Selfishness and Selflessness

The night was deep.

In the Cloud Peak One apartment shared by Lu Chenyuan and Mo Qingli, the lights were still bright.

Mo Qingli was in the middle of a transoceanic virtual meeting.

On the screen, the face of the J Country branch manager looked haggard and anxious.

"President Mo, the situation is dire," he said.

"J Country has unilaterally terminated our Phase Three project contract, citing 'threats to national energy security.'"

"Our accounts have been frozen, and all core expatriate employees are barred from leaving the country."

"This is no longer just a contractual dispute. There are traces of A Country's influence behind it."

Mo Qingli listened quietly, her expression unreadable.

"Keep the team steady. Don’t panic," she instructed.

"Reassure the restricted employees—tell them the company stands firmly behind them."

"I’ll be there tomorrow."

"President Mo, you can’t come!" the manager protested immediately. "It’s a trap!"

"Precisely because it’s a trap, I must go," Mo Qingli replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"This is Mo Group’s battleground. I won’t retreat."

She ended the call, and the study fell into silence.

A short while later, a knock sounded at the door, and Lu Chenyuan entered.

He didn’t speak, only looked at her.

In his eyes was an intensity of unease she had never seen before.

"You already know," Mo Qingli said.

"Yes," Lu Chenyuan answered calmly.

"I need to go there," she stated plainly.

"No." His refusal was uncharacteristically firm.

It was the first time he had ever spoken to her in such a commanding tone.

"Chenyuan, this is Mo Group’s matter."

"There’s no distinction between Mo Group and Dragon Abyss right now," Lu Chenyuan countered, stepping closer and gripping her shoulders.

"This is aimed at us—at all the enterprises in Xia Country that refuse to bow."

"I know."

"You know it’s a setup, yet you’ll still walk into it?" For the first time, his voice carried a trace of uncontrolled anger.

"I have to," Mo Qingli met his gaze, her eyes clear and resolute.

"If even I, the leader, show fear and retreat, what will Mo Group’s tens of thousands of employees think? What about the allied companies standing with us against this blockade?"

"Morale is more important than any single project."

"I can use Dragon Abyss’s resources to handle this," Lu Chenyuan said. "I have connections in J Country."

"This is war, Chenyuan," Mo Qingli shook her head.

"In war, there are always casualties. I can’t hide behind you forever, letting you take every bullet for me."

"You’re my lover."

"You are Mo Qingli first," Lu Chenyuan interrupted, enunciating each word. "Then my lover."

"This isn’t your responsibility."

Mo Qingli smiled.

"And you?" she challenged. "Why did you establish 'Chronicle'? Why did you delist? Why did you pour your fortune into those unprofitable technical schools?"

"You carry the weight of home, country, and the future of this era on your shoulders. You’ve always been so selfless."

"So this time, let me be selfless too—just like you."

Her words struck the softest part of Lu Chenyuan’s heart like a needle.

She understood everything he had done.

And because she understood, she was making the same choice.

Lu Chenyuan looked at her—at this woman who was always composed, always unyielding, always standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

Every argument, every plea, felt hollow in the face of her resolve.

He was silent for a long time.

When he spoke again, his voice was heavy with exhaustion.

"Qingli, I want to be selfish just once."

Mo Qingli studied the man before her—the one who had always been as steady as a mountain, supporting a family, an empire, even daring to stand at the forefront of the era to pave the way for countless others.

Now, his eyes held something almost pleading.

Like a child terrified of losing everything, so vulnerable it made her heart clench.

She stepped forward, raising a hand to gently touch his face.

His expression was filled with uncertainty and fear—emotions she had never seen in him before.

So, he could be afraid too.

In front of her, he could be this helpless.

At that moment, all her lofty ideals of duty and responsibility melted into something softer, hotter.

She rose onto her toes and kissed him.

At first, it was just a feather-light brush.

Then, she deepened the kiss.

Lu Chenyuan responded instinctively, pulling her tightly into his arms as if trying to fuse her into his very being.

The kiss was no longer gentle.

It was possessive, desperate, and full of reluctance.

The air between them grew scorching.

When they finally parted, their foreheads remained pressed together, breaths mingling, fast and fervent.

"Alright," Mo Qingli whispered, meeting his gaze. "We’ll... reconsider carefully."

"I’ll listen to you."

Lu Chenyuan’s voice was rough.

He thought she had relented.

The weight in his chest eased slightly.

He bent down, scooped her into his arms, and carried her to the bedroom.

That night, Mo Qingli burned brighter than ever before.

Like a flame unleashed, she gave herself to him with abandon.

Every embrace was fierce, every kiss edged with finality.

Lost in her rare passion, Lu Chenyuan didn’t notice the undercurrent of farewell beneath the fire.

He only knew one thing: he couldn’t lose her.

Not ever.

...

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the bedroom.

When Lu Chenyuan woke, the space beside him was empty—but still warm with her presence.

He walked out to find Mo Qingli in the kitchen, dressed in casual homewear, preparing breakfast.

Though he was usually the one who cooked, everything else seemed perfectly normal.

As if last night’s heated argument and searing intimacy had been nothing but a dream.

"Awake?" Mo Qingli turned and smiled at him. "Go freshen up. Don’t you have an important meeting today?"

Lu Chenyuan studied her.

Her smile was serene, showing no hint of anything amiss.

His doubts faded.

She had listened after all.

"Mm," he nodded and headed to the bathroom.

Breakfast was simple but warm.

Neither mentioned J Country again.

They talked instead about the latest progress on the "Genesis" project, about how Qin Ya had actually reached a preliminary collaboration with Mo Group.

The atmosphere was as light as any ordinary morning.

After the meal, Lu Chenyuan changed into a dark formal suit that accentuated his steady demeanor.

"I’m heading to West Mountain for a top-secret conference," he said. "Phones aren’t allowed. I might be gone for a few days."

"Alright," Mo Qingli stepped close, adjusting his tie.

Then, with cool fingertips, she gently traced his face.

"Chenyuan." She looked up at him.

"Hmm?"

"Wait for me to come back." Lu Chenyuan lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He didn't let her finish her sentence.

He thought she was going to say "Be safe," and feared even more that she might say something else.

Mo Qingli gazed at him, her eyes slightly burning with unshed tears, but she held them back.

She gave him a radiant smile.

"Alright, I'll wait for you."

Lu Chenyuan turned and left.

Mo Qingli stood at the door, watching his car slowly drive out of the neighborhood until it disappeared from sight.

Only then did the smile on her face gradually fade, replaced by a resolve she had never felt before.

She returned to the room, quickly changed into a sharp professional suit, and then took out her phone to call her assistant.

"Meet me downstairs in half an hour."

"Take me to the airport."

The assistant hesitated on the other end. "Director Mo, which airport?"

"The international one."

"Understood, Director Mo." The assistant didn’t dare ask further and immediately agreed.

Mo Qingli hung up, picked up her handbag, and took one last look at the home filled with memories of her and Lu Chenyuan.

She walked into the study, grabbed the suitcase she had already packed, and resolutely stepped out the door.

...

Jingzhou International Airport, VIP lounge.

Mo Qingli sat on the sofa, quietly waiting for boarding.

Her phone vibrated—a message from Lu Ruoxi.

"Qingli-jie, my brother said he’s gone to a meeting. The 'Skybreak' project has made a breakthrough. We’ll talk in detail when you’re back."

Mo Qingli smiled softly at the message.

She replied, "Alright. Congratulate Su Yang for me. You two are the future of Xia."

Then, she opened her chat with Lu Chenyuan.

Her fingers hovered over the screen as she slowly typed out a message.

Her gaze was tender yet wistful, filled with reluctance but also unwavering courage.

"Chenyuan, by the time you read this, I’ll already be in Country J."

"Forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye."

"We are lovers, but also comrades, fellow travelers."

"You once said you wanted to be selfish for me. So today, let me be selfless—for you, and for everything we’ve sworn to protect together."

"I can’t always let you stand alone at the eye of the storm."

"This time, it’s my turn."

"And I’ve always believed this: nothing in this world can truly trap you. Nothing can ever tear us apart."

"So I’m not afraid."

"Because I know, even if something unexpected happens, you’ll find me. You’ll bring me home."

"Forever yours, Li."

She hit send, then turned off her phone.

The boarding announcement echoed through the lounge.

Mo Qingli stood, pulling her suitcase toward the gate.

Her silhouette was slender yet unyielding.

Like a winter plum determined to bloom even through the fiercest storm.

...

Western Hills, classified meeting room.

The atmosphere was tense.

Seated were the most prominent figures from Xia’s political, military, industrial, academic, and research circles.

Lu Chenyuan sat among them, with many approaching to greet him.

Others didn’t step forward directly but still acknowledged him from afar—some with salutes, others with nods of respect.

The seeds Lu Chenyuan had planted three years ago had now grown into a forest.

They had become an indispensable part of the nation’s strategic framework.

Everyone was in awe of this man’s foresight.

Even his greatest rivals couldn’t help but pay him their respects.

Yet for some reason, Lu Chenyuan felt unsettled all day. His eyelids kept twitching.

A sense of foreboding, like a rising tide, threatened to drown him.

He forced himself to focus.

Finally, the meeting began.