Love in the Mansion

In the vast expanse of the estate, nestled in a quaint stone cottage at one edge:

"Aunt Ling, where did you hide Dad's bank card? We need to pay the hospital bills this week, or Grandma's life is at stake," pleaded Lu Xue, her delicate face etched with urgency.

"What card? I don't know," Li Ling, her stepmother, nonchalantly responded, her eyes glued to the TV as she cracked melon seeds.

Lu Xue blocked the TV, her tone growing more desperate. "You've always managed the family's finances. How could you not know?"

"Are you done nagging? The doctor already said that even with surgery, the old lady won't last long. Why waste the money? Besides, she's your grandmother, what's that got to do with us? Why should we pay?" interjected Lu Qiaowei, her half-sister, with evident annoyance.

"But that's Dad's hard-earned money." "Then ask Dad!" "Isn't Dad out of reach now?" Lu Xue wouldn't have approached her stepmother otherwise.

Despite lacking a direct blood relationship with Grandma, they were still family. Their callousness was unbearable. Lu Xue, unable to contain her anger, challenged them, "How can you just stand by and watch her die?"

"Yes, you're the only one with a conscience, then find a solution yourself. Our entire family's savings amount to just five hundred thousand yuan, barely enough for your elder sister's dowry, let alone care for that old lady. We're better off without her," they coldly remarked.

"My mom passed away, and Dad promised to care for Grandma. He'll be back, how will you explain then?" Li Ling let out a cold laugh, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Do you know why your father suddenly became unreachable?"

Lu Xue gasped, unwilling to accept the insinuation. "You're lying, Dad can't be that heartless!"

"Wait till the old lady is gone, then your dad will return. No money, not a single cent!" Lu Xue knew pleading with Li Ling was futile. With tears in her eyes, she left the house in despair.

Grandma was the one who loved her the most. She would do anything to gather the fifty thousand yuan needed for surgery, but her own worth wouldn't fetch that much. What should she do? A fire seemed to rage within her, ready to engulf her in flames.

Her phone, tucked away in her pocket, rang with an unknown number. Reluctantly, after several persistent calls, Lu Xue answered.

"Is this Miss Lu Xue? Did you save an elderly man at Haixin Road a few days ago?"

"Yes. How is he now?"

"He wishes to meet you and thank you in person. Please come to the First Hospital; I’ll wait for you at the entrance." The caller hung up before she could refuse. She decided to visit, as she was heading to see Grandma anyway.

As she left the manor, a Lincoln SUV abruptly blocked her path, forcing her to a sudden stop. Two bodyguards emerged, lifting her and forcefully pushing her into the vehicle.

"The master wants to see you."

Half an hour later, the bodyguards brought her to a villa and opened the door. "Go inside."

Forced to meet in such an aggressive manner, Lu Xue entered the room, her face a mix of struggle and unease. A man in a wheelchair, his face concealed behind a mask, spoke in a chilling, hoarse voice that made her shiver.

"I thought you were taking me to see the old man?" she asked cautiously.

"Marry me," he stated.

Lu Xue's eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," he replied, his tone clear yet astonishing.

Flabbergasted by such a bizarre proposal, she turned to leave. "Insane!"

"Dowry of five million yuan," he announced.

Lu Xue's steps halted, her mind racing. Under normal circumstances, she would have scornfully declined. But now, she needed the money.

"If you want to thank me for saving your grandfather, there's no need for this. Just give me fifty thousand."

The man's laugh turned more cynical. "You look down on me for being disabled, for being unsightly, yet you want unearned gains?" he mocked. "Isn't fifty thousand too little? How about fifty million?"

"I only need fifty thousand," she firmly stated.

If not for Grandma lying in the hospital, depending on this money to save her life, she would not have asked for a penny.

"Playing the saint but still greedy. Marry me for five million yuan, or leave. The choice is yours."

Given a choice, Lu Xue would've chosen to "leave" a thousand times over, but she couldn't. In the face of her grandmother's life, dignity seemed inconsequential. She felt like a tiny insect caught in a spider's web, her fate no longer in her control. Closing her eyes in despair, she took a deep breath. "I'll marry."

"Even if my face is disfigured, even if I'm a cripple, you would still care for me for life?" he questioned.

"...Yes."

"You're truly a greedy woman!" he suddenly stood up from the wheelchair. Lu Xue stared at him in shock, more so when he removed his mask to reveal a face as handsome as a comic book character – fair skin, lips red like roses, stunningly beautiful features. Yes, stunning. Although it felt odd to use this word for a man, it was the first that came to her mind.

The first time she saw a man more handsome than her brother Qi