Zhang Wei turned to face them.
His face showed nothing, but you could feel the danger coming off him.
"From now on, she is under my protection."
Complete silence.
"She will be respected. No one insults her again. No one touches her. And no one records her life without answering to me directly."
A neighbor slowly lowered his phone.
Madam Zhao's mouth opened, then closed. The anger on her face disappeared.
Even Zhao Mei stood frozen, trying to understand what was happening.
Under his protection? Why? I barely even know him.
Before she could think about it, Zhang Wei's hand pressed against her back, guiding her toward the SUV. He wasn't rough, but it was clear she was getting in that car.
"Where are we going?" she whispered.
He opened the car door and waited for her to get in.
"To my private hospital."
The SUV pulled away. Zhao Mei looked back once and saw her stepmother's angry face, her stepbrother still holding his phone, the neighbors already whispering.
Then they were gone.
The inside of the SUV was warm.
Zhao Mei sat against the leather seat, shaking. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling. She pressed them against her legs, but it didn't help.
Zhang Wei sat across from her.
He didn't speak. Just watched her.
She wanted to say something. Thank you. Why are you helping me.
But nothing came out.
The city passed by outside. Buildings. Signs. People living normal lives.
When the car stopped, Zhao Mei looked up.
The building didn't look like a regular hospital. It was clean. Private. Guarded.
No reporters. No cameras. Just quiet.
Inside was nothing like the hospitals Zhao Mei knew.
No crowded waiting rooms. No crying kids. No harsh lights.
Just soft lighting. White walls. The smell of something clean and expensive.
Zhao Mei walked in slowly, still wearing his coat.
She couldn't look at him. Didn't know what to say. Didn't even know his name.
He looked at her briefly. "You're safe here."
Safe. The word felt strange.
A doctor was waiting in the examination room. A nurse stood next to him.
Zhao Mei tried to explain. "I drank something… and then… I don't remember…"
Her voice broke.
The nurse touched her arm gently. "It's okay, Miss Zhao. You don't need to explain everything right now. We'll take care of you."
The doctor checked her carefully. Her pulse. Her eyes. The marks on her skin.
After a few minutes, he looked at Zhang Wei.
"She was drugged. We'll run tests and document everything."
"Do it," Zhang Wei said.
His voice was cold, but Zhao Mei could hear anger underneath.
The nurse left to get equipment. Zhao Mei was alone with him.
That's when she broke down.
A sob came out before she could stop it. Then another. She covered her face with her hands.
Why me? Why today? Why does everything keep getting worse?
Her shoulders shook.
Then the bed moved. Zhang Wei sat down next to her.
He reached for her hands.
She flinched but didn't pull away.
His hands were warm. Steady.
"I won't let them destroy you," he said quietly.
Nobody had ever said anything like that to her before. Not her foster father. Not anyone.
But this stranger was saying it now.
Across the city, Fang Hua stared at her phone.
Her hands shook.
She'd gone to Zhang Wei's hotel room last night because his mother had arranged everything. Because her family had planned this. Because she thought he was supposed to be hers.
But instead she'd seen another girl in his bed.
Small. Unconscious. Helpless.
Who was she? Why was she there? Why wasn't it me?
Fang Hua watched the scandal video again. And again.
Then a message popped up.
Ma'am, Zhang Wei is preparing a marriage contract.
Her breath stopped.
Another message. With the girl from the video.
"No," she whispered. "I won't let this happen."
Back at the hospital, Zhang Wei stepped away and pulled out his phone.
The line connected.
"Minister Qian. A video is circulating from the Imperial Grand Hotel. I want it contained. Now."
Pause.
"I'll handle the rest."
Another call.
"Pull CCTV footage from the seventeenth floor. Every camera. Hallways, elevators, everything. I want it within the hour."
Pause.
"Cross check the staff list. Two employees are missing. Find them."
He looked back at Zhao Mei.
"And find out who arranged for her to be sent to my room."
Zhao Mei's head snapped up. "I didn't go there on purpose."
"I know," he said.
But his eyes were dark. Someone had planned this. And they would pay.
When they left the hospital, everything felt different.
When they reached his penthouse, Zhao Mei stopped at the entrance.
Marble floors. Glass walls. The city spread out far below.
This is his world. And somehow I'm in it now.
An old man walked up and bowed. Zhao Mei instinctively tried to stop him, but Zhang Wei touched her arm and shook his head.
"That's the butler," he said quietly.
"Oh. That's how things work here." She mumbled.
Zhang Wei spoke to the butler. "Have the maids get Miss Zhao's things from her house. She won't be going back there."
Zhao Mei blinked. "I'm not going back?"
"No. You stay here where it's safe."
Safe. There was that word again.
A maid took Zhao Mei to a room.
It was huge. Bigger than her whole apartment. Silk curtains. Thick carpet. A bed that looked like nobody had ever slept in it.
"You can rest here, Miss. Young Master Wei wants you to feel comfortable."
Zhao Mei nodded. "What's your name?"
"Qiao Qiao." The maid replied.
"I'm Zhao Mei. I hope we can get along."
Qiao Qiao smiled. "Me too, Miss." She bowed and left.
Alone, Zhao Mei pulled the coat tighter. It still smelled like him.
Why does that make me feel better?
Then a knock came.
Zhang Wei walked in. He looked at her face.
"You haven't slept."
"No."
He adjusted the coat on her shoulders. His fingers brushed her skin for just a second.
She felt it. So did he.
He stepped back quickly.
"We need to talk about the contract tomorrow."
"What contract?"
He hesitated. "A marriage contract."
Her eyes went wide. "A marriage contract?"
"Yes. It's the only way to protect both of us."
She couldn't find words.
He turned to leave, then stopped. "Eat your dinner. You're too pale."
He left.
Zhao Mei stared at the door.
Her life had changed in hours. And this cold, dangerous man was now the only thing standing between her and complete disaster.
Outside, the city lights sparkled.
Somewhere, people were living normal lives.
And she was here, in a penthouse, about to sign a contract with a man she barely knew.
********