Tang Xu, born to the Tang and Song families, endured a loveless marriage to Jiang Muchen, a man who despised her and openly flaunted his affairs. For two years, she played the role of a docile wife, but when her maternal Song family faced a severe crisis instigated by a family friend, Yang Huai, she decided to act. She first sought out Duan Siwei, a notorious playboy, to undo a reckless deal made by her younger half-sister, Song Yuqiao. In Duan Siwei's dimly lit private room, she encountered a mysterious man in the shadows, for whom she lit a cigarette at Duan Siwei's bidding. The man spoke a single phrase to Duan Siwei, and the deal was dismissed. Tang Xu left, only to confront her husband in the lobby. While he embraced a mistress, she asked for a divorce. Jiang Muchen refused, threatening to let the Song family collapse and forcing her to remain trapped as Mrs. Jiang.At home, Tang Xu faced further conflict with Song Yuqiao and her stepmother, Qin Yun. Undeterred, she resolved to change her approach. Abandoning her demure facade, she hired a stylist and prepared to attend the Yan family's annual charity banquet as a stunning, assertive figure. While at the styling studio, she accidentally entered a restroom and found the same mysterious man from Duan Siwei's room, now wearing only a towel. She later discovered his identity: Yan Shiyu, the rumored invalid and reclusive Third Young Master of the powerful Yan family, returned after years abroad. His presence was healthy and commanding, contradicting all gossip.At the banquet, Tang Xu acted alone. Spotting Yang Huai, the man responsible for her family's downfall, she publicly poured three glasses of red wine over his head, causing a scene and humiliating him. The guests were shocked by her audacity. Yan Shiyu intervened, ordering Yang Huai to be taken away and addressing Tang Xu with cold detachment. The encounter laid bare the tension between them, as Tang Xu remained unaware of his true stance but understood that his loyalty lay with the Yan family, and by extension, with Jiang Muchen. The incident marked her public break from her former compliance, setting the stage for a confrontation with both her husband and the obstacles keeping her family from salvation.
