Chapter 42: PAST-SIX.
Hua Rong's footsteps were quiet as she trailed behind the man, keeping a safe distance. She had only managed to catch his name—Zhao Mingyu—after listening to him butter up Liu Meiling with sweet words and empty compliments. That woman had been all too willing to entertain his talk, and in return, he had let his name slip.
Now, as she followed him through the winding streets, past rows of street vendors and flashing neon signs, she kept her head low, her heart hammering in anticipation. The city's towering skyline loomed ahead, and soon, Zhao Mingyu took a sharp turn down a quieter, more refined avenue.
At the end of the road stood a grand building—its entire exterior made of sleek, reflective glass, mirroring the golden hues of the evening sky. Tall, elegant pillars flanked the entrance, and automatic glass doors whooshed open every time someone passed through. It was the kind of place that screamed money and exclusivity.
Zhao Mingyu strode toward the entrance without hesitation. Hua Rong, hesitating for only a second, quickened her pace to follow—only to be stopped in her tracks by a voice.
"Who are you?"
She spun around, startled. A boy, probably ten or twelve years old—stood there, licking an ice cream cone, his grey eyes fixed on her with pure suspicion.
"What are you doing here?" he pressed, stepping closer as if she were a criminal sneaking into a high-security zone.
Hua Rong, caught off guard, tried to compose herself. "I—uh—I'm here to meet someone."
The boy squinted at her, as if trying to sniff out a lie. "Does your father work here?"
She blinked. That was... a very specific question.
Her brain scrambled for an answer. If she said no, he'd probably keep questioning her. If she said yes—well, that might get her inside.