—how could he refuse?

Just save someone. The woman had saved his son. Why not return the favor?

Jin Yuan set his son down. "Stay close, all of you."

"But Second Master—" The butler protested, but Jin Yuan was already charging inside with his men.

People nearby recognized him as the CEO of Jin Group and began snapping photos.

Inside, fire blazed across the first floor. Live wires, not fully disconnected, sparked and sizzled—death traps at every turn. The mall was nearly empty now, except for the woman his son had spoken of, trapped somewhere inside.

Following the trail left by the child's little watch, Jin Yuan quickly found the unconscious woman collapsed on the floor. His bodyguards and assistants hurried to help, moving debris aside as Jin Yuan pulled her free, lifting her in his arms and carrying her out through the flames.

Perhaps he would never forget the first time he saw her—her delicate features, long black hair tumbling down like a waterfall, a bloodied gash at her temple blooming like a crimson rose.

With a final explosion behind him, Jin Yuan carried Yuan Xiangdie to safety.

The little one rushed to her side, pinching her cheeks, but she didn’t respond. Thinking she was dead, he looked up at Jin Yuan in terror.

"Don’t be silly—she’s breathing. She just fainted from lack of oxygen." Yet, Jin Yuan couldn’t hide his frustration. "When are you going to care about me like that?"

The little one wriggled out of Jin Yuan’s grip, stuck out his little behind, and hopped onto the ambulance to accompany Xiangdie to the hospital...