Ruòyún woke tangled in sweat-damp sheets. She kicked free, heart pounding—just as fists hammered the front door hard enough to rattle the hinges.
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“Boss! Its Mei!”
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She stumbled downstairs, robe gaping, hair wild. Mei stood on the threshold, eyes wide, clutching two takeout coffees and a tablet glowing with emergency alerts. “Investors moved the meeting to 8 AM. We have forty-seven minutes.”
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Lǐ Jie sat at the kitchen island, iPad propped against a cereal box, spoon dangling from his mouth. He offered a sleepy nod as Mei swept past Ruòyún, already marching toward the staircase. “Shower. Now. I’ll handle him.”
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“My suit—”
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“No suits today.” Mei yanked open Ruòyún’s walk-in closet, fingers flying past rows of tailored blazers. She pulled out a silk blush-pink blouse and tailored cream trousers. “You’re the CEO—you make the rules.”
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Ruòyún protested, “The navy Armani—”
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“But boss that just makes you look like a wartime general.” Mei shoved the clothes into her arms. “Shower. Now.”
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Under the scalding spray, Ruòyún heard the chaos below: Mei’s gentle cajoling (“Arms up, bao bei”), Lǐ Jie’s giggle (“You’re nicer than Mom!”). When she emerged, Mei was buttoning Lǐ Jie into a crisp polo shirt, his hair neatly combed for once.
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“Breakfast’s in the car,” Mei announced, snatching keys from the hook.
Ruòyún reached for her Audi key fob.
Mei blocked her hand. “My Jeep. I will drive you faster.”
“but It smells like your terrier’s existential crisis.”
“His name is Winston. And he meditates.”
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The Jeep’s suspension groaned over bumps. Ruòyún clutched the dash as Mei wove through traffic, Lǐ Jie bouncing in the backseat.
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“An investor bailed last night,” Mei explained, passing Ruòyún a container of tamagoyaki. “Kuroda Systems offered their lead dev triple his salary. He walked with the AI prototype.”
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Ruòyún picked at the noodles that Mei offered her to pair with her coffee (it just didn’t sit right with her). She looked back at Lǐ Jie whose breakfast of a burrito wrap and chicken nuggets looked better than hers, she wondered what restaurant would serve her that during breakfast hours.
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“How much did we lose?”
“Enough to matter.” Mei swerved around a delivery bike. “They want blood. Or innovation. Whichever bleeds less.”
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At Chen Innovations, guards snapped to attention slightly bowing to show respect . Ruòyún’s gaze snagged on the head of security—impeccable except for a crooked navy tie. She crossed the lobby in six strides, backing him against cold marble.
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“Investors notice everything.” Her fingers tightened the silk. “Even this.”
His throat bobbed. “Ms. Chen.”
Mei materialized, steering her toward the elevators.
“You can flirt later,” before Ruòyún could respond she quickened her pace .
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The boardroom hushed as Ruòyún entered. Thirteen men in identical gray suits watched her take the head seat. One had stood to leave but her eyes seemed to freeze him to his spot for a fraction of a second before he went back to his seat.
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“Kaito sold your algorithm,” she stated, folding her hands. “My team reverse-engineered it at 3 AM. Kuroda’s version has a critical flaw.” She slid tablets across the table. “Watch it fail. Then decide if you trust boys in hoodies… or me.”
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Pens scratched signatures before the demo ended.
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In the waiting room, Anya sat elegantly on the soft bench, Lǐ Jie’s iPad balanced on her knees. “Tap there—see the lava trap?”
Lǐ Jie peered over her shoulder.
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Ruòyún cleared her throat. Anya glanced up, all traces of yesterday’s court-side wildness smoothed into professional calm. “Ms. Chen.”
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“You work here?”
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“Finance intern. Started Monday.” Anya stood, handing Lǐ Jie the iPad. “You?”
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“I’m… in management.”
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Mei materialized, eyeing Anya’s security badge.
“Volkova? HR’s expecting you. Tenth floor.” As Anya passed, Ruòyún caught the scent—spearmint and turpentine—clinging to her collar. The scent had some cheap perfume laced to it, Lucas! She declared in her head.
“You know her?” Mei murmured.
“Yeah , she played basketball at the park with the child yesterday .” Ruòyún watched Anya vanish into the elevator. “Small world.”
As she walked out she realized that she hadn’t driven there and had no way of getting back. She didn’t want to call an uber and couldn’t ask Mei to drive her home, first she did not want to disturb her work and second she didn’t like the Jeep.
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She took out her phone and dialed her driver’s number, the same driver she had given a vacation off.
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“ where are you now?”Ruòyún commanded into her phone.
“I’m at the airport Ms. Chen. Flight’s boarding—”
“I’ll buy your upgrade. Twenty minutes please, my schedule is really fixed.”
“Say less,” he declared and hang up.
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Lǐ Jie swung her hand. “Can Big Boy teach me dunks? His girlfriend works here—ask her for his number!”
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Girlfriend. The word froze Ruòyún’s blood.
“Sure,” she forced a smile, “I will ask Mei for her number ,”
As they stood out there waiting for the driver, she could smell Lucas’ scent in the air. There was something about him that tickled something childish in her. It made her forget her age and status .
A sleek black Range Rover glided to the curb. Carlos, Ruòyún’s driver of seven years, stepped out with an umbrella despite the absence of rain. His salt-and-pepper beard was freshly trimmed for his postponed Maldives trip.
“Ms. Chen. Little boss,”he nodded, opening the rear door. Lǐ Jie scrambled in while Ruòyún paused.
“Carlos, I’m sorry about your flight.”
“It’s alright ma’am , its always a pleasure to serve you,” he said
He drove fast but carefully along the road back home .
They arrived at the estate and the guard seeing the sleek armored Range Rover knew better than to inquire anything.
“Take this.” Ruòyún pressed a black card into his palm. “Twelve thousand limit. Mail it back when you return.”
He chuckled, rubbing Lǐ Jie’s head through the open window. “Be good for your mama, hombre, once again thank you miss Chen,”
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The estate gates parted silently. Ruòyún watched Carlos drive away through the tinted window.
“What will you have for Lunch?” she asked turning to Lǐ Jie as they entered the cool marble foyer.
Lǐ Jie dropped his backpack. “Maybe take out , of some Golden Dragon dumplings? Pleeease?”
“But honey you know the junk in take out ,I’ll instead make shrimp fried rice.”
His nose scrunched. “Your fried rice tastes… lonely.”
“Lonely?”
“Yeah. Like it needs more soy sauce. And maybe those crunchy onions.”
She conceded. “Ice cream for dessert if you eat it.”
“Deal!” Said Lǐ Jie, he was not the one to argue over a meal, he was well raised and had no time for it. He rather preferred negotiations unlike his mother.
In the Kitchen garlic hissed in the wok. Ruòyún sliced scallions with swift precision. Lǐ Jie swung his legs at the breakfast bar. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9IUq7vcUn
“Mom? My blue hoodie’s still in the Audi.”
“Keys are on the hook. Make sure you take only the hoodie and hurry back– and walk, don’t run on the driveway.”
He vanished like a ghost.
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He burst back in seven minutes later, cheeks flushed. “Sorry! I Took forever!”
Ruòyún didn’t turn from the stove. “Why?”
“Big Boy was outside! Jogging past our gate! He stopped when he saw me.”
The spatula stilled. “Did he?”
“Yeah! He patted my head like this–” Lǐ Jie mimed a large hand ruffling his hair, “–and said ‘See you at the park, Private! Tell your mom I’ll fix that dent.’”
Ruòyún resumed stirring. “Hmm. Good.”
Soon lunch was ready and they ate at the sunlit breakfast nook. Lǐ Jie chased a shrimp with his chopsticks.
“He’s really cool, Mom. Like Captain America but taller and darker .”
A faint smile touched Ruòyún’s lips. “Is he now?”
“And Anya’s super pretty too,” Lǐ Jie added through a mouthful of rice. “Like Elsa but with better hair. Big Boy’s lucky she’s his girlfriend.”
The smile died. Ruòyún stared at her plate. She forced down one bite, then another. The rice tasted like ash.
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Later they settled down for a movie, they argued over which to watch until they both agreed on the voice of Creation live action remake adapted from the manga by Luke pens.
Mei’s voice crackled through the phone during the climax. 6Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7SrlonnUm
“Boss. There is an Emergency. Senator Blanchard moved the tech summit to tonight. In New Orleans.”
“Mei, I can’t just–”
“Private jet leaves in two hours. Hotel’s booked. Your presentation’s loaded on the tablet, I’m sorry boss.”
Lǐ Jie muted the TV. “New Orleans? In a hotel room? That would be too cramped up”
“But honey mommy is really needed—“
“Doesn’t matter I will stay here alone, i will probably be bored at the summit anyway, and I might even grab your attention unnecessarily “ he added to sound less stubborn.
Panic edged his voice. Ruòyún cupped her face. “Mei can you stay with —.”
“Sorry boss I’m coming with you, but I will bring someone to do that, someone trustworthy,”
Mei and Anya arrived fifteen minutes later. Anya wore dark jeans and a fitted black sweater, her blonde hair loose. She carried a tote bag embroidered with Cyrillic letters.
“Your home is stunning, Ms. Chen,” she said, eyes tracing the vaulted ceilings. “Like a museum, but warmer.”
Ruòyún handed her a printed list. “Bedtime is nine. No sugary snacks after seven. Wi-Fi password is on the fridge. Emergency numbers–”
“Mom, relax,” Lǐ Jie interrupted, tugging Anya toward the living room. “Anya! Did you know Russian bears actually hate vodka? They prefer–”
Anya laughed, letting herself be pulled away. “Da, malysh, I know. I am Russian.”
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They both immersed themselves in a chat as if age mates as Ruòyún dressed up , she wore a business suit to stay professional for the senator . When she came back Lǐ Jie was sitting in on Anyas side both staring into the iPad screen smiling.
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Ruòyún leaned down for a goodbye kiss. Lǐ Jie’s lips brushed her cheek absently, already engrossed in whatever story Anya was beginning.
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Mei’s Jeep roared to life before Ruòyún fully closed the passenger door.
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