---
Inside the private hospital ward, the air felt cold and still, like time had paused out of respect for the old man resting silently on the bed.
Old Master Liang's gaze turned sharply toward Li Yan, who sat quietly on the velvet sofa, her eyes lowered.
"You haven't done well," he said with a lowered voice.
Li Yan didn't respond.
Her fingers curled into her skirt as her heart thudded uncomfortably in her chest.
A few steps away, Su Meilin stood, her mind spinning.
Eric and William? Could it be? Were they really the ones who dropped the mentromone at the front desk?
Something felt off.
The metronome that had almost sent her grandfather to the ER for the second time...
Should she check the CCTV footage?
Maybe she'll find something?
Without a word, she turned to Old Master Liang and bowed her head slightly.
"Grandpa Liang, I'll be back," she said before walking briskly out of the ward.
Liang Yexuan, whose expression had remained unreadable the entire time, finally turned on his heel.
"Let's go," he said coolly.
---
As the trio moved through the hallway, Jin Shu couldn't help but reflect on the chaotic events in the hospital.
His brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of it all.
Old Master Su had fainted suddenly at home. Then again, in the hospital, just because of a mentromone?
That didn't sit right with him.
"Something's going on in the Su family…" he muttered aloud, more to himself than anyone else.
He turned to Liang Yexuan, who walked beside him with his usual cool and unreadable expression, ready to voice his thoughts.
"Young Master—"
But Liang Yexuan's sharp glare silenced him mid-sentence.
His deep black eyes were calm, yet brimmed with warning.
Jin Shu swallowed hard and shut up.
—
Inside the elevator, Jin Shu slumped slightly against the side. He felt like a dog kicked for barking. His lips twitched in irritation.
"Tch… they deserved it anyway," he muttered.
He turned to the driver beside him. "Don't you think something weird is going on, Cheng?"
The driver, a man in his mid-thirties with an unshakable poker face, didn't even blink.
It was as if Jin Shu hadn't spoken.
Jin Shu narrowed his eyes. "Hey, I'm talking to you, Liu Cheng."
Still, no answer.
"Really?" Jin Shu muttered. "One cold man wasn't enough—now you too?"
He sighed, frustrated.
Why was everything always shrouded in so much secrecy?
The elevator dinged.
The three of them stepped out and walked toward the glossy black Rolls Royce waiting outside.
—
Jin Shu opened the rear door respectfully.
Liang Yexuan stepped in with the same quiet elegance he always had—like a king returning to his throne.
Jin Shu took the front passenger seat and buckled up, still grumbling internally.
Liu Cheng glanced through the rear-view mirror.
"Where to, Young Master?"
Liang Yexuan replied, "Jingyun Imperial Garden."
The car pulled out smoothly.
Outside, the capital began to glow under the dusk sky, lights twinkling to life like stars waking up for their nightly watch.
—
Jin Shu stared at the blurred city lights through the windshield, but his thoughts were a mess.
He turned back toward Liang Yexuan. "Young Master," he began again, "don't you think something's happening in the Su family?"
Liang Yexuan opened his eyes slowly and stared at Jin Shu, his gaze cold and unreadable.
"Isn't it weird?" he pushed on, his voice more urgent now. "Old Master Su fainting at home... and then fainting again because of a mentromone? That's not normal. Something smells fishy."
Liang Yexuan's face remained unreadable. Calm as ever.
Jin Shu frowned.
"Well, whatever it is... if something's happening, they probably deserve it," he muttered, bitterness lacing his tone.
His voice lowered into a whisper as he muttered, "That Su Meilin…"
He glanced at Liang Yexuan.
Should he say cheating?
That didn't sound right, right?
It felt inappropriate.
Then what?
"She was careless," he muttered instead. "She didn't care about your reputation. Even with those... black guys... what was she doing with them? Where did she meet them? She knew she was your fiancée."
The car's silence grew heavier.
"And Old Master Su? That old man's always pretending to be kind, but deep down, he wants to destroy you. Those incidents..."
Still no reply.
Jin Shu looked between the two men.
Lui Cheng was focused on the road.
Liang Yexuan's eyes were closed, arms crossed, as if none of this concerned him.
"Tch. I'm talking to myself again," Jin Shu muttered, sinking back into his seat.
—
The Rolls Royce glided past the high-end streets as the city's rhythm picked up. Neon lights painted streaks on the windows.
Jin Shu's phone buzzed.
He looked down—PR Manager Chen.
He answered with a swift swipe.
"Chen?"
"Assistant Jin!" the man's voice rang with urgency. "The CEO is trending on the internet!"
Jin Shu straightened.
"Why?"
"Photos from the hospital. There's a frenzy online. People are speculating that the reason for his three-month disappearance is due to health problems. Some are saying he's critically ill..."
"What the hell..."
"They're suggesting health issues, secret treatments… there's all kinds of conspiracy theories." He continued. "There's also positive coverage."
"Which?"
"Because we rarely let public photos of the CEO circulate as we mosaic them; even the ones with Miss Su also filtered, the rare, unfiltered photos are circulating, and people are calling him the 'Capital's Silent Prince.' They're talking about his looks, charisma, and how handsome he looks. "
Jin Shu couldn't help but glance behind at his boss.
"However..." He hesitated.
"However what?"
"Others are guessing it's the Chairman who's unwell—since it's been over a year since he appeared in public. There are also some who are asking about your rumoured engagement with Miss Su."
Jin Shu furrowed his brows.
Chen continued, "But overall, the trending topic has caused a slight dip in the company's stock. The board is concerned. What should we do? Should we respond? Deny? Ignore?"
Jin Shu glanced at the backseat. "I'll ask the Young Master."
He turned. "Young Master, the PR team is asking what to do—"
Liang Yexuan had opened his eyes now. His cold gaze met Jin Shu's in the rear-view mirror.
For a moment, the car was silent.
The only sound was the hum of the engine and the distant noise of traffic.
---