By nightfall, the air was thick with tension. The lights in the Jiang estate were off, save for the soft glow of the living room lamp. Rui stood by the window, watching the empty road with a soldier's patience. Meilin sat on the couch, holding Xiaoya close as the child dozed in her arms.
Every sound made her heart jump — the creak of a chair, the rustle of rain against glass, the faint hum of engines far away.
> "They're coming," Rui said quietly, never taking his eyes off the road.
Meilin tightened her hold on Xiaoya. "Then we'll be ready."
Rui turned to her, his expression shadowed but steady. "If anything happens, you take her and run. Promise me, Meilin."
She shook her head firmly. "I'm not leaving you again."
Their eyes locked — two hearts scarred by the same fire, now bound by something stronger.
Then, headlights cut through the rain. A black car stopped at the gate, followed by another. The sound of doors slamming echoed through the night.
Rui moved instantly, motioning for silence. He opened the drawer and handed Meilin a small flash drive. "The formula's copy is in here. If I don't make it—"
"Stop." Her voice was trembling but fierce. "We'll both make it."
Before he could reply, glass shattered. A smoke canister rolled across the floor, hissing as gray mist filled the room. Meilin grabbed Xiaoya and ducked behind the couch. Rui moved toward the doorway like a shadow, silent and precise.
Through the haze, shapes appeared — three men in black, masks covering their faces.
> "Search everything," one barked.
Meilin's pulse pounded in her ears. She pressed a hand over Xiaoya's mouth to keep her quiet. The little girl's tiny body shook against her chest.
One of the men moved closer, his boots crunching against glass. He reached for the couch—
> Crack!
Rui struck from behind, slamming him into the wall. Another lunged, but Rui spun and disarmed him in a blur of motion.
"Run, Meilin!" he shouted.
Meilin grabbed Xiaoya and sprinted toward the back hallway. The smoke burned her throat, but she didn't stop. Behind her, she heard the sound of struggle — fists, glass breaking, a groan of pain.
She burst into the kitchen and yanked open the back door—only to freeze.
Chen Hao stood there, smiling faintly under the porch light.
> "Going somewhere?"
Her blood ran cold. "You won't touch my daughter."
Chen Hao raised an eyebrow. "So brave now. You weren't like this before."
> "Before, I was blind," she said, voice trembling. "Now I see exactly what you are."
He stepped closer, but before he could react, Meilin grabbed the boiling kettle from the counter and threw it. Steam hissed, and he cursed, stumbling back.
> "Rui!" she screamed.
Rui appeared moments later, bruised but standing. He caught Chen Hao's arm mid-swing and slammed him against the doorframe.
> "This ends now," Rui growled.
Chen Hao laughed through bloodied lips. "You think you've won? There are others coming. You can't protect her forever."
Rui's eyes were cold as steel. "Watch me."
With one last strike, Chen Hao crumpled. Rui turned to Meilin, breathing hard. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, clutching Xiaoya tight. "No. But we can't stay here."
Rui nodded. "Then we run — together."
As they disappeared into the stormy night, lightning flashed over the estate, illuminating the wreckage of their o
ld life. The fight wasn't over — but for the first time, Meilin felt unbreakable.