The invitation - or rather, the summons - had arrived with an unusual weight that morning. A simple message from Leng Xuanmo. *"Let's talk."*
But it wasn't him she feared. It was the one who came before him.
Leng Shiyan.
The words he'd said still rang in her ears, smooth and casual, but heavy with warning:
*"Help my cousin win her back, Mei Xiaotong. Or your family won't just lose face - they'll lose everything. And you? You'll wish it stopped at your name."*
She hadn't let him see it, but it had shaken her.
Now, sitting in the quiet booth of the lounge, her fingers tightened around her cup. She wasn't easily frightened. She was Mei Xiaotong - unapologetically sharp, fiercely loyal, and more than a little bold. But threats that endangered people she loved? That was another thing entirely.
She spotted Leng Xuanmo entering. Tall, poised, impossibly calm - like always. But this time, there was something else in his eyes. Guilt? Hesitation?
He sat opposite her. "I appreciate you coming."
"You shouldn't," she replied coldly.
His brow lifted.
"I didn't come here by choice," she continued. "Your cousin made sure of that."
The slight shift in his expression was almost imperceptible - but she caught it. He was surprised.
"Shiyan?" he asked.
She folded her arms. "Yes, Shiyan. He dropped in, casually threatened my family, and made it clear I had no other option but to help you."
His eyes narrowed. "He did that without my consent."
"Oh, I know. You wouldn't be foolish enough to threaten me directly. But still - this is what I've been dragged into. Again."
There was silence. Then, slowly, he leaned forward.
"I didn't want to involve you. I'm sorry, Xiaotong."
His voice - softer than she expected - made her pause. He meant it.
"I believe you," she said eventually. "But that doesn't mean I forgive him. Or that I think Jingyan will, either."
He gave a slow nod. "I'm not looking for forgiveness. I'm looking for a way to start over."
Xiaotong studied him, her usual sarcasm fading. "You really love her, don't you?"
"I didn't know I could - until she walked away."
That struck something in her. She exhaled slowly.
"Then listen," she said. "She's not a girl who wants to be chased in public. She doesn't need bouquets and fireworks. She needs someone who'll sit in the quiet with her and understand what silence really means."
"I will."
"She loves tea. She hums when she's working. She hides her pain behind sarcasm. And when she's overwhelmed, she stares out windows like she's trying to find another world."
Leng Xuanmo nodded. He didn't take notes. He just remembered.
Mei watched him carefully. "You can't fix what you did in a week, Xuanmo. Maybe not even a year."
"I don't care how long it takes."
Her jaw tensed. She could still feel the shadow of Shiyan's threat on her neck - but looking at the man in front of her now, she realized something: he wasn't the one pulling strings. He was trying, really trying, and for Jingyan's sake... maybe that mattered more.
"Alright," she said. "I'll help. But not because of threats. And not for the Leng family."
She stood. "I'll help because she deserves someone who sees her."
He rose too. "Thank you."
Mei Xiaotong turned to leave, then glanced back over her shoulder. "You mess this up again, Leng Xuanmo... and I won't need your cousin's threats to destroy you."
This time, he smiled. "Understood."
As she walked out into the sun, she wasn't sure what exactly had changed - but something had. And maybe, just maybe, they all had a chance to make it right.
---
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