Chapter One: Calamity from the Skies

A gentle drizzle pattered against the car window. Chu Dong tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, sitting inside a black Audi as he waited at the red light, a lazy smile playing at the corner of his lips. The collar of his flamboyant casual shirt hung open, revealing a well-toned chest.

Echoing in his ears was the phone call he’d received the previous night: “The Tan family is our old friend. We’ve all met their eldest daughter—beautiful and virtuous. Your mission is to bring our daughter-in-law home. Remember, if you fail, pack up your things and leave the house with nothing.”

His mother had never been one for reason, as anyone could see from her decades-long marriage with his father. Her word was law, and to this day, his father had never dared to defy her—a true testament to his mother’s formidable nature.

Chu Dong now managed the family business. His father, not yet sixty, had been forced into retirement and sent off by his mother to travel the world, leaving the company’s affairs entirely in Chu Dong’s hands. At first, he’d been delighted at the newfound freedom, thinking he could run wild without restraint. But he hadn’t anticipated that, after the economic crisis, the company would be on the brink of collapse. Multiple crises reared their heads: capital shortages, sluggish business, a stagnant industry, and internal power struggles. Chu Dong was soon overwhelmed.

Thanks to his efforts, the losses from his father’s failed investments were minimized, but the Chu family’s company was effectively gone. All that remained was a modest budget hotel, barely scraping by.

When he called his parents, enjoying life in Europe, his father only chuckled while his mother showed not a hint of guilt. She even scolded Chu Dong loudly, declaring that after raising him for more than twenty years, it wasn’t so he could just coast through life. Now that the company was in trouble, it was only right for him to step up. What mess? Others would kill for such a big mess to manage.

Her righteous tirade left Chu Dong speechless. After two years of relentless struggle, he established the Sturgeon Fund, which grew into one of the country’s leading financial groups. Yet he knew his father had fallen into someone’s trap, and until he discovered who was behind it, he wouldn’t reveal his true identity. To this day, no one knew Chu Dong was the force behind the Sturgeon Fund. But then came his mother’s next command: settle his marital affairs within a year, and produce a grandchild within three.

Resist? Not a chance. After graduating, Chu Dong had barely spent two carefree years before being hauled back to take over the company. There hadn’t been a moment’s rest since. He’d originally hoped for a bit of fun, but ended up with neither time nor privacy. He tried to get by with lies about having a girlfriend.

But his mother, though abroad, had eyes and ears everywhere. Her reach was formidable; any hint of news, and her calls arrived faster than bank statements.

And so, receiving her call, he learned not only the identity of his matchmaking candidate, but also the exact time and place for their meeting. Chu Dong knew he was under surveillance—his mother’s “spies” must be nearby. He questioned everyone from his secretary to the receptionist, even the security guards, but none admitted anything. Eventually, he gave up.

With no way to find the informant, he could only obey and head to the arranged meeting. Which was exactly where he was now, on the road.

Traffic ahead was at a standstill. Every car glowed red, inching forward slowly. Just as the light was about to change, the rear door suddenly opened, and a white figure slipped in like a cat. From the rearview mirror, he saw it was a young girl in a dress, her white skirt already soaked by the rain, clinging to her body and revealing a hint of flesh beneath.

“Drive, quickly!” Her voice was sweet but carried an undeniable authority, as if Chu Dong were her personal chauffeur.

“This girl really knows how to make herself at home. She acts like she owns the place,” Chu Dong muttered, just about to turn and ask who she was when he saw several young men wielding iron bars rushing toward his car.

He released the clutch and stomped on the accelerator, sending the car leaping forward like an arrow.

He’d borrowed the Audi from an old classmate for the matchmaking, not wanting to appear too shabby. If it got wrecked, he’d be hard-pressed to explain.

But his pursuers were relentless; several of them jumped into a minivan and chased after them.

“So, you want to race with me?” Chu Dong hadn’t driven like this in years. But seeing someone in a Songhuajiang minivan trying to catch up sparked his competitive side. He fastened his seatbelt in a flash, his feet expertly working the clutch and accelerator in tandem, gears shifting rapidly from third to top. The car became an extension of himself, weaving through the traffic as fluidly as a snake.

Within seconds, the minivan was nowhere to be seen.

Whistling in triumph, Chu Dong flicked his head coolly to the side, then executed a sharp drift in a small plaza, bringing the car to a stylish stop. He turned to ask the girl in the back if he looked impressive—only to find the seat empty in the rearview mirror.

“Am I seeing things?”

Though a staunch materialist, Chu Dong couldn’t help but feel a chill at the thought of encountering something supernatural in broad daylight.

Summoning his courage, he peeked behind—and saw a small dark head slowly emerge from between the seats. A delicate, angry face stared back at him, eyes flashing with fury.

“Who are you? Can you even drive?” Her large, jet-black eyes seemed to spit fire. She wiped her reddened nose with a small hand—perhaps feeling better, though the smear of dust left behind made her look rather comical.

“Who am I?” Chu Dong pointed to his own nose. “You got in my car without knowing who I am?”

“Your car?” She straightened up, glancing around. “Doesn’t look like Four-Eyes’ car, but the outside matches.” She muttered under her breath, then caught Chu Dong staring at her chest. Looking down, she realized her dress clung transparently, revealing the outline of her bra. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest. “Pervert! What are you looking at?”

“You think I want to look? If I really wanted to, I’d pick someone with a bit more to show. You?” Chu Dong scoffed, turning away with disdain.

But as soon as he faced forward, he saw the minivan that had been chasing him now blocking his path, its passengers getting out.

He shifted into reverse, yanked the wheel, and sent the car spinning in a perfect arc. The group scattered, wary of being hit. But someone hurled an object—a slab of brick—straight at the rear window, shattering it with a thunderous crash. The glass webbed with cracks; if it hadn’t been tinted, it would have been utterly destroyed.

Just his luck. The car was borrowed, and his friend had warned him: though not made of gold, this car was a beloved possession. If it suffered so much as a scratch, Chu Dong would be “requisitioned” for a month; serious damage, and he’d owe six months. If not for the pursuit, he’d never have driven so recklessly. Now, with a brick through the window, Chu Dong was furious. He yanked out the keys, flung open the door, and charged at the group of young punks.

“If a tiger doesn’t bare its fangs, do you take me for Hello Kitty?”