The wind carried the scent of spring across Wang Manor's wide courtyard. Peach blossoms swayed against the gray tiles, petals dancing in the air like whispers of peace.
Xu Ling sat beneath the tree, sketching quietly as her twins played nearby — Xichen chasing Xiwei, who laughed so hard he stumbled into her lap.
"Slow down," she said softly, steadying the smaller boy.
Xiwei grinned, dimples flashing. "Mama, he said he can run faster than wind!"
"Well," she replied, pretending to think, "if that's true, then maybe he can catch the clouds next."
Xichen puffed up his chest. "I can! Right, Papa?"
From the veranda, Wang Zheng lowered the file in his hand, smiling faintly. "You can, but only after you finish your porridge next time."
Both boys groaned. Xu Ling laughed, shaking her head. "You're spoiling them."
"Maybe," he said, "but they look like they deserve it."
There was something about his tone — warm, unguarded — that made her heart stir quietly.
It had been over a year since Xu Ling came into Wang Zheng's world. What began as a rescue had grown into something unspoken — a shared rhythm between two people who carried their own ghosts.
Grandma Wang had taken full charge of the twins' early upbringing, while Grandpa Wang busied himself teaching them ancient poems — not that the boys understood most of it. Still, their laughter filled every corridor, softening even the sternest of servants.
Life had found its pace again.
But peace, as always, never lasted long in powerful households.
Wang Zheng's phone buzzed mid-afternoon. He looked at the name on the screen — Uncle Zhao — and his expression darkened slightly.
"Another board meeting?" Grandma Wang asked when she saw his face.
"Yes. The quarterly one," he said, standing and straightening his cufflinks. "They're bringing up the new construction project in the south region."
Her sharp eyes narrowed. "And your uncle still believes he can outvote you?"
"He believes money buys loyalty. He's half right."
Xu Ling watched silently as he prepared to leave, noticing the calm power in his every motion. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't rush. But there was something in his composure — a quiet dominance — that commanded attention.
Before he stepped out, he paused. "Take the twins out to the garden later. They love the koi pond."
She smiled. "I will."
The moment he left, Grandma Wang chuckled softly. "My grandson may lead empires, but at home, you're the only one he listens to."
Xu Ling blinked, flustered. "Grandma—"
"Don't argue. I've lived long enough to see affection, even when people try to hide it behind duty.
Inside the sleek glass conference room, twelve members of the Wang family and associated partners took their seats. The air was thick with unspoken challenge.
Uncle Zhao adjusted his tie. "Wang Zheng, you've been investing heavily abroad. Shouldn't we focus on domestic profits? You're draining the company's liquidity."
Wang Zheng leaned back calmly. "Our foreign investments yield higher margins. The numbers speak for themselves."
Aunt Mei interjected sharply, "Numbers can be fabricated. Stability cannot."
He didn't flinch. "I deal in progress, not nostalgia. If you can present a more profitable alternative, I'll listen."
The room fell silent. No one dared challenge him further.
When the meeting adjourned, his assistant leaned close. "Sir, there's talk among shareholders — about you hiding someone at the manor."
Wang Zheng's gaze turned icy. "Tell them rumors don't concern my business — or theirs."
Still, as he walked back to his car, the unease lingered. Power was never stable for long.
That evening, Xu Ling helped Grandma Wang arrange dinner. The twins were busy coloring their paper lanterns nearby.
"Grandma, look! Mine has dragons!" Xichen announced proudly.
Xiwei pouted. "Mine's better. I drew Mama and Papa!"
Grandma Wang's laugh echoed warmly. "They'll start fighting about everything soon."
Xu Ling smiled faintly, though her heart carried quiet worry. Lately, she'd noticed servants whispering. Not about her directly — but about "the Madam who doesn't wear a ring."
It didn't bother her at first, but she feared it might affect the children.
Later that night, when the twins were asleep, she found Wang Zheng in his study again — half-buried in reports.
"Long day?" she asked softly, leaning on the doorframe.
He glanced up, tired but alert. "You could say that."
"Grandma said the family's been restless lately."
"They always are," he said, closing the file. "When they can't control something, they start gossiping."
She hesitated, then whispered, "Am I the something?"
His silence was brief — but meaningful.
He stood, walking toward her, stopping only when they were close enough for her to feel the warmth radiating from him.
"You're the only thing they can't categorize," he said quietly. "And that makes them nervous."
Xu Ling looked away, uncertain of what to say.
"Do their words bother you?" he asked.
"No," she said honestly. "I've lived through worse."
He nodded. "Then don't let them win. You're safe here, Xu Ling. As long as I'm breathing."
Something in the way he said it — steady, certain, unshakable — made her heart ache in silence.
---
Elsewhere — The Li Family's
Back in the capital, Li Wei sat in his office, flipping through reports but seeing none of them. His assistant, Jian, stood awkwardly nearby.
"Sir, the media has stopped running the old scandal," Jian said cautiously. "Your reputation's clean again."
Li Wei didn't respond. His mind was elsewhere.
He had deleted her number months ago, yet sometimes, when he was half-drunk and alone, he would still scroll through his phone — expecting to see her name light up.
"She's gone," he muttered under his breath. "And good riddance."
But even he didn't believe that.
-
Back at the manor, dawn came softly. The twins woke early, climbing onto Xu Ling's bed.
"Mama, Papa said we can go to the lake today!"
Xu Ling yawned, smiling. "He did, did he?"
"Yes! He promised to take us fishing!"
She laughed, brushing a hand through their soft hair. "Then let's not keep him waiting."
Outside, Wang Zheng stood watching from the veranda — the sunlight behind him painting a halo across the scene: mother and sons, smiling without fear.
He didn't know how long this peace would last. But for now, he intended to protect it — even if it meant standing against the entire world.
---