The inspection was scheduled for the next morning.
Too soon.
Lian Hua stood inside the shop late that night, checking everything again.
"Licenses… receipts… supplier records…" she murmured.
Every detail mattered now.
Every small mistake could become a reason.
"They're not looking for mistakes," Chen Kai said quietly.
She paused.
"What do you mean?"
"They're looking for a reason."
Silence.
Because she understood.
This wasn't a fair inspection.
It was pressure.
Still—
She kept working.
Because doing nothing wasn't an option.
Across the city—
Zhen Wei wasn't still.
"They've crossed the line," he said coldly.
His father sat across from him, completely calm.
"You drew the line first," he replied.
Zhen Wei's gaze hardened.
"This has nothing to do with business."
"Everything has to do with business," his father said.
A pause.
"You made it personal."
"I made it clear."
Silence.
Then—
His father leaned forward slightly.
"End this," he said.
Zhen Wei didn't blink.
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
"Then don't complain about the consequences."
"I'm not complaining," Zhen Wei replied.
"I'm responding."
The air shifted.
Because now—
This wasn't just a disagreement.
It was a conflict.
Open.
Direct.
Back at the shop—
Morning came quickly.
Too quickly.
Lian Hua barely slept.
But she was ready.
Or at least—
As ready as she could be.
"They're here," Chen Kai said.
The door opened.
Two officials stepped inside.
Professional.
Neutral.
But their presence alone—
Carried weight.
"Miss Lian Hua," one of them said.
"Yes."
"We're here for the inspection."
Her hands tightened slightly.
"…of course."
They moved through the shop slowly.
Checking documents.
Examining supplies.
Asking questions.
Everything felt controlled.
But tense.
Too tense.
"Your supplier license," one of them said.
She handed it over.
They examined it carefully.
Too carefully.
Chen Kai watched closely from the side.
Because he could see it.
They weren't just checking.
They were searching.
"For what?" Lian Hua finally asked.
The official looked at her.
"Standard procedure."
But it didn't feel standard.
Minutes passed.
Then—
One of them paused.
"This document…" he said.
Her heart skipped.
"…has an inconsistency."
Silence.
"What kind?" she asked.
"It doesn't match the supplier registration number."
Her chest tightened.
"That's not possible."
"We'll need to verify it," he said.
The words were calm.
But the implication—
Clear.
This could shut her down.
Chen Kai stepped forward slightly.
"That could be a clerical error," he said.
"We'll determine that," the official replied.
Lian Hua's mind raced.
Because she knew—
This wasn't random.
And just as the tension reached its peak—
The door opened again.
Zhen Wei.
He walked in calmly.
But his presence—
Changed everything.
The officials paused.
Because they recognized him.
"Continue," he said coldly.
The room fell silent.
Lian Hua looked at him.
He wasn't supposed to step in.
They had agreed—
But now—
He was here.
And the lines—
Had officially been crossed.