Ji Ling was gripping the wheel, and his anger was boiling over, threatening to blow the last bit of sense out of him.
He drove straight to the base of Yan Group’s headquarters, not caring one bit whether he could park there or not. He jumped out and left the car behind, storming straight into the building.
The place was towering, scraping the sky, and inside, it was all sleek glass and shine—modern, flashy, buzzing with energy. Under the high glass ceiling, everyone moved fast, sharp suits and clipped steps, like they were racing time itself. But Ji Ling walked in like he didn’t belong to this world, like he was dropped in from somewhere else. Didn’t matter though. He kept a straight face, cold and tight, not even pretending to smile.
It was like Yan Yixuan had known he was coming. Ji Ling just said his name at the front desk, and the receptionist immediately arranged for him to go straight up to the top floor.
The express elevator shot him right up to the top floor where the executive offices were.
As soon as the doors slid open, a secretary came over with a polite smile. “Mr. Ji, right? Vice Chairman Yan is expecting you.”
He followed her through a long stretch of the executive floor. It was quiet, expensive-looking, and way too tidy. They finally stopped in front of Yan Yixuan’s office.
Technically, this was the chairman’s office. But since Old Yan had been in poor health and rarely showed up anymore, all the real power had shifted to Yixuan. So even though he was just the vice chairman on paper, this office—and everything it looked down on—was basically his.
After the secretary knocked and received permission, she opened the door. Ji Ling passed her by, entering the office directly.
The decor inside was more understated than Ji Ling had imagined—strong, solid tones that gave the room a sturdy, powerful feel. But what really hit him was the view. From here, you could see the coastline clear as day.
The brightness of the ocean clashing with the dark, powerful furniture gave off this weird, quiet punch. It made you feel something—like the guy who picked this room had big dreams. Huge ones.
And now, sitting behind that massive desk, was Yan Yixuan, staring straight at him.
It was their first time seeing each other like this—face-to-face in a work setting.
“Boss Ji, you don’t show up at places like this without a reason,” Yan Yixuan said, not bothering to offer him a seat. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “So, what brings you here?”
Ji Ling didn’t even bother with small talk. Face blank, voice cold, he cut straight to the point. “Are you seriously set on meddling in my business?”
Yan Yixuan didn’t play dumb this time. He gave a short laugh and said, “Aren’t you short on cash? What’s so bad about me handing it to you directly?”
Ji Ling held his temper, but his tone was firm. “I’m doing just fine without you. There’s no way I’m letting you own thirty percent of my company.”
Yan Yixuan smirked. “But there’s no one else willing to invest now, is there? So what’s your plan? I’m your only option.” He leaned back a little, looking at Ji Ling with a careless smile. “If I hold thirty percent, doesn’t that make me the majority over you and Luo Tao combined? Wouldn’t that basically make your company one of mine? Sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it?”
A good deal?
Good deal, my ass.
Ji Ling couldn’t hold it in anymore. He stormed forward, and if it weren’t for the damn desk between them, who knew what he’d have done. “No way,” he growled. “Even if everything goes to hell, I’m not handing over my company to anyone.”
“Why do you always have to go against me?” Yan Yixuan’s smile vanished, his voice dropping low. “Whatever I give you, you just need to take it. I only want you to understand one thing.”
He leaned forward, hands planted on the desk, eyes locked on Ji Ling. “I’ll always be the one holding your leash.”
That was it—Ji Ling almost laughed out of sheer rage. He leaned in too, hands on the other side of the desk, closing the space between them. His eyes were lit with fire, looking down on Yan Yixuan as he asked, “Tell me, Yan Yixuan. Why are you so hung up on me? Why are you so damn obsessed with having me do what you want? And don’t tell me it’s just to stroke your pride or because you think it’s fun. Are you really that childish?”
Yan Yixuan didn’t expect that. For a second, he froze. Then he leaned back in his chair, trying to put some space between them.
“…Maybe it’s because you’re a little different,” he said.
Different enough that he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Even he didn’t understand himself. He’d never been the type to cling. With anyone else, he could walk away clean, no drama. But with Ji Ling, it was different. He couldn’t let go.
But Ji Ling didn’t give him a chance to retreat. He walked around the desk, standing right in front of him, leaning on the edge like he owned the space. It made Yan Yixuan visibly uncomfortable—he had to fight the urge to lean away. Still, he held his ground, stubbornly meeting Ji Ling’s stare.
Ji Ling stared straight into his eyes and said, “No. It’s not because we’re different. It’s because we’re too alike.”
“You’re doing all this just to show off your power,” Ji Ling said. “People with money always carve out a space where no one else can touch them.”
Powerful, yeah—but also alone. Those so-called lovers of yours? They keep their distance. Everyone respects you, fears you, but not a single one really knows you.
Ji Ling understood that feeling. The higher you climb, the more desperate you get to keep control over everything.
He kept going. “That’s why I’m standing here, talking to you like an equal—with zero fear. And that scares you.”
Yan Yixuan’s eyes darkened, unreadable. “I don’t buy into that kind of twisted logic.”
But Ji Ling didn’t back off. He leaned in closer, forcing Yan Yixuan to face him. “This isn’t twisted logic, Yan Yixuan. I don’t have the time or patience to keep playing these money-leashed games with you.”
They were close now—so close if either of them lifted a hand, they’d touch each other. Ji Ling reached out, grabbed Yan Yixuan’s tie, and slowly fixed it. His fingers brushed the skin near Yan Yixuan’s neck—gentle, but charged with a dangerous energy. He said, low and calm, “I’m not like the others you’ve had. So don’t even think about me bowing down to you.”
Then, just like that, Ji Ling stepped back, releasing the pressure he’d been putting on him. He gave Yan Yixuan space, pulling himself together, all the earlier anger smoothed out like it had never been there.
He walked over to the guest couch and sat down, putting some distance between them, then looked over with a faint smile and said, “Let’s talk business, Vice Chairman Yan.”
That switch—so quick, so clean. Even the way he called him changed, shifting to that cool, businesslike tone people used in negotiations.
Yan Yixuan blinked, caught a little off guard by the sudden shift. He looked Ji Ling up and down, not quite sure what game he was playing now.
Adjusting his tie, mostly to cover his own discomfort, Yan Yixuan quickly matched his composure. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s talk.”
Ji Ling got straight to the point. “As you know, I need a cash injection, fast. So I reached out to three potential investors, hoping to raise capital for thirty percent of my company’s shares.”
Yan Yixuan listened calmly, eyes steady as Ji Ling laid things out.
“But now, for reasons you probably already know,” Ji Ling went on, “Those options are gone. I only have one investor left in front of me.”
He looked straight at Yan Yixuan.
“And that’s you, Vice Chairman Yan.”
Yan Yixuan finally spoke. “Yes. If I invest, your shares get diluted, and I become the biggest shareholder.”
“You really want that to happen?” Ji Ling asked, then added, “I won’t accept that kind of deal. I’d rather grit my teeth and hold out than end up working for someone else.”
Yan Yixuan went quiet.
Truth was, he’d never actually wanted to take Ji Ling’s company away. What he wanted more was to establish some kind of authority in front of him—to make Ji Ling feel his presence. But now that everything was laid out openly on the table, he gave a little ground. “Alright. We can renegotiate. I can invest half the money. Just give me fifteen percent.”
Ji Ling laughed.
Yan Yixuan was backing down again.
Every time he came in with claws bared, acting like he was ready to fight, but once Ji Ling pushed back, he always pulled back.
He roared loud, but when it came down to it, his bite was soft. He’d bare his fangs, only to pull them back at the last second, always leaving a gap big enough for Ji Ling to escape.
In the end, it just meant his heart wasn’t as hard as he liked to think.
But Ji Ling—he wasn’t the type to retreat.
“No,” he said. “I need the full amount. I want the investment that matches thirty percent equity.”
He locked eyes with Yan Yixuan, gaze firm and unwavering. “But I’m only willing to give up, at most, twenty percent of the shares.”
Yan Yixuan got it now. Slowly, he sat up straighter in his chair.
“Let’s make a bet, Vice Chairman Yan,” Ji Ling said, like he was casually guessing the weather for tomorrow.
Something shifted in Yan Yixuan’s eyes. “You want to bet? What’s your offer?”
Ji Ling answered calmly, “You take twenty percent this year. If by next year, I fail to double the profits, I’ll give you another fifteen percent from my founding shares. But if I do double it—you give one percent back to me.”
Yan Yixuan stared at him, long and hard.
No businessman would say no to that kind of deal.
From Ji Ling’s side, he was trading 20% equity for funding worth 30% of the company’s valuation—a net gain. And for Yan Yixuan? If the company didn’t hit its profit target, he’d walk away with 35%—more than enough to justify the risk. But if profits did double, then the 20% he held would be worth more than any 30% he could’ve bought now.
It was a win-win, no matter how you looked at it.
Just a moment ago, Ji Ling had looked ready to burn the whole place down. Yan Yixuan really thought he’d go down swinging. But in the blink of an eye, he’d shifted—laid out terms, took control, and even turned the whole thing in his favor.
Yan Yixuan stared at him again, that same old question surfacing—‘Who is this man, really?’ No matter what the situation was, Ji Ling always came out on top. Like he was built for this. Like he was born to be a businessman.
It had been a long time since Yan Yixuan had met someone like this.
And he couldn’t help it anymore—he finally started reconsidering how he should see Ji Ling.
At the very least, right now, he was convinced. Business is business, and Ji Ling had earned his respect as an equal.
“I accept,” Yan Yixuan said.
Ji Ling stood, walked over, and offered his hand. “Even if it’s all about money,” he said, voice low and hoarse, “it doesn’t always have to be about power and control.”
His eyes had softened. The sharp edges in his tone were gone. “We could work together.”
Yan Yixuan slowly stood up too.
He’d been sitting the whole time Ji Ling had been in the office, leaning back against the glass with the bustling city and open sea behind him—watching from above, untouchable. But now, that high ground felt a little more level.
He reached out and shook Ji Ling’s hand.
Two businessmen, in the chairman’s office, shaking hands like it was just another deal.
But then—Ji Ling suddenly pulled.
Using the grip between them, he yanked Yan Yixuan forward with one sharp, smooth motion.
Caught off guard, Yan Yixuan stumbled straight into Ji Ling’s arms.
He froze up instantly, body tense as stone.
They’d kissed before—more than once—but never like this. Never an embrace. Not like this, raw and unfiltered.
Ji Ling leaned in, his breath brushing against Yan Yixuan’s ear as he spoke in a voice that was tight, restrained—like someone who had just clawed his way out of something dark and dangerous. “Don’t test my limits again,” he said, low and steady. “This time, I found a way through. Next time… I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Then Ji Ling let go.
He stepped back and said calmly, “Next time, we’ll talk through the details of the agreement.”
And just like that, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving behind a clearly shaken Yan Yixuan, still trying to make sense of what the hell had just happened.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
I f-ing love his control. 😮💨