Unspoken Wars

The rest of the gala felt like a blur to Xia Ruolan. The moment Jiang Wei had disappeared into the sea of elites, a part of her had wanted to chase after him, demand answers, make him face the consequences of his actions. But what would that even accomplish? That chapter of her life was closed—or at least, it was supposed to be.

Still, his words echoed in her mind.

"Be careful around Li Yichen."

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Standing near the balcony, Ruolan wrapped her arms around herself as the cool night air brushed against her skin. She needed a moment to breathe, to clear her thoughts. But just as she began to relax, a deep voice broke the silence behind her.

"You let him get under your skin."

Ruolan turned, already knowing who it was. Li Yichen leaned against the balcony railing a few feet away, his tall figure illuminated by the golden glow of the ballroom lights behind him. His black suit was crisp, flawless—just like his expression.

Cold. Unreadable.

She huffed, shaking her head. "I didn't 'let' him do anything."

Yichen said nothing for a long moment, his gaze sharp and assessing. Then, as if making a decision, he spoke again.

"What did he say to you?"

Ruolan hesitated. Jiang Wei's warning rang in her ears, but the last thing she wanted was to show Yichen that he had gotten to her.

"Nothing worth repeating," she replied.

Yichen's jaw twitched slightly, his only sign of displeasure. "So you still trust him?"

Her lips parted in shock. "Trust him?" She scoffed. "I'd rather trust a wolf not to bite me."

Yichen let out a small, almost imperceptible hum, as if her answer had satisfied him. But Ruolan wasn't done.

"What about you?" she asked, tilting her head. "You knew his name before I introduced him. What exactly do you 'know' about Jiang Wei?"

Most people would have shifted under the weight of Ruolan's direct stare. But Yichen? He held her gaze effortlessly, his eyes like ice-cold steel.

"A man like Jiang Wei doesn't need an introduction," he said finally. "People like him always leave a trail behind."

Ruolan frowned. "That's not an answer."

He exhaled, clearly not in the mood to explain himself. "You'll figure it out soon enough."

A flicker of frustration shot through her. Why was he always like this? Distant. Calculated. Never letting anyone see beyond his perfect mask.

But before she could push him further, Mo Zixuan appeared at the doorway.

"Hope I'm not interrupting something?" he mused, his sharp gaze bouncing between them with amusement.

Ruolan sighed, grateful for the distraction. "You are. But go ahead."

Zixuan smirked before turning to Yichen. "Old man Li is looking for you. Something about an important guest you need to meet."

Yichen straightened, adjusting his cufflinks. "I'll be there."

He spared Ruolan one last glance before walking past Zixuan and disappearing into the ballroom.

Zixuan chuckled. "You sure know how to get under his skin."

Ruolan blinked. "Me?"

Zixuan leaned lazily against the railing, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "You. It's subtle, but trust me—I've known Yichen for a long time. He's never this…" He waved a hand vaguely. "…involved."

Ruolan snorted. "If that's what you call 'involved,' I'd hate to see what his version of 'attentive' looks like."

Zixuan laughed. "Oh, you have no idea."

Ruolan shook her head, exhaling. "I don't understand him. One second, he's this cold, untouchable CEO, and the next… it's like he's watching my every move."

Zixuan's smirk softened slightly. "That's just Yichen. He doesn't do things without a reason."

She frowned. "And what's his reason for watching me?"

Zixuan shrugged. "Guess you'll have to find out."

Ruolan rolled her eyes. "You're just as bad as him."

Zixuan laughed again, raising his glass. "I'll take that as a compliment."

_______

The night wore on, and Ruolan found herself tangled in conversations she didn't care for. The elites of high society were exhausting—all fake smiles and hidden daggers.

After excusing herself from yet another boring conversation, she found Xinya waiting for her near the exit, looking entirely too pleased with herself.

"You're leaving without saying goodbye?" Xinya pouted.

Ruolan sighed. "I've had enough socializing for one night."

Xinya hummed. "Fair. But before you go, did you hear the latest gossip?"

Ruolan raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to?"

Xinya smirked. "Probably not. But it's about your new favorite person."

"Jiang Wei?"

Xinya grinned. "Ding ding ding." She leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper. "Word is, he's been involved in some… let's say, questionable business deals lately. Something about a partnership that went south and a certain 'powerful' someone making sure he stays out of the game."

Ruolan's heart skipped a beat. "Wait… are you saying—?"

Xinya nodded knowingly. "I don't have details yet, but let's just say… there's a reason he's back in the city. And it might not just be for you."

Ruolan swallowed hard. So Jiang Wei was in trouble.

But was it Yichen who had something to do with it?

~

By the time Ruolan made it back to her apartment, her mind was a mess of questions.

Jiang Wei's warning…

Yichen's reaction…

The rumors….

She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. What was she getting herself into?

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Unknown Number: Still as stubborn as ever, huh?

Her breath hitched. Jiang Wei.

Ruolan: Lose my number.

Jiang Wei: Can't do that. We have unfinished business, Ruolan.

She clenched her jaw, fingers tightening around her phone.

Before she could type a response, another message came through.

Jiang Wei: And trust me—you'll want to hear what I have to say.

Ruolan shut her eyes, hating that a small part of her wanted to know what he meant.

But before she could overthink it, another text arrived.

This time, from Yichen.

Yichen: Come to my office first thing in the morning.

Her stomach twisted. Had he found out about Jiang Wei's message?

With a sigh, Ruolan dropped her phone onto the bed, knowing that sleep would be impossible tonight.

Too many secrets.

Too many unknowns.

And she was stuck in the middle of it all.