No matter how strange the situation felt to Yi Qingyun and Director Chen, they still maintained their composure and begun discussing the project, though neither of them could shake the growing sense of unease.

Unbeknownst to them, this was the beginning of their nightmare.

Every word they spoke seemed to fall under Lin Huaiyu’s scrutinizing gaze. He effortlessly found faults in their arguments, skillfully dismantling their points with sharp, biting critiques.

Especially Director Chen, whose wounded pride took a severe blow. His confidence shattered, and soon found himself doubting everything he knew.

Even Yi Qingyun, who prided herself on her ability to stay calm under pressure, felt the sting of her own frustration. Her eyes begun to well with barely contained emotion, the weight of the relentless criticism pressing on her chest.

Lin Huaiyu watched their reactions with an almost predatory gleam in his dark eyes, his lips curling into a smirk. The next words that slipped from his mouth were sharp as daggers, designed to wound deeply.

“If this is all the capability you have, I highly doubt your sincerity in this partnership. Especially with employees as clueless and incompetent as you two, it’s a miracle that Su Corporation has achieved anything at all.”

As the venom of his words hung in the air, Director Chen could take no more. His face flushed with anger, and with a growl, he slammed his palms on the table and shot up from his seat. “If Mr. Lin looks down on me so much, I’ll have the president send someone else!” he spat, his voice seething with fury.

Without a second glance, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving the tense silence to hang heavily in the air.

Yi Qingyu froze for a moment, clearly not expecting Director Chen to suddenly explode. Her gaze darted nervously toward Lin Huaiyu, but to her surprise, there was no visible anger on his face. It was as if he had thought of something, and he stood up, his eyes flickering with a subtle gleam. “Since Mr. Lin is dissatisfied with us, please give me a moment. I’ll have our CEO send someone else to discuss the project with you.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

On the other side, Director Chen had already stormed into Su Weichu’s office, his voice a mix of anger and frustration. “Ms. Su, I can’t continue the negotiations with Mr. Lin. Please, send someone else.”

Su Weichu was momentarily stunned but nodded in understanding. “I see. You can go now.”

Not long after Director Chen left, Yi Qingyu knocked and entered the office. Su Mochu took a quick glance at her, effortlessly reading her thoughts, and spoke first before Yi Qingyu could say a word. “I’ve already arranged for someone else to meet with Lin Huaiyu. Go on and continue with your work.”

She thought that as long as she stayed out of it, Lin Huaiyu wouldn’t be able to do anything to her. However, what she didn’t expect was that this man had meticulously criticized every employee she sent, finding faults in them one by one. Eventually, they all ran back, defeated, saying they wanted to quit.

One, two, three…

Finally, Su Weichu could no longer tolerate it. She stormed into the meeting room, her anger burning as she pushed the door open with force. “Lin Huaiyu, what exactly do you want?!” she demanded, her eyes flashing with fury as she locked onto the man sitting in the leather chair.

Lin Huaiyu, upon seeing the woman finally arrive, didn’t respond immediately. A complex emotion flickered in his dark eyes. Silently, he stood up, his presence imposing as he took deliberate steps toward Su Weichu.

Su Weichu, trying to fight the urge to step back, straightened her posture and glared at him. “Lin Huaiyu, if you’re as sincerely interested in collaborating, then I ask that you politely stop wasting our time. Don’t think that Su Corporation is desperate for the Overseas project. We certainly don’t need you.”

Lin Huaiyu’s lips curved into a slight, enigmatic smile. “There are many companies that want to collaborate on the Overseas project. Among them, the Lin Corporation is your best choice.”

As he spoke, Lin Huaiyu closed the distance between them, standing directly in front of Su Weichu. They were so close, faces inches away from each other. Only by leaning slightly, Lin Huaiyu could kiss her lips. The atmosphere shifted, suddenly thick with tension and unspoken desires, making the air between them feel charged and intimate.

Su Weichu felt herself suffocating under the intense, almost primal presence of Lin Huaiyu, his pheromones overwhelming her senses. She could no longer bear it; a desperate urge to retreat surged within her. However, a hand suddenly gripped her waist and yanked her back before she could move, pulling her into a scorching embrace.

“Lin Huaiyu, what do you think you’re doing? Let go of me!” Su Weichu struggled, twisting her body in an attempt to break free from his hold.

Yet Lin Huaiyu’s grip was unyielding, as solid and unmovable as iron, rendering her every effort futile.

“Lin Huaiyu, don’t forget—we’re already divorced!” Su Weichu hissed, her voice seething with frustration. She intended to remind him of the distance between them, even using Fu Wenbo as a shield. “I’m now Fu’s fiancée. Lin Huaiyu, do you want to make enemies of both the Su and Fu families?!”

But those words only seemed to ignite a deeper and darker emotion within Lin Huaiyu. With a swift motion, he seized her shoulders, his hands locking firmly onto her as he leaned down, his lips crashing onto hers with an intensity that left her breathless.

Su Mochu’s eyes widened in shock. Staring up at his face—so close, so overwhelming—her mind went blank, thoughts scattering into nothingness as the kiss consumed her.

As she finally came to her senses, her eyes brimmed with a mixture of shame and fury, her struggles growing more frantic.

“Let go… mmmph—”

Before she could utter more than two words, her lips were sealed once more. This time, Lin Huaiyu’s kiss was fiercer, more relentless, as though he intended to devour Su Weichu whole. His lips moved with a savage intensity, leaving no room for escape. Su Weichu, overwhelmed by anger and frustration, retaliated by sinking her teeth into his lower lip.

A low, pained groan escaped from the man, vibrating against her mouth. Lin Huaiyu’s dark, fathomless eyes glinted with amusement as he gazed down at the woman who dared to defy him. Did she really think such a feeble act of resistance would make him release her?

Instead of relenting, his kiss grew even more ferocious, as if the taste of blood only fueled his desire. The metallic tang of iron spread between them, mingling with the heat of their shared breath. Su Weichu’s heart raced, a flicker of genuine fear igniting within her.

Her trepidation deepened when she felt his hand slide beneath her clothing, his fingers brushing against her bare skin. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through her, causing her body to tremble involuntarily. The air around them crackled with tension, a dangerous blend of desire and defiance, as the boundaries between them blurred in the heat of the moment.

“Lian Huaiyu, don’t make me hate you!”

Her voice trembled with a mixture of anger and desperation as she pushed him away, her eyes red-rimmed and glistening with unshed tears. Her teeth clenched, every word dripping with venom. Lin Huaiyu was momentarily stunned, his heart aching at the sight of Su Weichu like this—raw, vulnerable, and filled with a fury he had never seen in her before.

“I…” He begun, his voice low and hesitant, but before he could finish, she cut him off sharply.

“Get out! I can’t bear to see you right now!”

Her words were like a blade, slicing through the tension between them. Su Weichu shoved him with all her might, her eyes blazing with hatred that struck him like a physical blow. Lian Huaiyu’s chest tightened, the pain of her rejection cutting deeper than any wound. He knew she was too furious to listen to reason, yet he couldn’t let her go without a final warning.

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not harsh. His voice was low, each word deliberate and heavy with emotion. “I’ll leave, but remember this—as long as I refuse to agree to a divorce, you are still my wife. Stay away from Fu Wenbo.”

With that, he released her and turned on his heel, striding away before she could retaliate with more cutting words. Su Weichu stared at his retreating figure, her chest heaving with a bitter laugh that held no humor. The sound echoed in the empty space between them, a hollow testament to the chasm that had widened in their relationship.

Her laughter faded into silence, leaving behind only the weight of unresolved emotions and the lingering ache of a love that seemed to be unraveling at the seams.

“President Lin, although you claim that I’m still your wife, where will that leave Qiao Shan? Or are you content in letting your first love suffer in silence, following you without a name or a status?” Her voice was icy, sharp as a winter wind, cutting through the air as she hurled the question at his retreat.

Lian Huaiyu’s steps faltered for the briefest moment, but he didn’t stop. He didn’t turn. It was as if her words had fallen on deaf ears, swallowed by the void between them. He continued walking, his figure growing smaller and more distant with each step.

Su Weichu watched him go, her chest tightening with a storm of emotions—anger, betrayal, and a deep, aching hurt. Her fists clenched at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she fought to keep her composure. Of course. She should have known better than to expect anything from this man. Hope was a dangerous thing, and she had let it cloud her judgment for far too long.

—

Meanwhile, Lian Huaiyu strode out of the office, his expression unreadable but his jaw clenched tight. As fate would have it, he nearly collided with Fu Wenbo, who was rushing down the hallway. The two men locked eyes, the air between them crackling with tension, thick enough to ignite.

Fu Wenbo’s gaze immediately zeroed in on the faint smear of blood at the corner of Lian Huaiyu’s lips and the faint bruise forming on his jaw. Rage flared in his eyes, hot and uncontrollable. Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them in a few swift strides, grabbing Lin Huaiyu by the collar and shoving him against the nearest wall.

“What the hell did you do to Chu Chu?” Fu Wenbo growled, his voice low and dangerous, each word dripping with barely restrained fury. His grip tightened, his knuckles whitening as he glared at the man before him, demanding an answer.

The hallway seemed to hold its breath, the silence heavy and charged, as the two men stood locked in a silent battle of wills.