Jane Lang had proven one thing: it was a bad idea to provoke an older man who had been celibate for too long, and even worse to slip something into the drink of a man who held grudges.

Until the early hours of the morning, the sounds of her pleading and crying filled the room.

The next day, Jane woke up feeling sore all over.

Outside the window, the sky was overcast with drizzling rain, casting a heavy gloom over the city that made it hard to breathe.

"Ugh…"

This man really is ruthless!

Jane bit back her discomfort and sat up, realizing the spot next to her was already cold. She wondered if he had gotten up early or if he had left right after they were done last night.

At this thought, her face paled slightly. In a panic, she threw on some clothes and dashed out of the room.

In the living room downstairs, Alexander Westwood was engaged in an intense game of chess with Liam Summers.

Both men turned to her as they heard the commotion. "Jane's up?"

Liam smiled warmly before frowning, "Why do you look so pale? Are you feeling unwell?"

Jane shook her head, too hurried to analyze the sincerity behind his words. Her gaze fixated on Alexander, and she felt a flicker of relief.

Thank goodness. He didn't leave.

At least it proved that last night's efforts weren't in vain.

Alexander had already returned to his impeccably dressed self. His tailored suit was crisp and free of wrinkles, and he sat upright, exuding an air of seriousness and elegance.

His gaze was fixed on her, but the dark eyes behind his glasses betrayed no emotion.

Jane felt a twinge in her heart from his half-smile, and she quickly averted her gaze.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, cutting through the strange atmosphere in the living room. Aunt Ding emerged from the kitchen to answer the door, revealing He Siyuan, who stepped in carrying various gifts with a warm smile. "Aunt Ding, sorry to intrude."

"Not at all!"

Aunt Ding beamed as she led him into the living room. "I figured you would arrive soon. Please, have a seat; dinner will be ready shortly."

After a few steps, she spotted Jane at the foot of the stairs and beckoned, "Jane, say hello to Siyuan. Really, this boy comes loaded with gifts!"

Jane bit her lip, feeling as if her feet were weighed down with lead.

While she wasn't unfamiliar with He Siyuan, the fact that he was visiting at this moment could only mean one thing.

He Siyuan was the arranged suitor chosen for her.

He scratched his head, awkwardly greeting her, "Jane."

The girl before him, though lacking makeup and with slightly tousled hair draped over her shoulders, was casually dressed in a sweater and fuzzy slippers.

Even in her disheveled appearance, she radiated a unique charm—adorable and pure, yet also lazy and alluring.

Marrying her would be a good deal.

Jane had no idea what he was thinking; she instinctively shot a glance at Alexander, managing a reluctant smile as she pointed behind her. "I, uh, need to go change."

He nodded, and she hurried back upstairs.

Once in her room, she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Today’s dinner was likely meant as a prelude to a formal meeting between families, even leaving them little time to get to know each other.

He Siyuan looked like a delicate scholar; she had known a little about him before.

Jane wasn’t interested.

She bit her lip, her dazed gaze drifting across the big bed, where memories of last night’s wildness and Alexander's deep, passionate eyes lingered.

Jane’s face flushed, and her fingers clenched then relaxed, making a swift decision.

She timed her descent to coincide with dinner preparations. When she reached the dining table, everyone had settled in, and she was uncertain of what had transpired, but the atmosphere was calm and peaceful now.

Aunt Ding waved her over, "Jane, come sit here."

The seat was right next to He Siyuan, across from Alexander.

Jane kept her expression neutral as she lowered her gaze, taking a seat while greeting the others at the table. Aunt Ding just finished serving all the dishes, so eating felt natural.

"Jane may be still young, but thinking ahead about lifelong commitments isn’t a bad thing," Aunt Ding observed, discreetly evaluating everyone’s expressions before finally resting her gaze on Alexander's indifferent face, weighing her words.

"Speaking of which, Alexander can be considered a guardian of Jane. What do you think?"