WebNovels

Chapter 12 - Unexpected Encounters

On his way to his newly bought penthouse, Wang Zi Rui pressed the elevator button. The doors slid open with a soft chime, and as he stepped inside, his tall figure shimmered faintly against the polished metal walls.

The doors were just beginning to close when, without warning, they jolted open again.

A woman stumbled inside—no, jumped—straight into his arms.

For a brief second, Zi Rui froze, his hand instinctively steadying her by the waist. Her breath came in quick, panicked gasps as the elevator doors closed, her face buried against his chest.

Then she pulled just enough for her to slowly look him in the eyes. 

Zi Rui widened his eyes in surprise, those familiar eyes that pulled him in and made him lose control of himself—eyes that were etched into his memory.

It was her. Song Meiqi

Her grip tightened around his arm, her nails faintly digging through the fabric of his sleeve. Only then did he seem to realize how long he had been staring at her. 

Zi Rui's brows furrowed—trying to compose himself, his voice low, almost curt.

"Are you not letting go?"

The words cut through the charged silence.

Startled, Meiqi's eyes widened. She released him at once, pulling back as if burned, while he straightened the wrinkles from his clothes. 

Meiqi shot him a glare before turning away, and in that instant, the elevator felt colder, emptier.

He watched her back in silence as the elevator ascended. At the thirteenth floor, the bell chimed, and she stepped out without a glance, her footsteps fading into the dim corridor.

Moments later, the elevator reached the fourteenth floor. He stepped out, unlocking the entrance to his newly bought penthouse. The city's night glow spilled through the wide windows, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

"So… she lived here," he murmured under his breath.

At this point, he did not know it yet—the surging feeling pressing in his chest. He only knew there was something about her. Something familiar. Something that drew him closer to her. 

The next morning, as the sun stirred the city awake, Song Meiqi lay in bed, enjoying a rare day off.

While staring at the ceiling painted in a soft shade of brown, her thoughts drifted back to the night before. She hadn't seen anyone clearly, yet the fleeting shadow was unmistakable—someone had been following her.

Then the memory of the threatening messages, the photos with Haoran, and the envelope stuffed with her own pictures surfaced in her mind, and she couldn't shake the conclusion that the figure from last night was the stalker.

The thought made her stomach churn, but then her mind shifted involuntarily to the man in the elevator—stray locks brushing his brows, bright brown eyes gleaming behind the rim of his glasses, warm yet carrying a quiet depth that lingered with her.

"Who exactly is that guy? Why does he keep showing up?" she murmured, turning onto her side as the sheets rustled softly around her.

Her eyes drifted to the phone beside her, and Haoran came to mind. She unlocked it, scrolling to their chat—his last message dated yesterday, when she had just returned to H.City. 

A faint disappointment flickered in her eyes. "He must be busy," she whispered to herself in reassurance, though her heart ached quietly.

And as if the exhaustion from endless rehearsals and concerts, mixed with the quiet fears she had buried for years, suddenly surged through her, her chest tightened with unease. She clutched her phone closer, pressing it against her heart, and voiced softly, 

"Haoran, I so wish you were here with me… only with you here do I feel safe."

She lay there for what felt like an eternity, until a dull ache of hunger finally stirred in her body. To escape the somber air pressing down on the apartment, she decided to eat outside.

Afterwards, inside Imperial Lotus, tables draped in crisp linens whispered quiet luxury, lantern light spilling a warm glow over the rich aromas of spices, soy, and steamed seafood. Only a few diners, dressed in high-end fashion, dined in hushed tones—reminders that such indulgence was not for everyone.

By the glass window, Song Meiqi sat alone. Sunglasses hid her eyes, her frame wrapped in a sleek black turtleneck paired with high-waisted shorts. She leaned back with an air of ease, yet her gaze lingered on the silent streets beyond—streets stilled by the restaurant's secluded location.

Just then,a sudden noise broke the hush, drawing her gaze forward. Her eyes widened in surprise. 

Up ahead, a woman in a pink mini dress fumed, scolding two men before her. One of them she recognized—the man from the elevator, dressed in a black suit—sat calm and composed, a stark contrast to the other, flamboyantly dressed and acting coquettishly.

"Y-you… no wonder you're not interested in me—so the person next to you is actually your boyfriend!" she exclaimed, feeling betrayed, humiliated, and angry, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Oh, so that's why you've been ignoring me… keeping company with that plastic beauty, huh?" the flamboyant man said to the one seated beside him, paying her no attention. His words, laced with teasing implication, targeted the woman across them, stirring even more chaos.

The woman's gaze darted between them, fury and hurt flickering across her face, her heart hammering in her chest. Meanwhile, the man from the elevator remained calm, brows slightly furrowed, his expression unreadable as he adjusted his glasses. 

More Chapters