The sun was particularly strong today, and Li Huanyu tugged her hat lower to shield herself from the harsh rays.
Getting a tan would be unfortunate.
She checked the time on her phone—it had already been half an hour since she sent Shen Yihan the address.
Yet, Shen Yihan still hadn’t arrived.
The location wasn’t far from Starlight Group; by car, it should take no more than twenty minutes.
Was there traffic?
Suspicious, Li Huanyu sent Shen Yihan another WeChat message.
[Yihan, are you stuck in traffic?]
Ten minutes passed. No reply.
Her brows furrowed as she sent another message.
[Yihan, are you coming?]
Another ten minutes. Still no response.
Li Huanyu’s frown deepened, sharp enough to crush a fly.
What was going on?
He said he’d come, and now he’s disappeared again.
Did Shen Yihan have no sense of integrity at all?
Her assistant held a small electric fan toward her, noticing her dark expression. "What’s wrong? Did Shen Yihan bail?"
Li Huanyu was so furious she wanted to throw her phone. "He vanished! No replies, nothing!"
The assistant was shocked. "How is that possible? He’d pass up such a great opportunity?"
Li Huanyu narrowed her eyes. "I bet his phone is in the hands of another woman—one who’s stopping him from replying or showing up!"
The assistant gasped. "Who? Is there another woman around him?"
Li Huanyu’s grip on her phone turned her knuckles white. "It must be that woman from last time. He said she was his sister, but I doubt it. More like a lover! She’s definitely a fox spirit!"
The assistant seethed. "Shen Yihan is such a jerk! Forget him then. You never liked him anyway. Best Actor Gu texts you every day. Weren’t you just using Shen Yihan to make him jealous? Mission accomplished."
Li Huanyu gritted her teeth. "Forget him? No way! Shen Yihan was mine first. What kind of fox spirit dares steal my man? I won’t let her off!"
The assistant finally understood.
Li Huanyu couldn’t swallow her pride.
She was outstanding, with looks and talent to match—how dare a man choose another woman over her? It wounded her ego deeply.
"But we don’t even know who she is. What can we do?"
Li Huanyu lowered her gaze, thinking. "At this time, Shen Yihan is usually at work. If he didn’t leave the office, that woman must be there too. We’ll go to Starlight Group and find her!"
The assistant hesitated. "But Shen Yihan will be there too. If we confront her, she’ll definitely complain to him. Who knows whose side he’ll take?"
Li Huanyu scoffed. "Have you forgotten what I do for a living? Besides, I met Shen Yihan first. That woman is the homewrecker—she should be the one feeling guilty!"
The assistant nodded. "She’s probably shameless enough to have already climbed into his bed, but she can’t compare to you in looks or talent. We’ve got this in the bag!"
The two drove straight to Starlight Group.
On the way, Li Huanyu felt the wound on her leg wasn’t dramatic enough, so she touched it up with makeup.
---
Starlight Group, CEO’s Office.
"Jie, have some tea."
Shen Yihan brewed a cup of the finest Longjing tea for Lin Mo, its rich aroma filling the room.
Lin Mo ignored him, lounging lazily in the executive chair as she scrolled through her phone.
The black Buddhist beads she had tossed onto the desk gleamed under the light.
Shen Yihan wanted to pick them up and slip them back onto his wrist but didn’t dare.
Those beads were a sacred gift from Xie Guanyan’s temple in Jingbei.
Back then, he had just taken over a failing company, drowning in endless crises and stress.
Xie Guanyan was already well-known in Jingbei for funding the construction of a temple, where many business leaders went to offer incense.
Shen Yihan had gone there one day, seeking peace.
He had knelt before the Buddha for hours.
When he finally looked up, the temple’s abbot stood before him.
The abbot clasped his hands. "Amitabha. What do you seek, benefactor?"
Shen Yihan mirrored the gesture and answered honestly, "I pray that Buddha blesses my sister, so she may be happy in the next life."
Yes, despite his troubles, he hadn’t asked for help with any of them.
The moment he knelt, his only thought was for his sister.
After all, Buddha belonged to that realm—surely, he could intervene more easily.
The abbot asked, "Has your sister already departed this world?"
Tears welled in Shen Yihan’s eyes. "Yes. A car accident."
The abbot nodded. "Benefactor, you and I share a bond. I have a string of Buddhist beads here. If your devotion is true, I shall bless them and gift them to you. They will protect your sister."
Tears rolled down his cheeks. "Thank you, Master."
That day, he knelt in the temple from dawn till dusk.
Finally, the abbot handed him the beads. "Amitabha. The Buddha is merciful."
From then on, Shen Yihan wore them constantly, never taking them off.
Soon after, he secured an investment from SS Capital, turning the company around.
As SS Capital poured in more funds, the business grew steadily.
He always believed the beads had protected him too.
Now, he couldn’t imagine his wrist without them.
He even wondered if they had played a part in bringing his sister back.
"Jie, I was wrong." Shen Yihan’s voice trembled as Lin Mo remained silent. "If you’re angry, hit me, kick me—just don’t ignore me!"
Lin Mo still didn’t respond. Instead, she swiveled her chair toward Jiang Tang. "Jiang Tang, I nominate you as the new CEO. Think you can handle it?"
Jiang Tang: "..."
Shen Yihan’s gaze darkened as it locked onto her.
Jiang Tang was sharp—even if this was a joke, she knew to tread carefully.
"Yes!" she declared.
Shen Yihan: "..."
Her heart pounded wildly after speaking.
Confidence!
That was what Lin Mo had taught her today.
She knew Lin Mo wasn’t serious, but the ambition was real.
Lin Mo grinned. "Great! Then someone here can retire, live off dividends, and travel the world—wherever they please!"
Shen Yihan: "............"
He raised four fingers in oath. "Jie! I swear I’ll work hard from now on! I love my job! Please don’t strip me of power!"
"Pfft—"
Jiang Tang burst out laughing.
She was a professional—usually, she never cracked.
But hearing the usually cold and ruthless CEO spout such childish words was too much.
He sounded like a grade-schooler!
Lin Mo, however, didn’t laugh. She merely glanced at him.
Shen Yihan suddenly dropped to his knees and kowtowed. "Your Majesty, spare this lowly subject! Long live the Emperor!"
"Pfft—"
This time, Lin Mo couldn’t hold back—she laughed so hard her teeth showed.
It was a game from their childhood: she’d drape a bedsheet over herself as a royal robe, and her brothers would bow to her.
Jiang Tang’s shoulders shook like she had Parkinson’s.
Seeing his sister finally smile, Shen Yihan exhaled in relief, his expression softening.
Lin Mo couldn’t be bothered to stay angry at Shen Yihan—it wasn’t good for her health—so she mercifully said, “Rise.”
Shen Yihan stood up and handed her the tea again. “Sis, have some tea. It’s really fragrant.”
Lin Mo lifted her chin slightly as she accepted the cup and took a sip. It was indeed excellent tea.
Shen Yihan turned to Jiang Tang. “Jiang Tang, come with me.”
Jiang Tang instantly stopped grinning, her heart pounding nervously.
At the office door, Jiang Tang stood stiffly, her expression tense.
Shen Yihan glanced down at her. “Why so nervous? Weren’t you just bold enough to want to be CEO?”
Jiang Tang pressed her lips together, not daring to look up. “I…”
Shen Yihan’s tone softened. “I’m not blaming you. I don’t like people without ambition. Later, I’ll consider transferring you to a branch company as CEO.”
Jiang Tang’s eyes lit up. “Really, President Shen?”
Shen Yihan trusted his sister’s judgment. “When have I ever lied to you? First, go handle two things for me.”
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Tang’s lips. “What things?”
Shen Yihan said, “First, go get the prayer beads from my desk and bring them to me. Second, pick out some gold jewelry for my sister—and a few nice diamond pieces too.”
He would never admit he was too afraid to retrieve the prayer beads himself.
When he re-entered the office, Shen Yihan said, “Sis, a few senior executives are still waiting for me in the conference room. I need to go.”
Jiang Tang walked over to the desk and picked up the prayer beads. “Lin Mo, I’m taking these.”
Lin Mo nodded absently. “These beads have a nice texture. Where’d you get them?”
Jiang Tang replied, “They weren’t bought. President Shen got them from a temple.”
Lin Mo didn’t think much of it. “Oh. You two go ahead. Don’t worry about me.”
Soon, Lin Mo was alone in the office.
She adjusted the executive chair to recline slightly, planning to watch a movie in comfort.
But just then, the office door suddenly swung open.
An angry female voice rang out.
“So, you’re the one who stopped Yihan from coming to see me, huh?”
