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The next day, in Kuala Lumpur, at the headquarters of the Cultural Heritage Alliance, in a small conference room.

The atmosphere was subtly tense even before the meeting began.

At one side of the oval table, seven core members of the alliance sat upright. Dr. Suleiman, who was at the head of the group, wore a polite smile, but his eyes revealed scrutiny. The other members, especially Professor Azman, the representative of the Environment Committee, and Ms. Haja Fatima, the community representative, had even more distant expressions, and even a hint of barely perceptible dislike.

Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia sat on the other side of the round table, and could clearly sense the hostility. Before they arrived at the conference room, they heard whispers coming from inside.

“…The Lu Group? That conglomerate that wants to build a glass palace on the beach?” Haja’s voice was filled with dissatisfaction. “Suleiman, are you sure you want to give them time? Our coastline isn’t a canvas for these foreign developers.”

Dr. Suleiman's voice was gentle but helpless: "Haja, Ms. Lin was introduced by President Xu. She has indeed made some noteworthy achievements in digital art and cultural preservation. Be patient and listen to Mr. Lu's latest thoughts."

"Hmph, hopefully it's not just a change in name only," Azman continued. "We've seen enough of those capitalist tricks. All that fancy slogans is ultimately about reaping profits, leaving behind ecological damage."

These words drifted out through the slightly ajar door, reaching Lin Ruoyin's ears clearly. Despite being somewhat prepared, the sheer intensity of the rejection still made her heart clench. She represented not only herself, but also the struggling Lu Corporation and the expectations of thousands of employees. A heavy weight pressed down on her.

Just then, a hand gently landed on her shoulder.

Lin Ruoyin looked up and met Xu Jia's eyes.

"Don't be so nervous," he said softly. "Relax, you can do it."

Xu Jia's encouragement was very helpful to her, and Lin Ruoyin's tense nerves gradually relaxed.

The meeting began.

The initial atmosphere was quite cold.

The questions raised by the committee members were sharp and direct, filled with doubts about Lu's past development models and deep concerns about environmental protection and community interests. Lin Ruoyin did not rush to defend or deny, but listened attentively, and then began her statement in fluent English.

She began by acknowledging the shortcomings of Lu's original plan, frankly admitting that it had indeed overlooked the sensitivities of the local ecology and culture. Then, as a communicator and co-builder, she presented a completely new blueprint for the plan.

When Professor Azman questioned the data, she pulled up a detailed report from the organization's research; when Ms. Haja expressed concern that the interests of artisans could not be protected, she provided a concrete model and clearly stated her willingness to accept the alliance's supervision.

Xu Jia sat to the side, mostly silent, only adding when necessary. His gaze, however, remained fixed on Lin Ruoyin. It was as if he were seeing the girl who had spoken so eloquently at the campus salon five years ago.

Five years later, she was still dazzling, but he felt a mix of emotions.

...

As the presentations progressed, the committee members' attitudes subtly began to change.

After the presentation, the meeting room fell silent again, but this silence was completely different from the one at the beginning; it was a silence of reflection and deliberation.

After a long silence, Dr. Suleiman exchanged views with the two senior committee members on his left and right, then looked at Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia and slowly said, "The Alliance has seen your sincerity and the practical efforts you have made in environmental protection and community integration. In principle, we recognize the value of this new direction."

Lin Ruoyin's heart jumped, sensing that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, a certain "but" was about to arrive.

“However,” Dr. Suleiman’s tone shifted, his expression turning serious, “ideas need solid evidence to prove them. Near Kuala Lumpur, there is the Abdul Family Workshop, a five-generation family business that supplies special metalwork to royalty and top brands. They are a living fossil of our country’s handcrafted metal forging techniques and a symbol of the spirit of preserving traditional craftsmanship. They are extremely averse to purely commercial collaborations, especially large-scale development projects, believing that it would taint the purity of their craft.”

He looked directly at Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia: "If you can persuade Mr. Haji Abdul to allow his workshop to settle in Xingyu and sign a long-term, in-depth cooperation agreement, then the alliance will see this as the most powerful proof that your project respects and empowers the essence of local culture. At that time, the core obstacle to project approval will no longer exist."

This is not an easy task, but it is also an opportunity.

Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia exchanged a glance, both seeing the same determination in each other's eyes.

Lin Ruoyin: "Could you please introduce us to Mr. Haji Abdul?"

Suleiman smiled with relief: "No problem."

...

The meeting ended in a harmonious atmosphere.

By the time I stepped out of the alliance headquarters building, the sky over Kuala Lumpur had completely darkened. The daytime heat and humidity had settled into the twilight, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of tropical plants.

The intense tension made Lin Ruoyin's head throb slightly, and she subconsciously pressed her temples with her knuckles.

Xu Jia noticed this action.

He walked half a step to Lin Ruoyin's side and asked, "Going straight back to the hotel?"

Lin Ruoyin nodded: "Mm."

Zhou Hui was already waiting by the roadside.

The air conditioning in the carriage was on full blast, instantly dispelling the stifling heat outside. Lin Ruoyin leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and tried to relax her brain, which had been working at high speed all day.

Xu Jia sat next to her, his gaze sometimes falling on the window and sometimes on Lin Ruoyin's profile.

"We've arranged a visit to Mr. Haji Abdul's workshop tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.." Xiao Tang, in the passenger seat, turned around after finishing the handover and reported the situation. She paused, her gaze lingering on Lin Ruoyin's face: "President Lin, you don't look well. Are you sick?"

Xu Jia's gaze finally settled completely on Lin Ruoyin's profile, and he furrowed his brows.

Lin Ruoyin: "I might be under a lot of pressure, but I'll be fine after a rest."

Xu Jia looked at Lin Ruoyin's pale face and asked, "What would you like to eat? I'll arrange it."

Lin Ruoyin didn't have much of an appetite. "Just something light and simple is fine."

Xiao Tang: "How about this, I'll have the front desk send some porridge and side dishes to your rooms later, so you can all get some rest and don't have to run around anymore."

Lin Ruoyin nodded: "Okay."

On the way, a sudden downpour began.

Upon arriving at the hotel entrance, Xu Jia, Lin Ruoyin, and Xiao Tang got out of the car first. As planned, Xiao Tang headed towards the front desk, while Xu Jia and Lin Ruoyin went up the elevator first.

The elevator dinged as it arrived at their floor. Just as Lin Ruoyin lifted her foot to step out, the lights inside the elevator suddenly flickered violently, emitting a crackling sound. Then, the entire elevator plummeted downwards!

A sudden feeling of weightlessness washed over her. Lin Ruoyin swayed and instinctively reached out to grab something.

"Don't be afraid," Xu Jia's voice rang out at the same time, low and urgent. He grasped Lin Ruoyin's flustered hand with one hand, and with the other, he quickly pressed the open door button and all the floor buttons. The elevator, with a heart-pounding slight sway and a grating metallic scraping sound, struggled to a stop in an awkward position. The door was wedged between two floors, revealing a dimly lit stairwell about thirty centimeters above, and below, the bottomless darkness of the elevator shaft.

...

The malfunction occurred in an instant, and then seemed to stabilize in the next instant.

Xu Jia quickly checked the emergency call button and intercom, but neither seemed to be responding.

He made a decision immediately: "We can't stay inside, we have to get out."

Lin Ruoyin looked up at the narrow crack in the door, where the green light of the emergency lights outside shone faintly through.

"From above?"

“Yes.” Xu Jia had already taken off his suit jacket. “Can you get up by stepping on my shoulders?”

Lin Ruoyin nodded hesitantly: "Okay."

Xu Jia crouched down, gesturing for her to step onto him. Lin Ruoyin took off her high heels and threw them out, stepping barefoot onto his broad and steady shoulders. He slowly stood up, lifting her steadily. Lin Ruoyin gripped the edge of the door crack with both hands, and with a push from below, she used the momentum to climb out, somewhat clumsily but successfully, and landed on the floor of the corridor outside.

She immediately turned around and reached into the elevator.

Xu Jia was much more agile than her. He was tall and had long legs. He braced his hands on the edge of the door frame, his arm muscles tensed, and easily climbed up with a few clean pull-ups.

Almost the instant his feet touched the ground, the elevator behind him made another dull thud, the car jammed completely, and the doors closed shut.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of silence and gravity in each other's eyes.

"Are you alright?" Xu Jia asked, looking at Lin Ruoyin, who seemed somewhat disheveled.

Lin Ruoyin, looking slightly flustered, raised her hand to tidy her hair: "I'm fine, how about you?"

Xu Jia shook his head. "It's probably due to the heavy rain causing the circuit malfunction."

He checked the current floor; staying here wasn't an option. He then glanced at the stairwell. "Let's take the emergency exit and go upstairs."

Lin Ruoyin agreed. Fortunately, it only required going up a few floors before she could put her high heels back on.

Pushing open the heavy fire door, affected by the power outage, only the faint green emergency indicator light at the bottom of the wall spirals along the stairs.

You could sense Lin Ruoyin's exhaustion and lingering fear from her rapid breathing.

Xu Jia turned on his phone's flashlight, holding the light source, and silently followed half a step behind her. The beam mainly illuminated the steps beneath her feet and the few steps in front of her.

After climbing three or four flights of stairs, the soreness from wearing high heels and the tightness in her calves intensified, causing Lin Ruoyin to unconsciously slow her pace. Just as she stepped onto another step, her heel twisted, a slight stinging pain shot through her ankle, and she lost her balance, staggering forward—

"careful."

A low warning and a strong arm arrived almost simultaneously. Xu Jia reacted quickly, and before she could fall, one hand was already firmly around her waist. The immense momentum caused Lin Ruoyin to fall completely into his arms, her back slamming against his solid chest.

In an instant, the world seemed to be muted.

Only the two of them breathing heavily and erratically remained in the stairwell. The beam of the flashlight swayed wildly a few times due to Xu Jia's movements, finally settling on the side wall and casting their shadows close together.

Too close.

Lin Ruoyin could clearly feel the warmth of his chest seeping through the thin fabric of his shirt, and she could smell his cool, refreshing scent. Her hands instinctively went to his chest, her palms resting on his steady, powerful heartbeat, each beat tapping against her fingertips.

Xu Jia's arms encircled her waist, holding her tightly to prevent her from falling. His chin was almost touching the top of her head, his warm breath brushing against her temples. In that one or two seconds of stillness, time seemed to stretch and magnify. He could feel the softness and slight trembling of the body in his arms, and smell the familiar fragrance of her hair.

My heart skipped a beat without warning, followed by a heavier, faster throbbing, a long-lost, unfamiliar palpitation, crashing hard against my chest.

However--

Just as this ambiguity and excitement were about to burst forth, the beam of the flashlight inadvertently swept across Lin Ruoyin's left hand, which was hanging down in front of his chest.

The wedding ring on her ring finger reflected a cold, dazzling, and incredibly clear arc of light under the sudden burst of bright light.

It was like a thunderclap, or a silent mockery, ridiculing how absurd and laughable his infatuation was.

Xu Jia froze instantly.

Lin Ruoyin, who was in his arms, was also dazzled by the arc of light and her whole body stiffened.

All the ambiguity, the palpitations, and even the fragile dependence brought about by surviving a catastrophe, evaporated and froze instantly under that cold, hard light.

Xu Jia released his grip almost immediately.

His arm fell back to his side, but his fingertips still seemed to retain the touch and warmth of his embrace around her waist, bringing a tingling sensation.

He readjusted the phone's beam, illuminating the steps ahead steadily, avoiding her and any reflections on her hands.

The air in the stairwell seemed to have been sucked away instantly, leaving only awkwardness and coldness. That brief, warm intimacy was like a shattered illusion, leaving only an even more unbearable reality.

After a moment of silence, the two continued climbing the last few steps.

Finally, they pushed open the emergency exit door and returned to the floor where their room was located. The corridor lights shone down, announcing that power had been restored.

Xu Jia turned off his phone's flashlight, turned to the side, looked at Lin Ruoyin, and said in a voice that was colder than usual: "Get some rest."

Lin Ruoyin quickly suppressed all her outward emotions, "You too."

Xu Jia didn't say anything more, nodded slightly, and then turned and walked towards his room.

Lin Ruoyin stood there until his figure was completely out of sight before slowly walking to her room door, swiping her card to enter.

She leaned against the cold door and slowly, deeply exhaled, as if trying to release all the pent-up tension in her chest.

She raised her left hand, and the ring on her ring finger was still clearly visible in the darkness of the room before the lights were turned on. Unconsciously, she rubbed the cool band with her right thumb.

A dull, tingling pain came from my ankle.

The indescribable tightness in my chest was clearer than the physical pain.

She closed her eyes and told herself she couldn't think about it anymore.

Everything tonight—that unexpected, still-warm embrace, his arm that stiffened instantly and then quickly withdrew—all of it.

I can't think about any of it anymore.