Prologue + Chapter 1

Yun Zi’an, a small-time actor, catapulted into the public eye due to a candid photo of his bare face taken by a passerby, earning him a spot among the “Top Ten Most Beautiful Faces in the Entertainment Industry” by a magazine. Fans noticed that on any occasion, Yun Zi’an always wore a simple platinum ring on his ring finger. The mystery of who the other half of the ring belonged to gradually became an unresolved enigma in the entertainment circle. Under relentless questioning by journalists and the media, Yun Zi’an could no longer evade the topic. He pulled out his phone and showed a black-and-white photo of a man, “My spouse passed away three years ago. Let the deceased rest in peace.”

Coincidentally, CRUSH brand CEO Rong Xiao returned to the country and was surprised to see his own black-and-white photo trending on social media, leaving him baffled. That very night, as Yun Zi’an opened his front door, he was greeted by a familiar figure in a suit, sitting on his sofa with crossed arms and legs. The man smirked at him, “Sorry to disappoint, but I didn’t quite die.” Rong Xiao was known online as a man brimming with hormones yet extremely indifferent in nature, with no mortal seemingly able to stir his desires. However, he was caught by paparazzi in a heated kiss with an unidentifiable man in his car. The internet exploded with speculation: Who was this seductive creature that had ensnared Rong Xiao?

Upon seeing the trending news, Yun Zi’an, gritting his teeth, slammed the divorce papers onto Rong Xiao’s face, “Divorce!” Rong Xiao responded with a faint smile, suddenly unbuttoning his shirt to reveal his nearly perfect muscular back, “Just a reminder, your husband’s life insurance is worth 1.4 billion US dollars. Would you like to come over and count how many scratches you left last night?” His voice was loose and slightly hoarse, with a teasing tone, “You want a divorce? Fine, but you’ll either have to pay a sum or… pay with a lifetiMe.”

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Chapter 1

Chapter One: Sorry, My Spouse Passed Away Three Years Ago…

"Why does he, a mere third-rate celebrity, get to share a makeup room with me!"

"What's so special about him, Yun Zi'an!"

"I don't care! Get him and his stuff out of here now!"

With the Starlight Awards approaching, backstage chaos ensued in the stars' makeup room. Amidst the clanging and smashing sounds, numerous staff members gathered at the door, peering in. They watched as a popular, stunningly beautiful actress, with a lithe figure, threw a tantrum like a shrew, sweeping all the cosmetics from the dressing table to the floor, yet no one stepped forward to intervene.

The renowned actress pointed at a person in the corner, furiously yelling, "Yun Zi'an, don't think you can soar to the top and become a phoenix just because of one photo. You don't deserve it, damn it!"

It was only then that the onlookers noticed a young man in the corner, tall and lean, wearing a black mask. He watched everything indifferently, his eyes deep and tranquil like a still pond. Even when directly insulted, he simply languidly twisted his neck and uttered a nonchalant "Oh."

Seeing his attitude, the starlet became even more infuriated. She grabbed a sharp hairpin from the table and hurled it at him, screaming, "You shameless, lowlife, seducing Qin Shi—"

As the young actor made no move to dodge, the crowd gasped, anticipating a gruesome scene. However, they heard a soft chuckle instead.

It was unclear how Yun Zi'an moved, but the sharp hairpin was suddenly caught in mid-air by him. The next second, the starlet let out a terrified scream, "Ah—!"

The hairpin in Yun Zi'an's hand brushed past her temple, embedding itself deeply into the vanity behind her, the sharp end disappearing entirely into the wood, as if slicing through tofu.

"Trouble comes from the mouth," Yun Zi'an's voice emerged from behind his mask, the tone rising playfully at the end, almost hinting at a slight smirk curling at his lips. "I advise my senior to be more cautious."

The actress’s hairstyle was left in disarray, and she clutched her chest, gasping frantically. It was a mere hair's breadth from ruining her face!

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached the makeup room. The popular actress, upon seeing the figure, burst into tears, relieved that someone had come to her support, "Qin Shi—!"

The crowd was startled again, it was the renowned actor Qin Shi!

However, Qin Shi's steps were not directed towards the actress. He didn’t even glance at her, but called out anxiously, "Zi'an, are you alright?"

Just then, the tall young man who had caught the hairpin as easily as slicing through tofu, clutched his temple, swaying as if he were frail, "Ah... I can't seem to breathe..."

The crowd: "......"

Qin Shi rushed forward in a few strides to support him, "Zi'an!"

Pulling down the mask from the young man’s face, Qin Shi, despite having seen him many times, couldn’t help but gasp in admiration, his tone softening involuntarily, "Zi'an, do you feel better now?"

Yun Zi'an had deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and under the light, the lines of his features held the artistic beauty of a sculpture. His lips were thin and slightly upturned, naturally giving him a smiling appearance.

In front of the actress, Yun Zi'an's mischievousness was unmistakable in his eyes. He tugged at Qin Shi’s tie, his lips just inches from his nose, almost smirking, "Still can't breathe..."

The popular actress trembled with rage, clenching her teeth, "Yun Zi'an, you shameless—!"

"Enough!" Qin Shi barked, "Su Yuanyuan, do you even have the demeanor of a woman?!"

Su Yuanyuan's eyes reddened instantly, "Qin Shi, I..."

"You're petty to the point of being appalling," Qin Shi said, his gaze towards her turning cold. He supported Yun Zi'an and turned to leave, "Since you don’t want Zi'an to share a makeup room with you, then let him use my personal dressing room."

The onlookers were stunned, their mouths agape as if they could fit an entire egg inside, Qin Shi's private and exclusive makeup room!

"What kind of phoenix soaring to the branches is Yun Zi'an?!"

"Just out of public view, the seemingly frail Yun Zi'an pushed away Qin Shi, who had been supporting him, grabbing the sneaky hand sliding toward his waist. He glanced coldly at Qin Shi, the disdain in his eyes unmistakable, 'Mr. Qin, the celebrated actor, please maintain your dignity.'"

"'Zi'an...' Qin Shi, startled by Yun Zi'an's sudden change, felt nervous about his caught action, his Adam's apple bobbing, 'I...'"

"Yun Zi'an looked at him and smiled lightly, his fingers grazing Qin Shi's chin as light as a feather, his voice relaxed and lazy, 'What, fancy me?'"

"Qin Shi, a man experienced in life's storms, found himself tongue-tied before Yun Zi'an, stuttering, 'Like... Like...'"

"The hand that had teased Qin Shi's chin suddenly clenched into a fist, fiercely smashing against a decorative painting on the wall beside his head, instantly creating a spiderweb of cracks in the glass frame."

"Tilting his head, Yun Zi'an smiled slightly, 'Then, please try defeating my husband first.'"

"After speaking, he turned and walked away in the opposite direction, casually waving his hand, 'Goodbye, Mr. Qin, the celebrated actor.'"

"Qin Shi's gaze instantly fixated on Yun Zi'an's ring finger, staring at the gleaming platinum ring, his eyes unconsciously dimming."

"Yun Zi'an's sudden fame originated from a candid photo taken by a passerby. In the photo, Yun Zi'an, just after a rain shower, wore a slightly transparent white t-shirt revealing lean, attractive abdominal lines. His features resembled delicately carved jade, with long eyelashes beaded with clear droplets, yet his gaze carried a uniquely sharp intensity, making his beauty an alluring assault on the senses."

"Yun Zi'an became an overnight sensation, dubbed 'the otherworldly enchantress'."

"As Yun Zi'an's popularity soared, eagle-eyed netizens noticed a detail: regardless of the occasion, his ring finger always sported a platinum ring engraved with 'RX'."

"Yet, they couldn't unearth a single piece of information about this seemingly storied ring!"

"At the Starlight Awards red carpet, Yun Zi'an, dressed in a casually tailored suit, strolled as if in his own backyard, almost broadcasting 'not open for business' on his face. Still, he couldn't avoid being besieged by reporters, with most questions revolving around the mysterious ring on his finger."

Frustrated by the relentless questioning and eager to leave, Yun Zi'an helplessly pulled out his phone, showing a black and white photo of a man. Facing the media cameras without a change in expression, he smiled, "My spouse passed away three years ago. Let the departed rest in peace."

The numerous reporters holding microphones were speechless.

#Popular Actor Yun Zi'an Married! Widowed for Three Years for Love!#

The Weibo hot search exploded!

At the same time, an international flight landed at the capital's airport. The plane's door opened, and a tall, muscular man in a simple black T-shirt walked down amid exclamations of "He's so handsome!", "Amazing!", "What impressive muscles!", "He's like walking hormones," without uttering a word.

As he walked through the airport hall, a large screen was broadcasting live the trending topic, "Popular Actor Yun Zi'an Married! Widowed for Three Years for Love!"

Hearing the familiar name, Rong Xiao's ears twitched. As he turned his head, he saw the all-too-familiar face of the man on the big screen, and his pupils suddenly dilated.

The next second, his gaze landed on the black and white photo on Yun Zi'an's phone screen.

Rong Xiao, coming face to face unexpectedly with his own obituary photo, was speechless.

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