SOME MOVEMENTS

The sun was just beginning to dip beneath the skyline of Tianxu City, casting a golden hue over the towering buildings and neon-lit streets. But inside Han Financial's private lounge, the atmosphere was anything but warm.

Chen Yu stood beside the glass window, hands clasped behind his back, watching the city pulse with life beneath him. Lin Qianhong sat across the room on a velvet chair, one leg elegantly crossed over the other. Her eyes didn't leave him.

"You didn't just come here to close a deal, did you?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Chen Yu turned slightly, a calm smile on his lips. "No. I came here to shift the balance of this city."

Qianhong raised an eyebrow. "You think you can do that with money?"

He stepped closer. "No. But with the right people—and the right moves—I can change the game."

She tilted her head. "You're very sure of yourself."

"I've come this far without help. Without a name. Now I have both."

There was a beat of silence between them. Then she asked quietly, "Why did you really pick me? I know your type, Chen Yu. Ruthless, strategic, efficient. You don't attach yourself to people unless it serves a bigger picture."

Chen's smile faded, replaced by something softer—more human.

"I chose you," he said, voice low, "because you fight like I do. Alone. Against everything. And you don't bend."

She looked at him, a little stunned. The steel in her melted for just a second.

"You flatter well," she murmured, standing. "But this partnership? It won't be easy. The Win Family—"

"I know," Chen interrupted. "They're already watching."

Her expression tightened. "Then you also know they don't like being watched back."

Chen's phone buzzed before he could respond.

[Meiyun]: Shield Security has been deployed. All perimeter scans are clean. But… our system flagged unusual drone signals around the villa last night. Someone is watching you.

Chen Yu's eyes darkened slightly.

"Looks like the rats are getting bold."

Qianhong noticed the change in him. "What is it?"

He looked at her and smiled faintly. "Just confirming a suspicion."

As they walked toward the elevator, she glanced at him from the side. "You know, if you weren't trying to take over the city, you'd be dangerous for another reason."

He chuckled. "Which is?"

She smirked. "You're too charming for your own good."

MEANWHILE — QIN FAMILY ESTATE, MAIN BRANCH

A quiet room filled with incense smoke. Scrolls lined the walls, and ancient oil paintings of ancestors stared down with judging eyes.

The young master of the Qin Family—Qin Shenglai—stood at the center, watching a live intelligence feed of Chen Yu's recent activities.

"Sixty percent control of Han Financial," his assistant said. "In a single move, he's consolidated over ¥1 billion in equity."

Shenglai's face remained unreadable.

"So the rumors are true. He's not just lucky. He's dangerous."

"Should we act?"

Shenglai walked to the window, gazing out into the mountains.

"Not yet. But soon," he said. "When he moves on the Win Family, we'll see what kind of monster he really is."

His voice dropped.

"If he survives them… maybe he's someone worth allying with."

BACK IN TIANXU CITY — NIGHTFALL

Chen Yu returned to the villa, his sharp gaze scanning everything. Shield Security personnel now stood discreetly around the perimeter, and surveillance drones hummed above.

Inside, Meiyun was reviewing a report, and Ruxue was curled on the sofa with a book in her lap.

"Everything okay, Yu-ge?" Meiyun asked.

He nodded. "They're watching. But let them."

Ruxue looked up. "You're being followed?"

"For now," he said, loosening his tie. "They're just watching. But the moment they step in... we step harder."

He sat beside her, and to his surprise, she leaned gently on his shoulder.

"Just be careful," she whispered.

He glanced down at her. She wasn't as sharp as Meiyun, nor as ambitious as Qianhong. But she cared. That part of her hadn't changed.

His phone buzzed again.

[Zhao Lingyun]: I saw the news. You acquired Han Financial. Impressive.

[Zhao Lingyun]: When are you going to give me a reason to say yes?

Chen Yu's lips twitched into a small smirk.

"Soon," he murmured to himself.

Meiyun turned to him. "What did Lingyun want?"

"She's curious," he said. "Maybe a little jealous."

Meiyun narrowed her eyes slightly but said nothing. Ruxue, though quiet, subtly clutched his sleeve.

In the silence of the room, three women's feelings circled one man who wasn't easily understood, let alone claimed.

But outside, in the shadows of Tianxu…

A storm named Win Family was beginning to stir.