Five years ago, the Shen Group was plunged into a hostile takeover crisis.
To save themselves, the Shen family's legitimate branch pushed Shen Tinglan's father forward to take the blame, then sent nineteen-year-old Shen Tinglan overseas in the name of “protecting” her.
Five years later, her father died of illness in prison. Shen Tinglan returned home, neither crying nor making a scene. The first thing she did was apply to the Pei Consortium to become a private project consultant for Pei Yanzhou.
Pei Yanzhou was the man no one in Hangcheng dared to cross.
He studied her résumé for a long time and said, “Miss Shen, are you sure you want to join the Pei Consortium?”
Shen Tinglan smiled. “Do you think I'm not qualified, Mr. Pei?”
“No.” He closed the file. “I'm afraid you aren't ruthless enough.”
After joining the company, Shen Tinglan quickly established herself. She resolved three thorny commercial disputes in a row, using clean, decisive tactics to force her opponents to the negotiating table.
Pei Yanzhou began to take notice of her, giving her more authority, resources, and opportunities to get close to him.
Shen Tinglan also drew closer to him, step by step.
Because she'd discovered that the real mastermind behind the takeover crisis five years ago wasn't the Shen family's legitimate branch. It was the Pei family.
Pei Yanzhou had known who she was from the very beginning.
He hadn't exposed her. He had even handed her a knife.
Because he wanted to see who that blade would strike in the end.
--
Shen Tinglan thought she was using him to get revenge.
Until she realized that Pei Yanzhou had known what she wanted all along, and had already made his decision.
She could take the truth. She could take power. But she could never take her freedom and leave him.
Later, Shen Tinglan tore away Pei Yanzhou's polished facade with her own hands.
On the day she left, Pei Yanzhou stood in the rain and called after her without using his commanding tone for the first time.
“Shen Tinglan, come back.”
“This time, I'm asking you.”
