Cici left the airport, her eyes filled with curiosity as she looked around Summerville.
In the past three years, this city has developed at an astonishing pace.
It has now steadily risen to the ranks of a first-tier city.
The city's GDP is now almost on par with Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
The headquarters of Yin Enterprises, which controls the city's economic lifeblood, has expanded even further, occupying the most prosperous street in the CBD.
It has become Summerville's own Wall Street.
Listening to the familiar yet somewhat foreign Mandarin around her, Cici, who has spoken French for years, suddenly feels a sense of warmth and belonging.
As soon as Cici stepped out of the terminal, she saw a silver-gray Rolls-Royce parked outside.
Max Mo, tall and handsome, leaned casually against the car hood, smiling as he watched Cici emerge from the airport.
Cici hadn’t expected that the first person she’d see after landing would be Max Mo.
Cici opened her mouth, suddenly feeling a bit guilty.
Just a few days ago, Max Mo was begging her to come back to China with him, and she had firmly refused.
But now, only a few days later, she had snuck back on her own...
Max Mo didn’t miss the panic and guilt in Cici’s eyes. His blue eyes sparkled with a gentle smile as he straightened up and opened the car door for her. "Silly girl, you came back without any preparation. Aren’t you afraid you’ll have nowhere to go?"
Cici lowered her head, not daring to meet Max Mo’s eyes. "Max, I..."
"Alright, no need to explain. I understand everything," Max Mo said with a faint smile. "But I’m not giving up so easily. Cici, since you chose to come back, will you give me a fair chance to compete? Don’t hide from me like you did in France, never giving me a single opportunity."
Cici bit her lip, embarrassed, and nodded.
All those years in France, no matter what Max Mo said, she never accepted a single invitation from him.
Even when they ate together, it was always with other people—never just the two of them alone.
Now that she was in the wrong, she couldn’t keep refusing him anymore.
Otherwise, she really wouldn’t be able to explain herself to her family.
Max Mo, satisfied with Cici’s answer, gentlemanly helped her into the car, then got into the driver’s seat and quickly drove away from the airport.
Seeing Cici still bowing her head, looking apologetic, Max Mo couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle her hair.
"How did you know I was coming back to China?" Cici glanced at Max Mo cautiously.
"I’m probably not the only one who knows you’re back," Max Mo said as he drove. "But I know you well enough to guess you’d fly to Summerville, so I waited for you here."
Cici secretly stuck out her tongue.
Max Mo had always been a very smart man.
Smart but reserved, the complete opposite of Charles Yin’s boldness.
"Hungry? Let’s get something to eat first." Max Mo asked, but it was more of a decision. "You just got off the plane, probably still jet-lagged. Eat, rest up, and then we’ll head to Newport City. Grandma Evelyn Yin’s birthday is still a while away, so you’ll have plenty of time to get ready."
Cici stayed silent. Max Mo was so smart—how could he not know why she’d really come back?
Grandma Evelyn Yin’s birthday banquet was just an excuse—what she really wanted was to see those two children!
Seeing that Cici didn’t object to his plans, Max Mo’s lips curled into a smile.
Max Mo drove straight into downtown Summerville, carefully chose a restaurant, and took Cici inside.
"What do you want to eat?" Max Mo handed her the menu. "Since you finally made it back, you should eat well. You can’t get authentic Chinese food like this abroad."
"Sure!" Cici replied with a cheerful smile. "This is your turf now, so I’m not holding back."
"Alright." Max Mo’s face showed a hint of satisfaction.
This was the first time in three years that the two of them had eaten alone together.
He’d waited three years for this moment.
Cici quickly ordered a few dishes, then started chatting with Max Mo about her trip to Australia.
Max Mo didn’t ask why Cici had come back, nor did he ask if she’d seen Charles Yin.
They only talked about lighthearted topics, so the meal was casual and enjoyable.
After the meal, Max Mo slid a hotel key card over to Cici. "I booked you a room at the Hilton. Get some sleep and rest before you do anything else. If you need anything, just let me know—my assistant will bring it right away. You just got back, so you probably don’t have a place to stay yet. This is my villa; I haven’t lived there, but it’s all cleaned up, and there are a few housekeepers who come in regularly. They won’t disturb you."
Then he pushed a set of keys toward her. "Don’t turn me down, Cici. It doesn’t matter if we’re engaged or not, or if we end up together—I still want to take care of you. Even for the sake of our families, I can’t just sit by and do nothing, right? You just got back, you don’t have any property here, and living in a hotel is inconvenient."
Cici stayed silent.
Max Mo pushed another key over. "This is a Lamborghini registered under my name. Use it for now. If you don’t like it, I have other cars. If you don’t like any in Summerville, I can have one sent from Y Province—don’t worry, it’ll be fast."
Cici finally couldn’t hold back. "Max, you don’t have to be so nice to me..."
"I also had some everyday clothes, shoes, and jewelry prepared for you. You only brought one suitcase, and shopping for everything takes time." Max Mo’s blue eyes locked onto Cici. "Don’t be polite, okay? If you want to thank me, just accept what I give you. You know I’ve always wanted to do something for you, but you never let me."
Cici’s eyes flickered, but for some reason, Charles Yin’s face appeared in her mind.
Where was he now? What was he doing?
Were the children with him?
Have the children all recovered their health?
Cici knew well that comparing Max Mo to Charles Yin was truly unfair to Max.
To be honest, Max Mo was also outstanding and accomplished.
But somehow, she preferred men like Charles Yin.
She couldn't recall her feelings when she first met Charles three years ago.
All she knew was that from the very first moment she saw him in France, her heart had already begun to stir.
She had always kept her distance from Max Mo, not wanting to hurt him.
But with things as they were, was this hurt already inevitable?
Max seemed to sense Cici's dilemma. He smiled warmly, his blue eyes full of gentle affection. "Don't worry about hurting me. I'm not that fragile. I just want to pursue you openly and honestly."
Cici nodded silently, accepting the gift Max had given her.
Max walked Cici to the hotel entrance, but had no intention of going inside.
"Get some rest," he said, noticing the dark circles under her eyes and feeling a pang of concern. "If you need anything, call me anytime."
"Thank you," Cici replied, looking up at Max.
"I hope one day you won't have to say those words to me," Max said softly, gently brushing her hair, his blue eyes full of complex emotion. "Go on, head inside."
Cici lowered her gaze, nodded, swiped her key card and opened the door, leaving Max outside.
A single door now separated them.
It separated not just two people, but two worlds, two hearts.
Cici walked slowly into the room and saw several suitcases waiting for her.
Opening them, she found clothes and shoes Max had thoughtfully arranged through his assistants.
He was so considerate and gentle—surely a better woman would be a better match for him, wouldn't she?
Cici stood by the window, her expression complicated, watching Max drive away. Her fingers pressed against the glass, her reflection clear and lonely.
As if sensing her gaze, Max glanced back toward her room before turning and leaving.
After leaving the hotel, Max soon met up with Mo Xuan.
Mo Xuan looked exhausted and travel-worn as she appeared before Max.
"Brother, did you see Cici?" Mo Xuan asked as soon as they met.
"Yes, I just got her settled," Max nodded. "What happened to you?"
"Jingrong is coming to China," Mo Xuan sighed, leaning on Max's shoulder. "Brother, I suddenly realized that engagement is such a torment. Like me and Jingrong, like you and Cici."
Max said nothing.
"But I also know our situations are different. Jingrong and I just talk about it, but your engagement with Cici is a family legacy. Even if you don't love each other, you have to honor tradition. And besides, you do love her, don't you?" Mo Xuan continued. "I just feel like things in China are about to get turbulent again."
Max spoke quietly, "After three years of calm, it's time for the storm."
"Exactly," Mo Xuan sighed, "All the major players are converging on Summerville and N City. Things are getting lively again."
Max smiled faintly, "Chaos is good. Only in chaos is there opportunity."
Cici stayed in her room for a while but couldn't sleep, so she decided to take a walk downstairs.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw a middle-aged man coming out of the elevator.
Cici instinctively paused and moved aside to keep her distance.
But before she could leave, the man suddenly stopped, turned, and looked at her intently. "Excuse me, miss, have we met before?" he asked.
Cici looked at him in confusion, smiled politely, and shook her head.
She turned to go, but the man stepped in front of her, studying her for a long moment. "No, we have met! Last time was at the Summerville bidding event. Your husband beat me and won the project! My surname is Wang, I'm from the capital. Do you remember now?"