Chapter 1: Seeking Justice

For the woman I loved, I agreed to take the blame for her brother. She promised that once I was released from prison, she would marry me. Two years passed, and when I finally walked free, she was preparing to marry someone else.

I felt utterly betrayed, a burning rage swelling within me as I went to seek an explanation from her.

Qingxi County, Economic Development Zone, Tiangong Garment Company. I arrived at the entrance to her company, and the security guard called her office.

Soon after, a young and beautiful woman emerged, dressed in an off-white suit, looking every bit the secretary. When she reached the guard post and saw me, she said, “You are Li Shuifeng.”

I nodded. “And you are?”

“Mr. Li, you may call me Xiao He,” she replied. “The General Manager is waiting for you in her office. Please follow me.”

I walked behind Xiao He, entering the five-story building. I noticed that the first four floors were workshops and warehouses, while the offices were located on the fifth floor.

Xiao He pressed the elevator button, and I followed her inside. In the cramped space, the scent of her perfume teased my senses, stirring a restless desire within me. Two years in prison had been unbearable—only I knew the pain and humiliation of those days.

The fifth floor arrived quickly. The elevator doors opened, and I trailed Xiao He down the corridor to its eastern end. The door to the innermost room bore the sign: General Manager’s Office.

Xiao He approached and knocked. “Ms. Jin, Mr. Li is here.”

A clear voice replied, “Let him in. You may go.”

Xiao He opened the door, and I stepped inside. Standing at the window was a woman clad in a blue suit, her gaze lost in the distance. She presented to me a slender, alluring silhouette, so inviting I nearly lost control, tempted to rush forward and embrace her.

Our footsteps startled her. She slowly turned, revealing a beautiful face: her lustrous black hair swept up in an elegant chignon, eyes cool and distant, lips soft and crimson, her delicate nose gracefully defined, skin smooth as jade, and a rounded chin. Her swan-like neck was held high with pride.

She wore a pale blue suit that traced every curve of her body in perfect harmony, her figure ripe as a peach, exuding a subtle wildness and endless allure. She was the goddess, Jin Yulian, the woman who haunted my dreams.

As she turned to face me, my gaze instinctively fell to her chest. She had once allowed me to see and touch that secret place. The memory made my blood surge; she was my woman, and I would never let anyone take her from me.

After Xiao He led me in, she closed the door and left.

Jin Yulian looked at me. “You’re out?”

I nodded. “Yes.” My eyes devoured her face.

Jin Yulian, uneasy, said, “Please sit. Let me make you some tea.”

I shook my head. “No need.”

She hesitated. “What are your plans?”

I replied bluntly, “I want to marry you. I want to be your husband.”

Jin Yulian froze, then shook her head. “That’s impossible. Don’t be foolish.”

“You’re marrying someone else?” I demanded.

“You already know. Why ask?” she retorted.

Anger rose in me. “You promised me—if I took the blame for your brother, you’d marry me.”

She scoffed, “Don’t be naive. You think a penniless ex-con can marry me? Are you out of your mind?”

My face burned with rage. “So you played me, deceived me, and now you want to walk away?”

Jin Yulian’s voice was distant. “Why are you so agitated? Who can prove I made that promise to you? Do you have any evidence?”

I was speechless. Only the two of us had been present, and now she was denying everything. But I refused to let her get away with it, so I stepped closer.

Sensing my resolve, Jin Yulian grew alarmed. “What do you want?”

I replied coldly, “My life has been ruined, and I won’t let yours go unscathed. I demand an explanation today.”

She sensed my threat and quickly said, “Calm down, don’t be reckless. We’re not suited for each other. You can find another woman.”

I laughed bitterly. “Easy for you to say. I’m an ex-con—what woman would want me?”

Jin Yulian’s brows knitted. “Name your price. How much do you want?”

Pain stabbed my heart. I had taken the fall for her brother because I loved her, willing to do anything she asked. But now, since she spoke of money and had deceived me, our feelings were dead.

I sneered, “One million.”

“You’re crazy! That’s extortion. At most, I’ll give you a hundred thousand. If you don’t believe me, I’ll have security throw you out—you won’t get a cent!” she snapped.

My face darkened. “One million. Not a penny less.”

Her expression changed, fury in her eyes. “You’re blackmailing me. You won’t get a single cent!”

I mocked, “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need your money. But I’ll tell your boyfriend you’re a promiscuous woman, and I’ve slept with you.”

“That’s slander! Lies! He won’t believe you,” she retorted.

“Maybe not, but I’ll tell him you have a black mole on your left breast. He’ll wonder how I know…” I said.

Jin Yulian’s cheeks reddened, but she still threatened me. “That’s a lie. If you dare defame me, I’ll send you back to prison.”

“I’m waiting,” I replied. “Let’s see how you do it. Otherwise, when you try to get married, I’ll haunt you. I’ve already served time—I’m not afraid to go back.”

Disgusted, Jin Yulian turned away, took several bundles of cash from the drawer, and threw them at me. “Take the money and leave!” she snapped, her expression filled with contempt.

My anger at her betrayal erupted. The more she despised me, the less I could let her go. I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around her waist. Jin Yulian stared at me in horror. “What are you doing?”