Several men in suits followed closely behind him, politely reporting, "General Manager He, it's rare for you to come here for an inspection. We’ve specially prepared a luncheon in your honor. We hope you’ll grace us with your presence."
He Siyu glanced at his wristwatch and nodded casually. "Fine."
With a "ding," the elevator reached the first floor.
He Siyu strode out, his entourage trailing behind.
As he exited Zhongmen Tower, a car was already waiting by the curb. The driver stepped out and opened the door for him.
Just as he was about to get in, his gaze inadvertently swept over the nearby café.
By the floor-to-ceiling window sat a woman dressed meticulously like a doll, smiling and chatting animatedly with the man across from her.
His steps faltered slightly, his eyes freezing in place.
So this was the "important matter" she had mentioned for today?
---
Sang Ning pushed the door open and entered.
The man seated near the window immediately brightened and waved at her eagerly. "Miss Nan!"
Noticing him, Sang Ning walked over.
The man was painfully thin, his suit hanging loosely on his frame as if it couldn’t quite hold shape. His facial features were ordinary, but his gauntness gave his face a sunken appearance. His eyes, however, were unnervingly lively—within the short walk to his table, they had already raked over Sang Ning from head to toe twice.
His face lit up with poorly concealed satisfaction as he stood. "Miss Nan, I’m Du Yao."
He extended his hand for a handshake.
Sang Ning smiled politely. "Hello."
Then she pulled out a chair and sat down without taking his hand.
Du Yao’s expression darkened briefly at the slight, but his infatuation with her beauty kept him from reacting. Instead, he chuckled and sat back down. "Miss Nan, you’re even more beautiful in person than in your photos."
Only then did Sang Ning realize—the Nan family hadn’t provided her with Du Yao’s photo or any details about him. The only thing she knew was his name.
This wasn’t an ordinary blind date. It felt more like Du Yao’s private selection process.
Leaning back into the sofa, Du Yao’s eyes remained fixed on Sang Ning’s face. "To be honest, I wasn’t too keen on meeting you initially. After all, I heard you grew up in the countryside—probably lacking in sophistication. I studied abroad since childhood, so we’re clearly from different worlds."
The smile on Sang Ning’s lips faded slightly. She prided herself on her composure; even the Nan family’s eccentric members had never unsettled her.
Yet this man before her now made her skin crawl just by looking at him.
Du Yao’s oily gaze lingered on her face with satisfaction. "But after meeting you, I find you quite to my taste. My family’s been pressuring me to marry, and I was still considering my options. But now, I think you’re the perfect fit."
From the moment Nan Sangning walked in, he had locked onto her. Far prettier than in photos, delicate as a doll—he was no amateur when it came to women. His discerning eye had sampled countless beauties, and this one?
Her face, her figure—even in the most exclusive circles, she’d stand out as a rare gem.
More importantly, she was cleaner and more respectable than the women from those high-end clubs.
With his urgent need for a wife, Nan Sangning’s timing couldn’t have been better.
"How about this? I’ll have my family set the wedding date when I get back," Du Yao said, licking his lips. "Tonight, I’ll take you out on my yacht. You can meet my friends too."
A woman like this? He wasn’t about to wait until marriage.
Sang Ning’s eyes turned icy. "Mr. Du, I haven’t agreed to this marriage yet."
Du Yao blinked, then burst into laughter. "Playing hard to get, huh? Well, you are a proper girl from a decent family—I suppose a little coyness is expected. Fine, we’ll hold off on the wedding date. Let’s date for a while first, get to know each other."
If he got bored, he could always find another bride.
As he spoke, he eagerly reached for her hand.
Sang Ning tilted the coffee cup beside her.
Scalding liquid splashed onto his skin. With a sharp cry, he yanked his hand back, the skin already turning red.
Sang Ning regarded him coldly. "I’m not satisfied with you."
Du Yao’s eyes bulged in disbelief. His gaunt face twisted into something ugly as he slammed the table and shot to his feet. "Who the hell do you think you are, acting all high and mighty with me?! Look at yourself—what makes you think you’re in any position to judge me?!"
Sang Ning remained seated, looking up at him with disdain. "If you’re so confident in yourself, why are you throwing a tantrum now? Deep down, even you know you’re nothing special."
The words struck a nerve. Du Yao’s face purpled with rage. "What the hell did you just say?! Who’s ‘nothing special’?!"
Sang Ning arched a brow. "For example, right now? I don’t dare stand up—I’d have to look down at you, and I wouldn’t want to bruise your fragile ego."
Du Yao: !!!
His expression cycled through a dozen shades of fury, veins bulging at his temples.
He stood barely over 1.7 meters tall. In heels, Sang Ning could effortlessly tower over him.
"You—!" Du Yao’s eyes burned with murderous intent.
But Sang Ning only felt more at ease. The way Du Yao had been ogling her earlier—like a slithering snake—had made her stomach churn.
"My apologies. I didn’t get your details beforehand. Had I known about your height, I wouldn’t have worn heels."
"You bitch!" Du Yao finally snapped. He lunged at her, hand raised to strike.
But just as his palm swung down, a lean, well-defined hand caught his wrist midair, immobilizing him.
Furious, Du Yao whirled around. "Who the hell dares interfere—?!"
The moment he saw the man behind him, his face drained of color. "Th-Third Young Master He…"
Then—
"Ahhh!" Another bloodcurdling scream tore from his throat.
Sang Ning had sprayed pepper spray directly into his eyes.
Clutching his face, Du Yao howled in agony, collapsing back into his seat. "Help! Someone help! It burns! Aah!"
He Siyu’s brow twitched. He released Du Yao’s wrist with visible disgust, letting the man writhe in pain.
Then he turned to Sang Ning.
She offered him the same polite, practiced smile. "General Manager He, what a coincidence."
He Siyu: "..."
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
Sang Ning blinked innocently. "Family-arranged blind date."
His eyes swept over her. "You certainly dressed the part."
"The family takes it seriously. Naturally, I had to prepare thoroughly," she replied earnestly.
Du Yao was still wailing in the background. "Help! Someone call an ambulance!"
But no one dared step forward—not with He Siyu present. Even Manager Zheng, the overseer of Zhongmen Tower’s commercial district, stood silently behind him.
He Siyu glanced at the pepper spray in her hand. "Thorough indeed."
Sang Ning didn’t bother addressing his sarcasm. "Thank you for the praise, General Manager He."
"Mind putting that away now?" His tone was light, almost teasing. "I’d hate to be your next target."
Sang Ning: "..."
