The city of S was shrouded in ink-black night.

Raindrops pattered against the pavement as the car glided through the wet streets, its tires sending ripples through puddles.

Screech—

The car jerked to a halt. The assistant glanced at the man in the backseat, whose eyes were closed, and lowered his voice. "Mr. Gu, there's a woman blocking the road."

The man opened his eyes and lifted his gaze to the windshield, his expression indifferent.

A woman lay sprawled on the rain-soaked pavement, utterly disheveled. She struggled to rise, her legs seemingly injured, making the effort agonizing.

After several attempts, An Susu finally dragged her trembling body to the car door and pounded on the window.

The assistant shot a hesitant look at the man before cautiously rolling the window down.

"Please... help me..."

"Miss, I'm sorry, but you'll need Mr. Gu's permission to get in..."

Her eyes flickered toward the backseat, and without warning, she locked gazes with a pair of cold, unreadable dark eyes.

The nightmare she had just endured surged through An Susu’s mind. The thought of her pursuers catching up sent violent tremors through her body.

Her lips, bitten pale, parted soundlessly. Her cheeks were swollen and bruised, her damp, tangled hair clinging to her face—she was a picture of utter desperation.

Her eyelids fluttered weakly. The dizziness from exhaustion and the adrenaline of her desperate escape finally overwhelmed her, and she collapsed onto the wet ground.

The car door swung open. The man stared down at the rain-drenched woman, his detached gaze faltering for the briefest moment when he caught sight of her pallid, battered face.

She looked almost identical to someone from his past.

Two seconds later, the man bent down, scooped her up, and got into the car.

"Let's go."

"G-Get away... Don't touch me!"

An Susu opened her eyes to a dimly lit room. She froze for a moment, then lifted a trembling hand to touch her own face, then the blanket draped over her body...

She hadn’t been violated.

Tears of relief spilled onto the sheets as she curled into herself, trembling. A choked sound, half-sob, half-laugh, escaped her lips.

*Click.*

The white ceiling light flickered on, flooding the bedroom with harsh brightness.

An Susu looked up, dazed, at the man standing beside the bed.

His eyes were cool and detached, his lips pale, his jawline sharp and flawless—every feature carved with inhuman precision. The stark black shirt he wore only accentuated his cutting presence, making him seem even colder.

Gu Han studied the woman with tears clinging to her lashes, then casually plucked a tissue from the nightstand and handed it to her.

"Thank you."

An Susu hastily took it, wiping her face clean. She glanced around, found no trash bin, and ended up clutching the crumpled tissue in her fist.

"Done crying?" His voice was low, smooth as aged whiskey, lingering in the air.

An Susu felt rather awkward. She took a deep breath and spoke softly, "Sir, thank you for saving me. My name is An Susu..."

"You owe me your life. How do you plan to repay me?"

"Huh?" The woman looked up at him in bewilderment.

The man casually slid his left hand into his pocket, his gaze fixed on her as he repeated coolly, "I saved you. What’s your repayment?"

Repayment? Shouldn’t decent people just help others out of kindness? Shouldn’t he have brushed it off with a simple "You’re welcome" after her thanks?

An Susu unconsciously bit her lower lip, her voice tinged with frustration. "What do you want from me?"

A faint smirk flickered in the man’s eyes as he replied indifferently, "I’m in need of a wife."

"No way!"

"You ask for repayment, yet refuse to offer yourself." His fingers lifted her chin, his voice turning icy. "Is this how women are—always saying one thing but meaning another?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, his tone laced with menace. "Or would you prefer I return you to where I found you? Hmm?"