Recap: Qin Yue's confrontation with Li Feng proved her determination, but her first encounter with Meilin—the woman from his past—ignited new challenges. With whispers spreading and loyalties tested, Qin Yue finds herself walking even closer to the fire.
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The next morning came too soon.
Qin Yue's alarm rang at 5:30 a.m., piercing through the heavy fog of restless dreams. She had gone to bed late after leaving the office, her mind tangled with Meilin's mocking voice and Li Feng's cold yet unwavering words: "I decide who stays by my side. No one else."
Her body screamed for more sleep, but her pride wouldn't let her falter. She pulled herself out of bed, splashed cold water on her face, and dressed quickly. By 6:50, she was standing outside Li Feng's office once more, her notebook and pen ready like armor.
When the elevator doors slid open, Li Feng stepped out, his tall figure framed by the morning sunlight spilling into the lobby. He was dressed in a charcoal suit today, crisp and immaculate, his tie perfectly knotted. His expression was unreadable, as always, but when his gaze landed on her, something flickered briefly—an acknowledgement, almost too subtle to notice.
"You're early," he said simply, brushing past her.
"You told me to be here at seven," Qin Yue replied, following him in.
"Most people would cut it close," he said, loosening his cuffs as he entered his office. "You don't."
"Most people aren't under a contract like mine," she shot back before she could stop herself.
His hand stilled for a fraction of a second before he sat at his desk. "Fair point."
Qin Yue lowered herself into her chair outside, her pulse still racing from her own boldness. She had expected him to reprimand her, but instead, his lips had twitched—barely, but enough to make her heart lurch.
---
The morning was relentless.
"Reschedule the call with the Tokyo partners."
"Review the data from the finance team."
"Tell Legal I want the revisions on my desk by noon."
Each command was clipped, precise, impossible. Qin Yue darted between departments like a shadow, her heels clicking across the polished floors, her breath quickening with each demand. The whispers followed her again.
"She looks tired."
"Bet she won't last the week."
"Did you see her with him yesterday?"
She gritted her teeth and kept moving. She had no time for their stares, no patience for their venom. The only thing that mattered was proving—again and again—that she wasn't weak.
By midday, her body was running on fumes. She slipped into the break room for a quick drink of water, pressing her palm to the cool counter to steady herself.
"Qin Yue."
The voice made her freeze.
She turned slowly, and there was Meilin again—this time in a tailored white suit, her smile sharp as glass.
"You look exhausted," Meilin said, her tone dripping with faux sympathy. "Are you sure you're cut out for this world?"
Qin Yue straightened. "That's not for you to decide."
Meilin's eyes glittered. "No, but it is for him. And if you think Li Feng keeps people around out of kindness, you're mistaken. He doesn't tolerate weakness. Not in business. Not in life. Not in… relationships."
The pause on the last word sent a chill down Qin Yue's spine.
She met Meilin's gaze head-on. "I'm not here for a relationship. I'm here to work."
Meilin's laugh was soft, cruel. "Oh, darling. Everyone who stands too close to him ends up burned. Don't fool yourself into thinking you'll be different."
Her heels clicked as she walked past, leaving Qin Yue's heart pounding in her chest.
Burned. The word echoed in her mind long after Meilin was gone.
---
When Qin Yue returned to Li Feng's office, he was on the phone, his voice low and clipped in rapid Mandarin. He gestured for her to wait. She stood silently by the desk, clutching her notebook, trying to bury the sting of Meilin's words.
The call ended, and Li Feng leaned back in his chair, his eyes sharp as they locked onto her. "You ran into her again."
It wasn't a question.
Qin Yue blinked. "You… knew?"
His jaw tightened slightly. "Meilin likes to involve herself where she shouldn't. Did she say anything?"
Her throat tightened. She wanted to tell him everything—that Meilin had practically called her unworthy, that she had implied Qin Yue was disposable. But pride made her hesitate.
"It doesn't matter," she said finally. "She doesn't get to decide what I can or can't handle."
For a long moment, Li Feng studied her. Then, unexpectedly, he rose from his chair and walked around the desk, stopping in front of her.
"Miss Qin," he said, his voice lower than usual. "Do you understand what kind of world you've stepped into?"
Her pulse quickened. "I… I think I do."
His gaze bore into hers, unrelenting. "No. You think you do. But you don't. This is not a place for pride or emotion. Every decision I make has consequences. Every weakness is exploited. And anyone standing beside me… becomes a target."
Her breath caught. For the first time, she heard something in his tone that wasn't pure authority. Not softness, but… warning.
And yet, instead of fear, something else stirred in her chest.
"I'm not afraid," she said quietly.
Li Feng's eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. For a moment, the air between them was heavy, charged with something unspoken. His hand lifted slightly, as if he might reach for her—but at the last second, he pulled back, retreating behind his walls once more.
"Get back to work," he said curtly, returning to his desk.
Qin Yue swallowed, her heart still racing. She nodded and left the office, but the echo of his words—and the heat of his gaze—followed her.
---
That night, when she finally left the building, rain had begun to fall. The streets shimmered with reflected neon, and the air was heavy with the scent of wet asphalt. Qin Yue pulled her thin jacket tighter, hurrying down the street.
Her phone buzzed. A message from Qing Feng, her best friend.
Are you okay? You've been quiet lately.
Qin Yue's chest tightened. She typed quickly. I'm fine. Just busy.
But as she slipped the phone back into her bag, she realized how untrue those words were. She wasn't fine. She was balancing on the edge of something dangerous—something she didn't fully understand.
When she glanced back at the tower one last time, its glowing windows loomed like watchful eyes in the night.
Somewhere inside, Li Feng was still working, still carrying secrets, still testing her limits.
And Qin Yue knew one thing for certain: she wasn't just surviving anymore. She was entangled.
---
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Meilin warned Qin Yue that everyone who gets close to Li Feng ends up burned. But Qin Yue insists she isn't afraid. Do you think she's underestimating the danger… or is her fire strong enough to change him?