Su Ning reclined gracefully in her seat aboard Qi Xiyue's private jet, the hum of the engines weaving a soft rhythm against the silence.
The cabin was lavish but tastefully so — ivory leather seats, a mahogany bar counter lined with gold-edged glassware, and the faint scent of amber and white rose lingering in the air. A muted sky stretched endlessly beyond the oval windows, bathed in the silvery wash of late morning light.
Her legs were crossed neatly, one hand supporting her chin as she gazed out the window. For a brief moment, her reflection stared back at her — serene, composed, and utterly unreadable. But her mind was anything but still.
Radiance Skincare International hadn't contacted her since the previous week. Odd. They were known for their efficiency. She tilted her head, a small crease forming between her brows. Perhaps they're hesitating… or they're simply unprepared for what's coming.
With a sigh, she reached for her sleek white tablet, the edges trimmed with rose gold. The system had suggested she begin familiarizing herself with international communication. After all, owning a pharmaceutical empire in London demanded more than influence — it required fluency. Precision. Charm that crossed borders.
She opened a video lesson on "American English Accent Mastery." The instructor's voice echoed from the tablet speaker, smooth and melodic. Su Ning absorbed every tone, every rhythm, every subtle roll of syllables.
Her photographic mind worked like an open field, absorbing knowledge at impossible speed. Every sound she heard was replicated internally, her brain replaying it, perfecting it.
Within half an hour, she had watched an entire module. Another followed. And another.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the screen as she switched to pronunciation drills.
"Try repeating after me," the instructor said. "'The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.'"
Su Ning's lips parted slightly. When she spoke, her voice carried a flawless cadence — fluent, confident, entirely natural.
"The future belongs to those who prepare for it today," she said softly.
Her accent was crisp, her vowels precise, her tone warm and cultured — as if she had spent her entire life in Los Angeles or New York.
The two subordinates seated a few rows away exchanged startled looks.
Mastering an entire dialect in less than an hour? They were left in quiet awe. One of them whispered under his breath, "She's not human…"
The other smirked slightly. "If she's the future mistress, I pity whoever tries to underestimate her."
Su Ning's lips quirked faintly, sensing their glances though she didn't turn. Her attention had already shifted. She was thinking of the next challenge — perhaps French next, or Russian. But before she could decide, her phone vibrated against the polished side table.
A foreign number flashed across the screen.
Her eyes narrowed in amusement. She already knew who it was.
She swiped to answer. "Hello," she said — her tone calm, smooth, and effortlessly American.
There was a brief pause on the other end, then a deep, respectful voice came through. "Good afternoon, Miss Su. My name is David Mark. I'm the Executive Vice President of Vogue Pharmaceutical Company, London. Am I speaking with Miss Su Ning?"
Su Ning leaned back slightly, her expression softening with interest. "Yes, Mr. Mark. This is Su Ning."
"Ah, excellent!" David's voice lifted, brimming with polite enthusiasm. "It's a pleasure to finally speak with you, ma'am. On behalf of Vogue's Board of Directors, allow me to officially welcome you to the family. We're all honored to have you on board."
Su Ning smiled faintly, the kind of smile that warmed but never lost control. "Thank you, David. I appreciate the warm welcome. I trust everything is running smoothly in London?"
"Yes, ma'am. Operations are steady, and our new research division has exceeded last quarter's projection. The staff are eager to meet you — though, if I may say so, a few are… quite nervous about it." He chuckled lightly.
Su Ning's laugh was soft and pleasant. "Nervous? I haven't even arrived yet."
"Exactly, ma'am," he replied with good humor. "You've already made quite an impression, even from afar."
Her gaze shifted to the window again, watching clouds drift like waves below. "That's good to hear. When I come to London, I'd like to review our current product pipelines and expansion plans personally. When would be a good time for that?"
"We'll make time for you, Miss Su," David said promptly. "But if I may suggest, next week might be ideal. It will give us time to prepare a comprehensive report. Would you be arriving in London soon?"
"Yes," she replied smoothly. "I'll be arriving next week as planned."
"Perfect. I'll have a car arranged to pick you up at Heathrow, along with an escort from our London headquarters. Do you have any specific requests or additional guests we should prepare for?"
Su Ning's voice lowered, calm yet purposeful. "Yes, actually. I'll be bringing a partner with me, his name is Xia Lin. He'll be heading the skincare division under our subsidiary brand."
David's voice brightened. "Understood. I'll make the necessary arrangements for Mr. Xia Lin as well. May I reach him directly for logistical coordination?"
"Of course."
Su Ning thought inwardly, "System, send me Xia Lin's contact information."
A soft chime echoed in her mind as the data appeared instantly on her tablet. She forwarded it to David without hesitation.
"I've just sent you his details," she said. "Coordinate with him regarding his travel documents and accommodation. Ensure he has everything he needs by the time we arrive."
"Already noted, Miss Su. You can rest assured he'll be taken care of."
"Good," Su Ning said simply. "Then I'll see you all next week, David."
"Yes, ma'am. Have a pleasant flight — and once again, welcome to Vogue."
"Thank you."
The line clicked off.
Su Ning set her phone down beside her glass of champagne, the corners of her lips curving faintly. Everything was aligning faster than she had anticipated.
Just as she began scrolling through her messages, the phone vibrated again — this time displaying another foreign number. She hesitated briefly, then accepted.
"Hello?" she answered, her tone neutral but pleasant.
"Good morning, Miss Su! This is Lin Wang, President of Radiance Skincare International." The man's voice was quick, polite, and tinged with relief. "I'm terribly sorry for the delay in contacting you. We've just returned from a business trip to Chicago."
"Chicago?" Su Ning leaned back, intrigued. "That's quite far from your headquarters. What were you doing there, Mr. Lin?"
Lin Wang sighed audibly. "We were pursuing a collaboration opportunity with Ruxe Pharmaceutical Company. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned."
"Oh?" Su Ning asked mildly. "Why is that?"
His frustration was evident. "The owner of Ruxe — a man named Leonard Kravitz — demanded twenty-five percent of our company's shares before even considering the partnership. It was unreasonable, insulting even. Naturally, we declined. But we lost weeks of negotiation in the process."
Su Ning's lips twitched, an almost imperceptible smirk. "So you were after a pharmaceutical collaboration to strengthen your skincare line's research backbone."
"Yes," Lin admitted. "We wanted to integrate medical-grade bioformulas into our skincare range, similar to what Vogue does. But… Vogue is far beyond our reach. We wouldn't dare dream of approaching them."
Su Ning's gaze gleamed faintly — amusement, irony, and calculation all blending into one. "Why not?"
"Because it's practically impossible," Lin said with a weary laugh. "Top pharmaceutical giants like Vogue don't entertain smaller companies. Their doors are closed to everyone except global-level partners."
She chuckled softly, the sound light yet edged with something deeper. "Is that so? Don't worry about Ruxe anymore, President Lin. I'll take care of it."
There was a stunned pause on the other end. "You'll… handle it?"
"Yes." Her tone was unhurried, yet the quiet authority within it made Lin Wang sit straighter in his chair miles away. "Leave it to me. You'll hear from Ruxe soon — or rather, you won't need to."
Lin's curiosity prickled. "Miss Su, forgive me for asking, but… how exactly—?"
She cut in gently, her smile audible through the line. "You'll see soon enough, President Lin. Just prepare your team. I'll call you again when it's resolved."
Lin hesitated, still confused but oddly reassured. "Understood, Miss Su. Thank you again for your support. I look forward to hearing from you."
"Good," Su Ning replied softly. "Until then."
She ended the call.
The hum of the jet returned, steady and smooth. Su Ning set her phone aside, her fingers tracing the rim of her champagne glass absentmindedly.
Radiance Skincare had tried to climb a wall she already owned. Vogue — her company — would soon dictate the pharmaceutical world's rhythm. All she needed was one strategic move, and Radiance would fall neatly under her influence without realizing whose web they had entered.
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she leaned her head back against the seat. Outside, clouds streamed like silk across the endless blue. The sunlight washed through the cabin windows, brushing her face in gold and white.
She closed her eyes, letting herself drift into the comfort of the moment.
The two men seated near the cabin door glanced her way again. Even in repose, she radiated quiet dominance — like a sovereign queen resting before a conquest.
Within minutes, Su Ning's breathing evened out, the faintest trace of a smile curving her lips as she drifted into light slumber.