Place: Tanzhe Temple, Mentougou District, Beijing
Time: Morning
The fleet of luxury vehicles glided smoothly away from the tarmac, navigating through the bustling morning traffic before heading toward the rugged outskirts of the city. Within an hour, the sleek black cars pulled up to the serene entrance of Tanzhe Temple.
Nestled deep among ancient mountains, the temple felt like a completely different world—cloaked in a serene morning fog, smelling of rich incense and damp pine.
Stepping out of the car, Siwon walked past the historic stone arches. Inside the main prayer hall, she bought incense, knelt gracefully, and offered her prayers. For a long time, she simply sat there in absolute silence. Her eyes were closed, her posture perfectly still.
To anyone watching, it looked as though she had completely severed herself from the chaos of the outside world, finding a rare, sacred moment of peace.
As she finally opened her eyes, a temple employee approached her team. Looking directly at Siwon's secretary, the man bowed respectfully and spoke in a low, disciplined whisper in Mandarin.
"Miss Park, the Grand Master requests your presence inside."
Siwon rose silently, gesturing for her guards to remain at the entrance, and followed the employee into the private inner courtyard.
The master's quarters were uniquely beautiful. The back of the traditional wooden room was entirely open, framing a breathtaking view of the vast sky and rows of lush green bamboo swaying gently in the mountain breeze.
Sitting in a comfortable wooden armchair facing the scenery was the elderly man. However, the sight made Siwon pause. An IV drip was hooked to his left hand, the clear medicine slowly ticking down the tube. A few temple attendants hovered around him, quietly tending to his needs.
Seeing the usually robust old man confined to a chair, a rare flicker of genuine concern crossed Siwon's otherwise frozen features. She walked over, her voice softer than it had been in days.
"You were always so strong," she murmured, looking down at the IV line. "Then what happened to you?"
The old master didn't look upset at all. Instead, warm, wrinkled laugh lines creased around his eyes as he looked up at her. He let out a soft, wheezing chuckle.
"Ah, don't mind these worriers, child," the old man replied in a raspy but cheerful voice, waving his free hand dismissively. "It was nothing but a minor fever. But these kids got so terrified, they dragged me straight to the city hospital. After a dozen useless tests, the doctors finally concluded that I had simply caught a bit of a cold from the mountain air!"
He smiled gently, the peaceful rustle of the bamboo leaves filling the quiet space between them.
For all her terrifying power in the corporate world, in front of this frail, laughing old man, Siwon was just a traveler looking for shelter.
A soft, genuine smile finally broke through Siwon's icy exterior, warming her cold almond eyes. She let out a small, quiet laugh. "You really are strong, Master. But please, just take care of yourself."
The old man smiled, his wise eyes looking out at the swaying bamboo trees before turning back to her. "I heard a rumor... that you are going to Seoul?"
"Yes," Siwon replied, her posture dropping slightly as a heavy, genuine tension clouded her face. Her voice lost its sharp edge, replaced by a rare vulnerability. "I have to establish the branch headquarters there. And... I think it's finally time. I might have to officially reveal my true identity to the public."
The weight of stepping out of the corporate shadows and into the blinding light of the media—and her enemies—was clearly eating away at her.
Sensing the sudden storm brewing in her mind, the old man weakly lifted his right hand. With immense, fatherly warmth, he gently placed his palm on her head, softly stroking her hair.
"So, is that what has my fierce warrior so worried?" the old man murmured softly. His hand felt warm, grounding her racing thoughts. "Just remember one thing, child. Change and hardships... they have a way of arriving uninvited. They come on their own terms, and in the process, they reshape who we are. Don't fight the tide. Ride it."
Siwon reached up, placing her hand gently over his wrinkled fingers, squeezing softly. Her voice was thick with unspoken emotion. "I will. Just... promise me you will take care of your health."
The old man let out another raspy, mischievous chuckle, his eyes twinkling with old-man humor.
"Of course I will. After all, I have to stay alive until I see you get married."
Siwon blinked, her serious expression instantly crashing into pure shock. Her cheeks flushed a sudden crimson, and she immediately let go of his hand, pulling back with a stunned frown.
"Master! What on earth are you talking about?" she huffed, her cold demeanor completely melting into embarrassed annoyance. "If that's your condition, then you're going to be sitting in that chair for a very, very long time!"
The old man's laughter echoed warmly through the open pavilion, scattering the lingering tension into the mountain air. Siwon could only shake her head, a rare, faint blush still lingering on her cheeks from the master's sudden marriage comment.
Suddenly, the hurried sound of rushing footsteps shattered the peaceful moment.
"Chairwoman!"
Secretary Nam burst into the private courtyard, completely breathless, his eyes wide with a mix of sheer excitement and absolute disbelief. He was clutching his digital tablet tightly.
Siwon's playful expression vanished instantly. The warmth in her eyes froze over, and her corporate mask slid right back into place. She adjusted her dark trench coat and glared at him, her voice returning to its icy, clinical baseline. "What is it, Mr. Nam? I told you not to disturb me here."
"I am sorry, Ma'am, but..." The secretary swallowed hard, pointing a trembling finger toward the backyard. "Miss, I have incredible news! I just had my fortune read by the grandmaster in the backyard, and my future is practically written in gold!"
Siwon's brows knit tightly. "What news? And who exactly told you your future?"
"The grandmaster just said that I will get two 'Big Diamonds' in my future! The most luxurious diamonds in my entire life!" he gasped out, completely invested in the prophecy. He paused, a look of genuine, comedic confusion washing over his face as he scratched his head.
"But honestly, Ma'am, I just don't understand one thing... Why only two diamonds? Maybe they are Kohinoor diamonds, but the Kohinoor is a single diamond in the whole world. So how can there be a second one? And if both are the same, then well, Ma'am... you are a billionaire corporate queen! I want more diamonds because I want to give a whole vault of them as a gift to you!"
He turned to the old master, looking slightly petulant. "But the Master said that only two will be more than enough for me..."
A heavy, dead silence blanketed the pavilion. The old master burst into a fresh wave of hearty, amused laughter, adding that if the grandmaster spoke of his future, it was one hundred percent real because his words never went wrong.
Meanwhile, Siwon's face turned into a picture of absolute, freezing disbelief. She stared at her secretary as if he had completely lost his mind.
"What?" Siwon's voice dropped to a dangerously low, deadpan whisper. "You broke into a sacred courtyard, running like a madman, and disturbed me... only for this ridiculous gossip?"
The secretary instantly froze, his breath catching in his throat as he realized he had just stepped right onto his boss's short fuse.
Siwon didn't just look annoyed; she looked entirely done with him. She crossed her arms, her piercing gaze burning right through him.
"And besides," Siwon added, her tone dripping with pure, deadpan sarcasm, "you are already working for someone who is obscenely wealthy. Why on earth would I need two literal diamonds? Ridiculous."
"But Ma'am, luxury diamonds are—"
"Enough," Siwon cut him off smoothly, her voice shifting back into the commanding, clinical tone of the Valkyrie chairwoman. She pointed a sharp, manicured finger toward the courtyard exit. "Now go and get the cars ready. I will be down in a few minutes."
"Yes, Chairman! Right away!"
The secretary bowed frantically, nearly tripping over his own polished dress shoes as he scrambled backward out of the pavilion, eager to escape before she decided to fire him on the spot.
As the heavy silence returned to the courtyard, the old master simply watched her, his wise eyes crinkling with a knowing, gentle amusement. The IV line attached to his hand ticked away quietly against the backdrop of the stunning mountain view.
Siwon let out a soft, defeated sigh, her rigid corporate posture melting away one last time as she turned back to the elderly man. She picked up her dark glasses from the wooden table, ready to face the world again.
"Take good care of yourself, Master," Siwon said, a knowing, amused glint finally flashing in her almond eyes. She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "And by the way... that was a very clever trick you pulled just to get me to fly all the way here. A fake heart attack? Really?"
She let out a short, quiet laugh, shaking her head. "Well, I suppose I can't complain. At least it gave me a real excuse to talk to you."
The old master's eyes crinkled with absolute, shameless delight. He didn't look guilty at all for faking his illness. He let out a raspy chuckle, adjusting his traditional robes.
"To be honest, child, I wasn't entirely sure if you would actually show up or not. You are always so busy conquering the world." He paused, his smile shifting into something deeper, more significant. "Because of that uncertainty, I already shipped your gift directly to Seoul. It is waiting at your new headquarters. You will find it whenever you arrive there."
Siwon froze, her hand pausing midway as she was about to slip her glasses on. Her brows knit in genuine curiosity. "A gift? What kind of gift, Master?"
The old master didn't give her a direct answer. He simply looked into her eyes, his expression turning solemn, carrying the weight of ancient wisdom.
"Always keep patience, Siwon," he murmured softly. "True strength is not just knowing when to strike but knowing how to wait."
Recognizing that the old man would not reveal a single detail more, Siwon didn't press further. She bowed her head deeply in a gesture of profound respect, a silent promise sealed between them.
Turning on her heel, she slipped her dark sunglasses back over her eyes, instantly transforming from a concerned child back into the untouchable corporate monarch.
Her long trench coat swept majestically behind her as she walked down the wooden steps of the pavilion, leaving the quiet sanctuary of Tanzhe Temple behind, ready to face the roaring storm waiting for her in the city below.