The night stretched endlessly—dark, still, and heavy with the scent of smoke and damp earth. The moon hung low, half veiled by clouds, its pale light spilling faintly across the broken road where everything had gone terribly wrong.
Her chest rose and fell sharply, each breath scraping her throat raw. She crouched low, her heartbeat loud enough to drown out the chirp of crickets. Her body ached from the earlier struggle, but her mind remained clear, sharp. She couldn't afford to be weak. Not here. Not now.
Across from her stood Xin Siyue, fury twisting her perfect face. The woman's shadow loomed long under the faint streetlight, her hand gripping a rock large enough to crush a skull.
Her gaze flicked toward the ground. The sand was coarse and dry, scattered over broken asphalt. Her fingers curled. Before Xin Siyue could even think of raising that huge rock, her hand darted forward. 'Xin Mei' seized a fistful of sand and threw it straight into Xin Siyue's face.
The grains scattered mid air, glinting faintly in the moonlight before hitting their mark.
"Ahh!" Xin Siyue screamed, dropping the rock instantly. She clawed at her eyes, stumbling backward in pain.
'Xin Mei' didn't stay to watch. She turned on her heel and ran.
Branches snapped beneath her feet as she tore through the sparse trees lining the road. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Her vision swayed, the world spinning with every step, but she refused to stop. She had escaped once before—she could do it again.
"Xin Mei!" Xin Siyue's voice sliced through the darkness, full of venom. "You won't escape me!"
The threat echoed behind her, but 'Xin Mei' focused on the path ahead. The trees thinned, giving way to the open stretch of highway gleaming under the faint glow of street lamps. She barely reached the edge of the road when something sharp flew through the air, a piece of wood, slamming against her shin.
'Xin Mei' stumbled forward with a gasp, her knees hitting the asphalt hard. The impact rattled through her bones, and for one dizzy moment, she thought she might faint.
Then came the sound.
A shriek of tires tearing against the road, harsh and piercing enough to split the night.
'Xin Mei' froze. Her head whipped up just in time to see blinding headlights rushing toward her. The world seemed to narrow to that single point of light and noise.
Was this it again?
Would she die here, minutes after clawing her way back into life?
The thought seared through her chest like fire. No… not again.
Her hands came up instinctively, bracing for impact—but the car screeched to a halt mere inches from her face. The rush of air whipped against her skin, and for a second, she couldn't breathe. Then, finally, the silence returned.
She blinked through the haze, trembling from head to toe. Slowly, a shaky breath escaped her lips, and she looked toward the heavens.
"Thank the gods," she whispered.
Inside the car, the tension was palpable.
"President," the man in the passenger seat turned slightly, his tone calm yet cautious, "do you want me to check on her?"
In the back seat, a man leaned lazily against the leather upholstery, eyes closed. His voice, when it came, was low and smooth, the kind that could command silence without effort.
"Xiao Yu," He asked him, "did you hit her?"
The driver shook his head, hands still gripping the wheel tightly. "No, sir. She came out of nowhere. I stopped before the car touched her."
A short silence followed.
The man in the back seat exhaled softly through his nose, as though already bored with the situation. But then, as he glanced up toward the road, his gaze caught something—and for the first time, his indifference faltered.
The woman on the ground turned her head slightly, looking at the car with obvious relief. The light caught her face at an angle, revealing delicate features hidden behind a curtain of ash-brown hair. Her eyes—storm-grey and luminous—reflected the headlights like twin stars caught in water.
Han Xiyuan's breath stilled.
"Rong Xiu," he said finally, his tone low but firm. "Bring her here."
"Yes, President Han."
Rong Xiu stepped out, the cool night air biting against his suit. His polished shoes crunched over gravel as he approached the young woman. She still knelt on the ground, dazed and trembling, her gaze darting uncertainly between him and the car.
"Miss," he said with professional politeness, extending his hand. "Our president would like to offer assistance. We'll take you to the hospital to treat your injuries."
Her first instinct was to refuse. She didn't trust strangers—especially not men driving luxury cars in the middle of nowhere. But when she heard hurried footsteps and a furious female voice echoing from the distance, she clenched her jaw.
She couldn't afford to stay here.
Her fingers, cold and small, gripped Rong Xiu's hand, allowing him to help her to her feet. Her legs wobbled slightly, but she forced herself upright.
The moment she glanced through the car window, her entire body froze.
That face.
Even through the glass, his presence was unmistakable.
Han Xiyuan.
The man every headline whispered about but few had ever truly met. The cold heir of the Han family, whose power extended beyond business into the very veins of the nation's military and political systems.
In her past life, she never had the chance to see him closely. However, when she was bed ridden, she had always seen him at the television and magazines.
With a background that leads to the royalty, he hails from the most prominent family in not only Country X but also Asia. But he wasn't the hero in many eyes. If this was a novel, the man in front of her would be the villain, not the male lead. He could kill someone mercilessly without batting an eyelid. And even the government had to keep quiet without taking any actions.
Though he had everything, there had never been a gossip involving him with a woman.
People called him a god in human form, and a devil in disguise.
In the world's eyes, he was perfection— born of old money, educated abroad, untouchable. But 'Xin Mei' knew better. Power like that didn't come without blood.
Rong Xiu opened the car door and gestured for her to enter. "Please, Miss."
'Xin Mei' hesitated. But, the sharp click of heels against the pavement broke her hesitation.
"Xin Mei!"
Xin Siyue's shrill voice made her heart jump. Without a second thought, 'Xin Mei' climbed into the car. Her movements were too quick, her balance unsteady, and she stumbled—falling directly into the man's lap.
The air stilled.
Her breath caught as her palms pressed against his chest. The fabric of his shirt was cool, his scent sharp—smoke, cedar, and something faintly metallic.
Han Xiyuan's arm came up instinctively, steadying her.
Outside, Xin Siyue's expression twisted when she saw the scene. But the moment she recognized the man inside the car, her fury melted into something else—greed, calculation, and false sweetness.
She straightened her clothes, smoothed her hair, and forced a bright smile.
"Young Master Han," She greeted sweetly, stepping closer to the car window. "Hello. I'm Xin Siyue. My songs are topping the charts online, perhaps you've heard of me?"
Her jaw tightened in fury. The audacity of the woman made her fingers curl into fists. Her songs, her lyrics, her melodies were all stolen by that shameless white lotus standing outside.
Han Xiyuan didn't even look at Xin Siyue. His gaze remained on the woman in his arms, quietly studying the faint tremor in her shoulders and the stubborn spark behind her grey eyes.
When he finally spoke, his voice was cold enough to chill the air.
"What do you want?"
Xin Siyue's practiced smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "She's my sister, Xin Mei," she said, her tone honey-sweet. "We had a car accident earlier. I apologize for the disturbance. If you'd allow me, I'll take her to the hospital myself."
'Xin Mei' bit back a laugh. Sister? The word felt poisonous.
She lifted her gaze, meeting Han Xiyuan's directly. Her expression softened into quiet pain, her voice calm but edged with a trace of wounded innocence.
"Young Master Han," she said softly, her Mandarin fluent though lightly accented, "your car hit me. Shouldn't you take responsibility?"
Xin Siyue blinked in disbelief, her lips parting. Was she insane?
But before she could speak again, Han Xiyuan's lips curved faintly—an unreadable smile, cold yet almost amused.
"I will," he said simply, his tone smooth as silk. "I'll take responsibility for you."
The words struck like a thunderclap. Xin Siyue stood frozen, her face draining of colour.
Han Xiyuan shifted his gaze to her, his expression turning to ice. "As I said, she is my responsibility now. You may leave."
His tone left no room for argument.
Rong Xiu, understanding the silent order, closed the car door with quiet finality. He returned to the front seat, and Xiao Yu restarted the engine. As the car pulled away, the headlights cut through the dark, leaving Xin Siyue behind, her smile cracking, eyes burning with fury.
"Xin Mei," She hissed under her breath, watching the taillights fade. "You won't have peace, not even for a day."