The Creator's Grace - Chapter 2

Tonight’s press conference was held at ILLI, a luxury hotel brand under the Chi Group.

By 7:00 PM, all invited media and Chi Group staff had arrived. They were busy setting up the hotel’s Chinese restaurant—hanging electronic screens, starting projectors, arranging name cards, and placing materials. Small gift bags for the media were lined up neatly on the round tables.

The tripods were secured, and the cameras were in position.

Partners from the energy industry and the Chi Group passed through the crystal gates outside. After signing the guest board and posing for photos, they entered the hall to drink, chat, and wait for the protagonist of the night to appear.

Chi Yu sat in the most inconspicuous corner, holding a glass of wine. For the moment, no one noticed her. The thick, sweet floral scent and the aroma of sweet biscuits wafted from the glass into her senses. She merely smelled the wine without drinking it. She liked this vintage, but she needed to stay clear-headed.

“Is it true that Wang Yan, the CEO of Yidai Technology, was crushed by a truck while drunk driving last night?”

“You heard that too? Personally, I think the whole thing feels a bit fishy.”

Two media professionals sat down at the round table next to Chi Yu. They set their cameras and phones on the table, took a few sips of water from their bags, and began to gossip in low voices.

The man with a buzz cut said, “If it were anyone else, I’d believe it. But Wang Yan? Not a chance.”

The young woman wearing glasses beside him didn’t understand. “Why not?”

“That guy spent years chasing his precious wife and just got married last year. He’s at the gym every single day trying to bulk up. He’s obsessed with staying alive. How could he possibly be drunk driving?”

“You mean…?”

“Eighty percent says it’s because of the battle for lunar energy. That woman surnamed Ran probably…” The man made a slicing motion across his throat.

The girl in glasses turned pale. “Is she that terrifying? That’s murder. We live in a society ruled by law. It’s just business—why kill people?”

“You’re naive. Everyone in the world is staring at that massive lunar energy cake right now. Whoever grabs it dictates the new energy market for the next fifty years or more. That’s the future of Earth! Getting rid of one person is nothing. You’re young; you don’t get it. These capitalists aren’t afraid of losing their heads for profit, let alone ‘taking out’ a person or two. This Ran woman… never mind her competitors—to get the top seat in the Chi Empire, even her own benefactor and old lover was…”

As the man spoke with grand flourishes, he happened to notice an exquisite, beautiful woman watching him from nearby.

Chi Yu was naturally born with bright, captivating eyes that always seemed to hold a smile. Even when she had no expression, people felt she was radiating a friendly warmth. Struck by this beauty’s smile, the man felt a surge of excitement. To show off how much “inside info” he had, he spoke even more energetically:

“They say her old lover, Chi Li, didn’t commit suicide at all. Ran Jin is the killer. This woman’s private life is a total mess. As soon as her lover was gone, she was at the Police Chief’s house, staying there night after night without coming out. And then, surprise, surprise—Chi Li’s cause of death naturally became ‘suicide’…”

The girl gasped. “Sigh, I really couldn’t tell. I actually had a pretty good impression of Miss Ran. I followed her for an event once—she’s truly beautiful. Honestly, there aren’t many A-list celebrities who look better than her. She’s a bit cold, but how should I put it? She felt quite sincere.”

“Ha! Sincere? A venomous woman like her is specialized in fooling inexperienced youngsters like you.”

Just then, a commotion broke out in the distance. Ran Jin had arrived.

The two immediately grabbed their equipment to take photos. Chi Yu set her glass down and followed.

The buzz-cut man snapped a flurry of photos. Looking back at the shots, he lamented, “She really is beautiful, and she really is poisonous. Look at that face—who wouldn’t like it? She’s the darling of the public and the treasure of capital. Now that her lover is dead, those ignorant fools feel sorry for her and excited at the same time, wishing they could pile gold and silver at her feet just for a smile. Securing the lunar energy rights this time was entirely due to her superior ‘social’ skills.”

The girl whispered in his ear, “You don’t think she traded… favors for it, do you?”

The man grinned mischievously. “Well, who can say for sure?”

As the two were whispering intently, Chi Yu walked past them and casually splashed a glass of wine onto their faces, giving them a sharp shock.

Dazed and soaked, the man roared, “Are you looking for a fight?!” He wiped his face with one hand and reached out to grab Chi Yu.

Before he could touch her, someone ran over, dripping with sweat. He called out to Chi Yu, “Second Miss, here you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

The man’s hand froze mid-air, his mouth agape.

The newcomer was one of the Chi family’s butlers, Old Chen—the very middleman the buzz-cut man had spent a lot of connections to reach. Without Old Chen’s introduction, he wouldn’t have been allowed in to film tonight.

Did Old Chen just call her “Second Miss”? Was this Chi Li’s legendary younger sister?

Chi Yu exchanged a few words with Butler Chen, and he nodded before leaving, giving the buzz-cut man a wary look before he went. Chi Yu didn’t leave. Still smiling, she stood her ground, waiting for them to continue the conflict.

The two media workers looked at each other for a moment, said nothing, and vanished silently into the crowd.

Ran Jin took the stage to speak, surrounded by a crowd. Her black formal suit was the same as ever—it had practically become her trademark. From a distance, she seemed to have applied light makeup. Her naturally bright “peach blossom” eyes showed signs of redness, making her look less alluring and more haggard and detached.

Under the lights, her light makeup looked almost like a bare face, but Ran Jin’s features were naturally vivid; even completely bare, she was strikingly brilliant.

Ran Jin stood before the giant LED screen, discussing the lunar new energy mining rights. She was composed and calm; all the data was in her head. She didn’t need an assistant for a teleprompter or a PPT; her speech was fluent and self-assured.

She introduced how new energy would bring world-shaking changes to the globe. It would be applied to aerospace technology, oceanic exploration, and nuclear power. It would also penetrate daily life via heating, electricity, information transmission, and smart homes, giving birth to countless forms of unimaginable intelligent technology.

Ran Jin revealed the Chi Group’s major plan for an “Undersea Paradise,” set to be realized within the next five years. The audience was astounded. The Chi Group had always been ambitious, but no one expected that the sudden death of Chairperson Chi Li would have so little negative impact. With Ran Jin taking over, this behemoth was actually running faster and more freely.

Chi Yu sat at the back of the crowd, staring at Ran Jin under the spotlight.

“…I believe the next fifty years belong to new energy, and they belong to the Chi Group.” Ran Jin placed her electronic pen on the podium and braced her hands against the surface, her eyes bright. “This is a new starting point for the Chi Group and a new starting point for the global energy industry. All of you only need to do one thing—follow the Chi Group’s lead closely.”

Ran Jin’s words were sharp, filled with absolute confidence—even aggression—toward other energy companies. This woman was only twenty-nine, but she was already a rising star in the business world who made people tremble.

Her speech left the media thrilled. Once the live stream and press releases went out tonight, it would surely strike a nerve with many, causing a bloodbath in the energy sector—exactly the kind of scene the media loved most.

Once the broadcast ended, Ran Jin chatted with the Chi Group shareholders about a few business matters. Then, Xiao Yang from the Planning Department came over to invite her to the dance.

“A dance?” Ran Jin refused immediately. “I never dance.”

“This…” Xiao Yang was young and had just joined the department. He was usually lively, but after being abruptly rejected by Ran Jin in such a grand setting, he panicked and ran back to Manager Xu for help.

Upon hearing this, Manager Xu immediately put on a bright smile and came to persuade Ran Jin. “President Ran, I told you about the dance before, and you agreed! Why are you going back on your word now? No, you absolutely must dance tonight. I’ve already told the media!”

Manager Xu was a woman in her early forties, well-maintained and possessing a beautiful face. After a mix of stubbornness and pleading, she whispered in Ran Jin’s ear, “After that hardline speech you just gave, don’t you want to win back some positive image? Please!”

Ran Jin couldn’t stand Manager Xu’s public pleading, and she glanced at Xiao Yang, who was standing nearby looking extremely awkward and red-faced. She realized she had been too harsh on the innocent kid earlier because of her own mood. However, she was not the type to coax people or say sweet words.

“Just one song,” Ran Jin relented.

Manager Xu’s eyes lit up, and she immediately signaled the staff. “Quick, take President Ran to change into a dress!”

“I’m not wearing a dress,” Ran Jin said. “I’ll dance in this.”

“…Fine.” Being able to get the boss to dance at all was a win; Manager Xu didn’t push her luck. Dancing in a stiff suit might even become a trending topic.

As the music began, part of the crowd dispersed, but the media stayed. They were all waiting to capture Ran Jin dancing. The dance floor was filled with Chi Group employees and partners, dancing in pairs.

Ran Jin was never one for entertainment; she truly didn’t know how to dance. Lu Siqiong approached from the other side of the crowd, lifting the hem of her gown. She was the reinforcements Ran Jin had called.

Initially, Manager Xu wanted Ran Jin to dance with the CEO, but Ran Jin disliked physical contact with strangers, so she had called Lu Siqiong to help out.

“So you only remember to find me when you’re in trouble? Lucky I was thinking of you and didn’t leave, otherwise what would you have done?” Lu Siqiong mocked her over the phone.

“Stop joking. This is a life-saver. Get here quick.” Ran Jin had hung up and soon saw Lu Siqiong coming to the rescue.

Lu Siqiong was a police officer but had always loved beauty. Outside of work, she carried an aura of being dressed for a gala wherever she went, so her outfit wasn’t out of place. Conversely, she made Ran Jin—in her business suit—look even more out of place on the dance floor.

Just as Lu Siqiong was about to cross the crowd to reach Ran Jin, a pair of dancers glided in front of her, blocking her view. When she looked back at Ran Jin, she discovered that Ran Jin already had a partner.

“What a boring press conference.”

Forcibly taking Ran Jin’s hand, Chi Yu—dressed in a magnificent gown and exquisite makeup—naturally led Ran Jin onto the dance floor.

Ran Jin caught the familiar scent of perfume, and her heart tightened. When she looked up, the face before her was young, beautiful, and all too familiar. Her narrow eyes carried an enchanting yet dangerous aura, and the slight, ambiguous curve of her smile made the color on Chi Yu’s lips look even more vivid.

“Is this not a banquet? There isn’t even a bite to eat. How has our Chi family become so stingy in your hands?”

Chi Yu’s gaze didn’t land on Ran Jin’s face; she looked straight ahead, leading her in a graceful dance. When Ran Jin realized who was leading her and holding her hand, she instinctively tried to pull away.

“I won’t force you,” Chi Yu said. “If you don’t mind the business you fought so hard for going down the drain, feel free to leave right now.”

Ran Jin’s eyes sharpened, her voice becoming uncharacteristically urgent. “You messed with the lunar orbit?”

“Am I not worthy?” Chi Yu’s smile was charming and somewhat sweet. If one couldn’t hear the content of her words, they would assume she was sharing something incredibly sweet and happy with Ran Jin.

Ran Jin knew that the major Chi Yu had been studying was lunar orbits. She knew everyone around Chi Yu was a giant in that professional field. Last year, Chi Yu had begun interning at the famous General Administration of Galactic Navigation. All the people Chi Yu had associated with over the past few years were authorities in the field of orbital mechanics. Chi Li had bragged about her sister’s capability countless times.

No matter how much effort was spent securing lunar mining rights, if the lunar orbit was blockaded and the Chi Group’s refining and transport ships couldn’t land on the moon, it would all be for nothing. At the same time, the massive daily fees for mining patents, docking, maintenance, and labor would strike a heavy blow to the Chi Group, which had already overspent on this project.

Ran Jin stared directly at the still-composed Chi Yu. “You did that last night… just for this?”

Ran Jin had considered the worst-case scenario, but Chi Yu had just given that scenario a violent push into a deeper, more painful place.