The night had not yet faded, nor had the dawn yet broken, but Tang family's private office was brightly lit.
"You mean..." Tang Qiming's eyes were like cold blades. "The person who escaped was a man?"
Standing before his desk was Shen Chengye, the head of the Tang family's core security system—in his forties, dressed in black, his tone calm.
"We used AI to reconstruct the surveillance footage before and after the ball, including the backstage and temporary changing areas. We discovered that the 'Blue Shoe Goddess' at the ball exchanged clothes with a similarly built male within two minutes after the ball."
Shen Chengye clicked on his tablet, and a silent video played before Tang Qiming.
The footage showed a tall woman in the backstage throwing a sailor's uniform to a man of very similar build, while she herself quickly put on a hooded jacket and left. And the man—who had not yet removed his makeup—frantically took off his high heels, rubbing his feet as he headed for the exit.
Tang Qiming's fingertips slowly tapped the desk, his eyes narrowed.
"Are you sure he heard my conversation with CEO Xiang?"
"Highly likely." Shen Chengye nodded. "Through comparisons of multiple surveillance videos, at that time and at that location, this person was just outside the door. And judging by current indications, this person should not be a commercial spy."
"Police?"
Tang Qiming didn't say the word "undercover," but Shen Chengye knew what he meant.
"Not yet certain," he slowly said. "However, we are comparing the backgrounds of these siblings and already have preliminary results. The police recently transferred a pair of twin officers; their files have been sealed, but by checking external records, I can confirm—they are the 'pair' from the ball that night."
Tang Qiming leaned back in his chair and slowly smiled.
"The Cinderella Tang Yu is looking for... how interesting." He chewed on the word, a hint of mockery in his expression.
"We don't know how much the police know yet," Shen Chengye said. "Should we..."
Tang Qiming slowly stood up and turned to look out the window.
The city lights in the distance were bright, but in his eyes, there was only one goal.
"Good," he said.
"Let me help my 'good son'."
A few days later, social media exploded again.
Tang Yu once again showcased the blue high heel in a live broadcast, announcing a public event called "Finding Cinderella" at a high-end department store under the Tang Group.
"I know this seems ridiculous," he looked into the camera, a faint smile on his face. "But she made me redefine the distance between crowds and loneliness. If she's willing, I just want to talk to her one more time."
As soon as the news broke, it immediately topped the trending searches.
But what truly exploded was the police internal conference room.
"He's openly provoking us," Li Qing sat on the bench, staring at the screen. "Publicly having people try on the shoe means he's waiting for us to jump out ourselves."
"If we don't jump, his father will dig us out himself," Li Hao rubbed his forehead. "But even if they find us, what's the point? Let everyone know that I danced with his son that night?"
"Don't underestimate Tang Qiming," the deputy captain said seriously. "He's not a simple person to have reached his current status. His blatant help for Tang Yu to find someone must have another purpose. And this, perhaps, is also our opportunity."
Li Qing looked at Li Hao and suddenly smiled.
"Actually—we can go."
"Are you crazy?!" Li Hao jumped up. "Do you want me to be the laughingstock of the whole city, or do you want me to be 'hunted down' by Tang Yu?"
"Of course, you won't be wearing it," Li Qing gently pushed him. "This time, Cinderella, it's my turn to make an appearance."
Three days later, the top floor of the department store was decorated as if the ball had been recreated.
Tang Yu stood in the center, a blue crystal-studded high heel sparkling on the display stand in front of him.
"Next lady, please come up and try on the shoe."
The moment Li Qing stepped onto the stage, the entire hall fell silent.
She still wore a similar mask, but her hairstyle and attire had changed, exquisite yet simple, with a hint of deliberate "careful concealment."
Tang Yu looked at her, always feeling that this figure... was somehow familiar.
She slowly bent down and extended her foot—the shoe fit perfectly.
"...Is that you?" Tang Yu whispered.
Li Qing looked up and smiled: "It's me."
The high heel slipped onto Li Qing's foot with perfect precision—the "legendary" blue crystal shoe.
The heel sparkled, and a low gasp of admiration rippled through the audience. Some raised their phones to take photos, others whispered, "It really is her!"
And Tang Yu looked at the girl in front of him—the face half-hidden by the mask, the determined yet restrained eyes, the calm and subtly smiling lips.
It was her. But... it also felt like it wasn't her.
"You..." Tang Yu spoke softly, "You feel different from how you were that night."
Li Qing's heart skipped a beat.
She naturally understood the hidden meaning in Tang Yu's words—he had sensed something.
She smiled, tilting her head playfully: "Everyone acts differently when they're with someone they like, right?"
Tang Yu was stunned for a moment. Her words had a double meaning.
He wasn't sure if she was admitting it or trying to blur the focus.
He was about to probe further when the host's voice, accompanied by enthusiastic applause, announced:
"The Blue Shoe Goddess has been found! Congratulations to this lady, who will become the spokesperson for this 'Cinderella Ball' and will receive a one-year image contract from a brand under the Tang Group!"
Flashbulbs exploded from the audience.
Li Qing stood under the spotlight, her expression unchanged, but in her heart, she had already raised the danger level of Tang Yu and his father by another notch.
She knew that this "public shoe try-on" was a test from beginning to end. And she—had to grit her teeth and get through it.
Below the stage, Li Hao, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, discreetly mingled with the crowd, while keeping an eye on Li Qing's safety and listening to the police's perimeter deployment channel through his earpiece.
"Team B, attention, Tang Qiming is approaching the event venue." "Understood, rooftop team in position." "Target's actions are unclear, may attempt forced contact with the stage target."
Li Hao's heart tightened. He knew the most dangerous situation was coming.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu led Li Qing into the private dressing room backstage.
The door gently closed. He approached, his voice no longer gentle, but calm and sharp.
"You're not her."
Li Qing wasn't surprised. Instead, she smiled. "Of course I am. Didn't you see me put on the shoe with your own eyes?"
"That night, she said she wanted to be a baker, but earlier you said you hated cooking; she doesn't eat sweets, but you ordered whiskey cocoa; her dancing steps were... unique, and you..." He looked at her, his gaze falling on the clearly scuffed shoe surface on her feet.
"You're not her."
Li Qing was silent for two seconds, then gently let out a breath.
"Then why did you still let me stand on stage and try on the shoe?" she asked calmly.
"I wanted to confirm something," Tang Yu whispered. "Are you helping my father's enemies?"
Li Qing slowly looked at him, her eyes suddenly softening. "No. On the contrary, I'm stopping your father from making bigger mistakes."
Tang Yu's eyes flickered.
"I know you're innocent, Tang Yu," Li Qing's voice was steady, yet clear and powerful. "We're not here to harm you, we're here to protect the truths you might not have time to see clearly."
With that, she took a step closer, leaned into Tang Yu's ear, and whispered:
"Your father and CEO Xiang from Southeast Logistics are using private sea routes to transport illegal firearms. Guess what, is that ship leaving again tonight?"
Tang Yu suddenly recoiled, his face changing drastically.
Just then, a deep male voice came from outside the door.
"Tang Yu, open the door. I want to see her."
Li Qing and Tang Yu's eyes met.
Li Qing whispered: "He's here. You have to decide now—will you protect me, or him?"
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Tang Yu turned and walked towards the door—he didn't open it immediately, but pulled the lock tight, calmly saying to the outside:
"She needs time to change. She'll be out in five minutes."
The person outside was silent for a moment, then responded softly: "Three minutes."
Tang Yu turned around and looked at Li Qing.
"You have to go now," he said.
"I still have something to say."
"I believe what you're saying—but now is not the time."
He pulled open the wardrobe and threw out a server's uniform.
"This is an employee pass. Go to the C-2 elevator and leave from the underground parking platform."
Li Qing took the pass, their eyes meeting.
At this moment, they were not enemies, nor allies, but two people pushed to the forefront by fate.
She gave him a faint smile: "Thank you."
The door opened for an instant, and she turned and left, her dress swishing, disappearing down the corridor.
When Tang Qiming pushed open the door, the room was empty.
"Where is she?" His eyes were gloomy.
Tang Yu stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie.
"She wanted to go to the restroom," he said.
Tang Qiming stared at him, his gaze like lightning.
"You know who she is."
Tang Yu didn't deny it. He just smiled.
"Everyone knows now, don't they? She's my Cinderella."