Xiao Yu sat cross-legged on Jiang Meili's dorm bed, the box of the newly delivered iPhone resting between them like a ticking time bomb.
With a hesitant breath, Xiao Yu powered it on and tapped the number scribbled on the small silk-wrapped note. She connected her AirPods and offered one to Meili. Their eyes met—nervous and expectant.
The phone rang. Once. Twice.
Then his voice came through, smooth as aged baijiu.
> "Hello, Angel. I see you received my gift."
Xiao Yu froze, recognition dawning.
"Vi-per?" she whispered, eyes wide.
> "Mn," his voice hummed with amusement. "Or Yiren, if that's easier for you. Do you like your new phone?"
Xiao Yu hesitated, her eyes flicking to Meili.
"It's beautiful, but... why?"
> "Because I found out you didn't have one. A lady like you deserves better."
She swallowed hard. "I can't accept it. It's too much. I don't even really know you."
> "You will," he said simply. "And I won't take it back. Keep it. Or... consider it an investment."
The call ended with a gentle chime. Silence hung in the air like incense smoke.
Meili turned to her, eyebrows raised. "You're really going to give that back?"
Xiao Yu sighed. "He's the owner of the restaurant I work at. And somehow... he knows more about me than I expected."
"Girl, that's either romantic or terrifying," Meili said, half-joking. "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. But if Long Shan finds out about this... I'm dead."
---
That night, Xiao Yu lay awake, staring at the ceiling of her room in Long Shan's estate. The sleek black iPhone sat on her nightstand, glowing faintly.
It rang.
She picked it up, reluctantly.
> "Still conflicted?" Lu Yiren's voice was casual, but there was an edge beneath.
"I just don't get it. Why me?" Xiao Yu snapped.
> "Because I know you. Far more than you know yourself."
> "Stop saying that—"
> "In time, you'll understand," he interrupted gently. "Sleep well, Angel. And don't even think about returning that phone. More gifts are coming."
Click.
Xiao Yu threw the phone back onto her bed with a groan. "Who the hell is this man?"
---
Meanwhile, Lu Yiren leaned back in a mahogany chair on the top floor of his Jiangnan villa, sipping warm Tieguanyin tea. The skyline of Shanghai shimmered through the glass behind him.
"Boss," one of his men stepped in with a bow, handing him a dossier.
Lu Yiren's eyes scanned the contents, his expression darkening.
"She's been living under Long Shan's care. Sold to him by her aunt at sixteen," the man reported quietly.
Lu Yiren's jaw tightened. "That snake... Still keeping her in chains, after all these years."
He stood slowly, placing the file down with eerie calm.
"Well then, it's time to take back what's mine."
---
The next morning, in the heart of Long Shan's corporate tower in Beijing's financial district, the atmosphere was tense. The scent of jasmine incense lingered faintly beneath the cold hum of air conditioning.
Long Shan sat behind his desk, dressed in a charcoal Zhongshan suit, reviewing stock reports. He didn't glance up when the door opened.
> "Old friend," came the smooth voice.
He looked up slowly.
Lu Yiren stood there, all arrogance and silk—his black cheongsam jacket embroidered with a golden dragon.
The tension sparked instantly.
"Lu Yiren," Long Shan said evenly. "Didn't expect you to show your face here again."
> "Time has a way of circling back," Viper replied, taking a seat uninvited.
"You're not welcome here," Long Shan said coldly.
> "And yet, here I am."
The silence crackled.
> "I came to thank you," Lu Yiren said with a smirk.
Long Shan arched a brow. "For what?"
> "For keeping her warm all these years. I'm here to take her back."
Long Shan's expression froze.
> "You raised her like a good Chinese orchid—delicate but resilient. But she's mine. And I will compensate you... generously."
"You're insane," Long Shan growled, rising to his feet.
> "No, just a man reclaiming what's his," Lu Yiren said, eyes glinting. "Xiao Yu was never yours to keep."
And with that, he turned on his heel and left.
Long Shan remained frozen, his fists clenched. Rage curled in his gut.
> She was never yours to keep…
The black taxi pulled into the grand courtyard of Lu Yiren's estate—an imposing fusion of modern opulence and ancient Chinese architecture. Towering stone lions flanked the carved wooden gate, and red lanterns lined the high walls. As Xiao Yu stepped out, the guards at the front bowed deeply.
Her brows knit together. Why such reverence?
She made her way toward the door, approaching one of the suited guards stationed beside it. "Excuse me," she said politely.
The man bowed again, lips sealed, face unreadable.
Xiao Yu frowned, feeling ignored. "Hello? I asked a question."
Still, silence.
Before her irritation could rise, the ornate door slid open. A young maid in a jade-green qipao stepped forward with a respectful bow. "Good afternoon, Miss Xiao Yu. Please come in. Master Lu is on his way back. You may wait inside."
Xiao Yu's expression stiffened. "I'd rather not. I'm just here to return something." She reached into her handbag and pulled out a small red gift bag—elegantly packed, unmistakably expensive.
The maid hesitated, uncertain whether she was permitted to take it.
Just then, the growl of a black Maserati shattered the silence. Lu Yiren stepped out, dressed in a custom navy Tang suit, sunglasses glinting under the sun. His presence exuded casual dominance, like a man used to commanding both loyalty and fear.
He smiled as he approached. "What a rare delight, my angel."
Xiao Yu's expression turned firm. "I'm returning this," she said, holding the bag toward him.
Lu Yiren glanced at it but didn't move to take it. "I told you before—I don't take back gifts."
"I don't want it," she insisted.
"Why?" he asked smoothly, lowering his voice as he stepped closer. "Because of Long Shan?"
Her breath caught. "You… know him?"
Lu Yiren's smile turned cryptic. "We go way back—too far, in fact." He leaned closer, his voice a whisper against her ear. "I know exactly why you're living with him. Your aunt sold you to him… didn't she?"
Her world froze.
His words struck her like thunder—words she wasn't supposed to hear, truths she hadn't even begun to confront.
As her knees threatened to buckle, he pulled back, his expression softening. "But don't worry, I'll free you. One day, you won't have to answer to anyone… except me."
---
Later That Evening – Long Shan's Mansion
Xiao Yu entered the house quietly, but Long Shan's voice cut through the silence from the stairs.
"Where are you coming from?"
Her heart skipped. She turned slowly, forcing a calm tone. "School. I stayed back to work on a group project."
Long Shan narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. "Lying doesn't suit you."
She lowered her gaze. "I'm not lying… I missed the earlier bus."
He didn't press further. Just sighed, turning his back to her. She exhaled quietly and made her way to her room.
When she opened her door, her steps froze.
On her bed sat a crimson shopping bag—luxurious, unmistakably new.
Cautiously, she approached and opened it.
Her heart skipped again.
A brand-new iPhone, the latest model, sleek and gleaming under the light.
Her brows furrowed in confusion. No… he didn't—
She ran back downstairs, finding Long Shan in his private lounge, swirling a glass of baijiu in one hand.
"Did you get me a new phone?" she asked, almost breathless with hope.
He didn't look at her. "Yes."
Her face lit up in delight. She ran behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you…"
Long Shan stiffened. "Let go."
She giggled softly. "Don't pretend you didn't like it."
He pried her hands off, his tone sharp. "Don't smother me."
Her smile faltered, but she stepped back with grace. "Fine, fine. But thank you anyway," she said, skipping upstairs. "I can't wait to show Meili!"
Long Shan's eyes followed her briefly. Then he scoffed under his breath. "Ungrateful brat."
---
Meanwhile – At Lu Yiren's Estate
Lu Yiren sat on his private terrace overlooking Suzhou-style gardens, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest.
"Bring me her aunt," he said coolly to the man kneeling before him. "I don't care how long it takes. And find her parents—alive."
"Yes, Boss!" the man said, rising.
Lu Yiren's eyes glittered like polished obsidian. "The girl may not remember yet… but she belongs to me. She always has."