After a Flash Marriage to a Stern Daddy, I Can't Get Divorced - Chapter 1

On a winter night, a long-awaited snow fell softly outside, but inside, the fireplace cast a cozy warmth across the wrap party for The Coming of Winter. One by one, the cast and crew members streamed into the venue.

People milled about in small groups, sipping wine and chatting casually.

The only exception was Yun Yao. He sat dejectedly by the fireplace, twirling a wine glass he hadn’t managed to toast anyone with, his face utterly devoid of the excitement usually brought by the first snow of the season. Instead, he looked like a man questioning his entire existence.

“Is it really… because I’m too ugly?”

His manager, Wei You, shot him a sympathetic look. Geesh. After just one year in the entertainment industry, this kid had finally cracked.

From the moment Wei You first laid eyes on Yun Yao, he knew his career was about to hit its peak. A face like that, let alone in Hong Kong, was something no one in the entire Chinese-speaking world could ever call ugly.

“If you’re ugly, then there isn’t a single beautiful person left in show business.”

Hearing this, Yun Yao suddenly leaned in close, like an annoyed kitten hissing at his manager.

“Then is my breath not fresh enough?”

Wei You, his pupils dilating in sheer shock, scrambled back a few steps.

Initially, Wei You had been just as baffled by why everyone suddenly treated Yun Yao like the plague.

Yun Yao had just gone viral for playing the third male lead in a modern drama, exceeding everyone’s expectations. Given the opportunistic nature of people in this industry, they should have been clamoring to get close to him right now.

That was until a month ago, when Wei You, pressured by the company, personally delivered Yun Yao to Qin Sheng, a man backed by serious capital. The moment Wei You turned around, everything went black. He was kidnapped and dumped on a deserted island surrounded by nothing but open ocean.

By the time he made it back, he was half-dead and spent three grueling days in the hospital just to pull through.

It was during that ordeal that Wei You realized Yun Yao’s background was anything but simple.

Bound by the warning of that powerful figure, Wei You didn’t dare say a word. He certainly didn’t dare let Yun Yao cross paths with the industry’s sleazier elements ever again.

Wei You instinctively extended a single finger, pressing it against Yun Yao’s forehead to push him back, warning him to behave.

“You, listen to me. Stop overthinking things. As long as your popularity doesn’t drop, everything else is trivial. Got it?”

With that, Wei You hurriedly slipped into the crowd to mingle, terrified that if he stayed any longer, he might accidentally let the truth slip.

Watching his manager effortlessly navigate the room and charm the crowd, Yun Yao let out a long, envious sigh.

Just as he was about to muster up the energy to try mingling again, he spotted Qin Sheng, who had been missing in action for a month, slinking suspiciously into the main hall.

Yun Yao’s eyes lit up, and he immediately waved him over.

“Qin—”

But the moment Qin Sheng caught sight of Yun Yao, his face contorted in pure terror, and he spun on his heel to flee.

Yun Yao froze mid-wave, completely bewildered.

No way. He had just shot a commercial with Qin Sheng, and they had even grabbed hot pot together afterward. While they weren’t exactly best friends, they had gotten along famously.

So what was this?

Panic struck Yun Yao. He rushed back to his manager, who was in the middle of networking, and gasped in horror.

“Wei! I… I must have been blacklisted!”

The surrounding crowd glanced over, bewildered.

After hearing Yun Yao’s frantic explanation, Wei You fell silent.

Is Qin Sheng actively looking for a death wish? How does he still have the nerve to show up in front of Yun Yao?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the venue, Qin Sheng and his thoroughly confused assistant were sprinting back to their van.

The assistant stood outside the car door, hands on his hips, panting heavily. “Boss, we just got here! Why are we leaving already?”

Qin Sheng yanked his assistant into the vehicle and turned to bark at the driver, “Drive! Fast! Don’t let anyone know I was here!”

Before the assistant could even settle into his seat, the van sped away. Looking back at the receding gates of the villa, his heart ached.

“Boss, we had to pull a dozen favors just to score that invitation! We’re really just throwing it away?”

Qin Sheng was equally heartbroken, but terrified. “If we don’t leave right now, forget about networking—we won’t even be able to survive in Hong Kong anymore!”

Recalling that hot pot dinner from a month ago, Qin Sheng wanted nothing more than to slap himself. He had seen all kinds of beauties in this industry over the years, so how on earth had he been blind enough to hit on Yun Yao?

Back at the villa, Yun Yao stood under the veranda, his face a picture of dejection as he listened to his manager scold him. His assistant, Qing Qing, stood beside them in silent solidarity.

“If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn’t have come. In this freezing weather, I could’ve stayed home and cuddled my cat,” Yun Yao grumbled under his breath.

Wei You ground his teeth, wishing he could slap himself instead. “I brought you here to attend a wrap party, not to pick up guys!”

Yun Yao mumbled back, “Isn’t a wrap party meant for drinking and socializing? What’s the point of being in the entertainment industry if I can’t look at attractive people?”

Frustrated by his lack of ambition, Wei You told him to stay put under the veranda and reflect on his behavior. He was only allowed to go home after greeting the main star of the party, Best Actor He Lindong.

Yun Yao had only been in the industry for a year, and his only major project so far was The Coming of Winter, working alongside He Lindong. The film was He Lindong’s directorial debut, and he also starred as the lead.

Yun Yao played the fourth male lead, He Lindong’s innocent younger brother.

As the only family member who remained loyal to the protagonist, the character ultimately died protecting He Lindong, shot down by the villain. Though he only had four scenes in total, the character was incredibly endearing. Combined with Yun Yao’s stunning face, the role allowed him to stand out among the rookies this year.

Yet, this sudden burst of fame didn’t seem to change anything in his daily life.

To make matters worse, starting a month ago, everyone around him began treating him like he was radioactive, actively steering clear of him. It left Yun Yao feeling incredibly frustrated.

He wasn’t an A-list star, he was a walking curse.

By now, a thick blanket of snow covered the ground. Since there was no one inside he cared to talk to anyway, Yun Yao squatted in the courtyard to pass the time by playing in the snow while waiting for He Lindong.

Half an hour later, a row of uniquely shaped, incredibly lifelike little snowmen stood lined up along the veranda steps.

When He Lindong finally arrived, he found Yun Yao working diligently like a street vendor, entirely absorbed in crafting his little snow figures.

“…It’s literally below freezing out here. Are you really not cold?”

Startled, Yun Yao jumped to his feet and greeted him.

“He!”

He Lindong walked up to the veranda and asked casually, “Why aren’t you inside?”

There was a significant age gap between them, not to mention a vast difference in their industry standing. Regaining his composure, Yun Yao hurriedly wiped the melted snow from his hands, his tone carrying the natural, endearing charm of a junior.

“Well, my manager thought I was talking too much, so he banished me out here to wait for you.”

Guessing what had likely happened, He Lindong raised an eyebrow slightly.

“What, did you try to flirt with another beauty?”

Yun Yao rubbed his nose, looking a little embarrassed.

“Wrap parties are meant for chatting and drinking, aren’t they?”

Yun Yao followed He Lindong inside, and the atmosphere instantly livened up again. Everyone swarmed over to greet the director. After the initial pleasantries, the crowd gathered around to cut the celebratory cake.

Just then, a commotion at the entrance drew everyone’s attention.

A man walked in, flanked by two middle-aged men who looked like bodyguards, with He Lindong’s assistant guiding them from the side.

Seeing the newcomer, He Lindong smiled and walked over to welcome him.

“I didn’t think you’d make it tonight.”

Most of the guests tonight were the cast and crew of The Coming of Winter, along with a few of He Lindong’s close friends and family who came to celebrate.

Yun Yao assumed the man was just another one of the actor’s friends. However, when he finally got a clear look at him, his pupils dilated, completely captivated by the man’s appearance.

From a distance, the man looked like a runway model, possessing broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He stood noticeably taller than the 1.83-meter He Lindong.

His attire wasn’t as meticulously styled as the celebrities in the room, wearing a branding-free black tactical jacket paired with combat boots. His features were deep, resolute, and intense.

Unlike the refined, pampered look common in showbiz, he carried an aura of ruthless authority, like a apex predator that had suddenly broken into a greenhouse.

Yes, a predator, Yun Yao thought.

Just one glance from him was enough to make one’s knees go weak.

“I said I’d be here tonight, so of course I came,” Yu Cheng said, clasping shoulders with He Lindong in a brief, long-overdue embrace. “Congratulations on a successful directorial debut.”

Yet, his voice didn’t match the aggressive edge of his appearance, sounding surprisingly easygoing and untamed instead.

To Yun Yao, however, hearing that voice felt like an electric shock.

His breathing hitched, and his heart began to thud violently against his ribs. Not only was the man’s appearance striking, but his voice sounded hauntingly familiar.

It sounded exactly like the man who dominated his unspeakable midnight dreams.

As He Lindong led the guest further into the room, Yun Yao widened his eyes, desperate to get a better look at his face. Back then, he had been too dazed and feverish to see the man’s features clearly.

The only piece of information he had was the man’s last name, Xi.

Unfortunately, He Lindong didn’t formally introduce the newcomer to the crowd, merely referring to him as an old friend.

As He Lindong went back to cutting the cake, Yun Yao was handed a small slice. He stood beside Wei You, picking at it listlessly.

For once, he was quiet.

Wei You glanced him up and down, knowing instantly that Yun Yao’s mind was wandering again.

“Not in a hurry to leave anymore?”

Yun Yao looked up, acting stubborn.

“Yes, I am! Very much so! In fact… should I leave right now?”

Wei You rolled his eyes. I really shouldn’t expect anything sensible from him.

Their agency, Star Entertainment, was a small company with zero backing. Securing roles usually came down to sheer luck or bribing the right people. Now that The Coming of Winter was wrapped, networking opportunities like this were rare and invaluable. Wei You wasn’t about to leave early.

He was currently expending every ounce of energy to schmooze and network, wishing he had eight mouths just to keep up. After exchanging a few quick words with Yun Yao, he grabbed another glass of wine and headed off toward a producer.

Yun Yao instinctively scanned the room. He Lindong was still drinking with a group of people, but the striking man from earlier was nowhere to be found. He waited until late into the night, but the man never reappeared.

Yun Yao began to doubt himself, wondering if he had simply misheard.

There were countless people in the world with similar voices. The chances of running into a total stranger a second time were as slim as finding a needle in a haystack.

And yet, he couldn’t bear to let the chance slip away.

By the time he and Wei You finally prepared to leave, the party had mostly wound down. Even He Lindong was gone, leaving his assistant and manager, Sister Hua, at the door to see the guests off.

After hesitating for a moment, Yun Yao plucked up his courage and approached He Lindong’s young assistant to ask where the director went, but the assistant didn’t know either.

When he proceeded to ask about the guest who arrived late, Sister Hua looked at him with an amused, teasing expression.

“Why didn’t you just ask your Brother He earlier?”

Yun Yao felt a flush of embarrassment. Sister Hua probably viewed him as a flighty flirt who hit on every attractive man he saw.

But to find out who that man was, Yun Yao was willing to swallow his pride.

“Asking him directly would be too obvious. Sister Hua, please just tell me on the down-low, even if it’s just a last name.”

Sister Hua found him endearing. She had a good impression of Yun Yao and would have signed him to her agency ages ago if his current contract weren’t such a nightmare to untangle.

“What a sharp little creature. Your sister here really only knows his last name, though.”

Yun Yao took an eager step forward, looking exactly like a large puppy waiting for a treat.

“What is it? What is it?”

Sister Hua couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, so you really have your eye on him? Getting this worked up over just a last name.”

Since it was just a surname, revealing it wouldn’t do any harm. Sister Hua leaned in slightly.

“I heard his last name is Yu.”

When Yun Yao stepped outside, his eyes swept over the veranda steps. They were completely bare, all twelve snowmen were gone without a trace.

His mood plummeted to the absolute absolute bottom.

Meanwhile, this exact scene was being watched by a man standing on the second-floor balcony. At this moment, the sharp, dangerous edge around Yu Cheng had completely vanished, replaced by a faint, amused smile playing on his lips.

Beside him, He Lindong stared at the twelve snowmen neatly arranged inside a transparent cooler bag. His eye twitched. He had always known this man was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but he hadn’t realized he was an outright creep.

He suddenly regretted asking Yu Cheng to borrow this villa for the wrap party.

What a disaster. A complete disaster.

People with the surname Xi really were entirely devoid of decency.

Even though he had severed ties with the Xi family years ago, certain dark traits were clearly coded deep within his DNA.

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