Chapter 1 "What is your name?"
From the moment she entered the lounge, Jiang Yuan had been sitting quietly for ten long minutes, as if left out in the cold.
The man beside her was called Yin Dong.
Before tonight, Madam Hui had warned her: The more power a man holds, the harder he is to please.
And Yin Dong? He wasn’t just powerful. He was the kind of man other powerful men bowed to. Even if a goddess fell from the heavens, it wasn’t certain she could stir his heart.
Jiang Yuan, of course, was no goddess. She wasn’t the type of beauty to turn every head in the room. But, as Madam Hui liked to say, her face carried a dangerous charm: at first glance, innocent and pure; at second glance, teasing and provocative—enough to make men ache for her.
Tonight, the suite was over two hundred square meters of luxury, filled with laughter, smoke, and at least a dozen men and women. The other girls had already thrown themselves into the game—lighting cigarettes for their men, clinking glasses of wine, even letting wandering hands explore without resistance.
But Jiang Yuan sat properly at Yin Dong’s side, coat off, posture straight, pretending to be calm while stealing furtive glances at him.
He was broad-shouldered, his frame so imposing that even lounging with his legs apart, he radiated strength. Dressed head to toe in black, his shirt sleeves rolled up to reveal bronze arms marked with veins over hard muscle.
Both elbows rested on his knees. In one hand he held a cigarette between long fingers, in the other, a phone.
Jiang Yuan peeked—and froze.
He was scrolling through stock charts. A sea of red. The loss displayed at the bottom was an eight-digit figure.
Her heart skipped. Finance was her field. Gathering her courage, she spoke softly:
“I lost quite a bit today too… Looks like luck hasn’t been kind to any of us.”
For the first time, Yin Dong turned his head sharply toward her, as if only now realizing she was there.
His gaze was deep, cold, a sharp edge hidden beneath the darkness. Jiang Yuan’s chest tightened. His eyes lingered on her face for a few seconds before sliding lower—down her chin, tracing her neck, drifting inch by inch.
Heat crept to her cheeks, though she forced her expression to remain steady.
“How much?” His voice was low, edged with ice.
“…A little over a thousand.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. A faint, mocking smile tugged at his lips—just enough to bring a fleeting warmth to his otherwise cold face.
Jiang Yuan allowed her lips to curve slightly as well. “But it was only a demo account. Good thing I don’t actually have money to trade.”
He froze, then suddenly clicked his screen off. With a sharp crack, he tossed the phone onto the marble table. When he turned back, his face had already darkened again.
“You trying to provoke me?” His voice was low, his teeth gritted, though he didn’t sound truly angry.
Jiang Yuan knew then—she had caught his attention.
She shifted slightly away, her voice careful but earnest. “No… I’m telling the truth. If you don’t believe me, I can show you.”
She rose to her feet, leaning forward to reach for her coat draped over the sofa.
Tonight she wore a short white blouse tucked into tight jeans. As she bent, her slender waist and the curve of her hips, hugged perfectly by denim, fell into his line of sight.
Jiang Yuan lingered deliberately for a heartbeat longer before pulling out her phone. Only after unlocking the screen did she turn back and sit down again.
She slid her phone open with exaggerated seriousness. Just as she tilted her head to show him, she felt it—his breath, hot and heavy, brushing against her ear.
“What’s your name?”
Her body stiffened. She willed herself not to flinch, forcing her breathing to steady. But before she could open her mouth, warmth pressed suddenly against the small of her back.
Her waist jolted involuntarily, this time not feigned, and her voice came out taut and trembling.
“...Jiang Yuan.”