Marriage before love, with a shared sense of feeling—being unloved is to endure endless grievances. As the true daughter who was switched at birth, Wen Xuyu was neither cherished by her father nor loved by her mother; instead, she was framed by the imposter daughter, and even her engagement was taken away. In a desperate bid for investment, her family sought to marry her off to an illegitimate son with a crippled leg. Yet, just before she could escape the marriage, an unexpected fall into the water bound her senses to Bian Xunzhou, the crown prince of the capital’s elite circle. This man was ruthless and unyielding; he was known as the most difficult person to serve in the entire city. When she was hurt, he bled. When she was anxious and fearful, he spent sleepless nights. With a single contract tossed onto the table, Bian Xunzhou declared, “I dislike things getting out of my control. After we marry, you are not to take one step outside this house.” Before the wedding, everyone whispered that their statuses were so mismatched, it was nothing but a whim—sooner or later, they would part ways. Even Wen Xuyu herself asked, “When will we divorce?” The distinguished Mr. Bian replied carelessly, “When our shared senses come to an end.” After the wedding, a certain man’s voice grew tender: “Wife, can I sleep with you tonight?”
Night had fallen, and a torrential downpour raged, thunder splitting the sky with blinding flashes every so often.
At the Marriott International Hotel in the capital, a figure leaped from the second floor.
Barefoot, Wen Xuyu ran wildly through the rain-soaked night. Her once-pale feet were now streaked with blood, pain stabbing at her ankles, but she did not care. Rain lashed her face, blurring her vision. The white wedding gown clung to her, soaked through, outlining her graceful figure, its sweeping train trailing in the mud, now stained black.
She had no idea how long she had been running. Her legs felt as heavy as lead, and every breath tasted of rain and blood.
Behind her, the roar of an engine cut through the storm, the glare of headlights piercing the darkness, drawing ever closer.
Her heart pounded so fiercely she feared it might burst from her chest. She knew she could not stop; if she were caught, a fate worse than death awaited her.
“Stop!”
“Miss Wen, don’t run!” The shouts from behind grew nearer.
Summoning the last of her strength, Wen Xuyu darted into a narrow alley, crouching behind an abandoned trash bin. She drew her knees to her chest, arms hugging herself tightly, her eyes hollow with despair.
At twenty-one, the Wen family had found her, claiming she was their long-lost daughter and demanding she return with them. Her family desperately needed money for treatment, so she agreed. Only after she returned did she discover the Wen family already had a cherished daughter, Wen Qianxue.
She hadn’t mi