Mei Xiaotong walked into the quiet lounge on the third floor of the private club she frequented, only to stop short when she saw who was waiting at the far corner, seated with a drink in hand — Leng Shiyan.
Her steps slowed, but her guard shot up instantly.
She approached, expression neutral. "You asked to meet. I thought it was about a business collaboration, not a trap."
Leng Shiyan didn't rise. He gestured to the seat across from him. "It's not a trap. It's a request."
"That already sounds suspicious."
Still, she sat down.
"I'll be direct," he said. "You're close to Lu Jingyan. I want you to help my cousin pursue her."
Mei Xiaotong blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Help them get back together. You're her manager now. You control a lot of her schedule. Access. Public image."
She laughed once, shaking her head. "And why would I ever do that? Your family was the reason she fell in the first place. I was there to watch her claw her way back up. And now you want me to hand her over like it's a business deal?"
Leng Shiyan swirled the drink in his glass slowly, then met her gaze with unsettling calm.
"I'm not asking for a favor. I'm giving you an opportunity to avoid trouble."
Mei stiffened. "Are you threatening me?"
He set his glass down.
"I'm telling you the truth. You're smart enough to know how delicate your family's position has become. Your father's company? It's one small crisis away from needing a lifeline. You? You're holding on just fine now, but not everyone stays relevant forever."
Her face hardened. "You're overstepping, Leng Shiyan."
"I'm being realistic. If you don't help, there will be consequences. Quiet ones, subtle ones. Maybe you lose a few deals. Maybe your family's next proposal gets rejected. Maybe you suddenly find yourself isolated in an industry you helped build."
He leaned forward.
"And maybe you find out what it's like to watch someone you care about fall — just like she did."
Mei swallowed, throat tight.
"You don't even like me."
"I don't have to," he replied coldly. "I just need you to do your part."
She stared at him for a long moment. "Why now? Why is Xuanmo so desperate all of a sudden?"
"Because he finally realized what he lost. And because if anyone can help him fix it, it's you."
Mei gave a dry laugh. "You think guilt-tripping me works better when you lace it with threats?"
"No," he said. "But I know loyalty runs deep with you. You helped Jingyan when she had no one. Help her now — even if it means letting someone else in."
She looked away, the words cutting deeper than she wanted to admit.
He was right — she had stood by Jingyan through the worst. She had watched her break, watched her rise again.
And now?
Now she was being asked to stand aside… so the person who hurt her could try again.
She gritted her teeth. "If I agree, it's not because of you. Or because I'm afraid."
"Fine."
"I'll protect her first. I won't let him near her if she's not ready."
Leng Shiyan gave a single nod. "That's all I need."
She stood up, heart pounding.
"Next time," she said sharply, "send your threats through email. At least then I can delete them."
But as she walked away, she didn't look back.
And he didn't stop her.
Only when she was in the elevator did her fingers shake. Her heart was torn between rage and something else. A whisper of understanding, maybe — of how far someone would go when they realized too late they had hurt someone they loved.
She hated Leng Shiyan.
But she understood the desperation.
And maybe… maybe it was time to see if Lu Jingyan was strong enough to face it, too.