Chapter 1: “A Chance Encounter” with Mr. He — She Was Only a Substitute
The plum rain season brought continuous downpours.
Wind rolled through the clouds, and rain poured down without pause. Inside a training studio, a group of young children in ballet practice outfits were repeating movements under their teacher’s guidance.
“Let your arms drop naturally, form an oval shape with your arms and hands. Pay attention to the teacher’s demonstration…”
Zhong Shuning was teaching seriously.
Parents who had come to pick up their children gradually arrived and gathered in small groups, whispering about the hottest topic in Qingzhou:
[The Zhong family has found their missing daughter after 20 years.]
“So Teacher Zhong isn’t the Zhong family’s biological daughter? No wonder she doesn’t look like them at all.”
“She was adopted from an orphanage. But now that they’ve found their real daughter, her position must be very awkward.”
“I heard her fiancee, Zhou Boyu, doesn’t want her anymore either.”
“She was only adopted because they couldn’t find their real daughter. She’s just an emotional substitute for the Zhong family.”
…
Everyone looked at Zhong Shuning with sympathetic eyes.
She was tall, fair-skinned, a textbook beauty with refined bone structure.
Her eyes were especially beautiful—like ripe lychees, soft and clear like autumn water. Even in a simple black-and-white practice outfit, her long legs and elegant presence gave her an effortless charm.
She was proper, composed, and well-mannered.
Not only did the children like her, but parents also had a very good impression of her.
After class ended and she sent off her students and their parents, a colleague approached her with concern.
“How’s your foot?”
“It’s okay.”
“I kept signaling for you to rest earlier—why didn’t you?”
“The kids and parents came for me. If I just sat down, someone might complain,” Zhong Shuning said with a smile, bending down to rub her right ankle.
Her right leg had been injured before and never fully recovered. On rainy days, the pain became severe, which eventually ended her professional career. Now she worked as a teacher at a training institution.
“It’s raining…” her colleague said while packing up equipment. “Is your fiancé Zhou coming to pick you up?”
Zhong Shuning lowered her head, expression unclear.
“He’s been very busy lately. Probably doesn’t have time.”
Her colleague didn’t respond.
Busy indeed—probably busy accompanying the real young lady of the Zhong family.
Zhou Boyu had pursued Zhong Shuning for a long time. He knew her leg hurt in rainy weather, so he used to pick her up every time it rained. Everyone at work envied her for having such a wealthy and attentive fiancee.
But ever since news broke that the Zhong family had found their biological daughter, he had rarely appeared.
Now he spent all his time accompanying the “real” heiress.
People sighed in regret for Zhong Shuning.
“Teacher Zhong, if your foot hurts that badly, just rest at home for a couple of days. I’ll explain to the students and parents,” the supervisor said, looking her over. “You can barely walk, and it’s still raining. Do you want me to take you to the hospital?”
“No, thank you. I still have something to do. I’ll just take a taxi.”
After changing clothes and leaving the center, most staff and parents had already left.
Under the misty sky, a light rain fell continuously. The training center was far from the city, and it was difficult to get a taxi in this weather.
She held an umbrella and walked toward a nearby bus stop.
The cold wind mixed with fine rain made her shiver. She realized she had dressed too lightly.
Before she reached the stop, she heard a car approaching from behind.
It was going very fast, splashing water everywhere. Her breath tightened—she felt the car was heading straight toward her.
She quickly stepped back, nearly falling into the roadside greenery.
With a sharp braking sound, the car stopped just two or three meters away.
Her face turned pale as she tried to steady her breathing.
“I’m very sorry, are you alright?”
The driver rushed out and exclaimed when he saw her, “Miss Zhong?”
Zhong Shuning looked at him, momentarily stunned.
He looked familiar, but she couldn’t immediately remember who he was.
At that moment, the rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
He wore a British-style suit and an imperial-collar shirt with a four-in-hand tie. His presence was cold and sharp, as if frost and snow clung to his bones.
His gaze was calm and detached, without any warmth.
Holding a black umbrella, he walked toward her in long strides.
As the umbrella tilted toward her, it shielded her completely from the rain.
“Mr. He?” Zhong Shuning’s umbrella had somehow fallen. Standing too close under the same umbrella made her uncomfortable. She tried to step back, but the wet ground made her unstable.
Before she could fall, He Wenli reached out and steadied her arm.
The warmth of his palm burned through her, making her entire body tense.
Standing so close under one umbrella, she could smell the faint wood scent on him—warm yet distant, restrained yet overwhelming.
The unfamiliar presence made her thoughts scatter.
“Thank you,” she said quickly.
“You’re welcome,” he replied calmly, withdrawing his hand. “It’s my driver’s fault. I apologize for scaring you. Your foot… do you need to go to the hospital?”
“No, it’s an old injury.”
The driver, Chen Zui, quickly said, “It was slippery due to the rain. I’m really sorry. You should still go to the hospital just to be safe.”
He kept apologizing.
“It’s fine. No need,” Zhong Shuning replied, feeling increasingly uneasy as she met He Wenli’s gaze.
He Wenli had only arrived in Qingzhou half a month ago, for unknown reasons.
Even in the elite circles of the capital, his presence commanded respect and flattery. In a smaller city like Qingzhou, it was even more overwhelming.
Zhong Shuning had once seen him at a banquet with her fiancee Zhou Boyu.
He sat at the top of the hierarchy, indifferent and calm. His gaze was steady, quiet—but his presence was like a wolf, making everyone tense.
“Let’s go. The rain is getting heavier, and taxis are hard to get here,” Chen Zui urged. “If your leg is injured, that would be on me. Let’s just go to the hospital for a check so everyone feels at ease.”
Zhong Shuning understood his meaning.
Too many people wanted to curry favor with He Wenli; they were afraid she might later claim injury and cause trouble.
A hospital visit would reassure everyone.
“Miss Zhong, please get in the car,” He Wenli said coldly, his tone carrying undeniable authority.
She had no choice but to agree.
Inside the car, the atmosphere was extremely tense.
Her phone vibrated. She answered.
“Dad.”
“Where are you? Why aren’t you here yet?”
“I just got off work…”
“I told you long ago to quit that job. Our family doesn’t need your little income,” her adoptive father said displeased. “People might think the Zhong family can’t even support you and that you need to go out and earn money!”
At that moment, He Wenli, sitting beside her, turned to look out the rain-streaked window.
His fingers resting on his knee suddenly tightened.
(End of Chapter 1)
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