After the divorce, the aloof CEO begged me not to withdraw my investment.

Ye Feng fell into deep thought.

What exactly are his feelings for Qi Xue? Is it gratitude? Is it being moved? Or...love?

He didn't know the answer, but he knew that Qi Xue's appearance brought a glimmer of light and hope to his dark life.

Ye Feng rubbed his temples and leaned back wearily in his chair. Outside the window, night had fallen, neon lights flickered, reflecting on his face but unable to dispel the gloom between his brows. Qi Xue's gentleness and thoughtfulness, like a ray of sunshine in winter, briefly warmed him, but could not melt the ice that shrouded his heart.

"Knock, knock, knock," the urgent knocking broke the silence of the office.

"Come in." Ye Feng sat up straight, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

Liu Qingyi pushed open the door and entered, holding a stack of documents in her hand, her face grave. "Ye Feng, something's happened."

Her voice was low and trembling slightly.

Ye Feng's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition surged into his mind. "What's wrong?" He took the document and quickly flipped through it.

The densely packed data and charts on the document, like cold symbols, assaulted his visual senses. Overseas market share had plummeted, several important cooperative projects had been abruptly halted, and new competitors had appeared out of nowhere, seizing market share with lightning speed and ruthless tactics.

"What's going on?" Ye Feng suddenly raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He felt an immense pressure, like a mountain pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.

Liu Qingyi walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the brightly lit city, her tone heavy. "According to the intelligence we currently have, this force has a complex background, is very powerful, and..." She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully, "...they seem to be specifically targeting us."

Ye Feng clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. He felt an unprecedented sense of crisis, like a sharp sword hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment. The office was filled with the bitter smell of coffee mixed with the smell of printer ink, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

"Who exactly are they?" Ye Feng's voice was low and hoarse, as if it were squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

Liu Qingyi shook her head. "It's still unclear. Their methods are very secretive, making them difficult to track." She turned around and looked at Ye Feng with a determined gaze. "But one thing is certain: this will be a tough battle."

Ye Feng took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and stood side by side with Liu Qingyi, looking down at the bustling city below. The dazzling lights seemed particularly cold to him, as if foreshadowing an impending storm.

"Notify all senior management to hold an emergency meeting tomorrow morning." Ye Feng's voice was calm and decisive, carrying an unquestionable authority.

Liu Qingyi nodded and turned to leave the office. The sound of her high heels clicking on the floor echoed clearly and heavily in the empty corridor.

Ye Feng stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, the night breeze ruffling his hair, lost in thought. He felt an immense pressure, like a mountain pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. He knew that an unprecedented business war had begun, and he had to lead his team to meet this challenge.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. The bitter aroma of coffee filled the office, bringing him a bitter taste, but also a sense of clarity. He knew the road ahead was full of thorns and challenges, but he wouldn't back down, because he knew he had his team behind him, Qi Xue, and everything he wanted to protect.

He opened his eyes, his gaze fixed firmly on the distance. He knew he had to win this war.

Ye Feng stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, the city's neon lights blurring into a bizarre, distorted patchwork of colors. The bitterness of the coffee still lingered on his tongue, much like his current mood. Liu Qingyi's words struck him like a hammer blow, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. The crisis in the overseas market was not yet resolved, and undercurrents were beginning to surge within the family. It felt like being in the center of a giant whirlpool, being torn apart by invisible forces, unable to breathe.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated, and the words "Second Uncle" flashed on the screen. Ye Feng hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button.

"Ye Feng," his second uncle's voice carried a hint of feigned concern, "I heard the company hasn't been doing so well lately? It seems there's been some trouble in the overseas market?"

Ye Feng gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white, suppressing his anger, and said in an icy tone: "Second Uncle is certainly well-informed."

"Sigh, it's all for the good of the company," Uncle sighed. "Many people in the family are worried. You're young and inexperienced, so some decisions are inevitable..."

"What's inevitable?" Ye Feng interrupted him, his voice low and dangerous.

“It’s inevitable that I haven’t considered everything,” Uncle continued. “Look, the company is facing difficulties both internally and externally. Many people in the family think you should change your strategy and be more cautious, for example…”

Ye Feng took a deep breath, trying hard to control his emotions: "For example, what?"

“For example, we could abandon overseas markets and focus on developing our domestic business,” Uncle’s voice became firm. “After all, the domestic market is our foundation, and overseas markets are too risky and not suitable for a family business like ours.”

Ye Feng sneered: "Give up the overseas market? Second Uncle, do you know what that means? It means all our previous efforts have been in vain, and it means we will lose our huge potential for future development!"

"Potential? I think it's more of a risk!" Another voice interrupted from the other end of the phone, sharp and shrill. It was Ye Feng's third aunt. "Ye Feng, you're too young. You don't understand what risk control is! If you continue like this, you'll drag the company down sooner or later!"

Ye Feng felt a throbbing pain in his temples, and a surge of anger rushed to his head. "Third Aunt, it's none of your business how I do things!"

“You…” Auntie’s voice became even sharper, filled with anger and dissatisfaction.

Ye Feng hung up the phone abruptly and slammed it onto the table. The phone screen shattered, mirroring his broken heart.

The office door was pushed open, and Liu Qingyi walked in. Seeing the shattered phone and Ye Feng's gloomy face, she asked worriedly, "What happened? What's wrong?"

Ye Feng raised his head, his eyes filled with exhaustion and anger. "Those people in the family have started to force me to resign."

Liu Qingyi's expression changed. She walked to Ye Feng's side, gently took his hand, and offered him silent comfort.

Ye Feng gripped Liu Qingyi's hand tightly, his fingertips turning white from the pressure. He felt an unprecedented loneliness and pressure, like a mountain pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. He needed an outlet, a way to vent.