A Heart of Rebellion [Marriage Before Love]

[Strangers before marriage | Marriage first, love later | Five-year age gap | Second chance romance]

[Actress x Hong Kong power player]

1/

Xie Zhiyun was once a hugely popular actress on the mainland, and the most successful actress from Hong Kong to build a career there.

Her beauty earned her the title of Victoria's most beautiful star.

But few people knew that Xie Zhiyun was married to Fu Sinian, a notorious Hong Kong power player with ties to both the underworld and the establishment.

After they married, they agreed to keep it private and make no demands of each other. Only their families and close friends knew.

Fu Sinian readily agreed.

They rarely saw each other: one was always on the mainland filming or attending business events, while the other did business in Hong Kong.

Many of their friends thought the marriage wouldn't last.

One day, Xie Zhiyun saw a headline in Hong Kong's entertainment section: "Shocking! Underworld and establishment power player spotted at hotel. Secret rendezvous or business meeting?"

The article was accompanied by a photo of a man and a woman entering the hotel together.

Looking at it, Xie Zhiyun thought they made a pretty good match, if only the man weren't her husband in name.

She waited several days for an explanation from Fu Sinian, but none came. Exhausted, Xie Zhiyun sent a divorce agreement to Hong Kong.

After finishing a night shoot that day, she found someone in her room.

The man from the entertainment report was sitting on her sofa, holding the agreement.

When he saw Xie Zhiyun, Fu Sinian tore the agreement to shreds.

He walked toward her one step at a time, a rare hint of restraint in his usually indifferent eyes.

"What does this mean?"

Xie Zhiyun's expression was blank. "I just think it's best to end this pointless marriage here."

"Pointless?"

Fu Siheng smiled, but the smile never reached his eyes.

"Then let me show you what interesting looks like."

Later, when Xie Zhiyun happened to check Fu Siheng's phone in front of him, she saw that photo again and realized the woman in it had been her.

Fu Siheng wrapped his arms around her from behind and smiled indulgently. "Mrs. Fu, you're jealous of yourself now?"

"After wrongfully accusing me like that last time, how are you going to make it up to your husband?"

2.

Marrying Fu Sinian was never part of Xie Zhiyun's plans.

Xie Zhiyun had a childhood sweetheart, Lu Jingqian. The Lu and Xie families had been close for generations, and both hoped to join their families through marriage.

Even Xie Zhiyun herself thought she would eventually end up with Lu Jingqian.

But just as they were discussing their engagement, Lu Jingqian was diagnosed with a rare, complex solid tumor.

Several hospitals in China assessed the risks of surgery as too high and found no effective treatment plan. He had to go to the United States and Germany for radiation therapy and surgery. His treatment would be lengthy and require a long-term stay abroad, leaving him unable to be a stable presence in a family.

The two families discussed it, and in the end the marriage arrangement fell through.

As they parted, Lu Jingqian's only wish was for Xie Zhiyun to be safe and happy. Ill with a serious disease, he couldn't be sure he'd survive the operation. After much thought, he turned to his good friend Fu Sinian.

Fu Sinian was reserved and kept his distance from women. He controlled an underground commercial empire.

As his friend, Lu Jingqian knew Fu Sinian was a responsible man. If Xie Zhiyun married him, she would have someone to rely on.

Lu Jingqian tentatively proposed an alliance between the Fu and Xie families, prepared for Fu Sinian to refuse. To his surprise, Fu Sinian simply said, "All right."

The marriage alliance would benefit both families, and Xie Zhiyun accepted. The wedding was grand and made headlines, but no one knew the bride and groom had only just met.

Later, after Lu Jingqian recovered and wanted to return to Xie Zhiyun's side, Fu Siheng wouldn't let him.

He said, "Everything in the world can be left unclear, but feelings have to be crystal clear."

Lu Jingqian asked, "Fu Sinian, have you fallen in love with her?"

Fu Sinian answered without hesitation, "Yes."

I love her more than I love myself.

3/

On the fifth anniversary of Xie Zhiyun's debut, defamatory posts suddenly spread across the internet. Paparazzi claimed to have dug up the story of how she'd risen to fame and her marital history.

The rumors included claims like "Xie Zhiyun was the mistress of a fifty-year-old director with a beer belly" and "Xie Zhiyun hid her marriage."

Xie Zhiyun laughed it off, not caring in the least. But the next day, during a live interview, the interviewer brazenly asked, "What do you think about the way you rose to fame?"

The staff beside her paled. Xie Zhiyun stood up and walked away, saying to the camera as she left, "I am indeed married."

The media thought they'd uncovered the biggest story of the year and rushed to report it.

But twenty minutes later, every video spreading the rumors had been taken down, and the biggest account behind them had deleted itself. Netizens immediately sensed that something huge was going on.

Some thought Xie Zhiyun had been caught out and was throwing a fit. Others thought the rumors might not be true.

Then the biggest business group in Hong Kong spoke up:

@Xie Zhiheng, CEO of Yaochuan: "Your stint in the entertainment industry is over. Come home, little sister."

Right after him, Fu Siheng, head of Hong Kong's biggest casino and its most powerful industrial group, and CEO of Tianshu Group, posted:

@Fu Siheng: "Thank you, Mrs. Fu, for finally giving me a title."

The picture showed two marriage certificates.

Baffled onlookers: ...?? You're telling me the actress I've been following is not only the heiress to a mega-rich family conglomerate, but also the boss lady of an entertainment city?

[Reader's Guide]

1. The male lead has no exes or fiances. His conduct is impeccable, and every first is with the female lead.

2. As the blurb says, the female lead has a former fiance, but they were never physically intimate. There will be rivalry among men.

3. Not a story about a strong female lead. The leads barely knew each other before marriage, and the male lead falls first.

4. One-on-one, sexually exclusive.

Theme: Prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony.