The morning sun bathed the city in golden light as it streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Jichen's office. The sounds of early morning traffic buzzed below, but inside his office, the atmosphere was one of calm efficiency. Liu Jian, his ever-reliable secretary, entered the room promptly, his hands clutching a sleek tablet.
"Good morning, Mr. Jichen," Liu Jian greeted in his usual composed tone. "I've prepared your schedule for today."
Jichen barely looked up from the report in front of him, his mind already deep in thought about his company's latest acquisitions. "Anything important?"
Liu Jian scrolled through the events of the day, his finger pausing momentarily on the tablet. "You have a few internal meetings this morning regarding our joint venture with the overseas partners. However, this evening, there's a charity dinner, and you've been invited."
Jichen remained indifferent, dinners like these were typical for someone of his status. He almost waved it off until Liu Jian added, "The event is hosted by Su Enterprises."
That name sparked his attention. Su Enterprises—specifically Su Lin. Jichen's interest piqued as he leaned back in his chair. Su Lin had been a figure of mystery and influence in the business world, but it wasn't her business acumen that intrigued him. Recently, her name had surfaced in conversations involving the Syndicate, a shadowy organization tied to his past and, more concerningly, to Xiaoxing's future.
"I'll attend," Jichen said abruptly, making the decision on the spot.
His voice carried a calm resolve, though inwardly, he was brimming with curiosity. He had yet to meet Su Lin in person, and with Xiaoxing's welfare always on his mind, it was time to understand the players in this tangled game. Who was Su Lin, really? Did she know more than she let on, or was she merely another powerful figure in Beijing, unaware of the storm brewing around them all?
---
The evening arrived, and Jichen stepped out of his sleek black car, adjusting his cufflinks as he approached the grand entrance of the hotel where the charity dinner was being held. The hotel, a towering monument of glass and steel, was known for hosting the city's elite. The ballroom within was equally lavish—its opulence evident from the chandeliers that glittered above and the finely dressed guests that filled the space.
As Jichen entered, his gaze naturally scanned the room, taking in the array of influential people who had gathered. Business tycoons, government officials, and celebrities alike were mingling, their conversations humming through the space. However, one person stood out almost immediately.
Su Lin.
She was near the center of the room, her posture commanding attention even without uttering a word. Dressed in a sleek black gown that exuded elegance and power, she spoke to a group of high-profile guests with calm authority. Her expression was controlled, her eyes cool and calculating, but there was an unmistakable fire beneath her composed exterior.
Jichen's wariness toward her grew as he watched from a distance. She was clearly a formidable woman—dangerous, even. With Xiaoxing now in his life, he couldn't afford to underestimate her. But despite his caution, he found himself subconsciously drawn to her presence. There was a magnetic pull, something in the way she held herself that stirred a curiosity deep within him.
But this wasn't the time to indulge such distractions. He had come to observe, to understand. Not to get swept away by some passing attraction.
---
The evening wore on, and the dinner progressed smoothly. Jichen found himself engaged in brief conversations with various business partners, but his attention kept drifting back to Su Lin. She moved through the crowd like a queen among her subjects, her every gesture deliberate, her every word carefully chosen.
Then, an unexpected commotion disrupted the otherwise elegant atmosphere.
From across the room, Jichen noticed a disturbance near one of the bars. CEO Zhao, a known troublemaker with a penchant for too much alcohol and too little self-control, was harassing one of Su Lin's staff members. The young woman, dressed in the uniform of Su Enterprises' staff, looked visibly uncomfortable as Zhao leered at her, his hand gripping her arm a little too tightly.
"Come on, sweetheart," Zhao slurred, his voice thick with liquor. "Don't be shy. Have a drink with me."
The woman tried to pull away, but Zhao's grip only tightened. The guests nearby began whispering, but no one dared intervene. After all, Zhao was a powerful figure in his own right, with deep connections throughout Beijing's business world. Few had the courage to stand against him, especially at an event like this.
But Su Lin was different.
From across the room, she noticed the situation unfolding and her expression darkened. Without hesitation, she made her way toward Zhao, her footsteps calm but purposeful. Jichen, sensing something significant about to happen, also began moving closer, intrigued by how she would handle the situation.
When Su Lin reached them, the crowd fell silent, their attention fully captured by her presence. Zhao, oblivious to the weight of the situation, smirked as he caught sight of her.
"Su Lin! Fancy seeing you here," Zhao said with a drunken grin, his words slurring together. "I was just enjoying a bit of fun."
Su Lin's gaze was cold as ice, her eyes never leaving Zhao's. "Let her go," she said, her voice sharp and authoritative.
Zhao chuckled, seemingly amused by her tone. "Oh, come on, Lin. Don't be such a killjoy. It's just a bit of fun—no harm in it."
Su Lin stepped closer, her expression hardening. "This isn't fun, Zhao. You're drunk, and you're crossing a line. Let. Her. Go."
Her words, spoken so calmly yet with such finality, sent a shiver through the onlookers. Zhao's smile faltered, and though his grip loosened on the woman's arm, he didn't fully release her. Instead, he turned his attention back to Su Lin, trying to laugh off the situation.
"Alright, alright, don't get so worked up," he said, waving his free hand dismissively. "You're too pretty to get angry like that."
Jichen, who had by now positioned himself within earshot, watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. Su Lin's face remained impassive, but there was an unmistakable flicker of cold fury behind her calm demeanor.
She motioned slightly with her hand, and within seconds, two of her personal guards appeared at her side, their black suits blending with the shadows of the room. The crowd murmured in surprise, unsure of what would happen next.
"Take him outside," Su Lin said, her voice even but chillingly authoritative. "Make sure he sobers up."
Zhao's drunken bravado faltered as the guards moved toward him. "Hey, wait a minute—what are you doing?" he stammered, trying to pull back. But the guards were quick and efficient, each grabbing one of his arms and dragging him toward the exit.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the scene unfolded, many of them exchanging uneasy glances. Su Lin stood still, her gaze never wavering as Zhao was forcibly removed from the event. The silence that followed was heavy, laden with the tension of the moment.
Then, just as the guards reached the exit with Zhao still protesting weakly, Su Lin delivered the final blow.
"As of now, Zhao Enterprises will no longer do business in Beijing," she announced, her tone as cold as the winter wind. "Consider your company finished."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The magnitude of her statement sank in immediately. In the world of business, Su Lin had just signed Zhao's death sentence. His connections, his power, all of it would crumble under the weight of her decree.
Jichen, standing off to the side, felt no chill like the others did. Instead, a faint smile tugged at his lips as he muttered to himself, "Interesting."
Su Lin had sent a clear message to everyone in the room: she was not someone to be trifled with. Her power was not just in her wealth or her business acumen—it was in her ability to control a room, to dismantle a rival without a second thought.
As the guests slowly began to return to their conversations, the weight of what had just happened lingered in the air. The tension had not fully dissipated, and many of the attendees glanced nervously at Su Lin, wondering if they would be next if they crossed her path.
But Jichen saw something different. He saw a woman who was not just powerful but calculated, someone who could be an ally or a dangerous adversary. He would need to tread carefully in his dealings with her.
For tonight, however, he was content to watch from the sidelines, a smile playing on his lips as the game between them had only just begun