Du Zhaohui had been getting cocky lately, and wasn’t Xia Ziyu the same?

Being a young concubine to a man older than her father should have been embarrassing, but Hong Kong society scorned poverty, not prostitution. No one mocked her for being Du Chengrong’s Fifth Concubine; instead, compliments were endless.

Wherever she went, people called her “Mrs. Du,” and no one tactless enough would deliberately remind her of her “Fifth Concubine” status.

Du Chengrong’s wealth was beyond Xia Ziyu’s imagination.

Without experiencing it firsthand, merely hearing someone was a billionaire didn’t convey the true weight of such wealth.

The former Xia Ziyu certainly couldn’t have imagined it.

If she liked a pair of shoes, she could buy every color in her size, just because she wanted to.

If she fancied a bag, she could have someone source it from Paris.

When shopping, she could enter a boutique and first select the styles she didn’t like, then have the rest delivered home.

Trying things on?

Nonexistent.

The staff knew her size – if one or two pieces didn’t look good, she could simply discard them.

Besides buying whatever she wanted, Du Chengrong often gave her gifts – diamonds, gemstone jewelry – Xia Ziyu had received plenty. He’d given her two cars: a business car for when others drove her, and a sports car meant for her to drive herself.

Honestly, she used to hate how Du Zhaohui had left her suffering in Kowloon Walled City, making her get plastic surgery and learn so many things… but without Du Zhaohui, she – an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong – could never have become Du Chengrong’s Fifth Concubine so quickly.

Xia Ziyu wondered if she’d developed Stockholm syndrome, sometimes actually feeling grateful to Du Zhaohui!

Having experienced the ultimate luxury, Xia Ziyu developed thoughts she shouldn’t have.

Revenge against Xia Xiaolan wasn’t the most urgent matter anymore – maintaining her current lifestyle was.

Even if Du Zhaohui wouldn’t abandon her, Xia Ziyu worried about Du Chengrong’s age.

How many more years could Du Chengrong live?

Five years, ten years, or twenty?

If she merely wanted to avoid sleeping with an old man, she’d hope Du Chengrong lived as briefly as possible.

But if she wanted to maintain this lifestyle long-term, she hoped he’d live over twenty years!

Wasn’t the Du family fortune what Du Zhaohui and the three households were fighting over bloodily? Du Zhaohui wanted it, Du Chengrong’s three concubines and other children wanted it – why couldn’t she want it? Should she sleep with an old man for nothing in return?

No, that wasn’t what she wanted.

Xia Ziyu was both indulgent and crisis-aware.

Everything she had now was unstable. After Du Zhaohui won, he wouldn’t need her anymore – what would she do then?

Du Zhaohui had her drive wedges between the three households but forbade her from having children… Xia Ziyu frowned. She wanted a child – if she could bear Du Chengrong’s child, she’d get a share of the family fortune regardless.

Two children meant two shares.

This was arithmetic Xia Ziyu could calculate clearly.

Yet she dared not defy Du Zhaohui’s wishes – who knew if that psychopath had people monitoring her?

Even if she secretly got pregnant, if Du Zhaohui found out, he definitely wouldn’t let her deliver successfully!

A shadow flashed through Xia Ziyu’s eyes:

“If only Du Chengrong valued me more…”

Du Zhaohui was a wolf cub, but Du Chengrong remained the pack’s alpha.

To avoid being torn apart by the wolf cub, only the alpha could protect her.

Would the alpha deal with his son for her sake?

Xia Ziyu had analyzed her situation. The Hong Kong tabloids portrayed her as the winner in the mansion’s favorite competition, but she knew well that while Du Chengrong appeared romantic, he firmly held his power, never letting any woman interfere in his business.

Xia Ziyu had considered displaying her “talents” to attract Du Chengrong’s attention.

After consideration, she abandoned the idea.

Following the failures of her restaurant and tutoring business, Xia Ziyu remained somewhat timid in this area. Unless she was certain of making money and impressing Du Chengrong, better not embarrass herself in front of him.

“What other options are there? Compete more earnestly for a favor? No, that conflicts with my image…”

Vivi’s persona had to be that of a mysterious enchantress.

She needed to keep Du Chengrong guessing and make him feel he couldn’t figure her out.

If she actively competed for a favor like his other women, she’d become ordinary, no longer intriguing.

So when Du Chengrong gave her status, she refused to live in the Du mansion, staying in her residence, appearing rather aloof, as if becoming his Fifth Concubine was very much against her wishes.

None of it was what she wanted, all thrust upon her by Du Chengrong – she’d preferred keeping things simple as lovers, not wanting to be entangled in Du family troubles… this was the image Xia Ziyu used to attract Du Chengrong.

If that image crumbled, what else could attract Du Chengrong?

Her dancing was good, but there were professional dance students.

Her bedroom skills were decent… but compared to whom? Hong Kong’s high-class socialites were all experts!

Xia Ziyu’s mood swung between good and bad. Her current state appeared to others as flowers in full bloom and oil in a raging fire, but she was walking on thin ice! Du Chengrong agreed to let her live outside but required weekly visits to the Du mansion, preventing tabloids from writing that he couldn’t manage his women.

This was Du Chengrong’s non-negotiable requirement, just like when he decided to publicly give Xia Ziyu her status – he wouldn’t let her refuse.

Today, Xia Ziyu made her usual visit to the Du mansion.

As usual, she greeted the Second Concubine.

As usual, Liu Keying and the Third Concubine misunderstand.

Liu Keying, an aging Fourth Concubine, was merely her defeated opponent – why should she fear her?

But today was somewhat unusual. When Xia Ziyu softly called “Second Sister,” the usually cold Second Concubine nodded and smiled:

“Little Five, have tea with me. We both serve Mr. Du, yet haven’t properly talked. Last time Keying and I visited you, we made fools of ourselves – I’ve been wanting to apologize!”

What madness had possessed the Second Concubine?

Usually displaying cold indifference, determined to distance herself, today she actively invited her for tea.

Not afraid of Liu Keying seeing?

Having nothing left to lose? Knowing Liu Keying wouldn’t believe any explanation, deciding to simply ally with her instead?

Xia Ziyu returned the smile:

“That small unpleasantness is long forgotten. I’ll have tea – I’ll listen to Second Sister.”

Xia Ziyu sat with the Second Concubine in the garden. The view was open, with no obstructions around – no fear of eavesdroppers. The Second Concubine dismissed the tea-serving maid, then suddenly smiled:

“Should I call you Vivi, or would Xia Ziyu be better?”