Moments later, Xin Luo—Qiao Zhi's elder sister and designated heir—stepped into the hall. Tall, impeccably dressed, and radiating Alpha authority, she gave Gu Yangjin a curt nod.
"Congratulations," she said, her tone cool but not unkind. "I trust you'll treat my sister well."
Gu Yangjin smiled, a little breathless. "I promise."
Xin Luo's lips curved into a rare smile. "Good. Then let's plan the seating arrangements."
As the sisters swept away to discuss logistics, Madam Xin turned back to Gu Yangjin. "Don't worry about the details. Leave them to me—and Qiao Zhi."
She draped an arm around her future daughter-in-law. "Now, let's toast." Madam Xin produced four crystal champagne flutes; Mr. Xin poured.
"To family," said Madam Xin.
"To love," echoed Mr. Xin.
"To our future," added Qiao Zhi.
Gu Yangjin held her glass, heart full. "To us."
They clinked glasses; the sound rang clear and bright, sealing an alliance of hearts and dynasties.
Later, as Qiao Zhi and Gu Yangjin rode the elevator down, Gu Yangjin leaned her head on Qiao Zhi's shoulder. "That was… surprisingly easy."
Qiao Zhi laughed softly. "My family likes practical matters: good partner, good business sense. They trust me—and now they trust you."
Gu Yangjin smiled into the dim elevator light. "I feel… at home."
What Qiao Zhi said is right. The Xin family is a very nice family, and all the members have a nice familial bond with each other, it's not like other conglomerate families where everyone fights and kills each other for profit and property.
The original Ah Xin is the only one in this family who turned out to be a bad seed. From a young age, she was pampered to the extreme by her parents and that's why after growing up, she became like that.
But she still was a good daughter in front of her family and only in front of others, she let out her true face to.
Qiao Zhi thought about everything and came to the conclusion that this world will end soon.
The first world is a small world where there is not much conflict or drama, except Gu Yangjin's toxic family. Now that their wedding has been concluded, the Xing family would also stir up some trouble. There is the matter of the villain Xu Rongwan in the predetermined story where she repeatedly harasses her Gu'er because she also like Ah Xin and was jealous of Gu'er. Qiao Zhi thought about it and made up her mind to keep an eye out for any potential threat towards her Gu'er but she also believes in the tremendous changes the butterfly effect will bring to this world. Now, she can only wait and see how the future would go but dealing with the Xing family comes first and everything starts by letting the world know of their marriage.
This time, Qiao Zhi would take a different approach compared to their first life where she made her GU'er strong enough and made her take down her family by herself. But this life is a bit different because her Gu'er is already strong here and doesn't need to be strengthened mentally. So, she can just quickly sweep out the Xing family and let them pay for harming and torturing her Gu'er all her life.
Qiong City's skyline glittered like a field of diamonds each morning through the broad windows of their high‑rise apartment. On the glossy coffee table, headlines from every major outlet screamed the same story:
"Qiong City in Love: Ah Xin & Xing Huanming's Engagement Week"
"Xin Conglomerate Heiress to Marry rising Film Star – City Celebrates"
"From Toxic Past to Towering Future: Xing Huanming Finds Home with the second daughter of the Xin conglomerate Ah Xin!"
But inside, the world moved at its own gentle pace. Gu Yangjin lounged on the deep sectional sofa in soft cashmere sweats, scrolling through the congratulatory messages flooding her phone. Qiao Zhi padded barefoot behind her and draped an arm across her shoulder, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head.
"They've already scheduled the bridal portrait shoot for Thursday," Gu Yangjin said, tilting her phone so Qiao Zhi could read.
Qiao Zhi traced a fingertip down Gu Yangjin's arm. "And Mother is bringing over lunch for your 'dress‑fitting cooldown' at 12:30—even on a Tuesday." Her voice held affectionate amusement.
Gu Yangjin closed her eyes against the city hum. "They've become so… warm. After everything I endured, I never dreamed I'd feel this safe."
Qiao Zhi tightened her hold. "Xin Luo texted the other day: 'When you need a sister—call me." Gu Yangjin said with a smile, "And Father Xin sent a box of your favorite pastries from that boutique bakery you love." She gave Gu Yangjin's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "They adore you."
"I know," Gu Yangjin whispered. "And I adore them right back." She turned in her seat, wrapping her arms around Qiao Zhi's waist. "You gave me a family."
Qiao Zhi's breath caught. She bent to kiss Gu Yangjin's temple, soft and reverent. "And you gave me a reason to fight for love."
Their afternoon faded into quiet comfort: an impromptu lunch of steaming dumplings delivered by Madam Xin's private chef, a video call from Xin Luo to review the wedding playlist (her curated mix of classic love songs, 2000s ballads, and one cheeky K‑pop duet), and Father Xin's voice on speaker—encouraging Gu Yangjin to eat more greens before the bride‑to‑be diet madness began.
By evening, the apartment's ambient lights glowed warm. Gu Yangjin stretched out on the bed, golden hair fanned over crisp white sheets. Qiao Zhi lounged beside her, brushing a stray lock from Gu Yangjin's face.
"Mother and father insisted we have an at‑home rehearsal dinner tomorrow," Qiao Zhi murmured, voice low.
Gu Yangjin lifted her gaze. "You know I'd do anything for them." She reached up to stroke Qiao Zhi's cheek. "Anything for you."
That simple promise sent a thrill through Qiao Zhi's chest. She leaned down, capturing Gu Yangjin's lips in a kiss that began soft—an echo of gratitude—and deepened quickly into something more urgent. Her hand tangled in Gu Yangjin's night‑soft hair as she pressed their bodies together, the sheet sliding cool beneath their warming skin.
Gu Yangjin responded without hesitation, arching into Qiao Zhi's embrace, fingers tracing the lines of Qiao Zhi's back. Her lips parted, welcoming Qiao Zhi's tongue, matching each slow movement with equal fire. Every touch fell into place: Qiao Zhi's palm at the small of Gu Yangjin's back, guiding her, while Gu Yangjin's hips pressed up in answer.
When Qiao Zhi's kisses trailed down Gu Yangjin's collarbone—soft exploration at first—Gu Yangjin let out a breathy moan. She gathered Qiao Zhi's shoulders, drawing her closer. Clothes became an afterthought, carelessly shed on the floor, as they gave themselves over to the heat between them.
Qiong City's distant traffic and neon glow blurred outside; inside, it was just them, igniting the night. Qiao Zhi's mouth found Gu Yangjin's thigh, lifting a shiver from her core. Gu Yangjin's hands gripped Qiao Zhi's hair, urging her on. Each kiss, each brush of lips, was a promise renewed—of trust, of love, of a future they would build together.
When they finally paused—bodies slick with shared warmth—they lay entangled, foreheads touching, hearts still racing in unison.
"I love you," Qiao Zhi whispered against Gu Yangjin's lips.
"Mmm.. Me too," Gu Yangjin echoed, curling an arm around her waist.
Below them, the city's lights flickered on one by one, a silent celebration of this most modern of fairy‑tale romances. And high above Qiong City, in the embrace of a loving family and each other, Qiao Zhi and Gu Yangjin knew they had everything they needed—and nothing, and no one, could ever take it away.
While Qiong City buzzed with anticipation for Qiao Zhi and Gu Yangjin's wedding, a far different drama was unfolding at the Xing residence. News of Gu Yangjin's lifelong declaration—delivered by phone days earlier—had landed like a thunderbolt:
"I have no ties to the Xing family," she'd said. "I will not recognize you as kin. Do not contact me again."
Yes, Gu Yangjin had declared her position clearly to the Xing family with a clear and tough attitude. Qiao Zhi's undying love and pampering, the Xin family's warm recognition had strengthened her heart so much so that she could take this crucial step all on her own.
For the stepsister, Xing Qing, this was the ultimate betrayal: her golden ticket to ride on Gu Yangjin's growing star power or the Xin family's wealth, stripped away in a single sentence. For the stepbrothers—spoiled brats fueled by entitlement—it was worse: they'd squandered every chance to curry favor with the rising celebrity only to be outright disowned.
And Xing Jiancen, the patriarch, was apoplectic. His fury, however, was not for Gu Yangjin's pain but for his own thwarted ambitions: the inestimable prestige and profit of being the father‑in‑law to the Xin heiress had evaporated. Having long since disposed of Gu Yangjin's mother—driving her to a tragic end—and remarried the current Madam Xing, he never even registered Gu Yangjin's name on the family census. She'd been nothing but a cash cow and an abandoned daughter: whose earnings he'd seized, while providing her nothing but cold neglect.
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Hello, dear readers, I hope you are enjoying my novel with all your heart. The first world will end soon, probably within the next three chapters. The first world is a small world with not much story in it. I wrote this as more of an introductory world to set in place the plot of this novel and also to give some idea about our main characters.
There were also quite a lot of mistakes in the previous chapter that I hadn't noticed before but don't worry, I have fixed them all. Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more.