The cold wind roused Fang Tianzhuo at 5 AM. The bonfire had dwindled to embers. He added twigs and dry grass; it flared back to life, warmth washing over him. Xiaochan slept soundly on his shoulder, her breathing even, a small smile on her lips—as if dreaming something wonderful.
He didn't want to wake her, adjusting his numb body to let her rest. Sleeping outside with a woman, huddled by a fire in late winter—romantic? Foolish? Either way, it comforted her. She'd had a tough few years, working reverse hours, rarely getting to sleep so peacefully.
Winter's sunrise felt unusually warm, a red orb climbing over the clouds, spilling light. It gilded Xiaochan's face, making her features glow.
She stirred, as if her eyes were flying open.
"What's wrong? Bad dream?" He asked, concerned.
"Sort of. But you're here, so it's okay." Her voice was thick with emotion, tears threatening.
Her words, her expression—they made him uneasy. Growing up meant more confusion, more worries. Yanran had left him for another man; would Tianwei abandon him for Xiaochan?
"Look at the sunrise—gorgeous, hopeful. Like our futures. Cheer up. Let's go to work." She sounded determined.
He knew she was trying to comfort him, but guilt and fear gnawed at him more than Yanran's betrayal ever had.
He didn't dislike Xiaochan. Truthfully, part of him cared for her. She was exceptional—stunning, yes, but also fiercely independent, building her career from nothing. That alone earned her admiration.
Unlike Yanran, whose ambition felt sharp and hungry, Xiaochan's strength carried quiet pride.
That made her years of devotion all the more moving—and her confession last night all the braver.
What now? Loyalty to a friend, or a chance at love? He thought of Jacky Cheung's song, Caught Between Two Minds—it summed up his dilemma perfectly.
Muddled, he drove her home, barely registering her chatter, skipping breakfast, skipping the walk to her door.
At the office by 7:30—an hour early—he found Rui Jie already there. She wore a crisp suit, a different color than yesterday, so she'd gone home, but there was a harried edge to her.
"Rui Jie, early start?" He knocked, smiling.
"Tianzhuo, thank goodness. I tried calling all night—your phone was off." She looked flustered.
His phone had died; he'd forgotten to charge it.
"Trouble?" He tensed.
"Zhengyang's suing us for unfair competition. The court summons should arrive today. The chairman wants us to fix this."
"Unfair competition? After they sent gangsters to trash our site?" He scoffed. Zhengyang played dirty. Donghua's roadblock was contractually sound, but legally, it could look underhanded. And with no proof of Zhengyang's thuggery, they'd play the victim.
Rui Jie fell silent, their eyes locking, heavy with unspoken frustration.
"Let me think." He retreated to his office.
Less than half an hour later, Luo arrived, summoning them urgently.
"Tianzhuo, you heard? Any ideas?" Luo's calm was forced.
"Source? Is it confirmed?" Fang Tianzhuo mirrored his composure.
"Absolutely. I have connections."
"Then we'll likely lose. But we have time to prepare."
"Go on." Luo's eyes lit up.
"Pull strings."
"With whom? How?"
"The court. After the summons, there's a gap before the hearing. We need to delay that summons—buy as much time as possible." He sounded confident.
"How long?"
"A week, max. Add the 7-15 days after the summons, and we get at least 15 days."
"What do we do with them?" Luo frowned.
"Wait."
"Wait? Just… wait? Let public opinion blow up more? Draw more attention?" Luo's tone sharpened, displeased.
"Not exactly. Word is, the planners are panicking. Changing zoning approved by the people's congress? That's a big risk. Starting today, we amp up our messaging—hammer that point. Pressure them to force Zhengyang into a settlement." He kept his voice steady.
"But alienating the planning bureau? It'll ruin future projects. The industry will turn on us."
"What choice do we have? Those billions in upfront investment—losing them could cripple us." He leaned forward, impassioned.
Silence. The room felt suffocating.
"Or… we could ask the planning bureau to mediate. Find a compromise. No one wins if this blows up. We're all here to make money, not war." He hated suggesting it, but it was pragmatic.
Luo's eyes flashed, boring into him.
Fang Tianzhuo stiffened, sensing a mistake. Since joining Donghua, he'd noticed their irrational rivalry with Zhengyang—every project, big or small, a cutthroat battle. But this time, the stakes were too high. Delays would cost them dearly.
"Leave me. I need to think." Luo's voice softened, weary.
Stepping out, Fang Tianzhuo realized he was sweating. Rui Jie handed him a tissue, her gaze soft.
"Rui Jie, did I mess up?" He asked, studying her smooth features.
"Come with me." She sounded mysterious.
In the small meeting room, she stopped, turning to him.
"You hit a nerve with the chairman."
"What? How?"
"He used to be a major shareholder in Zhengyang—equal to their current chairman, Wang Zhongtian. A bitter falling-out made him leave. He hates Wang. That's why they fight over everything. The gangster CEO, Wang Zhenhai? Wang Zhongtian's brother." Her words landed like bombs.
A personal grudge? Bad enough to risk everything? Luo might burn Tianfu to the ground just to spite Wang.
Fang Tianzhuo met her eyes, gratitude swelling. Sharing such secrets meant trust—deep trust. This beautiful, seasoned woman… he felt a flicker of something warm, something like affection.
"Thank you for telling me, Rui Jie." He grabbed her hand, his pulse racing.
She froze, blushing, unable to speak.
The door burst open—cleaning staff, catching them mid-moment. All three froze. Rui Jie's ears turned scarlet; she wrenched her hand free and fled.
The day dragged. No word from Luo. Fang Tianzhuo waited, tense. Rui Jie avoided him, her awkwardness palpable. They stayed in their offices until Luo left, still no answer.
Home by 8 PM, he parked, heading upstairs when a shadow lunged from the alley—a fist slamming into his face.
"Bastard! You're no friend! It's over between us!"
Stars exploded in his vision. Muggers? He scrambled up, rubbing his eyes. The attacker wasn't a thief.
It was Gao Tianwei—his oldest, closest brother.