Chapter 1 Returning Home

Jean Jian walked out of A City International Airport in a pair of 10 cm stilettos.

The shining heels she had on were combined with a white chiffon shirt and a pair of black high waist pants, and they gave her the appearance of one particularly snappy business woman.

This style fully complimented her tall figure. Her jaw-length hair revealed her slender white neck, and her delicate face was covered by a big pair of sunglasses. Most movie stars would have found this woman's style and elegance worth a king's ransom.

She was inviting the admiring gazes of everyone around her.

Stopping at the gate of the airport, she narrowed her eyes and looked up at the clear blue sky.

Her last steps in this city had been taken three years ago. The familiar but now evolved sights invoked a complex feeling in Jean's heart.

At that time, her phone chimed to alert her of a message from her friend, Sabina Shangguan.

'Come straight to Nature Bar as soon as you arrive. Otherwise, you can forget about seeing me ever again!'

Jean pursed her lips into a soft smile. Sabina's personality hadn't changed at all.

She hailed a taxi and followed the woman's orders.

The bustling traffic took half an hour of her time before she finally arrived at Nature Bar

Then she went in directly.

The colorful glaring lights and the deafening music from the bar sent a frown on her face. She looked around but was unable to find the person she was looking for.

She brought out her phone and messaged Sabina, 'Where are you?'

The reply was quick. 'Room 9, just come in!'

Jean put away her phone and proceeded towards Room 9.

Inside Room 6, a handsome man was sitting on the sofa. He was wearing a black shirt with the top two buttons casually unbuttoned. His strong chest was faintly visible.

His gaze was fixed at the gently swaying liquid in the glass he was holding. His presence and the air around him were such that it prevented people from getting close. Somehow, he could strike fear into their hearts just by existing.

"Stark, since we are out for fun, can you change that long face of yours? Don't be such a killjoy!"

Stark Lu merely smiled at the dissatisfaction in Joe Guan's face. "You didn't have to call me out."

"Do you think I wanted to? The only reason I am here with you right now is because I heard that you hadn't left your office in two months. I was afraid you would die from boredom, so I invited you for a drink."

Stark glanced at him and rolled his eyes. "Mind your own business. Don't behave like a meddling granny!"

Ignored and disrespected like this, Joe was furious. He shouted angrily, "You're right! It's my fault. I'm the meddling granny. You know what? I should have left you alone and let you die of overwork!"

Seeing that Stark still looked indifferent despite his outburst, Joe was driven near insane. He picked up the glass in front of him and emptied it in one go, slamming it down afterwards with the heaviest possible thud. Stark didn't even look up.

With his anger still not vented, Joe pulled a barmaid and threw her onto Stark.

'He hates women getting close to him more than anything, doesn't he? I will make him suffer today.' Joe thought inwardly.

"You!" he barked at the maid. "Keep him company and please him."

Stark's face instantly darkened and began to exude an oppressive aura. Just as he was about to throw the woman away, the door of the room was pushed open.

Seeing the face of this uninvited person, Stark's dark pupils shrank slightly. This was impossible.

"Alright Sabina. I'm here. Can you stop acting like you always do? Stop threatening me, and just try to be nice for once! You could have just..."

Jean paused as she felt like something was wrong. She hadn't met Sabina for three years. The woman should be on her and hugging her with enough force to break the ice right now.

She raised her head and met a man's deep eyes.

The face brought a gasp from her as she felt like she had been dropped into an ice cellar.

Stark Lu!

Why did it have to be him, of all people?

Why had she run into him as soon as she had come back?

The next moment, her eyes fell on the woman in Stark's arms and a mocking smile appeared on her lips. She lowered her eyes and restrained all her emotions.

Clearing her throat, she apologized in a light and impassive tone, "I'm sorry. I have the wrong room." She closed the door and left.

Behind her, the atmosphere in the room became incredibly cold.

Joe looked at the gloomy expressions on Stark's face and asked in a faint voice, "If I'm not mistaken, that was Jean. When did she come back?"

Without offering an answer, Stark threw the woman in his arms aside and chased behind Jean.

Outside, Jean closed the door and chuckled wryly. She should have visited a fortune teller before coming here. The first person she had encountered in the city was the last one she ever wanted to meet.

Only after closing the door fully did she realize that she had misread the room number and entered Room 6 instead of 9. It infuriated her to think that she had been so careless.

As she was walking towards Room 9, her slender wrist was suddenly gripped from behind and before she could react, her body was pressed against the wall of the corridor.

A familiar but strange gust of breath came at her.

Jean was stunned.

Her delicate chin was then pinched and raised hard, forcing her to look into the dark eyes of Stark.

Something inexplicable was playing around in his eyes as he raised the corner of his lips.

However, there was no hint of a smile on his face.

"We haven't seen each other in three years. Don't you want to say goodbye before you leave again? Jean!"

He stressed her name rather peculiarly, as if he had squeezed it from between his teeth.

Jean raised her eyebrows and replied with a smile, "If it really has been three years, then it is my honor that Mr. Lu remembers me. I wouldn't have expected that."

Her address of "Mr. Lu" irritated him further, and he pinched her chin harder.

He was staring at her as if he wanted to eat her alive, but she was smiling calmly.

"Why did you come back?" he asked.

"Jean! Why? Are you back here for..."

Before he could finish his words, someone rushed towards them and hurriedly pushed him away. Sabina had come out of the room to greet her friend and she now pulled Jean behind her like a hen protecting its chick.

"Stark! What do you want? I warn you, if you dare bully her like you did three years ago, I am not going to let you go!"

Stark's face had gone as dark as black ink now, and he was staring at Sabina with immense hatred in his eyes.

"Fuck off!" he roared.

Startled, Sabina shivered and swallowed.

Noticing her fear, Jean moved forward, held her hand, and then stood in front of her.

She could see the worried look on her friend's face and she shook her head to assure Sabina that she was fine.

Then she turned towards Stark. "Mr. Lu, I don't think our relationship is so close anymore. I believe it would be best that we ignore each other the next time we cross paths. Now I have something else to do so I take your leave."

Stark merely stood there with a freezing breath revolving around him. Jean had left without as much as a glance back. Eventually, Joe dragged him back in the room.

Inside, Stark growled at the barmaid, "Get out". Joe winked at her, indicating that she could leave.

Stark began to gulp down the wine silently, but Joe didn't notice his right hand trembling.

Outside, Sabina pulled Jean into Room 9.

Seeing them enter with such long faces, Ashley Fang asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

"Nothing serious. I just met Stark."

"What the...? Jean, are you..."

Jean interrupted Ashley with a gentle smile.

"It's okay. I'm not the same girl I was three years ago."

It was true. She was no longer the girl who had loved Stark so much that she'd lost herself.

Her love was long gone, and a strong, powerful woman had been born.