The Yun Estate had once been the crown jewel of Jingdu—a sprawling sanctuary of traditional architecture and rare medicinal gardens. Now, it stood overgrown and silent, a ghost of its former glory. As the military convoy pulled up to the rusted iron gates, Shen Xi felt a sharp, phantom pain in her chest—a remnant of her past life's sorrow.
She stepped out, her boots crunching on the dry leaves. In her memory, this garden was where she first learned to identify poisonous herbs under her mother's watchful eye. Now, the rare Dendrobium orchids were replaced by weeds, and the white marble fountain was cracked and dry.
"Seal the perimeter," Mu Feichi commanded as he stepped out of the vehicle behind her. His voice was calm, but the soldiers moved with frantic speed. Within minutes, the Yun Estate was under the protection of the Young Marshal's elite guard.
Shen Xi walked toward the main hall, her fingers trailing over the stone pillars. She could feel Mu Feichi's heavy gaze on her back. He wasn't just observing her; he was studying her, trying to reconcile the eighteen-year-old girl with the woman who possessed the hands of a goddess.
"This place is a ruin," Mu Feichi said, walking up beside her. He looked at the dust-covered furniture and the shattered porcelain. "Why here? I offered you a wing at Mount Jing."
"Mount Jing is a fortress, Marshal. It belongs to you," Shen Xi replied, her voice cold and steady. She turned to face him, the afternoon sun catching the amber flecks in her eyes. "This place belongs to my mother. And from today, it belongs to me. A doctor needs her own clinic to perform... surgery."
Mu Feichi leaned against a mahogany doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. The midnight-blue fabric of his uniform strained against his muscles. "You mean revenge. Don't hide behind medical terms with me, Shen Xi. I know the look in your eyes. It's the same one I see in the mirror before a campaign."
He stepped closer, invading her personal space until the scent of his expensive tobacco and cold iron overwhelmed the smell of dust. He reached out, his gloved thumb tilting her chin upward.
"You saved my life, and you gave me the first night of sleep I've had in years," he murmured, his voice dropping to a dangerous, intimate vibration. "In the eyes of the world, you are now under my wing. If you're going to play this game, play it well. Don't let me find out I backed a loser."
Shen Xi didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned in, her lips inches from his. "I don't play games I don't intend to win, Marshal. And I don't need you to back me. I just need you to stay out of my way when I start drawing blood."
A dark, amused glint flashed in Mu Feichi's eyes. He liked her bite. Most people turned into stone when he looked at them; she looked at him like he was an interesting specimen under a microscope.
Suddenly, Feng Rui appeared at the entrance, his face flushed with excitement. "Marshal! The news has already hit the headlines. The Shen family is claiming that Miss Shen 'coerced' them into signing over the estate. They've contacted the media, claiming you've been kidnapped by a 'witch doctor'."
Mu Feichi's expression didn't change, but the air around him grew sharp. "The Shen family has a lot of courage. It's a pity they don't have the brains to go with it."
He looked at Shen Xi. "How do you want to handle it? I can make them vanish by sunset."
"No," Shen Xi said, a cruel, beautiful smile spreading across her face. "Death is too easy for them. I want them to watch as I take everything they love, piece by piece. Starting with the medical conference tomorrow. Shen Ruo is supposed to be the keynote speaker, isn't she?"
"She is," Qi Yuan added, stepping in from the shadows. "She's presenting 'her' research to the international board."
"Good," Shen Xi said, her eyes flashing with a lethal light. "I hope she enjoys the spotlight while it lasts. Because tomorrow, I'm going to show the world what happens when you steal from a surgeon."
Mu Feichi watched her, a sense of possessive pride swelling in his chest. He turned to Qi Yuan. "Prepare the finest gown in the capital. And send a message to the medical board: the Young Marshal will be attending the conference in person. I want a front-row seat for the show."
As the sun set, casting the Yun Estate in a blood-red glow, Shen Xi stood amidst the ruins of her past, her silhouette framed by the man who was quickly becoming her greatest ally—and her most dangerous obsession.