A sharp knock rattled the door. Yunyin didn't need to ask; she knew who it was.
The door swung open to reveal Zhao Ming, her personal bodyguard. Towering at six-foot-three, broad-shouldered but with a boyish charm, he cut the kind of figure that made fangirls squeal even when he wasn't trying.
Dressed in a tailored black suit, he looked less like security and more like the cover model of an action film.
"Car's ready. Sister Yun.." he said simply, voice low but steady. His eyes flicked to the folder in her hand but, trained professional that he was, he didn't comment.
"Mingming! Punctual as ever I see.."
By the time they descended the private elevator to the underground garage, the world outside was already in chaos.
Dozens of paparazzi lined the barricades at the curb, their lenses glinting under the morning sun. The second Yunyin stepped out, flashes erupted like a thousand tiny explosions.
"Yunyin! Yunyin! Are the rumors true?"
"Who's the mystery man? Is it really Liang Xiyuan?"
"Smile for us, goddess!"
Yunyin smiled "Guess, we'll find out sooner enough. My outfit today was chosen by me, so don't forget to purchase from my brand. As I always say there's a price for everyone.."
The chaos pressed in like a wave, but Yunyin didn't flinch. Zhao Ming moved ahead with effortless authority, cutting a path to the car. Shen Rui trailed just behind, sunglasses in place, muttering, "If one more of these leeches calls me her stylist instead of her manager, I swear…"
-_-
Wasn't he also her stylist?!
No! Especially when he wasn't getting that stylist bonus.
Sliding into the back seat, Yunyin finally exhaled. As the tinted window rolled up, the world outside blurred into silence.
The restaurant was less than twenty minutes away.
It belonged to her family so it was exclusive enough for there not to be any paparazzi.
That was why the location had been chosen. No paparazzi could breach the fortress-like entrance of the Han Group's crown jewel: The Pavilion.
As the car turned onto the tree-lined drive, Yunyin's lips tightened. To outsiders, it looked like a neutral meeting ground. To her, it felt like a stage her family had prepared, ensuring every step of her marriage would be orchestrated under their shadow.
She straightened her posture, smoothing a hand down her white trousers.
"Remember.." she murmured, almost to herself, "this isn't a date. It's a negotiation."
Shen Rui smirked, crossing one leg over the other. "Then let's see how the Iceberg CEO handles fire."
Zhao Ming's voice came from the driver's seat. "We've arrived."
The car slowed to a halt before the towering glass doors of The Pavilion.
The Pavilion's marble floors shimmered under the morning light, and the air itself seemed to bend around her as Han Yunyin stepped through the doors. Staff lined the entry like soldiers, their chorus rising in unison.
"Welcome, Young Miss Han!"
She didn't slow down. Zhao Ming's stride was steady at her side, Shen Rui following with his usual mix of swagger and fuss, but it was Yunyin the employees watched, their gazes trailing her as though she were a queen returning to her throne.
"Has he arrived?" Her voice cut through the air like crystal.
The manager nearest to her dipped into another bow. "Yes, Miss Han. Mr. Liang is already waiting in the private room."
"Good." She adjusted her Guess bag on her shoulder, heels clicking as she walked past. Then, casually, as though she were ordering room service in her own home, she added, "Bring food to the room. I'm starving."
There was a collective intake of breath from the staff, as though she had just ordered thunder to fall from the heavens. The manager stammered, "Y-yes, Miss Han. Right away."
Shen Rui leaned closer, whispering just for her, "You're making the Iceberg wait? At his own meeting?"
Her lips curved into a razor smile. "Let him wait. If he's serious about this marriage, he should learn that I come first."
They wound through the Pavilion's gilded corridors, where jade inlays glittered like frozen waves along polished wood panels.
The muted strings of a guzheng played somewhere in the background, calm and elegant, in stark contrast to the storm brewing inside her.
The attendant guiding them finally stopped before a towering lacquered door, bowing deeply. "Miss Han, this is the private room. Mr. Liang awaits you inside."
Zhao Ming's hand lingered near the handle, but Yunyin brushed past and pushed the door open herself.
The room was bathed in soft amber light, understated but dripping with wealth. At the far end, seated at a low table, was Liang Xiyuan.
He was everything the gossip columns had whispered, sharp lines of a face almost too handsome to be real, the kind of symmetry sculptors prayed to capture. His tailored black suit was precise to the millimeter, his cufflinks catching the light with an icy glint.
His posture was calm, one leg crossed over the other, as though he had been waiting not minutes but a lifetime and didn't mind at all.
When she entered, his gaze lifted. Dark eyes, fathomless and unreadable, locked onto hers.
"Miss Han." he said smoothly, his voice like a low cello note, calm enough to still the oceans. "You're late."
Yunyin closed the door behind her and let the silence linger. Then, with deliberate grace, she crossed the room, each step sharp against the polished floor. "I ordered food.." she said airily, sliding into the seat across from him. "I don't negotiate on an empty stomach."