At the headquarters of Tiansheng Group.
In the cold and solemn atmosphere of the CEO's office.
Ethan Jiang was in the middle of a discussion with two board members regarding the bidding project for a branch office.
Just as they reached a critical point in the conversation, a knock came at the door.
The two board members turned their heads toward the sound.
Eric Chen walked in, arms full of documents. He gave them a brief nod of greeting before heading straight to Ethan's desk, his expression slightly grave.
"Mr. Jiang, there's news from Shen Corporation…"
At just those few words, Ethan looked up at him.
He swept a glance over the stack of documents and, without hesitation, halted the bidding discussion altogether.
Then came the firm dismissal:
"We'll continue the bidding meeting tomorrow."
The two directors, perceptive and discreet, gathered their materials and left without a word.
Once they were gone, Ethan took the stack from Eric and began to flip through it, asking:
"What happened to Shen Corporation?"
Eric reported clearly and efficiently:
"We just received the news. Two of Shen Corporation's major projects have hit consecutive snags. Their headquarters and branches are experiencing severe cash flow problems—there's a real risk of a financial crisis."
"Moreover, there's been significant interference from rival groups behind the scenes. If they're relying solely on their own power, things could get very difficult."
Ethan asked, "Where's Aurel Shen?"
"Mr. Shen was involved in a car accident overseas. He hasn't returned yet."
"A car accident?" Ethan's brows furrowed sharply. "That's quite the coincidence."
Eric nodded, frowning as well. "The timing is indeed suspicious. Mr. Shen is unconscious. Without him, JINMING Group likely wouldn't be able to provide emergency funding for Shen Corporation in time."
Ethan didn't speak further.
He gave a direct order: "Send someone to Shen Corporation. Plug the financial holes first. Then assign a team to investigate who's behind these two incidents."
Eric nodded, about to report a second matter—
But before he could speak, Ethan's phone rang.
Ethan glanced at the screen, saw the caller ID, and raised a hand to silence him.
Eric stopped talking at once.
Ethan set down the document and answered the call.
"Elena?"
"Ethan," the girl's voice on the other end was soft and slightly tense, "I… I wanted to talk to you about something."
Ethan lowered his gaze to the watch on his wrist.
"Shall I come to you, or will you come to me?"
"I'll come to you," Elena replied, "Ethan, where are you now?"
"Tiansheng headquarters." He glanced across the desk at Eric and said evenly, "I'll have Eric meet you downstairs."
Tiansheng's main office was not far from the apartment. After hanging up, Elena quickly changed clothes and drove over without delay.
By the time Eric escorted her to the CEO's office, Ethan had just finished reviewing the reports on Shen Corporation's project issues.
A knock sounded at the door.
Ethan closed the file and looked up.
"Come in."
Though she had met Ethan more frequently in the past half month than in the previous ten years, this was her first time at Tiansheng's headquarters.
Eric opened the door and stepped aside to let Elena in.
Meeting Ethan's deep, dark gaze across the desk, Elena involuntarily tightened her breath and forced herself to walk in calmly.
The sudden crisis at Shen Corporation and the fact that her brother was unreachable made it difficult for her to stay composed, no matter how hard she tried.
During the drive over, her mind was flooded with thoughts of their engagement.
Since the Mid-Autumn Festival, whenever she and Ethan were alone, he had brought up marriage three times.
Each time, his reason had been the same: a union between their families would benefit both companies.
But now, Shen Corporation was in trouble. Their stocks were plummeting, and the company was under siege. Elena wasn't certain Ethan would still honor the engagement, especially when her family could no longer offer him any advantage—and might even become a liability.
"Sit," Ethan said, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts.
She followed his gesture and sat down across from him.
Eric personally served tea before leaving the room.
Once they were alone, Ethan's gaze settled on her. She was sitting perfectly straight, back stiff, every muscle tense.
"You came here yourself. Is something wrong?"
Elena moistened her dry lips, her thick lashes trembling faintly, her clear eyes avoiding his.
Her slender fingers dug into her palm, pain anchoring her nerves as she forced herself to speak the words she had rehearsed in the elevator:
"There's something I wanted to ask."
"Ethan… about our marriage. Does it… still stand?"
Ethan's fingers paused on the file beside him.
He looked at her, and though she tried to hide it, he could see the flicker of anxiety in her misty eyes.
He released the file and answered firmly:
"Of course it stands. The engagement between our families was set twenty years ago. It will not change."
The breath Elena had been holding finally eased.
She parted her lips, about to say more—
But Ethan spoke first:
"So, you've agreed to marry me?"
Her voice faltered. Then, she nodded.
Upon receiving her confirmation, Ethan tapped his knuckles against the table and finalized the matter without hesitation.
His decisiveness startled Elena.
"Years ago, when Uncle Shen and Aunt Shen discussed the marriage with my parents, they mentioned they hoped the engagement and wedding could happen after your twentieth birthday."