Chapter 12: The Signing Ceremony Begins

A Night Where Power Gathers

The banquet hall shimmered under the glow of golden chandeliers, their light reflecting off polished marble floors and towering silk-draped columns. Deep crimson and ebony lined the space, an intentional display of tradition and authority—a reminder that while wealth could be earned, true power was inherited. The vibrant yet endearing notes of All blue by Miles Davis played by the jazz band added the perfect mood for the calm before the storm. As the melody, will more transcendant things will come. 

Tonight was about legacy.

And Liang Xinyi would make sure hers remained untouchable.

...

Xinyi: Dressed for War

She entered like a storm in the distance—silent but undeniable. Whoever saw her might think she's an actress or a model, but her gaze commanded the room.

Draped in black silk, her gown hugged her frame with a commanding elegance. Gold embroidery traced along its fabric like veins of lightning, subtle against the dark but unmistakable in its presence. The high slit in her dress moved with her every step—measured, deliberate, never rushed.

Her hair was pinned up, sleek and refined, a few loose strands framing her face—just enough softness to remind people she wasn't all steel. A single jade ring rested on her right hand, the only adornment needed.

Power wasn't flaunted.

It was worn like second skin.

And tonight, she was draped in it. 

...

Jianyu: A Performance of Authority

Jianyu was already at the center of the room—exactly where he liked to be.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored navy-blue suit, he exuded a charm that was too practiced, too rehearsed. His gold tiepin and matching cufflinks gleamed under the chandeliers, a deliberate display of wealth and status.

Every move he made was measured, his words perfectly calibrated.

He wasn't just mingling—he was working the room.

Soft whispers. Veiled concerns. A well-placed chuckle at someone else's worries.

He wasn't attacking her outright—but he was doing what he did best.

Creating doubt.

And Xinyi?

She let him.

Because the deeper he sunk into his own confidence, the easier it would be to pull the ground out from beneath him.

....

Before Xinji could reach the main table, a voice—low, measured—stopped her.

"Ms. Liang."

She turned smoothly, her expression composed but unreadable.

One of the most influential investors stood before her. An older gentleman, silver-haired, a man who played both sides but owed his loyalty to results.

"I imagine tonight is important for you," he mused, swirling the amber liquid in his glass.

Xinyi offered a cool, practiced smile. "A night of prosperity for all of us, I hope."

His gaze flickered slightly—a test, a calculation.

"Some concerns have been raised," he said carefully. "Three collapses in two weeks. Unusual, wouldn't you agree?"

Xinyi took her time sipping her wine. Not rushed. Not defensive.

"Challenges arise," she said finally, setting her glass down with delicate precision. "What matters is how they are handled."

She let the words settle, watching for his reaction.

The barest hint of amusement flickered in his expression before he nodded.

"I look forward to seeing how you handle them, then."

And just like that, she had passed his test.

Jianyu might have whispered doubts into people's ears, but Xinyi wasn't here to answer them.

She was here to render them irrelevant.

...

An Unseen Presence

She turned, her eyes scanning the crowd as she made her way to her designated seat.

And that's when she felt it.

A gaze.

Not Jianyu's.

Something quieter.

Something more deliberate.

The sensation lingered, like a thread being pulled just slightly too tight. It wasn't threatening—but it was focused.

She let her eyes flicker across the room, controlled, casual.

And for a brief second, they landed on a shadowed figure near the back.

A man, seated at a table alone, half-shielded by dim lighting.

She didn't recognize him.

Didn't know his name.

But she could tell he wasn't like the others here.

He wasn't networking. He wasn't scheming.

He was watching.

Her fingers tapped lightly against the stem of her wine glass before she turned back toward the front of the room, dismissing the thought.

If he wanted her attention, he'd have to earn it.

For now?

She had a snake to crush.