Outside the stairwell door.
Guan Shiqing's palms were sweating, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her throat.
She muttered the lines she had rehearsed to herself.
She knew Feng Yan's footsteps had stopped just beyond the door.
He must have heard her.
Guan Shiqing exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
Summoning her courage, she spoke again, her voice softening with emotion:
"Actually... I’ve always admired President Feng. Joining Feng Corporation was because of my admiration for him..."
"But... I’m too timid... I didn’t dare—"
Tap—tap—
Before she could finish, footsteps echoed again.
Her heart clenched.
Suddenly, she realized the footsteps weren’t approaching her.
They were fading away.
Guan Shiqing froze, her grip tightening around her phone.
He left?
She hadn’t even finished speaking.
There was so much more she wanted to say.
Her spine stiffened as she tiptoed to the door, peeking through the gap.
With a soft click,
the door to President Feng’s private lounge shut firmly.
The dull thud reverberated through the quiet hallway.
Just then, flashes of white light flickered outside the window.
Seconds later...
A deafening clap of thunder split the sky.
The once-clear heavens darkened in an instant.
Patter—patter—
Rain began to fall.
"It’s raining all of a sudden?"
Startled by the thunder, Sang Lu murmured, her gaze drifting to the window in confusion.
At the summit venue, invited experts and scholars were sharing insights on recent trends in streaming media.
Sang Lu had been dozing off, but the thunder jolted her awake.
Beside her, Xie Sinan heard her whisper and followed her gaze outside:
"Spring rain is like this—unpredictable, coming and going without warning."
Sang Lu stared absently at the window, her brow furrowing slightly.
Whenever it rained, the aging roads of Yile Community were prone to flooding.
Though the drainage system in Jing City had been overhauled in recent years, Yile’s low-lying terrain made it a persistent problem. If this downpour continued for days, the area would undoubtedly be submerged.
Dark clouds rolled ominously, casting the entire city into shadow.
The sky seemed torn open, unleashing a torrential downpour that threatened to drown the earth.
A blanket of gray.
Taking advantage of the applause between speakers, Sang Lu slipped away briefly.
She called her parents, telling them she’d visit later and warning them not to venture out for groceries in the storm to avoid wading through floodwaters.
After hanging up,
she sent Feng Yan a message.
[Sang Lu: I’d like to go back to my parents’ place tonight.]
The message sent successfully.
Outside, another flash of lightning streaked across the sky.
Thunder rumbled loudly,
making her flinch.
She hurried back into the safety of the venue.
Lightning split the night sky.
Thunder roared.
In the rest lounge of Feng Corporation’s branch office, the man’s expression darkened abruptly, a heavy weight pressing against his chest.
Raindrops smacked against the glass with dull thuds.
Before his eyes surged an endless sea of crimson.
Feng Yan’s lips parted slightly, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Then came the explosive pain in his head.
He couldn’t breathe.
Painful images flashed relentlessly through his mind.
His hands clenched into fists, veins bulging along his arms as he pressed them against his temples.
The thunder rumbled, the rain pouring violently.
The agony only intensified.
His phone lit up on the desk, but the thunder drowned out the notification sound.
Nearly fifteen minutes later, a knock sounded at the door.
Fang Assistant pushed it open and froze, his face paling.
"President Feng!"
...
When Feng Yan opened his eyes again, he was at Doctor Ji’s private hospital.
Thick curtains blocked out the storm, though the relentless drumming of rain against the glass was still audible.
His head throbbed fiercely as he woke,
forcing out a sharp, strained breath.
At his bedside, Doctor Ji turned immediately.
"President Feng, you’re awake?"
Feng Yan lifted his weary gaze.
Doctor Ji continued, "President Feng, you’ve just experienced somatic symptoms of PTSD—chest tightness, rapid breathing, tachycardia. We’ve run thorough tests, and all your vitals are normal."
Glancing at the window, Doctor Ji’s expression grew grave.
"The rain outside is heavy. It’s best if you stay overnight for observation. I’m concerned that if you leave now, you might—"
Before he could finish, Doctor Ji paused, watching as the man who’d just been advised to rest pushed himself upright, his voice hoarse as he asked, "What time is it?"
Doctor Ji checked his watch.
"Five in the afternoon."
He was about to add more when Feng Yan spoke again, his voice rough:
"Where’s my phone?"
Fang Assistant reacted swiftly, handing it over.
"President Feng, here it is."
Feng Yan sat up, his breathing still uneven, lips faintly pale as he took the phone.
He unlocked the screen and saw Sang Lu’s unread message.
Ignoring the suffocating pressure in his chest, he opened it.
Doctor Ji and Fang Assistant exchanged a glance.
Their shared concern was unmistakable.
With the storm raging outside and his PTSD symptoms flaring up, President Feng should be resting.
Not checking messages.
...
Back at the summit venue,
Sang Lu had just finished exchanging business cards with a few media professionals when her phone buzzed in her pocket.
[Feng: In a meeting. Just saw your message. I’ll arrange a driver for you.]
Just then, snippets of conversation drifted over from nearby.
"The rain’s terrible out there. Roads are flooded, and traffic’s been diverted near the venue. It’s a gridlock."
"Doesn’t look like it’ll clear up anytime soon."
"It was sunny this morning—how did it turn into this?"
"Jing City hasn’t seen rain like this in years. It’s pouring buckets."
"Cars can’t even get through. How are we supposed to leave?"
Sang Lu frowned.
If the roads were blocked, the driver probably couldn’t make it...
Her fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating.
Then, Xie Sinan joined the conversation. "There’s a side path near the venue that loops around. It should still be passable."
Sang Lu’s eyes brightened. "You know the area?"
Xie Sinan nodded. "Yes, I’ve been here for hosting events before. I’ve taken that route."
"Where are you heading after this?" she asked.
He named a location. "Need a ride?"
He’d seen Sang Lu arrive with President Feng that morning and assumed the man would pick her up later.
But with the roads flooded and traffic at a standstill, he wasn’t sure if her ride would make it, so he offered politely.
When Sang Lu heard the address, surprise flickered across her face.
It was near Yile Community.
After a pause, she asked, "Would it be any trouble?"
"Not at all," Xie Sinan replied quickly, then hesitated. "But... would President Feng mind?"
He recalled the intense stare from earlier.
"Mind?" Sang Lu almost laughed.
Why would Xie Sinan think Feng Yan would care about something like this?
Feng Yan wasn’t the petty type.
Besides, he had always treated her with the polite detachment of a marriage of convenience. The idea of "jealousy" had nothing to do with Feng Yan, especially over such trivial matters.
Sang Lu answered without hesitation, "He won’t."
After confirming the route to Yile Residential Area, Sang Lu replied to Feng Yan’s message:
"The roads to the venue are under traffic control, so there’s no need to send the driver for me. I’ll just catch a ride with a colleague. The rain is really heavy today, so I’ll stay at my parents’ place tonight."
She added another line:
"Drive carefully on your way home tonight—the rain is really coming down."
A long while later, her phone buzzed with a reply.
A single word.
"Feng: Mm."
