Jiang Yuxi woke up to a dull ache spreading through her entire body. Her arms were stiff, her legs sore, and her back felt as though she had been carrying a heavy weight for hours. The previous day's etiquette training had been relentless, pushing her body and mind to their limits. But she didn't have the luxury of staying in bed and nursing her aches.
She forced herself to rise, ignoring the stiffness in her muscles. As she washed up and changed into the modest yet elegant attire assigned to her, a quiet determination burned in her chest. She refused to show weakness.
By the time she entered the training room, Madam Wei was already waiting for her. The elderly instructor was impeccably dressed, her sharp gaze sweeping over Yuxi with quiet scrutiny.
"You look tired," Madam Wei remarked, arching a brow.
"I'm fine," Yuxi responded firmly.
Madam Wei hummed as though unimpressed but did not argue. The moment Yuxi stepped onto the polished wooden floor, the grueling training resumed.
Today's focus was refinement—perfecting her table manners, executing an impeccable tea ceremony, and mastering the art of greeting high society with the right balance of elegance and humility.
Every small mistake was met with a sharp correction."Straighten your back.""Lower your gaze slightly when speaking to an elder.""Your wrist is too stiff—gracefulness must be second nature, not forced."
Yuxi's patience was pushed to the brink when Madam Wei forced her to repeat a single gesture for hours. Balancing a delicate teacup with precise movements, making sure not a single drop spilled. Walking across the room while keeping her posture perfect.
"Again," Madam Wei instructed each time she found the slightest imperfection.
Yuxi's legs trembled with fatigue, her fingers aching from gripping the porcelain cup. Sweat formed at the nape of her neck, but she swallowed her frustration.
She wouldn't break. She couldn't afford to.
The short break Yuxi was granted barely felt like a relief. She stepped out into the courtyard, taking slow, deep breaths to clear her mind.
That was when she heard the familiar voice—sickly sweet, laced with malice.
"Training to be a real lady, sister?"
Yuxi turned, finding Jiang Roulan leaning against the pillar of the pavilion, her arms crossed and a smirk playing at her lips.
"I suppose it's necessary," Jiang Roulan continued, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "After all, you wouldn't want to embarrass yourself at the charity event, right? Not that it will matter. No matter how much you try, you'll never truly belong here."
Yuxi clenched her fists but refused to give Roulan the satisfaction of a reaction. "I wasn't aware you were so interested in my progress," she replied coolly.
Roulan chuckled. "Interested? Hardly. I just find it amusing. You're just a contract wife, Yuxi. Nothing more. Do you think you'll ever be accepted as the lady of this household?"
Before Yuxi could respond, Madam Gu's voice cut through the air.
"Roulan."
Both women turned to find Madam Gu approaching with an air of quiet authority. Her gaze settled on Yuxi briefly before shifting to Jiang Roulan. "I hope you're not wasting your time."
Jiang Roulan smiled sweetly. "Of course not, Aunt. I was simply checking on my dear sister's progress."
Madam Gu's gaze flickered toward Yuxi once more. There was no warmth, no acknowledgment—just indifference. "She still has a long way to go," she murmured before walking past them.
Jiang Roulan's smirk widened. Yuxi was left with a bitter taste in her mouth.
By the time the evening arrived, Yuxi felt drained. Her body screamed for rest, but the day's events had left her mind restless.
When she stepped into the bedroom, she wasn't expecting to find Gu Zeyan there, leaning against the desk, waiting.
Her steps faltered for a moment.
He studied her for a long moment before speaking, "I heard you haven't given up yet."
Yuxi exhaled, irritated. "Were you expecting me to?"
Gu Zeyan's lips quirked into a smirk. "Most women would."
Yuxi's frustration boiled over. "Do you enjoy watching me struggle?"
Instead of responding, Gu Zeyan pushed off the desk and closed the distance between them. Yuxi instinctively took a step back, but he was too fast.
His gaze was unreadable, sharp yet unreadable. "You're tougher than I thought," he murmured, his voice low.
Yuxi stiffened, her pulse quickening.
His proximity unsettled her—not because she was afraid, but because of the strange, unfamiliar tension that lingered between them.
Before she could respond, he stepped back, as if he had never been close at all. "Don't make a fool of yourself at the charity event," he said before walking past her.
Yuxi let out a slow breath. She didn't know what game he was playing, but she wasn't going to lose.
The next morning, as Yuxi prepared for another day of training, her phone buzzed with an unknown message.
Be careful of the people around you.
Her brows furrowed. The number was unfamiliar, and the message vague. She dismissed it as a prank—until later that day.
As she stepped outside for fresh air, she caught sight of a man watching her from across the courtyard.
He was dressed in dark clothing, standing too still. The moment their eyes met, he turned and disappeared into the shadows.
A chill crept up Yuxi's spine.
Who was he? And why did she feel as though she was being watched?
Later that day, Yuxi met Lin Cheng in secret. He immediately noticed her tired expression.
"Are they pushing you too hard?" he asked, concerned.
"I can handle it," Yuxi replied.
Lin Cheng sighed. "Yuxi, you don't understand. The Gu family isn't just about appearances. There are things going on behind the scenes—things you don't see."
Yuxi frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Before he could answer, a presence loomed behind them.
Yuxi turned—Gu Zeyan stood there, his expression unreadable but his eyes cold.
"You shouldn't be here," Gu Zeyan told Lin Cheng.
Tension crackled between them. It wasn't just a warning—it was a claim.
Lin Cheng clenched his jaw but stepped back.
Yuxi caught between them, realized something.
Gu Zeyan wasn't indifferent to her presence in his life. Not anymore.
That night, as Yuxi lay in bed, she thought of everything that had happened—the training, the taunts, the strange warning, and the silent war between Gu Zeyan and Lin Cheng.
She had been too focused on surviving.
Now, she needed to do more than that.
If she wanted to survive in the Gu family, she needed to understand the hidden power struggles.
With new resolve, she vowed to do just that.