For Ye

Brooding, possessive man x gentle, resilient woman

Powerful Beijing socialite x inheritor of the ceramic intangible cultural heritage

"You are the only rose in my barren land."

Xia Jin first met Jin Shangbei on the school stairs.

He was wearing a crisp suit, surrounded by admirers. Sunlight slanted over him as he stood in the shadows.

The wind swept over his strong shoulders and neck, then brushed past Xia Jin's face. Her breath caught, and she instinctively looked up, meeting his eyes.

At that moment, Qiao Ye heard her heart pounding.

The second time she saw Jin Shangbei was at a bar.

Someone had thrown a drink over her. Her slightly raised face was damp, and it was impossible to tell whether it was from the alcohol or her tears.

Jin Shangbei stood on the second floor, collar undone and sleeves rolled up. The dim light made him look especially aloof and striking.

Amid the noisy crowd and shifting lights, he came down the steps and entered her shattered world.

"Come on. I'll take you home."

2.

Rumor had it that the Jin Group's business spanned the globe, and that Jin Shangbei, its real power-holder, was a mysterious man.

People said he was ruthless and cold-hearted, a man who could kill without blinking, like a demon. In just two months, he had reorganized the Group, which had been on the verge of collapse.

An iron fist, business genius, and shrewd schemer: none of these was enough to describe this ambitious tycoon who did things on a grand scale.

But everyone in Beijing's social circles knew that all his patience was reserved for his girlfriend at home. They said she was the campus belle of Beijing University, stunningly beautiful, with a cool, crystal-clear face untouched by the world. Her eyes gleamed with a bold, alluring sensuality.

The two were inseparable and had been deeply in love for years. Everyone said Qiao Ye was about to marry into wealth.

No one expected Xia Jin to suddenly become a name no one dared mention.

People speculated about what had happened. Someone in the know posted online that Xia Jin had died in a car crash caused by Jin Shangbei's arranged-marriage partner.

Everyone agreed, because that arranged-marriage partner really did end up in prison.

3.

The day she let herself fall, Qiao Ye knew that loving him had always been an act of greed.

She could run wild in hell, but he couldn't.

4.

They met again at an investment gala.

Xia Jin had changed her name to Qiao Ye and become a leading inheritor of ceramic craftsmanship. Dressed in a teal qipao, she showed off her curving figure.

But her expression remained cool.

Jin Shangbei watched her take another man's arm, then hid the cold smile at the corner of his lips.

"Miss Qiao, what you asked for is right here." He placed a room key card in Qiao Ye's palm.

They had been apart for so many years, and he had imagined countless times how their reunion might go. But when he saw her standing beside another man, Jin Shangbei's reason crumbled in an instant.

In the dim hotel room, beneath the red-wine glow of the lights, Jin Shangbei's trembling hand gripped Qiao Ye's shoulder and pressed her into the corner of the sofa. His gaze was icy and devoid of warmth. "You actually dared to come, Xia Jin!"

"Mr. Jin, where's what I asked for?" Qiao Ye's deep, dark eyes were calm. Her black hair fell beside her ears.

Nanchuan, a place where it never snowed, welcomed its first snowfall. Qiao Ye stood at the temple entrance, with Jin Shangbei tall and straight behind her, holding an umbrella over her.

Looking at the best fortune slip in her hand, which promised good luck in all things, Qiao Ye thought she would be reckless one more time.

Joy shone between Jin Shangbei's brows. "Qiao Ye, can you hear my heartbeat? Your existence is the reason my heart beats."

Qiao Ye didn't know that every fortune slip in the container promised good luck.

Jin Shangbei's Weibo account had been registered by the company's publicity department. It had never posted anything other than company promotions and industry news, so everyone assumed that company staff ran it for him.

One spring, the account unusually posted a message: My wife @Qiao Ye

Theme: Ceramic intangible cultural heritage inheritor x powerful Beijing socialite