The Shanghai skyline shone like a seabed of stars, its neon lights casting the night in shades of electric blue and red. Su Xia stood in front of the audition studio, her breath frozen in the sweltering summer air. Her calloused hands, hardened from years of odd jobs, held a worn script, its corners torn and rough from repeated rehearsals in her small apartment. She was nothing at age twenty-four in the ruthless Chinese film industry, but her heart beat with a dream ignited in Beijing's squalid dormitories of an orphanage. Acting was not a profession—it was her survival, the one that kept her alive, made her sense she could redefine the narrative of a girl abandoned at five years old.
She smoothed her emerald-green dress, a thrift store bargain she'd carefully altered to fit her willowy body. It clung to her curves in just the right way to look sophisticated without clinging quite so tightly as to invite unwanted attention. Her dark hair cascaded in loose waves, a study in contrast to the sleek updos sported by the other actresses who walked about. She saw herself reflected in a glass door—large, expressive eyes, stubborn jaw, and a small scar above her left eyebrow where she fell as a kid. It was a face that spoke volumes, even if the business world hadn't yet granted her permission to say so.
Inside the audition room, tension crackled. Su Xia's turn, and she climbed onto the stage, the heat of the spotlight burning on her skin. The director, a grizzled old man with a scowl etched into his face, hardly raised his head from his clipboard. "Su Xia, period drama, concubine. Go.
She breathed deeply, letting the anguish of her past spill into the character—a woman betrayed but unbreakable. Her voice shook first, then steadied, spinning a history of heartbreak with each movement. The room was still, the crew's murmurs dying away. When she finished, the director's frown relaxed for an instant. "Not bad. Next.
As she exited, a sharp voice cut through the hallway. "Think you're special now, Su Xia?" Zhao Ling, a rival actress with glossy hair and a venomous smile, leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "You're just an orphan playing dress-up. Stay in your lane."
Su Xia's stomach twisted, but she forced a smile. "Good luck with your audition, Ling." She'd learned long ago not to let bullies see her flinch. Having grown up with Lin Jiao and Chen Mei, her orphanage sisters, had made her tough. They'd endured more than tantrum-throwing actresses—starvation, chilly nights, the pain of being unwanted.
She sent them a message in their group chat, "Nailed it. Zhao's being a snake again." Lin Jiao responded immediately: "Slay her with talent, Xia! " Chen Mei added a line of fire emojis.
Su Xia smiled, their words a warm embrace through the city.
That night, she was at a charity gala, a surprise invite from her agent who'd referred to it as a "networking necessity." The ballroom of the Grand Hyatt was a universe removed from her existence—crystal chandeliers glinted like icicles, and the scent of fine perfume and desire wafted through. Su Xia was pretending to be an imposter in borrowed stilettos, drinking watered-down juice to fit in.
She looked around at the people, seeing tycoons, celebrities, and politicians mingling in a dance of power.
And then there he was. Li Wei, towering by the bar, wearing a smart black suit that seemed to suck up the light. Thirty and the youngest CEO of Li Enterprises, a giant conglomerate that owned tech and property all over China. His steely jaw and dark, deep-set eyes commanded respect, but it was his presence—unyielding, as if regal—that created an orbit around him. He addressed a room full of investors in low, authoritative tones, as if used to being listened to.
However, there was tightness in his shoulders, a flicker of something defended in his eyes, like a man who had a wound no one could see.
Su Xia didn't intend to gawk, but when a waiter almost crashed into her, she tripped, spilling juice on the floor. By the time she could excuse herself, an onslaught of paparazzi descended upon her, cameras blinding her. "Su Xia! Are you here with anyone? New role rumors?" Their queries were a hail, and she stood there, her heart pounding.
"Enough." Li Wei's voice cut through like a blade. He stepped between her and the cameras, his broad frame a shield. "Back off. Now." His tone was icy, authoritative, and the reporters scattered like startled birds. He turned to her, his gaze softening just a fraction. "You okay?"
She nodded, breathless. "Yeah, thanks. I'm not used to… this." She gestured vaguely at the opulence around them.
His lips curled, not a smile. "You don't need to be in their sights. With me." He extended his arm, a domineering gesture that somehow felt protective. She didn't take it, then did, his heat seeping from his sleeve. He steered her to a less crowded corner, out of sight, and had a new drink ordered for her—sparkling water, no questions asked.
"I'm Su Xia," she replied, her tone more even now. "You're… Li Wei, aren't you? The CEO?"
He smiled, an eyebrow raising. "You've done your research."
"Impossible not to. Your picture's on every business magazine." She took a sip of her drink, her eyes holding his. "Why'd you rescue me?"
He leaned back against the wall, watching her. "You seemed like you could use it. And." He hesitated, as if balancing what he was going to say. "You're not like the others."
They spoke, the conversation going more easily than she had anticipated. She explained her audition, how she loved performing, how it allowed her to be someone else for a little while. He listened closely, his eyes never departing from hers. Consequently, he revealed a part of his universe—operating a business in the shadow of a father whom he hadn't seen or heard from in a decade, caused by an estrangement over business morality.
His mother, Madam Li, who was a political giant, held the family together, but the burden of his father's silence prevailed.
My father believes I betrayed the family name," he said, his voice low, nearly vulnerable. "I took it over at twenty, built the company into what it is. But it's never good enough for him.
Su Xia's heart hurt. She knew the feeling of being adrift, not wanted. "I understand," she whispered. "I was left at an orphanage when I was five. No note, no explanation. But I had friends who became my family. You find people who make it worth it."
Something changed in his face—recognition, perhaps. "You're tougher than you appear, Su Xia."
The night grew late, and the crowd thinned. As they stood by a window overlooking Shanghai's twinkling skyline, Li Wei's tone turned serious, his bossy edge resurfacing. "I have a proposition. Marry me."
She nearly choked on her drink. "What?"
"It's pragmatic," he replied, unmoved. "My grandfather's will is contingent on marriage at thirty-one for my inheritance. I'm short on time. You require stability—finance, contacts—to succeed in this business. I can provide that to you. No strings, just a partnership. We keep it quiet, safeguard your career, my reputation."
Her head whirled. It was crazy, but his honesty, the fact that he regarded her as though she was someone and not just nobody, made something flicker to life. "Why me?"
"Because you're real," he replied matter-of-factly. "And I trust my instincts."
She considered her small apartment, the struggle, the children at the orphanage she longed to assist. And finally, the thrill in her heart when he'd taken her hand and steadied her universe. "Okay," she breathed. "Let's do it."
He nodded, a rare smile breaking through. "Good. We'll make it work." He reached out, his fingers brushing hers, warm and deliberate. The touch lingered, electric, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just them.
As they exited the gala, he wrapped his coat around her shoulders against the chill of the night air, his hands staying on her arms. "You are safe with me, Su Xia," he whispered, his voice a low vow. She leaned towards him a little, her heart pounding not from fear but from something new, something warm. Unseen in the shadows, Wang Lei, a rival tycoon with a hawkish face and a grudge against Li Wei, watched them leave. His company had lost billions to Li Wei's ruthless strategies, and now he saw an opportunity. "A new wife?" he muttered to an aide, a sly grin forming. "Let's see how long this secret lasts."