The Lu Group's internal audit room wasn't meant to be romantic—but something about the quiet hum of computers and the occasional click of keyboards made it oddly intimate. Especially when Ruoxi was cross-referencing spreadsheets beside Zhen Lu, their shoulders occasionally brushing.
"You know, most dates involve wine. Or food," Zhen teased, eyes still glued to his laptop screen.
Ruoxi didn't even look up. "And yet here we are. Chasing fraud and bad hair extensions."
Zhen chuckled softly. "Touché."
Stacks of documents surrounded them—bank statements, offshore holdings, and wire transfer logs. They had been digging deep into the financial links Qin Xieren might've used to fund the PR sabotage against Liyana. What started as whispers and scattered hints was now beginning to form a pattern.
Ruoxi tapped her screen, her brows furrowing. "Zhen... look at this."
She turned the monitor slightly toward him. A string of wire transfers—small, unassuming at first glance—led to a consulting company in Macau. The name on the ownership registry?
Fengzhi International Consulting.
Zhen leaned in. "Li Fengzhi's shell company?"
"Exactly. She's been sending payments there from a dormant foundation linked to her family trust. But that's not the important part." Ruoxi clicked to the next screen. "Look at the second column—each payment is labeled with a project code: C-26, C-27, C-28... and C-29 is tied to Celeste's Autumn Campaign."
Zhen's expression darkened. "That means she paid someone to leak specifics of our campaign rollout—before we even went public with it."
Ruoxi nodded grimly. "And guess who's listed under the consulting team for C-29?"
Zhen already knew the answer, but he waited.
"Qin Xieren."
The room fell into tense silence.
"This was never just petty jealousy," Zhen said, voice low. "She's been planning to sabotage Liyana's brand from the inside. And Li Fengzhi gave her the tools."
Ruoxi crossed her arms, eyes flaring. "She thought no one would trace it. She's too arrogant. But she left a trail of numbers, and I intend to burn her with it."
Zhen smirked. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Ruoxi tilted her head at him. "Good. Because I like your side just fine."
They both laughed—briefly—before falling back into focused silence, returning to their investigation with renewed fire.
Meanwhile: Celeste HQ – Liyana's Office
Mira entered Liyana's office briskly. "I just got off the phone with Ruoxi. She and Zhen found something big."
Liyana looked up from her tablet. "How bad?"
"They have proof. Qin's linked to Li Fengzhi financially. Offshore transfers, fake consulting contracts—the whole thing."
Liyana's eyes sharpened. "Then it's time we act."
Mira nodded. "Should we tell Damien?"
"Not yet." Liyana's voice was cold, calculated. "Let's finalize everything. When we confront her, it will be with irrefutable evidence."
Later That Night – Zhen's Apartment
Ruoxi sat curled on the couch, nursing a glass of red wine as Zhen paced.
"What's next?" she asked.
Zhen stopped pacing. "We freeze the assets. Contact our legal team. And we prep for a press cleanup."
Ruoxi raised a brow. "And after that?"
Zhen looked at her seriously. "After that... we crush her."