Chapter One: From Now On, We're Even

Three years had passed. Today was Qin Yunzhen’s first birthday since his recovery. Su Mian had personally made a cake and carried it in a box to the celebration.

“Keep it down, don’t scare her,” came Qin Yunzhen’s low, gentle voice as she reached the door.

A smile of happiness spread across Su Mian’s face.

“Yunzhen, I don’t mind. It’s your birthday today. If you’re happy, then I’m happy too,” she said softly, her voice sweet and obedient.

But the voice that followed immediately froze her in place, her hand tightening around the door handle.

Through the crack of the opened door, a man’s stern profile appeared. His long arm rested on the sofa, holding a petite girl in a white dress protectively in his embrace.

With his other hand, he handed her a cup of juice. He lowered his head slightly, whispering something that drew a shy laugh from the girl, who then playfully tapped him.

Their intimacy was unmistakable.

Su Mian’s grip on the cake box strap slowly clenched tighter, a mixture of bitterness and pain swelling in her chest, leaving her trapped between staying and leaving.

At that moment, another voice echoed from inside the private room—it was Qin Yunzhen’s friend, Xu Yao.

“Old Qin, this is the first time I’ve seen you so gentle with a girl. Aren’t you worried Su Mian will see this and cause a scene?”

The man’s expression was shadowed, but his voice carried unmistakable impatience and cold sarcasm.

“What right does she have to cause a scene with me? Fiancée? I never recognized her as that!”

Someone else chimed in.

“Yeah, that’s all old-fashioned stuff, child betrothals and all that.”

“And as for Su Mian, she used to love being a lapdog, then turned into a free babysitter and caregiver. It’s pretty annoying.”

“She’s just like her mother in that regard. But her mother did have some skill—she managed to worm her way into the Huo family.”

Laughter erupted among the group.

The laughter was like knives, stabbing deeply into Su Mian’s heart, drawing fresh blood.

All these years of chasing after him, all the sacrifices of the past three years—it was nothing but self-inflicted humiliation as a lapdog.

She staggered, barely able to stand, and fled clumsily into the bathroom.

From the next stall came the sound of someone vomiting. The sour, foul odor mixed with the sweet scent of cream filled the cramped space, mocking her current humiliation.

She roughly wiped the tears from her face, smearing the makeup all over her hands.

Looking into the mirror at her disheveled reflection, a bitter smirk tugged at her lips.

The Su and Qin families had old ties; their parents had arranged a child betrothal. But when Su Mian was fifteen, her father died unexpectedly. Six months later, her mother, Lin Xiu, chose to marry into the Huo family.

When Qin’s mother learned of this, she invited Su Mian to live with the Qin family. Knowing the Huo family disapproved of the marriage, Su Mian agreed for her mother’s sake.

At the same time, due to her father’s will, Lin Xiu transferred her late husband’s company shares to the Qin family.

From then on, she was taken in by the Qin family, who treated her kindly.

Having just lost her father and with her mother heartlessly remarrying, Su Mian suffered nightmares almost every night when she first arrived at the Qin household, curled up and crying. Thankfully, Qin Yunzhen was there to comfort her.

But by the time she turned eighteen, Qin Yunzhen inexplicably began to distance himself, growing colder and more indifferent.

Desperate to salvage their past relationship, she chased after him relentlessly, willing to become the lapdog everyone mocked.

Three years ago, after Qin Yunzhen’s car accident damaged his nerves, she was determined to care for him. Over those years, she became his rehabilitator, nutritionist, nanny, and caregiver.

Seeing him slowly stand again brought her bittersweet joy.

But in the end, reality slapped her hard.

Not every true heart in this world is reciprocated.

The Qin Yunzhen who once cared for and spoiled her was gone forever.

Her phone buzzed in her bag—it was Qin Yunzhen calling.

She hesitated briefly before answering.

His cold, impatient voice came through. “Are you coming or not? You’re making everyone wait.”

To her side, the sound of a flushing toilet was audible. Clearly hearing it, his voice rose a notch.

“You’re still not out the door? It’s my birthday—I can’t believe you’d be late! Oh, and no mango in the cake—someone here is allergic!”

A bitter smile touched Su Mian’s lips. She hadn’t heard of anyone in his circle allergic to mangoes—so that meant it was her...

“Qin Yunzhen, let’s break up. The engagement is off,” she said, her eyes red, taking a deep breath as she made her decision.

Silence hung for a moment on the other end, then the man’s mocking cold laugh followed.

“Whatever you say.”

He hung up immediately.

No pleas, no questions—just cutting her off as if their years together were nothing more than refuse to be discarded at will.

Su Mian’s heart numbed from the pain. She returned home in a daze.

After his leg injury, Qin Yunzhen refused to live with his parents and moved to a villa he purchased elsewhere. Su Mian moved in with him.

Since the injury, his temper worsened; he wouldn’t let servants near him, often yelling, hitting, or throwing things. Su Mian dismissed the servants and took on all the household chores herself.

Only six months ago, when he was able to walk again, did she hire the servants back.

She looked at the calluses on her palms. Every corner of this villa had been cleaned by her. She had yearned for this place to be her forever home.

But now...

After three years, she had accumulated quite a few belongings, filling three large suitcases.

Jewelry, haute couture dresses.

The Qin family had always been generous to her.

But none of it was related to Qin Yunzhen.

As for what was connected...

She called the servants and had everything packed and thrown out—the bed sheets, the duvet covers, toothbrushes, towels.

Every trace of her life here was erased without a single exception, except for the cake.

It was the last gift she gave Qin Yunzhen. From now on, they were even.

Just as she got into the taxi, Lin Xiu called.

“Come to the old house at seven tonight. Huo Beihan has returned to the country.”

Su Mian’s body stiffened instantly.

Distant memories struck her without warning.

In her mind appeared a cold, indifferent face.

Huo Beihan, the legitimate grandson of the Huo family, the undisputed heir of the capital’s business world—and her cousin by blood, though without a proper title.

When Lin Xiu married into the Huo family, Huo Beihan, then twenty-one, already controlled the Huo Corporation. He forced Lin Xiu to sign a prenuptial agreement in front of the entire clan.

Back then, Su Mian knew the Huo family disliked both her mother and herself. Huo Beihan disliked them even more.

She thought that once she moved to the Qin family, all would be peaceful—until the year she turned eighteen...