Chapter Nine: The Gift

Her stomach burned with discomfort as Mai Xijun, cheeks flushed, walked down the path toward home. The grand competition would begin tomorrow, and she hadn’t even prepared an evening gown yet! What should she do? Ah, how vexing! Everything felt utterly overwhelming, but tomorrow’s worries could wait until then. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Shen Yanlie drove his car quietly, following her from a short distance. He watched as she ascended the stairs, only stepping on the gas and driving off once the light in her room flickered on.

The next morning, or to be precise, before Mai Xijun had even fully awakened from her dreams, the doorbell rang insistently, rousing her from sleep.

A hangover was truly dreadful, her head pounding fiercely. It was only 5:40 a.m.—who could it possibly be at this hour? Rubbing her head, she called out, “Who is it?”

She threw a light jacket over her shoulders and made her way to the door.

“Good morning, here’s your package. Please sign for it,” a man in a blue courier uniform stood at her door, holding a large, flat box.

Mai Xijun was taken aback. “What’s this? I don’t recall ordering anything recently. Could there be some mistake?” She rarely bought anything online, not just recently, but for years.

“May I ask, are you Mai Xijun?” The man smiled with impeccable professional courtesy.

She nodded, and he handed her the box. “Please sign here.”

Mai Xijun hesitated but took the box. The delivery slip clearly listed her address, her full name, and even her phone number—each digit correct.

Sitting on the sofa with the box before her, she ran through everyone she knew who might send her something, but one by one she ruled them all out. Most perplexing was that the sender’s address was left blank; only a single signature appeared: Mr. Destiny. Nothing more.

With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, she unwrapped the packaging. The gift box alone hinted at the extravagant value of the contents inside.

When she finally saw what was within, Mai Xijun was genuinely stunned—it was an evening gown in the style of Elie Saab…?

She frowned. Who would send her such a costly gift?

* * *

The jewelry exhibition was about to begin, and she needed to make an appearance at the company before nine. This unexpected gift had, without question, solved a major problem for her.

Sitting before the mirror, Mai Xijun applied a light touch of makeup and gathered her hair.

Her figure wasn’t extraordinarily tall, but at least stood above one hundred sixty-three centimeters. With high heels, the Elie Saab-inspired gown fit her perfectly.

The woman in the mirror now looked utterly luxurious, noble, elegant, and captivating. Indeed, beauty came from makeup, and clothes truly made the person.

Catching sight of the necklace resting on her vanity, Mai Xijun reached out and picked it up, turning it over in her hands. It was left by that man on the night in Venice. As a jewelry designer, she knew at a glance that this piece was among the most luxurious treasures ever made.

But what kind of man could he be? Young, handsome, with power and a formidable background? Perhaps. Or perhaps he was involved in darker dealings—a figure from the underworld, or a fugitive. There was no way to know for certain.