Meanwhile, above the cloudless stratosphere.
The Bombardier Challenger 850 tilted slightly and began its slow descent, breaking through the clouds.
Outside the window, the vast grayish-yellow winter landscape of the Guanzhong Plain gradually came into focus, familiar and dear.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now beginning our descent—"
The captain's gentle English announcement sounded through the cabin, accompanied by the soft click of the seatbelt sign lighting up.
The meeting in the cabin's office area had ended.
Seated in an individual airline chair, Lin Mu Xue elegantly closed her laptop and turned her gaze toward the land that had raised her.
With a slight jolt, the plane traced a graceful arc across the runway before touching down smoothly at the airport's private apron.
The cabin door opened.
A gust of cold wind, carrying the distinctive dry, crisp scent of the Guanzhong Plain, swept inside.
Rather than feeling cold, Lin Mu Xue straightened her slender back and stepped down the boarding stairs amid the flight attendants' farewells.
She was not wearing a heavy overcoat, only a sharp, capable white custom-tailored suit. Under the harsh winter sunlight, she looked like a silhouette outlined in light.
Elegant, confident, her presence fully unleashed.
On the apron, a scene that made her heart race—and even made her bladder tighten slightly—had already been arranged in solemn readiness.
A spotless Toyota Coaster minibus was waiting quietly. Beneath its front windshield hung a conspicuous red banner:
[Warmly Welcoming the Rongliu Capital Inspection Delegation]
Two black Hongqi H9 sedans with exceptionally neat license plate numbers were parked beside the Coaster.
Like loyal guards, they stood solemn and imposing.
Several government staff members in dark executive jackets, composed and capable in demeanor, had been waiting beside the boarding stairs. The moment she came down, they immediately strode forward.
The middle-aged