"That's a great name," Liu Meng praised sincerely.
"To become a regional manager at such a young age—impressive."
"You flatter me, Assistant Liu. I’m just scraping by under President Luo’s leadership," Qi Chengwei replied humbly.
"Scraping by? Interesting. How long have you been with the company?" Liu Meng continued, her gaze sweeping over her.
"Almost a year."
"Not bad. Keep it up. You may leave now." Liu Meng dismissed her, and Qi Chengwei took the hint and exited.
Liu Meng glanced at Luo Yao, who gave a slight nod.
The message was clear—this woman needed investigating.
A regional manager with an annual salary under a million, yet able to afford high-end custom jewelry? That wasn’t normal.
And she’d only been with the company for a year. Rising so quickly in such a short time was suspicious.Unless she was a true genius—but if she were, Liu Meng would’ve at least heard of her.
Just as Qi Chengwei stepped into the elevator, a security guard on shift change froze in disbelief. Had he really seen what he thought he saw?
He turned back, but the woman was already gone.
"Maybe I’m just missing her so much that I’m seeing things..."
Inside the office, Lin Ran’s phone rang. To his surprise, it was Wu Zhishang calling.
"Brother Lin, what have you been up to lately?"
"Get to the point," Lin Ran said bluntly.
"Heh, nothing gets past you. It’s about Chen Qingtian. She wanted to invite you and your wife to visit Grandma Su when you have time. The old lady misses you both."
Lin Ran fell silent. He realized he’d been neglecting the Chen family.
After all, Su Jianguo had helped him resolve that PR crisis—though he could’ve handled it himself if needed.
"Got it. I’m in Shanghai right now, but I’ll visit later."
"Damn, what are you doing in Shanghai?"
Lin Ran thought to himself—nothing much, especially with his wife’s relatives around.
"Just came with my wife. I’ll hang up now—we’ll talk when I’m back."
"Alright, stay safe, Brother Lin. Don’t forget, there’s a whole crew waiting for you to pay their salaries."
Lin Ran hung up with a dark expression. It felt like waking up every day owing a crowd their wages—like a novelist staring down a daily word count.
When the time came, Liu Meng came to hurry them along—like an editor demanding updates, or worse, a debt collector.
"President Luo, we can leave in ten minutes. What mode of transportation?"
Luo Yao glanced at Lin Ran and thought for a moment. "The car. A-Ran gets airsick."
"Understood."
Lin Ran was deeply touched by Luo Yao’s attention to such details.
"Are we attending a banquet?"
"Exactly. I’ll show you the difference between Shanghai’s demons and Beijing’s monsters."
Lin Ran: "What’s the difference?"
"They’re the same at their core—all bloodsuckers."
Lin Ran looked awkward.
Damn.
"Sounds like we’re no better."
Luo Yao: "Of course we’re different. If someone crosses me, I’ll turn them into a bloody mess—not just drink their blood."
Well, that’s worse.
You’re even more ruthless.
(Note: Don’t take this too seriously—it’s just fiction.)
The two finally left Luo Corporation and boarded a Rolls-Royce—spacious and comfortable.
They set off for the Li family’s private estate in the suburbs, where the evening’s banquet would be held.
The guest list was packed with heavyweight figures from the business world.
To put it bluntly, someone of Lin Tianba’s former stature would only qualify to serve tea here.
Attendees included not only Shanghai’s elite but also prominent figures from other regions.
After all, receiving an invitation from the Li family of Shanghai was an honor in itself.
The most distinguished guests included representatives from the Wang Family, the Lu Family, and Samsung Group’s decision-maker, Park Bo-gi.
Why wasn’t Luo Yao considered important?
Because she wasn’t a guest—she was a madwoman.
When Luo Yao’s car arrived, security stopped them.
"Invitation, please."
Liu Meng, seated near the window, handed it over. The guard’s expression stiffened upon seeing it.
So, the CEO of Luo Corporation had arrived. The hosts had made it clear—Luo’s people were to be given a hard time.
"Apologies, but to prevent unauthorized entry, please step out for verification."
Liu Meng frowned.
"You already have the invitation."
"Rules are rules. Verification is mandatory."
At this point, it was obvious—they were being deliberately obstructed.
Liu Meng rolled her eyes, already picturing this guard’s fate.
"Who do you think you are, demanding verification from President Luo?"
"This is a high-profile event. Who knows what stray dogs might sneak in? Step out for inspection."
Stray dogs?
Oh, you’ve got a death wish.
"You want verification? Open the door," Luo Yao said coldly.
The door slid open, and the guard smirked.
Humiliating Luo Corporation today would earn him praise—and a bonus—from the hosts.
The moment the door opened, the guard vanished.
When he looked up, he was inside the car.
Luo Yao leaned against Lin Ran’s shoulder, her gaze sharp as a blade. "Now, do you know who I am?"
The guard finally realized his mistake and began shouting.
"Let me go! Or I’ll call for backup!"
But he didn’t need to. His sudden disappearance had already alerted the other guards, who quickly surrounded the car.ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴoᴠel Fɪre.nᴇt
Without hesitation, Liu Meng stabbed a knife into the guard’s shoulder. He howled in pain, sweat pouring down his face.
"If a single drop of your blood stains this car, I’ll cut off a finger. Understood?"
Lin Ran gave Liu Meng a surprised glance but said nothing.
Luo Yao also looked at her, though with a hint of reproach.
Only now did the wounded guard grasp the kind of people he’d provoked.
Outside, the others brandished their weapons. "Who’s in there? Release him and step out for inspection!"
Liu Meng flung the doors wide open. Luo Yao and Lin Ran sat in the plush rear seats, hidden from view.
"Inspection? You’re not worthy. President Luo is entering now. Block the car if you’ve got a death wish."
"Wang Bao, drive."
She didn’t even bother closing the doors, letting the others see their comrade’s fate.
Wang Bao’s eyes gleamed with excitement. All those hours of practice were finally paying off.
"Vroom—"