The rain just wouldn't quit in Celestine Haven—a steady drizzle that made everything feel damp and heavy, like it was soaking right into the Jiang family house. Inside, the living room—big, fancy, with all that polished furniture—felt more like a battleground than a home.
Lan Yueran sat smack in the middle of it, looking every bit the strong, graceful woman she was. But her eyes? Man, they were on fire with frustration. Across from her stood Jiang Yeming, her husband for the last three years—a guy her family never really warmed up to—standing there, quiet as ever.
Feng Xuelan, Yueran's mom, was by the window, arms crossed tight, staring daggers at Yeming.
"You've been living off my daughter's hard work for years," she snapped, her voice cutting through the room like a knife. "All you've done is drag shame into this family. How much longer do you think we're gonna put up with you?"
Yeming didn't flinch. He'd heard this song and dance too many times to count, but today, there was something different in her tone—like she meant it this time, like it was the end of the road. His hands balled into fists for a second, and you could see a flash of something in his eyes—like he was holding back a storm—before he let it go and just stood there, calm again.
Years back, when he was wandering around the wild bush, he'd stumbled on Lan Zhenghao—Yueran's dad—half-dead and alone. The old man was a soldier, left behind by his unit, with enemies closing in. Yeming didn't think twice; he fought them off—all grit and instinct—and stuck around to help Zhenghao pull through. They ended up holed up together out there, sharing stories by a fire.
Zhenghao figured out Yeming had been kicked out by his own people, a rough past he didn't talk about much. When sickness got Zhenghao later, he pulled Yeming close and said, "Come to my family. Marry Yueran. Keep them safe." He even wrote it into his will—seven years of marriage, or the family's inheritance would be toast.
Feng Xuelan hated it, of course—being part of Rainmere City's high society—but the law kept her hands tied.
"Mom, please…" Yueran mumbled from the couch, her voice tired, like she was too worn out to argue. She'd gone along with the marriage because it was what her dad wanted—a way to honor him. Back then, she'd even stood up for Yeming once when Feng Xuelan went off, and that memory stuck with him. But now? It felt like a lifetime ago.
Feng Xuelan turned to her daughter, her face softening just a bit.
"Yueran, you're young. You've got so much going for you. Why stick with this guy? He's got no drive, no future."
Yeming looked at Yueran, hoping for some sign, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. That hurt more than anything Feng Xuelan could say.
Their marriage started as a favor to her dad, sure, but Yeming had hoped it could turn into something real. He'd cooked dinners, kept the house running, dealt with her mom's jabs without a word—trying to build something. But her silence told him it was one-sided.
"I'm done," he said finally, his voice steady, like he'd made peace with it. "Not because you're kicking me out, but because I get it—I was never really part of this."
He headed for the door.
Feng Xuelan let out a sharp laugh. "Don't act like some big hero. You should've left ages ago."
The door shut with a soft click, and the quiet that followed was heavier than the rain pounding outside.
Yueran didn't move, stuck there on the couch. Something twisted in her chest—guilt, maybe, or regret—but she pushed it down, not ready to face it.
Out in the streets, Yeming wandered with no real plan, just his phone and wallet in his pockets. He hadn't taken anything else from the house. For three years, he'd poured himself into being a good husband—cooking meals Yueran loved, keeping the place tidy, taking her mom's insults on the chin. But now, walking through the wet, it all felt like it didn't matter. The rain soaked his jacket, but he barely noticed.
He ended up at a little coffee shop near the city park—the kind of place that was mostly empty except for a couple of college kids clacking away on their laptops. He grabbed a black coffee and sat by the window, staring out at the blurry lights. If he was honest, he'd always had a feeling this might happen. Yueran never loved him—not really. Their marriage was a whirlwind decision, something she'd agreed to because of her dad, and he'd held onto this dumb hope that they could make it work. But life had other ideas.
Back at the house, Feng Xuelan was all smiles, sipping her tea like she'd won a prize.
"Finally, some peace around here," she said. "That guy was like a leech we couldn't shake."
Yueran didn't say a word. She just sat there, staring at her phone, half-hoping for a text from Yeming that never showed up.
That night, she couldn't sleep. The bed felt too big, too cold without him around. She got up, shuffled to the kitchen, and opened the fridge. There were those dumplings he'd made the night before, still sitting there. She heated them up, sat at the table, and ate in the dark. Every bite tasted like guilt—like she was chewing on the mess she'd helped make.
Three days slipped by, and no one outside the family knew about the split. Yueran threw herself into CrystalCore Properties—the company she'd built to prove to her grandfather that's she of handling the family business. People at work noticed she was snappier, more distracted, but they kept their mouths shut.
Then came the blow she couldn't ignore.
Visionary Developments—one of their big suppliers—pulled out of a contract out of the blue. The timing sucked. CrystalCore was about to launch this huge project right in the heart of Celestine Haven, and they needed Visionary's materials to make it happen. She tried calling their CEO, but the line just rang and rang.
The next day, her phone buzzed with a weird message:
"Meet me at The Velvet Crown Lounge to talk about the contract."
The Velvet Crown Lounge wasn't your average meeting spot. It was this fancy, members-only place where deals got done over whiskey and jazz—the kind of spot that gave her the creeps. She didn't want to go, but she had to. She couldn't let the project tank.
What she didn't know was that someone else had seen that message too.
Jiang Yeming stood a block away, his phone in hand, watching her walk into the lounge through a security feed he'd tapped into earlier that afternoon. He couldn't let go—not after the promise he'd made to Lan Zhenghao years ago.
The old man had grabbed his arm, weak but serious, and said,
"If anything happens to my family, Yeming, you step in. No matter what. Protect them like they're your own."
Yeming had sworn he would, and even now—kicked out and all—he couldn't break that.
He'd noticed Visionary's move before she did, and it didn't sit right. It wasn't just business. Something was up, and Yueran was walking into it.
His gut twisted as he saw her head to the third-floor VIP suite. Old habits kicked in—he checked the knife tucked against his side, a leftover from rougher days—and slipped through a back door he'd unlocked hours ago. Whatever was waiting, he'd handle it.
Then he heard it—a voice from inside demanding a "night" with her in exchange for the contract.
Anger flared up hot and fast. He didn't think twice—he kicked the door open hard.
"Get your hands off my wife!" he barked, his voice low and dangerous.
Yueran whipped around, her eyes wide.
Jiang Yeming?
Walter Li, the guy talking, blinked like he couldn't believe it.
"Who the hell let you in?"
Yeming didn't bother answering. He stepped forward, his eyes locked on Li, the air getting thick with tension.
Li smirked. "You're out of your league, kitchen boy. This is real business. Get lost, or—"
He didn't finish.
Yeming moved quick, grabbing Li and slamming his head down onto the table. Glass shattered everywhere, and Li hit the floor with a groan.
Yueran just stood there, staring, like she was seeing him for the first time—calm, sharp, and downright scary.
Security burst in a second later, but Yeming was already stepping back, hands up.
"I'm out," he said, cool as anything, and they let him go after a moment's hesitation.
Outside, under the cold night sky, Yueran caught up to him, the rain dripping off her coat.
"Why'd you come?" she asked, her voice soft but shaky.
He didn't look at her. "Because you needed me. Even if you don't want me around, I'm not letting some creep like that lay a hand on you."
"You could've gotten arrested," she said, biting her lip.
"I've been through worse," he replied.
Silence fell between them.
Then he walked away, disappearing into the night.