Chapter 1 — Betrothed to the Song Heir

My family’s company had declared bankruptcy, leaving me with no choice but to enter a strategic marriage. Honestly, I didn't mind it all that much, but I had heard rumors that the young master on the other side was violently opposed to the arrangement. They say a forced melon is never sweet, and I had no desire to be part of an unhappy union. I arrived at the Song family estate alone, fully prepared to call the whole thing off. Just before I reached out to push open the heavy oak doors, a defiant, thunderous roar erupted from within:

"I refuse this arranged marriage! I want the freedom to love whoever I choose!"

"If anyone tries to force me to marry that woman, Water Lily, I swear I will jump from this balcony right now!"

The moment I pushed the doors open, the shouting ceased instantly, replaced by a sudden, heavy silence. A few seconds later, the same voice rang out again, this time filled with a strange, high-pitched enthusiasm:

"Goodbye, Father! Mother! Today, I shall move into the home of Water Lily as an incoming son-in-law!"

Wait, what?

My family, the Water clan, had hit rock bottom. The disaster began when my younger brother embezzled twenty million yuan from the company treasury to shower gifts upon various attractive female streamers. He turned himself in, but the money was long gone. My father lay sprawled on the villa floor, kissing each marble tile as if bidding farewell to a lost love; by tomorrow, the mansion would be seized as collateral. My mother was clutching her designer handbags, singing them lullabies as if rocking a child to sleep, all while keeping the secondhand resale app open to finalize their sales. As for me, I stood in my room, staring at an entire wall covered in oversized limited-edition designer figures.

"I will go through with the arranged marriage," I told my parents.

They immediately dissolved into tears, praising me for finally maturing and learning to shoulder the burden of our family name. That very night, they settled on the candidate: the youngest son of the Song family, Song Ocean. There were two primary reasons for this choice. First, the Water family had once done the Song family a great favor years ago; the elder Songs were quite fond of me, and they believed my life would be comfortable there. Second, Song Ocean was incredibly handsome. Let us be honest—the second reason was the primary motivator.

By the next morning, both families had finalized the details. I spent the morning solemnly packing my precious collection of figures. By afternoon, however, news arrived that Song Ocean was throwing a tantrum of epic proportions, swearing on his life that he would rather die than marry me.

Fine. Truly, that was fine. I had learned a valuable lesson early in life: a forced melon is never sweet. If he didn't want to marry, I wouldn't force the issue. My father was busy appraising assets, and my mother was busy negotiating the sale of her purses, so I decided to head to the Song residence alone to settle the cancellation. I had heard that the Song family rules were as thick as a dictionary, and I worried that showing up unannounced might be considered an insult, but I felt it was the right thing to do.

As I approached the door, I didn't even have time to knock before the shouting started again from behind the wood.

"I will not marry her! I swear it on my life!"

"I already have someone in my heart! I swear to remain chaste for her sake alone!"

Oh, how noble. A virtuous, committed virgin. Years of experience told me that barging in now would be an unnecessary provocation, so I happily settled into the role of an eavesdropper.

"Old man, you and Mother had an arranged marriage too! You’ve treated each other with stiff, formal politeness for fifty years without a single spark of passion. That sounds like a death sentence!"

"I am only twenty-two! My life is filled with infinite possibilities! How could you expect me to settle for that... that woman who is two years older than me?"

That "old woman"? My eavesdropping posture faltered. I had just celebrated my twenty-fourth birthday yesterday. How did I suddenly become an "old woman" in his eyes? I cracked my knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet hallway.

"What? You say she’s beautiful? Do you think I am the kind of shallow person who only cares about appearances?"

"It’s about the beauty of the soul! Not only must she be beautiful on the outside, but her soul must also shine! She certainly couldn't compare to one finger of my little fairy!"

I couldn't hear what the elder Song said in response, but I heard the sound of furniture being thrown.

"My little fairy is not just an imaginary character, Father!"

I sighed and closed my eyes. It was clear that Song Ocean had no intention of marrying me. He was a late-life child, coddled and spoiled, while his older brother, Song Vast, handled the family business. Song Ocean had been born with a golden spoon in his mouth, used to getting exactly what he wanted. If he refused this marriage, there was no turning back.