Chapter 4: The First Spark
[The gala is nothing but a battlefield.]
[Dressed in silk and power plays, wrapped in whispered alliances.]
[An Yue doesn’t just belong here—she dominates.]
[She came for one reason.]
[An Corporation’s future hinges on tonight.]
[A single deal. A single signature.]
[And the man who holds the pen?]
"You’ll never get close to him."
"He doesn’t waste time on nobodies."
[Because when she walks into his orbit—]
Li zhen (ml)
[Low. Amused.] You enjoy walking into danger, don’t you?
An yue (fl)
[Unbothered. Smooth.] Only when the danger is worth my time.
[She didn’t expect a war of words.]
[Or a man who looks at her like she’s a puzzle worth solving.]
Li zhen (ml)
[Tilting his glass, watching her over the rim.] You think I’m worth your time?
An yue (fl)
[A slow blink, a calculated pause.] I think you were.
[A quiet, rich sound that isn’t entirely amused.]
[She should be negotiating.]
[Talking percentages, contracts, leverage.]
[But instead, she’s here—]
[Playing a far more dangerous game.]
[One that has nothing to do with business.]
[And everything to do with him.]
[And for the first time in years, Li Zhen feels something close to alive.]
Li zhen (ml)
[Leaning back, watching her with dangerous curiosity.] And what am I now, Miss An?
An yue (fl)
[Smiles, slow.] A man who is either very interested or very bored.
[The corner of his lips twitches.]
[Not a smirk. Not a frown.]
[Something in between—like she’s the first person in years who has surprised him.]
[Men don’t speak to Li Zhen without calculating their every word.]
[Women don’t breathe near him without carefully curating their presence.]
[She meets his gaze with unflinching amusement, completely unshaken.]
Li zhen (ml)
[Low. Dangerous.] And which one do you think it is?
An yue (fl)
[Tilting her head. Soft. Merciless.] I think you don’t know yourself.
[A muscle in his jaw tightens.]
[Not in anger—no, he doesn’t get angry over words.]
[Someone has looked right through him and named what they saw.]
[Li Zhen should be the one setting the pace.]
[He should be the one controlling the conversation, dictating the flow.]
[And somehow, he lets her.]
Li zhen (ml)
[Chuckles, low. Dark.] You’re a dangerous woman, Miss An.
An yue (fl)
[Smirks.] And you’re only just realizing that?
[He exhales through his nose, amusement laced with something deeper.]
[Something he can’t quite place.]
[Because for the first time in a very, very long time—]
[Li Zhen isn’t the hunter.]
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