The video was everywhere.
From luxury gossip pages to mainstream entertainment sites, clips of Leng Xuanmo's bold public declaration in the rooftop restaurant dominated the internet.
*#LengXuanmoConfession*
*#FallenPrincessAndCEO*
*#JingyanXuanmoChapterTwo*
All trending within an hour.
The video had been edited and reposted with dramatic music, slow-motion zoom-ins, and even meme captions. Netizens were eating it up.
@BlushPeach:* Did y'all hear him say *"I'll pursue you properly. Publicly."*??? Sir, I'm sobbing.
@TeaAndTears:* Leng Xuanmo isn't just a CEO. He's a whole genre.
@WriterWitch:* I thought I was anti-men until THIS. Where's my Leng Xuanmo??
@JingyanNation:* That walk-away. That *"Good luck with that."* Our queen is BACK.
@CDramaFan1995:* This is better than every drama airing right now. Just kiss already.
***
In the Golden Age Entertainment lounge, Lu Jingyan tossed her phone on the couch with an exasperated sigh.
"Is there a way to disappear from the internet for a week?" she muttered.
Mei Xiaotong, lounging nearby with her tablet, barely looked up. "You could fly to Antarctica. But even penguins are probably shipping you two now."
"Xiaotong," Lu Jingyan groaned.
"No, seriously." She turned the screen toward her. "They're calling you the 'ice queen who melted the storm king.' Very poetic. Very dramatic. Netizens are convinced you're soulmates."
Lu Jingyan didn't respond. Her cheeks had a faint flush, which didn't escape Xiaotong's gaze.
"Oh my god," Xiaotong gasped. "You're blushing."
"I am not blushing."
"You so are!" She leaned in like a cat that just spotted a ball of yarn. "Wait... you didn't like that stunt, did you?"
"I was furious."
"But your eyes were sparkling in that video. Like, sparkling."
"That was rage."
Xiaotong raised an eyebrow. "That was chemistry."
Lu Jingyan picked up a throw pillow and threatened to throw it at her. Xiaotong just laughed and ducked.
"Look," Xiaotong said, leaning back again. "I know you're still angry. And you have every right to be. But... he really meant it."
"He humiliated me," Lu Jingyan said quietly. "Not just me. My family."
"And yet, here he is, dragging his pride across the floor like a lovesick fool in front of half of Country C."
Lu Jingyan went silent.
Outside, the buzz around Golden Age was louder than ever. Fans were already crowding near the building with signs that read *Team Jingyan* and *Give Him a Chance*. It felt surreal.
Xiaotong watched her carefully.
"You know," she said softly, "you've changed."
Lu Jingyan looked up.
"You're not hiding anymore. Not behind your family name. Not behind silence. You're... you. And even with all this chaos, you're still standing."
Lu Jingyan gave a tired smile. "I don't know if that's a compliment or a warning."
"It's both." Xiaotong grinned. "And if you ever decide to forgive him, please do it in front of a camera. The views will be legendary."
Lu Jingyan rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
"I'm a manager who sees potential," she said proudly. "And frankly, that man's obsession with you is either tragic... or deeply romantic."
Silence settled again for a few seconds. Then Lu Jingyan reached for her phone, swiping through the trending comments.
*@MatchaMochi:* She said *good luck with that* and my knees buckled. She's so iconic.
*@LengJingForever:* Honestly if they don't end up together I'm suing.
*@FanficFairy:* Who else is writing their reunion fanfic? No? Just me?
Lu Jingyan slowly put the phone down again.
Xiaotong smiled to herself.
For the first time in months, the heaviness around Jingyan's shoulders seemed a little lighter.
And despite everything—rumors, betrayals, the lingering sting of the past—hope was slipping in again, quietly and without permission.
Just like him.