---
Inside a sleek black car gliding silently through the busy city streets, Su Meilin sat by the tinted window, staring out as raindrops gently streaked the glass.
The interior was silent except for the occasional hum of the tires against the asphalt and the soft clicking of her freshly manicured nails tapping against her phone.
Her thoughts were a chaotic whirl.
Laetania had arranged the car, telling her to think about it and call her.
Su Meilin glanced at the tinted window, watching the trees blur by. Her fingers curled into the hem of her sleeve as her mind spun.
Am I doing the right thing?
She sighed, unlocking her phone.
Heart skipping when she saw the notification bar. Ten missed calls. Six from her mother and four from her father.
Oh no... She had promised not to sleep outside again.
She quickly hit the call button.
The phone barely rang once before Li Yan picked up. "Meilin?! Where are you?! Do you have any idea how worried we've been?!"
"Mom... I'm sorry... I—"
"Your grandfather was hospitalized after he fainted last night! He's been asking for you since he woke up! Where have you been?!"
Su Meilin felt the world tilt beneath her. "What?! Grandpa fainted?"
"Yes. We're at the private hospital. Come now."
"Send me the address," Meilin said quickly, her voice cracking. As soon as the call ended, she turned to the driver nit caring if he wasn't her driver. "Take me to Su Private Hospital. Fast."
---
In the hospital room, the sterile scent of antiseptic mingled with the quiet hum of medical equipment.
Old Man Su lay on the hospital bed, his eyes sharp despite the pale cast of his skin.
Li Yan entered quietly.
"She's on her way," she said softly.
The old man looked at her with narrowed eyes. "That girl... She spent the night out again. You've spoiled her too much."
Li Yan bit her lip but said nothing. She knew arguing would be pointless.
A doctor entered, flipping through a clipboard. He checked the monitors and nodded. "Vitals are stable. He's improving. He can be discharged in a few days, but he needs rest."
Just as the doctor left, the door opened again. Su Zhenghao walked in, still in his business attire, tension lining his face.
"Where is your daughter?" he asked his wife sharply.
Li Yan narrowed her eyes. "She's on the way."
"Go make porridge for Father," he ordered.
Li Yan nodded. She understood he wanted to speak to the old man alone.
Once she left, Su Zhenghao pulled a chair close to the bed and leaned in. "Father... What happened last night?"
Old Man Su turned his head away, the stubborn tilt of his chin visible. "Nothing. Just fatigue."
"Don't lie to me," Su Zhenghao said, voice low. "The young guard told me. He said something about... the Obsidian Fangs. Who are they?"
A flicker crossed the old man's face, but he remained silent.
"If there's danger, I need to know. We can't let our guard down."
Still no answer.
Zhenghao sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Fine. But if anything happens again, tell me first. We need to be ready."
After a pause, Old Man Su grunted softly. "Fine."
---
Su Meilin burst into the hospital lobby, barely remembering to sign in before rushing to the elevators.
Her heart pounded with urgency as she mashed the floor button repeatedly.
She burst into the VIP ward room, breathless. "Grandpa!"
Old Man Su turned his head and, upon seeing her, his expression softened visibly. "Come here, child."
She ran to his side, taking his hand gently. "Are you okay?"
He smiled faintly. "Just tired. But I feel better now."
She nodded, trying to fight back tears. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. I—"
"You're here now," he interrupted kindly.
Her father stood to the side, arms crossed, a stern frown still on his face.
"Where are you coming from?" he asked sharply.
Su Meilin blinked, startled. "I… I was at Liang Qianyu's mansion. I stayed over."
The old man chuckled. "Spending time with your in-laws, eh? Not bad."
Su Zhenghao raised an eyebrow but nodded slowly. The tension on his face eased. Maybe I was too harsh.
"How is your company going?" he asked, tone softer now.
"We're preparing to launch a new cosmetics line," Meilin said, brightening. "Yiren, the famous actress, agreed to be our brand ambassador."
"Impressive," her grandfather murmured.
"You're doing well," Su Zhenghao added. "You're finally showing you deserve to be Liang Yexuan's wife."
Meilin flushed with pride and embarrassment. "Thank you, Father. Grandpa."
---
Last night…
The VIP Private Room of the club quiet, only the flickering neon lights remaining.
William paced around the room while Eric stood near the shattered glass door where Meilin had been dragged out.
"Who the hell were those men?" Eric growled. "They didn't look like Liang Yexuan's people."
William didn't answer. His eyes were dark, stormy.
"They were… organized," he finally said. "Too clean. Too fast. She was gone in seconds."
Eric clenched his fists eyes filled with fury. "We had eyes everywhere. Who were those men?"
William said. "Let's find out."
He took out his phone and dialed a number.
After three rings, a deep voice answered.
"Report."
"Another group's stepped in. Took the girl. They moved fast. Professional. We didn't even see them coming."
On the other end of the line, the man sat in a chair inside a dark chamber.
He wore a heavy robe, and the dim light glinted off his dark skin. A long scar crossed his temple.
He said nothing for a moment.
Then the man spoke in a deep voice, laced with fury. "Find out who they are. We've waited twenty years. No one interferes now."
The call ended.
---