Seven Years of You

My wife, I have a sudden meeting this morning and won't return to Sucheng until afternoon, around 3:30 pm.Qi, are you asleep?About to start the meeting. Can't reply immediately. Luo Qi's phone vibrated in her bag as Pei Shixiao sent three consecutive messages. Leaning against the seat, she slept soundly, the rhythmic clatter of train tracks muffling the notifications. She'd attended a business dinner that lasted until midnight, then caught the first morning bullet train to Sucheng after only a few hours' rest. The first message's "wife" address made her pause. In their years together, Pei Shixiao had rarely used that term, preferring her given name. Checking the arrival display, she typed: Three stops left to Sucheng. Just woke up. Ten minutes passed without reply—likely still in his meeting. Luo Qi locked her phone, watching suburban landscapes blur past. Their weekend trip was supposed to finalize banquet venues for their mid-December wedding. Originally from Sucheng, they now lived separately—her in Beijing, him in Shanghai—with two months since their last meeting. Her mother called as she exited the station. "Did Shixiao pick you up?" "He's stuck in meetings. Coming this afternoon." "You should've said earlier! I'd have asked your uncle—" "Taxis are fine." Her parents were both away on business. Two suitcases thudded into the trunk. The driver headed for their lakeside marital home, an upscale complex where they'd rarely reside. Pei Shixiao insisted all their properties be top-tier across three cities. Keypad beeps echoed in the vacant foyer. She'd never seen the furnished apartment except through his video tours—every detail curated to her tastes. New slippers whispered against marble as she texted: Arrived. His call came while she unpacked. "Ordered you lunch. Sorry I can't make it—project crisis." Wind tousled her hair on the balcony overlooking artificial waves. "We'll eat out next time." A beat of silence. "Can't return this week. Come to Shanghai? Keep me company at the office?" "Better focus on your work." She traced railing condensation. "I'll handle venue bookings alone." His guilt seeped through the line. "The Conrad's event manager will assist you. Choose whichever hall you like." Three PM found her evaluating a cerulean-themed ballroom with vaulted ceilings. The manager's assistant discreetly appraised her—ivory complexion against midnight hair, cool elegance masking financial scars. Seven years prior, the Luo family's bankruptcy had reduced them to cramped alley housing while Pei Shixiao's clan ranked among Sucheng's elite. By dusk, contracts were signed. Ancient stone bridges arched over tea-stained canals as she returned to her childhood neighborhood. Elder Qian waved from a courtyard stool, offering watermelon slices. "Married life needs proximity! Don't stay separated long." "Transferring to Shanghai next year," she assured, ignoring the old woman's scrutiny of her thrift-store blouse. Nightfall brought an urgent call. "Luo Assistant, how's Chairman Jiang's recovery? May we visit tomorrow?" Her blood chilled. Jiang Yue-ru hospitalized without her knowledge? The driver later explained: "Minor gallbladder surgery. She didn't want to disrupt your wedding plans." Next noon, sterilized hallways echoed her steps. Outside the VIP suite, R&D Chairman Jiang Shenghe's bodyguards stood sentry. She schooled her expression—the tech titan's glacial reputation preceded him. Voices floated through the door c***k: "...at least my illness silences your father's nagging about marriage." "Tell him I need two more years of bachelorhood." Amused baritone. "You'll give the old man heart failure." A sigh. "This obsession of yours...when will it end?" Knuckles rapped wood. "Enter." Jiang Shenghe's obsidian gaze tracked her movement as she presented chrysanthemums. His tailored suit couldn't disguise the predatory stillness—a panther assessing prey. "Shouldn't you be dress shopping?" Jiang Yue-ru chided from the bed. "All arranged." Luo Qi's smile tightened. The heir apparent tilted his wristwatch. 3:07 PM. Her fiancé's promised return window to Sucheng had expired twelve minutes ago.