The entire Design Department, more than 50 people, held their breath.
The air thickened.
Lu Beichen's words, "I don't like compromise," were like a hammer blow, hitting An Luowei's face.
Gu Mingzhe was stunned. He wasn't stupid. He knew that "transferring jobs" at this time, to Haigang, was a form of "exile". Just because... he had just talked to An Luowei.
"President Lu!" Gu Mingzhe tried to stay calm, even though his voice was trembling. "This decision... is too sudden. The project I'm working on..."
"Someone else will take care of it." Lu Beichen coldly interrupted. He didn't even bother to look at Gu Mingzhe. His eyes were fixed on An Luowei, a warning look.
"You...!" An Luowei clenched her fists, her nails digging into her flesh. "What are you doing? Brother Zhe is a capable man, he is my benefactor! You can't do that!"
She was openly protecting another man... right in front of him.
Lu Beichen's inner thoughts: 'Benefactor? Good. Very good, Wei Wei. The more you protect her, the more I can't let her stay.'
"I can't?" Lu Beichen sneered, a smile that made all the staff around lower their heads.
He suddenly reached out, pulled An Luowei closer, and whispered into her ear (but intentionally let Gu Mingzhe hear):
"Madam Lu. Remember... your only 'benefactor' can only be your husband."
He emphasized the word "husband".
Then, he turned to Gu Mingzhe. "Mr. Gu, you have 10 minutes to hand over the work. Or... do you want to hand in your resignation yourself?"
This was a threat. Either go to "exile", or lose your job forever.
"Lu Beichen!" An Luowei shouted. "Stop right there! If you dare..."
"Dare to do what?" He squeezed her hand lightly. "Do you want me to fire him right here? Or do you want... me to cancel the Tinh Nguyet project?"
He... was using her trump card (Tinh Nguyet) and Co Minh Triet's safety... to threaten her back.
An Luowei was stunned.
She looked at Co Minh Triet, her eyes filled with guilt and helplessness.
Co Minh Triet looked at her, shook his head, and smiled bitterly. He understood. He had lost.
"I... I obey, Mr. Luc." Co Minh Triet said, his voice heavy. "I will go hand over immediately."
Co Minh Triet turned around and walked away. His back was straight, but full of loneliness. He had been punished, just because he had reached out to help her.
An Luo Wei watched his back, her heart felt like it was being crushed by someone.
Lu Bei Shen had won. He had proven to her that the "compromise" she had made... was just a joke. In this game of chess, he had always been the one holding the upper hand.
"Are you satisfied?" She turned to look at him, her voice cold as ice, devoid of emotion.
"Very satisfied." Lu Bei Shen calmly let go of her hand, as if he had just touched something dirty. "Get to work, Assistant An. Don't let Tinh Nguyet... disappoint me."
With that, he turned around and strode back to the private elevator, leaving An Luo Wei standing alone amidst dozens of gazes looking at her—no longer admiration, but fear, pity, and alienation.
She... Mrs. Lu... was a rose with thorns. Whoever came near would be "weeded out by the roots" by President Lu.
That evening. Lu Family Villa.
An Luo Wei did not come down for dinner.
"Young Madam...?" Mrs. Li knocked on the door.
"Tell him," An Luo Wei's voice echoed from inside, "I don't want to see his face. Dinner, bring it up for me and Xiao Tao."
She was unilaterally breaking the "acting" agreement.
Mrs. Li fearfully passed the message to Lu Bei Chen, who was sitting alone at the long dining table.
He wasn't angry. He just nodded. "Okay. Bring it up for her. Bring more bird's nest soup."
He sat alone in the large, cold dining room, eating dinner. Just like the past thirty thousand years.
After eating, he walked upstairs and stood in front of her room's door.
The door was locked.
"An Luo Wei."
Inside, her and Xiao Tao's laughter immediately stopped.
"Do you think you'll be fine if you hide in there?" Lu Bei Chen's voice rang out.
Silence.
"Gu Ming Zhe is just the first one." He said, his voice cruelly penetrating the door. "You can hate me. But you should know, any man... who dares to approach you, even just a glance, his ending... will be the same."
"You're a pervert!" She screamed from inside.
"Yes. I'm a pervert." He admitted. "I lost you once because I was 'noble'. In this life, I'd rather be a 'pervert'... than lose you again."
"Vi Wei." He pressed his forehead against the wooden door. "I'm building a cage for you. I know. But you should get used to it."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Inside, An Luo Wei sat down on the floor, burying her face in her hands.
She understood.
He wasn't just imprisoning her. He was... isolating her.
He wanted her to have no friends, no allies, no one to rely on.
He wanted her world... to be just him and Xiao Tao.
This was the terrifying possessiveness of an Emperor!
She looked at the sketch of Tinh Nguyet on the table.
No. She couldn't lose.
She still had a weapon. Her only weapon.
It was her talent.
She stood up, wiping her tears.
'Luc Bac Than, you want a cage?'
'Okay. I'll use my talent to create a key myself.'
She would make Tinh Nguyet shine, shine so bright that... even he couldn't control her anymore.