A Line He Won’t Cross

Ruolan exhaled softly as she walked through the hotel's grand hallway, her heels clicking against the marble floor. The business retreat had been exhausting, and all she wanted was to get back to her room and sleep.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

Just as she turned the corner, someone collided into her.

Ruolan barely had time to react before she stumbled, her balance slipping—

And then, suddenly, a firm grip caught her wrist.

Heat. Strength. A steady presence.

She looked up—straight into Li Yichen's dark eyes.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The hallway was empty, the air thick with an inexplicable tension.

Yichen's grip on her wrist was strong, steady—but not rough. It was almost as if he had reached for her instinctively, without thinking.

Ruolan swallowed, blinking up at him. "President Li…?"

Yichen's gaze flickered down to their joined hands—a mistake.

The contrast was startling. His grip was firm, commanding. Hers was delicate, soft.

He let go instantly.

"Be careful." His voice was cool, unaffected. As if nothing had happened. As if he hadn't just felt the warmth of her skin against his.

Ruolan straightened, brushing off the odd flutter in her chest. "Right. Thanks."

But as she turned to leave, Yichen's voice stopped her.

"Where were you going?"

She turned, surprised by his question.

Why did he care?

Ruolan hesitated before answering. "My room."

Yichen's gaze lingered on her for a second longer than necessary, then he gave a curt nod. "Good."

And just like that, he walked past her, disappearing down the hall.

Ruolan exhaled, pressing a hand to her chest.

What… was that?

~~

The next evening, the retreat's second round of business discussions began. Ruolan found herself seated beside Yichen once more, surrounded by influential business figures.

And across the table—Lu Zeyan.

Ruolan could feel his gaze on her, lazy and assessing, but she focused on her notes instead.

Yichen, however, was very aware of it.

Lu Zeyan smirked. "It's quite impressive, President Li."

Yichen arched a brow. "What is?"

Lu Zeyan's gaze flickered briefly to Ruolan before returning to Yichen. "Your ability to keep such a competent assistant by your side."

Ruolan froze.

Yichen's grip on his glass tightened subtly.

For a split second, silence stretched between them. Then, Yichen leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Competent people stay where they are valued. Wouldn't you agree, President Lu?"

Lu Zeyan chuckled. "Indeed."

Ruolan resisted the urge to sigh. Great. More business mind games.

The meeting went on, but she felt Yichen's presence beside her—the way his energy subtly shifted whenever Lu Zeyan addressed her directly.

And she had no idea why.

~~

Later that evening, Ruolan found herself alone for a moment outside the main event hall, adjusting the strap of her dress.

She didn't hear footsteps approaching until it was too late.

A low, smooth voice cut through the quiet. "Need help?"

She startled, turning sharply—straight into Jiang Wei.

He was standing too close, his usual confident smirk in place.

"You always did have trouble with dresses," he mused.

Ruolan narrowed her eyes, pulling back. "And you always had a habit of appearing where you weren't wanted."

Jiang Wei chuckled, his gaze warm but unreadable. "Still as sharp as ever."

She exhaled. "What do you want?"

"Just to talk."

Ruolan crossed her arms. "We have nothing to talk about."

Before Jiang Wei could respond, another voice interrupted.

"Assistant Xia."

The air shifted.

Ruolan turned, her breath catching.

Li Yichen.

He stood at the edge of the corridor, his presence overwhelming even in silence.

But it wasn't just his presence.

It was the look in his eyes.

Controlled. Cold. But beneath the surface—something else lurked.

Jiang Wei smirked. "President Li. Always so timely."

Yichen ignored him, his gaze locked on Ruolan. "I need you inside."

It wasn't a request.

Ruolan hesitated, but something about Yichen's tone made her move. As she walked past Jiang Wei, he murmured just loud enough for her to hear—

"Be careful, Ruolan. You're playing with fire."

She didn't look back.

~~

Inside the ballroom, Yichen walked beside Ruolan, his pace steady but firm.

Ruolan, still unnerved, frowned up at him. "I could've handled it."

Yichen's jaw tensed slightly. "You shouldn't have to."

Ruolan blinked, caught off guard by his words.

What did that mean?

Before she could ask, he turned to her. "Stay away from Jiang Wei."

Ruolan bristled. "That's not your decision to make."

Yichen's gaze darkened, his voice low. "It's an order."

Ruolan's heart skipped a beat—not out of fear, but out of something else.

Something unspoken.

Something neither of them were ready to face.

And so, the tension between them only grew.