Chapter 1

The large living room of the Yin family was filled with people, clearly divided into factions.

Aunt Qin tightly clenched her hands, her slightly plump fingers turning white, and her body trembled slightly. She unconsciously moved closer to the person sitting in front of her on the sofa, her heart in her throat.

Noticing the tension of the person standing behind her, He Changning turned to give Aunt Qin a reassuring smile, then naturally turned back to look at the group of people sitting on the opposite sofa. His eyes still held a smile, but it had lost all warmth.

Just moments ago, his biological father had told him, on behalf of the entire family, that in the near future, he would be married off to the young master of a powerful business family. Yes, he was going to marry a man.

He Changning felt like the heavens were playing a cruel joke on him. He, a man—an entirely straight man—was supposed to marry another man, also a straight man. Was this supposed to be funny? It wasn’t funny at all. And the one delivering this shocking news was his father, the man he had called “Dad” for twenty years.

To be honest, he still couldn’t believe what he had just heard. But looking at the faces of the people across from him—some were gloating, some were contemptuous, and some were indifferent—he realized he hadn’t misheard. So, he had to confirm once again, “Dad, what exactly did you mean by what you just said?”

Yin Zhian cleared his throat. To be honest, he hadn’t wanted to tell his son that he would be married off to a man, but the crisis facing the Yin Corporation could only be alleviated by the investment of a major business conglomerate. On top of that, his wife, Cong Min, had been constantly persuading him. Yin Zhian, who was soft-hearted, couldn’t resist the temptation, and thus made this decision. However, it was still hard for him to speak directly to his son about this, and his face was flushed with embarrassment. “Ahem, Changning, Dad really has no choice. You know, the only thing keeping this family afloat is the Yin Corporation. But now, there’s a financial crisis. The only way to resolve the current shortage is by getting an investment from the Shangshi Group. Once the crisis is averted, I will find a way to bring you back, even if the Shangshi Group doesn’t want to release you. After one year, they will have to let you go, and at that point, I will compensate you properly.”

The more He Changning listened, the heavier his heart felt. The elegant, faint smile on his face had already turned as cold as ice, and the temperature in his eyes made Yin Zhian’s back break into a cold sweat. “So, what Dad means is… you’re selling me to get an investment from Shangshi, and the contract is for one year?”

Yin Zhian shivered at the cold and sarcastic look in his son’s eyes. “Changning, how can you say that to your father? I really had no choice. Do you want to see your family living on the streets?”

He Changning laughed coldly, a bitter and exaggerated laugh. “Haha, haha! What a rare sight, a family that sells their son for wealth, and they still have the gall to speak so nobly! You’ve made my reasons for rejecting this into a joke. Well, if Aunt is so righteous, why doesn’t your son step up to save the family and bring glory to your ancestors?”

Cong Min, feeling her temper flare up as she saw her husband falter once again, couldn’t contain herself. She screamed, her voice sharp enough to pierce the ears, “He Changning, you’ve gone too far! Is this how your mother taught you to speak to your elders?”

He Changning’s voice was cold as ice. “How my mother taught me is none of your business. You should recognize your place before you speak to me.”

Cong Min, a mistress who had risen to her position through a child, was always a sore spot for her. Her status would be criticized for life, and while others might hold back out of respect for the Yin family, He Changning’s mere existence constantly reminded her of how she had come to her position. She couldn’t wait to get him out of the family, to make him disappear forever.

He Changning’s words were a direct blow to Cong Min’s heart, and even Yin Zhian felt his face burning with shame. “Changning…” he started, unsure of what to say next.

Cong Min wasn’t giving up, wailing, “Mom, look at Changning! How could he treat me this way? Since Minglan passed away, I’ve treated Changning like my own child. I’ve never wronged him. Even if he didn’t call me ‘Mom,’ I never held it against him. But how can he speak to me like this? I’m still the daughter-in-law of the Yin family. You can’t just watch as he bullies me. You have to support me, help me get justice! Since I married into the Yin family, I’ve always done my best for this family. How can he treat me like this? It’s heartbreaking, Mom, woo woo.”

The Yin family matriarch, who had remained silent the entire time, had a dark, calculating look in her eyes. Her aged face was full of schemes. “Changning, your mother really raised you well, didn’t she? You’ve learned to speak like this to your elders?”