Luo Xi nodded at Lin Yuan's excitement, but her fingertips were cold. She gripped the printed interview notice tightly, her eyes lingering on the company's name—Tiansheng Group.
Not Yaoyan Tech.
Doubt crept into her chest like vines. Her resume to Yaoyan had vanished without a trace, yet Tiansheng's invitation came so suddenly, so perfectly timed. As if an invisible hand had pushed her forward when she needed it most.
The last message from Aunt Lin had been cut off halfway: "Xixi, I think I found something…" In the blurred photo background, the futuristic building of Yaoyan Tech loomed. After that, silence. Months of it. The police investigation had stalled, claiming adult missing cases are difficult.
No matter what, Luo Xi knew—if she wanted answers, she had to find them herself.
Her goal was simple: get inside Yaoyan Tech, uncover the truth of Aunt Lin's disappearance.
But now, another path had appeared. Tiansheng Group—Yaoyan's biggest rival, a giant that ruled the other half of S City's night. If Yaoyan hid something, wouldn't Tiansheng know? Or… could Aunt Lin's disappearance be tied to the war between these two giants?
"Yuan Yuan," Luo Xi said quietly, "my interview is with Tiansheng Group."
"What? Tiansheng?" Lin Yuan blinked, then squealed even louder. "That's even better! I heard their benefits are insane! And their CEO is super mysterious—supposedly a young, handsome guy. Who knows, maybe you'll have a romantic encounter!"
Luo Xi forced a smile. Romance? Her head was filled only with Aunt Lin and the dangers ahead. But something in Lin Yuan's words tugged at her heart. The CEO…
A faint shadow surfaced in her mind, almost forgotten. She shook it off. Impossible. That person belonged to a different world now.
—
On interview day, Luo Xi dressed in modest, professional clothes, trying to hide her nerves. The Tiansheng building towered into the sky, its glass walls shining coldly under the sun. Unlike Yaoyan's futuristic biotech feel, this place radiated money and power.
After her ID was checked, she was led into a private elevator. Luxurious, spacious—and empty. Floor numbers climbed. With each rise, her heartbeat quickened.
Ding.
The elevator stopped at the top. A carpeted hallway led to a massive double door. A suited assistant stood waiting.
"Miss Luo, this way. The CEO is expecting you."
Her breath caught. She followed. The doors opened.
A vast office, city skyline spilling in from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Behind the desk, a tall executive chair. Turned away from her.
"CEO, Miss Luo has arrived." The assistant bowed out, closing the door softly.
Now it was just her—and the man behind that chair.
The air felt heavy. Luo Xi could hear her own heartbeat, too fast, too loud.
The chair turned slowly.
First she saw long, elegant fingers resting on his knee. Then the sharp cut of a black suit. A strong jawline, thin lips, a straight nose—
And finally, a pair of eyes.
Cold, sharp, like deep water under ice. But somewhere far beneath… a flicker of something unspoken. And at the corner of his eye—a small beauty mark, like a crack in frozen glass.
Her defenses shattered instantly.
Memories rushed in—
The boy who had always followed behind her, silent but fierce whenever she was bullied.
The summer they parted ways, when he shoved a cheap candy into her palm and said, "I'll become strong, and then I'll come back for you."
It was him.
Her childhood sweetheart.
The one she thought lost to the crowd, separated by worlds.
Now the legendary Alpha CEO.
Qin…?
Her lips parted, his name trembling on her tongue—
But his voice cut through, cold and formal.
"Luo Xi?" He glanced at her resume. "Your background is very ordinary."
His voice was low, smooth, but carried a weight that pressed against her chest. The aura of a top Alpha rolled out silently, making it hard to breathe. So foreign. So far from the boy she once knew.
His eyes pinned her. No warmth of reunion. Only calculation, depth, and something she couldn't read.
"Tell me," he said flatly. "Why should Tiansheng Group hire you?"
Luo Xi froze. Confusion and suspicion surged. Did he recognize her?
If yes, why such coldness?
If no, how did her "ordinary" resume reach his desk?
From the very start, was this interview a trap?
And the man behind it all sat right here, testing her with a simple yet impossible question.
Her nails dug into her palm. Aunt Lin's face flashed in her mind.
Trap or not—this was her only chance.
She raised her head, ignoring the Alpha aura prickling her nerves. Meeting his eyes, she said clearly:
"Because I can give you what you want. Whatever it is—you'll find it in me."