On arriving at the Zhenhui Conference Room, Li Lian paused briefly at the doorway. Inside, several high ranking executives of Yang Capital were already seated in sharp suits, along with a few department heads she had only seen in passing. At the head of the table sat Yang Yufan, composed and authoritative, his presence commanding the room. Beside him was Lin Xue, poised and attentive as always.
The room buzzed softly with quiet conversation and the faint hum of the projector warming up.
"Come in," Lin Xue called smoothly, her tone clipped but not unkind. "You're right on time."
Li Lian entered, keeping her expression composed despite the nervous flutter in her chest. She gave a respectful nod and slid into the seat nearest the presentation screen, clutching her report tightly.
Lin Xue opened a folder and addressed the group. "Today's focus is Wang Verse Entertainment. Li Lian, who led the research, will present the company's financials and projections."
Li Lian stood, straightened her blouse, and took a deep breath before beginning.
"Wang Verse Entertainment has demonstrated consistent growth over the last three quarters, especially in digital content and youth-targeted platforms. Our projections based on Q3 reports indicate their expansion into virtual concert technology could position them as a major competitor in the upcoming fiscal year…"
As she spoke, the room fell silent, executives leaning in closer. A faint, knowing smirk played on Yang Yufan's lips.
Though Zhao Yifan was not present, word of the meeting and especially of the young woman who had confidently commanded the room would undoubtedly reach him.
The meeting progressed smoothly, with Li Lian steadily gaining the attention and interest of the higher-ups. Her analysis was clear, her delivery poised. When it finally ended, executives began filing out with nods of approval and quiet chatter.
Just as Lian gathered her things to leave, a calm but firm voice stopped her.
"Wait."
She turned to see Yang Yufan still seated at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. He motioned to the seat beside Lin Xue.
"Sit down," he said, then added with a flick of his wrist, "Pack your things and move to Lin Xue's office."
Li Lian blinked, confused.
"You've been promoted to Assistant Financial Strategist," Yufan continued, his voice cool and decisive. "Do well, and you might even take Lin Xue's place one day."
Without waiting for a response, he stood and exited the room, the hint of a satisfied smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Silence hung in the air for a beat before Lin Xue chuckled softly, rising from her seat.
"Welcome aboard… Assistant," she said, a glint of amusement in her usually composed eyes. Then she, too, walked out.
Lian stood frozen for a moment, then let out a soft gasp, unable to hide the grin spreading across her face. The weight she'd carried in her chest seemed to lighten. Alone in the conference room, she did a small, happy spin on her heels, barely containing the joy bursting inside her.
She had just taken a leap, and it was only the beginning.
Meanwhile.
After the meeting, Yufan left the office without delay, his expression unreadable as his car pulled away from Yang Capital. Seated in the backseat, he made a brief call.
"Meet me at the penthouse," he told Yifan.
By the time he arrived home, the city's golden hour had begun to fade. Yufan changed into something more comfortable, a plain black tee and loose slacks, and poured himself a glass of red wine, the weight of the day still pressing on his shoulders.
Minutes later, Zhao Yifan entered the penthouse, still dressed in his sharp suit. He didn't bother with greetings. He walked in with silent ease, poured himself a drink, and sat across from Yufan, leaning back into the plush couch.
"I found a lead on the Li downfall case," he said, voice low but firm, tossing a sealed document onto the coffee table.
Yufan picked it up, flipping through the pages, brows drawing together.
"Where did this come from?" Yufan asked, eyes narrowing, wine forgotten.
"Anonymous tip." Yifan's tone was clipped. He sipped his wine. "But it lines up. Someone didn't just bring the Li Empire down… they infiltrated it. Silently."
Yufan's jaw tensed. "Planted someone?"
"A human bomb," Yifan nodded. "Someone trusted, there to detonate from within."
Yufan's fingers curled tightly around the stem of his glass. "And no one noticed…"
"They weren't supposed to," Yifan murmured, gaze steady. "That's what makes this scheme dangerous."
Yufan exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing at the file. "I know that. But… Uncle Chenghai isn't careless. He's methodical, calculative. It's rare for someone like him to miss signs of internal decay."
Yifan leaned back, the corners of his mouth tightening. "Which is why I think what we're seeing is just the surface. A shadow play. Someone orchestrated this collapse with surgical precision."
Yufan's jaw tightened.
"I'll keep digging," Yifan added. "There's probably something bigger, layers that go beyond the Li Empire."
Yufan sighed, about to speak when the door clicked open. The rhythmic tap of heels echoed against the marble floor as Guan Meilin stepped in, poised and elegant as always. She paused at the sight of the two men, her cousin, and her man.
Her brows furrowed lightly. Whenever these two are together, it's either trouble or business. Probably both. I don't have the energy today.
Without a word, she gave them a glance. Yifan remained perfectly composed, his gaze briefly meeting hers in a silent, mutual acknowledgment. Yufan, on the other hand, let his eyes trail from head to toe with an amused smirk.
"Carry on," she said curtly, already turning for the stairs. "I'll be back in a few."
As her figure disappeared up the steps, Yufan shook his head dramatically. "Seriously, babe? Not even a kiss? That aloofness, it's genetic, isn't it?"
He turned to Yifan with mock offense. "You all share one bloodline of emotional frostbite."
Yifan's lips quirked. "And yet here you are willingly frozen."
Meilin came downstairs after her shower, dressed in fresh lounge wear, her long hair slightly damp. Without a word, she unpacked the food she had ordered for the three of them, plating it with quiet efficiency. They sat to eat, the clinking of utensils occasionally breaking the silence, alongside the steady tapping of her laptop keys.
Yufan glanced her way a few times, his brows twitching in mild annoyance. Finally, he set his chopsticks down, stood, and walked over to her. With a firm yet gentle motion, he closed the laptop.
"You're off work now," he murmured, his tone low but teasing. "I'm your main priority at the moment."
She let out a light laugh, amused by his possessiveness. "I was trying to finish my task…" she trailed off with a smile, "but I suppose it's more productive to feed my overgrown child."
Taking his chopsticks, she sat closer and began feeding both him and herself between playful bites.
Across the table, Zhao Yifan sat quietly, sipping his wine with an unreadable expression. He didn't speak. Didn't interrupt. Just watched. Pretending, almost convincingly, that their intimacy didn't stir something hollow within him.
"I'll be heading home now," he said abruptly, standing and straightening his suit jacket.
Neither Yufan nor Meilin looked up at first. It was only after a beat that they turned briefly toward him, acknowledging his words with a casual glance, before returning to each other. Yufan had already resumed peppering Meilin's face with playful kisses, earning peals of laughter from her as she tried to push him away.
Yifan lingered at the door for a second, watching them with a gaze that said nothing, but felt everything. Then, without a word more, he slipped out into the quiet night.