The luxurious rooftop restaurant buzzed with muted conversation, city lights flickering in the background like a restless constellation. High-profile patrons dined beneath glass chandeliers, their laughter mingling with the soft hum of jazz and the clink of crystal.
Leng Xuanmo sat at a reserved window table alone, his fingers tapping quietly against the rim of his untouched glass of wine. He looked calm on the surface, but his gaze lingered on the entrance — as if expecting a storm.
And the storm arrived.
Lu Jingyan walked in, dressed in a sleek white coat over a silk emerald dress that shimmered with each step. Heads turned, murmurs rippled. She made no effort to hide her presence — nor the fire in her eyes.
She stopped right in front of his table.
"You visited my father," she said, her voice quiet but cutting.
Leng Xuanmo didn't rise. "I did."
"You had no right."
"Maybe not," he said, finally standing, eyes locked on hers. "But I needed him to know the truth."
"You needed *me* to know the truth," she snapped, drawing attention from nearby tables. Phones discreetly angled in their direction.
"I was never given the chance," he said. "You were gone."
"And you think going behind my back was a better choice?"
"I think watching from a distance while you carried everything alone was worse."
She stared at him, jaw tight. "You've already said enough. What more could you possibly want now?"
He didn't flinch at her words. "I want to make it right."
Soft gasps rippled through the room. At this point, diners had paused their meals entirely.
Leng Xuanmo stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly, but not enough to be unheard.
"I hurt you. I failed you. And I stood by when I should have protected you. I will never be able to take that back." He paused. "But I'm going to pursue you. Properly. Publicly. No more shadows."
Lu Jingyan laughed once — sharp, incredulous. "You think some grand declaration will fix everything? You ruined my family."
"I know," he said. "And I'll wear that guilt. But Jingyan… I still love you."
The room fell into heavy silence. A waiter nearby dropped a fork.
She stepped back slightly, enough for space to exist between them, enough for dignity.
"Love?" she echoed. "You don't get to say that anymore."
"I'll earn it back," he replied. "No matter how long it takes."
She raised her chin, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "You're so sure I'll come back."
"I'm not," he said. "But I'm not letting you go without trying."
A few cameras flashed, someone whispered, "It's really them."
Lu Jingyan's eyes scanned the growing attention — journalists in disguise, influencers perched nearby, live streams quietly running.
She stepped closer again, voice low but clear enough for the whole floor to hear. "You want to make a show out of this? Fine."
Leng Xuanmo didn't blink.
"You want to win me back, prove to the world you're the noble one now?" Her smile turned bitter. "Then be ready."
He held her gaze.
"I already am."
She leaned in slightly, her words laced with challenge, pain, and restraint.
"Good luck with that."
She turned sharply, walking away with her head held high — cameras flashing behind her, her name and his already trending before she reached the elevator.
Leng Xuanmo watched her leave, then calmly took his seat again, the whispers around him multiplying like wildfire.
But he smiled, just faintly.
The chase had begun.