Inside the solemn main hall of the Chu residence, the atmosphere was heavy with silence. Chu Fu, the patriarch, paced slowly across the room, his face carved in tension. The collapse of the Chu family's business weighed heavily on his shoulders, and the shadow of despair loomed closer with every passing day.
He turned sharply to face his daughter, his voice low but strained.
"Tell me," he asked coldly, "is there any news? Is Young Master Lu Chen getting engaged again?"
Chu Ming's eyes flickered with pain. Her lips tightened, but she answered with difficulty, "I… don't know. But even if he is, it's not my concern anymore."
"Not your concern?" Chu Fu's voice rose. "That boy may not be the most talented, but he's from the Lu family! Their power alone was enough to protect us—and now that protection is gone, and our enemies are tearing into us like wild dogs!"
Chu Ming looked away, bitterness swelling in her chest. "Chen Fan has talent. Real strength. He's not like Lu Chen, who only ever had status and pride."
"Talent?" Chu Fu sneered. "Can talent protect a crumbling clan today? Can talent put food on the tables of hundreds of our retainers? You fool—Lu Chen's backing was our lifeline!"
He stepped forward, eyes sharp.
"Listen carefully. You're going to see Lu Chen. You're going to beg forgiveness. Seduce him if you must. I don't care how you do it—just tie him back to this family!"
"I won't!" Chu Ming snapped, trembling. "I won't sell myself like that!"
Smack!
Chu Fu's palm cracked across her face, leaving a red mark blooming on her pale skin. The slap echoed like thunder through the hall.
Tears welled up in Chu Ming's eyes as she stood frozen, heart pounding. Chu Fu didn't say another word. His glare was cold, his disappointment deeper than anger.
Without a sound, Chu Ming turned and ran to her room, tears falling freely. The heavy door slammed shut behind her.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side.
In a quiet corridor of the Chu family's secondary estate, Chu Sen—Chu Fu's younger brother—sat with a sly grin as he scrolled through his spirit communicator.
A message had just been sent.
His daughter, Chu Su, would not return home tonight.
Instead, she was being sent directly to the Lu Family's personal villa—to meet Young Master Lu Chen.
Chu Sen leaned back in his seat, eyes gleaming with ambition. "Heh… while that old fool still bets on his useless daughter, I'll offer mine instead. Let's see who rises higher."
His gaze turned toward the empty patriarch's chair at the head of the room.
"Soon, that seat will be mine."
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