C19 Ring and Flower!

Take, for instance, the ring that mysteriously appeared on her desk. Simple yet perfect, with a small diamond encrusted all around, and inside the band, the initials CRS — Chu Rusi — were engraved.

Had it not been somewhat pricey, Xu Huanxi would have tossed it straight into the trash. He had the nerve to send her a ring, even though they'd agreed theirs was a marriage in name only.

And had he somehow missed the meaning of 'divorce'?

Life had been chaotic lately, but Xu Huanxi pushed aside her personal turmoil and got ready for work.

Her assistant, Tian Tian, walked in with a bouquet of flowers, and her gaze inadvertently caught the glint of the ring again. With the roses and the ring, it seemed like good news might be on the horizon. Teasingly, and with a hint of envy, she said, "Chief Xu, Mr. Jiang is really something. If I had a boyfriend like that, I'd marry him in a heartbeat."

Ha!

Xu Huanxi's smile was forced. Few knew about her split with Jiang Tunan. Annoyed, she dismissed Tian Tian with a wave of her hand.

The mere thought of Jiang Tunan trying to force himself on her the previous night made it difficult for her to breathe. If he was so desperate for a woman, there were plenty in the red-light district. Why did he have to hurt her?

She tossed the flowers into the bin with a frosty look. The roses, meant to symbolize love, now seemed utterly absurd.

Her phone rang the next moment. It was Jiang Tunan.

Xu Huanxi steeled herself to answer the call with composure, but found herself speechless, overwhelmed by sadness.

"Did you like the flowers?" Jiang Tunan's voice was tentative, cautious because of the prior evening's events.

Xu Huanxi glanced at the trash can and responded coolly, "Whether I liked them or not is irrelevant to you now."

Silence ensued.

Jiang Tunan was at a loss. She had never been this cold to him, and the weight of it bore down on him. He mustered his courage and said, "I was drunk last night. I'm sorry."

Xu Huanxi shook her head. Fine, she thought, if he's offering an excuse, she'd choose to believe it. "I accept your apology, but this can't happen again. Goodbye."

"Huanxi, wait! The man from last night was...?" Jiang Tunan's voice was laced with tension, bracing for her response.

Xu Huanxi took out the ring and turned it over in her hands. After a moment, she spoke firmly, "My husband."

After ending the call without a second thought, she stood in a daze for a long while before giving her face a firm pat. With a multitude of tasks ahead of her today, she couldn't afford to wallow in her emotions.

Tian Tian burst through the door, her face alight with ecstatic madness, "Chief Xu, Chu Xingyun is on her way back! And she's specifically requested you to be her image designer!"

Chu Xingyun?

Xu Huanxi's complexion turned ashen as her mind reeled from the shock. She massaged her temples, struggling to maintain composure. "Well, that's certainly some good news."

Chu Xingyun, the leading lady of Chumen Horizon and one of its vice presidents, had skyrocketed to fame after a stint in Hollywood. But what loomed larger was her status as Jiang Tunan's fiancée.

...

As Xu Huanxi grappled with the thought of working for Chu Xingyun, Chu Rusi harbored his own subtle concerns.

"To prepare for Miss Chu's return, we at Chumen Horizon have developed a host of plans. Vice President, would you please review them?" Wen Qingfeng offered the plans with deferential poise.

His arrival at Chumen Horizon had already set tongues wagging, sparking widespread speculation about the elusive Chu Rusi. While the emperor remained unfazed, his attendants were in a flurry. The true puppet master was still taking his ease.

Chu Rusi ran his fingers over the prayer beads on his wrist, pondering the news. Chu Xingyun hadn't even returned, yet she had already chosen Xu Huanxi as her image designer. He couldn't fathom what his imperious sister was plotting.