“Heirs in Love”

Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was an incredibly vibrant city, one offering endless opportunities. With a booming economy that attracted foreigners from all over the world, it quickly became a hub of international trade. However, alongside this newfound prosperity came a certain level of danger as well – Shanghai was a city that could offer both wealth and ruin.

Beneath the hustle and bustle of everyday life lurked a well-developed criminal underworld. Gangs ran rampant, and corruption was widespread. Backstreets were filled with opium dens and gambling houses. Those who were brave enough to venture into the shadows could find quick money and fast living, but it was perilous. Shanghai was full of secrets, and those who crossed the wrong people often found themselves at risk. Locals knew that the city was dominated by five families that had been around for generations. The first family, the Wus, were well-known for their ruthlessness and cunning, and the second family, the Lius, for their intelligence and cold blood. They were locked in a bitter war over control of the criminal underworld, fighting over territory, resources, and power.

This wasn’t anything new to the locals. Everyone who understood the dark world of Shanghai, at least to some extent, knew that the Wus and Lius were at odds for a long time. It all began with their great-grandparents, who clashed over a business deal gone wrong. Their disagreement quickly turned into a bitter rivalry, and since then, both families had been vying for power and influence in the city, each trying to outdo the other. Over the years, the feud between them grew more and more intense. Every one of them became entrenched in their own criminal activities, and they had no qualms about taking out their competition with violence. The streets of Shanghai have become a battleground between them, with wars being fought over the control of the city’s illicit activities. Each family’s head had his own loyal followers and associates, and it seemed like no one could stop them from fighting… Then, in 1911, the Wu clan entered a long and bloody conflict with the Liu clan, which lasted for many years, and both sides suffered significant losses of life, property, and influence. Over time, the dust settled a little; and it seemed that the Wus had come out on top. The Lius didn’t fight back anymore, although their revenge was just a matter of time, at least according to Mr. Wu, who never relaxed his guard. He had his spies.

His twenty-two-year-old son, Zihan, gatecrashed the Lius’ party for an entirely different reason. Zihan was an ambitious young man, one who was always striving to reach the top of his field. He dreamed of becoming a successful business mogul and worked hard to make it a reality. But all his ambitions were forgotten when four years ago, he first laid eyes on Yichen Liu.

After seeing that young man, he was utterly taken aback by his good looks and quiet personal charm. His heart beat faster than ever, and he felt an inexplicable pull towards him. Even though they were technically enemies, he felt like he had known Yichen for a long time, almost like they were connected in some way... And three months later, he was already so deeply involved that he couldn’t get the thought of Yichen out of his head, not even for one day.

Even though Zihan knew it was illogical for him to crush on the son of his father’s greatest adversary, he just couldn’t help it. The love shot through his heart with speed and force, and since that moment, he was hopelessly enamored with him.

This was very challenging for Zihan, who not only struggled with his romantic feelings but felt conflicted about his family, too. He was aware that getting together with Yichen would be difficult, if not impossible, but he didn’t want to give up on the idea of pursuing him. His desire for him was more potent than anything else, and he knew he had to act.

Even though he still had his business dreams, now, his singular ambition was to win Yichen’s heart. He was determined to make him his own, no matter what it took and no matter what others would say. Somehow, when it came to Yichen, Zihan felt no obstacle could deter him.

But Mr. Liu had his own plans for Yichen. Since he was of marriageable age, he had chosen a suitable match for him, Lady Xinyi Zhao, who was of equal social standing.

But despite knowing that his beloved man would soon marry someone else, Zihan refused to give in. In his heart, he continued feeling a deep, unrestrained longing for Yichen, one that he often felt to be mutual... And at night, he often found himself daydreaming of what could have been if they were allowed to be together... He was looking for an opportunity all along when they were both studying in Japan, but that didn’t work out, as Yichen was always accompanied by his living shield, Haoran.

After they both returned to China, Zihan was upset about having missed an opportunity to speak to him. But then, the option to gatecrash the party of the Lius presented itself, and he knew that he needed to do it, even if it was unsafe.

After posing as one of the waiters and entering the party, Zihan immediately noticed the room’s glamour. Women wore traditional qipao dresses, and men fancy suits. Used to glamour clothing, Zihan felt a little out of place with his plain outfit, but then again, it was part of his disguise… He spent some time eavesdropping on conversations and serving drinks. When he finally saw Yichen walking down the elegant staircase, his heart stopped. He was so captivated by his good looks and gentle charm that he couldn’t help but stare. He wanted to go up and talk to him, but he knew it was impossible. All that he could do was watch from a distance… feeling his heart pound violently in his chest as he admired the man he had been dreaming about for months.