Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

When Chen Nuo woke up, it was already noon the next day.

Sunlight streamed through the bedroom's only window, casting a bright patch of light on the dark blue sheets. She blinked, looking blank for a few seconds.

This is not her rented apartment.

Then memories flooded back like a tidal wave.

Nightclubs, Lin Hao, police station, slaps, interrogation room... and Fang Jingxiu.

He carried her to the car, brought her to this place, treated her wounds, and let her sleep in his bed.

Chen Nuo sat up abruptly, her brow furrowing as she felt a hangover-like headache.

She looked around.

The room was simple, with a single bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.

The desk was piled high with documents, all with red headers and covers marked "Confidential" or "Internal Documents." Next to it sat a laptop, closed, but the power light was still on.

The wardrobe door was half open, revealing neatly hung white shirts and suits arranged by shade of color, meticulously arranged.

There was a faint scent of cedar in the air, the same scent as Fang Jingxiu.

This is his bedroom.

She slept in his bed.

This realization made Chen Nuo's cheeks burn. She threw back the covers and got out of bed, only to realize that she was still wearing that light gray loungewear when her feet touched the cold floor.

She remembered her phone; it was in her down jacket pocket last night. The down jacket was in the living room.

Chen Nuo pushed open the door, and the living room was empty.

A neatly folded blanket lay on the sofa, her water glass and an opened strip of ointment sat on the coffee table. Her laptop was closed and rested on the sofa armrest, next to her black fountain pen.

Everything was tidied up neatly, as if the owner had been gone for a long time.

Chen Nuo walked to the entrance and took out his phone from the pocket of his down jacket.

It shut down automatically when the power was out.

Just as she was looking for a charger, the landline phone in the corner of the living room suddenly rang.

"Ring ring—"

The sudden ringing of the bell was particularly jarring in the quiet room.

Chen Nuo was startled and hesitated whether to answer. The phone rang seven or eight times before she finally went over and picked up the receiver: "Feeding?"

"You're up?"

It was Fang Jingxiu.

His voice came through the telephone line, with a slightly more electrical quality than usual, but it was still steady and pleasant to listen to.

Chen Nuo's heart began to pound uncontrollably, the excitement almost overflowing. She gripped the microphone tightly, trying to keep her voice calm: "Mmm, just woke up."

"Does your head hurt?" he asked.

"A little, but it's okay."

"There's honey water by your bedside, drink it," Fang Jingxiu said. "I'll have someone bring you lunch, it'll be here in about twenty minutes."

"No need to trouble yourself," Chen Nuo quickly said, "I can eat at home..."

"The Lin family is still looking for you." Fang Jingxiu interrupted her, his tone calm but unquestionable. "You'll stay here with me for the time being. I've already spoken to the school about your participation in a closed-door internship."

Chen Nuo was stunned: "Stay...stay for how long?"

"It depends." Fang Jingxiu paused. "Security at the ministry compound is tight; they can't get in."

He suddenly lowered his voice, with a rare hint of amusement: "But don't wander around the yard, or the guards might mistake you for a suspicious person and shoot you dead."

Chen Nuo was amused by him, and her voice unconsciously took on a coquettish tone: "Brother Xiu!"

A faint laugh came from the other end of the phone; it was very soft, but Chen Nuo heard it.

Then she heard someone speaking over there, the voice not far away: "Director Fang, talking to your girlfriend on the phone? You're laughing so sweetly."

Chen Nuo's heart suddenly tightened.

She held her breath, waiting for Fang Jingxiu's reply.

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

Then she heard Fang Jingxiu's calm voice: "Cousin."

Two words, a simple and understated description.

Chen Nuo's heart felt as if it had been squeezed tightly by something, and instantly sank to the bottom.

cousin.

It turns out that in his heart, she was just his cousin.

Last night's gentle care, that domineering protection, those declarations that you are mine, were all because... she is my cousin.

"Chen Nuo?" Fang Jingxiu's voice pulled her back to reality.

"Hmm..." Her voice was a little hoarse.

"Go brush your teeth and wash your face, the food delivery person will be here soon," he said. "Oh, by the way, there's a spare charger in the desk drawer in the living room, you can use that for now."

"it is good."

"That's all for now, I have another meeting."

"Brother Xiu," Chen Nuo suddenly spoke, "Are you... coming back tonight?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"It depends," Fang Jingxiu said. "If you come back late, don't wait for me. Secretary Qin will have someone send you food."

"it is good."

The phone hangs up.

Chen Nuo held the microphone and stood there for a long time without moving.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, enveloping her completely, but she felt a chill all over her body.

cousin.

She slowly walked back to the bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed, and stared at the glass of honey water.

So all of this—letting her stay here, protecting her, taking care of her—was just because he treated her like a cousin?

Chen Nuo recalled her father's words: "Fang Jingxiu is a traditional person at heart. The relationships he approves of are either family, wife, or business partners. You are not yet qualified to be any of them."

That's why she was positioned as the cousin.

An identity that can be legitimately protected, but does not require genuine emotional investment.

Safe, convenient, and within acceptable limits.

Chen Nuo picked up the glass of honey water and took a sip. It was warm, and the sweetness was just right.

She suddenly laughed, laughing at her own naivety.

I knew all along that this was a gamble, a transaction, a climb that required careful maneuvering. How could I, after only a few days of protection, start expecting more?

She put down the cup and went into the bathroom.

The person in the mirror was still a little pale, and their eyes were still red and swollen, but their gaze had become clear again.

She turned on the tap and washed her face with cold water. The icy water stimulated her skin and her brain.

Fang Jingxiu is right. She should brush her teeth, wash her face, eat, and keep moving forward.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity here.

After washing up, Chen Nuo opened her wardrobe, looking for something to wear. But inside, besides Fang Jingxiu's shirt and suit, there was only the loungewear she had changed out of the night before.

She hesitated for a moment, then took a white shirt from the closet. It was the simplest style, pure cotton, and impeccably ironed.

The shirt was too big for her; the hem reached her thighs, and the sleeves were so long she had to roll them up several times. She then found a pair of athletic shorts at the bottom of her wardrobe, which she could barely wear.