Shi Nian didn't find this surprising, she had heard a lot about Qin Ting.
Although compared to herself in her previous lives, Qin Ting couldn't match up, because of her experiences she knew he wasn't someone to look down on.
Speaking of the agreement with Qin Ting, when she contacted Qin Ting, he agreed only to provide the documents proving the invalid share transfer— he refused to appear before the shareholders.
She remembered how coldly he said, "Miss Shi, although I am known to be your father's lawyer to the public, that isn't the case, I won't go into the details, but you can't afford my presence".
Shi Nian was momentarily speechless at his cold response. True, his reasoning was sound, but wasn't that too heartless?
After some negotiation, she promised to give him 10% of the company shares.
For just his presence, it was a hefty price. Shi Nian chuckled inwardly—if she wanted to, she could face the shareholders herself.
In one of her past lives, she had been the chairwoman of a conglomerate far more powerful than the Shi Consortium.
But this world was unfamiliar to her, and her influence was nearly nonexistent. If not for that, these so-called "old fogies" would be nothing but ants under her feet.
With a faint smirk, she turned and walked to her car.
As she drove off, her thoughts drifted. It seems no matter where I go, there's never a peaceful world for me.
Not long after leaving the company, traffic came to a standstill. Shi Nian sighed, tapping the steering wheel in mild irritation.
Just as the traffic lights turned green, readying the vehicles to move, a sudden throb pierced her heart. She instinctively turned her head to the right and caught a fleeting glimpse of a man's back.
Her eyes widened. Without hesitation, she threw open her car door and dashed into the crowd, her breath catching in her throat.
But before she could get a clear look at the man's face, a group of bodyguards stepped forward, blocking her way.
"Si Yehan…" she murmured, her voice trembling.
The name fell from her lips as if pulled from the depths of her soul.
Shi Nian took a step back, regaining her composure, and turned away. Her heart beating aggressively as she stumbled back toward her car.
At the same moment, the man in the wheelchair turned his head, catching a glimpse of her retreating figure
His dark eyes flickered with a trace of emotion as he watched her frail silhouette disappear into the distance.
"Who was that?" he asked in a low, commanding voice.
His assistant, standing by his side, replied swiftly, "Ninth Master, it was just a girl. She ran toward us but was stopped by the guards. Likely one of your many admirers.
After all, how many young women wouldn't want to cling to your—"
"Assistant Jiang," the man interrupted coldly, his tone sharp enough to pierce steel.
"Inform Assistant Ji that he'll be attending the banquet with me tonight."
The abrupt order silenced the assistant, whose face turned pale. He understood the implications immediately. The Ninth Master's meaning was clear—he has been stripped from his position.
"B-Boss… Ninth Master, I…" Assistant Jiang stammered, but his words faltered under the oppressive aura emanating from the man in the wheelchair.
Before he could continue, another voice cut in, calm yet laced with authority. "Assistant Jiang, surely you know your place. Since the Ninth Master has spoken, all you need to do is follow his command."
The one who spoke was the Ninth Master's right-hand man, and his words were a death knell for Assistant Jiang's career.
Realizing his mistake, Assistant Jiang bowed deeply. Internally, he cursed his loose tongue. Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?
"Yes, I understand," he said, his voice trembling as he stepped out of the car and walked away, his head hanging low.
Meanwhile, the Ninth Master's gaze lingered on the direction where Shi Nian had disappeared, his thoughts unreadable.
—
As soon as Shi Nian returned to her car, a traffic officer stopped her.
His tone was stern but professional as he handed her a ticket. "Obstruction on public road," he said, leaving no room for argument.
After paying the fine and apologizing, Shi Nian drove away, her hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than usual.
The bustling streets blurred past, but her mind was far from the present.
She turned onto a secluded road, a place she instinctively sought for its quiet. Pulling over, she turned off the engine and let silence engulf her.
Shi Nian's hands trembled as she rested her head against the steering wheel, her heart pounding erratically.
For a moment, she tried to hold it together, but the dam broke. A cry escaped her lips, heavy and unrestrained, as if her soul itself was grieving.
"Why does it hurt so much?" Her voice, barely a whisper, trembled in the empty car.
Shi Nian pressed a hand to her chest, as though trying to contain the storm raging within her. The image of the man in the wheelchair flashed in her mind vividly.
That can't be Yehan, she thought, shaking her head.
No, it's impossible. But… that familiar throbbing in my heart when I saw him—it could only be him.
She closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe, but the questions refused to stop.
Why is he in a wheelchair? That's not the Yehan I knew. And why is he in this world? My parents aren't even in this world… Am I missing something?
Her thoughts turned quickly, each one more chaotic than the last. She clutched the steering wheel tightly, trying to get ahold of herself, but her emotions refused to settle.
Memories of Yehan flooded her mind, vivid and bittersweet.
Their love had spanned centuries, transcending lifetimes, and yet, in this moment, she felt more lost than ever.
How can I find him in a city this large? Even with my hacking skills, I have nothing to go on. The technology here is so behind. I can't even run a proper facial recognition search. She laughed bitterly.
But another thought crept in, one she was reluctant to entertain. If I can appear in this world in a different body, could he… no, no. Yehan couldn't cultivate. That's impossible.
She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to push the thought away.
"How did I ever think I could give up on Yehan? I told myself I would move on when I thought I couldn't find him. But now… now that there's even the smallest chance, how can I control my heart?" Her lips quivered as she spoke.