Song Meiqi stood still, sweat beading at her temple as her hand curled into a fist.
Her gaze drifted over the room, watching employees move through their tasks. Familiar faces passed before her, yet an uneasy thought lingered—maybe the stalker wasn't a stranger at all, but someone she already knew.
She returned to the dance studio where the other members were already waiting. As she stepped inside, Manager Li noticed the unsettled look on her face and quietly drew her aside.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice low with concern.
Meiqi's gaze shifted to her, eyes flickering with a fear she tried to mask. "The truth is…" she began softly. "The stalker followed me to my apartment the day I came back from Country N… and again last night." Her voice fell to barely more than a whisper.
Manager Li's brows knit together, a flash of alarm crossing her face. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked, her tone sharper now but still threaded with worry.
"I… I didn't want to make a fuss until I was sure," Meiqi murmured, lowering her gaze. The words about the messages, the photo, and Haoran pressed against her throat, but she swallowed them—she didn't want to risk suggesting he might be cheating, not until she was certain.
Manager Li exhaled, glancing toward the other members to make sure they weren't listening. "From now on, don't go anywhere alone. I'll arrange for extra security after practice."
Yet, despite their efforts to stay discreet, Xiuying had already noticed them. Her brows drew together as she wondered what they were whispering about.
After a long day of rehearsals, it was already past eight when Song Meiqi stepped out of the group's van.
At Manager Li's request, she had been riding home with the others to make her movements less noticeable to the stalker—a precaution the rest of Everbloom knew nothing about.
As she entered her apartment, she froze at the sight. The reception staff and night-shift guards stood in line, facing Wang Zi Rui, his black suit highlighting his tall, commanding presence.
One of the senior employees spoke quickly, voice tense: "Mr. Wang, we're terribly sorry for what happened last night. We failed to recognize you in time."
Zi Rui remained motionless, his face unreadable, eyes calm yet sharp. A young night-shift guard then stepped forward.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Wang. I was only assigned here recently and didn't recognize you," he said, his voice trembling, afraid he might lose his job.
"It's fine," Zi Rui said smoothly, his voice low and measured. "You're handling things well."
The guard's shoulders slumped slightly, relief washing over him, though he kept his head lowered. His hands fidgeted nervously at his sides, and a faint tremor ran through his voice as he whispered, "Thank you, Mr. Wang."
Zi Rui walked over and slipped into the elevator. Meiqi followed, her eyes briefly meeting the staff's relieved faces—each one seemed to breathe as if they had just survived a disaster.
As Meiqi entered the elevator, Zi Rui's eyes flickered with surprise before settling back into a cool, unreadable calm.
Meiqi pressed the button for her floor and stepped beside him. Silence settled heavily between them, their reflections wavering in the steel walls as the elevator ascended.
She stole a few glances at Zi Rui, tempted to break the silence. Before she could, his voice filled the space—cool, yet carrying a quiet reassurance.
"There'll be more guards at night." He paused. "Count on it—your stalker won't get close."
Meiqi glanced at him, recalling his words from last night: "I've tightened the security… so you can feel at ease." A flicker of surprise passed through her before warmth quietly settled in her chest.
After a warm shower and slipping into her pajamas, Meiqi settled on her bed and typed Wang Zi Rui's name into her laptop, curiosity tugging at her. She had never cared much for wealthy families, yet there was something about him she couldn't stop wanting to know.
"The Wangs were the most powerful family in H. City and among the wealthiest in Country C, with interests from real estate to electronics, construction, luxury hotels, and shipbuilding," she read.
Yet as she scrolled for more information, she realized there was barely any news about him. The only mention was at the Gala, and even then, his face wasn't shown.
"So mysterious," she murmured, disappointment flickering across her face at the lack of details.
With a sigh, Meiqi sank onto her bed, still unsatisfied, and opened her messages to Haoran, who was in Z. City filming his first movie.
"When are you coming back from filming?" she typed, not expecting a reply so soon.
"Maybe in two more days," Haoran replied, and she blinked, a small surge of warmth spreading through her chest.
"Okay, I'll be expecting you," she wrote, smiling softly to herself.
She set her phone aside and closed her eyes, a gentle smile lingering on her lips.
Elsewhere in H.City, an old, shabby apartment sat on a quiet street. Darkness filled the room, broken only by the pale glow of a computer, its light flickering over scattered trash. A foul smell lingered, but the man paid it no mind as he scrolled through his phone.
"She blocked me," he whispered. Then, sharper and more sinister, he repeated, "She blocked me." His hand curled into a fist. "Then… I have no choice but to do this," he said, his voice trembling.