Chapter 52: A Silent Battlefield
The luxurious shopping district, already alive with murmurs, seemed to pulse with an underlying tension. Li Shen's sudden appearance had shifted the atmosphere, but the real storm lay in the silent exchange between him and Gu Zeyan.
Qingxue, as always, remained indifferent.
Jiang Yuixen, however, noticed everything. Her daughter, so effortlessly composed, stood between two of the most powerful heirs in the city—one watching her with veiled amusement, the other with quiet possession. It was an unspoken battlefield, one that only those with power could truly understand.
Yet, Qingxue showed no interest in the game they were playing.
Ruolan, on the other hand, was barely holding back her frustration.
How could Qingxue remain so unaffected? With Li Shen and Gu Zeyan both drawn to her, any other girl would have been flattered, overwhelmed even. But Qingxue stood there as if they were nothing more than passing figures in her world.
She hated it.
She hated how effortless it was for her cousin.
Hated the way Gu Zeyan's gaze never strayed from her.
Hated how Li Shen seemed just as entertained by her indifference as he was intrigued.
And most of all, she hated the fact that Qingxue wasn't even trying.
Leng Haoyu, always perceptive, finally spoke. "Li Shen, if you're just here for a show, I suggest you move along."
Li Shen raised an eyebrow. "Ah, but isn't that the fun part? Watching how things unfold?"
His golden eyes flickered toward Qingxue, who remained silent, and a slow smirk spread across his lips.
"I wonder," he mused, "how long you plan to pretend that none of this matters to you, Leng Qingxue."
Finally, she lifted her gaze.
And the moment their eyes met, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Qingxue's silver-blue eyes were like frozen stars—distant, unreadable, and utterly unshaken.
Then, she spoke.
"If you have time to wonder about such things, Li Shen, then perhaps you should find better ways to use it."
A beat of silence.
Then, Leng Jiuhan let out a short laugh. "That's a nice way of telling you to mind your own business."
Li Shen grinned. "Ah, but that only makes me more curious."
Gu Zeyan finally stepped forward, his cold presence pressing against the space between them. "Curiosity can be dangerous, Li Shen."
For the first time, Li Shen's smirk faded slightly.
It was subtle, but the challenge was clear.
The tension in the air thickened.
Jiang Yuixen, still watching, finally stepped in with a gentle laugh. "Now, now. I didn't bring my children out for a fight. If the two of you are done marking your territory, perhaps we can continue our shopping in peace?"
The warmth in her voice was deceptive—soft, yet laced with undeniable authority.
Li Shen tilted his head, amused. "Of course, Madam Leng."
Gu Zeyan didn't respond. Instead, his gaze lingered on Qingxue for another second before stepping back.
Qingxue, seemingly unaffected by everything, turned away as if the entire exchange had been nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
And just like that, the moment was over.
But the battle was far from finished.
As the Leng family continued onward, Ruolan clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms.
She had to do something.
She would do something.
Because if Qingxue continued to walk through life untouchable, then Ruolan's existence would mean nothing.
And she refused to be nothing.