The Results
Three days after the exam, Liu sat in the Uhi estate's garden, a book open on her lap but unread. The koi pond rippled gently beside her, and the cherry blossoms overhead shed petals like confetti.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from the Tokyo Imperial Medical Academy.
She opened it.
Congratulations, Liu Lingin. You have been accepted.
Her breath caught. Not because she doubted herself—but because it was finally real.
She had done it.
Not through bribery. Not through Xia's influence. But through her own brilliance.
She smiled, soft and proud.
---
Meanwhile, at the Academy
Professor Takeda stood in the faculty lounge, sipping green tea as he reviewed the final list of accepted students. He paused at Liu's name again.
> Takeda (to the Dean): "She's not just talented. She's dangerous. She doesn't flinch. She doesn't bend."
> Dean (raising a brow): "You think she'll stir trouble?"
> Takeda: "I think she'll change the game."
---
Back at the Estate
Liu entered the dining hall with a quiet confidence. Xia was already seated, flipping through a newspaper. Min and Don sat across from him, both unusually silent.
> Liu (casually): "I got in."
Xia looked up, his expression unreadable.
> Xia: "Of course you did."
> Liu (smirking): "No congratulations?"
> Xia (dryly): "You don't need them. You already know you're brilliant."
Min rolled her eyes. Don stared at his plate.
> "She's glowing," he thought. "And I hate that I want to touch her."
---
New Faces at the Academy
On Liu's first official day, the campus buzzed with energy. Students in white coats rushed between buildings, clutching textbooks and coffee cups.
Liu walked beside Nari, her new friend, who was already ranting about the anatomy professor.
> Nari: "Professor Genji is terrifying. He once made a student cry just by asking them to define 'epithelial.'"
> Liu (laughing): "Sounds like my kind of teacher."
They entered the lecture hall, where a tall woman with braided silver hair stood at the podium. Her name tag read: Dr. Ayaka Mori.
> Dr. Mori: "Welcome, future healers. I am not here to coddle you. I am here to forge you."
Her voice was steel wrapped in velvet.
> Dr. Mori: "If you're here for prestige, leave. If you're here to save lives, stay."
Liu leaned forward, intrigued.
> "She's not just a teacher," Liu thought. "She's a storm."
---
Don's Descent
That night, Don sat in his room again, staring at the ceiling.
But this time, he wasn't confused.
He was obsessed.
He had watched Liu all day—her smile, her stride, the way she spoke to Xia with ease. She was no longer just a nuisance.
She was a fixation.
> Don (to himself): "She humiliated me. She burned me. And now… she's winning."
He stood, pacing.
> Don: "I need to break her. Or own her."
---
The Twist
Two weeks into Liu's classes, Professor Takeda called her into his office.
She entered, calm but curious.
> Takeda: "You're doing well. But I have a question."
> Liu: "Go on."
> Takeda: "Why did Professor Hoshino block your recommendation last year?"
Liu's eyes darkened.
> Liu: "I don't know. He never gave a reason."
> Takeda: "Would you like to know?"
She hesitated.
> Liu: "Yes."
Takeda handed her a sealed envelope.
> Takeda: "Read it. Then decide what kind of doctor you want to be."
She left the office, envelope in hand, heart pounding.
---
Cliffhanger Ending
That night, Liu sat in her room, staring at the envelope.
She hadn't opened it.
Not yet.
Outside her door, Don lingered in the hallway, listening.
Inside the envelope was the truth.
Outside the door was obsession.
And somewhere in the estate, Xia watched it all unfold—knowing the storm was just beginning.
Xia's Room, Late Night
The room was dimly lit, the glow of the city casting soft shadows across the floor. A bottle of wine sat half-empty on the table, two glasses beside it—one untouched, the other held loosely in Xia's hand.
Liu stood by the window, her silhouette framed by moonlight. Her hair was down, cascading over her shoulders like ink. She turned, her eyes meeting his.
> Xia (teasing): "You always show up when the moon's high. Should I be worried?"
> Liu (smirking): "You should be flattered. I only haunt the rooms of men worth my time."
He chuckled, swirling the wine.
> Xia: "So why are you here tonight?"
> Liu (walking toward him): "To fulfill my part of the deal. Nothing more."
She stopped in front of him, her gaze playful but guarded.
> Liu: "Can your legs handle me?"
> Xia (smiling): "Try me."
She sat on his lap, slowly, deliberately. Her weight settled against him, and his arms instinctively wrapped around her waist.
> Liu (softly): "This doesn't mean anything."
> Xia (whispering against her neck): "Then why are you trembling?"
His lips brushed her skin—her collarbone, her shoulder, the curve of her neck. She gasped, her fingers tightening against his chest.
> Liu (blushing): "You're… you're such a damn playboy."
> Xia: "And you're a terrible liar."
Her breath hitched as his hands moved, exploring, teasing. Her words came in fragments—half insults, half moans.
> Liu: "Stupid… arrogant… idiot…"
> Xia (smirking): "Say it slower. I like the way it sounds."
She buried her face in his shoulder, her cheeks burning. Her body betrayed her—leaning into his touch, her lips parting in soft gasps.
---
Outside the Door
Don stood in the hallway, his back pressed against the wall, his eyes fixed on the narrow crack of light beneath Xia's door.
He could hear them.
Not clearly. Just enough.
Laughter. Whispers. The sound of skin against skin.
His fists clenched.
> "She's mine," he thought. "She should be mine."
But she wasn't.
She was in his brother's arms.
And Don felt something dark bloom in his chest—jealousy, rage, confusion.
> Don (muttering): "Why do I want her? Why does she make me feel like this?"
He turned away, his heart pounding.
> "I need to stop this. Or I'll do something I can't take back."
[END OF CHAPTER 7]