"Wealthsource Development focuses on office software, with a side venture in creative stationery," Liu Weiwei explained, guiding Song Yingfei through the sleek corporate halls. "You've probably heard of Mali Software, one of our flagship products. Next year, we're launching an upgraded version, and I'm confident it'll blow our customers away."
Song Yingfei's face softened, a warm smile replacing her earlier cool elegance. She nodded gently. "To be honest, I've heard of you, Miss Liu. A friend of mine says Wealthsource's consistent profits are thanks to a brilliant mind in the operations department—a true business genius. If I'm not mistaken, that's you."
Liu Weiwei laughed, waving off the praise. "You're too kind, Miss Song. I'm just a humble manager, hardly a genius."
Song Yingfei didn't elaborate, but her eyes gleamed with intent. "Before coming here, I did some digging on Wealthsource. Word is, your CEO isn't exactly reliable. I'm not one to gossip, but, Miss Liu, if you're open to it, I'd like to invite you to join Tianding Group. The role of executive general manager is yours if you want it. What do you say?"
Liu Weiwei blinked, caught off guard. Their first meeting had sparked an odd sense of connection, but she hadn't expected Song Yingfei to come poaching. Tianding Group was a titan, one of the nation's top ten conglomerates, on par with Yang's Kaiyuan Group. At Wealthsource, she was a cog in a subsidiary machine, but Tianding offered a leap to a prestigious role.
Yet loyalty tugged at her. Wealthsource had been her home for three years, and she'd poured her heart into it. Huang Shulang's sleazy behavior eroded her trust, but she wasn't ready to jump ship. Not yet. Smiling politely, she said, "Thank you for the offer, Miss Song. I'm flattered, but I'm not planning to leave just now. May I ask—"
"Call me Yingfei," Song Yingfei interrupted, her tone friendly. "My friends do. Tianding Group is my family's, and I'm a Song by blood. If you ever feel your talents are being stifled here, don't wait too long. I may step down as chairwoman soon, and I won't be able to offer you the same platform to shine."
Liu Weiwei's brow furrowed, her mind racing. Then it clicked. She grabbed Song Yingfei's hand, eyes wide. "Wait—you're Song Yingfei? I heard about you at a business forum! You're the prodigy who tripled Tianding Group's profits in three years!"
Song Yingfei chuckled, shaking her head. "Prodigy? That's just hype. I did X AI did my best and got lucky. You could do it too, you know."
Liu Weiwei's eyes sparkled with excitement. Meeting her idol—a woman as brilliant as she was breathtaking—was a dream come true. "I also heard you're Beijing's number-one beauty," she blurted, then lowered her voice, glancing around warily. "Why are you here with Yang Yikun? No offense, but he's a notorious playboy. You're so incredible—why him? Do you actually… like him?"
Perhaps it was their shared fire, but Song Yingfei didn't brush her off. She shook her head, a wistful look in her eyes. "Women like us may seem untouchable, but our choices are rarely our own. My marriage isn't up to me. Honestly, I envy you. You fight for yourself, choose your path, live your truth—love or hate, it's yours to decide. I don't have that freedom."
Liu Weiwei's voice rose with passion. "You're wrong, Yingfei. Nothing's impossible. If you don't want this, fight back! Run away if you have to. No one can force you. Marriage is just a piece of a man's life, but for a woman, it's everything. Imagine marrying someone you don't love—lying beside him, doing intimate things, feeling nothing but emptiness. Like a machine. What's the point of living like that?"
Song Yingfei froze, her breath catching. She'd never rebelled. Raised as the perfect daughter, adored by her parents and grandfather, she'd built her empire to earn their pride, never daring to live for herself. Even now, despite her revulsion at marrying into the Yang family under a cloud of scandal, she'd accepted her father's decision without a single protest.
"Could I…?" she whispered, almost to herself.
"Why not?" Liu Weiwei pressed, her words ringing with conviction. "Life's too short. Love someone who makes your heart race, who you'd walk through fire for. That's a life without regrets. If it's just for profit, for some cold alliance? I'd rather die than marry a man like that."
Her words struck like a hammer, shattering the calm of Song Yingfei's heart, stirring ripples in a soul long resigned. No one had ever spoken to her like this—a wake-up call, a drumbeat to rouse her from slumber.
"There's a shadow in my heart," Song Yingfei admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was… violated once—"
"What?!" Liu Weiwei's eyes blazed. "Who's the bastard who dared touch you? He deserves to rot! Yingfei, that's not your fault. We women aren't defined by some stupid membrane. If a man truly loves you, he won't care about that. Right?"
Song Yingfei gave a sad smile. Liu Weiwei's fiery spirit was infectious, though she hadn't even let her finish. "I thought I was doomed that night, but strangely, at the last moment, he… ran away. Was I not desirable enough?"
Liu Weiwei's face lit up with animated disbelief. "That guy's gotta be impotent! If I were a man, no way I'd let you go in a moment like that. They say guys are reckless, lust-crazed idiots."
"But rumors are vicious," Song Yingfei continued, her voice heavy. "Some twisted minds spun that failed assault into a scandal, ruining my reputation and sparking a feud between my family and his. It could destroy us both. Sometimes, I think… if I'd just let him have his way, I could've swallowed my pride, married him, and spared our families this war. I've always been a pawn. It doesn't matter who I marry."
Liu Weiwei's expression shifted, a spark of curiosity in her eyes. "The guy who hurt you… was he handsome? You don't seem to hate him."
"I don't," Song Yingfei admitted. "I really don't. He vanished after that night, terrified. If he showed his face, he'd be ruined. He spared me in the end, and I should thank him for that. But I'm powerless. Things just keep spiraling downward."
"Yingfei, stop overcomplicating it," Liu Weiwei said firmly. "Families, politics, profits—none of that's you. For a woman, finding a man you love is what matters. If those things are chains, break them. Take a break, live for yourself. The world won't stop turning without you."
Song Yingfei laughed, a rare, genuine sound. Chatting with Liu Weiwei felt like a balm to her soul. This woman was a gem—vibrant, hopeful, a true talent. They could be more than colleagues. They could be friends. For the first time, Song Yingfei had opened her heart to a near-stranger, and the weight on her chest felt lighter.
"I'm twenty-five," she said, a playful glint in her eyes. "My birthday's in two months. You?"
"Twenty-seven," Liu Weiwei replied, blushing. "My birthday's already passed. Guess I'm an old maid by now."
"Then I'll call you Wei-jie," Song Yingfei teased.
"An honor!" Liu Weiwei grinned. "Having a business legend and beauty like you call me 'sister'? I could die happy."
"Enough with the 'dying' talk," Song Yingfei scolded lightly. "I don't want your man coming after me. Thanks, Wei-jie. I feel… lighter. Maybe it's time I start living for myself."
Liu Weiwei's cheeks flushed again, and she stammered, "W-what man? I don't have a boyfriend!"
"With your looks? No way you're single," Song Yingfei said, smirking. "Pretty women always attract trouble. My advice? Find a guy who'll protect you with his life. Let's both fight for it, Wei-jie—find ourselves a once-in-a-lifetime man."
"Deal," Liu Weiwei laughed. "We'll hunt down the perfect guy." But as she spoke, her thoughts drifted to the man at her apartment. Lei Zhengyang. Was she ready to fall for him? Too soon to tell. But one thing was certain: she didn't dislike him. Not one bit.