Chapter Nineteen: A Most Dashing Man

As soon as her feet touched the ground, a wave of warm breath swept past her ear, and a pair of heated hands closed around Mai Xijun’s wrist. By the time she processed what was happening, the man was already pulling her along at a run, leaving behind a swell of commotion and the security guards’ shouts to maintain order. Yet, remarkably, no one stepped forward to stop them.

In this moment, all those romantic scenes from movies, television, and novels seemed weak and pale by comparison. He was a true knight, leading her away when she was utterly at a loss.

He had rescued her, guiding her out of her predicament and into freedom.

If I am to be a queen, you must willingly pledge unwavering loyalty and devotion; if I am but a girl, you must raise the scepter high and support the world that belongs to me!

“Hey, let me go! Where are you taking me?” Mai Xijun slapped at Shen Yanlie’s arm a few times, attempting to break free. Yet deep down, she could hardly fathom how grateful she ought to be.

A boyfriend’s betrayal, a close friend’s theft of love.

She truly didn’t know how to express her gratitude for this man, who had appeared in her life time and again just when she needed him most.

“I bought your ring. Just come with me, that’s all you need to do!” Shen Yanlie glanced back several times at the relentless swarm of reporters chasing after them. Mai Xijun, realizing the predicament as well, could only chase after his steps, running with him toward the exit.

Behind them, the throng of reporters and photographers continued their frenzied pursuit, snapping photos of their fleeing figures from every angle. The president of Eurasia Trading had made an appearance—his legendary half-reclusive life, his elusive reputation, all shattered in this instant.

His mere presence was newsworthy enough, but even more so because he was accompanied by a woman. Yet what truly seized everyone’s attention was the fact that he had just spent ten million to acquire Dreamway.

Chaos reigned at the scene—shouts for order, calls for security, and the arrival of special police who quickly extended the perimeter, maintaining vigilance lest anything more serious occur.

This jewelry exhibition was hosted by LOV, the company where Mai Xijun currently worked. Eurasia Trading, renowned in the industry, naturally had its jewelry subsidiary participate, making it a major player in the event.

Another commercial titan taking part was the Mu Group—represented by Murong Jin, the second young master whom Mai Xijun had previously met, the one who had lent her the Swarovski crystals.

There could be no doubt that this exhibition had been meticulously organized. These three corporate giants, each wielding immense power in the business world, had together woven a modern fairytale of commerce.

Of course, the splendor of the exhibition was further enhanced by supporting participants: six other renowned domestic jewelry design firms, all contributing to a lavish feast of design and the excitement of a live auction.

As the most enigmatic executive in the business world, the CEO of Eurasia was recently spotted making rare public appearances, sometimes with sunglasses, his tall frame and striking features captured by the media and described as mesmerizing. Some even dubbed him a “peerless beauty—a man with the commanding stature of a king and the delicate looks of a prince.”

Media reports grew ever more mysterious, further elevating his esteemed and enigmatic status. Little concrete information was known about him in the business world; even those industry titans who had worked with Eurasia for years had never met him face to face.

His appearance today had the media and other jewelry companies—already brimming with anticipation—eager to catch a glimpse. Beyond talk of romance, everyone knew that whichever company Shen Yanlie favored would soon rise to international fame within half a year.

Now, based on descriptions of his appearance and the seat he occupied at the event, nearly everyone was convinced that this flamboyant man was none other than the legendary CEO of Eurasia—Shen Yanlie.

But wasn’t Dreamway created by a designer from LOV? And if he was indeed the Eurasia CEO, was he now purchasing a work by a rival company? After all, LOV belonged to the Luo conglomerate, and rumor had it that Luo and Eurasia were bitter enemies in the business world…though, on the surface, they maintained a harmonious partnership…

So then…

The journalists at the scene could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of breaking such explosive news, each one surging forward, only to be held back by the vigilant special police.

If there must be a reason why no one tried to intercept Shen Yanlie and Mai Xijun, it could only point to one conclusion—this escape had been carefully orchestrated from the very beginning.