Zhou Family Mansion.
The driver stopped the car smoothly and opened the door for her with gentlemanly grace.
An Ruo stepped out in her own coat, politely nodding and smiling at the driver. "Thank you."
She looked up to take in the Zhou Family Mansion. Unlike the design of the Shen Family's old residence, this one leaned toward a European style, and it wasn't as sprawling. She'd heard that Old Master Zhou had carved his own path in his youth, using ruthless tactics to secure the Zhou family's place among the four great families.
"Miss An, please."
The servant, as if expecting her arrival, respectfully led her inside.
"Miss An, please wait in the living room for a moment. Our young lady will be right with you." The servant brought her a freshly brewed cup of floral tea.
An Ruo accepted it with both hands and replied politely, "Alright, thank you."
She took a light sip of the floral tea—it had a rich, fragrant aroma.
She'd heard that Old Master Zhou had built the Zhou Group from real estate, and as the company grew, he occasionally dabbled in the tea business. He must be a man who truly loved tea.
An Ruo sat with her hands resting on her knees, her posture stiff and proper, like a well-behaved elementary school student, afraid to look around or move too much.
The servant occasionally brought over fruit and tea, and she maintained her posture, smiling softly as she thanked them.
Seeing her so well-mannered and composed, the servant seemed almost flattered. After all, the young lady's friends—those spoiled and arrogant types—never said a word of thanks when they were served, always ordering people around with an air of superiority.
A car horn sounded in the courtyard. An Ruo turned her head to look. A black Maserati came to a stop, the door swung open, and a tall, lean man stepped out, bending slightly as he emerged.
He casually tossed his car keys to the butler, who had come to greet him, and strode toward the living room with long legs.
Seeing someone enter, An Ruo immediately straightened her posture, sitting up tall.
Zhou Wang held his phone, chatting with someone, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips, his eyes brimming with affection that seemed ready to leap through the screen to the person on the other end.
As his long legs stepped into the living room, he caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye. Dressed up so nicely, he assumed it was Zhou Mingyue and casually said, "Old man not back yet?"
An Ruo stared at him blankly, then looked around, confirming there was no one else in the room besides her. She pointed at herself uncertainly.
"Are you talking to me?"
The man, still typing on his phone, paused at the sound of her voice. He lifted his face—wild and handsome—the smile still lingering on his lips, giving him a uniquely captivating charm.
When he saw the unfamiliar girl before him, his smile vanished instantly, replaced by a face full of untamed arrogance.
The man before her exuded an overwhelming presence. An Ruo noticed a scar at the end of his eyebrow, giving him the look of a tough, no-nonsense street boss.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorry, mistook you for someone else."
Blame it on his rushed arrival—he hadn't known there was a guest at home.
An Ruo gave him her trademark smile, signaling that she forgave his earlier rudeness.
"Where's my dad?" Zhou Wang sat casually on the sofa across from her.
He rarely came home. His room had been empty for over a decade, so even with a guest in the living room, he had nowhere else to sit temporarily.
The butler approached. "There's some business at the company. The master might be home late tonight. Are you hungry, young master? I'll have the kitchen prepare—"
"Don't bother." Zhou Wang furrowed his brows slightly. "I'll sit for a bit and then leave."
Just then, Zhou Mingyue, dressed to the nines, came down the stairs.
"Zhou Wang?" She frowned at the man who shouldn't have been in the living room. "What are you doing back?"
What a rare guest!
He'd been coming back quite a bit these past two years.
Zhou Wang raised an eyebrow. "This is my home too. Do I need to report to you when I come back?"
Hearing his arrogant, untamed tone, Zhou Mingyue's good mood was completely ruined. She barely held back her anger to avoid starting a fight in front of an outsider.
"Dad's not here, and I'm going out too. If you don't have anything important, Zhou Wang, get the hell back to Ninghai. No one's entertaining you here."
Zhou Wang's thick brows furrowed, his face full of irritation as he glared at her. "Try saying that to me again?"
Zhou Mingyue had been afraid of him as a child. This bastard, relying on being older, had beaten her up more than once. Now that she was grown and had Zhou Haikong backing her, she wasn't afraid of this thug anymore!
"I'm the one in charge of the Zhou family. If I say you can't stay, you get the hell out!"
An Ruo carefully set down her teacup. So they were siblings.
But their conversation was laced with hostility, clearly showing a strained relationship.
Zhou Wang watched Zhou Mingyue's smug expression, then suddenly stood up, his face darkening as he stepped toward her.
Seeing his expression change, Zhou Mingyue's heart tightened. Was this bastard about to hit her?
Zhou Haikong wasn't around now—no one was there to back her up!
This scoundrel was wild by nature. Once provoked, he wouldn't care who was watching or who the other person was—he'd strike without blinking.
Everyone knew this guy was so unruly he'd even hit a teacher. He'd been in more fights than he'd attended classes, a problem child with a long record of misconduct!
The servant immediately went on high alert, terrified the siblings would come to blows. Without Zhou Haikong present, it would be hard to stop them.
Of course, even if Zhou Haikong were there, Zhou Wang would still hit whoever he wanted—and might even take a swing at his old man!
Zhou Mingyue stiffened her neck, glaring at him defiantly. "Wh-what? You want to hit me? Fine, let me see if your strength has improved over the years. Can you knock me out with one slap?"
Zhou Wang, who hadn't yet reached her, paused at her words, as if suddenly remembering the age gap between them. Arguing with a little brat like her did seem immature.
He tugged at his tie, shooting her a fierce glare. "No respect for your elders. I'll let it slide this time, for your sister-in-law's sake."
Jiang Li didn't like it when he lost his temper, didn't like him yelling at his own family.
Zhou Mingyue rolled her eyes. "Someone actually wants a scumbag like you?"
Before Zhou Wang could react, Zhou Mingyue grabbed the stunned An Ruo and pulled her out of the living room, ordering the driver to start the car.
...
MEI Bar.
Located in the most luxurious part of the Bund in Shencheng, rows of high-end luxury cars were parked outside. On the streets, a few young men and women dressed in flashy outfits stood around in small groups.
An Ruo was dragged out of the car by Zhou Mingyue. She shook her head in refusal. "I've never been here..."
"Exactly why you need to come in and have fun. Today's my birthday, you have to stay out all night with me. Let's go!"
"But I..."
"No buts. I'll cover all the expenses. You just have to keep me company."
An Ruo still shook her head. "If I'm home late, my husband will get angry."
"As a modern woman of the 21st century, you're afraid of your husband? How embarrassing! I'd be ashamed to be seen with you!" Zhou Mingyue grabbed her wrist without another word, dragging her decisively into the bar. As they walked, she said, "There are tons of handsome guys in here, all sons of wealthy families. Do your best to charm a few and dump that low-level, annoying husband of yours."
An Ruo tried to pull her hand free, but Zhou Mingyue had already pulled her inside.
The bar was blasting deafening DJ dance music. On stage, scantily clad men and women moved together in a sensual, ecstatic rhythm, the entire venue saturated with hormones...
An Ruo lowered her head, unable to bear watching.
As soon as Zhou Mingyue entered, a server respectfully guided her. She kept a firm grip on An Ruo's wrist, not allowing her to escape.