Conspiracy escalates
Morning light streamed into the apartment through the sheer curtains of the French windows. Xu Ying hummed softly in the kitchen, the eggs sizzling in the pan. She deliberately cooked the yolks until they were half-cooked—Zong Heng liked it that way. The coffee machine hummed, filling the air with a rich aroma.
"Up so early?" A deep male voice came from behind, hoarse from just waking up. Zong Heng was leaning against the door frame in his bathrobe, his hair still messy, but it couldn't hide the impact of his sharply defined face.
Xu Ying turned around and smiled: "Weren't we meeting with investors today? I made it for you..." Before she could finish speaking, he hugged her from behind, his warm breath brushing against her ear.
"More than breakfast," he said with a laugh, "I'd like to eat..."
"Zong Heng!" Xu Ying blushed and gently nudged him with her elbow. "Stop fooling around, I'm going to burn my fried eggs."
He chuckled softly as he released her hand, but quickly stole a kiss as she turned away. This kind of morning had been going on for three months—since Zong Heng gave up the family business to start his own, they had begun living together in this small apartment.
As Xu Ying was tying his tie, Zong Heng suddenly frowned: "Are you going to see someone from Luminous today?"
"Hmm, quarterly cooperation negotiations." Her fingers deftly flipped through the pages. "What's up?"
"That CEO surnamed Zhao," Zong Heng's eyes darkened, "was staring at you the whole time at the last party."
Xu Ying couldn't help but laugh out loud: "President Zong, are you jealous?" She deliberately leaned closer, "Don't worry, I only have..." Before she could finish speaking, he kissed her, a deep and urgent kiss, until the coffee machine's beeping interrupted them.
"I'll pick you up tonight." Zong Heng picked up his briefcase and resumed his elite demeanor, as if the clingy man from just moments ago was an illusion.
Xu Ying sensed something was wrong as soon as she stepped into the studio. Her assistant, Xiao Lin, rushed up to her in a panic: "Director Xu, something's happened!"
In the conference room, a lawyer, his face grave, pushed a document toward us: "This morning, Luminous Group officially filed a lawsuit against us, accusing you of stealing and leaking trade secrets during your participation in their fall product bidding."
Xu Ying's fingers trembled slightly. The documents showed that her computer's IP address had accessed Luminous's encrypted server two weeks prior, downloading design sketches of their upcoming new product. Even more alarming, the design she had submitted to the client yesterday contained elements highly similar to Luminous's new product.
"This is impossible..." her voice tightened, "I've never had access to these documents!"
The lawyer adjusted his glasses: "The other party has provided a complete chain of evidence, including your computer access records, email correspondence, and even..." He paused, "...a surveillance video showing that you entered Luminous's R&D department on the evening of the 25th of last month."
Xu Ying jumped up, the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound: "I was in Hangzhou for an exhibition on the 25th! This is absolutely fake!"
Xiao Lin suddenly exclaimed, "Director Xu, quickly check Weibo!"
On phone screens, the hashtag #EmergingDesignerXuYingInvolvedInCorporateEspionage# has exploded. A lengthy article posted by a prominent financial blogger prominently featured photos of her "secret meeting" with the design director of Luminous, along with comparison images of allegedly "leaked design drafts." The comment section was in an uproar.
"As expected, he rose to power through sleeping his way into the top."
"Does Zong Heng know how despicable his girlfriend is?"
Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside the studio. Through the glass door, Xu Ying saw that over a dozen media outlets, armed with their cameras and microphones, had already blocked the entrance. Flashes of light pierced her eyes.
"Designer Xu, did you use your relationship with President Zong to obtain trade secrets?"
"There are rumors that your studio's previous winning bids involved irregularities. How do you respond?"
The reporters' questions pierced her like knives. Xu Ying clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. The nightmare of being pointed at and talked about by the entire school five years ago suddenly resurfaced, and the suffocating feeling made her almost unable to stand.
"Everyone," she said, forcing a trembling voice, "these accusations are completely fabricated. We have already engaged lawyers to gather evidence..."
"It's said that Luminous is preparing to sue for 20 million. How do you plan to respond?"
What is the Zong Group's response to this?
Xu Ying's vision blurred. Just then, the elevator doors opened with a "ding," and a tall figure strode in. The reporters suddenly fell silent and automatically made way for him.
Zong Heng appeared before her, impeccably dressed in a suit, his face terribly grim. Without looking at anyone, he took off his coat and draped it over Xu Ying's shoulders, then turned to face the media: "Before the judicial investigation concludes, any false reports will face legal action."
His voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the room. One reporter persisted, "Mr. Zong, did you already know...?"
"Three seconds." Zong Heng glanced at his watch. "If you're not leaving by now, you'll receive a lawyer's letter from our company tomorrow."
In less than two seconds, only the two of them remained in the corridor.
Zong Heng's team arrived within half an hour. As soon as the technical director, Xu Qian, walked in, he cursed, "This is the work of professional hackers."
Xu Ying's computer was connected to a data analysis device, and Xu Qian pulled up the "evidence" provided by Luminous—a set of server logs marked "Xu Ying's access records," which showed that she had remotely logged into Luminous's internal system a week before the bidding and downloaded design documents.
“Impossible.” Xu Ying shook her head. “I don’t even know what their system looks like.”
Xu Qian pushed up his glasses: "These logs have indeed been tampered with, but the method was very sophisticated, and it would be difficult for ordinary forensic examination to detect the problem."
Zong Heng stared at the screen and suddenly asked, "Was your computer repaired last week?"
Xu Ying was taken aback: "Yes, the motherboard had a problem. I asked my assistant to find a reputable repair company."
Zong Heng's eyes sharpened: "Which one?"
The assistant nervously handed over the repair slip: "Rui... Ruidun Technology."
The room fell silent instantly.
Xu Qian gasped: "RuiDun is a cybersecurity subsidiary of Zong's Holdings."
Zong Heng suddenly stood up, the chair scraping loudly on the floor. He grabbed his coat and headed out, but Xu Ying quickly grabbed him, asking, "Where are you going?"
"I'm looking for my father." His voice was as cold as ice.
Xu Ying held him tightly: "Going there now will only escalate the conflict! We need more evidence!"
Zong Heng turned to look at her, his eyes surging with violence, but he paused slightly when he touched her reddened fingertips. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down: "Xu Qian, check the repair records. I need to know all the information about the people involved."
The top-floor office of the Zong Group headquarters.
Zong's father was listening to his assistant report on the stock market when the door was suddenly kicked open. Zong Heng stood in the doorway, exuding a menacing aura, and threw a stack of documents at him.
"The repair records of Ruidun Technology." He sneered, "Do you want to explain why the company in which you have a stake would 'coincidentally' be responsible for repairing Xu Ying's computer?"
The grandfather slowly closed the folder: "Is this how you talk to me?"
"Don't give me that." Zong Heng slammed his fist on the desk. "Have someone hack her computer and fabricate evidence? Don't you find that disgusting?"
The father finally frowned: "What do you think the shopping mall is? A game of make-believe? What's so great about that Xu Ying? She comes from an ordinary family, her career is just starting out, what can she bring you?"
“She made me feel like a human being,” Zong Heng said, emphasizing each word, “not the money-making machine you carefully cultivated.”
The grandfather narrowed his eyes: "What if I don't withdraw the lawsuit?"
“Then I will make sure Ruidun Technology’s hacking activities are reported in the newspapers.” Zong Heng took out his phone and played a recording—the very evidence of tampering discovered by the technical team. “What do you think investors will think of the Zong Group’s business ethics?”
The elder's expression finally changed: "Are you threatening me?"
"No." Zong Heng turned and walked towards the door, leaving behind a final sentence before departing: "I'm teaching you what a bottom line is."
The night was as dark as ink, and the city's neon lights blurred and cast indistinct shadows on the rain-soaked streets. Xu Ying stood in a café across from the Ruidun Technology Building, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rim of her cup. Her tense profile was reflected in the glass window—this was their last chance.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Zong Heng's voice came through the Bluetooth headset, low and deep.
She nodded slightly, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "The address on the repair order is correct, and..." She squinted at the man in the suit who had just come out of the building entrance, "That man is 'Chen Rui' who came to my studio last time."
A cold laugh came through the earpiece. "Very good." Zong Heng's voice carried a dangerous undertone. "Proceed according to plan."
Xu Ying took a deep breath, pulled her baseball cap down even lower, and quickly crossed the street. Her heart pounded in her chest, not from fear—but from a long-lost, almost thrilling excitement. The Xu Ying who would only run away with red eyes five years ago was now actively stepping into the eye of the storm.
The reception desk of Ruidun Technology was lit with cold white lights. Xu Ying handed the forged visitor pass to the security guard on duty, deliberately lowering her voice: "Designed by Xingchen, here to retrieve backup server data on the 18th floor."
The security guard looked her over suspiciously: "So late?"
“The temporary system crashed, and the client needs to submit a proposal tomorrow.” She waved her phone; the screen displayed a photoshopped chat log. As the security guard bent down to verify, Zong Heng suddenly warned through her earpiece: “There’s a patrol in the right corridor. Delay him for thirty seconds.”
Xu Ying suddenly "accidentally" spilled her coffee on the registration book. "Sorry!" she said, frantically grabbing a tissue. The security guard, grumbling, turned to get a rag.
—Right now.
She slipped into the elevator, swiped her card, and pressed the button for the 25th floor. During the dozen or so seconds the elevator ascended, Zong Heng's breathing was clearly audible. "The surveillance footage is looping, but it'll only last fifteen minutes at most," he paused, "Xu Ying."
"Um?"
"If you see anything wrong, retreat immediately."
She looked at her own shining eyes in the elevator mirror and said softly, "When you climbed over the wall to buy me milk tea back then, didn't you ever think about 'running away'?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the earpiece, followed by a low chuckle: "...He needs to be taught a lesson."
The elevator dinged and stopped on the 25th floor. Xu Ying held her breath and pushed open the emergency exit door—
The archives door was locked. Xu Ying took a hairpin from her hair, her fingers incredibly steady. Five seconds later, the soft click of the latch opening made her smile.
“Young Master Zong,” she teased into the earpiece, “how is your girlfriend’s talent for being a thief?”
"Stop joking." His voice suddenly tightened. "Someone went to your floor!"
Xu Ying slipped into the archives room and locked the door behind her. The dim blue server indicator lights twinkled like stars in the darkness. She quickly plugged in the USB drive Zong Heng had given her, the blue light from the screen reflecting the fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
The progress bar slowly climbs: 20%...45%...
Footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.
"How much longer?" she asked in a low voice.
"At least two minutes," Zong Heng's voice was like a taut string. "Hide."
Xu Ying looked around, then suddenly pulled open the locker and jumped inside. The moment the locker door closed, the lights in the archives room came on.
"Strange, I think I heard a sound just now..." The man's muttering grew closer. Xu Ying bit her lower lip tightly and saw a pair of shiny leather shoes parked in front of the server through the crack in the cabinet door.
—It's Chen Rui.
He bent down to inspect the interface, then suddenly froze: "Where did this USB drive come from?!"
Xu Ying's blood froze instantly.
"Security! There's an intrusion on the 25th floor—" Chen Rui's shout was interrupted by a loud bang. The door to the archives room was kicked open, and a dark figure rushed in like lightning, knocking him to the ground with a punch.
Xu Ying pushed open the cabinet door and was met with Zong Heng's bloodshot eyes.
"You fucking—" He grabbed her wrist with such force it hurt, his voice trembling uncontrollably, "Didn't I tell you to hide?!"
She stared blankly at his disheveled hair and the blood at the corner of his mouth, then suddenly laughed: "You climbed in through the window?"
Zong Heng glared at her fiercely, but deflated the moment he met her smile. "I'll settle the score with you when we get back," he said, grabbing her arm. "Let's go!"
The alarm pierced the night sky.
In the fire escape, their footsteps overlapped, creating a rapid, rhythmic beat. Xu Ying, panting, asked, "Did you get the documents?"
"Hmm." Zong Heng gripped the USB drive tightly and suddenly pushed her against the corner wall. The sound of pursuers' footsteps approached from below, his chest heaving violently, his warm breath brushing against her ear: "Don't make a sound."
Xu Ying pressed against his chest, which was pounding like thunder, and suddenly reached out to wrap her arms around his waist.
Zong Heng froze.
"You were scared just now." She looked up, pinpointing his eyes precisely in the darkness. "Afraid I'd get caught?"
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally gritted his teeth and admitted, "I'm scared."
The pursuers' flashlight beams shone through the gap in the stairs above them. Zong Heng suddenly lowered his head and kissed her, a kiss tinged with the taste of blood and lingering fear, fierce as if he wanted to devour her whole. Xu Ying grabbed his collar and returned the kiss until the footsteps faded into the distance.
"Are you crazy!" she gasped, punching him. "At a time like this—"
"Revenge." Zong Heng licked the blood from the corner of his lips and dragged her along as they continued running. "Who told you to scare me?"
In the rain, they bumped into a taxi that had been waiting for them. Zong Heng gave the address, but when he turned around, he saw Xu Ying grinning foolishly at a USB drive.
"What are you laughing at?"
She brandished her spoils: "Wouldn't you call us a pair of Bonnie and Clyde thieves?"
Zong Heng stared into her bright eyes, then suddenly reached out and covered her eyelids: "Close your eyes and go to sleep."
Xu Ying leaned on his shoulder and heard his heartbeat was still incredibly fast.
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