The silence stretched like a wire pulled to its breaking point.
Li Shiyan's expression remained perfectly controlled. But something had shifted in his posture that transformed him from impressive CEO into something far more dangerous.
His gaze never left Wei Jia's face as he began to move toward her, like a predator. Wei Jia held her ground, the plate of deconstructed soup trembling slightly in her hands not from fear, but from the adrenaline rushing through her body.
Li Shiyan covered the distance between them, stopping just close enough that she could see his dark eyes properly.
"Is that so?" His words cut through the thick silence like a blade.
"Yes," She replied. "That's exactly so."
Something flickered across Li Shiyan's perfect features, he noticed how she hadn't backed down. He was used to people giving up when confronted with his authority, but Wei Jia had never backed down from a fight in her life.
"You stand in my exhibition space," Li Shiyan continued, his voice maintaining that same deadly tone, "in front of my colleagues and peers, and you claim that scientific advancement in cuisine is... what did you call it? A betrayal of culture?"
"I called it soulless," Wei Jia corrected, lifting her chin. "Because that's what it is. You've taken people's memories, hearts, and turned it into a laboratory experiment."
Li Shiyan's smile was sharp enough to cut glass.
"Tell me, Miss...?"
"Wei Jia," She answered.
"Miss Wei Jia," He continued, "how many people have you fed? How many families has your 'soul food' lifted out of poverty? How many children has your traditional approach saved from malnutrition? Because my soulless chemical experiments feed millions. My optimization provides nutrition to people who can't afford the luxury of authenticity. My algorithms ensure that a working mother in rural town can buy affordable food that will nourish her children."
Wei Jia felt the ground shifting beneath her feet as he dismantled her emotional argument with cold, hard logic.
"And what happens," She asked, "when an entire generation grows up eating your optimized nutrition, never knowing what real food tastes like? When they lose the connection between cooking and caring? When food becomes just fuel instead of culture?"
Li Shiyan stepped closer, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
"They survive," He replied. "They build better lives for their children. They don't have time for romantic notions about food having souls because they're too busy making sure their families don't go hungry."
The argument was escalating quickly, both of them were in a battle of philosophies that neither was willing to lose. Wei Jia realized that this moment would determine not just her future in the culinary world, but her entire existence of what she stood for. She could back down, apologize, go back to her corner or she could stand for everything she believed in.
"Listen, I'm not trying to start a battle here. What I'm saying is that food is culture. When you strip away the stories, the traditions, you're not improving it, instead you're destroying something irreplaceable. You're creating a world where people eat alone, where meals have no meaning beyond caloric intake, where the simple act of sharing food stops being about sharing anything at all."
"Miss Wei, reality is that your traditional methods can't solve the problems facing modern food systems. They can't feed growing populations, they can't address climate change, they can't provide consistent nutrition across diverse geographic and economic circumstances. Your approach is beautiful, but it's also limited, impractical, and selfish."
The word 'selfish' landed like a slap. He was making her sound like a privileged idealist, someone who cared more about preserving traditions than about solving real human problems.
Li Shiyan watched the uncertainty flicker across Wei Jia's face with the satisfaction of a chess master. She opened her mouth to counter his argument but he suddenly raised his one hand in a casual gesture, and security personnel came towards them.
"I'm afraid," Li Shiyan said, "that this exhibition space is reserved for industry professionals and invited participants. Miss Wei, you seem to have forgotten that you're here as a guest."
"What are you doing?" Wei Jia demanded.
"Ensuring that the expo maintains appropriate decorum," Li Shiyan replied smoothly. "Your outburst was entertaining, but this is a professional venue, not a street market. Perhaps you've forgotten the difference."
The lead security guard approached Wei Jia.
"Ma'am, You need to come with us."
"On what grounds?" Wei Jia's voice cracked with disbelief. "I was invited here! I have credentials!"
"You were invited to participate in the street food pavilion," Li Shiyan corrected. "Not to disrupt presentations of others. The expo has strict policies about maintaining professional standards."
Xiao Lin pushed through the crowd, his face filled with panic as he reached his sister's side.
"Jie, what's happening? What did you do?"
But Wei Jia was already being escorted away, the security guards forming a professional barrier between her and the crowd.
"This isn't over." She called back to Li Shiyan.
He just smiled in response.
The ride back to their neighborhood was silent except for Xiao Lin's occasional sniffles. The humiliation burned in her chest.
"Jie," Xiao Lin finally whispered, "maybe we should have just stayed quiet. Maybe we should have just focused on our own stall and not…"
"No," Wei Jia cut him off. "No, Lin-lin. What I said needed to be said. Someone had to remind people that food is supposed to have soul."
By the time they reached their small apartment, Wei Jia had convinced herself that the expo fiasco was just an embarrassing setback, it was a lesson learned about picking battles with people who had more power and resources than she could ever dream of possessing.
From now on, she would return to her night market stall, serve her regular customers, and focus on the small community she had built. She fell asleep that night clutching her grandmother's phoenix pendant, trying to convince herself that sometimes the phoenix had to burn before it could rise.
The pounding on their door came at 6 AM, waking up Wei Jia from her dream. She stumbled to the entrance, expecting Mrs. Shen from downstairs complaining about cooking smells. Instead, she saw a stern looking woman in an official city uniform, with two assistants carrying clipboards.
"Wei Jia?" The woman asked.
"Yes?"
"I'm Inspector Liu, Shanghai Municipal Health Department. We've received multiple anonymous complaints about health code violations at your stall. I'm here to conduct an immediate inspection and assessment."
"Complaints? What complaints? My stall has never had any health violations. I've been operating there for three years without a single…"
"Ma'am," Inspector Liu interrupted. "I need you to accompany us to your place of business immediately. Any delays or refusal to cooperate will result in automatic license suspension until full investigation."
The walk to the stall felt like a death march. Xiao Lin stumbled along beside her, still half asleep but becoming aware that their world was about to collapse around them. Wei Jia's mind raced through every possible violation they might have committed.
Had she forgotten to clean something properly? Had a piece of equipment developed a problem she hadn't noticed? Had she somehow missed a new regulation of city health codes?
The inspection was devastating. Inspector Liu found problems that Wei Jia had never heard of and couldn't see. There were microscopic infractions that required specialized equipment to detect, violations of regulations that seemed to have been written specifically to entrap small operators who couldn't afford teams of compliance lawyers.
"Inadequate temperature control documentation," Inspector Liu announced, making notes on her clipboard. "Improper storage container labeling. Insufficient hand washing station specifications. Unlicensed equipment modifications."
"But these are all minor issues," Wei Jia protested. "I can fix them. Give me a week, and I'll address every single…"
"Ma'am, the aggregate severity of these violations requires immediate closure until full remediation and re inspection," Inspector Liu said. "Your operating license is hereby suspended until you can demonstrate full compliance with all applicable health codes."
The official closure notice was printed. Wei Jia stared at the document, trying to process the words that were ending her career and destroying her family's livelihood.
"How long?" She asked.
"Honestly? With the number of violations we've documented, and the backlog of our re inspection schedule... six months, minimum. Maybe longer if you can't provide documentation."
Six months without income. Six months without The Wailing Wok.
Xiao Lin broke down completely, sinking to his knees beside their stall as tears streamed down his face.
"Jie," He sobbed, "what are we going to do? How are we going to pay rent? How are we going to eat?"
Wei Jia knelt beside her brother, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as she stared at the closure notice that had destroyed their world. Around them, other market vendors watched with sympathetic expressions.
As Inspector Liu and her team disappeared into the morning crowd, Wei Jia held her crying brother and stared at the ruins of everything she had worked for. The war with Li Shiyan wasn't over. It had just claimed its first casualty.
Wei Jia and Xiao Lin sat in silence beside their stall for hours.
"Jie," Xiao Lin whispered, "maybe we could get jobs. Real jobs. I could drop out of school, work full time…"
"No." Wei Jia's voice was fierce. "You are not dropping out. We'll figure something else out. We'll…"
The sound of a car interrupted their conversation. A black luxury sedan stopped at the edge of the market. Wei Jia's blood boiled as she recognized the Tianxia Group logo on the car's side panel.
The rear window rolled down, and a woman came out from the passenger side. She was clearly an assistant or executive.
"Miss Wei Jia?" The woman asked.
Wei Jia stood slowly.
"Yes."
The woman extended a smartphone towards her.
"Mr. Li would like to speak with you."
Wei Jia's hands shook as she accepted the phone.
"Miss Wei." Li Shiyan's voice emerged from the speaker. "I trust you've had time to reflect on our conversation yesterday."
"You did this," Wei Jia said. "The health inspection, the violations, the closure. This is your retaliation."
"I did nothing," Li Shiyan replied. "The Shanghai Municipal Health Department operates independently, responding to legitimate citizen complaints about potential public health hazards. I have no influence over their professional judgment."
The lie was delivered with such sincerity that it almost sounded believable.
"What do you want?" Wei Jia asked, cutting through the pretense.
"I want to help you, Miss Wei. The health department can be persuaded to take a more flexible approach to their inspection standards. Your family's financial debts which I understand are considerable can disappear entirely. Your brother's educational expenses can be secured through a generous scholarship program."
Each offer hit like a physical blow. He had done his research, understood exactly what leverage would be most effective against her.
"All you have to do is come to my office. Now. We have matters to discuss that require privacy and professionalism."
Wei Jia closed her eyes, feeling the trap. She could refuse, maintain her pride, stick to her principles and watch her family slide into poverty while her brother's future disappeared along with their livelihood or she could swallow her dignity and walk into whatever web Li Shiyan had prepared for her.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then you'll discover just how thoroughly the bureaucratic process can protect public health. Six months was an optimistic timeline, Miss Wei. Appeals processes can be quite lengthy. Especially when the violations are as extensive as those documented at your stall."
Wei Jia looked at Xiao Lin's tear stained face, then at the closure notice that had already started attracting curious stares from other vendors.
"I'll be there in an hour," She said, hating herself for the surrender in her voice.
"Thirty minutes," Li Shiyan corrected. "My assistant will provide transportation. Don't keep me waiting, Miss Wei." And he ended the call.
The ride to Tianxia headquarters passed in silence. Tianxia Tower pierced the Shanghai skyline like a glass and steel monument. The building's lobby was made from marble and money, designed to make visitors feel both impressed and insignificant.
Security guards processed Wei Jia's entry with efficiency. Her phone, keys, and personal belongings were logged and secured "for safety reasons." A temporary visitor badge was clipped to her simple shirt, marking her as an outsider.
The elevator ride to the executive floors was silent except for the soft hum of machinery and the sound of her own nervous breathing.
The executive floor was filled with artwork that cost more than most people's homes filled with absolute silence.
Her footsteps on the marble floor echoed as Li Shiyan's assistant led her through corridors.
The final door had written "CEO" in elegant font. The assistant opened it without knocking, gestured Wei Jia to enter, and then disappeared.
Li Shiyan's office was vast enough to host a small conference, its floor to ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city below. The space was decorated with expensive furniture arranged with precision, abstract art that probably cost more than Wei Jia would earn in a lifetime, and an atmosphere of untouchable power.
Li Shiyan sat behind a desk, his attention focused on documents that he appeared to be reviewing. For minutes, Li Shiyan continued reading, making Wei Jia stand there in uncomfortable silence as she waited for his attention. The power play was obvious. It was a reminder of exactly who controlled this interaction and what her position in his hierarchy would be. Finally, without looking up from his papers, he spoke in a calm tone.
"Sit," He commanded. "Let's discuss your penance."
Wei Jia stared at the empty chair, and then at the document lying on the table.
Her grandmother's phoenix pendant felt cold against her skin as she realized she was about to discover the true cost of challenging someone who held all the power in the world. And she had absolutely no choice but to pay it.