Prelude: The Rose
In a vast garden, ten thousand roses bloom, each vying for attention. They all believe the same thing: only those chosen by human hands are truly beautiful. Every day, passersby wander through the thicket, plucking the most radiant blossoms.
In a quiet corner, a single rose sways in the wind, waiting in silent anticipation.
One evening, a shadow falls over it, and a hand reaches out. The rose's heart leaps—it believes it has finally been chosen.
But in the next instant, a cold voice sneers: "So, it's just an ugly one."
And just like that, it is cast down, thrown into the dirt.
Prologue: The Night of the Cake
"Nannan, Nannan." Six-year-old Chu Nannan was about to take a bite of the chocolate cake in her dream when her mother's urgent voice woke her. Opening her eyes, she saw the bedside lamp glowing. Her mother, whom she rarely saw, was sitting by the bed, her expression a little hard to read.
Still disappointed that she hadn't eaten her dream cake, Nannan noticed her mother holding a small chocolate cake. "Nannan, have this," her mother said. Nannan froze for a moment, because her mother rarely allowed her to have sweets at night.
Chocolate cake was Nannan's favorite treat. Afraid that her mother might change her mind, Nannan didn't ask any questions. She quickly took the cake from her mother's hand and ate it.
Her mother watched her eat tenderly. As Nannan finished, she hesitated, wondering if she should ask about brushing her teeth again. Before she could, her mother's gentle voice spoke: "Be a good girl, Nannan. I'm going to pick up your father. Wait for us."
A quick hug followed, and then her mother stood and left for the living room. Nannan sensed something was different today, and wanted to tell her not to go—but she stayed quiet, simply watching.
Her parents were rarely home. Her mother usually returned at midnight. Her father had been gone for years, and Nannan could barely remember his face.
The bedroom door was left slightly ajar. Nannan went to the doorway and peered through the gap. The butler, Uncle Qiang, and his wife, Aunt Mei, looked worried. Her mother whispered a few words to them, glanced once at Nannan's door, and then hurried out. Soon she heard the car start and drive away, followed by a heavy, complete silence.
[Volume I: The Covenant]
Intro: The Engagement
The next morning, after washing and dressing, Mengying headed straight to the door of an elegant study.
Inside, a handsome young man was hunched over his laptop. She knocked lightly on the open door.
The man looked up and smiled. "Xiao Meng, did you sleep well? Please, come in." He stood up and gestured for her to enter.
"Mr. Sima, I've come to give you my answer," Mengying said, walking directly to him.
"Oh? You've made up your mind?" A flicker of surprise crossed Mr. Sima's face, then he added gently, "There's no need to rush your decision."
"There's no need to wait. I agree to your proposal, but I have a few conditions." Mengying lifted the sheet of paper in her hand and began to read:
"The Male Party must agree to the following terms proposed by the Female Party:
Identity Confidentiality: During her stay in Da Heng, the Female Party's true identity must remain undisclosed. The Male Party shall ensure the safety of the Female Party and her parents.Transfer Arrangements: The Female Party shall immediately transfer to a school in Da Heng. Her butler, Uncle Qiang, and nanny, Aunt Mei, must accompany her.Investigative Cooperation: The Female Party shall cooperate with the Male Party's investigative operations.Marital Constraint: No formal marriage shall take place until the Female Party graduates from university."
Mengying finished reading and lifted her eyes to Mr. Sima. Her voice was flat and steady."Mr. Sima, do you have any objections? Should I explain each point in detail?"
The young Mr. Sima replied with a smile. "Your terms are perfectly clear. I agree to all of them. I'm glad you've chosen to continue our engagement."
Yet to Mengying, that smile was completely unreadable.
Chapter One
At twenty-one, Zhuang Mengying was a tall, slender young woman. Since childhood, she had heard no shortage of praise for her beauty.
On this particular day, she sat quietly in the library of Anya University, reviewing statistics for her junior-year midterm exams. Her dormitory roommates were far too noisy—busy discussing what dresses to wear to the department's weekend dance—so Mengying had retreated to the library to study in peace.
She was seated on a small sofa in a corner by the window, holding a slice of her favorite chocolate cake. Although the library explicitly forbade food, studying for long hours inevitably made one hungry. Besides, the "no snacks" rule had always existed in name only. Mengying therefore made a habit of bringing something to eat and settling into an unoccupied corner to read.
Behind her, floor-to-ceiling windows covered an entire wall, visually connecting the interior with the outside world. Beyond the glass lay a forest. Though it was already autumn, Anya City's temperate maritime climate kept the scenery lush and green.
The Anya University Library was the work of a master architect, designed in a Mid-Century Modern style. The entire structure resembled a massive glass box, located at the intersection of forestland and the Anya River on the city's outskirts. The river ran straight through the university and flowed deep into the woods. Thanks to its ingenious integration with the natural environment, photographs of the library frequently appeared on the covers of architectural magazines.
Anya University was one of the world's top universities—an expensive private institution and also a famously known "party school." Mengying often thought that its ability to attract both book-loving students and party lovers alike was part of its appeal.
At this moment, however, her attention was not on the cake she loved, nor on the statistics textbook on the table. Instead, it had been drawn to a male student sitting not far away.
The young man sat on a nearby sofa, apparently studying as well. His face had soft contours—an oval shape—with a high, straight nose and slanted phoenix eyes. His skin was fair, forming a striking contrast with his thick, jet-black hair, making him stand out conspicuously in the library.
He wore a coffee-colored casual sweater paired with light-colored trousers. The outfit was not from the latest trends, but its design was distinctive, and the fabric looked refined—Mengying guessed it was custom-made. The slanting afternoon sunlight of autumn fell upon him, with rows of solemn, towering bookshelves behind him. To Mengying, the scene before her resembled a carefully composed painting.
What caught her attention, however, was not his handsome appearance, nor his tasteful clothing, nor the pictorial composition of the scene itself. Rather, she felt that his face and this moment were strangely familiar.
The boy across from her pulled her back to a summer long ago, when she was six years old. It reminded her of Brother White, the boy who had once saved her that summer.
Yet the boy before her could not possibly be Brother White. He looked no more than twenty. When Brother White had saved her, he had already been an adolescent.
After Nannan's mother hurriedly left on a summer night when Nannan was six, Nannan never saw her again. The very next day, her nanny Aunt Mei and the housekeeper Uncle Qiang, a married couple, drove Nannan away from their townhouse in downtown Yongning City to the family's country villa in neighboring Yunxi City.
When Nannan asked in confusion from the back seat, "Aren't we waiting for Mommy to come back?" Aunt Mei merely replied gently, "Be good, Nannan. Mommy and Daddy will come to find you very soon."
Six-year-old Nannan was delicate and pitiable, like a porcelain doll of jade and powder. Everyone said she had inherited her father's looks and was far more beautiful than her mother. Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang often praised her exceptional intelligence, saying she spoke like an adult rather than a child who understood nothing.
Both Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang were in their early forties. Before Nannan was born, her mother had offered a high salary to hire a nanny. Uncle Qiang, who had worked for the Chu family for many years and was known to be honest and reliable, recommended his newlywed wife, Aunt Mei, to take the position.
Both had grown up in an orphanage and were childhood sweethearts. Neither was particularly well educated. After they married, they had no children of their own. Uncle Qiang was of average height but powerfully built, living up to his name. His left leg had a slight disability, causing him to limp when he walked. In contrast, Aunt Mei was slender and delicate. She was attentive and gentle toward Nannan, who relied on her deeply.
The country villa in Yunxi was a place Nannan visited every summer with her mother. The house was large, with an open courtyard and no surrounding walls. When the family was away, gardeners were hired to maintain the grounds, which were filled with various flowers and plants. From Uncle Qiang, Nannan had learned the names of hydrangeas, peonies, gladiolus, lilies, oleander, hostas, coneflowers, irises, daisies, and phlox.
After arriving at the villa, Aunt Mei carefully attended to Nannan's daily life, while Uncle Qiang dismissed the regular gardener and began studying horticulture himself. Aunt Mei often helped him prune shrubs and flowers.
Sometimes, when the couple was busy, Nannan would sneak out on her own. Though Aunt Mei always rushed after her once she realized Nannan was out of sight—warning her that it was dangerous for a child to go out alone—Nannan never truly learned her lesson. She especially wanted to catch small fish in the river, just as her mother used to do in summer. She had asked Aunt Mei when they could go fishing, but Aunt Mei always said they would do so once things were less busy.
One June afternoon that year, after lunch, Uncle Qiang drove out to shop, and Aunt Mei put Nannan down for her usual nap before resting herself. Nannan decided it was the perfect opportunity to slip out. She tiptoed out of her bedroom and opened the front door. To her delight, this time Aunt Mei did not immediately notice and come rushing after her. She felt a secret thrill of success.
She recognized the path to the river—it was one her mother had taken her on before. It took about ten minutes to walk there. Across the river lay a small nearby town.
The river water was crystal clear, bordered by a green lawn and a rural road along which cars could pass. The water was generally waist-deep for an average adult man, though some spots ran deeper. Large, rounded stones were arranged in a line across the river, forming a simple stone crossing used by locals to reach the other side. When Uncle Qiang drove to town, he took a bridge further downstream on the rural road.
At the riverbank, Nannan spotted fish in the water and grew excited. She stood on a large stone in the middle of the river, bending down to scoop some fish with her hands. Suddenly, she heard someone shout from behind, "Move aside—let me through!"
She felt someone rush past her from behind. From the voice, she recognized Xiao He, a mischievous boy her age from a neighboring family. There was no time to dodge. Before she understood what was happening, she was knocked off the stone and plunged headfirst into the water.
The water immediately covered her forehead. She tried to cry for help, but water rushed into her mouth. Instinctively, she shut her mouth and struggled desperately in the water.
The light above her wavered across the surface. She reached out blindly, trying to grasp anything that might pull her ashore—but caught nothing. Just as her consciousness began to fade, a hand suddenly seized her arm and pulled her out of the water. She felt herself being lifted and soon laid down on the grass.
The person who saved her supported her shoulders and gently patted her back, asking in a voice full of concern, "Little sister, are you all right?"
This was the voice of a young boy. Nannan felt that the voice sounded very distant, yet extremely pleasant. She gasped for air, coughing violently, bringing up the water she had swallowed. Her chest still felt tight, but gradually she was able to breathe.
Only then did Nannan start to observe the person who had saved her. Squatting before her was a stranger, a boy she had never seen before. Behind him stood a young man dressed in a black suit.
The boy wore a white linen shirt, black suit shorts, and black leather shoes, completely out of place in the rural surroundings. Both his suit pants and shoes were soaked.
Nannan noticed that the boy had bright, slanted eyes that seemed to reflect the ripples of the river. The drops of water on his forehead sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. Looking into his eyes made Nannan feel even more dizzy.
Just as she was about to say something, she heard Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang shouting from afar, "Nannan, Nannan!"
Nannan turned toward the voice and saw Aunt Mei running over, out of breath. Before she could respond, Aunt Mei scooped her into her arms and covered her head with a dry handkerchief.
After that, Nannan vaguely heard Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang expressing their thanks to the boy, with Uncle Qiang adding that they would pay a formal visit another day. She wanted to hear more, but before she could, Aunt Mei carried her away.
The next day, after lunch, Uncle Qiang drove Aunt Mei and Nannan to thank the boy who had saved her. Uncle Qiang said the boy was a newly arrived neighbor.
Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang had already taken Nannan to see the town doctor the day before. The doctor said that Nannan had only been frightened and that there was nothing serious. Uncle Qiang kept complaining that Aunt Mei hadn't looked after Nannan properly, while Aunt Mei felt deeply guilty about her oversight. They also lectured Nannan together, insisting she must never run off recklessly in the future.
Aunt Mei carefully dressed Nannan up. She put on this year's newest dress: a blue short-sleeved top connected to a puffy white tulle skirt. Aunt Mei also tied a matching blue bow in her hair, a sharp contrast to Nannan's usual T-shirt and shorts. After dressing her, Aunt Mei praised her, saying she looked like a little princess.
Nannan didn't actually like this kind of clothing because it prevented her from climbing trees and catching birds. Every year, despite her mother and Aunt Mei buying her such dresses, she usually refused to wear them. But today, Aunt Mei said that when visiting her "lifesaver," she needed to dress properly. Though Nannan didn't believe Aunt Mei truly understood what "proper dress" meant, she relented and put on the outfit. Perhaps the boy who saved her shared Aunt Mei's taste after all? He had been dressed quite formally yesterday, after all. Aunt Mei had put on her own favorite dress as well, and to Nannan's astonishment, Uncle Qiang had actually dressed himself in a suit.
The new neighbor's house wasn't far—just across the bridge that Uncle Qiang often drove by. Unlike Nannan's open courtyard, the new neighbor's house was tightly enclosed by tall walls and a heavy iron gate, giving it a mysterious aura. Nannan had passed by this iron gate before, but since it was always closed, she never had a chance to see inside. Peering through the gate, one could only see dense layers of forest and a two-lane path extending from the gate deep into the woods.
This time, as soon as their car arrived at the gate, it opened automatically. Uncle Qiang drove along the path inside for less than a minute, and as they passed through the barrier-like woods, a grand courtyard with a traditional Chinese garden-style wall appeared majestically before them.
"His house has two walls?" Nannan exclaimed in surprise.
Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang glanced at her without saying a word. Uncle Qiang parked the car and got out carrying the gift boxes, with Aunt Mei pulling Nannan along.
At the entrance to the second wall, Uncle Qiang pressed the video doorbell. The gate opened, revealing a young man in his thirties, sharp-featured and dressed in a black Zhongshan suit. Nannan recognized him as the one who had stood behind the boy yesterday.
A bodyguard, Nannan thought.
"Mr. Chen, hello. Nice to see you again," Uncle Qiang said.
"Hello, Uncle Qiang. I'm delighted to see you again. Please, come with me. Our young master is waiting in the study," Mr. Chen replied politely.
Uncle Qiang handed over the gifts to Mr. Chen, and they followed him into the courtyard. They walked along a long, winding corridor with exquisite wooden structures that curved through the garden until they reached the study of Nannan's "lifesaver."
The study sat beside a small artificial lake, serene and quiet. One wall, facing the lake, was entirely made of floor-to-ceiling windows, adjacent to the outdoor corridor.
The study door was open. At first glance, Nannan felt the room was enormous, perhaps as large as her own living room at home. Along the interior wall stood a towering bookshelf reaching the ceiling, densely packed with countless books. A wooden ladder was placed nearby for accessing the upper shelves.
A boy in a white long gown, about thirteen years old, was quietly reading at the desk near the bookshelf. The slanting afternoon sunlight poured through the window, illuminating him and the rows of books behind him, creating a beautiful scene.
In front of his desk were several sofas and a small tea table, clearly arranged for receiving guests.
The bodyguard knocked lightly on the study door. "Young Master, guests have arrived. They brought gifts."
The boy in white looked up, put down his book, smiled, and stood up. He walked around the desk toward the door and said, "Thank you, Shiwei. Please ask Wu-ma to bring four cups of tea to the study." Then, addressing Nannan's family, he said, "You've come—how considerate. Please, have a seat," gesturing toward the sofas.
Nannan carefully observed the boy before her and thought he was more handsome than anyone she had ever met. His skin was very fair, his hair thick and lustrous. His eyes were long and slanted, sparkling like stars when he smiled. He was tall, nearly as tall as Uncle Qiang. The white gown suited him even better than the suit he wore yesterday.
After Shiwei left with the gifts, Uncle Qiang politely said, "Young Master Yuwen, thank you for saving our young lady yesterday." His tone sounded as if he were addressing a respected adult rather than a boy.
"Yuwen Young Master?" The boy seemed slightly taken aback.
"Yes, Mr. Chen told me yesterday that your family name is Yuwen. Or would you prefer I call you Mr. Yuwen?" Uncle Qiang's tone became even more formal.
"Oh," the boy smiled faintly, "either is fine."
Since the boy was so handsome and smiled so gently at them, and judging from his conversation with Uncle Qiang, he seemed to be a good-natured person, Nannan decided to give him a nickname. She stepped forward confidently from behind Uncle Qiang and said, "Brother White, thank you for saving me yesterday."
"Brother White?" The boy chuckled.
"Yes. You're so fair, you like white clothes, and you're a big brother—so isn't that Brother White?" Nannan tilted her head as she explained, and she couldn't resist adding another compliment: "White really suits you."
"Really? Does white suit me?" The boy smiled, clearly pleased with her praise. He then addressed all three of them: "Please, come in and sit. There's no need to thank me. I just happened to be passing by yesterday—it was nothing." He looked at Nannan again and said, "You were very brave, little sister. You didn't even cry."
He did seem easygoing. Nannan thought for a moment and decided she should acknowledge his compliment about her bravery. "If it weren't for that troublemaker Xiao He, I wouldn't have fallen in the river. I am brave—I never cry." Nannan felt pleased when Brother White smiled approvingly at her again after hearing this.
After Nannan sat down on the sofa with Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang, the boy in white sat on the opposite sofa. A middle-aged maid brought over four cups of tea and placed them on the table.
The boy said to Uncle Qiang and Aunt Mei, "Please have some tea." Then he asked Nannan, "Little sister, would you like some snacks or something to drink?"
"Do you have chocolate cake? I love chocolate cake the most," Nannan said without hesitation.
"Wu-ma, please bring some chocolate cake for Miss Chu," the boy instructed.
Nannan sat on the sofa, looking out at the lake through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and asked, "Brother White, the little lake outside your house is connected to the river outside, isn't it?"
"Yes, you're really clever to notice that," he said with evident approval.
"Mm." Nannan felt proud of herself. "Then there must be fish in the lake too, right?"
"I haven't really checked. Perhaps," he replied, looking at her with a searching gaze, as if trying to understand her true intention.
"I fell into the river yesterday while trying to catch fish. My mother used to take me fishing in the river," Nannan said, feeling a bit wistful remembering those days with her mother.
"Are you planning to come to our house to catch fish?" Brother White asked helpfully, as if to confirm her intention.
"Yes! You're so smart—you guessed right away. Can I come?" Nannan's excitement returned in a rush. She stood up eagerly.
"That's not possible," Uncle Qiang and Aunt Mei quickly objected. "Nannan, you mustn't trouble Young Master Yuwen."
"I want to. Brother White already said yes," Nannan protested, stamping her foot.
The good-natured young master was amused by her protest. He smiled warmly and said, "It's absolutely no problem. I'll be at Miss Chu's service anytime."
"Then it's settled, Brother White," Nannan said happily, thrilled to have found a safer place to fish.