Intertwined Fates

Xu Ying stood in front of the full-length mirror in her apartment, her fingertips gently smoothing out an almost invisible crease on her dress.

It was a dark green velvet gown that accentuated her snow-white skin and delicate collarbones. The slit in the skirt revealed glimpses of her figure, a style she always maintained—subtle yet bold. Just like her, outwardly gentle, but inwardly incredibly stubborn.

"Isn't this too formal?" She frowned at herself in the mirror.

My phone vibrated; Lin Xiaoyu had sent me a series of messages:

Have you set off yet?

"I heard that half of the business tycoons will be here tonight!"

"By the way... I just heard that people from the Zong Group might also be attending."

The last message left Xu Ying's fingers frozen in mid-air.

Zong's Group.

Five years have passed, but this name still makes her heart skip a beat.

She took a deep breath and replied quickly, "I'm just going to show my face, I'll be gone soon."

She put down her phone, opened her jewelry box, and her fingertips hovered among several necklaces. Finally, she chose a minimalist silver chain—the first piece of jewelry she bought for herself after becoming independent, symbolizing a fresh start.

Outside the window, the night view of Nangang had already lit up, with neon lights casting dappled shadows on the glass. Xu Ying gazed at the silhouette of the Imperial View Hotel in the distance, and for a moment, she vaguely recalled a night from her high school days.

That day, Zong Heng skipped class by climbing over the wall and pulled her up to the school rooftop. He pointed to the lights in the distance and said, "Xu Ying, from now on, I'll make sure all the lights in the city are lit for you."

The arrogant vows of youth now seem laughable.

The banquet hall of the Imperial View Hotel was magnificent, and the light reflected from the crystal chandelier made Xu Ying squint slightly.

“Designer Xu!” Manager Wang from the organizer greeted her warmly. “Your booth has been arranged, and it’s located on the east side of the main hall.”

Xu Ying smiled and thanked them, her gaze sweeping across the venue. Guests gathered in twos and threes, the clinking of champagne glasses echoing throughout. She recognized several well-known designers in the industry, as well as several business tycoons who frequently appeared in financial magazines.

"I heard the new CEO of the Zong Group is coming tonight," the two women beside me whispered. "He's only 28 and has already taken over the entire group. I hear he's incredibly handsome..."

Xu Ying gripped her wine glass tightly, her knuckles turning white. She shouldn't have cared. For the past five years, she had deliberately avoided all news about Zong Heng. But when that name truly reached her ears, she realized that she wasn't as carefree as she had imagined.

“Designer Xu,” Director Li from the brand approached unnoticed, dressed in a suit and tie, but unable to hide the calculation in his eyes, “I’ve heard so much about you!”

He was so close that Xu Ying could smell the strong scent of his cologne. She subtly took a half step back and said, "Hello, Mr. Li."

"Oh, don't be so formal!" Director Li familiarly put his arm around her shoulder. "Our company has a big project in the second half of the year, and we really need a rising star like you..."

His hand caressed her shoulder. Xu Ying endured the discomfort and was about to find an excuse to leave when the banquet hall doors suddenly opened.

A commotion arose.

The light at the entrance was blocked by a tall figure.

The man wore a sharply tailored black suit with crisp shoulders, which accentuated his tall and imposing figure. His tie was tied meticulously, and his cufflinks gleamed with a cold silver light. He was like a knife forged from ice, sharp and piercing, yet terrifyingly calm.

Zong Heng.

Xu Ying's fingertips tightened unconsciously, her nails almost digging into her palms.

Five years had passed, and his features were more defined than when he was a teenager, with sharp brow bones and a jawline as cold and hard as if carved by a knife. Only his eyes were more profound than before, like a bottomless, icy pool, calm on the surface but turbulent beneath.

His arrival subtly changed the atmosphere of the entire banquet hall.

Someone whispered among themselves, "That's the new CEO of the Zong family? He's even younger than rumored..."

"I heard he's ruthless; he just acquired a competitor's company last month and laid off the entire management team..."

"Shh, keep your voice down, he's looking over here..."

Zong Heng's gaze swept across the crowd, and wherever he passed, the conversations unconsciously quieted down.

His gaze finally settled on the corner—Xu Ying stood there, like a frozen painting.

The moment their eyes met, Xu Ying felt her blood freeze.

His eyes were terrifyingly deep, like a wild beast that had been lying in wait for a long time finally locking onto its prey, with undisguised aggression.

She instinctively took a half step back, but bumped into the table behind her, causing her champagne glass to wobble slightly and nearly tip over.

Director Li swiftly grabbed her arm, his voice laced with obsequiousness: "President Zong! You've arrived! This is our Designer Xu, the one you mentioned before..."

Zong Heng's gaze fell on Director Li's hand resting on Xu Ying's wrist, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He strode over, the sound of his leather shoes on the marble floor clearly audible, each step feeling like a blow to Xu Ying's nerves.

Finally, he stopped in front of her.

"Xu Ying".

He spoke, his voice low and deep, carrying a hint of danger that only she could detect.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

Xu Ying's throat tightened.

She forced herself to look up, a standard professional smile playing on her lips: "Mr. Zong, hello."

They were distant and polite, as if they were strangers meeting for the first time.

Zong Heng's lips twitched, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.

Director Li continued rambling, "President Zong is very interested in Designer Xu's work. Why don't we find a quiet place to discuss it in detail?"

Zong Heng didn't speak, but just stared at Xu Ying. Suddenly, he reached out, took a glass of red wine from the waiter's tray, and handed it to her.

"Want a drink?"

Xu Ying's fingertips trembled slightly.

That was the red wine she hated the most.

At their high school graduation party, he coaxed her into taking a bite, which caused her to choke and turn bright red. He laughed heartily, pinching her cheek and saying, "Xu Ying, how can you be so cute?"

And now, the glass of wine he's offering feels like a silent test—

do you remember?

Xu Ying didn't answer, her voice calm: "Sorry, I don't drink."

Director Li quickly tried to smooth things over: "Designer Xu isn't a good drinker, Mr. Zong, please don't mind..."

Zong Heng suddenly laughed, but the laughter didn't reach his eyes: "Really? But I remember you used to drink."

Are you pretending not to know me?

Xu Ying understood his subtext and her back tensed up.

Just then, Director Li's hand "inadvertently" touched her waist. She instinctively dodged away, but then heard a "bang"!

Zong Heng slammed his wine glass down on the table, splashing dark red liquid all over Director Li.

"President Zong?!" Director Li was terrified.

Zong Heng didn't even look at him, directly grabbing Xu Ying's wrist, his voice as cold as a knife:

"She said she didn't want to. Can't she understand human language?"

The entire banquet hall was completely silent.

Xu Ying abruptly shook off his hand and rushed towards the bathroom without looking back.

The woman in the mirror had pale lips, trembling eyelashes, and her chest heaving violently. She gripped the edge of the marble sink tightly, the icy touch spreading from her fingertips, but unable to cool the surging heat in her blood.

—Zong Heng.

The name was like a rusty knife, stabbing into her heart again five years later, causing her so much pain that she could barely stand.

The tap was turned on full blast, cold water cascading over her slender wrists. She scrubbed mechanically, as if that could wash away the warmth of his touch. But the memories grew ever clearer—

Zong Heng was the same way when he was young; he always liked to rub the corner of her eye with his thumb.

"Why are you crying?" The seventeen-year-old frowned, roughly wiping away her tears with his fingers. "Who bullied you? I'll beat him up."

Now, his fingertips still bore the familiar calluses, but his tone was so dangerous it sent shivers down her spine.

"Xu Ying, do you think you can sever all ties with me after hiding for five years?"

Amidst the sound of flowing water, she heard her own rapid breathing. The reflection in the mirror suddenly distorted into the window of her high school classroom. During that rainy season, Zong Heng climbed into her seat, his wet bangs plastered to his forehead, and shoved a hot milk tea into her hand.

"Drink up," the boy laughed arrogantly, "it won't poison you."

Whoosh—

She suddenly scooped up some cold water and splashed it on her face. The mascara smudged into a faint black, like a faded youth.

The sound of leather shoes tapping on the marble floor came from outside the door.

One step at a time.

Slow and precise, like a cheetah approaching its prey with nowhere to escape.

The footsteps stopped outside the door.

"Xu Ying."

A deep voice pierced through the door, vibrating like an electric current. She reflexively tensed her back, her nails digging deep into her palms.

The man's tall silhouette was faintly visible through the frosted glass. He raised his hand and placed it on the door, revealing a glimpse of an expensive wristwatch from his cuff; the ticking of the second hand was amplified infinitely in the deathly silent space.

"Open the door."

These two words seemed to be squeezed out from between teeth, carrying the storm of five years of suppressed emotions.

Xu Ying bit her lower lip hard. The metallic taste of blood made her realize she had bitten it raw. This realization suddenly made her feel wronged and want to cry—five years had passed, how could he still affect her like this?

"Do you need me to kick the door down?" Zong Heng's voice suddenly softened, carrying a familiar, dangerous tenderness. "You know I'm capable of it."

Memories flooded back. In her second year of high school, she was locked in the equipment room, and a similar tone came through the iron gate, followed by a deafening thud as the door was kicked open. The boy stood backlit, his school uniform jacket covered in dust, extending his scarred hand towards her.

"What are you standing there for?" Zong Heng grinned roguishly. "Shall I carry you out?"

The bathroom light bulb emitted a faint hum. Xu Ying suddenly realized that Zong Heng was far more terrifying now than he was at eighteen. The youthful rage had transformed into a restrained sense of oppression; his mere silence was suffocating.

The cell phone rang abruptly.

The sound of Zong Heng answering the phone came from outside the door: "Speak."

After a moment of silence, his voice suddenly turned icy: "All the information? Including addresses and jobs for the past five years?"

Xu Ying's blood froze instantly.

He's investigating her!

Anger erupted like magma. Xu Ying flung open the door, meeting Zong Heng's deep, unfathomable eyes.

He stood in the warm light of the corridor, holding his phone, his silhouette sharp as a drawn sword. Seeing her emerge, he slowly lowered his phone; the screen was still lit—a recent photo of her, taken at last week's design exhibition.

"You're spying on me?" Xu Ying's voice trembled.

Zong Heng's gaze fell on her smudged eye makeup, and he suddenly reached out. She instinctively stepped back, her back hitting the cold tiles.

His thumb gently traced the area under her eyes, an incredibly tender touch: "Why are you crying?"

These words completely shattered her defenses. Xu Ying slapped his hand away forcefully: "Zong Heng! It's over! It ended five years ago!"

The corridor lights cast a deep shadow on his brow bone. Zong Heng suddenly took a step closer, trapping her between the wall and his chest, the scent of tequila enveloping her.

"The end?" He chuckled softly, his breath tickling her ear. "Did I agree?"

Xu Ying raised her hand to push him away, but he easily grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the wall. The moment their skin touched, they both trembled. His palm was still burning hot, just like after that basketball game that year, when he was covered in sweat and grabbed the bottled water she handed him, his fingertips lightly brushing against the back of her hand.

"Let go..." Her struggles were utterly ineffective.

Zong Heng suddenly leaned down, his nose almost touching hers: "In these five years, has anyone touched you here?" His thumb caressed her slender wrist bone.

"What's it to you!"

"Yes or no?" His voice suddenly turned cold.

Xu Ying trembled with anger: "Who do you think you are? I've had many boyfriends—"

A sharp pain shot through her wrist. Zong Heng's pupils shrank to dangerous pinpoints, the force so great it felt like he was about to crush her bones.

Xu Ying made her escape.

Her high heels clicked erratically on the marble floor, like her uncontrollable heartbeat. The moment the elevator doors closed, she saw Zong Heng still standing there, the lights casting his tall figure long and thin, stretching all the way to the boy in the school uniform in her memory.

The elevator is going down.

My phone suddenly vibrated. A text message from an unknown number:

"You can't escape. —Z"