This man must meet all her standards— from face to physique to size — not losing to Zhuang Qiting in any aspect! She couldn’t lose face!
Li Yaru forced herself not to seem like a creepy old woman molesting a young man, speaking calmly. “Though I’m your employer and pay your salary, I can’t sexually harass you. What I did just now was improper. You’re free to refuse.”
Liang Sijie smiled gently, even the mole by his eye seemed tender. “There really is no sexual… harassment. Actually, Madam, you can do whatever you want to me.”
After speaking, his fingers froze, regretting his unrestrained words. He didn’t want to reveal his feelings too soon, fearing he’d lose favor and be sent away.
He had finally arrived at Li Yaru’s side. He wanted to stay long-term, with no other intentions, just to make her life more comfortable and take good care of Li Residence.
Liang Sijie glanced discreetly at Li Yaru, who showed no reaction to his bold words.
Her beautiful face turned thoughtful, lost in her own thoughts.
–
On Tuesday, Li Yaru left half an hour early for the banquet venue, just in time to witness a grand pink sunset.
Star Top Hotel had redecorated for the owners’ wedding anniversary a week ago.
The vintage and luxurious British-style architecture was bathed in golden sunset light. Daffodil-shaped floral installations were scattered across the exterior.
A heart-shaped flower corridor was erected at the entrance— made entirely of glass, with a mirrored floor reflecting countless white wisteria, daffodils, and calla lilies, blurring reality and illusion, creating a dreamlike space.
Along the corridor hung wedding photos of Liang Yongwen and Yi Kunshan, as well as pictures of their four daughters. The largest one wasn’t a photo but an oil painting depicting a family blessing.
Guests alighting from cars passed through this floral corridor to enter the hotel, admiring the evening’s hosts.
Li Yaru saw this lavish spectacle from the car and smiled softly.
Liang Yongwen wasn’t a flamboyant person; this grand affair was surely the doing of her domineering husband.
Reporters camped outside the hotel entrance as countless luxury cars rolled in. The glamorous guests stepped out under flashing cameras and strolled inside gracefully.
A Bentley with the license plate “LYR” came to a stop. Liang Sijie, dressed in a navy blue pinstripe suit, stepped out, circled to the rear door, and opened it for Li Yaru.
The reporters went wild seeing Li Yaru, swarming around her as if wanting to examine every pore.
“Miss Li! Have you and Mr. Zhuang divorced? Is it because he’s lost interest or is there another reason?”
“I heard Mr. Zhuang will also attend tonight. You two coming separately—is that proof you’re divorced?”
“Is the Li Residence at Qianshui Bay a divorce settlement from Mr. Zhuang?”
“Will Mr. Zhuang remarry after the divorce? When do you plan to start a new relationship?”
Li Yaru was well-versed in dealing with the media after so many years.
She stopped and faced the cameras openly, her full, ruby lips curving into a smile. “Today is Yi Sheng and Yongwen’s joyous wedding anniversary. You keep throwing around the word ‘divorce’— that’s just mean. Be careful Yi Sheng gets angry and makes you regret it.”
The reporters laughed heartily, giving Li Yaru face. They no longer brought up divorce, just focused on taking flattering photos.
The awkwardness dissolved.
Li Yaru entered the venue gracefully, utterly composed, not at all rattled. Her deep-sea blue evening gown studded with diamonds shimmered under the bright lights, her voluptuous figure catching every eye.
Inside, the hall was filled with the fragrance of fine perfume and a gentle breeze. The Philharmonic Orchestra performed live, playing a magnificent waltz.
Li Yaru appeared in the banquet hall with a tall, handsome young man at her side. Countless eyes turned to her, and the atmosphere stirred.
People exchanged glances, many coming forward to greet her, uncertain whether she and Zhuang Qiting had divorced, cautiously addressing her as Miss Li or Eleanor.
In such a top-tier wealthy family, divorces didn’t happen unless the relationship broke beyond repair. So no one dared casually call her “Mrs. Zhuang,” afraid to offend anyone.
“Come, we’re waiting for your photo.” Liang Yongwen approached smiling warmly, followed by her four daughters.
The eldest was seventeen, graceful and charming; the youngest only eight or nine, lively and adorable. All four greeted Li Yaru as “Auntie Li.”
Li Yaru felt a pang of jealousy, overwhelmed by how adorable they were.
“Mia is getting more beautiful every year. She’ll be eighteen next year, right?” Li Yaru gently pinched Yi Siling’s soft cheek.
Yi Siling rolled her eyes coquettishly. “Yeah, Auntie Li, but when I turn eighteen, you can’t introduce any smelly boys to me, or I’ll be mad.”
Liang Yongwen nearly fainted. The whole phone call with Li Yaru was stolen by this little spoiled brat.
“Watch your language, this isn’t the time,” Liang Yongwen scolded, patting her daughter’s bottom.
Li Yaru laughed. “I wouldn’t dare introduce any scoundrels to you; your mom would tear me apart. Honestly, not a single handsome guy in Hong Kong Island is good enough for Mia.” She happily squeezed the hands of Yi Siling and then the other daughters, doting on them all.
“Sijie, give me the gifts,” Li Yaru instructed. Liang Sijie immediately handed over a beautiful gift bag with both hands.
Inside were four presents, which Li Yaru handed out to the little princesses.
“No matter what I give you, it won’t compare to what your domineering dad gives, so I prepared some little gifts for each princess.”
The girls were delighted. Yi Siling eagerly opened her box to reveal a crown-shaped diamond bracelet, featuring a two-carat pear-shaped yellow diamond— bright and lovely, perfect for a seventeen-year-old girl.
“It’s Chaumet Luyu! And Yan Cai Huang! I love it! Thank you, Auntie Li!” Yi Siling suddenly spotted a figure and quickly put on the bracelet. “Mom, I’m going over there for a bit. Chen Weiqi is there—I’m wearing my new bracelet to make her jealous!”
Liang Yongwen watched her daughter lift her skirt and hurry toward a girl her age, shaking her head helplessly. “Still can’t grow up.”
Li Yaru raised an eyebrow, studying the girl beside Yi Siling.
Tall and slender with straight hair, not smiling often and carrying a cold, noble aura. Probably seventeen or eighteen, she already exuded a difficult-to-handle aristocratic temperament.
“Who is that?”
“Mrs. Chen’s eldest daughter. She’s in the same class as Mia. I can never figure out their relationship.”
“So she’s the Chen Family Third Miss? I haven’t seen her much before.” Li Yaru raised her brow thoughtfully.
“Yes. She’s a bit cold by nature, didn’t socialize much before, but has become more active in recent years.”
After photos were taken, Liang Yongwen busied herself greeting guests. Li Yaru was soon pulled away by a group of wealthy ladies eagerly inquiring about her recent life, but really probing about the divorce rumors.
Li Yaru’s head throbbed. Even if she wanted to announce something, tonight was not the occasion. It would only upset the hosts. “I’ve said it already: tonight is Yongwen’s wedding anniversary. Let’s not mention the unlucky word ‘divorce.’”
One noblewoman snickered, “Eleanor, you haven’t been to many events lately. The big ladies hardly get to talk to you. We’re all good sisters here—no need to hide anything. Whether it’s true or not, it eventually comes out.”
Li Yaru rolled her eyes inside. Who’s your good sister? When she was still Mrs. Zhuang, this woman called her “Mrs. Zhuang” affectionately, even clinging close. Now she just calls her “Eleanor.” That turnaround was impressive.
“Do you want me and Zhuang Qiting to divorce so badly?” Li Yaru teased.
The noblewoman’s face changed instantly. A friend stepped up to defend Li Yaru with a half-joking tone, “Your niece has been unmarried all this time, thirty-five years old. Is she waiting for Mr. Zhuang to be single? There’s a saying: once you’ve loved the sea, no water else will do; once you’ve been with Wushan, no other clouds matter! Mr. Zhuang isn’t just anyone.”
That hit the noblewoman hard. Her face flushed red, teeth clenched, and she slunk away.
“Arou, don’t be stubborn. With Mr. Zhuang’s status, even if you divorced, he’d be a golden bachelor in high demand. Don’t let other women take advantage; you’d regret it with no place to cry!”
“Yeah, Arou, at our age, it’s better to turn a blind eye now and then. No matter who you’re with, it’s life. Mr. Zhuang is handsome, wealthy, and healthy. If you just keep him happy in bed, no other woman can replace you.”
Li Yaru felt awkward. If she got any more flirtatious, Zhuang Qiting might wear her out.
“Sweetheart, don’t be shy. Who’s that little slut? Tell us, and we’ll get back at her. If we see her again, she won’t have a good time.”
“Please, my dears, don’t say things that aren’t true. There’s no such thing going on.” Li Yaru’s ears were ringing from the repeated denials. Her rebellious streak flared—go soothe Zhuang Qiting? As if! Zhuang Qiting owed her the favors, not the other way around.
If close friends thought this way, the man’s own thoughts must be even worse.
Liang Sijie saw the dark expression on his mistress’s face as she was surrounded by these gossipy women, so he stepped forward gently. “Madam, would you like something to drink?”
Li Yaru smiled knowingly, sharing a silent understanding with her housekeeper. “A glass of Chablis or champagne will do. And some cookies, please.”
“Understood.”
As Liang Sijie walked away, the noblewomen exchanged looks, then glanced at Li Yaru and back to Liang Sijie’s refined figure. Youthful, fair skin— how tender! Gradually, a bold theory formed in their minds—
“Eleanor! Could it be that Mr. Zhuang caught you…”
“Sweetheart, you’re confused!”
“How could this happen here? You’re usually smart— how could you fall for this trap?”
“Men are extra sensitive about this kind of thing; affairs have to be secret.”
The rumors spiraled further. Li Yaru wanted to escape, but just then, a stir arose.
Zhuang Qiting entered the banquet hall, flanked by several men. He wore a perfectly tailored dark blue suit, exuding nobility and power. On his chest was a lapel pin— a rare blue sapphire that Li Yaru had worn publicly many times.
His aura was cold and imposing. No one dared whisper around him, and the word divorce was not mentioned.
Someone handed him a glass of champagne; he smiled politely, eyes quietly scanning toward Li Yaru.
She looked stunning tonight, overshadowing all others, captivating the room.
Zhuang Qiting swallowed and gave her a faint, gentlemanly smile before turning away coolly.
Once a deeply loving couple, now strangers who preserved only the bare minimum of civility. The atmosphere was tense.
Li Yaru frowned slightly, turning her face away, ignoring his presence, though a strange feeling, like claws scratching, stirred in her heart.
She admitted, Zhuang Qiting’s unpredictable coldness left her uncertain.
He had always been intense, fiercely passionate, with endless energy during the past decade. Never had he been cold for even a day.
She couldn’t understand this sudden indifference, ignoring her completely— something outside her experience.
After all, for ten years, Zhuang Qiting’s passion for her never waned.
Li Yaru was driven by curiosity and frustration, desperate to ask him— are you playing games again?
That was her flaw: impulsive, impatient, intolerant of restraint or teasing. She even liked to watch suspense movies with the ending spoiled first, so she could relax and enjoy the process.
Curiosity killed the cat, especially when it concerned someone as secretive as Zhuang Qiting.
Throughout the banquet, Zhuang Qiting was never without sycophants— men and women eager to toast him non-stop. He stayed busy, never approaching Li Yaru, deliberately avoiding her gaze.
When some wild man tried to flirt with Li Yaru, he showed slight emotion, coldly signaling his secretary Shen Mi.
Li Yaru’s side was lively too. Her reputation over the years meant many noblewomen loved to socialize with her.
Though semi-divorced, her status was unchanged. Many men who had once feared Zhuang Qiting’s influence now took advantage, emboldened, shamelessly approaching her to toast.
Li Yaru deliberately accepted two toasts but was unaware those men were soon escorted out, knocked unconscious by Zhuang Qiting’s bodyguards, stripped down to their underwear, and locked in the kitchen storage overnight.
She tried not to be affected, eating, drinking, and smiling as she pondered what scheme Zhuang Qiting was hiding.
He wasn’t hiding anything sinister.
He had simply realized after countless restless nights that forcing her and pressing her was futile.
He had been wrong before.
Li Yaru was too stubborn; the harder he pushed, the more she resisted. The fiercer he was, the more annoyed she became.
She was like a wild cat— vsoftness, not hardness, was the way to win her over. He had to be patient, coax her back gently, even if it meant using underhanded methods.
He could never give her up. She was half his life. They were destined to live and die together in this life and the next.