Meanwhile, at Lu Corporation
Ji Wen stood at the desk, file in hand. "Sir, Miss Lin has already been discharged," he said quietly, placing the printed note on the table. "She left with a friend. I managed to get the address."
Behind the wide desk, Lu Yanzhou didn't even look up.
His eyes remained on the city skyline beyond the glass window.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
"Leave it," he said at last.
Ji Wen bowed politely and stepped out of the office, the door clicking shut behind him with a soft finality.
Silence returned to the spacious, glass-walled office—sharp, sterile, and still.
Lu Yanzhou remained motionless at his desk, his eyes fixed on the paper Ji Wen had left behind. On it were a name, an address, and a phone number. His gaze lingered for a beat longer before he picked up his phone.
The call connected after a single ring.
"Yanzhou!" The voice on the other end burst out in familiar warmth and surprise. "Look who finally decided to rejoin the living! You've been ghosting me for months. I thought maybe you—"
"Quiet."
The word was delivered with surgical precision—quiet, cold, final.
The man on the other end fell silent immediately.
"I'm sending you a contact," Lu Yanzhou continued, tone flat, unreadable. "Dig up everything. Her background. Family. Where she's lived, who she's met, every place she's ever been. I want the full picture."
There was a pause, then the hesitant voice came again. "Yanzhou... is this about a girl?"
Lu Yanzhou didn't answer.
Click.
He ended the call.
Without a word, he leaned back in his chair, the phone still in his hand. His eyes fell once more on the crumpled contact sheet.
His gaze dropped to the sheet of paper Ji Wen had left on his desk—the one with Lin Shuyin's contact details. His long fingers hovered over the address, then slowly curled into a fist, crumpling the corner.
Outside, the city basked under the afternoon sun, its bright light painting golden lines over the cold surfaces of Lu Corporation's high-rise.
But inside his office, the shadows clung to him.
Still. Silent.
Dangerously unreadable.
***
In the dimly lit private room of an upscale bar tucked away in the heart of the city, the clink of crystal glasses echoed softly against dark wood and jazz humming faintly in the background.
Three men lounged on leather couches, surrounded by half-finished drinks and the warm haze of old camaraderie.
Zhao Wei frowned down at his phone, the screen casting a pale glow across his sharp features. His brows knitted. He muttered a curse under his breath.
"You're swearing again," Han Ming chuckled lazily, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "Let me guess—Lu Yanzhou?"
Zhao Wei let out a long, exhausted sigh and tossed his phone onto the table.
"I finally return to the city after a year abroad, and instead of showing up to welcome me back, he throws a background check assignment on my lap." His voice was laced with helpless frustration. "No dinner, no drink, not even a text before this one. The man's as cold as ever."
The third man, Li Chen, who had been quietly sipping his liquor and watching the exchange with calm eyes, finally spoke. "A woman?"
Zhao Wei reached for his drink and nodded. "Yeah. Sent me a name just now. Lin Shuyin."
That name brought a flicker of recognition to Han Ming's eyes. He leaned forward slightly, brows arching. "Lin Shuyin… isn't she the junior our dear Wenhao used to brag about? From our university?"
Zhao Wei paused, eyes narrowing.
Then it clicked.
"Oh—right! That girl. The one Wenhao used to call his Junior sister." He leaned back with a short laugh. "God, he wouldn't shut up about her for an entire year. I remember she topped every class in the department. Quiet kid. Pretty, but always kept her head down."
Li Chen remained silent, thoughtful, while Han Ming simply nodded with a half-smile. "That's the one. Smart, serious, never talked to guys. I only saw her once during a festival. Polite but shy. Didn't seem like someone Yanzhou would notice."
"Exactly," Zhao Wei said, eyes narrowing again as he reached for his phone. "Which is why I'm curious. Why her? Why now?"
Han Ming's expression shifted slightly, voice cooling.
"Don't pry."
That one warning hung heavy in the room.
"You know Yanzhou hates people poking into his business," he added, swirling his glass. "If he gave the job to you instead of asking Wenhao directly, it means even he doesn't want word spreading. Something must've happened."
Zhao Wei sighed again and leaned forward to pour himself another drink. "Still. I miss that iceberg. The five of us haven't had a proper gathering in over a year. Once Wenhao gets back from his research tour, I'm dragging Yanzhou out—kicking and screaming if I have to."
Han Ming raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to die?"
Zhao Wei paused mid-pour, his hand stiffening slightly as he recalled the last time he tried to be even mildly persuasive with Lu Yanzhou.
A visible shudder ran down his spine. "…Okay, fair. I'll ask Wenhao to do the dragging."
Han Ming chuckled. "Smart man."
Zhao Wei let out a resigned laugh and took a sip. "Seriously, though—he always shuts everyone down the moment we mention drinks or hanging out. Like clockwork. But if Wenhao asks…" He shrugged, "He actually listens. Like, really listens."
Li Chen, who had been quietly nursing his drink, finally spoke. "We've all noticed that, haven't we?"
Han Ming nodded slowly. "Yeah. It's almost weird. Sometimes I wonder if there's some secret reason behind it."
Zhao Wei raised a brow. "You think Wenhao knows?"
Li Chen shook his head. "If he does, he's never said a word. I asked once, jokingly. He just looked confused—genuinely confused."
The room fell quiet again, the clink of ice the only sound between them.
Zhao Wei leaned back with a sigh, sipping his drink. "Still... he called. That cold bastard actually called me."
Han Ming snorted. "Yeah, to make you work."
Li Chen grinned. "Better finish it quick. If you delay, the iceberg's gonna have your head on a plate."
Zhao Wei groaned. "I hate how true that is."
Their laughter echoed softly.
But none of them said it aloud—Lu Yanzhou never asked about women.
So why now?
And why... Lin Shuyin?