Chapter 69: The Storm Before the Leap
Whispers filled the boutique, a symphony of admiration and speculation.
"Did you see? The Leng family's presence alone is enough to make everyone back down."
"But Ruolan… She's trying too hard to act unfazed."
"Trying? She's already lost. No matter what she does, she'll never compare to Leng Qingxue."
Ruolan heard every word, every subtle murmur slicing into her like a blade. But she refused to falter. Not here. Not now.
Her smile remained intact, though her nails dug painfully into her palms. "I was hoping to invite you for a friendly match, Qingxue," she said lightly, tilting her head. "A charity event. Something to show off our talents in front of the right people."
"A charity event?" Qiuhan's tone was flat, unreadable. "How selfless of you."
Ruolan ignored the mocking edge. "Of course, if you're not confident, I understand."
A baited trap. A provocation meant to stir Qingxue into reacting.
But Qingxue merely set her teacup down and met Ruolan's gaze with chilling detachment. "You misunderstand something, Ruolan." Her voice was soft, yet it carried the weight of finality. "I don't participate in competitions where the outcome is already decided."
Ruolan's breath caught.
A quiet chuckle escaped Jiuhan. "Oh, that's brutal."
The boutique manager, sensing the tension, quickly intervened. "Young Miss Leng, Miss Ruolan, we've just received a private shipment of custom-designed pieces. Would you like to take a look?"
A convenient distraction.
Jiang Yuixen gave a barely perceptible nod, and Qingxue stood. "Let's go," she said, moving without sparing Ruolan another glance.
Qiuhan followed immediately, as did their brothers. The moment they stepped deeper into the boutique, the weight of Ruolan's presence lifted—as if she had never mattered in the first place.
Li Shen, still leaning lazily against a display case, smirked at Ruolan. "You should really stop trying, you know."
Ruolan gritted her teeth.
Then, as if adding salt to her wounds, Gu Zeyan followed Qingxue without hesitation, his focus entirely on her.
Ruolan's fists clenched.
This wasn't over.
Not yet.
---
Later That Evening – The Leng Estate
A light drizzle coated the city in a silver mist, the cool scent of rain lingering in the air.
In the Leng family's private study, Leng Zhen sat behind his desk, Jiang Yuixen at his side, while their eldest son, Leng Yuxian, stood calmly across from them.
"Everything is in place?" Leng Zhen asked.
"Yes," Yuxian confirmed. "The transition will happen soon."
Jiang Yuixen exhaled softly, her gaze distant. "They're still young, but it's time."
Leng Zhen nodded. "We'll begin preparing Qingxue and Qiuhan for the next stage."
A quiet pause settled between them before Jiang Yuixen spoke again. "And Ruolan?"
Yuxian's expression remained unreadable. "She'll keep struggling. But in the end, she'll realize she was never meant to stand at the same height as Qingxue."
A clap of thunder echoed in the distance.
Change was coming.
And with it, the beginning of something far greater.