The island was shaped like a steamed bun. It was not large but there were several wind turbines on its beaches. They looked like the windmills in Holland, turning without end in the wind and adding to the beauty of the landscape of the island.

The island had only one hill and the Vientaine Group’s wind power plant was at the base of this hill. Entering the plant, Xia Lei saw stack upon stack of wind turbine components which almost filled the area.

“There’s so many parts! I think Far East Heavy Industries did a good job - why do you say that they’d be unable to finish their order?” The sight of the wind turbine components raised a suspicion in Xia Lei that Shentu Tian-Yin had brought him to the island for something more than an opinion. There might not even be anything having to do with an opinion.

Shentu Tian-Yin did not answer Xia Lei’s question. “Let’s go. I have my quarters on this island. We shall stay there tonight,” she said.

Xia Lei wrinkled his brows. “What the hell’s going on? Please tell me.”

Shentu Tian-Yin smiled faintly. “Don’t be in such a rush.”

Her smile was fresh as a daisy; it was like an answer to all doubts. Xia Lei could ask no further at that smile.

At that moment, Fu Ming-Mei drove up in a sightseeing trolley bus and said, “Get on.”

Shentu Tian-Yin and Xia Lei got on and Fu Ming-Mei drove the small trolley bus to the bun-shaped hill. The road up was steep and the trolley bus went slowly though it was covered in asphalt. Xia Lei sat in the car and looked at the forest on either side of him, mulling over the situation before him - What is this Shentu Tian-Yin thinking of doing?

The bun-shaped hill had a large villa at its peak. It seemed to be the highest point of the island and had the best lighting and view of the island. It was also built in the gothic style and looked like a castle from the medieval times. The forest around the castle had been trimmed away and a garden grown on the space cleared. Bright green grass, various flower species and a huge open-air pool decorated the grounds, adding to a comfortable yet elegant atmosphere.

‘It’s nice to be rich. This villa must be worth tens of millions. It’ll be nice if I had a villa like this too... Get a beautiful wife, have a son, a daughter... that’ll be nice,’ thought Xia Lei to himself.

Liang Si-Yao had popped into his head at the thought of a wife. This thought had also scared him. ‘Why did I think of her? We’re not even dating - how can we get married and have children?’

He sneaked a glance at Shentu Tian-Yin next to him. He had imagined himself with her more than once in the past - he had even had dreams where they’d had sex. However, these fantasies were fairly toned down now and not as exciting as they’d been. Was this because of Liang Si-Yao?

Love was a strange thing.

Fu Ming-Mei parked the trolley bus in a parking lot then jumped down. “Big Sister Tian-Yin, I’ll go prepare the room for Mr Xia.”

Shentu Tian-Yin nodded, then brought Xia Lei into the villa.

The inside of the villa was also done in Gothic style - classical and stylish. However, there was a lot of blacks and greys used in the decor, making the place look cold and mysterious. This style made Xia Lei think of Shentu Tian-Yin’s character - she was as mysterious and cold as this villa.

Shentu Tian-Yin led Xia Lei to the second floor and they came to a study. Fu Chuan-Fu fetched them two cups of tea. Xia Lei saw nobody other than Shentu Tian-Yin, Fu Chuan-Fu and Fu Ming-Mei. It seemed that this place was Shentu Tian-Yin’s secret ‘palace’.

Xia Lei sat on the sofa, sipped his tea and said, “Can you tell me what this is about now?” He looked at Shentu Tian-Yin. “Are you still going to tell me that it’s something to do with the wind power project?”

“It’s not a problem related to the wind power project. I apologise for lying to you but it was to hide my real intent from others. I have a request to make of you.”

“What do you want me to help with?”

“I just need you to help.”

Xia Lei paused, then laughed. “I don’t even know what I’ll be doing. How can I help you?”

Shentu Tian-Yin spoke slowly, “I have been managing Vientaine Group for three years. My grandparents see me as a threat. I understand their viewpoint; they want my Second Uncle’s son, Shentu Tian-Feng to succeed Vientaine Group. If he does, the corporation my father built single-handedly would still belong to the Shentu clan. I am just one woman and I will have to marry sooner or later. My children will not be named Shentu and Vientaine Group will fall into the hands of an outsider if I marry. The Shentu clan also think this way. They do not express this concern but they all worry about it. They are afraid that I will marry and give birth to a successor who is not a Shentu.”

“Your grandparents are too old-fashioned. Aren’t all grandchildren the same? Besides, your father single-handedly built Vientaine Group - what does it have to do with them? Isn’t their life of luxury thanks to your father’s kindness? Your father is paralysed and instead of paying him back they are devising ways to undermine you and take away what is rightfully yours. They’re too much.” Xia Lei was outraged on her behalf.

Shentu Tian-Yin laughed bitterly. “So you get it now. Our Shentu clan number in the tens but the only ones I can truly trust are Uncle Fu and Ming-Mei, and they are not Shentu.”

“Thank you for telling me all these. This means you see me as a friend and trust me. What I still don’t understand is what you want me to help you with,” said Xia Lei.

“I’ve already made it clear. You’re smart - can’t you guess?” Shentu Tian-Yin stared steadily at Xia Lei.

Xia Lei looked wordlessly at Shentu Tian-Yin. How could someone guess something like this?

“Can’t guess?” Shentu Tian-Yin seemed slightly disappointed.

Xia Lei shook his head firmly. However, he felt that one-on-one interaction with Shentu Tian-Yin was not as dry as he’d thought. She also had interesting factors.

Shentu Tian-Yin sighed. “All right, I’ll cut to the chase. Date me.”

“Nn.” Xia Lei made a sound.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“You accept?” Shentu Tian-Yin seemed surprised.

Xia Lei snapped back to his senses. “Hold on... What did you say?”

“Let’s date.”

Xia Lei heard it clearly the second time and understood what help Shentu Tian-Yin wanted. His jaw dropped to the floor. He’d never imagined that after all that beating about the bush that the help Shentu Tian-Yin was seeking was this sort of help!

Shentu Tian-Yin watched Xia Lei silently. “There are too few people who I trust but I knew you were a good person and that I could trust you the first time I met you. Do you still remember the circumstances under which we met? I would’ve been blasted to smithereens if it were not for you. If others did what you did they would want some sort of reward but you wanted nothing. You only accepted those pieces of equipment when Uncle Fu forced them on you. Do you know what Uncle Fu said of you when he came back? He called you a foolish boy.”

Xia Lei smiled wryly. “I was quite poor back then but I don’t want charity. Besides, I only saw it coincidentally back then and I didn’t do much. Forget it, let’s not talk about the past.”

“Will you do me this favour?” Shentu Tian-Yin went back to the topic of dating.

“Miss Shentu, you... How am I supposed to help you like this?” Xia Lei felt a headache coming on.

“You agree, then we date. Isn’t this helping me? It’s very simple.”

Xia Lei was speechless.

“My grandparents are nearly in their eighties and their health is waning; they may never wake from sleep one day. The Shentu clan is anxious because the clan’s opposition power decreases with them gone. When that happens, no one will be able to hold me in check and it will be even more difficult to take Vientaine Group from me. That is why they will get anxious and reveal their true faces if I introduce a catalyst,” said Shentu Tian-Yin.

“And I am that catalyst?”

“Yes, you are my catalyst.” A faint smile appeared in the corners of Shentu Tian-Yin’s lips. “You shall pretend to date me. I’ll take you home to meet my grandparents and my father. We will attend some high-publicity events together and create an image of us being very loving and on the verge of marriage. When that happens the snakes in the grass will all spring out.”

“And then?”

“I’ll crush them all.” Shentu Tian-Yin’s voice was cold.

Xia Lei’s emotions were a mess. “Why do you think I’ll help you in this?”

“You will. My intuition is rarely wrong.”

Xia Lei smiled wryly. “Okay. I can help you. But I want to know why you chose me.”

Shentu Tian-Yin laughed softly. “I have to find someone suitable even if it’s a fake relationship, don’t I? Am I the sort of woman who would just pick anyone willy-nilly?”

Xia Lei had nothing to say in response but her words made him feel good about himself.

“All right, it’s late. You can rest,” said Shentu Tian-Yin.

“Good night.” Xia Lei got up to leave.

“Oh, right, we will begin dating tomorrow morning.”

“There isn’t anyone else here so who will we be putting on a show for?” said Xia Lei.

“We still have to adapt to each other. Also, I asked Uncle Fu to investigate you; you haven’t ever had a girlfriend. Do you think you have the talent to act so well that you can fool so many crafty foxes?”

Xia Lei was speechless.