He was overbearing. When she needed him, he was nowhere to be found. Now that she was getting engaged, he suddenly decided to interfere.
"Suyu Yan has no interest in your family affairs. And as for my marriage, Rong Zhaonan, don't push your luck. My family has their own ideas about it. And with how chummy you are with Gu Feng, who knows—maybe one day I'll be calling you brother-in-law."
Brother-in-law.
The word stung just a little.
Every word she said dripped with sarcasm.
From his reaction, it seemed he'd just now realized something.
"You care about me and Gu Feng, don't you?"
It was a bit late to be asking that question.
"Your relationship with Gu Feng is just like mine with Rong Tianqi. When you can prove there's nothing between you and Gu Feng, I'll do the same with him."
It was a flawed comparison, and he caught it right away.
"You haven't even known Rong Tianqi that long. I've been close with Xiaofeng for over ten years. That's not the same."
She let him finish, then stared at him in silence.
Yes, he was handsome. But when she really thought about it, his looks didn't come close to her older brother, Suyu Yan.
And yet she'd fallen for him—just because of his face.
It started with appearance, but it had to end with character.
And now, she was starting to see that character was where the real problem lay.
"You're right, it's not the same. So don't stand in my way anymore. We're just employer and employee, aren't we?"
She locked eyes with him. His gaze darkened.
"Right. I shouldn't be meddling."
His voice was cold—and so was his heart.
She turned away and lay down on the bed, trying to steady herself.
Behind her, he acted as if nothing had happened. His hand slid around her waist, casually, as though the heavy conversation hadn't just happened.
If that's how he wanted to play it, then he shouldn't blame her for what she'd do next.
She made up her mind right then.
But what she didn't see—was the deep, shadowed look in his eyes. Even as his hand lingered on her waist, there was nothing playful in his expression. It was the most serious he'd looked in a long time.
That night, Zhuo Hang received a message from Rong Zhaonan:
"Have someone follow Shen Ming these next few days. I want a full report."
The next day, Shen Ming returned to the old family estate with mixed feelings.
Her grandfather's health was steadily improving, and he often invited the Rong family patriarch next door over for tea and chess.
To her surprise, Shen Ming was told lunch would be at the Rong family home.
The message was clear—and old Mr. Rong made it even clearer.
"Tianqi should be here soon—just stuck in traffic. Come, have some tea while you wait."
Shen Ming smiled politely and took the cup of bitter tea, sipping it once before setting it down.
Rong Tianqi didn't arrive for another thirty minutes. He looked exhausted and on edge.
During their brief conversation, he was interrupted by phone calls—twice.
Shen Ming quickly caught on: he'd been summoned back on short notice, likely dealing with something urgent.
Quietly, she poured a cup of tea—one of the blends she'd learned from her grandfather—and handed it to him.
"Trouble at work?"
Tianqi finished his call and took the tea, hesitating before he spoke.
"Is it something you can't tell me?" she asked gently.
He shook his head. He trusted her enough.
"My older brother—again. It's about the last bidding issue. We had a disagreement, and now there's a gap in the division's operations. I've been told to go down south for a business trip this week."
Tianqi still believed Rong Zhaonan was targeting him over that bid.
Sending him out of town like this—it was swift and calculated.
What was Rong Zhaonan trying to do?
"If there's anything I can help with," Shen Ming said, "just say the word."
She didn't stay for lunch, using work as an excuse to leave.
But old Mr. Rong watched her go, his mind already spinning with plans.
Later, he pulled Tianqi aside.
"That girl from the Su family… she doesn't seem that into you. These things can't be rushed. You'll need to work on it."
Tianqi had no patience for matchmaking.
"Grandpa, we barely know each other. And I'm about to go on a business trip. Let's not make this a thing right now."
It was clear his grandson didn't care.
Which only made the old man more anxious.
If they wanted to win over the Su family, it would take real strategy. Su family's patriarch wasn't someone you could fool with a smile.
Just then, the butler rushed in, breathless.
"Sir! The young master—something's happened!"
That evening, Shen Ming attended a dinner, representing her research project, hosted by a man named Mr. Huang—the CEO of Yingtian Equipment.
She'd done her homework.
Mr. Huang wasn't known for integrity. His fortune came from backroom deals and government connections.
She hadn't dug too deep—but she already knew this dinner wasn't going to be friendly.
When they finally met, the greasy, overweight Mr. Huang immediately placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Let me introduce you all—this is Miss Shen from our investment project. Tonight, we drink to our hearts' content. Miss Shen, care to offer the first toast?"
The mood instantly shifted. One of her colleagues—who had come along thinking this was a routine meeting—looked shocked.
He had assumed they were here to pitch a proposal, not to sell out a teammate.
And from the looks of it, it wasn't just a misunderstanding. These men intended to pressure Shen Ming.
Without a good showing, they weren't getting the funding.
"Mr. Huang, Miss Shen is still young, and a lady. It's not really appropriate to make her drink like that. Let me do it," the senior professor offered, trying to shield her.
But Huang waved him off.
"I'm only here tonight because of Professor Ge—he said Miss Shen was a great drinker. Isn't that right, Miss Shen? You wouldn't make me lose face, would you?"
His hand still pressed firmly on her shoulder, sticky and impossible to shake off.
Shen Ming smiled slowly.
"Of course not, Mr. Huang. You're our valued investor. A few drinks are nothing. Let's have fun tonight. I'll start."
What happened next stunned everyone at the table.
She out-drank every man there. Even Huang—who had started the night so smugly—was swaying in his seat.
"I can't… drink anymore," he gasped. "Let's just eat."
But Shen Ming hadn't forgotten how he touched her.
She grabbed a large glass, filled it to the brim, and placed it in front of him.
"Mr. Huang, I should really thank you—for your generous support of our lab. Here's to you. I'll drink first."
She drained the glass in one go.
Huang, flushed and sweating, had no choice but to lift the glass.
His vision swam.
"I need the restroom," he muttered, and stumbled away.
Shen Ming watched him go. She waited two minutes, then got up and quietly followed.
She found him in the hallway, not at the restroom—but on the phone.
"Yes, Miss Qu, I did exactly what you asked. Now, about that investment…