Chapter 3: The First Day with a Stranger
The first morning after the wedding.
Xiao Mei woke up early in the guest room. Everything felt strange — like she was trapped in a dream. A soft knock on the door startled her. A maid stood outside and gently said, "Breakfast is ready, ma'am. Mr. Lu is waiting at the dining table."
Slowly, Xiao Mei made her way downstairs. There, Lu Zeyan was already seated, eating quietly. His expression remained the same — cold and unreadable.
Xiao Mei pulled out a chair and sat opposite him. The atmosphere was heavy with silence. Only the clinking of cutlery echoed through the luxurious dining hall.
"Starting today, you'll follow a schedule," Lu Zeyan suddenly said, without looking up from his newspaper.
"I'm not your employee," Xiao Mei replied softly, yet firmly.
Lu Zeyan placed a small file on the table. Inside were strict house rules — meal times must be punctual, no talking during meals, no entering his room without permission, no leaving the house without his consent, and many more.
Xiao Mei read through each rule, feeling as if she were a prisoner inside this grand, beautiful mansion.
Despite her fear, Xiao Mei made a silent vow — she would not surrender completely. In secret, she took a small notebook and began writing down all the emotions flooding her heart. That little book became her hidden space — a place to pour out her loneliness, anger, and her dream of escaping this unwanted marriage… one day.