The Shanghai city council chamber smelled of polished wood and nervous sweat as Su Wanwan and Lu Shiyan took their places at the witness table. Morning light filtered through dusty skylights, casting long shadows over rows of empty seats—save for a cluster of Jiang loyalists in the back and a handful of community members who'd braved the rain to attend. Outside, distant protest chants rumbled like a storm, but inside, the tension was a live wire.
Chairwoman Wang struck her gavel, sharp and authoritative. "We reconvene to address the allegations against Green Horizon's Hongkou District project. Ms. Su, Mr. Lu, you've submitted additional documents—do you wish to make an opening statement?"
Lu Shiyan's jaw flexed, but his voice was calm. "Thank you, Chairwoman. We stand by our project: 60% affordable housing, rent caps legally binding for twenty years, vertical farms generating 120 local jobs, and community partnerships with three neighborhood gardens. Claims of gentrification are fabricated—deliberately—by those who profit from the current decay." He pushed a stack of binders forward. "These include letters from eighty-seven Hongkou residents in support of the project and independent audits confirming that our revenue model depends on agricultural sales, not rent hikes."
A ripple passed through the chamber. From the back, Zhao Heng—Jiang Tianming's right-hand man—leaned forward, sneering. "Residents you paid off, no doubt. And let's not forget the leaked blueprints: your 'affordable' units are barely livable. Meanwhile, the luxury penthouses swallow half the building. You're here to cash in, not 'serve the community.'"
The loyalists behind him nodded in smug unison.
Su Wanwan felt Lu Shiyan's fingers brush hers under the table—a quiet assurance. She stood. "The leaked blueprints were altered. Our original plans—submitted three months ago—dedicate seventy-five percent of the building's total area to affordable and mid-range units. The leaked version artificially inflated the penthouse spaces. Our forensic team traced the alterations to editing software used by a Jiang Group subsidiary."
She displayed the evidence on the mounted monitor: two blueprint versions side-by-side, red highlighting the tampered segments. A digital trail traced the changes to an IP tied to Jiang's construction division.
Zhao snorted. "Your 'forensics' could have been slapped together in an hour. Show us proof Jiang was involved."
Before Su Wanwan could respond, the chamber door creaked open. A woman in a rain-soaked trench coat stepped inside, clutching a manila envelope. Her hair was plastered to her face, her expression drained but resolute.
"I have the proof."
A wave of recognition hit Su Wanwan. Chen Meiling—former legal advisor to Jiang Enterprises, who'd vanished after the Chengdu cyberattacks.
Chairwoman Wang raised an eyebrow. "State your identity and the evidence you bring."
"I'm Chen Meiling, former in-house counsel for Jiang Enterprises. I worked directly under Jiang Tianming during his campaign to sabotage Green Horizon. This envelope contains unaltered emails—complete with timestamps—proving he ordered the doctored blueprints, the server breach, and payments to the reporter who spread the false story. He wants your project dead to clear the land for a luxury mall."
Gasps erupted. Zhao surged to his feet, red-faced. "This is slander! She's a disgruntled employee looking for revenge."
Chen Meiling's gaze hardened. "Then ask Jiang why he fired me after I refused to cover up his illegal land grabs in Qingdao. Ask why he funneled money through shell companies to finance these attacks. Inside you'll find bank transfers: fifty thousand to the hacker, fifteen thousand to the reporter—directly from Jiang's offshore account."
She placed the envelope in Chairwoman Wang's hands. As council members flipped through the documents, skepticism turned to shock. One councilman let out a low whistle; another closed his eyes, exhaling heavily.
A weight lifted from Su Wanwan's chest. This was the missing piece they'd prayed for.
Zhao stumbled backward, trembling with rage. "This is a setup! Jiang Tianming will sue every one of you!"
"Let him," Chen Meiling said quietly. "Copies of these emails are with my lawyer. I won't hide anymore."
Chairwoman Wang raised the gavel once again. "We have heard enough. After reviewing the forensic evidence, community statements, and Ms. Chen's documents, we find the allegations against Green Horizon to be unsubstantiated. The permit for the Hongkou project is approved, effective immediately."
Applause thundered across the chamber—community members, their own team, even a few reporters. Zhao stormed out, slamming the door so hard it rattled the skylights.
Chen Meiling approached them. She looked exhausted, but lighter somehow. "I'm glad I came. He's destroyed too many lives for profit."
"Thank you," Su Wanwan said, gripping her hand. "We've been searching for you for months."
Lu Shiyan handed her a card. "If you need protection or legal support, call us. Anytime."
She nodded and slipped out quietly.
Lin Zhou sprinted toward them next, beaming. "The press is exploding! This will bury Jiang for good."
But Su Wanwan felt a cold prickle of unease. "Men like Jiang don't go down quietly."
Lu Shiyan squeezed her hand. "We'll deal with whatever comes next. For now—let's celebrate. We earned it."
---
That evening, the rain finally lifted. The Shanghai skyline shimmered outside their hotel suite, neon reflections dancing across the Huangpu River. Su Wanwan curled into the couch, kicking off her heels. Lu Shiyan joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"Remember Tuscany?" he murmured. "I told you we'd always find time for ourselves. After this project breaks ground, we're taking a real vacation—lavender fields, sunlight, Max chasing butterflies. No phones."
She laughed softly. "I'll hold you to it."
"You'd better." He kissed her hair. "You're my favorite adventure."
Peace settled over them—rare, precious.
But it shattered at 10 PM.
Her phone buzzed. Unknown number.
She hesitated, then answered. "Hello?"
A deep, gravelly voice slithered through the line. "Ms. Su. Tell Lu Shiyan the Hongkou project ends now. Walk away—or regret it."
Cold dread slid down her spine. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Just a warning. Jiang Tianming doesn't like losing. Your grandmother's farm in Chengdu… such a lovely place. It would be a shame if it burned."
Her breath caught. "Don't you touch it."
"Drop the project by noon tomorrow. Or the farm burns. And next time, it won't be property."
The line went dead.
Su Wanwan stared at the screen, trembling. Lu Shiyan immediately straightened beside her, worry etched into his features. "Wanwan? What happened?"
She told him everything. With each word, his expression darkened—sharp, cold, lethal.
"He's targeting you now," he said quietly. "Not just the project."
Fear tightened her chest. The farm was her grandmother's legacy, her childhood sanctuary. The idea of it burning was unbearable.
"We can't let him win." Her voice shook, but her resolve didn't.
"No," he said, pulling her into his arms. "We won't. I'll send security to the farm tonight—guards, surveillance, everything. And tomorrow, we're going after Jiang. Hard. We'll expose every crime he's ever committed. He will never threaten you again."
She clung to him, drawing strength from the steady beat of his heart. "What if he keeps coming after us?"
He brushed her hair back, eyes burning with fierce devotion. "Then we keep fighting. Together. This isn't just a project, Wanwan. It's our future. And I'll protect you until my last breath."
She kissed him—fear and love tangled together.
Outside, Shanghai glowed with relentless resilience. Jiang had thrown everything at them—lies, hackers, threats—but they were still standing. Stronger than before.
As Lu Shiyan called his security team, Su Wanwan looked out at the city. This was only the beginning. Jiang Tianming would not yield. The Hongkou battle was won, but the war was far from over.
Tomorrow, they would fight again.
For the project.
For the farm.
For each other.
And this time, they wouldn't just survive.
They would end Jiang's reign—once and for all.
Rain hammered against the windows, washing the city clean. The storm had returned—but so had their resolve.
Together, they were unstoppable.