The Rolls-Royce Phantom slid silently on the wet streets after the rain. Outside the window is a rapidly backward urban forest washed away by the rain. The neon light dragged out a long, broken reflection on the stagnant road, which was strange, just like Lin Wei's current state of mind.
She sat quietly in the back seat, holding the copy of the Marriage Contract Agreement tightly in her hand, and her knuckles turned slightly white because of the force. The cold edge of the paper was palmed, reminding her of the deed of sale she had just signed and could not be reversed. The diamond ring in the velvet box next to it still refracted the dazzling light in the dim light, like a silent ridicule. She didn't touch it or even look at it again.
Secretary Zhang in the driver's seat was silent all the way. Only the car navigation occasionally emitted a calm electronic prompt sound, guiding the direction. He drove away from the bustling city center and headed for a top luxury area on the edge of the city, which was surrounded by mountains and rivers and famous for its extreme secrecy and luxury - "Yunqi Waterfront".
I don't know how long it took, but the car drove into a private asphalt road that ran up the mountains. On both sides were carefully trimmed towering ancient trees, which isolated the outside world from prying. Finally, a magnificent black iron gate that combines modern technology and classical aesthetics slid open silently. The car drove in, and the door slowly closed behind it, as if it had isolated the whole world.
The scene came into view. Even if Lin Wei was mentally prepared, she couldn't help but suffocate slightly.
This is not a house, but more like a modernist fortress, or... an elaborate and cold exhibition hall.
The whole building is composed of minimalist geometric lines, with a large area of cold-toned glass, metal and natural stone. It is built along the mountain, partially hanging on the quiet lake. In the hazy night after the rain, the sparse lights are reflected, which looks lonely and alienated. There is no complicated decoration, no warm and bright lights, only the lights in a few key positions are coldly lit, outlining the cold outline of the building.
The car stopped at the main entrance. Under the huge porch, which seems to be carved with a whole piece of natural stone, stands a middle-aged man in a black tuxedo with meticulously combed hair and a serious and rigid face. He bowed slightly, and his movements were as precise as the set program.
"Mrs. Gu, welcome to Yunqi Waterfront. I'm the housekeeper here, and my surname is Zhou. His voice was deep and steady, with a kind of well-trained respect, but his eyes were as sharp as hawks. He looked at Lin Wei silently and evaluated the sudden "hostess".
"Housekeeper Zhou." Lin Wei nodded slightly, maintaining her superficial calmness. She could clearly feel the gaze of the other party. There was no curiosity in the gaze, only a calmness to examine whether the object met the standard.
Secretary Zhang gave the car key to another uniformed person waiting next to him, and then said to Lin Wei and Butler Zhou, "Mrs. Gu, Butler Zhou will be responsible for all your living arrangements. My task has been completed. Say goodbye." She bowed slightly, without unnecessary greetings, turned around and sat in another waiting car, and drove away quickly.
It's like handing over an important item. There was a trace of cold irony in Lin Wei's heart.
"Mrs. Gu, please come with me." Housekeeper Zhou turned sideways and made an impeccable "please" gesture.
Stepping into the gate, a mixture of expensive stone, rare wood and a cold fragrance came to my face. The huge high-rise living room is surprisingly empty, enough to accommodate hundreds of people gathering, but at this moment, only the cold air is flowing silently. The minimalist Italian top furniture has cold and hard lines, and the artwork is an abstract geometric sculpture. The tone is mainly black and white and gray, and it is dotted with cold metallic colors. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows occupy a whole wall. Outside the window, there is a deep and quiet lake view and the faint light of the city in the distance. It is breathtakingly beautiful, but also cold. Everything here is flawless and spotless, but there is no "home" fireworks. It is more like an expensive and empty model room, or... a prison of the highest specifications waiting for prisoners to move in.
Housekeeper Zhou's steps were steady, and his shoes stepped on the mirror-like dark marble floor, making a clear echo, which was particularly awkward in this overly quiet space. As he walked, he introduced in a tone without ups and downs:
"This is the main living room."
"The restaurant is on the left and can accommodate 20 people at the same time."
"The audio-visual room, gym and constant temperature swimming pool are on the negative floor."
"Your bedroom is in the suite on the east side of the second floor."
"Mr. Gu's living space is in the master bedroom suite and the study area on the third floor." He emphasized the division of space, just like reading the territorial declaration.
Lin Wei followed silently, and her eyes calmly swept through every corner. She noticed the ubiquitous hidden cameras, noticed that the smart home control panel was flashing with blue light, and noticed that there was a thick glass door that required fingerprint or iris verification next to the spiral staircase leading to the third floor with a strong sense of design - it was obviously Gu Heng's absolute private domain, the forbidden area in the forbidden area.
She was taken to a suite on the east side of the second floor. The room is also huge, continuing the overall cold and hard style, but the tone is slightly warmer, adding beige and light coffee, and the huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing the lake view. The separate cloakroom is full of the latest high-end women's clothing, shoes and bags of the season. The labels have not been removed, and the size is not different. In the luxurious bathroom, a full set of top-notch bathroom facilities shines with cold metallic luster.
"These are what Mr. Gu ordered to prepare for you." Housekeeper Zhou stood at the door, like a door god, "Your luggage will be delivered later. Where would you like to have dinner? Dining room or room?"
"Room." Lin Wei almost didn't hesitate. She needs a little space and a little time to digest this huge and cold reality.
"OK. Dinner will be delivered in an hour. Housekeeper Zhou bowed slightly, "Mr. Gu has ordered that you are absolutely free here, except for the private area and study on the third floor. If you need anything, you can ring the bell at any time. Good night, Mrs. Gu."
The door was gently closed. It is isolated from the housekeeper's scrutiny eyes, and also isolated the huge and cold space outside.
Absolute "freedom"? Lin Wei looked around at this luxurious but cold suite, with a bitter smile at the corner of her mouth. This freedom is just a slightly wider flying range in the golden cage. The ubiquitous camera, the well-trained housekeeper, and the man who controls everything... I'm afraid that her every move is under surveillance.
She walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Outside the window, the lake was calm and calm, reflecting the sparse starlight and the lights of the city in the distance. It's beautiful, but it's so beautiful that there's no temperature, just like the non-existent ring on her finger.
She took a deep breath and tried to suppress the suffocation in her heart. Since it has come, let's settle for it. No, it's signed, so it's performed. She, Lin Wei, is not here to enjoy the life of a rich family. She is here to complete a deal. Two years, more than 700 days and nights. She must adapt to this role as soon as possible and play the role of "Mrs. Gu" until the end of the contract.
She opened the cold copy of the agreement and examined the terms one by one again, just like studying a commercial contract that needs to be strictly enforced. She must keep her boundaries and obligations in mind.
Time passes in silence. The dinner was delivered to the room by a silent maid. It was as delicate as a work of art, but it didn't taste good.
The night is getting darker. The huge mansion fell into deeper silence, so quiet that you could hear the sound of its own blood flowing. Lin Wei was not sleepy. She sat on the sofa in the living room and casually picked up a brand-new art album on the coffee table as if it had never been browsed, but her eyes could not focus.
I don't know how long it took, but there was a faint sound of the car engine turning off downstairs. Lin Wei's heartbeat missed a beat.
He came back.
She subconsciously held her breath and listened. There was no expected noise, only a slight sound of footsteps, calm and tired, stepping on the cold marble floor, from far and near. The footsteps paused for a moment on the first floor, as if the housekeeper had reported something in a low voice. Then, the footsteps sounded again, and the goal was clearly towards the spiral staircase leading to the third floor.
Lin Wei stood up, quietly walked to the door of her suite, and pulled the door open. From this angle, you can just see the stairway.
Gu Heng appeared under the stairs. He took off his suit jacket and put it on his arms casually. He only wore a straight white shirt, and two buttons were unbuttoned at the neckline, revealing a small piece of cold and hard collarbone. He turned his back to her, and his figure looked particularly lonely in the empty living room. Even at a distance, Lin Wei could feel the strong, almost substantial sense of fatigue emitting from him, which was completely different from his cold momentum of controlling everything in the office during the day.
Instead of going upstairs immediately, he stood at the stairway, bowing his head slightly and supporting the cold metal railing in one hand, as if he was saving strength and enduring something. The back shows an indescribable heaviness and...fragility?
Lin Wei was shocked by the word that came to her mind. Fragile? Use it on Gu Heng? How is it possible?
Just then, Gu Heng seemed to notice something, turned his head sharply, and his sharp eyes, like two cold searchlights, accurately hit the gap in the door of Lin Wei's room on the second floor!
Lin Wei's heart raised her throat in an instant, almost instinctively, with a soft "bang" sound, quickly closed the door, leaned against the door panel, and her heart beat wildly.
Outside the door, there was a dead silence.
A few seconds later, the calm and tired footsteps sounded again, and he stepped on the spiral staircase slowly, and finally disappeared behind the door leading to the third floor that needed to be verified.
The corridor was restored to a suffocating silence.
Lin Wei leaned on the cold door panel and slowly slid on the soft carpet. At that moment, Gu Heng's eyes were still cold, but they seemed to be mixed with more complicated emotions that she couldn't understand. And his abnormal fatigue...
What is hidden under the mask of this ruthless billionaire?
And she, in this cold cage called "Yunqi Waterfront", the first night has just begun.