"It's alright. I'm here."
Hearing Lin Chen's words, Murong Qingcheng felt an unprecedented sense of safety. Lin Chen gently stroked her hair with a look of tenderness and smiled softly.
Nestled against his chest like a little bird, she finally showed her true self—the side she could only reveal when she had someone she could rely on.
"Oh, right, honey." Murong Qingcheng lifted her head to look at him. "I'm planning to rename the group. Once I finish consolidating the company, I'll call it Star City Group."
Lin Chen smiled faintly. "Sure. As long as it makes you happy."
"Come on, let's go sign a contract. Once we're done, we'll have dinner with President He. Now that she's in charge of the Lin Group, you'll be working together a lot. This signing is key to the Lin Group's rise—you two should take the chance to build a good rapport."
The signing was at the Longxiang Hotel. There was still half an hour before it began, yet the place was already surrounded by crowds. Those without sufficient status weren't even allowed inside to watch. Still, even without entry, the small-time bosses and minor family heads were unwilling to leave.
For them, just being here meant the chance to network with some of the big bosses who could go in—and that opportunity was rare.
The outer perimeter was so packed that Lin Chen couldn't drive through.
"What's going on?" he murmured.
He had no choice but to park the car and walk. Murong Qingcheng followed, slipping her arm through his.
"Today's the day the Lin Group signs with Boss Qian," she explained. "With such a major project, this turnout is normal. Now that we have the richest man in town on board, plus Boss Qian's massive business empire in the Southern Territories, it's a golden opportunity for smaller bosses to rub shoulders with the powerful."
Lin Chen nodded slightly and moved forward with her.
Not many people in the city recognized Lin Chen, but everyone knew the beautiful CEO Murong Qingcheng. Once they saw her, it didn't take long to guess his identity. The crowd quickly parted to make way.
He Ling was already waiting at the hotel entrance. Spotting them from afar, she immediately came forward with a smile.
"President Lin, this must be your wife? She truly lives up to her reputation," He Ling said warmly.
"I've heard much about you, President Murong. It seems the legends are true."
She had long heard that Murong Qingcheng was a peerless beauty, famous across Yancheng. She had seen magazine photos of her, but now, meeting her in person, she realized those photos didn't do her justice. In reality, her beauty was alive, vibrant—something no camera could capture.
Murong Qingcheng smiled politely. "President He flatters me. I'm hardly a legend. You are the real inspiration—turning a jewelry company into a listed group in just three years. That's truly remarkable."
The two exchanged pleasantries, their words full of mutual respect.
As women leading major corporations, they both knew the weight of that responsibility and the pressure that came with it. In their eyes was a subtle sense of mutual recognition.
"I can see you two have a lot to talk about," Lin Chen interrupted with a chuckle. "But the signing's about to start. Maybe you can save the deeper conversation for dinner?"
He Ling laughed lightly. "Forgive me, I just got carried away." She gestured for them to follow her inside.
As they walked, Lin Chen realized he knew little about this Boss Qian.
"President He," he asked, "is there anything I should watch out for during the signing?"
She smiled reassuringly. "No need to worry. Boss Qian and my grandfather are old friends. The terms have been settled for a while. This event is just for show—so the powers of Yancheng can witness it."
"I see," Lin Chen nodded.
Just as he spoke, someone in a bright red dress approached—Liu Ruyan.
"Liu Ruyan, what are you doing here?" Murong Qingcheng's brows furrowed slightly.
Just the sight of her was enough to sour her mood. She remembered clearly the humiliation Liu Ruyan had brought in the past, and a wave of distaste rose within her.
Liu Ruyan's own expression darkened. Ever since the day Murong Qingcheng had shamed her after she broke off the engagement, she had held a burning grudge.
He Ling, having already looked into Lin Chen's past, knew exactly who Liu Ruyan was—and had no goodwill toward a woman who had once rejected him at his family's mourning hall.
"Liu Ruyan! I told you before—don't appear in front of my husband again!" Murong Qingcheng said coldly. "If people get the wrong idea, how would that look? We don't need that kind of stain on our name."
The words hit hard, and Liu Ruyan's face flushed an ugly shade.
She had dressed to impress today, enjoying the attention she'd been getting in the lobby. But now, with Murong Qingcheng and He Ling standing together, all eyes had shifted away from her.
Though she was beautiful, next to those two, she paled entirely.
Her plan had been to use Boss Qian's support to overshadow Murong Qingcheng and put Lin Chen in his place. Instead, she'd been shut down before she could even start.
"Murong Qingcheng! Insult me again, and I'll tear that mouth of yours apart!" Liu Ruyan snapped, her pride shattering. She raised her hand to slap her, but it was caught mid-swing.
"Ruyan, don't stoop to her level. You're the real star today," sneered a woman beside her—Yang Qian, her closest friend. Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
Yang Qian shared Liu Ruyan's opportunistic nature, though she lacked the looks to attract wealthy young heirs. Where Liu Ruyan could hook rich playboys, Yang Qian settled for middle-aged, balding businessmen.
"Heh, I was wondering who this was," Murong Qingcheng said lightly, her lips curling in disdain. "Turns out it's just a common escort. What is it now—five or six sugar daddies? I'd be careful if I were you. With that many, I doubt your health is very clean. Better stay away from me, lest you pass something on."
She stepped back quickly, as if avoiding the plague.
As CEO, Murong Qingcheng had always been tactful and poised, tolerating slights for the sake of business. But when it came to matters involving Lin Chen—she refused to endure a single insult.