The towering glass doors of Leng Conglomerate slid open with a hush, drawing the attention of nearly everyone in the lavish lobby. The receptionist froze mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she saw who had just walked in Lu Jingyan.
Clad in a sleek white pantsuit that hugged her figure perfectly, with her hair tied in a high, neat ponytail, Lu Jingyan exuded grace, elegance, and unshakable confidence. She walked in like she owned the place, even though just months ago, she'd been branded a fallen heiress.
Whispers immediately erupted across the space.
"Is that…?"
"No way, that's Lu Jingyan, right?"
"She came here? Bold move."
"Does she have business here or is she trying to see President Leng?"
Jingyan ignored them all, walking toward the front desk with her signature poise. She was here for a professional matter — a fashion collaboration proposal that required input from the Leng Corporation's lifestyle brand division. She had already set up the appointment. What she hadn't expected, however, was the reaction.
Before the receptionist could even announce her arrival, the elevator chimed — and out stepped Leng Xuanmo himself.
Dressed in a dark navy suit, tall and composed as ever, he paused when his eyes met hers. For a second, the world around them stilled.
Gasps echoed as employees noticed the interaction.
"President Leng came down himself?"
"He never does that. He always sends someone."
"Oh god… is something going on between them again?"
Leng Xuanmo walked toward her with purpose, his face unreadable. Lu Jingyan didn't flinch — she held his gaze steadily, waiting.
"You should've told me you were coming," he said, his voice low but audible to those close by.
"I didn't think it mattered," she replied coolly. "It's just a proposal meeting."
"It matters to me."
Gasps again. Phones were subtly raised. People were already texting. Some were discreetly recording.
"Come with me," Xuanmo said and extended his hand, ignoring the eyes burning into him from all angles.
"I can walk myself," she replied, but he turned slightly and began walking beside her instead, falling into step naturally.
The elevator ride was silent, thick with tension. Her eyes faced forward. His, however, lingered on her profile, as if trying to decipher something unspoken.
They reached the executive floor, where a meeting room had been prepared for her.
"I've reviewed your proposal," he said as he opened the door for her. "It's impressive."
"I didn't come here for compliments, Mr. Leng," she answered sharply.
"I know," he murmured, allowing her to enter first. "But I still meant it."
***
Meanwhile, in the lobby and all over internal group chats, whispers flew like wildfire. Within the hour, screenshots, blurry videos, and photos of their interaction had found their way to the internet.
By mid-afternoon, the hashtags were trending:
*#LuJingyanAtLengCorp*
*#LengPresidentPicksHerUp*
*#FallenHeiressClimbsBack*
*#LengJingyanRumorsAgain?*
The comments were a storm:
#"She's really aiming high this time. Does she think he'll save her again?"#
#"Classic move. Show up at the company like you're just doing business and hope the CEO notices you."#
#"She's so desperate for attention. She should stay in her lane."#
#"Honestly, this is PR gold. Fallen heiress shows up and the cold CEO comes down personally? I'd ship it."#
#"Why is Leng Xuanmo entertaining her after everything that happened?"#
But among the mockery were voices of admiration:
#"She walked in like a queen. Say what you want, but Lu Jingyan doesn't beg."#
#"Can we talk about how poised she looked despite the stares?"#
#"She's clearly not there for him. The man just couldn't help himself."#
Inside the conference room, the meeting concluded quickly and professionally. Lu Jingyan stood, ready to leave.
"Don't let them get to you," Xuanmo said before she exited. "They don't know the truth."
She turned to him with a calm expression. "They never did."
"Jingyan—" his voice faltered slightly. "Let me fix what I ruined."
She looked at him, long and hard. "Start by keeping your distance until you can prove you're not doing this out of guilt."
With that, she walked out.
Outside the room, a few employees turned away, pretending not to stare. But she didn't care.
Her heels clicked with every confident step, as the whispers followed her.
And back in his office, Leng Xuanmo stood by the window, watching the headlines spread — and knowing that this time, he wasn't letting go.