* Knock Knock*.
"Sir, your appointment with Xin News is here," Chen Xi announced as he rapped lightly against the floor-to-ceiling glass doors marked CEO'S OFFICE.
"Send them in." Feng Yan rose from behind his desk.
At 1.8 meters tall, his presence filled the room effortlessly. His hair was neatly coiffed, slightly tousled in a way that looked intentional rather than rigid. His physique was well-balanced—lean, strong, and disciplined, without excessive bulk.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored Tom Ford suit, Feng Yan buttoned his blazer as he stepped forward, his movements unhurried and composed.
He extended his hand.
Yi Han felt her breath hitch for just a second.
So this is Feng Yan…
"Hel—hello, Mr. Feng," she said, snapping herself back to professionalism as she accepted his handshake. "I'm Liu Yi Han, producer from Xin News. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Her grip was steady despite the brief flutter in her chest.
"The pleasure is mine, Ms. Liu," Feng Yan replied, his voice calm and resonant. "Thank you for coming today. Please—have a seat."
His tone was polite, reserved, yet undeniably charismatic.
As Yi Han sat down, Feng Yan took a brief, unreadable glance at her before moving to the cushioned sofa opposite her. He adjusted the thin-framed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose—a small gesture that lent him an air of refinement and quiet authority.
From across the table, their eyes met.
This woman…
Feng Yan's gaze lingered for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.
The flushed cheeks.
The clear, focused eyes—so different from the hazy, giggling woman outside The Hex Bar days ago.
There was no doubt about it.
She was the same woman.
Yet her expression now was calm, composed, entirely professional. There was not the slightest hint of recognition in her eyes.
She must have been too drunk that night, Feng Yan concluded quietly.
"Mr. Feng," Yi Han said, straightening the documents in her hands. "Shall we begin?"
Feng Yan leaned back slightly, one arm resting against the sofa.
"The time is yours."
Yi Han nodded, slipping seamlessly into work mode.
"I've prepared an outline for the show," she said, sliding a document forward. "Based on our research, viewers will be most interested in Feng Capital's recent expansion into international markets—the key regions, financial forecasts, and, if possible, some exclusive insider insights."
Feng Yan scanned the pages briefly.
"Your outline is well thought out," he said evenly. "I have no objections. I can provide relevant insights during the live broadcast."
Yi Han's eyes brightened—just slightly.
"Thank you. We're also planning a virtual live Q&A segment toward the end, where viewers can submit questions. I wanted to check if you'd be comfortable with that."
"Sounds reasonable," Feng Yan replied without hesitation. "It's natural for viewers to want direct engagement."
"That's great," Yi Han said, relief evident in her tone. She gathered her documents neatly.
"Thank you very much for your time today, Mr. Feng. I'll revise everything accordingly and send you the final copy."
Feng Yan stood as well.
"I look forward to it," he said.
But fate, it seemed, had already crossed their paths long before this meeting.
And this—
Was only the beginning.
-----
The meeting wrapped up smoothly, concluding without any issues.
A few minutes later, Chen Xi knocked lightly on the office door.
"Sir, shall we head out for your lunch appointment with Director Ma?" he asked respectfully.
"Mhm. Let's go," Feng Yan replied as he rose from his seat. He glanced toward Yi Han. "Ms. Liu, I'll see you out."
The three of them took the elevator down to the lobby together. When they arrived, Yi Han turned to Feng Yan and bowed her head slightly.
"Thank you again for your time today, Mr. Feng," she said politely.
Feng Yan nodded. "You're welcome."
Just as the moment settled—
"Yi Han! You're finally here!"
Shan Qi suddenly appeared, bounding toward her. "I'm starving—let's grab lunch!"
She latched onto Yi Han's arm, eyes already darting past her friend as she scanned the lobby eagerly—clearly hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious CEO she'd heard so much about.
Yi Han stiffened slightly, embarrassment creeping up her neck at the poorly timed interruption.
"I'll… see you," Yi Han said awkwardly, offering Feng Yan a small, apologetic smile.
Meanwhile, Shan Qi stared openly at Feng Yan, eyes sparkling with undisguised curiosity—almost as if she might devour him with her gaze.
Feng Yan met her stare briefly, then inclined his head in a restrained nod, taking it in stride.
A black Mercedes rolled up to the entrance.
Without another word, Feng Yan turned and stepped into the car.
Yi Han and Shan Qi walked toward the traffic light, slowing to a stop as they waited to cross the road.
The afternoon sun reflected off the glass buildings around them, traffic humming steadily by.
At that moment, a familiar figure emerged from across the street.
Zhou Yang.
He appeared to be heading toward the same office building—and before Yi Han could react, their paths collided at the crosswalk.
"Yi Han?" Zhou Yang stopped short, surprise flickering across his face. "What a coincidence."
Yi Han's steps faltered.
Beside her, Shan Qi's expression darkened instantly. Her brows creased as she fixed her gaze on him—sharp, unfiltered disgust flashing in her eyes.
The cheater.
Shan Qi folded her arms, clearly restraining herself from speaking first.
-----
"Yi Han?" Zhou Yang looked surprised. "I didn't know you'd be here."
"Oh," Yi Han replied calmly. "I'm here for work. What about you?"
"Same here," Zhou Yang said easily. "I'm meeting someone from Feng Capital for business matters."
"Oh, really? I thought you had other more important matters to attend to—with someone else." Shan Qi let out a soft, mocking laugh.
Zhou Yang frowned, puzzled. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Before Shan Qi could continue, Yi Han stepped in quickly.
"Zhou Yang, you should get going," she said lightly, forcing a smile. "We're heading off for lunch now. I'll call you later."
Zhou Yang hesitated, then nodded.
"Alright. Be careful on your way, Yi Han."
As he turned away, Yi Han subtly nudged Shan Qi with her elbow—a silent warning.
Enough.
She grabbed Shan Qi's arm and pulled her along, preventing her from saying anything further. Shan Qi scowled but held her tongue, clearly dissatisfied.
Unbeknownst to them—
A black Mercedes waited at the traffic light nearby.
Inside the car, Feng Yan lowered the tinted window just enough.
Every word of the exchange drifted clearly into his ears.
His gaze settled briefly on Yi Han's retreating figure—calm on the surface, restrained beneath.
So that's her fiancé.
The light turned green.
Feng Yan rolled the window back up.
And as the car moved forward, Feng Yan's thoughts drifted back to that night outside The Hex Bar.
He remembered Shan Qi—drunk, emotional—blurting out the truth about Yi Han being cheated on by her fiancé. And judging by the barbed remarks Shan Qi had made just moments ago, Feng Yan could now piece it together.
That man… is her fiancé.
Inside the car, Chen Xi hesitated before speaking.
"Sir… did you realize…?" he asked cautiously.
"You mean Liu Yi Han?" Feng Yan replied.
Chen Xi nodded.
"She's the lady from that night outside The Hex Bar," he said. "And also—the night we nearly hit someone on the road before visiting your grandfather."
He glanced at Feng Yan through the rearview mirror.
"The woman who fainted."
He let out a small laugh of disbelief.
"It's such a small world."
Feng Yan fell silent.
What were the odds?
The image of Yi Han lingered in his mind—her composed professionalism during the meeting, so different from the flushed, vulnerable woman clinging to him that night. Yet both versions of her felt real.
Beauty and brains, he thought.
She wasn't just beautiful. She was intelligent, articulate, and deeply knowledgeable about her field. Her presentation earlier had been sharp, well-structured, and insightful—far beyond mere surface competence.
For the first time in a long while, Feng Yan found himself genuinely impressed.
And perhaps—
Intrigued.
The car moved steadily forward, but Feng Yan's thoughts remained behind, fixed on one woman.
Liu Yi Han.
A woman fate seemed determined to place in his path—again and again.
---------
1:00 PM — Coffee Café
"That guy is the CEO of Feng Capital Group?!" Shan Qi squealed, gripping her cup like a fan meeting her idol. "How can someone so powerful hide in the shadows like that? And he's drop-dead gorgeous!"
Yi Han smiled faintly, stirring her coffee.
"He was actually very polite during the meeting. Not intimidating at all—nothing like what I imagined."
"Yi Han, I'm telling you," Shan Qi leaned in, eyes blazing. "Don't miss this opportunity. If you become his girlfriend, the whole world will be yours! That scumbag Zhou Yang would have to worship the ground you walk on!"
Just the mention of Zhou Yang made Shan Qi grimace.
Then—she froze.
Her head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing as if a memory had suddenly clicked into place.
She grabbed Yi Han's wrist, fingers tightening.
"Yi Han…" Her voice trembled. "That man…"
Yi Han looked up. "What?"
"I remember him." Shan Qi's eyes widened in horror. "He's the guy from outside The Hex Bar the other night!"
She gasped sharply.
"It's Feng Yan!"
Her voice rose unintentionally, drawing curious glances from nearby tables.
"I'm sure of it," Shan Qi insisted. "He was wearing glasses. I remember clearly—it's him!"
Yi Han went completely still.
Out of millions of men in China…
Why did it have to be him?
"What…?" Yi Han's eyes widened, her mind flashing back to that night—falling into his arms, drunk and incoherent. Heat rushed to her face.
"Are you sure? Really sure? Maybe he just looks similar?"
"No," Shan Qi said firmly. "It's him."
Yi Han buried her face in her hands.
"I'm dead…" she groaned. "He's seen my drunken mess. And now I still have to work with him—on a live show. Where am I supposed to hide my face?"
Shan Qi hurried to soothe her.
"Hey—maybe it's not that bad. He seems like the type who separates work from personal life. Besides, he probably doesn't even remember. Men like him are surrounded by women all the time."
Yi Han slowly lifted her head, unconvinced but calmer.
That day, the two women finally connected all the dots.
Feng Yan.
The stranger.
The rescuer.
The CEO
________________
A few days later…
Yi Han was scheduled to travel to Beijing to meet the second shortlisted investment company for Business Week.
To Zhou Yang, it was a four-day business trip.
In truth—it was only two.
The remaining time would be for something else entirely.
Evidence.
At the airport, Zhou Yang held Yi Han's hand while managing her luggage, his demeanor attentive and gentle. Yi Han played her part flawlessly, keeping her expression calm, her tone affectionate—careful not to raise suspicion.
"Be good while I'm away," she said softly. "Take care of yourself. I'll see you in four days."
She leaned in for a brief hug, hiding the cold resentment buried deep in her chest.
"You take care too," Zhou Yang replied, smiling. "My little wife. Call me once you arrive in Beijing."
Yi Han nodded and walked toward the departure hall.
The moment she turned her back on him, her expression hardened.
She pulled out her phone and sent a message.
I'm on the way to Beijing. I'm counting on you.
— Yi Han
Elsewhere in the airport parking lot, Shan Qi sat in her car, eyes fixed on the entrance, ready.
Her phone buzzed.
She grinned.
You can count on me. I'll make that bastard beg for forgiveness.
— Shan Qi
The hunt had begun.
And this time—
Yi Han wasn't going to look away.