r18novel Chapter 330: Are they dating??
Chapter 330: Are they dating??
Flashback Continues
The dining hall of the Baby Dragon Art School was lively as usual.
Students sat around long wooden tables.
Some discussed their lessons.
Some quietly practiced sketches while eating.
Others simply enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.
Ghost sat near the corner with a tray in front of him.
His dinner was simple.
Rice.
Vegetables.
Soup.
Nothing fancy.
For someone who had spent years eating military rations and food in war zones, it was already luxurious.
He had barely started eating when the conversations around him suddenly became quieter.
Several students looked toward the entrance.
Ghost followed their gaze.
Meiling was walking through the hall.
Her pace was calm.
But her expression was not.
She stopped beside Ghost’s table.
Then looked directly at him.
"Come to my office."
"Now."
The entire dining hall froze.
Every student stared.
Ghost blinked.
Meiling rarely entered the dining hall personally.
And she certainly never came looking for a specific student.
The whispers immediately began.
"She looks angry."
"What did he do?"
"I have never seen Miss Meiling personally call a student."
"Did he fail a test?"
"Did he break something?"
"Sounds very serious."
Ghost quietly stood up.
Picking up his plate.
He bowed slightly.
"Understood."
Then calmly left.
The students continued staring until he disappeared.
A few minutes later.
Ghost arrived at Meiling’s office.
Knock.
Knock.
"Come in."
Ghost opened the door and entered.
The moment he stepped inside, he noticed something unusual.
Meiling sat behind her desk.
One hand pressed against her forehead.
As if she had a headache.
Or had spent the entire evening dealing with nonsense.
Ghost closed the door behind him.
Meiling slowly looked up.
"Did you cause trouble in the city?"
Ghost tilted his head.
"Trouble?"
Meiling narrowed her eyes.
"Why were you there?"
"I told you to stay calm and composed."
"Did you fight?"
Ghost immediately shook his head.
"Miss Meiling."
"I did not fight."
"I promised you I would not take part in violence."
His tone remained sincere.
"I was invited there."
"It just happened that a false fire alarm went off and created chaos."
"You can ask the reception."
"I received an invitation letter."
Meiling stared at him for several seconds.
Then sighed.
"Then why are they searching for you?"
Ghost shrugged.
"Apparently the host lost something."
"He thinks I took it."
The moment those words left his mouth.
Meiling’s expression changed completely.
She straightened in her chair.
"How dare he accuse my student."
"No one calls my student a thief."
Ghost blinked.
For the first time since arriving at the school, he saw Meiling like this.
Meiling almost sounded offended on his behalf.
The anger from earlier was suddenly directed elsewhere.
Meiling crossed her arms.
"If you say you did not participate in violence, then I believe you."
Ghost looked down slightly.
"But I brought trouble to the school."
Meiling chuckled.
A rare amused smile appeared on her face.
"Don’t worry."
"Baby Dragon Art School has very deep roots."
"People think thousands of times before causing trouble for us."
Ghost raised an eyebrow.
"You mean..."
Meiling simply smiled.
"Don’t worry about it."
"They won’t come to the school."
Her eyes became serious again.
"But be careful outside."
Ghost nodded.
"Understood."
Meiling changed the subject.
"How is your preparation for the second test?"
A faint smile appeared on Ghost’s face.
"I am prepared."
"Thanks to Wáng Yí."
Meiling nodded.
Then sighed.
"Wáng Yí was temporarily taken away by her father."
Ghost looked surprised.
"What happened?"
Meiling leaned back in her chair.
"Looks like Xin lost something very important."
Ghost almost laughed.
But managed to maintain a straight face.
Meiling pointed at him.
"Whatever expression that is."
"I don’t want to know."
Ghost coughed lightly.
Meiling shook her head.
"Just be careful."
"And do not leave the school carelessly."
Ghost nodded.
"Understood."
The conversation ended.
Far away.
On the other side of Shanghai.
Xin’s Apartment
Midnight
The luxurious penthouse overlooked the glowing city.
Floor to ceiling windows reflected thousands of lights.
Yet the atmosphere inside was anything but peaceful.
Xin sat alone.
His eyes fixed on a financial chart displayed on his phone.
The graph showed something he had never seen before.
A loss.
A red line.
For years.
Every chart.
Every account.
Every investment.
Always moved upward.
Green.
Profit.
Growth.
More money.
More power.
But tonight.
For the first time.
The line was red.
A direct result of the millions that had disappeared from his party.
His hand trembled.
Then suddenly.
CRASH.
The phone flew across the room.
Shattering against the wall.
"Damn that brat!"
His voice echoed throughout the penthouse.
The humiliation hurt more than the money.
First.
He had been publicly mocked.
Then tricked.
Then robbed.
All in a single night.
His face twisted with rage.
"How did he do it?"
"How?"
The veins on his forehead bulged.
"This humiliation..."
"I will repay it a hundredfold."
His breathing became heavier.
"If the old man behind that school wasn’t alive..."
His eyes became murderous.
"I would have burned the entire school down."
Silence.
Then.
A voice appeared behind him.
"Really?"
Xin froze.
His body instantly stiffened.
"Who’s there?"
He spun around.
Nobody.
The room was empty.
His heartbeat accelerated.
Then the voice spoke again.
This time from another direction.
"How do you feel after losing money?"
Xin turned again.
Nothing.
No one.
His breathing became uneven.
"Who is there?"
"Come out!"
"Do you think you can get away from here?"
Slowly.
Carefully.
He moved toward a cabinet.
Opened a hidden drawer.
And pulled out a handgun.
His hands trembled slightly.
The voice returned.
"Scared already?"
Xin swung around once more.
The gun raised.
Searching.
Then.
Before he could fully lift the weapon.
A figure appeared directly in front of him.
As if he had emerged from the darkness itself.
Ghost.
Standing barely a few feet away.
Hands inside his pockets.
Completely relaxed.
Xin’s eyes widened.
The handgun slipped from his fingers.
Clack.
It hit the floor.
He stumbled backward.
Sweat instantly covered his forehead.
His breathing became frantic.
"You..."
"You..."
"How did you get inside?"
Ghost smirked.
Then slowly began walking forward.
Hands still inside his pockets.
Each step sounded calm.
Measured.
Terrifying.
His eyes remained fixed on Xin.
"Looks like..."
"You didn’t take my warning seriously."
And that night.
The powerful chairman of Azure Bank felt genuine fear.
Present
The morning traffic of Star Harbor flowed smoothly beneath the clear sky.
Miles drove toward Cinder Square.
His sports car moved through the city streets while the communication console remained connected to the island’s secure network.
A small display flickered.
Darius appeared on the screen.
"Leader, good morning."
Miles smiled slightly.
"Good morning."
"What news do we have?"
Darius looked satisfied.
"Just like you anticipated."
"Wáng Yí and Wáng Qian are indeed in the village."
For a moment.
Miles remained silent.
Then he slowly released a breath he did not realize he had been holding.
The tension in his shoulders eased.
"Great."
"That’s good news."
Darius nodded.
"It looks like they were aware of the hidden danger."
"That’s why they disappeared and hid themselves."
Miles looked out the windshield.
Thinking carefully.
"It means the enemy still doesn’t know where they are."
"They were really trying to find her through me."
His eyes narrowed.
"Which means Ren."
Darius smiled.
"Exactly as you predicted."
"The moment Ren left the Wang Mansion, he was followed."
Miles’ fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel.
"Did they see his face?"
"No."
"Just like you instructed."
"He wore a hoodie."
"A mask."
"And never exposed his identity."
Miles smirked.
"Looks like we need to arrange a new Wáng Yí in Shanghai."
Darius immediately understood.
A grin appeared on his face.
"I understand, Boss."
"I’ll inform Ren."
"And prepare the trap."
Miles nodded.
"What about Miss Meiling?"
The smile on Darius’ face faded.
"Unfortunately."
"We still have no news."
"It is as if she simply disappeared."
Miles tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
The concern returned instantly.
"Keep looking."
"We cannot stop."
"Understood, Leader."
The transmission ended.
The screen went dark.
Miles took a left turn toward the business district.
The city reflected across the car windows.
Yet his thoughts remained elsewhere.
Shanghai.
Wáng Yí.
Meiling.
The trap.
And Xin.
Or perhaps...
Someone pretending to be him.
Miles looked ahead.
"I hope Miss Meiling is safe."
....
Afternoon
Sterling Enterprises Office Cafeteria
Lunch hour had arrived.
The cafeteria was lively.
Employees chatted around tables.
Coffee machines worked continuously.
The scent of fresh food filled the air.
At his usual corner table near the window.
Miles sat alone.
A cup of coffee rested beside him.
Several employees occasionally glanced in his direction.
Though nobody dared interrupt him.
It was one of the usual moments when the chairman actually appeared in the cafeteria.
Miles calmly took another sip.
Then his eyes shifted toward the entrance.
And stopped.
Someone had entered.
A young woman.
Long hair.
Simple but elegant clothes.
Her presence immediately attracted attention.
Whispers spread through the cafeteria.
"Who is that girl?"
"I’ve never seen her before."
"She’s beautiful."
"Wait."
"Is she walking toward the chairman?"
"No way."
"Do they know each other?"
The whispers grew louder.
But Miles barely heard them.
Because the moment he saw Chloe.
He noticed something.
Her eyes.
The sadness hidden behind them.
The anxiety.
The worry.
Miles immediately stood up.
Chloe walked across the cafeteria.
Until she stopped opposite his table.
For a few seconds.
Neither of them spoke.
Miles quietly studied her face.
Then asked softly.
"What is bothering you?"
Chloe pulled out a chair.
And sat down.
The usual smile she carried was gone.
She looked exhausted.
Like she had been fighting with her thoughts for hours.
Miles sat back down beside her.
Waiting patiently.
Finally.
She spoke.
"Grandpa..."
Miles immediately became serious.
"What about him?"
Chloe lowered her eyes.
Her fingers tightened around each other.
"He..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"He is in the hospital."
The words instantly changed Miles’ expression.
Concern appeared in his eyes.
"What happened?"
Chloe took a deep breath.
"The doctors said..."
"His condition is serious."
Silence settled between them.
For a moment.
Even the sounds of the cafeteria seemed distant.
Miles looked genuinely worried.
Louis was not just Chloe’s grandfather.
He was also one of the few people who knew the truth about everything that had happened years ago.
More importantly.
He was family to Chloe.
And right now.
That was all that mattered.
Miles immediately stood.
"Then let’s go see him."
Chloe looked up.
Surprised.
But her eyes quickly became wet.
She looked down again.
"I don’t know how."
Miles frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Chloe swallowed.
"After everything that happened..."
"After all these years..."
"I don’t know how to face him."
Her voice grew quieter.
"He warned me."
"He tried to protect me."
"And I still blamed everyone."
She shook her head.
"What if he is disappointed in me?"
"What if..."
The words refused to come out.
Miles reached across the table and gently held her hand.
His voice was calm.
Steady.
"It was never your fault."
Chloe looked at him.
Her eyes already glistening.
Miles squeezed her hand gently.
"He still cares about you."
"He always will."
"You are his granddaughter."
"Nothing will ever change that."
Chloe bit her lip.
Trying to hold back her emotions.
Miles stood beside her.
Offering the same quiet support he always had.
"You’ll be alright."
"Don’t worry."
His voice softened.
Struggling to contain her emotions, Chloe remained silent. Miles stood by her side, his presence providing the same unspoken strength he had always offered.
"You’re going to be okay," he assured her, his voice dropping to a gentle tone. "Don’t be afraid. I’ll be right there with you."
The cafeteria fell into a collective hush as employees watched the two, their eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement at the rare display of intimacy.
"Are they dating?"
"They make such a charming couple," one whispered.
"Could she be the Chairman’s girlfriend?" another wondered aloud.
"Look, he’s actually holding her hand," a third noted, fueling the quiet speculation that rippled through the room.