Rain whispered against the tall glass windows of the Lin mansion, each drop echoing like an unwelcome memory. The estate stretched across the hills outside Yue City all gleaming marble, imported sculptures, and the scent of money old enough to command silence.
Inside, the staff moved quickly, preparing for the arrival no one had expected her return.
Lin Xiao Mei .
The black sheep. The scandal. The daughter who had once turned her back on everything the family stood for.
Five years ago, she'd stormed out through those same doors after the argument that had shattered every fragile tie between her and her father. Five years of being whispered about, pitied, judged. And now, she was back not to beg, not to explain , but to take back what was rightfully hers.
Her heels clicked sharply as she walked through the entrance hall, the rain glistening on her black trench coat. Her presence was electric , confident, dangerous, almost cinematic. The maids froze. The butler hesitated, unsure whether to greet her or call security.
"Young miss…" he finally managed. "Mr. Lin wasn't expecting you."
Xiao mei smiled faintly , a half-smirk that could slice through steel. "I know. That's what makes it fun."
Her father, Lin Guowei, was a man who ruled the Lin conglomerate with a ruthless heart and a diamond-tipped pen. His word was law. His temper was legend. And his disappointment , that was something Xiao Mei had carried like a scar ever since she could remember.
As she walked toward his office, every polished surface reflected a version of her she barely recognized , sharper, colder, but somehow freer.
She pushed open the door without knocking.
"Father," she said, her voice calm and cutting. "You look surprised."
Her father looked up from behind his desk, his features tightening. Time had not softened him. His hair was silver now, but his eyes , those eyes of command were still the same.
"Xiao Mei." His tone held a warning. "You shouldn't be here."
"I know," she replied, dropping her coat onto a chair. "But your company's in trouble. And I'm the only one who can save it."
He laughed a dry, humorless sound. "You? The girl who turned her back on her family name for a scandal in New York?"
Xiao Mei didn't flinch. "The same girl who rebuilt an entire fashion label from ashes into a billion-dollar empire," she said softly. "I'm not here to ask for forgiveness. I'm here to make an offer."
Before her father could respond, the door opened again.
And that was when he walked in.
Wei Zhao , the heir of the Zhao Group, Lin Corp's biggest rival. His tailored black suit clung to broad shoulders, his expression unreadable but magnetic. His dark eyes flickered toward Xiao Mei , a spark of surprise and something else flashing behind them.
"You didn't tell me she would be here," Wei said to Lin Guowei, his voice low, smooth, and dangerous.
Her father's jaw tightened. "She wasn't supposed to be."
Xiao Mei's lips curved. "And yet here I am. Seems the world still enjoys my company."
Wei's gaze locked on hers, steady, probing, almost amused. "You're the infamous black sheep, then."
"And you're the loyal puppet," she countered.
A faint smirk touched his lips. "Careful, Lin. I bite back."
For a heartbeat, silence stretched between them, thick, charged, alive. The air itself seemed to hum with tension neither of them wanted to name.
Lin Guowei's voice broke through it like ice.
"Enough. Xiao Mei, you will leave this house now. I have business to discuss with Mr. Zhao."
Xiao Mei turned toward her father slowly. "Your business is about to be my business," she said. "Lin Corp is losing its contract with the Zhao Group. And I know why."
Wei tilted his head, intrigued despite himself. "Do tell."
Her red-painted lips lifted in a knowing smile. "Because someone's been leaking information from your company and I know who."
When the meeting finally ended, Xiao Mei stepped out into the cold evening air. The rain had stopped, but the world still smelled of storm. A sleek black car waited at the curb, Wei Zhao leaning against it, coat off, sleeves rolled up, a smirk playing on his lips.
"You enjoy making enemies, don't you?" he said.
Xiao Mei crossed her arms. "Enemies keep life interesting."
He stepped closer, just enough that she could smell the faint spice of his cologne. "You know, Lin Guowei warned me about you."
"Good," she said, meeting his gaze. "I like being a warning."
For a moment, neither of them moved. The city lights reflected off the puddles, casting soft gold against her face. The air between them was alive, a spark waiting for a reason to ignite.
"You're trouble," Wei said finally.
Xiao Mei smiled. "Then maybe you should stay away."
He leaned in, his voice a low whisper. "Who says I want to?"