Volume One, Chapter Seven: He Is Not Capable

"After waking from the dream, I realized I still prefer men!"

"Uncle Shao, I truly admire Miss Six. Otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to this engagement in the first place. But when I think of the long years ahead, with Miss Six having to spend her life alone, I can't bear it. So, perhaps it's best if we call off the engagement."

"Miss Six is such a wonderful person; she deserves the very best this world has to offer, don't you think?"

So, he likes men?

Clearly, no one had expected such an outcome.

After a brief shock, Madam Shao's face shifted from stormy to merely cloudy. "No wonder everyone in the capital says he's an unruly scoundrel. They aren't wrong in the least."

Shao Xingzhou looked constipated. "At least the kid knows what's good for him!"

Shao Wanying stared blankly at her own reflection.

A long sigh of relief escaped her heart.

No wonder!

She had known Lou Ye for several years, but only in the past six months—since the families decided on the engagement—had they truly interacted closely.

In these six months, he had accompanied her to the casino to deal cards, flown with her to Paris for fashion shows, and even gone abroad with her to select racehorses because she loved riding.

He had taste.

He had vision.

He held the vast wealth of the Lou family in his hands.

But most importantly, Lou Ye’s face—it was wild, it was handsome.

No exaggeration, in just a few months, Shao Wanying had grown a little fond of him.

They had gone out together so many times, and with the engagement, it seemed only natural to her that things might progress further.

But nothing happened.

He was gentle and attentive in public.

In private, always the perfect gentleman.

Lou Ye’s behavior was that of an ideal fiancé.

Even that night at the bar, when she, emboldened by a tipsy haze, leaned into him, he had simply and politely stepped away. "Miss Six, you’re drunk..."

Nothing happened.

Through the thin silk of her dress and his suit trousers, she hadn’t felt the slightest change in him.

Shao Wanying considered herself a beauty, both in looks and figure—a rare prize.

Yet Lou Ye had shown not a hint of desire for her.

In the past, she had felt frustrated, believing she held no attraction for him.

Now that she knew his preference was for men, Shao Wanying felt an unexpected relief.

So, it wasn’t her fault.

It was simply... that he was not interested.

She had agreed to marry him for the alliance, for mutual benefit.

Now, she wouldn’t have to marry him, but she still held a two percent share in the Lou Corporation—and such a hefty secret about Lou Ye.

No matter how she looked at it, she’d come out ahead.

Shao Wanying was instantly at ease.

Knock, knock!

A knock came at the door, accompanied by the hum of helicopter blades on the rooftop.

Shao Xingzhou opened the door.

Outside, Lou Ye glanced around, his gaze settling on Shao Wanying. "Miss Six, the helicopter has arrived. Allow me to escort you."

What a pity!

Shao Wanying looked at Lou Ye’s face and rose gracefully. "Thank you, Young Master Lou."

In the past, whenever she linked arms with him as his fiancée, Shao Wanying always felt as if a frightened rabbit was rampaging in her chest.

Now, as she took his arm again, there was no more nervous fluttering, no more excitement.

Her gaze lingered on Lou Ye’s perfect features, the very image of her ideal, and she felt a twinge of regret. "Ah Ye, actually, we don’t have to break off the engagement, do we?"

In high society, it was common for married couples to present one face in public and lead separate lives in private.

If others could, why couldn’t she and Lou Ye?

Understanding her meaning, a wicked smile played at Lou Ye’s lips. "I’m a bit of a chauvinist, you know..."

Shao Wanying looked up.

Lou Ye smiled. "It’s the old story: the magistrate may set fire, but the common folk may not light a lamp. After marriage, I could do as I please, but you’d have to remain pure and loyal, waiting faithfully at home."

Shao Wanying’s expression shifted, and she cursed him as a lunatic in her heart.

"I heard that!"

Lou Ye stopped, looking at her. "You just cursed me. Your brother gave me a punch. I suppose we’re even now!"

He helped Shao Wanying into the helicopter cabin.

Then he bent down, scooping up her elaborate skirt and tucking it inside.

He even smoothed out the creases on her dress.

Lou Ye’s smile was rakish. "Miss Six, I wish you happiness."

The young man’s handsome features, framed by the glow of sunset, were dazzlingly beautiful.

With the deepness in his eyes, he looked like a dark emissary emerging from the underworld itself.

A mix of good and evil.

Utterly captivating.

Shao Wanying was momentarily stunned.

For a fleeting instant, she truly wanted to leap from the helicopter and throw herself into Lou Ye’s arms, to tell him she would marry no one but him.

Even if he preferred men.

The thought passed, and Shao Wanying regained her composure.

Crooking her finger, she beckoned Lou Ye closer.

She leaned down, her words by his ear full of sly mischief. "Young Master Lou, you say that after waking from your dream, you realize you prefer men. But do you simply prefer men—or do you only like men?"

Lou Ye froze.

Shao Wanying straightened, waving at him. "Young Master Lou, farewell!"

The cabin door closed.

Amid the thunderous roar of the rotors, the helicopter slowly lifted off.

On the rooftop, Lou Ye stood with his hands in his pockets, exhaling softly.

The helicopter shrank from a black dot to a red speck, then vanished.

Darkness finally fell.

Lou Ye gazed into the distance for a long time, then took out his phone and dialed a number. "Is there a package for me?"

...

In the faculty dormitory at Imperial University, Sang Wan was enduring a mock interrogation.

"Yi Yi, Yi Yi..."

Laughing so hard she could barely breathe, Sang Wan gasped out a pained protest before Xu Yiyi finally let go of her tickling hands.

But when she saw the surgical scars on Sang Wan’s back, Xu Yiyi’s eyes instantly reddened. "Serves you right for being so lovesick!"

Ever since Sang Wan had started dating Lu Jinnian in their freshman year, Xu Yiyi had called her hopelessly infatuated.

She was long used to it.

But this time Sang Wan admitted defeat. "You’re right; I brought this on myself!"

In the past, when she argued back, Xu Yiyi would explode with scolding.

Now that she admitted it, Xu Yiyi was suddenly speechless.

Sang Wan poked her friend’s puffed-up cheeks in a bid for forgiveness. "Yi Yi, I have nothing left now. If even you don’t want me, I’ll really be out on the street... Surely you wouldn’t bear that, would you?"

Xu Yiyi said nothing.

Sang Wan continued to feign pitifulness. "Kind and beautiful Teacher Xu, please, I beg you—take me in, won’t you?"

"I’m not taking you in!"

Xu Yiyi huffed, but her eyes suddenly lit up. "You can go find Lou Ye! He even broke off his engagement for you!"

"Xu Yiyi!"

Sang Wan looked exasperated. "You can eat carelessly, but you can’t speak carelessly!"

"And how is that careless talk?" Xu Yiyi argued. "Yesterday the gossip columns were all raving about the grand engagement party, not a hint of a breakup. Then early this morning, you run into Lou Ye, and no sooner do you say you’re divorced than—bam!—he calls off the engagement. Isn’t that just a little too coincidental?"

Sang Wan was unimpressed. "Coincidences happen, don’t they?"

Xu Yiyi: ...

Seeing the suspicious look on her friend’s face, Sang Wan gave a wry smile. "Suppose I hadn’t gotten divorced—suppose we went back to the days before I married Lu Jinnian—do you really think there’s anything about me that could measure up to Lou Ye? Tell me, just one thing, and I’ll believe it!"

Xu Yiyi opened her mouth, then paused.