novelraw Chapter 217: Huashang Fushi, "Mystery Box in Real Life"
Chapter 217: Huashang Fushi, "Mystery Box in Real Life"
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Sunny to cloudy, 21–35°C.
“Yeah! That’s right, she’s got a boyfriend now!”
“He’s such a handsome young man, 25 years old, over 1.8 meters tall. Absolutely perfect for Ruanruan.” Newest update provided by novel★fire.net
“He runs his own company, but we’re not sure how much he makes.”
“A house? Oh, he’s got a big flat in Yanjing Tiancheng. Paid for in full, or so they say.”
...
“Alright then, let’s leave it at that for now. I’ll hang up, Feng’e.”
Click! The phone was slammed down on the dining table, and Qian Guixiang’s face radiated smug satisfaction.
Across from her, Wen Jianxin frowned and said, “Can’t you tone it down? It’s only been a few days, and now even the vendors at the market know about it.”“Just eat your food. Why do you care so much?” Qian Guixiang popped a slice of sausage into her mouth. “That little sister-in-law of Ruanruan’s used to mock me over things like this. Now that I’ve finally got the upper hand, if you don’t let me talk about it, I might just suffocate.”
Wen Jianxin sipped his millet porridge and asked, “Is Wen Ruan still refusing to move back home?”
“Yeah, I called her yesterday, thinking she could bring Tang Song over for a meal and to meet us. That girl just hung up on me.”
“Well, that’s your fault. You went too far last time.”
“Weren’t you the one slamming the table back then? What could we do? How were we supposed to know she already had someone in her heart? Even Zhao and my sister wanted to curse people out after that scene.”
“Enough about that. Let’s figure out how to convince our daughter to come home.”
At that moment, the sound of the door lock turning interrupted them.
Click, click. The door opened softly.
“Ruanruan!” Qian Guixiang stood up excitedly, grabbing her daughter’s arm. “You finally decided to come back! Where’s your stuff? Your dad and I can help you bring it upstairs.”
Wen Ruan pursed her lips. “No need, Mom. I’m staying at Ziqi’s place for now. I just came by to grab a few things.”
She moved straight toward the spare bedroom without another word.
Qian Guixiang sighed and asked, “When are you planning to introduce your boyfriend to us?”
Wen Ruan paused mid-step, hesitant. After a brief silence, she gritted her teeth and said, “We’ve only just started dating, and he’s still young. There’s no rush for marriage. Don’t pressure him—if you scare him off, I’ll never marry in my life.”
“Well…” Qian Guixiang frowned with worry. “Is little Tang serious about you? He won’t just break up with you in a while, will he?”
After all, she’d bragged to everyone already. If things fell apart, she’d lose face entirely. But at least her daughter finally had a proper boyfriend—progress in itself.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got this,” Wen Ruan reassured her as she shut the bedroom door and walked to the dressing table.
The two-bedroom apartment, with only about 70 square meters of usable space, was cramped. The spare bedroom was small, cluttered with belongings, and not particularly comfortable to live in.
They had bought this apartment primarily for her parents. Compared to this, Zhang Ziqi’s one-bedroom apartment felt much more spacious and livable.
Wen Ruan opened a drawer and took out a box, then leaned against the small dressing table, staring at it in a daze.
Yanjing Tiancheng.
Tang Song reclined on the sofa, his eyes fixed on the phone screen, which displayed a short video:
“173cm, 53kg Finance Girl. Shanghai Travel Vlog, Day 1.”
Accompanied by light, soothing background music, the video featured shots of a Maybach, a business-class cabin, the Bulgari building, a luxury suite, Hermes bags, and a Michelin-starred restaurant.
At the video’s conclusion, Lin Muxue appeared in the luxurious Bulgari Hotel suite, sitting in front of a refined breakfast spread.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, layered clouds painted the sky, while the Bund scenery shifted in the interplay of light and shadow.
She wore a silk robe, her cloud-like hair casually pinned up, her expression calm and profound as if savoring the city’s essence.
The video was more than twice as long as her usual uploads, with significantly richer details.
Tang Song couldn’t help but acknowledge her effort—it was evident she’d stayed up late editing the footage last night and shot additional content early this morning before posting it upon leaving.
In just over an hour, the video had garnered over 20,000 likes and counting. It was going viral, bringing a noticeable boost to her follower count.
Tang Song opened the comments section:
[Sweet and Sour Ribs]: “Sis is so gorgeous and accomplished! Seriously, what door has God even closed for you?”
[Iiyama Breeze]: “I don’t get why people hate on her. All those trolls who said she was pretending or called her a fake socialite—come out and argue now!”
[Leisurely Diviner]: “When I first followed her, she was just a makeup blogger. I only recently realized how rich she actually is!”
As Tang Song scrolled further down the comments section, he found it filled with an endless stream of admiration.
This video stood out from Lin Muxue’s usual uploads, which often felt deliberately curated. It was entirely engaging, with no dull moments, and showcased genuine luxury.
Though she didn’t explicitly flaunt wealth through her words or captions, the video exuded sophistication, opulence, and high fashion, all presented with an undeniable aesthetic appeal.
It was clear Lin Muxue had a talent for branding herself, perfectly crafting the image of an elegant and intellectual finance woman. Combined with her outstanding looks, graceful editing, and soft music, the video was visually stunning.
Thinking back to her leg selfie from the previous day and comparing it to the poised elegance she displayed in the video, Tang Song couldn’t help but smile.
Lin Muxue’s charm lay in her contrasts—a mix of innocence and sophistication, simplicity and allure.
Ring, ring.
The sudden ringing of his phone interrupted his thoughts.
[Lawyer Zhao Xingzhi]
Answering the call, he said, “Hello, Lawyer Zhao.”
“Good morning, Mr. Tang!” Zhao Xingzhi greeted him warmly and respectfully. “Our team has already assembled and is about to head to the Huashang Fushi headquarters.”
“Alright, see you shortly.”
Hanging up, Tang Song took a sip of water and walked into his wardrobe to change into something more formal.
Today was the day he would officially acquire shares and secure his position on the board of directors at Huashang Fushi. He needed to dress the part.
Huashang Fushi Co., Ltd.
The company’s headquarters was located in Yuhua District, within the city’s third ring. In addition to the main office, it had two large factories in suburban and rural areas of Yan City.
With a total area of 100,000 square meters and nearly 3,000 employees, Huashang Fushi was a well-established clothing manufacturer with over 20 years of history and net assets of 800 million yuan.
The company specialized in high-quality apparel research, design, production, and sales, operating three proprietary brands while also serving as a renowned OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in the industry.
9:50 AM.
A silver Mercedes-Benz S450L slowly entered the Huashang Fushi headquarters campus.
Tang Song parked his car in the lot opposite the administrative building. Locking the car, he glanced at the 20-story white building.
The building was clearly not new, lacking the large glass panels typical of modern high-end offices. Yet, its understated and steady design conveyed an air of gravitas.
Surrounded by expansive green spaces, trees, and landscaped areas, the building exuded an imposing presence. In fact, much of the company’s net assets were tied to this valuable commercial property.
Tang Song adjusted his rectangular-framed glasses and called Lawyer Zhao Xingzhi as he began walking down the cement path toward the building.
Tall and well-built, his finely tailored attire and confident stride made him an eye-catching presence—a striking figure in the Huashang campus.
Nearby, a black Audi A6L pulled into a parking spot. Three formally dressed colleagues stepped out—a man and two women.
One of the women, wearing a low ponytail, nudged her coworker in excitement. “Qiu Yu! Look over there! That guy is so handsome—and his figure is amazing too!”
Carrying a laptop bag and thinking about the meeting agenda, Qiu Yu raised her head. Her eyes lit up, followed by a look of astonishment.
The morning sun was a little intense, but the man in the crisp white shirt seemed like a refreshing spring breeze.
The shirt’s collar was perfectly pressed, without a single crease, contrasting sharply with his dark trousers and accentuating his tall, upright figure.
With a slightly lifted chin, his striking features—sharp nose, thin lips, and defined jawline—were further enhanced by his rectangular glasses, which added a polished touch to his already impressive appearance.
As he approached, his demeanor, attire, and confident air radiated the charm of a corporate elite.
The woman swallowed hard, her cheeks flushing. “Who is this dreamy prince straight out of a corporate novel? I want to go talk to him so badly!”
The male colleague smirked. “Shan Shan, aren’t you being a bit too forward?”
“You don’t get it, Team Leader. This guy is my ideal type,” Shan Shan retorted, nudging Qiu Yu with her shoulder. “Look, even Qiu Yu is mesmerized!”
Qiu Yu snapped back to reality, biting her lip as she quickened her pace toward the administrative building.
“Wait for me!” Shan Shan hurried after her.
Their team leader sighed enviously. “Since when were you all so shallow? We’re here on business, remember!”
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of high-quality leather shoes hitting the pavement grew louder as Tang Song approached.
He stopped beside Qiu Yu, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “Qiu Yu?”
Her heart skipped a beat, thudding wildly. Struggling to maintain her composure, she replied, “Tang Song, what a coincidence! I didn’t expect to run into you here at the Huashang campus.”
Now that he was closer, she could feel his striking aura even more intensely.
The same magnetic pull she had felt at Yinjiu Bar resurfaced, only stronger now as she encountered Tang Song in broad daylight.
Tang Song smiled at his former classmate. “It is a coincidence. I heard you’re in Yan City for work—your client is Huashang Fushi?”
“Yeah!” Qiu Yu instinctively brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m here to support our sales team with client outreach. You know, our company specializes in data analysis and financial systems, and Huashang Fushi is one of the clients we’re servicing this time.”
Shan Shan, standing nearby, blinked in surprise, a touch of excitement in her voice. “Qiu Yu, is this your friend?”
“College classmate,” Qiu Yu explained before her bright eyes turned back to Tang Song. “What about you? What brings you here?”
“Just a meeting.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Jinxiu Commerce’s core business is in apparel.” Qiu Yu seemed eager as she added, “By the way, we never added each other on WeChat back in college. Let me find you in the group chat and add you now.”
“Sure,” Tang Song nodded lightly.
Although Qiu Yu wasn’t an extraordinary beauty, she had been one of the most striking girls in the software engineering program during college.
Back then, she was often surrounded by admirers and naturally didn’t pay much attention to quieter classmates like Tang Song. As a result, they had never exchanged contact information.
The male team leader interjected, his tone urging, “Qiu Yu, Shan Shan, we’ve got a meeting to prep for soon. Let’s keep the catching-up for later.”
“Oh…” Qiu Yu hesitated but quickly nodded. “Got it, Wen-ge.”
This work trip was primarily led by Wen, the sales team leader, who outranked Qiu Yu by two levels. Since he had spoken, she had no choice but to follow.
As they walked toward the main building, Qiu Yu couldn’t stop glancing at Tang Song’s sharp profile. Her heartbeat refused to calm down.
Unable to resist, she started chatting again. “I’m currently working at Hanhai Software in Shanghai. I’m actually in the same company as Li Zhixi from your dorm, though he’s in development and I’m in pre-sales.”
“Zhixi? Oh, that’s right. He’s in Shanghai. I didn’t realize you worked together.”
“Yeah, we talked about your dorm not long ago. He said if we manage to land Huashang Fushi as a client, he’ll apply to handle the on-site implementation. He’s hoping to meet up with you all then.”
“That sounds great. I’d love to see him again,” Tang Song said, his expression tinged with nostalgia.
Though his college memories had faded somewhat, his bond with his five dormmates remained vivid. Their relationships had always been strong, and one of them, Lu Ziming, had even helped him get started in Yan City by offering him a city apartment for just 900 yuan a month.
Shan Shan, trailing close behind, eagerly joined the conversation. “Handsome guy, I know Zhixi too! He’s been trying to woo Zhang Xi from our department and keeps buying us milk tea—so funny! There was this one time in the breakroom…”
As the two women circled around Tang Song, their team leader, Wen, frowned deeply and reminded them, “We’re about to enter the lobby. Keep your voices down!”
“Oh! Sorry, Wen-ge,” the two women said in unison, quickly falling silent and adopting a more serious demeanor.
This client, Huashang Fushi, was incredibly important, secured only after prolonged negotiations by their sales director. The purpose of this visit was to understand client needs, draft a technical proposal, and demonstrate their company’s sincerity.
Closing the deal would ultimately require the sales director’s personal involvement.
Tang Song briefly glanced at the 30-something male team leader but said nothing as he approached the building.
The cool air hit them as soon as they pushed through the glass doors, and the group felt a moment of relief.
Then their expressions froze, tension shooting through them as they instinctively stepped to the side.
Directly ahead, a group of over ten middle-aged men and women approached briskly, all dressed in formal business attire.
Though the group’s identities weren’t immediately clear, they recognized one figure—a slightly plump woman on the edge of the group who was Huashang Fushi’s procurement manager.
She was infamous for her aloof demeanor, yet now her face was glowing with a warm smile, her posture slightly bent in a show of respect.
“Tang Song, those are Huashang’s top executives!” Qiu Yu whispered urgently.
At that moment, a man dressed like a lawyer stepped forward and called out in a clear voice, “Mr. Tang!”
The title sent a ripple of excitement through the group, and the executives surged forward to greet Tang Song.
“Welcome, welcome, Director Tang!”
“Good morning, Director Tang!”
“Director Tang!”
Zhao Xingzhi and several other lawyers and accountants stood behind Tang Song, introducing the executives as they arrived.
“This is Huashang Fushi’s chairman, He Jingping.”
“Hello, Mr. He.”
“Director Tang, you’re so young and accomplished! Meeting you in person is even more impressive than your reputation!”
“And this is a board member, Zhang Wenchao.”
"This is the Executive CEO, Wu Wei."
Lawyer Zhao introduced a few key figures like the board members and CEO but didn’t elaborate on the other departmental executives.
Tang Song exchanged handshakes and pleasantries with everyone. The spacious, well-lit lobby buzzed with lively conversation and an atmosphere of warm enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Qiu Yu and her colleagues stood frozen in place, stunned.
Listening to the introductions of these high-ranking executives, their hearts tightened.
Every single person here was a top leader in the company. If they had connections with even one of them, their pre-sales project would proceed flawlessly. They might not even need their sales director to step in and could secure the massive contract directly.
The corresponding commission would be astronomical.
Qiu Yu tightly pressed her lips together, her eyes fixed on Tang Song, who had become the center of attention.
He didn’t seem flustered at all. His expression remained calm and composed, carrying an air of effortless confidence.
Even the aloof procurement manager, who was so intimidating during their previous meeting, didn’t have the standing to approach Tang Song.
This once quiet and unremarkable college classmate had now transformed into someone utterly extraordinary.
The outstanding alumni she had often heard about in conversations—people like Shen Yuyan, Zhang Tianqi, or Dong Jianping—suddenly seemed insignificant in comparison.
Wen, the team leader, began sweating profusely. A pale look spread across his face.
His earlier tone had been far from polite. If this “Director Tang” bore even a shred of resentment, their collaboration with Huashang Fushi would be doomed, and Wen’s job might be at risk as well.
After the greetings, Tang Song glanced in Qiu Yu’s direction and nodded with a smile. “I’ll head off now. Let’s catch up another time.”
With that, he was surrounded by the group and escorted toward the elevators.
Shan Shan, her voice trembling, whispered, “Qiu Yu, who exactly is this Director Tang? Is your college classmate really this incredible?”
She thought back to their earlier chat, where Tang Song had smiled at her. At the time, she’d merely found him handsome, but now the memory left her feeling oddly flattered.
Qiu Yu opened her mouth, but no words came out. She could only stare blankly at Tang Song.
His pristine white shirt, perfectly tailored black trousers, chiseled profile, and broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted physique exuded poise and confidence.
Standing effortlessly in the center of the crowd, he seemed like the quintessential handsome CEO straight out of a novel.
He embodied everything: youthful ambition, dashing elegance, and elite professionalism.
“Uh… Qiu Yu…” Wen’s voice was hoarse as he finally broke the silence. “Could you help me apologize to Director Tang? I didn’t mean to be disrespectful earlier. I was just caught up in the moment and didn’t watch my words.”
Qiu Yu nodded. “Alright, Wen-ge. Tang Song has a good temperament—he won’t take offense over something so small.”
Though her interactions with Tang Song had been limited, she’d heard about his personality from their classmates. He was known to be quiet, warm, and remarkably patient.
Still, an emptiness settled in her heart. Why hadn’t she noticed such an exceptional person back in college?
If only she’d been more proactive back then, perhaps everything would be different now.
7 PM
Yanjing Tiancheng
The sound of pages being flipped filled the room.
Production workshops, research and development centers, warehouses, and administrative offices…
The workshop alone covered 50,000 square meters and included sections for cutting, sewing, and finishing. Equipped with hundreds of high-speed sewing machines, cutting tables, automated cutters, and ironing machines…
Tang Song sat behind a solid wood desk, intently reviewing a detailed document on Huashang Fushi’s operational model.
Ding!
“Congratulations, player! The branch task 【Fulfill Duties】 is complete. The reward has been issued.”
The familiar system notification made Tang Song instantly relax. He set the document down, leaned back into his comfortable chair, and closed his eyes.
He was now officially one of the owners of Huashang Fushi Co., Ltd.
Out of the seven seats on the board of directors, his 35% stake granted him two seats and two votes, making him the largest shareholder. He was now the target of everyone’s efforts to win favor.
After the board and executive meetings concluded, he had received a wealth of internal company documents.
Thanks to the special item 【Tang Song’s Glasses】, his reading speed and efficiency were significantly enhanced.
Opening the system panel, he navigated to his inventory.
A golden treasure chest gleamed quietly within.
He clicked on the details:
【Real-World Mystery Box】: A storage chest for items earned in-game, located in the Executive Suite of the JW Marriott Hotel in HP District, Shanghai. It may contain some of your in-game rewards.
Note 1: Of course, it could also be empty.
Note 2: You have a long-term suite at this location, complete with a personal safe. Please bring your ID to explore.
“Hm?” Tang Song opened his eyes, intrigued.
This time, the real-world mystery box was in Shanghai?
He had expected it to be like before—stashed in a bank branch in Yan City or left in some apartment.
A faint smile crept onto his face as another thought occurred to him.
He had been in Yan City for quite a while now. With the company on track and his board position secured, it seemed like a good time to take a trip and relax.
The image of those long, shapely “wine-glass legs” flashed through his mind, stirring his thoughts.
My dear beautician friend, he mused, looks like you’re in for it!
Dum-dum-dum!
His train of thought was interrupted by the sudden ringing of a WeChat voice call.
[Wen Ruan]
Tang Song quickly answered, his voice gentle. “Hello, Sister Wen Ruan.”
After a brief pause, her familiar voice came through the receiver. “Tang Song, are you busy right now?”
“Not at all. I’m just at home.”
“Then… could you come out for a bit? I’m at the south gate of your community.”
“Wait there, I’ll be right down!”
Hanging up, Tang Song quickly tidied himself up, put on a pair of sneakers, and hurried downstairs.
Jogging out of the community gates, he immediately spotted a familiar figure.
She wore a black fitted top paired with a floral skirt, holding an elegant shopping bag. In the golden hues of the evening light, her skirt swayed gently in the breeze, accentuating her graceful figure. She looked both gentle and alluring.
Tang Song took a deep breath, strode forward, and wrapped Wen Ruan in a tight hug.
Planting a firm kiss on her cheek, he grinned. “Zhuangzhuang, I’ve missed you so much!”