The next morning, the sun had barely cleared the mountain peaks when a silver SUV pulled up to the East Wing. Standing by the door was Commander Yan, a man whose silence was as heavy as his reputation.
Assigned by Grandpa Tang, Yan was the top-ranked tactical shield of TSG, and his only mission was Meilin's shadow.
"Miss Li," Yan said, opening the door. "Lets go to The Aetheria Medical Association ."
"yes Miss Li" yan said, her expression unreadable.
Aetheria was the most prestigious medical body in the country, a place where even the wealthiest billionaires had to wait months for an appointment. To the world, it was an ivory tower. To Meilin, it was her old playground.
The headquarters of Aetheria was a monolith of glass and steel. As Meilin walked through the lobby, As she already registered biometrics and headed straight for top floor
On the top floor, Director Lu Chen, a world-renowned toxicologist, was pacing. When the doors opened and a young girl in a simple dress stepped out, he froze.
"Dr. M?" he breathed, his eyes wide behind his spectacles. "I thought... I thought the registration was a prank. You're the one who authored the Neural-Regeneration paper at fifteen? The one with the two international patents on synthetic neuro-blockers from Shenghua Biotech.
"Director Lu," Meilin said, her voice professional and cold. "I'm here for my ID card for full lab clearance. I have a private project that requires Aetheria's high-grade centrifuges."
Lu Chen hurriedly produced a gold-rimmed identification card. He had followed every piece of research published by "Dr. M" for years, mesmerized by the genius that had solved medical riddles he had struggled with for decades. Seeing that the legend was an eighteen-year-old girl was a shock he would need weeks to process.
"Anything you need," Lu Chen stammered. "The Level 7 labs are at your disposal."
"Thank you, Director. Keep my presence confidential. To the world, I am just a student."
leaving Aetheria ,entered mall for her lunch.
By noon, Meilin arrived at the Capital Central Mall. She chose a quiet terrace restaurant for lunch, but the peace was shattered before the first course arrived.
"Meilin? What a coincidence."
The voice was like poison. Meilin looked up to see Zhang Kaichen and Huang Yuxuan. They looked like a pair of disgraced human, trying desperately to maintain their dignity in the Capital after the scandal back home.
"Sister," Yuxuan sneered, leaning heavily on Kaichen's arm. "I didn't think you'd have the face to show up at a place like this. Are you using Grandpa Tang's money to buy a life you don't belong in?"
Kaichen glared at Meilin, his ego still bruised. "You think because you're back with the Tangs, you're untouchable? You're still the woman who was supposed to be mine. Don't think you can just discard me."
"I know you drugged me, wait untill the day ,you are under me" Kaichen said.
Meilin didn't stand up. She slowly wiped her mouth with a silk napkin and looked at them with pity. "Kaichen, you're like a fly that doesn't realize the window is closed. And Yuxuan... you're just his lackey ,do u dare to touch me"
"You—!" Yuxuan stepped forward, her hand raised.
Commander Yan appeared from the shadows like a ghost, his hand hovering near his holster. The sheer killing intent radiating from him made Kaichen stumble back, dragging Yuxuan with him.
"Leave," Meilin said quietly. "Before I decide to buy this mall and have you banned from the premises."
After the encounter, Meilin dismissed the car and began her real task.
She spent hours walking the perimeter of Capital University. She knew Zihan's pride; he wouldn't accept charity. He would be working.
She checked three high-end cafes—nothing.She checked two busy restaurants—nothing. She scoured the local cybercafes, expecting to find him coding for extra cash.
Finally, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, she turned into a narrow alleyway behind a third-rate electronics repair shop on the edge of the university district.
The air was damp, smelling of solder and rain. At the back door of the shop, a figure stood under a dim yellow light. He was leaning against the brick wall, his chest heaving, one hand gripping his trembling left arm.
Meilin stopped in her tracks. Her breath hitched in her throat, and the medical ID in her pocket felt suddenly heavy.
She looked at him, and her eyes widened in total, gut-wrenching shock.