And now, Shi Wang had the right to decide who Shang Wei was… and who he could be.
Secretary Shang was visibly tangled in his thoughts. Even when the food was served, he remained out of sorts, only snapping back when Bei Chuan called out to him.
Shang Wei's expression didn't go unnoticed by Shi Nian. The first time she had seen him standing behind Shi Wang during the shareholders' meeting, she had taken the liberty to investigate why the once-trusted Secretary Shang had betrayed Shi Beicheng.
For what reason?
She found it soon enough.
Shi Wang had evidence against him.
At first, she assumed it was something related to leaking company secrets or mishandling classified files. But after careful investigation, she discovered the truth.
Shi Wang wasn't as dull as he seemed. The information—the so-called evidence—had been in his possession for years, nearly as long as Shang Wei had served under Shi Beicheng.
Unexpectedly, he never used it. Not even once. Not even to force Shang Wei to defect before Shi Beicheng's death.
Perhaps it was long-sightedness. Or patience. Either way, the information became useful only after Shi Beicheng's passing, when Shi Wang was rejected repeatedly by every elite secretary who had once served the late Chairman—including Shang Wei.
The information was about Shang Wei's past. More precisely, his family's history with Shi Beicheng.
Shang Wei's father was a degenerate gambler. He had been jailed multiple times for sexual assault, theft, domestic violence—every stain imaginable.
If it had been only this, it would never have swayed Shang Wei. Shi Beicheng had investigated every man before employing them and, being a thorough and fair person, never held the sins of one's parent against their children.
But what Shi Wang had went beyond that.
Shang Wei's father was the drunk driver who hit Cheng Yuemin during her second pregnancy, causing her miscarriage and nearly costing her life.
Shi Wang had orchestrated the accident back then. And by coincidence, the driver he used turned out to be Shang Wei's father. Shi Wang quietly erased the man's traces but kept a private record for future use.
When he finally revealed the truth to Shang Wei, Shang Wei's first instinct was to hand his father over to the police immediately.
But that was only the beginning.
The same man—Shang Wei's father—was also the driver involved in the "accident" that ended the lives of Shi Beicheng and Cheng Yuemin. The police had long ruled it as an unfortunate road mishap, but Shi Wang held evidence proving otherwise.
Shang Wei did not care what fate awaited his father. That man had destroyed too much.
But now, the situation was different.
His father had recently taken his mother hostage.
He made her believe he had changed, and her soft heart believed him. Now both his mother and Shi Wang held him captive in different ways. Shang Wei had no choice but to work under Shi Wang's command, earning the hatred of his colleagues while protecting his mother… and covering up the truth of the man he once respected the most—Shi Beicheng.
This was the first clue Shi Nian uncovered about her parents' accident. From it, she realized just how vile and calculating Shi Wang truly was.
Shi Wang's recent schemes against her only existed because he did not take her seriously. Otherwise, someone like him would never resort to such petty, childish methods.
Shi Nian didn't mind being underestimated. It bought her time—time she used well.
But she never underestimated him.
The reason she kept Shang Wei by her side was simple: she recognized the look in his eyes.
The quiet fury of a caged lion.
The moment that lion broke free, it would tear down everything in its path. Until then, she would prepare the stage. She would channel his hidden rage into the fire that would burn Shi Wang completely.
She needed to become someone capable of challenging Shi Wang.
…
After a strenuous workday, Shi Nian was utterly exhausted.
As soon as she arrived home, she soaked in the bathtub. She subconsciously turned toward the direction of the full-length mirror—only to realize it had been removed without her noticing.
After her bath, she felt lighter, no longer weighed down by fatigue. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep, she decided to go out for a brief drive.
She checked her phone. It was already 7:30 p.m. After lunch, she had returned to the laboratory and joined Qing Bai and his team in the XD formula extraction. They had made more progress with the technique than she expected.
Without wasting time, Shi Nian changed into her biker outfit. She picked black shorts, a black leather jacket, and a pair of high-rise black boots.
Tonight, she looked different from her usual style. Her hair was tied in a simple bun ponytail. The shorts framed her curves, and the slightly oversized jacket gave her a cool, dangerous edge. Altogether, the look was effortlessly hot and striking.
Shi Nian walked to the garage, having already informed Wanwan not to wait up.
She had only one motorcycle available—the one she bought from the underground ring. The models sold there were far more powerful than anything available to the public.
It was a race-spec machine built purely for performance. With an engine pushing about 280–300 horsepower, its acceleration was brutal. Matte black. Sleek. Aggressive.
She had customized it herself.
With her helmet secured, Shi Nian rode into the night. The wind rushed past as she sped through the quiet outskirts of the city.
Different thoughts swirled in her mind. One lingered longer than all the others.
The man's indifferent expression after she slipped the paper to him earlier today.
Did he not believe it?
But she saw the indifferent look in his eyes when he saw the note contents.
Five simple words:
I can heal your legs.