Volume One, Chapter Three: You Are Nothing But a Failure

"Let's talk about it later. I just got a divorce, and I'm in a terrible mood right now."

Fang Tao sighed. The betrayal and infidelity of his wife, combined with the recent passing of his mother, had left him deeply despondent.

"You're divorced? That's a good thing!" Fang Yuanshan declared. "Our Fang family is a prominent clan; we must marry into families of equal standing. I have already arranged a match for you. Find some time to meet her."

Fang Tao frowned. "My mother just..."

"I am your father, and I have the right to arrange your marriage!" Fang Yuanshan stated, leaving no room for argument.

"Fine." Fang Tao sighed, too weary to protest. Wang Rong's betrayal had drained him of any faith in or anticipation for marriage.

Not long after he returned to the hotel, Wang Rong called.

"Nine o'clock tomorrow morning, meet me at the Civil Affairs Bureau!" Wang Rong's voice was frigid. "If you dare not show up, Shaojie will definitely make you pay!"

"I hope you won't regret this," Fang Tao said flatly. "It won't be long before you come begging me to remarry you."

He had finally seen through Wang Rong; she was a natural-born ingrate. Once he reclaimed his true identity, she would surely regret everything and fall to her knees, pleading for a reconciliation.

"Regret? Because of you? Ha!" Wang Rong scoffed. "A loser like you isn't even fit to tie Shaojie's shoes! What qualifications do you have to make me regret anything? With Shaojie's status and power, a single word from him could ensure you never recover for the rest of your life! Whether it’s status or ability, you aren't worthy of my regret!"

Wang Rong spoke with utter contempt, belittling him as worthless. She had completely forgotten that when her company was on the verge of bankruptcy due to mismanagement, it was Fang Tao who had turned the tide single-handedly, helping her earn her first pot of gold.

Fang Tao found her words laughable. What was a mere Zhang family? Before the behemoth that was the Fang family in the capital, they were nothing more than ants!

"A loser is always a loser!" Wang Rong hung up, dismissive. "You think you can make me regret it? Impossible!"

"Heh, he’s probably cracked under the pressure and gone crazy," Zhang Shaojie laughed with disdain. "One word from me is enough to crush him. He won't even be able to find a job!"

"Darling, is it true that you're taking me to the business gala tomorrow night?" Wang Rong asked, full of anticipation.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Zhang Shaojie replied sternly. "However, the people attending this gala are titans of the industry. You must be careful with your words. If you offend the wrong person, even I won't be able to save you. I'm pulling strings for you; as long as you can secure one partnership with them, it will be enough to keep you set for two or three years."

Wang Rong’s eyes lit up, and she wrapped her arms affectionately around his neck. "Thank you, darling. I knew you were the best to me."

***

Meanwhile, there was a knock at the door of Fang Tao's hotel room. He went to open it.

"Who are you?" Standing outside was a tall woman wearing large sunglasses and a face mask, with two middle-aged men—one short and one stout—standing behind her.

"Young Master, we were sent by the Master. This is Miss Tang, your fiancée," the stouter man said with a smile.

Fiancée? Fang Tao was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening. "Come in."

The woman walked in without a word, keeping her mask and sunglasses on.

Fang Tao pulled the stout man aside and whispered, "Have you seen what she looks like? Is she ugly?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen Miss Tang's face either," the man shook his head blankly. "But she has such a great figure, she can't be that hard to look at, right?"

"What did you just say?" Hearing this, Tang Xinyi was instantly incensed. She slapped her sunglasses and mask off, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face. With a flawless oval shape and exquisite, delicate features, she was an exceptionally rare beauty.

Fang Tao was momentarily speechless.

"Hmph, see for yourself! I am not ugly at all!" Tang Xinyi glared at him in annoyance. "I don't show my face because I prefer to keep a low profile, not because I'm unattractive. Do you understand?"

"You're the superstar Tang Xinyi!" Fang Tao recognized her, startled. This woman was the famous celebrity, Tang Xinyi, hailed as a "once in a millennium" beauty. Good heavens, they had actually arranged for a superstar to be his wife!

This was too absurd. The entertainment industry was a mess—what was the old man thinking?

"It's me," Tang Xinyi said, tilting her head proudly. "Let’s get this straight: I am only marrying you to satisfy my family. I have no intention of truly being your wife. After we marry, we live our own separate lives. You are not allowed to have any designs on me, or you'll regret it. Do you understand?"

There was a hint of resentment in her tone. *Great, she's a bitter woman, too,* Fang Tao thought, shaking his head. He walked into his room, closed the door, and dialed Fang Yuanshan.

"Old man, why did you bring a female celebrity here? What happened to matching social standings?"

"The Tang family and our Fang family are old friends; we are perfectly matched," Fang Yuanshan explained. "She isn't just the celebrity you think she is. Rest assured... I can't talk now, I have an important meeting. We'll speak later." He hung up.

Old friends? A princess from a wealthy clan actually went into the entertainment industry?

With these doubts, Fang Tao stepped out of the room to find that the two bodyguards had left. Tang Xinyi was lounging on the sofa, playing a game on her phone, looking like a completely different person from the cold, arrogant woman he had just met.

"You said you wanted a fake marriage? Can you elaborate?" Fang Tao asked with interest. In truth, Tang Xinyi's proposal wasn't a bad outcome for him.

"It's simple. After we register, we'll be a couple in name only. We lead our own lives, stay out of each other's business, and get a divorce in two years," Tang Xinyi said, frowning. "My grandfather gave me an ultimatum. I couldn't refuse, or he'd pull me out of the entertainment industry."

Fang Tao nodded. "Why would you want to be a celebrity anyway? From what I know, most people in that industry are... not exactly upright."

"Are you looking down on me?" Tang Xinyi was sensitive; her face darkened as she set her phone aside. Her gaze turned cold and dismissive. "You're just an illegitimate son—what right do you have to look down on me? You've spent your whole life hiding in the shadows, living in fear like a rat in a gutter! If it weren't for your father's competence in taking over the Fang family, you’d still be a nobody who wouldn't even be qualified to speak to me. In my eyes, you're no different from those losers who do nothing but wait to die."

Her voice was filled with contempt, stripping away Fang Tao's dignity without a shred of mercy.