Hua Shu's Office – Gold Corporation HQ, Country C, Afternoon
The soft hum of the city buzzed outside the tall glass windows, but inside Hua Shu's office, there was a heavy silence. The modern space, minimalist yet commanding, matched the woman standing behind the desk — calm, collected, and always five steps ahead.
Lu Jingyan sat on the beige couch by the window, half-turned away, dressed in a simple navy blazer and a plain tee. Her phone rested in her lap, untouched. She looked calm, but Hua Shu had known her long enough to read between the silences.
"There's a gala in Country F," Hua Shu began, sliding a black folder across the desk. "The annual Aurora Foundation benefit. It's being hosted in collaboration with Vogue International and a few global luxury houses."
Jingyan didn't reach for the folder.
"Why are you telling me?" she asked quietly, still looking out the window.
"Because your name's on the guest list."
That got a reaction. Lu Jingyan turned slightly, brow furrowing. "I didn't agree to that."
"You didn't have to. Your campaigns for Elira and Crescent got you on every A-list radar. This is one of those nights where showing up isn't optional anymore."
Jingyan exhaled. "Country F…"
Hua Shu nodded. "Yes. I know."
Memories flickered across Jingyan's face—of opulence, of betrayal, of whispers in marbled halls. Country F had been the backdrop of her fall, and now, it seemed, the setting for her reluctant return.
"I've already been paraded through the media enough," she said, tone tight. "Isn't it enough that they're still dissecting the last appearance?"
"The media is watching, yes," Hua Shu said. "But not in the same way. Things have shifted. Since the scandal broke, and since the truth started to come out, people are curious again. You've turned the narrative."
"Barely."
"You're not seeing it clearly, Jingyan. You survived something most people would have disappeared under. And now, you're not just surviving—you're winning. That's why they want you at that gala."
Jingyan's eyes met hers. "Or they just want more gossip."
Hua Shu gave a small shrug. "Let them gossip. Let them take pictures. But when they do, make sure you're the woman they *wish* they hadn't written off."
Silence settled for a moment.
"And if he's there?" Jingyan asked.
Of course she meant Leng Xuanmo.
Hua Shu didn't flinch. "Then you look him in the eye, smile, and show him you're not the same woman he walked away from."
Jingyan looked down at her lap, hands folding together tightly. "It's not that simple."
"No. It's not," Hua Shu agreed, coming around the desk. She sat beside her. "But it's your story now. No one else's. You choose how it unfolds. Not him. Not the Lengs. You."
A long beat passed before Jingyan slowly reached for the folder. She opened it.
Inside were dress concepts, styling options, the schedule, and the guest list. Of course, Leng Xuanmo's name wasn't there, but it didn't need to be. His presence was always a possibility.
"I hate this game," she murmured.
"Then don't play it," Hua Shu said. "Control it."
A small, tired smile flickered across Jingyan's lips. "You make it sound easy."
"It's not," Hua Shu said. "But you don't have to go alone. Xiaotong will be there. I'll be there. And the Mo family got their invitation too. You'll have allies."
That made her pause. "Tianyi?"
"Yes."
Jingyan closed the folder. "Then I'll go."
Hua Shu blinked. "You sure?"
"No," Jingyan muttered, standing up. "But I can't run from this forever."
She took one last look out the window. The skyline of Country C blurred in gold light, but her mind was already shifting—to marble halls in Country F, cameras flashing, dresses swishing, whispers rising.
"Tell the stylist to bring the silver one," she said.
Then, without waiting for a reply, she walked out the door.
Hua Shu smiled faintly as the door clicked shut behind her.
"She's back," she whispered to herself.
And in the distant hum of the city, something shifted.
A new chapter had begun.