Chapter 1

Late night. A black Bentley slowly pulled up beneath the apartment complex. A tall man in a black suit stepped out of the car. He appeared to be in his forties, yet time had left no visible marks on his face. Adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, he glanced at the golden watch on his wrist. The sky was a dull gray, with dark clouds obscuring the moon. Xia Wen emerged from the building, carrying several bags, with Lin Shizhao following closely behind. Seeing her, Gu Zhiwei’s face lit up with a smile as he strode forward, taking the bags from her hands and passing them to the butler, Old Li. He greeted Lin Shizhao warmly, but she, having only met him a few times before, felt completely at a loss. Her mind went blank. She wasn’t close to Gu Zhiwei. And now, this man was about to become her stepfather. The thought left an unexplainable sourness in her heart. "Hello, Mr. Gu," Lin Shizhao responded flatly. "How can you be so rude? Call him Dad!" Xia Wen frowned and shot her a warning look. The air suddenly turned cold, as if an invisible black hole had begun sucking all the oxygen away. Lin Shizhao felt suffocated, her chest tight with bitterness. She had no idea how to deal with this new ‘father’ that had suddenly entered her life. Gu Zhiwei cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension. "It’s alright, Xia Wen. She’s still young." His voice was gentle and soothing. "Shizhao, no need to be so formal. Just call me Uncle Gu." "Come on, let’s get in the car. No need to stand around." Gu Zhiwei quickly opened the car door, carefully shielding Xia Wen’s head as she got into the front passenger seat. Lin Shizhao climbed into the back, sitting stiffly with her head down. Her pale fingers gripped the edge of her clothes as silent tears slipped down her face. The Gu Residence The black Bentley drove through the bustling streets before entering a luxurious villa district. A grand European-style mansion came into view. The car rolled to a stop in front of a fountain. The deep red front door, the black marble driveway, and the brightly lit interior all exuded opulence. As soon as Gu Zhiwei stepped out, the servants hurried over to welcome him, leading Xia Wen and her daughter into the dining hall. "Mr. Gu, everything has been arranged as you requested. Dinner is ready," said Housekeeper Wang. "Where’s Helin? Why isn’t he here for dinner?" Gu Zhiwei frowned. "That boy does nothing but play games all day. Does he even remember he has a father? He’s spoiled rotten!" "I’ll go get him now." On the second floor, the door to a room was shut tight. Inside, a teenager with slightly tousled black hair sat with a game console in his hands, his eyes fixed on the screen. His pale face contrasted with his rosy lips. His high-bridged nose and narrow, deep-set phoenix eyes gave him an aloof and unapproachable look. His sharp gaze carried an innate coldness, creating an invisible barrier between him and the world. A notification sound rang out. His phone screen lit up, showing a voice message from He Junming. Gu Helin put down his game console and tapped the message with his slender fingers. "Helin, bro! So, how’s the new little sister? Is she pretty? Hahaha, send me a pic!" Gu Helin simply typed: "I don’t know." There was no punctuation, no emotion. He Junming immediately responded, relentless: "Come on, just a quick pic! I won’t steal her from you, promise!" Gu Helin: "No." He Junming: "No way! Don’t tell me… you actually like her? Tsk tsk." Gu Helin: "F*** off." Just then, a voice called from outside. "Young Master, Mr. Gu wants you downstairs for dinner." Gu Helin ruffled his hair, stretched lazily, and put his phone down. As he stepped out of his room, he glanced down from the second floor and saw the unfamiliar mother and daughter. He barely spared them a second look before shoving his hands into his pockets and heading downstairs. At the dining table, he sat down without a word and started eating, shoveling rice into his mouth. Gu Zhiwei frowned. "Helin, at least greet them. This is your Aunt Xia and your sister, Shizhao." Helin gave them a small nod but remained silent. "Your sister is about the same age as you," Gu Zhiwei continued. "She’ll be starting high school soon. I’ve already arranged for her to attend your school. Look after her when the semester begins." Helin merely nodded again, saying nothing. Sitting across from him, Lin Shizhao’s face flushed slightly. Feeling awkward, she forced a small smile and kept her head down, focusing on her food. "I remember Helin was directly admitted to the city’s top high school," Xia Wen chimed in. "He even won first place in the national math competition. That’s really impressive!" She patted Lin Shizhao’s shoulder. "You should learn from your brother. If you don’t, you won’t be able to keep up at such a prestigious school." The unexpected physical contact startled Shizhao. Her hand trembled, knocking her chopsticks against a porcelain soup bowl. The liquid splashed onto her pants. "How careless! Do you not have eyes?" Xia Wen scolded. "Xia Wen, don’t be so harsh on the child," Gu Zhiwei interjected. "Housekeeper Wang, clean this up and bring a change of clothes for Shizhao. Helin, show your sister to the bathroom." Without a word, Helin stood up and walked toward the second-floor restroom. Flustered, Shizhao quickly followed. Inside the bathroom, she cleaned herself up, splashing cold water on her face. Pressing her hands against the sink, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face, familiar yet unfamiliar, stared back at her. Water droplets clung to her porcelain skin. Her long eyelashes framed deep, expressive eyes. Beneath her left eye, a single beauty mark stood out under the bright bathroom light. She had inherited Xia Wen’s cool, elegant features. Even without trying, she carried an undeniable presence. When she stepped out of the bathroom, she found Helin leaning against the doorframe, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling. Without looking at her, he wordlessly handed her a pack of wet wipes. "Thank you," she murmured. Helin remained silent. Without another glance, he turned and walked away.