The wheels of the plane kissed Liangcheng's tarmac with a soft thud. Lin Qing Yun leaned back in her seat, phone already in hand. The moment the cabin doors opened, she dialed Siyao's number.
"Jiejie!" Siyao's voice burst through, bright and youthful, full of excitement.
Qing Yun's lips curved. "Siyao, I have news."
"What news?" Siyao's anticipation was palpable.
"…I'm engaged."
The silence lasted less than a heartbeat before Siyao shrieked so loudly Qing Yun had to hold the phone away. "Engaged?! Really?! Jiejie, you must—must—get married before I leave for university! I want to see you in a wedding dress!"
Qing Yun laughed softly, her heart swelling at her sister's joy. "That can be arranged," she teased.
She ended the call with a warm sigh. In that moment, everything felt almost perfect.
At Zhao Corporation's Banquet
The banquet hall glittered with chandeliers, a sea of polished shoes and clinking glasses. Waiters moved like shadows, carrying wine and delicacies. Music drifted faintly in the background.
Ze Yan led Qing Yun in, his hand at her back, his composure as steady as if he were hosting the event himself. Heads turned, whispers followed, curiosity sparked in elegant eyes.
At the main table, his mother, Mei Lian, rose first. Her eyes softened as she took Qing Yun's hand. "So this is the girl," she said warmly. "Ze Yan has finally brought her to us."
Qing Yun bowed slightly. "Auntie."
"No, no," Mei Lian corrected, her smile deepening. "You'll soon call me mother-in-law."
Beside her, Zhao Ming Liang clapped Ze Yan on the shoulder, his voice steady, approving. "Good. I see why you've been so determined, Ze Yan. She will bring light into this family."
Xin Yue squealed and immediately threw her arms around Qing Yun. "Qing Yun! I can't believe it—my classmate, my friend, my sister-in-law!" She chattered about high school, about how Qing Yun was the smartest in the whole grade, how she'd always admired her.
For a fleeting while, it felt like acceptance.
But not everyone in the Zhao family was capable of joy.
A voice, dripping with contempt, broke the harmony.
"Gu Ze Yan."
It was Zhao Han Sheng, his stepbrother, leaning casually against the wall with a smirk.
"You really think marrying her is anything but a mistake? She's a nobody, a gold digger at best. You're too blind, too stupid, too enchanted to see she's just climbing into luxury."
The words snapped like a whip.
Ze Yan's fist connected with Han Sheng's jaw before thought intervened. The man staggered, his smirk turning into a snarl.
Before Ze Yan could swing again, Qing Yun's hand caught his arm. Her grip was firm, her voice low but steady.
"He'll always be like that," she said. "With or without me. Don't feed him. It's what he wants."
Ze Yan's chest rose and fell sharply. He forced himself to unclench his fists, to pull away. He turned, storming out into the cool night air, the fury burning behind his calm face.
News spread quickly, as it always did in such circles.
Xu Wei Ran was there too, in the company of directors and celebrities. His tailored suit fit his tall frame, his presence quiet yet impossible to ignore.
He approached Qing Yun with that faint smile that never reached his eyes.
"Congratulations," he said softly.
"Congratulations to you too," she replied, her own smile gentle. "Your song has swept the nation."
They stood a little apart from the glittering crowd, their words a bridge to the years behind them.
"You're engaged," Wei Ran said, almost as if confirming it for himself.
"I am," Qing Yun answered, her tone calm, steady.
Wei Ran's smile deepened, sadness hiding at its corners. "Then I wish you happiness."
When Ze Yan returned, his gaze fell on the two of them together. Once, the sight would have stoked jealousy sharp enough to cut. Tonight, something else filled him instead: certainty.
He crossed the room, took his place at Qing Yun's side. Wei Ran met his eyes, then offered his hand.
"Take care of her," Wei Ran said quietly. "Seriously."
Ze Yan accepted the handshake, his grip firm, his reply simple. "Always."
Days later, the air buzzed with anticipation. Luminar System was about to unveil its latest AI platform. The event hall was packed: investors in sleek suits, media with cameras poised, Zhao Corporation board members watching with hawk-like eyes.
Ze Yan walked on stage, every inch the composed founder, his calm voice carrying authority. The opening drew applause; Qing Yun, seated near the front, felt pride well up.
Then—
The screen flickered.
At first, a glitch. Then words appeared, garbled, wrong, nonsensical. The system spat out offensive, absurd outputs, twisting the demonstration into a mockery.
Gasps rippled through the hall. Murmurs swelled. Cameras flashed like lightning, eager for scandal.
Qing Yun's breath caught.
But Ze Yan's expression did not change. His voice, calm as ice, cut through the storm.
"The system has encountered an error. We will conduct a full investigation and deliver a solution. Luminar does not fail."
He ended the demo, bowed slightly, and walked offstage. The murmurs followed like shadows.
That night, in Luminar headquarters, the atmosphere was taut as wire.
Ze Yan stood before the server, screens casting pale light on his face.
"Lock down everything," he ordered. His voice was low, dangerous in its restraint.
Shen Qiao tapped furiously at her console. "It's not a simple bug."
"Someone touched our system," Ze Yan said, eyes narrowing.
Chen Rui exchanged a look with Shen Qiao. "Sabotage?"
Ze Yan's jaw tightened. He closed his hand into a fist, the echo of his stepbrother's words, of the banquet's whispers, of the cameras flashing at his humiliation burning through him.
"This wasn't an accident," he said coldly. "Find them."