Feng Xueling left the café with a spring in her step. Chairman Lin, suspicious at first of her youth and credibility, had folded completely when she laid out her plan. And when she revealed that she herself would be the principal investor, the man had nearly sobbed in relief, begging to sign on the spot.
Now she, Feng Xueling, was the hidden force behind Lingyun Capital — a company she vowed would one day shake the entire financial world.
The immediate cash-flow crisis had been plugged with her injection of funds, but for Lingyun Capital to grow, much more would be needed. The Helios Tech projects could cover part of it, but they would not be enough. Hmmm… perhaps it's time to revive the quick money-making tactics of my past life, she thought, lips curving faintly.
Still turning over her plans, Xueling reached the gates of the Feng household.
"Feng Xueling! You wretched girl, finally home!" Father Feng's voice cracked through the hall the moment she stepped inside.
Xueling paused, adjusted the strap of her backpack, and leaned casually against the wall. "What is it? I'm busy."
"Atrocious! How dare you talk back!" Father Feng's face mottled red as he hurled a porcelain teacup at her.
Xueling tilted her head slightly; the cup shattered against the wall behind her, shards scattering across the polished floor.
She looked at him coolly, voice steady. "If you want to talk, speak properly. Otherwise, don't waste my time."
Father Feng's hand slammed against the table. "You—come here right now!"
But Xueling only stood straighter, her expression calm, her silence sharper than any retort.
Father Feng's chest heaved, his face red as he jabbed a finger at her. "You insolent girl, you—"
The sharp slam of the front doors cut him off.
"Brother Feng!" A booming, well-oiled voice carried down the hallway. "We've come at just the right time, haven't we?"
Father Gu swept in, broad-shouldered and self-assured, his son following at a measured pace. Behind them, servants scrambled to take coats and offer tea.
Father Feng's fury vanished in an instant, replaced with a servile smile. "Brother Gu, what an honor. Please, please, come in."
"I have something important to discuss," Father Gu said smoothly, his tone making it sound less like a request and more like an order. "Shall we go up to your study?"
"Of course, of course." Father Feng led the way with nervous haste, the two men disappearing upstairs.
That left only Gu Mocheng in the hall.
Xueling adjusted the strap of her bag, ready to leave, but his voice halted her. "Xueling."
She turned her head slightly, her expression cool.
Gu Mocheng stood a few steps away, hands casually tucked into his pockets, his eyes carrying that polished warmth he showed everyone — a warmth that had once deceived her.
"It's been a while," he said softly, as if testing the words. "You've grown… calmer." His gaze lingered on Xueling's face, searching for the soft, fair-skinned girl who used to trail after him like a shadow. She had been such a cute little doll once. What a pity she grew into something so… unremarkable.
He masked his disappointment with a faint laugh. "I'm glad to see you well."
Xueling's gaze stayed steady, unreadable.
"You must know," he continued, lowering his voice as though sharing a secret, "the broken engagement… it wasn't my choice alone. Families are complicated. Interests shift. But that doesn't mean…" He let the silence stretch, heavy with suggestion. "That doesn't mean you mean less to me. You will always be my closest sister."
His words were carefully chosen — not apologetic, not committed. Soft enough to soothe, slippery enough to deny. The kind of words that could peel open an old wound if she allowed them.
Xueling's lips curved faintly, though the smile never touched her eyes. "I don't care about being your sister. Don't claim kinship where there isn't any."
For just a heartbeat, Gu Mocheng's polished warmth cracked.
"Brother Mocheng…" A delicate voice cut through the moment.
Xueyao descended the stairs in a flurry of silk and perfume, her expression perfectly sweet. She had been with her mother planning the jewelry for the expo when the nanny burst in with news of th Gu family father and young master arriving unannounced. And she had immediately rushed down. She hated giving Gu Mocheng even a breath alone with Xueling. Childhood had been filled with memories of those two playing together while she trailed behind, ignored. But now the tide had turned — Gu Mocheng belonged to her, and she would never let Xueling snatch that away.
Sure enough, there was that bitch, standing too close, daring to charm her Mocheng ge with her quiet airs.
Adjusting her smile, Xueyao glided forward and slid her hand around Gu Mocheng's arm with practiced intimacy. "Come in, Mocheng ge," she said brightly, staking her claim with every gesture. "What a pleasure to see you again today."
Gu Mocheng glanced uneasily at Xueling and subtly tried to dislodge Xueyao's grip. "We met just this evening when I dropped you home," he reminded, the words sharper than he intended.
"But that was two whole hours ago," Xueyao replied with gentle laughter. "And I already miss you." She tugged him closer, eyes curving sweetly. "Come, sit."
"Xueling…" Gu Mocheng turned back, as if wanting to say more.
Xueling only watched the scene play out with faint amusement, like an audience member observing a stage drama. Adjusting her glasses, she turned toward the stairs. "Excuse me. I have better things to do."
She walked away, her steps light, her back straight.
Gu Mocheng's eyes followed her retreating figure, his hand tightening imperceptibly in his pocket.
Xueyao noticed. Her grip on his arm tightened, nails nearly digging into his sleeve, her gaze burning daggers into Xueling's back. That bitch. Still trying to seduce Brother Gu. How dare she.
Her voice, however, remained as sweet as honey. "Mocheng ge, you mustn't take my sister too seriously. She's always like this — coming home late, not informing anyone, sneaking off heaven knows where. Mother worries herself sick, but what can we do? Some people… just don't know how to behave properly." She lowered her lashes, the picture of helpless sisterly concern. "I only hope she won't bring shame to the family one day."
Gu Mocheng frowned faintly at her words, though whether in agreement or distaste, no one could tell.
In the Feng Family Study
The heavy oak doors closed, muffling the rest of the household. Father Feng poured tea with uncharacteristic energy, his face alight with excitement. Father Gu sat across from him, the corners of his mouth curved in the satisfaction of a man with news too important to keep.
"Brother Feng," Father Gu began, leaning in, "have you heard? The Mo family heir is coming to Jinhai."
Father Feng's hands stilled mid-pour, eyes widening. "Here? To Jinhai? Impossible. The Mo family's movements are always top secret. How could you know they're coming?"
"It was supposed to be top secret," Father Gu agreed, lowering his voice. "But word travels. Young Master Mo is here on… sensitive business. Dangerous business. And the Gus—well, we've been asked to lend a hand. Quietly."
Father Feng's breath quickened. "So it's true. The Mo family reached out directly?"
"Not directly," Father Gu corrected, though his eyes gleamed. "But through the grapevine, yes. You know how it is — when a family like the Mo clan moves, even the ripples carry weight. They're looking into… an event from the past."
Father Feng's lips curled into a greedy smile. "And if we help now, when he truly needs help, the Fengs and the Gus will have an unshakable tie to the Mos. Imagine it — a seat at the table of the most powerful family in the country."
"It's more than that," Father Gu interjected eagerly. "Remember the Robotics Expo? If we can invite the Mo family heir to attend, to see Yaoyao's demo, then business collaboration may follow! Helios Tech always backs great talent, and if we've already extended a favor to the Mos… wouldn't that be like reaching the sky in a single step?"
The two men exchanged a look, their shared ambition filling the study as thickly as the curling steam from their untouched teacups.
Chen Family Casino
The gaming floor was a shattered tableau of bodies and overturned chairs. Chen Daxun lay on the carpeted floor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Around him, four of his most trusted men twitched and groaned, their teeth shattered, bones bent at impossible angles.
Above them stood Mo Shenyu. Legs braced in a perfect military stance, his posture radiated the ruthless discipline of the Mo family — a clan forged in barracks and battlefields as much as in boardrooms. His shadow stretched across the broken circle of bodies, cold and immovable as a guillotine.
"Pick him up," he commanded.
Xia Feng, broad-shouldered and loyal, moved without hesitation. He seized Chen Daxun by the collar, dragging the bleeding man upright so his face hung inches from Mo Shenyu's.
"Have you learned it?" Mo Shenyu's voice was low, controlled — but deadly. "What will you tell Young Master Chen?"
Daxun gurgled weakly, his throat choking on the effort of speech. Pathetic. Mo's jaw tightened; the answer was inadequate. His fist lashed out with the precision of a man who had spent his life mastering violence. Trained in close combat since childhood, a crack shot feared on the range, a master of MMA in his youth — every strike was as exact as a blade's edge. The blow landed square, snapping Daxun's head sideways.
"Master—be careful! He will die!" Assistant Liang blurted out, voice high with panic. This was the first time he had seen Mo Shenyu like this — fury incarnate. Not even during the assassination attempt in Haicheng had he struck back so openly. But now, just the whisper of his savior being hunted had ignited him into this storm. Liang swallowed hard.
Mo Shenyu's eyes remained cold. Slowly, he pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood from his knuckles with almost surgical care, as though polishing a weapon. "Throw him out," he said softly, the quiet more terrifying than a shout. "And tell the Chen family's young master this: if he so much as breathes near my people again, what happens next will make tonight look like child's play."
Xia Feng hurled the broken man toward the door. Chen Daxun crumpled like refuse, his eyes rolling back as silence swallowed his ragged breath.
Mo Shenyu let the handkerchief fall, blood blooming against white, and turned on his heel. His stride was measured, effortless, the air around him still humming with violence.
"To the airport," he said, his voice a whip-crack of command.
Something had broken free inside him — the beast caged since Haicheng. For a year he had tamed it under Dr. Chu's strict orders, channeled his fury into silence. But the moment anyone dared touch the trail of her, his self-control shattered.
The soldier, the marksman, the fighter — every brutal lesson drilled into him since childhood surged back to the surface.
The beast would not calm. He would not rest.Not until he found her.