New Year's Eve at the Yun estate was a somber affair, a far cry from the glittering tension of the previous year. There was no party. Yun Zhi remained in seclusion. Yun Ming hosted a small, simple dinner for Ye Xia and a few trusted elders.
At midnight, as distant fireworks lit up the sky, Yun Ming raised a glass of water. "To the new year," he said, his voice soft. "A year of healing. A year of truth. And a year of defending what is ours."
The toast was met with quiet determination. After the elders retired, Ye Xia and Yun Ming remained, watching the fireworks through the conservatory's glass ceiling.
"I have made my decision, Uncle," Ye Xia said quietly.
Yun Ming looked at her, waiting.
"I will not ally with the Mo Matriarch. I will not accept Evangeline de Winter. I will take your advice. I will approach Mo. Not for an alliance against our enemies, but for a partnership for our futures."
A genuine smile, the first she had ever seen from him, spread across Yun Ming's pale face. "A dangerous path. But the right one."
" As for Jin Long…" Ye Xia continued, her voice hardening. "I will not wait for him to act. I will confront him. On my terms."
"Confront the Dragon of the South China Sea?" Yun Ming asked, his eyebrows raised. "How?"
"With the truth," Ye Xia said. "He thought he could hide me, control my destiny from the shadows. I will show him that his secret is no longer safe. I will force him into the light."
It was an audacious plan. Reckless, even. But it was born of a new resolve. She was done reacting. 2013 would be the year she seized the initiative.
As the last firework faded, the system chimed.
[Ding! Host has established a clear primary objective for the new year: Forge an equal partnership with Mo and confront Jin Long. Secondary objective: Solidify control of the Yun family. System objectives aligned. Generating optimized task chain…]
The machine of her destiny was shifting gears. The time for defense was over. The new year would be one of audacious offense.