Chapter 1: A Ruthless Character

From the moment she entered officialdom, Charlotte Clark decided to put away her feminine charm and gentleness, even resolving to forget her identity as a woman—just as her grandfather had wished when he gave her the name Shengnan, hoping she would surpass men despite not being one herself.

But how could a woman truly forget her own identity as a woman? Especially when a refined, fair-skinned, and handsome young man sat across from her, yet treated her as if she were invisible. Charlotte Clark couldn’t help but be reminded of her own femininity, and then her own appearance.

Could it be that I’m already old? Have I become rustic after staying in the countryside for so long?

Charlotte Clark’s dark eyes, hidden behind a copy of “Youth Digest,” glanced sideways with dissatisfaction and doubt at the young man across from her, who had been sitting with his legs crossed, engrossed in reading “Reader’s Digest” since boarding the train.

Of course, Charlotte Clark’s thoughts didn’t mean she was easily infatuated with every young and handsome guy she saw. In fact, if the young man across from her really tried to flirt shamelessly, she would only feel annoyed and disgusted. After years of struggling and climbing up from the grassroots, Charlotte Clark had long lost count of how many men had coveted her beauty—she was utterly sick of such men. She much preferred that people notice the seat of power and authority beneath her first, rather than her stunning looks. But people are strange like that, especially women—when she realized she was being completely ignored by a man, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of frustration and resentment.

Nine out of ten men are lechers, and the last one is colorblind. William Bolton certainly didn’t treat the woman across from him as invisible, nor did he think she was old or rustic. On the contrary, from the moment he first saw Charlotte Clark when he boarded the train, he was instantly struck by her presence.

A sharply contoured face, deep and spirited eyes, a straight nose, smooth and healthy skin, all set off by a snow-white silk shirt and black pencil pants—she exuded a heroic aura, appearing especially capable, composed, coldly alluring, and with a natural air of authority. Faced with such a woman, any normal man would inevitably feel a desire to conquer her.

But years of persistent cultivation had enabled William Bolton to control and suppress any sudden desires or impulses. So, no matter how valiant or alluring Charlotte Clark appeared, apart from that first moment of meeting, William Bolton had no further urge to strike up a conversation or curry favor.

Strangers meeting by chance, neither knowing the other—why lower oneself and invite embarrassment? What’s more, after years of diligent cultivation and study, William Bolton had long grown accustomed to solitude and silence. Even when gathering with classmates, he was often reticent and unwilling to speak much. Because of this personality, from undergraduate to this year’s PhD graduation, William Bolton inevitably left the impression of being introverted, withdrawn, and unsociable among his classmates and mentors. Of course, he also left behind the impression of his astonishing intelligence and profound knowledge. He started primary school at six, skipped two grades in middle school, entered university at fifteen, became a direct-entry PhD student at nineteen, and completed both his master’s and doctoral theses a year ahead of the required five years. He graduated with a PhD at twenty-three, becoming the youngest PhD in the history of the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at Dongfang University, and also the youngest PhD and teacher recruited by Wuzhou University this year. Such achievements are truly remarkable!

Now, William Bolton was on the train from his hometown, Wenchang County, heading to Wuzhou City to report to Wuzhou University. Originally, William Bolton could have waited until the start of the school year to report, but because the doctoral supervisor at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Vice Dean Grace Sutton, had an urgent research project that needed to be completed by the first half of next year, and one of the doctoral students in the group had just been in a car accident and needed several months to recover, William Bolton, having just graduated and with no projects at hand, was temporarily called in by Professor Sutton to fill the vacancy. One phone call, and William Bolton was asked to report to the school early to take over that doctoral student’s position.

When the train made a brief stop at Feiyun County Station, a group of people boarded. Among them, three stood out: one was a burly, bald man at least 1.9 meters tall, and the other two were young men—one fat, one thin—with dyed red hair, hands stuffed in the pockets of their loose beach shorts, slouching with an air of insolence.

As soon as the three boarded, everyone in the carriage felt a strange sense of unease, lowering their heads and not daring to look at them. Even the train attendant, who had been walking toward this carriage, immediately turned on her heel and headed for another carriage as soon as she saw the three.

“Damn, even if that kind of woman was thrown at me, I wouldn’t bother. What are you hiding for?” The bald man squinted at the attendant’s plump hips, tightly wrapped in a blue A-line skirt, swaying away, and cursed under his breath.