A full week passed after the high society gala.
That morning, as Su Qingyuan prepared to leave the estate, her expression was even colder than usual.
Chen Yan immediately noticed the dark shadows beneath her eyes. It was obvious she had not slept at all the previous night.
Even so, he asked nothing.
When she returned to the villa that evening, her condition had clearly worsened.
Without touching dinner, she walked straight past the dining area and headed upstairs to her room.
Chen Yan quietly reheated the dishes, arranged them neatly on a tray, and carried the food upstairs.
He knocked several times on the heavy wooden door, but no reply came from inside.
After a brief pause, he pushed the door open and entered.
The bedroom was completely dark.
Su Qingyuan sat on the floor beside the wide floor-to-ceiling window, her knees pulled tightly against her chest as she stared silently into the night outside.
Moonlight spilled across her face, revealing the redness around her eyes.
Chen Yan placed the tray gently on the desk before walking over and sitting beside her on the floor.
He said nothing.
He simply stayed there quietly beside her.
After a long silence, Su Qingyuan finally spoke.
“The company is in serious trouble.”
Chen Yan turned slightly to look at her.
“Our supply chain has been cut off,” she said softly, her voice trembling faintly. “The manufacturer we’ve worked with exclusively for the past ten years suddenly announced that they won’t renew our contract once it expires. They’ve already signed an agreement with our biggest competitor.”
Chen Yan remained silent, allowing her to continue.
“That supplier handles most of our raw materials. Once the shipments stop, our production lines will shut down immediately.” Her voice tightened further. “I spent the entire day trying to contact alternative suppliers, but every domestic manufacturer has already been pressured by the other side. No one dares to cooperate with us.”
She lowered her face against her knees, her shoulders trembling slightly.
“I’ve tried everything I can.”
Her voice became so quiet it was almost swallowed by the darkness.
“I really have no options left.”
Chen Yan quietly watched her curled figure.
Under the pale moonlight, she looked fragile, like a wounded animal hiding from the world.
A distant memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Long ago, he too had once stood at the edge of complete ruin.
At the time, he had believed there was no way out, that every path before him had already been sealed shut.
And afterward…
He slowly stood up.
Su Qingyuan raised her head immediately, her tear-filled eyes following his movements.
Chen Yan walked to the window, took out his encrypted phone, and dialed a hidden number.
The call connected almost instantly.
A deep, disciplined voice came from the other end.
“Young Master Chen?”
Chen Yan fell silent for two seconds before speaking calmly.
“Investigate a company for me,” he ordered. “The Hengyuan Group. I want a complete report on all of their hidden weaknesses and pressure points.”
There was a brief pause on the other side.
“Young Master Chen… you’ve finally decided to use our intelligence network again?”
Chen Yan did not answer the question.
The man on the other end gave a quiet chuckle.
“Understood. The full report will be delivered securely within seventy-two hours.”
The call ended.
Chen Yan lowered the phone and slipped it back into his pocket before turning around.
Su Qingyuan had already stood up.
She stared at him in complete shock, her eyes wide.
“You… those instructions just now…”
Chen Yan looked at her silently for a moment before speaking in a calm, measured tone.
“My surname is Chen. I am a direct descendant of the Capital’s Chen Family.”
Su Qingyuan froze.
The Capital’s Chen Family.
The legendary family that had once stood at the peak of the nation’s business world, a dynasty capable of shaking entire markets with a single decision.
And also the same family that had vanished overnight ten years ago.
She stared at Chen Yan as though she were seeing him for the first time.
“You… you really are…”
Chen Yan gave a firm nod.
“Yes.”
Her lips moved slightly, but no words came out.
Chen Yan’s gaze remained calm and steady.
“I apologize for hiding this from you all this time.”
Su Qingyuan shook her head quickly, still unable to fully process the revelation.
Outside the window, the moonlight shone brighter than ever.
The two of them stood there quietly, neither speaking.
After a long while, Su Qingyuan finally broke the silence.
“Why tell me now?”
Chen Yan considered the question briefly.
“Because just now,” he said quietly, “you said you had no options left.”
Her eyes locked onto his.
“I know what it feels like to face the collapse of everything alone,” he continued calmly. “I once experienced it myself. I don’t want you to endure that kind of despair by yourself.”
Su Qingyuan lowered her gaze for a moment before looking back at him.
“Thank you.”
Chen Yan slowly shook his head.
“There is no need to thank me. From now on, your problems are my responsibility as well.”
Su Qingyuan stared at him, stunned by the sincerity in his voice.
Your problems are my responsibility as well.
As she looked into his eyes, the hopelessness within her slowly began to fade, replaced by a faint spark of renewed strength.
At that moment, Chen Yan’s phone suddenly vibrated sharply.
He glanced at the screen before answering the call.
“Young Master Chen, we’ve obtained preliminary intelligence ahead of schedule. The true backer behind Hengyuan Group is the Zhou Family, the same family responsible for destroying the Chen Family ten years ago.”
The warmth in Chen Yan’s eyes vanished instantly.
In its place appeared a terrifying coldness Su Qingyuan had never seen before.
“The Zhou Family…” he repeated in a low voice.
“Yes. Their attack on the Su Corporation was intentional. Their surveillance network discovered your location, and they’re trying to force you out into the open.”
Chen Yan fell silent for several seconds.
“I understand.”
He ended the call and turned his gaze toward the night outside the window.
Under the moonlight, his sharp profile looked as cold as forged steel.
Su Qingyuan watched him quietly.
At that moment, the man who cooked for her every morning and reminded her to eat properly suddenly felt strangely distant.
Chen Yan slowly turned back toward her.
“I’m sorry,” he said solemnly. “My past has brought danger to your company.”
Su Qingyuan immediately shook her head.
“This is not your fault,” she said firmly, her usual strength gradually returning. “You’re the one standing beside me while everyone else is trying to destroy us.”
Chen Yan looked into her eyes.
Su Qingyuan stepped closer until only a small distance remained between them.
“No matter who you truly are,” she said softly, “you’re still the same Chen Yan who wakes me up every morning, cooks breakfast for me, worries about whether I’ve eaten properly, and reminds me not to catch cold.”
The icy chill in Chen Yan’s eyes slowly softened.
Su Qingyuan gently reached out and held his hand, intertwining her fingers with his.
“We’ll face this together,” she said firmly.
Chen Yan paused, clearly caught off guard.
Then, for the first time, a genuine smile slowly appeared on his face.
It was completely different from the polite, faint smiles he usually wore.
This smile was real, warm, and utterly sincere.
Su Qingyuan had never seen him smile like this before.
“Alright,” he replied softly, tightening his grip around her hand. “Together.”
Outside the window, moonlight poured down like silver water.
Inside the quiet room, the two stood side by side, their fingers tightly intertwined as they faced the darkness ahead together.
And perhaps, the answer born from that rain-soaked encounter long ago had finally revealed itself at this very moment.