The next morning, when Su Qingyuan slowly woke up, she found herself lying comfortably in her own bed.
She had no memory of how she had returned to her room the previous night.
The only thing that remained vividly etched in her mind was the moment Chen Yan held her hand and softly promised:
“As a unified front.”
Sitting up, she turned to look outside the window.
The sunlight was unusually bright today.
After washing up, she headed downstairs.
Chen Yan was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast exactly as he did every morning.
Hearing her footsteps, he turned around naturally.
“You’re awake?”
Su Qingyuan nodded lightly.
He brought the freshly prepared dishes to the dining table, and the two quietly sat down to eat together.
Everything felt calm and ordinary, as though nothing significant had happened the night before.
Yet Su Qingyuan knew very clearly that everything between them had already changed.
After finishing breakfast, she gently placed her chopsticks down.
“About what happened last night,” she said softly, “you still remember everything clearly?”
Chen Yan nodded calmly.
“I do.”
Su Qingyuan looked directly into his eyes.
“That Zhou Family… who exactly are they?”
Chen Yan fell silent briefly before answering.
“Ten years ago, the Chen Family worked closely with them in business. Later, they deliberately set a trap for my father. They pushed all the debt onto him and framed him in a major financial crime case.” His voice remained calm and steady. “Unable to bear the pressure and humiliation, my father jumped from the rooftop of our company building. My mother followed him shortly afterward.”
Su Qingyuan’s heart tightened painfully.
She stared at him, wanting to comfort him somehow, but no words came out.
Chen Yan’s expression remained peaceful, as though he were merely recounting someone else’s story.
“After the fall of the Chen Family, everyone scattered. I left the Capital alone and wandered from place to place. I worked countless jobs and lived in many different cities.” He lifted his eyes to meet hers. “That continued until the night I met you in the rain.”
Su Qingyuan quietly held his gaze.
“So the moment I confirmed last night that the Zhou Family was behind this,” he continued calmly, “I knew I had to step in. Not because of revenge, but because I won’t allow them to hurt someone I care about.”
Someone I care about.
Su Qingyuan’s heartbeat suddenly skipped.
She lowered her eyes instinctively, unable to continue looking directly at him.
A few seconds later, she regained her composure.
“Then what do we do now?”
Chen Yan considered briefly before replying.
“Since their real goal is to force me out into the open, they won’t stop after this. The supply chain attack is only the beginning. More aggressive moves will come soon.”
Su Qingyuan nodded firmly.
“Then we’ll deal with every single one of them.”
Chen Yan looked at her unwavering expression, warmth gradually appearing in his eyes.
“You’re not afraid?”
She shook her head immediately.
“No. As long as you’re beside me, I’m not afraid of anything.”
Chen Yan paused slightly, clearly surprised by her answer.
Then a genuine smile slowly appeared on his face.
“Alright,” he said softly. “Then we’ll destroy them together.”
Three days later, Chen Yan received a highly confidential intelligence report.
Inside was detailed information on Hengyuan Group’s financial structure, hidden debts, shareholder arrangements, executive scandals, market operations, and even criminal evidence tied to several senior executives.
He handed the file to Su Qingyuan.
As she flipped through the documents, her eyes brightened with excitement.
“With this information, we can force them into negotiations.”
Chen Yan slowly shook his head.
“That’s not enough,” he said, his tone turning colder. “What we need is a complete counterattack.”
Su Qingyuan looked at him intently.
“How?”
Chen Yan opened the file to a specific page and pointed at a series of financial records.
“Hengyuan Group’s cash flow has always been unstable. Their expansion relies entirely on continuously borrowing new funds to cover old debts.” His eyes darkened slightly. “The moment their main source of capital is cut off, the entire company will collapse instantly.”
Su Qingyuan quickly analyzed the information.
“You mean we pressure the banks into refusing them further loans?”
Chen Yan shook his head again.
“The banks are only secondary. Their true lifeline is a major investor named Li Cheng. Back when the Chen Family was still at its peak, I had direct contact with him and learned some things about his background.”
Su Qingyuan frowned slightly.
“What things?”
Chen Yan fell silent for a moment.
“He controls a huge amount of illegal funds. If we expose the origins of that money, the authorities will arrest him immediately.”
Su Qingyuan’s breathing became slightly uneven.
“You already have evidence?”
“Not yet,” Chen Yan replied calmly. “But I know exactly where the evidence is hidden.”
He stood up and walked toward the window.
“I need to return to the Capital.”
Su Qingyuan froze.
“You’re going back to the Capital?”
Chen Yan turned around to face her.
“There are things only I can retrieve personally.”
Looking at him, Su Qingyuan suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of unease.
“How long will you be gone?”
“I’m not sure.”
She immediately stood and walked toward him.
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Chen Yan rejected the idea without hesitation.
“No. It’s too dangerous there.”
“I don’t care about danger.”
“But I do.”
Su Qingyuan fell silent.
Chen Yan looked deeply into her eyes.
“You are the only person I truly care about in this world,” he said quietly. “I can’t allow anything to happen to you.”
Her heart trembled violently.
The only person I truly care about.
She lowered her head slowly, unable to respond.
Chen Yan gently raised his hand and softly touched the top of her head.
“Wait for me to come back.”
Su Qingyuan lifted her gaze again and stared firmly into his eyes.
“You have to return safely.”
Chen Yan nodded once.
“I will.”
Early the next morning, Chen Yan prepared to leave.
Su Qingyuan personally walked him to the front entrance.
Just as he opened the car door, he paused and looked back at her.
“Take care of yourself,” he reminded softly. “Eat properly, and don’t stay up working too late.”
Su Qingyuan nodded obediently.
Chen Yan entered the car and started the engine.
The black sedan slowly drove away, disappearing beyond the distant bamboo-lined road.
Su Qingyuan remained standing at the entrance long after the car had vanished from sight.
The morning breeze gently stirred her hair.
Again and again, his words echoed through her mind.
“You are the only person I truly care about in this world.”
A faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.
It was a soft smile, carrying both sweetness and a trace of quiet sadness.