The capital gleamed beneath a morning sky of silver clouds. Skyscrapers stretched like blades, reflecting the power of the families who ruled its veins.
At the center of it all stood the Li Corporation, an empire that could move the nation's economy with a single board vote.
The Li Family
In the grand Li residence, marble corridors echoed with the voices of generations. The family had ruled in business and politics for nearly a century, its influence woven into every major bank, construction firm, and social institution.
At the head sat Li Patriarch, a man of quiet ruthlessness. Decades of power had turned his hair silver, but his voice still carried the weight of command.
Beside him sat Grandmother Li, elegant and precise, her loyalty fierce toward anyone who upheld the Li name. She had adored Li Wei's late mother and protected the family's image with near-sacred discipline.
Their children and grandchildren were scattered across industries — heirs, investors, and opportunists — but only one had built an empire large enough to rival the family itself: Li Wei.
He entered the meeting room dressed in a charcoal suit, his composure absolute. Around him, the family murmured greetings — some respectful, some forced.
> "Wei, the investors are restless," said Aunt Mei, the meddling matchmaker, her diamond earrings glinting. "It's time you settled down. The Lu and Feng daughters are both—"
> "No," Li Wei cut her off coldly. "Marriage is not a transaction."
Aunt Mei sniffed. "Everything in this world is a transaction, nephew. Even love."
Across the table, his father — Li Patriarch Lu Tianhua — watched silently. Once a powerful businessman, now he was a shadow of his former self, guilt-ridden and distant. His past infidelity had fractured the family and left emotional scars his son had never forgiven.
The older relatives began their quiet arguments about image, alliances, and public favor.
The younger ones whispered about stocks, potential mergers, and who would inherit the chairman's seat if Li Wei refused to marry.
Lin Yue, the poised socialite Aunt Mei kept pushing toward him, arrived late — perfect makeup, false smile.
"Sorry I'm late, Uncle," she said sweetly. "The traffic from Golden Spoon was terrible today."
Her mention of that elite school — the gossip hub of upper-class women — drew murmurs from the wives in attendance.
> "Ah, the Golden Spoon," said Madam Zhao Feng, wife of one of the shareholders. "Such elegance! The new etiquette course costs more than a car, I hear."
Grandmother Li's lips thinned. "Vanity never kept a company alive," she said sharply. The room fell silent.
Then came the announcement:
The Li Corporation's Board of Power would be reconvening that week — including representatives from every major elite family:
The Zhangs, aggressive in construction.
The Fengs, masters of finance.
The Lius, art collectors turned investors.
The Qians, tied to the Golden Spoon empire.
And several new-money families desperate to climb higher.
Grandfather Li leaned forward. "Wei, they'll question your commitment. A bachelor CEO invites doubt. Even the stock market favors stability."
Li Wei's jaw tightened. "Let them doubt. I'll make profit speak louder than gossip."
But as he left the meeting, even he felt the hollowness of his words. In the deepest part of him, something still twisted — the memory of a woman with gentle eyes and quiet strength, lost in the storm of his own mistakes.
---
The Chen Family
Far from the capital, deep in the Chen estate's mountain fortress, Chen Heo stared at a flickering security feed — a blurred image of a woman rescued near a river.
His hand tightened around the table edge.
"She looks just like Mother," whispered Chen Wei, the family's technical genius.
Chen Long, the military officer, frowned. "No confirmation yet."
Chen Patriarch stood behind them, tall and iron-backed, a general whose authority still commanded fear in the military. His voice was calm but cold.
"Run a full DNA test quietly. If she's ours… the world must not know until she is safe."
Their dynasty had survived wars, takeovers, and betrayal — but losing their heiress years ago had been their deepest wound.
Now, with new evidence surfacing, the seven billionaire brothers worked silently, moving chess pieces across countries, destabilizing their enemies just enough to open paths of discovery.
They would not rest until they found Chen Ling, their sister — known to the world as Xu Ling.
---
And while empires shifted in silence, far across the sea, Xu Ling's world had become simple again.
Wang Zheng's nation was peaceful — old stone streets, red-roofed houses, and fresh mountain air. His family's influence ran deep, but here he ruled quietly, away from the capital's chaos.
Xu Ling spent her days tending to her newborns, learning their cries, their smiles. Wang Zheng's grandmother adored them, filling their nursery with toys. The staff whispered fondly of the mysterious young mother and her soft-spoken kindness.
Here, there were no cameras. No tabloids. No rivals. Just silence, warmth, and the illusion of safety.
But the storm was already building — unseen, far away.
The Li family prepared for their next board meeting,
the Chen brothers tracked hidden data trails,
and the Golden Spoon wives polished their masks of civility, ready for the next wave of gossip.
In the center of it all, one woman lived quietly, unaware that her peace was a pause before destiny found her again.
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