chapter 1. Unseen Beginning
The sun was shining, a beautiful day began.
She opened her eyes and smiled, a small drowsy smile that faded almost as soon as it appeared.
Her shiny black hair spilled across the pillow, catching the morning light like threads of silk. Her eyes, dark and gentle, glimmered softly beneath her lashes ,warm, alive, still carrying traces of sleep.
She stretched her arms overhead, a quiet yawn came out of her, she woke up walk rushly to the bathroom.
She dressed quickly, tyed her hair back with practiced ease. Her reflection in the mirror looked calm and soft, eyes bright with the ease of beautiful morning. she moved down the stairs, her movements graceful but hurried.
From the kitchen came a gentle, female voice...
"Come, Xiao-Yu. the food is ready." She smiled again, ran to the kitchen.
reaching out for the bowl. Her fingertips brushed the rim-and then stopped.
A smear of red spread across her hand, Blood. Dark, warm.dark.
the room went silent, her smile faded. her breath was caught she froze in her place,
The sound of her heartbeat echoed in the emptiness....
then--
Her eyes snapped open..
The room was quiet. Faint morning light filtered through the curtains. no reaction came from her, she was silent, cold, expressions unreadable... like someone listening to a sound that had already passed.
She blinked once, slowly. The dream left no trace.
Her black hair, once soft with warmth, now hung sleek and still against her face. Her eyes cold, their light dimmed — beautiful, but unreadable.
Reaching for the edge of the blanket, she rose from the bed and stood in silence. The floor felt cool beneath her bare feet. She moved toward the bathroom, her expression composed and distant. she returned, she was dressed neatly--a high-neck, long-sleeved shirt and black pants. Her hair was tied low, smooth and orderly. Every motion she made was quiet, controlled.
The room remained still. Only the curtain stirred faintly with the wind.
Xiao-Yu picked up her coat from the hanger,She slipped on a long black coat that brushed against her knees, the fabric whispering softly with her movements. she walks towards the door, gets out and closed it behind her. and walks to her car.
Xiao Yu pulls the car door, and then closes it behind her.
The silence followed.
Calm. Endless.. and drove to her company.
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Eyes calm, the tie being putted on, he is calm, he adds perfume on his right shoulder, then shifts to the left.
He walked straight to the main door. The maids opened it for him. he stepped out and the door closed behind them. His car arrived. he took the back seat. The driver steered them away.
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later...
He gets out out of his car, stood for a second his eyes wandering after looking at the name board "our restaurant" . the maid opens the door. He calmly walks in looks around. (lin wei the main lead) he smiles slightly seeing familiar faces.
Lin Wei shook three hands, one by one. "Finally met…" he said.
"I thought you would forget us, Wei," a familiar female voice said.
Lin Wei chuckled. "I wouldn't dare."
"We can see that," the woman -Su Yao, Lin Wei's best friend, replied.
Lin Wei laughed. "You sound like I was gone for years. I literally was in Italy for two days!"
The friend group laughed, nodding.
A male voice spoke up. "How's the case? I dug in and found a few things." (Du Lin, Lin Wei's best friend.)
A second voice warned, "Du Lin, shh… you can't talk about it in public like this, come on." (Ji Yu, another friend.)
The group took quick sips of coffee in silence, then left the restaurant together and climbed into Lin Wei's car.
They arrived at a place that was silent but spotless , like a meeting room. Lin Wei spoke up, "Our order right now is to take down the CEO of LD Company. He bribes officials and performs illegal transfers. That's our mission."
"What did you find?" Su Yao asked.
"The CEO's weak point is his right back — he was injured before. He'll be back here in three days. His bodyguard, Jun Li, is powerful, but we can neutralize him — it's not impossible. Still, we must be careful." Lin Wei replied.
"And I found this - he has a secret daughter. What about her?" Du Lin asked.
"The little girl is innocent. We can't make her suffer, Wei," Su Yao said.
The conversation continued as they shaped a plan.
Another Shiny Day
Xiao-Yu got up, the sun shining on her pretty face, She stood and changed into a high-neck, long-sleeved dress, black mixed with blue. Her soft, layered ash, brown hair flowed freely.
She walked toward the kitchen and pulled out a jar of coffee from the drawer. Surprisingly, there were many-at least five lined neatly inside.
She set up the coffee machine, added the coffee powder and water, and waited for it to be made.
Taking the cup, she drank it in three quiet sips before rinsing it clean.
Her long coat and bag rested by the door; she picked them up and stepped outside.
The air was clear, still. She reached her car, placed her things on the back seat, and closed the door softly behind her before moving to the driver's side.
She started the engine.
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Lin Wei got up and washed his face. The sunlight spilled across him, catching the sharp lines of his appearance.
He put on a long coat and adjusted his shiny glasses.
He walked toward the dining table and sat down. The maid had already prepared his breakfast. He ate quietly.
After finishing, he stood, brushing the edge of his sleeve as he walked toward the main door.
The maids opened it for him; he stepped out without a word.
His car waited at the front. Lin Wei opened the back door and got in.
"Where are we heading?" he asked.
"We're heading to the award party," replied the driver, Yang Yu.
"I'm not going. Take me to the company," Lin Wei interrupted.
"Sir… ma'am- your mother- asked me to take you there, no matter what," Yang Yu said carefully.
Lin Wei sighed softly, gaze shifting toward the window. "Ugh… Mom… then head to the event."
The car began to move.
Lin Wei got out of the car and walked toward the main gate of the event hall. He gave a polite nod to the worker as he entered.
Inside, the lights were bright, the air filled with quiet chatter. Lin Wei moved through the crowd with an easy calm and took his seat. His posture was straight, expression unreadable as he waited for the awards ceremony to begin.
A few moments later, Xiao-Yu parked her car and stepped out.
She walked toward the lift, her movements quiet and steady, and rode it up to the event floor.
-the same event Lin Wei was attending -
She entered silently, her face calm and without expression.
Moving through the rows of seats, she sat down- just behind Lin Wei.
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Lin Wei walked silently toward the refreshment area to get a glass of juice.
As he passed one of the seat rows , the one where Xiao-Yu sat — he suddenly felt a familiar presence.
He turned his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
There he saw, Xiao-Yu.
For a moment, a memory surfaced: Xiao-Yu in her school uniform, smiling, carefree, her laughter faint but vivid in his mind.
He blinked, snapping back to reality. His expression remained unreadable, but his heart ached quietly in his chest.
He started to speak-but stopped, realizing there were too many people around her.
Without a word, he turned away and walked back to his seat, the ache in his heart lingering in silence.
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after moment
The event had begun.
The hall glimmered with warm light as voices faded beneath the soft rhythm of applause. A few businessmen stepped on stage, collecting their rewards with practiced smiles.
Then a name echoed through the speakers"Lin Wei."
The sound froze Xiao Yu mid-clap. Her hands hovered in the air, her gaze drifting toward the stage.
Lin Wei walked forward, calm.
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The lights caught his face as he reached the stage-while across the room, Xiao Yu's eyes stayed locked on him. Her heart stopped for a second, though her face revealed nothing.
Lin Wei accepted the trophy, his eyes,almost unknowingly,searching for her.
When he finally found her, Xiao Yu turned her head away, as if avoiding a ghost.
Something inside him cracked.
He smiled through the ache, gave his short speech, and returned to his seat. His eyes, never left her.
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After the ceremonyended, the hall eased into a quieter hum,soft chatter, the clinking of glasses.
Xiao Yu stood near the drink counter, coffee in hand, her posture composed, her expression unreadable.
From across the room, Lin Wei saw her again.
For a moment, he hesitated. Then, almost against his own will, he walked toward her.
He stopped beside her, the silence stretching painfully between them. He didn't know what to say. His heart beat too loud. Still, he gathered his courage.
"Hi…" he greeted softly.
Xiao Yu turned her head slightly. Her voice was calm, distant. "Hello."
Lin Wei's lips curved into a faint, sad smile. "Long time… we haven't seen each other." he felt a huge discomfort that he never felt, as if he is meeting a complete new persons.
She blinked once, cold and steady. "Do we know each other?"
chapter 1 ends.