The following week blurred into a relentless cycle of work, silence, and unspoken tension. Qin Yue quickly learned that being Li Feng's assistant meant living inside a storm—calm one moment, thunderous the next, and always unpredictable.
Yet she stayed.
She didn't know why, not fully. Maybe it was the salary, which promised to keep the rent paid and her mother's medicines supplied. Maybe it was pride, the burning desire to prove to him, to herself, and to the world that she was capable of surviving in a place designed to break people like her. Or maybe—though she'd never admit it aloud—it was because something about Li Feng fascinated her in a way that terrified her heart.
---
On Monday morning, she arrived earlier than usual, only to find him already at his desk, jacket off, sleeves rolled up, and his sharp eyes scanning a file with unnerving intensity.
"Good morning, Mr. Li," she said quietly.
"Coffee," was all he replied, without glancing up.
She hurried to comply, but as she set the steaming mug on his desk, she noticed the faintest tremor in his hand as he turned the page. A small thing. Most would never notice. But Qin Yue did.
Her lips parted, tempted to ask. Instead, she swallowed the words.
---
The morning passed in silence until the elevator chimed, announcing an arrival. A woman stepped out, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.
She was elegance embodied—long black hair cascading in waves, a fitted cream dress hugging her frame, and a pair of diamond earrings that sparkled under the office lights.
"Miss Qin, is President Li in?" the woman asked with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Yes," Qin Yue answered cautiously. "Do you have an appointment?"
The woman waved a manicured hand dismissively. "No need. He'll see me."
Without waiting for permission, she walked straight past Qin Yue's desk and into Li Feng's office.
Qin Yue froze. No one—no one—walked into Li Feng's office without permission.
Her ears strained, and though the door was closed, she heard muffled voices. At first calm. Then raised.
The woman's voice—sharp, demanding.
Li Feng's—low, controlled, dangerous.
When the door finally opened, the woman stormed out, her perfect composure cracked with fury. She brushed past Qin Yue, muttering something under her breath, before the sound of her heels faded down the hall.
Qin Yue turned back toward the office hesitantly. The door remained ajar, and inside, Li Feng stood by the window, his fists clenched at his sides.
For the first time since she'd met him, he looked… shaken.
---
"Mr. Li?" she asked softly, stepping in.
His eyes flicked to hers, cold and unreadable. "Who told you to enter?"
Her cheeks flushed. "I—I'm sorry. I just—"
"Leave."
The word was sharp, final.
She nodded quickly and retreated, closing the door behind her. But her mind buzzed with questions. Who was that woman? What had she wanted from him? And why did Li Feng, a man who seemed unmovable, look as though she had struck a nerve?
---
Later that day, she found her answer—or part of it.
In the break room, two managers whispered as they poured coffee.
"…that was Miss Zhao, wasn't it?" one said.
"Yes. The Zhao family's eldest daughter."
"I heard their families were once engaged."
Qin Yue nearly dropped her cup. Engaged?
Her mind whirled. If what they said was true, then Li Feng wasn't just a powerful CEO. He was a man with obligations, ties, maybe even… unfinished promises.
And suddenly, the warning Zhao Rui had given her echoed louder in her mind: Being close to him isn't easy. And sometimes… it's dangerous.
---
That night, Qin Yue stayed later than usual, catching up on a pile of paperwork. By the time she looked up, the office was nearly empty, and the city beyond the glass walls glittered with lights.
She stretched, gathering her things, when she heard a faint sound—like someone groaning in pain.
Her heart stopped.
It came from Li Feng's office.
She hesitated at his door, her knuckles hovering before she dared to knock.
"Come in," his voice called, low and strained.
She pushed the door open and froze.
Li Feng sat at his desk, but not with his usual flawless composure. His jacket was discarded, his tie loosened, and his face pale beneath the office light. One hand clutched his side, hidden partially by the desk.
"Mr. Li," she gasped, stepping forward. "Are you—are you hurt?"
His eyes snapped to hers, sharp despite his condition. "It's nothing. Get out."
Her chest tightened. "That's not nothing! You're in pain."
He stood abruptly, too fast, and staggered.
Without thinking, she rushed to his side, slipping an arm beneath his to steady him. His weight leaned on her for only a second before he pushed her away.
"Don't touch me," he growled, though his voice lacked its usual strength.
She stared at him, her heart racing. "Why won't you let anyone help you?"
His gaze darkened, something fierce and vulnerable flickering in the depths. For a moment, Qin Yue thought he might actually answer. But then, just like always, the mask slammed back into place.
"Because help is a weakness I can't afford."
Her breath caught at the rawness in his tone.
And in that moment, she realized that the man everyone saw—the ruthless CEO, the flawless leader—was only half the story.
The other half was standing before her now.
Wounded. Guarded. Alone.
---
Qin Yue wanted to say something, anything, but the words tangled in her throat. She watched him sink back into his chair, his hand still pressed against his side, his jaw tight with unspoken pain.
Slowly, she turned and walked to the door, her heart pounding.
She couldn't unsee what she'd seen. She couldn't ignore it, even if he wanted her to.
Because for the first time, Qin Yue understood something dangerous:
Li Feng wasn't invincible.
And maybe… just maybe… she was the only one who had seen the truth.
---
❓❓️❓️❓️❓️
But now that she knew his secret, would Li Feng allow her closer—or would he push her away harder than ever before?
---