On a stormy summer night, Su Wan stood beneath the eaves of the "Shiguang Bookstore," her fingers gripping a crumpled bill demanding payment. Rainwater dripped from her hair, blending with the dampness in her eyes, blurring the old wooden sign in front of her.
This bookstore was the legacy left by her mother, the only thing she had to hold onto in this steel jungle. But now, three months' worth of overdue rent weighed heavily on her, like a mountain that made it hard to breathe. The landlord's final ultimatum was like a death sentence—if she didn't come up with thirty thousand yuan by tonight, the store would be sealed shut tomorrow.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket; it was the hospital calling. Su Wan took a deep breath, and when she answered the phone, her voice betrayed a barely perceptible tremor. "Dr. Zhang, about my sister's medical bills..."
"Su Wan, your sister's condition cannot be delayed any longer. The latest treatment plan requires a 50,000 yuan deposit, or next week's surgery will be canceled." The doctor's tone was grave. "You need to find a way."
As soon as the call ended, Su Wan slid down against the cold wall, her skirt soaked by the rain, the chill seeping through her. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts but couldn't find anyone to ask for a loan. Both her parents had passed away, and she had raised her younger sister, Su Nian, who suffered from a rare illness. Now, with the bookstore in financial turmoil, she had to juggle several part-time jobs, but they barely covered her expenses.
At that moment, a black Maybach slowly pulled up in front of the bookstore, the headlights cutting through the rain, blinding Su Wan. The car window rolled down, revealing a sharply defined face with an air of coldness. The man wore a well-tailored black suit, with the cuffs showing off an elegant watch, his entire demeanor exuding a high-class, unapproachable aura.
"Miss Su, I am Lin Zhou, Assistant to Mr. Lu Chengyuan." The man in the passenger seat handed her a gold-embossed business card, his tone polite yet authoritative. "Mr. Lu has something he wishes to discuss with you, which may help solve all of your current problems."
Lu Chengyuan? The name was well-known. He was the founder of Chengyuan Technology, worth billions, and a towering figure at the top of the city's business pyramid. Su Wan never imagined that someone like him would ever cross paths with someone like her.
"I don't know your boss, and there's nothing to discuss." Su Wan wiped the rain off her face and turned to close the door.
"Miss Su," Lin Zhou was prepared, already holding out a contract, "Your sister, Su Nian, is being treated at First Hospital and urgently needs 50,000 yuan for her surgery. This bookstore owes 30,000 yuan in rent and will be sealed tomorrow. Mr. Lu can solve all of these issues for you."
Su Wan froze, her gaze sharpening. "What do you want from me?"
"It's simple," Lin Zhou said calmly, "Marry Mr. Lu for one year. During this year, you will play the role of Mrs. Lu, attending necessary business events and family gatherings. After one year, the contract will be dissolved, and you will receive a two-million-yuan compensation. Mr. Lu will also cover all of your sister's medical expenses."
Married? Su Wan felt like she had heard something out of a fairy tale. She looked at the contract Lin Zhou handed her. The terms were clear, cold, and businesslike—this was a deal.
"Why me?" Su Wan was confused. With Lu Chengyuan's status, he could have any woman he wanted. Why choose her, an ordinary, penniless person?
"Mr. Lu needs a 'clean' wife—someone with a simple background, no complicated history, someone who won't interfere with his career." Lin Zhou was blunt. "And Miss Su, we've done our research, and your circumstances and character meet the criteria."
Research? Su Wan felt a sting, as if she were being violated, but her harsh reality made it impossible to refuse. Her sister's life, her mother's bookstore—these were things she could not afford to lose.
"This is just a transaction," Lin Zhou added, "Mr. Lu won't interfere in your personal life. There will be no emotional involvement between you. After a year, the contract ends, and everyone goes their separate ways."
Su Wan glanced at the bookstore's sign swaying in the storm, then thought of her sister's pale face in the hospital bed. Her defenses crumbled completely. She took the contract and ran her fingers over the clauses about the two-million-yuan compensation and the promise to cover all medical expenses. She took a deep breath. "I need to see the money first, and my sister's surgery must be scheduled for next week."
"No problem." Lin Zhou immediately pulled out his phone and transferred 100,000 yuan into her account. "This is the advance payment. The rest of the compensation will be paid in full after the marriage registration. I've also already contacted First Hospital. The best medical team will be arranged tomorrow."
The phone buzzed with a notification. The money had arrived, and the pain in her eyes from the screen's brightness mirrored the crushing weight on her heart. She knew that from this moment on, her life would be derailed, sucked into a transaction called "the contract."
"Tomorrow at 9 AM, meet at the Civil Affairs Bureau," Lin Zhou said as he put his phone away. "Mr. Lu will be there in person. Miss Su, we hope you will adhere to the contract and not cause trouble for either party."
As the Maybach drove away, Su Wan stood in the rain, slowly opening the contract. The last page had an empty signature line, as if waiting for her to write her fate. The rain blurred the ink, just like her chaotic emotions at that moment.
She had fantasized about love before, but the harsh reality had made her realize that in the face of survival, love meant nothing. This transaction, with both sides getting what they needed, seemed like the fairest deal she could make. She would get the money, and Lu Chengyuan would get his "married image." It was the perfect business arrangement.
Su Wan wiped the rain from her face, her expression hardening. She picked up the pen and wrote her name—Su Wan. Each stroke felt heavy, but determined.
The rain outside continued to fall, but she knew that starting tomorrow, she would be Lu Chengyuan's contract wife, stepping into a completely unfamiliar world. Where would this marriage, born of mutual benefit, go? She didn't dare think, nor did she want to. Right now, all she wanted was to save her sister's life and keep her mother's bookstore.