Lin Meilin climbed down the stairs into the large, airy sitting room and found one of the housemaids, Lan’er, dusting a crystal vase.

“Good morning, Miss Meilin,” Lan’er greeted with a slight bow.

“Morning, Lan’er,” Meilin replied, walking past her and into the dining area tucked behind the living room. She opened the refrigerator near the wall, retrieved a shiny red apple, and took a bite as she sank into one of the cushioned dining chairs.

“Lan’er,” she called, her tone lazy.

Lan’er turned attentively. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Did mum come home last night?"

“She did. But she left very early again this morning. Said she had something important to attend to.”

Meilin rolled her eyes.

“Of course. Something more important than me.”

—

So, introductions.

Lin Meilin, nineteen years old, the only child of a very successful but almost never-present single mother. A final-year student at Yucheng Elite Academy, one of the country’s most elite institutions.

She had no clue who her father was. Her mum never spoke of him. Maybe he was dead, had offended her mom or she wouldn't be surprised to find out she was grown in a Lab.

Her mother? Rich beyond reason. Elegant, powerful, always working, always traveling. She made sure Meilin had the best of everything; designer clothes, top education, personal chef. Everything but time. Real time.

For several weeks, Meilin only saw her mother’s face once. If at all.

Her life was lonely. But thank heavens for Li Nian.__

Meilin rolled her eyes again and opened her phone to check some messages.

After a quick breakfast, she stepped outside and entered the black van waiting for her. Her driver, as usual, opened the door.

They arrived at Yucheng Elite Academy twenty minutes later. When the van stopped, Meilin stepped out with her usual confidence.

“Bye, Miss,” the driver said, and she waved before heading toward the main building.

As she walked through the courtyard, she could tell something was up.

Students crowded in clusters, chatting excitedly, eyes glued to their phones. Everyone was talking about one person:

Lu Ruiyan.

“He’s so dreamy!”

“I’m going to touch him at the concert tonight.”

“Touch him? What are you, a ghost?”

“Ugh! If I were his girlfriend, I’d kill my mom before letting him leave me.”

“Crazy”

Meilin rolled her eyes again. She tried to block it out, but it was impossible. The whole school was buzzing with the pop idol's return.

She walked upstairs and made her way to her classroom only to find the obsession had fully infected her class, too.

Everywhere she looked: phone screens, squeals, and giggles.

She stepped inside and immediately spotted Li Nian waving at her. Meilin and Li Nian were seatmates, but today, Nian was seated in front of her, facing her with a cheeky grin.

“Hey, girlfriend,” Li Nian beamed.

“Hi,” Meilin replied, sitting down with a sigh.

“Oh, come on, Meilin. Don’t tell me you’re still upset about this morning. You should thank me for waking you up!”

“Annoying as ever, Nian,” Meilin muttered.

Li Nian grinned. “Whatever. Aren’t you even a little excited that Ruiyan’s back? You’re breathing the same air as our national treasure!”

“It’s not like I’ll ever touch him. It doesn’t change anything in my life.”

Li Nian gasped. “Don’t pretend, Mei mei. Deep down, you’d probably kill someone just to hug him.”

Meilin narrowed her eyes. “For your information, I have a boyfriend.”

She lifted her bare hand with fake pride.

“Your anonymous boyfriend? Girl, please. You’re not in love with him. You’re in love with the idea of love,” Li Nian said with a wink.

Meilin smacked her shoulder.

“Are you crazy? I love Jiang Xun with my whole heart.”

Li Nian rolled her eyes. “Mmhmm.”

“Anyway, Mei mei,” she said, using Meilin’s old nickname. “Hope you’re coming to the concert tonight. I already bought tickets!”

“I’m not going. Find someone else.”

That was a lie. What else would she be doing at home?

“Meilin!” Li Nian pouted. “Everyone will be there! You’re coming with me. Period.”

“Try me.”

Li Nian pulled out her phone and scrolled dreamily through Ruiyan’s photos.

“Look at him! I wish I could go to his welcome party tomorrow. It’s just for VIPs, though.”

“He’s holding a party?”

“His mum is. She’s hosting the party to celebrate his return. He’s her only child, after all.”

“Right and the heir to Wenlong Group.” Meilin folded her arms. “Doesn’t he have step-siblings?”

Li Nian leaned in with a conspiratorial glint in her eye. “He does. But the whole thing is complicated. From what I’ve heard, Ruiyan’s father was originally married to his mother. She was his first and only wife at the time.”

Meilin raised a brow. “So where did the others come from?”

“His grandfather.” Li Nian rolled her eyes. “Apparently, the old man was obsessed with carrying on the family name through a male heir. When Ruiyan was born, they were thrilled until he fell sick as a toddler. The doctors weren’t optimistic and to make matters worse,after Ruiyan's mother birthed him she lost the ability to bear more due to birth complications. It's said that if she tries again,it might cost her life.”

“Wait… so?”

“So,” Li Nian said, lowering her voice, “the grandfather forced Ruiyan’s father to marry again. Said the family needed a ‘spare’ just in case. Total royal dynasty vibes, right? Someone would think this is the Han Dynasty.The second wife gave birth to twins: a boy and a girl.”

Meilin frowned. “And Ruiyan survived.”

“Yeah, and that’s where the drama starts. His mum never forgave the family for what they did. But she stayed, for Ruiyan’s sake. Now all three families—Ruiyan’s mum, the second wife, and later even a third woman and her kids,live under the Wenlong mansion roof.”

Three girls sitting nearby turned to stare at them. Meilin met their gaze, calm and unbothered, until they turned away.

Li Nian smirked and continued in a whisper, “Now Ruiyan’s the official heir again, but the others? They’re always scheming. His half-brother from the second wife thinks he deserves the throne more—classic rivalry.”

“Sounds more like a dynasty drama than a real family,” Meilin muttered.

Before Li Nian could reply, Cheng Rui and Chen Yue walked past.

“Look who’s here,” Cheng Rui sneered.

“Mummy’s little darling. Maybe her mother got pregnant all by herself,” Chen Yue said with mock sweetness.

Meilin rolled her eyes, casting a disgusted look at them, could they be any less brainless? They practically said the same line everytime they saw her and it was getting tiring.

Li Nian stood abruptly. “What did you just say?”

Meilin grabbed her wrist quickly. “Don’t. Not worth it.

The two girls chuckled and returned to their seats.

Li Nian shot them a lethal glare, hand twitching toward Chen Yue’s hair, but the English teacher walked in at that moment.

____

After classes, students began packing up.

Li Nian turned to her again. “So… are you really going to Jiang Xun’s place?”

Meilin nodded, a small smile forming.

Li Nian frowned. “Are you sure about him? You don’t know anything about his family.”

“That’s because we’ve only been dating for like, three weeks,” Meilin replied.

“Still. Why does he want you over? Feels fishy.”

They reached the waiting van.

“I don’t know, Nian. Maybe he wants us to talk or introduce me to his family ,” she shrugged, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Li Nian wasn't convinced

“And you’re okay going alone?”

“Stop making me nervous,” Meilin said, exhaling. “He’s a nice guy, alright?”

Li Nian gave her a side hug. “Just be careful. And don’t forget,we have a concert to catch tonight.”

“I won’t forget.”

With one last wave, Meilin stepped into the van and the driver pulled off, disappearing into the busy city streets.

Note : Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE)

Confucianism was adopted as a state ideology.

Confucian texts like the “Three Obediences and Four Virtues” taught that:

Women must obey their father, husband, and then son (if widowed).

A woman’s duty was domestic: serving the family, producing heirs, especially sons.

Male children were seen as more valuable because they carried on the family line, inherited property, and performed ancestral rites.