---
Lin Yue took an instinctive step back, her heart pounding in her chest.
The four men who had stepped out of the sleek black Aston Martin Valkyrie looked anything but friendly.
She glanced at their cold, impassive faces—expressionless, unreadable.
Her fingers clenched around the strap of her bag as her pulse surged.
Who are these people? What do they want from me?
"W-What do you want?" she asked cautiously, her voice tighter than she intended.
One of them, seemingly the leader, raised both hands slowly. "Don't be afraid, Miss Lin. We're not here to harm you. We're good people."
Lin Yue's gaze swept over their cold faces, all without a hint of warmth. Her lips curved into a bitter scoff.
'Good people?' She scoffed inwardly. 'Very good people indeed.'
"Our boss sent us," the man continued. "He wants to talk to you."
"Who's your boss?" she asked, eyes darting between them.
"You'll know when you see him," came the cryptic reply.
Their tone left no room for negotiation. They weren't going to take no for an answer.
Lin Yue's instincts screamed at her to run, but she forced herself to think. If I resist, they might hurt me right here. But if I go… maybe I can figure out what they want. And if anything happens…
She nodded slowly. "Alright."
Relief and surprise flickered across their faces.
Wasn't she going to resist?
They were prepared to use force if she refused. Now it seemed useless. It was a good thing. They didn't want to create a commotion anyway.
They opened the back door of the car for her. .
As Lin Yue stepped forward, she discreetly slipped her phone from her coat pocket and pressed the voice recorder app before sliding it back in.
Inside the car, she sat between two men while the other two took the front seats. The engine started immediately.
The entire operation had taken less than two minutes.
---
At the same moment, just a few blocks away, a black Rolls Royce Phantom glided toward the company entrance.
Liang Yexuan sat in the back, fingers lightly tapping on a tablet screen.
Jin Shu, sitting in the front passenger seat, spotted the black Aston Martin Valkyrie near Lin Yue.
Jin Shu's eyes widened. "Young Master—look!"
Liang Yexuan raised his head sharply. Outside the window, he caught sight of Lin Yue being led into the car.
That's... Lin Yue.
"Who are they?" he asked coldly.
"No idea," Jin Shu replied quickly. "But they don't look like good people. Should we—?"
Liang Yexuan didn't answer right away. His eyes darkened.
She's… my savior. She saved me once. I can't watch her die.
Then, in a voice that could freeze steel, he said, "What else can we do? We save her."
It was a simple statement, but the shift in his expression betrayed a crack in his cold façade.
Jin Shu caught the change in the rearview mirror.
He immediately pulled out his phone, calling reinforcements. "Mobilize the team. We're tailing a black Aston Martin Valkyrie."
The driver stepped on the gas.
---
The black car carrying Lin Yue drove through the city, weaving through back roads, far from familiar routes. Lin Yue's fingers trembled lightly, hidden under her handbag.
Her thoughts raced.
This is bad. Why didn't I scream? No… I need to know what this is about first. If they wanted to hurt me, they would have. But this isn't normal. Who's behind this?
After nearly twenty minutes, the car pulled up in front of a luxurious high-end restaurant nestled between boutique stores and a towering hotel. The gold-etched sign above read: Cloud Terrace Pavilion.
The building was serene, with koi ponds at the entrance and warm, earthy tones of wood and stone decorating the path to the door.
A hostess stood outside, greeting them with a respectful bow.
Lin Yue got out, her heart still racing. The man who met them at the entrance was slim, stern-faced, and cleanly dressed in a tailored grey suit.
"Assistant Liu," one of the men said, "Here's the girl."
Liu's eyes scanned her carefully.
She was prettier than he expected.
"Come with me. The boss is waiting," he said.
"Who's your boss exactly?" Lin Yue demanded as she lifted her chin. "Why couldn't he just… I don't know, send a normal invitation?"
Assistant Liu's brows twitched at her tone. He glared at her.
She made a zipped-lip gesture, sighing. "Fine, I won't ask."
She followed Liu into the restaurant, flanked by two guards. The restaurant staff bowed politely, but none dared look too long.
They entered a private elevator that took them to the top floor, reserved only for VVIP clientele.
As they exited the lift, Lin Yue noted the ornate wood carvings and soft music playing through hidden speakers. The hall smelled faintly of sandalwood.
They stopped at a black lacquered door.
Assistant Liu knocked. A cold voice came from within. "Come in."
He opened the door and gestured for her to enter.
Lin Yue took a deep breath and stepped in.
---
The room was dimly lit with warm golden lights. A soft carpet lined the floor, and velvet drapes framed the floor-to-ceiling windows showing the city skyline.
At the center, seated at a low dining table, was a middle-aged man in a tailored maroon suit, sipping from a wine glass.
He looked up as she entered. His eyes were calculating.
Lin Yue sized him up immediately.
Fat. Drinking wine. Middle-aged power complex. Big belly—still indulging?
The man smiled. "Yue. I've finally met you."
Her brows furrowed. "Do I… know you?"
"Who in Shangjing hasn't heard of the mysterious painter from Zhongwen District?"
Her eyes widened.
He knows? How? Hadn't Mo Yuwei made sure every online trace of her had been blurred, censored, mosaicked?
There was no way—unless someone hacked—
"How do you know that? What do you want from me?" she asked, heart thudding.
The man smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "How I know is irrelevant. What matters is I have an offer for you. Please, sit."
She hesitated, then sat cautiously.
Assistant Liu poured wine into her glass, but she waved it away. "I don't drink."
With a slight nod from the boss, the assistant switched it out with water.
"You work at Liang Conglomerate, don't you?" the man asked, voice calm.
Lin Yue nearly choked.
"What the hell? Why are you digging into my life?!"
"Relax," he said, waving a hand. "I'm Xu Mingze. CEO of Xu Group."
Her jaw nearly dropped.
Xu Group?
The one Xu Group competing with Liang Congromerate?
"You're… Xu Mingze?"
He chuckled darkly. "Flattered you've heard of me."
She blinked, coughing a little. "Then why summon me here like this? What do you want from a small fry like me?"
He leaned back, eyes sharp. "A favor."
"What favor?"
He smiled again.
"Come work for me."
Her eyes went wide.
What?!
---