The Legend of Cinderella's Counterattack

My heart felt like it was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and breathing became difficult. Lawrence Lu’s words exploded in my ears like thunder, pulling me back to reality from the sweet bubble of love.

"What did you say? Someone wants to deal with the Lu family?" I grabbed his hand, my voice trembling with nervousness. "What exactly is written in the document?"

Lawrence Lu held my hand with his backhand, his deep eyes full of worry: “Don’t worry, things are a bit complicated, I will tell you slowly.”

He handed me the document, and I took it and read it carefully. Its contents were even more horrifying than I had imagined. It detailed the Lu family's early struggles with a rival. That rival, Zhao Tianming, had been a partner of Lu's father, but later fell out over a dispute over profit sharing. Ruthless and ruthless, Zhao Tianming not only used various means to suppress the Lu family but even attempted to kidnap Lu Yuxuan's father. Although his scheme was ultimately exposed and Zhao Tianming was brought to justice, he left a harsh message before his departure, vowing to make the Lu family pay.

"This Zhao Tianming is so terrifying!" I closed the file, feeling uneasy. "But isn't he already..."

"The police didn't find his body back then, so we can't rule out the possibility that he's still alive." Lu Yuxuan took over my words, his tone heavy. "Also, this document mentions that Zhao Tianming holds a core secret of the Lu family's business. If this secret were leaked, it would be a devastating blow to the Lu family."

My heart sank again, a sense of foreboding washing over me. Could it be that Zhao Tianming was still alive? Where was he now? How would he exact his revenge?

"Yuxuan, what should we do now?" I raised my head and looked at him anxiously.

Lawrence Lu took a deep breath, his eyes gradually becoming firm: “Lolo, this matter is of great importance, I can’t let you stay out of it. We must face this challenge together, find out the truth of the matter, and protect the Lu family.”

I nodded without hesitation and held his hand tightly: "Okay, let's face it together!"

Holding Lawrence Lu’s hand, I felt a force coming from his palm, dispelling the fear in my heart. Yes, no matter how many difficulties and obstacles there are ahead, we must face them together!

We began by searching for Zhao Tianming's whereabouts, using several names mentioned in the documents. However, these individuals were either deceased or had vanished without a trace. It was like wandering in a maze, unable to find the exit.

Just when we were at a loss, Lu Yuxuan suddenly remembered that his father once said that Zhao Tianming had been active in Southeast Asia in his early years, and maybe we could try our luck there.

We immediately set off for Southeast Asia. However, as soon as we stepped off the plane, we were followed by a group of unidentified individuals. They were clearly well-prepared, agile, and well-equipped. We were nearly captured, but fortunately, Lu Yuxuan's wit and courage saved us.

Still terrified, I hid in a narrow alley, my heart pounding. This wasn't the first time we'd encountered danger; similar incidents had occurred repeatedly since we began investigating this matter. I realized we weren't facing any ordinary adversary, but a powerful enemy lurking in the shadows.

"Lolo, are you okay?" Lawrence Lu looked at me worriedly, his eyes full of heartache.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down: "I'm fine, we must persevere and not give up!"

Lawrence Lu nodded, a determined light flashing in his eyes: “Don’t worry, I will definitely protect you and find out the truth!”

To avoid further danger, we decided to change our strategy and no longer search directly for Zhao Tianming's whereabouts. Instead, we turned our attention to the core secrets of the Lu family enterprise. According to the documents, this secret was related to the research and development of a new material.

I carefully studied the relevant information and found that if this new material was applied to the clothing industry, it would trigger a revolutionary change. Inspiration suddenly struck me, and I decided to use my fashion talent to design a series of clothing products for Lu Yuxuan's family business that incorporated this new material.

My ideas were strongly supported by Lu Yuxuan, who mobilized the resources of his family business to fully cooperate with my design work. I worked tirelessly, forgetting food and sleep, and devoted myself to the creation, incorporating my understanding of fashion and my vision for the future into each piece.

After several months of hard work, I finally completed a series of stunning clothing designs that perfectly blend technology and fashion, embodying a futuristic feel while remaining practical.

Lu Yuxuan presented my design to the family business's management, who were impressed by my creativity and vision. They all agreed that my design would inject new vitality into the business and help it regain its footing in the market.

The new product launch was a huge success, and my designs were highly praised by industry professionals and consumers alike. Orders poured in, and the Lu Yuxuan family business was able to escape its predicament and embrace new development opportunities.

I watched the models on the catwalk wearing the clothes I designed and showing them off confidently, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. I knew that I had not only helped Lawrence Lu, but also realized my own value.

Yet, a tinge of unease still lingered in my heart. Zhao Tianming's whereabouts remained unknown, and the enemy hiding in the shadows had yet to show himself. This battle was far from over...

The successful launch of the new product lit a beacon on a turbulent sea, giving the Lu family business new hope. Orders poured in like snowflakes, and the entire company was filled with enthusiasm, as if the haze had finally lifted. However, Lu Yuxuan and I knew in our hearts that as long as the threat of Zhao Tianming was not eliminated, we could not take it lightly.

"It seems Zhao Tianming wanted to disrupt our market by suppressing us." Lu Yuxuan put down the latest financial report, his brows furrowed. "But he didn't expect you to design such an outstanding product. In fact, it helped us overcome the difficulties."

I poured him a cup of coffee. "It's just temporary. I always feel like this is going too smoothly. Given Zhao Tianming's personality, he won't let this go."

Lawrence Lu nodded in agreement, “You are right, we must take the initiative to find out his true purpose in order to completely solve the problem.”

We began to re-examine our existing leads, hoping to find Zhao Tianming's whereabouts. This time, Lu Yuxuan set his sights on the family business. He suspected that Zhao Tianming, while lurking within the Lu family, might have developed some internal collaborators, and these individuals could be the key to our continued inability to find a breakthrough.

Lu Yuxuan secretly investigated the company's veterans and increased monitoring of the company's core data, hoping to find clues. At the same time, I used my connections in the fashion industry to gather various intelligence, trying to understand Zhao Tianming's movements from the side.

Our efforts paid off. Lu Yuxuan soon discovered that the company's seemingly honest and trustworthy financial director had been colluding with Zhao Tianming. This news shocked me deeply. It turned out that the enemy had been hiding among us, and we were completely unaware. Lu Yuxuan acted decisively. After obtaining solid evidence, he decisively brought the financial director to justice.

As the investigation deepened, Zhao Tianming's conspiracy gradually surfaced. It turned out that before fleeing, he had transferred some of his funds to overseas accounts and secretly invested in emerging industries. For years, he had been secretly controlling these businesses, aiming to one day rise again and exact revenge on the Lu family.

This time, he had planned to use the new material research and development project to steal the Lu family's core secrets, then take the technology for himself and completely destroy the Lu family's business. Unfortunately, despite all his calculations, he didn't anticipate my appearance, let alone the successful product I would design for the Lu family.

With his keen business acumen and decisive action, Lu Yuxuan swiftly implemented a series of countermeasures. He strengthened internal security management to prevent information leaks and actively sought cooperation with government agencies and industry associations to combat Zhao Tianming's illegal activities.

After a thrilling battle, Lu Yuxuan finally succeeded in thwarting Zhao Tianming's plot and protecting the family's interests. Zhao Tianming's years of hard work were destroyed, and he ultimately could not escape the law.

The Lu family's crisis was finally resolved, and the business welcomed new opportunities for development. Lu Yuxuan and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy our hard-earned peace. However, the gears of fate continued to turn...

The joy of victory didn't last long. A vague unease lingered within me. Zhao Tianming's capture seemed all too easy, as if everything was proceeding according to a pre-set script. I had a vague feeling that perhaps there was a greater secret hidden behind this.

That night, Lawrence Lu finished processing the last document in the study and rubbed his brows tiredly. "I can finally take a break. You've worked so hard during this period, Luo Luo."

I walked up behind him and gently massaged his shoulders. "We've been through so much together, so what's hard about it? It's just..."

“Just what?” Lawrence Lu held my hand and asked with concern.

I hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell him my concerns. "I have a feeling things aren't that simple. Has Zhao Tianming really given up? Is there another enemy we don't know about?"

Lawrence Lu pondered for a moment, "You're right. It's better to be safe than sorry. I'll have Uncle Li continue the investigation until all the hidden dangers are eliminated."

I nodded, but my heart still churned. Just then, my phone rang. It was a multimedia message from an unfamiliar number. Puzzled, I opened it and froze.

It was a photo of an antique wooden box with patterns carved on it that I couldn't understand. But what made me feel creepy was that there was a red gem inlaid in the center of the box. The shape of the gem was exactly the same as the one that often appeared in my dreams!

Before I could react, my phone vibrated again, followed by another message: "Want to know the secret of your origin? Want to gain true power? Open this box, and you will know everything!"

My mind buzzed, as if something had exploded. A strong premonition washed over me: Perhaps this was fate's hint to me, a shocking secret about my origins was about to be revealed...

**(To be continued)**