novelraw Chapter 222: [Shanghai Film Festival]
Chapter 222: [Shanghai Film Festival]
Tang Song held Su Yu’s Glasses in his hand, inspecting them carefully.
The design was similar to the glasses he was wearing—lightweight, delicate, and high-quality—but with softer contours, clearly tailored for a woman.
He couldn’t help but wonder how Su Yu would look wearing them.
Turning his gaze to the stack of invitation letters before him, Tang Song let out a soft sigh.
Even as a stranger, the heartfelt emotions conveyed in those handwritten notes were palpable: anticipation, shyness, struggle, timidity, and pain.
For someone directly involved like him, the weight of those emotions was even heavier.
In hindsight, when Tang Song had interacted with Su Yu in the game, he had treated everything as part of a simulation. While he had immersed himself in the gameplay, he hadn’t regarded the characters as real individuals.
In the game, Su Yu, the Star had a maxed-out affection level for him. As a player, he had naturally moved forward with the narrative after completing the initial arcs.
To his mind, when he wasn’t actively summoning or interacting with a character, they would simply follow their programmed routines, living their lives as defined by the system.
But imagining Su Yu as a real person?It was a cruel thought—classic “ghosting” after stringing someone along.
With great care, Tang Song closed the glasses case and placed it securely aside.
Reaching back into the safe, he pulled out a 7-inch photo frame.
The frame had a matte metallic finish, cool and smooth to the touch. Its black-and-white design was understated yet elegant.
Turning it over, he saw a photo of himself and Su Yu.
They stood before a large floor-to-ceiling window, with a breathtaking sunset painting the backdrop.
Both wore black-rimmed glasses.
Su Yu looked stunning as ever, though there was a youthful innocence about her, suggesting she was in her early twenties.
She wore a delicate white chiffon dress that accentuated her figure, her chest full and prominent, her features finely sculpted.
Diamond earrings dangled by her slender neck, catching the light with a dazzling shimmer.
Tang Song’s gaze shifted to his own image in the photo.
His expression faltered as a wave of déjà vu swept over him—a jarring blend of memory and unreality.
The man in the photo looked like his college self, around his junior year.
Back then, Tang Song, though often unkempt due to his hectic schedule, had been in decent shape—his physique hadn’t yet suffered from weight gain, his skin hadn’t deteriorated, and most importantly, his hair had been noticeably thicker.
In the picture, he wore a simple casual suit, standing with a relaxed yet commanding posture.
What stood out most were his eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, their depths exuding a mysterious, impenetrable intensity. Against the backdrop of the sunset, they gleamed with a mix of complexity and gravitas.
Though Su Yu was breathtaking, she seemed almost like a supporting character beside the younger Tang Song’s striking presence.
For the first time, Tang Song truly grasped the transformative power of aura and bearing on a person’s appeal.
Placing the photo frame aside, he rummaged further in the safe.
Beneath a few miscellaneous packaging items, he discovered $100,000 in cash neatly stacked and a plain, unassuming key.
The sight of the crisp, freshly minted bills was visually arresting, but Tang Song only toyed with them briefly before putting them back.
After a quick shower, Tang Song changed into a bathrobe and lounged on the sofa bed.
The stunning view of Shanghai’s nightscape stretched out before him, and he found himself repeatedly glancing at the photo of him and Su Yu.
How should I return Su Yu’s Glasses to her?
The most straightforward option would be to go directly to Tangzong Entertainment headquarters.
However, just as this thought crossed his mind, the system chimed in to disrupt his fantasy.
His current Charisma Rating, personal abilities, and status weren’t high enough to interact directly with high-level characters like Mo Xiangwan or Su Yu.
What about mailing the glasses?
The idea seemed uncertain. The last time he’d mailed something—using the system’s interface to send an item to Secretary Jin’s address—it had felt like exploiting a bug.
A better plan might be to find an intermediary who could connect him to Mo Xiangwan or Su Yu.
Unfortunately, he had no personal connections in Shanghai, nor had he inherited any local assets. For now, Tangzong Entertainment’s management remained out of reach.
If worst comes to worst, I can try leveraging either Slover Trust or Bocai Yingrui for contact.
Both ventures were intricately tied to characters from the game, providing possible inroads.
Tang Song mulled over these possibilities for a long time, his thoughts drifting in circles.
At some point, the allure of sleep began to claim him.
As he gazed at the twinkling city lights and the faint reflection of the photo in the window, his eyelids grew heavier, and he finally drifted off.
...
This five-star hotel, located just outside the South Fifth Ring, had only been open for three years but boasted impeccable amenities.
In a double suite, Li Meixia sat beside Shen Yuyan, her voice soft but probing. “Yuyan, what’s your plan next? It seems like Hou always has strong opinions.”
Shen Yuyan took a sip of the mildly sweet sparkling wine, her expression resolute. “No matter what he thinks, I’m going to push this round of financing through.”
According to Youjie Housekeeping’s company charter, any proposal required two-thirds of the voting shareholders’ approval to pass.
Currently, the company’s ownership was divided as follows:
Zhang Tianqi: 42%Shen Yuyan: 40%Hou Shaoyuan: 14%Li Meixia: 2%Wang Ning: 2%As co-founders, Shen Yuyan and Zhang Tianqi held a combined 82% majority. As long as Zhang didn’t object, the financing would proceed smoothly.
Li Meixia thought for a moment, then advised, “I think you should sit down and talk things out with Hou. Sometimes misunderstandings can be resolved, which would help the company in the long run.”
“Clink—” Shen Yuyan placed her glass down firmly. “There’s no misunderstanding. When I suggested Tang Song as a potential investor, he opposed it. Now that Gongying Technology has expressed interest, he’s still opposing it.”
Li Meixia pursed her lips, patting Shen Yuyan’s back. “It’s just because he’s interested in you. Think about it—two exceptional men becoming shareholders in the company. He’s terrified someone might steal you away.” Thɪs chapter is updated by novel-fire.net
Shen Yuyan sighed. “Hou’s seed-round investment in Youjie Housekeeping has already earned him a significant return, but his focus isn’t on the company anymore.”
When they first started the company, Zhang Tianqi leveraged family connections to provide a profitable business foundation.
Meanwhile, Shen Yuyan took charge of operations. She poured her savings into the venture and even used her carefully cultivated Bilibili and Douyin accounts, boasting hundreds of thousands of followers, to promote their services.
Initially, she created entrepreneurship-themed content before transitioning to promote Youjie Housekeeping.
Over half of the company’s intermediary business came from her efforts, making her contributions irreplaceable. She had given the most to the company and was its driving force.
“Do you really think Tang Song is as impressive as you say? Driving a Mercedes S-Class, throwing money into investments—just because Qingqing said so?” Li Meixia asked skeptically.
Shen Yuyan nodded with certainty. “I trust Qingqing; she wouldn’t lie about something like this. I wanted to meet Tang Song days ago, but as you saw, the last meeting fell apart due to Hou Shaoyuan and Wang Ning’s opposition.”
“So you came to the capital instead?”
“Exactly.” Shen Yuyan’s eyes shone with sharp determination. “They claim Tang Song, as an individual investor, would be bad for the company. Fine. Then I’ll bring Gongying Technology into the mix too. Together, they’ll participate in this capital increase and share expansion. This was my plan all along.”
In typical corporate financing, when the required capital amount was large, one investor would lead the round while others co-invested, spreading risk.
This strategy would leave her detractors with no room to object.
Gongying Technology was a tech firm with a valuation exceeding a billion yuan and promising growth prospects.
Forming business ties with such a company would greatly benefit her long-term plans.
As for Tang Song, she wouldn’t let him slip away.
He was not only a potential investor but also young and accomplished—a far better fit as a partner than someone like Hou Shaoyuan.
Recalling Tang Song’s commanding presence during the roadshow, Shen Yuyan’s eyes sparkled.
Their shared connections—being alumni, friends with Qingqing, and Tang Song’s dorm-mate Lu Ziming—were all useful bonds. If Tang Song became a shareholder, he’d undoubtedly support her vision.
Coupled with the promise from Ren Mingyuan, Gongying Technology’s Vice President, the upcoming capital increase and share expansion would allow her to dilute Zhang Tianqi’s and Hou Shaoyuan’s shares.
This would solidify her control over the company and allow it to thrive without hesitation.
Excitement flushed across her cheeks as she crossed her legs and downed her wine in one gulp.
Li Meixia watched Shen Yuyan in admiration. She was stunning—an hourglass figure, radiant confidence, and a classic campus belle’s face. It was no wonder so many men were captivated by her.
The sound of her slippers "tap-tap-tap" echoed as Shen Yuyan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.
Pulling the gray blackout curtains aside with a flourish, she pointed toward the distant horizon, her eyes alight with ambition.
“Smile Holdings is over there, in Wangjing’s prime location, housed in the most prestigious office building alongside the perfect Jin Meixiao.
“We won’t stay in Yan City forever. One day, we’ll stand on grander stages, attend the most exclusive galas, and converse effortlessly with Fortune 500 executives…”
Li Meixia was swept up by Shen Yuyan’s energy and stood beside her, gazing at the resplendent belle.
In any growing company, someone had to provide vision and drive. Shen Yuyan was undoubtedly that person—a natural leader who inspired and motivated everyone around her.
Looking northeast toward the skyline, Shen Yuyan seemed to glimpse her aspirations.
Above the city’s starlit skies, she imagined a group of elites perched high above.
The train of progress roared forward at full speed.
This was the capital, the political, cultural, international, and technological center of the nation—a modern global metropolis.
At this moment, immersed in the vibrancy of the city and on the brink of finalizing her financing plan, Shen Yuyan’s heart surged with emotion.
The shadows of despair and uncertainty that had once loomed over her were gone, replaced by the light of opportunity.
To those with clear ambitions, the summit was never far away.
Unwilling to settle for mediocrity, she resolved to seize every chance to fight her way to the top.
Raindrops tapped rhythmically against the hotel window, muffled yet insistent.
Inside the dimly lit room, the shrill ring of a phone pierced through the quiet.
Tang Song blinked awake, glanced at the screen, and raised a brow.
[Linggan Design – Cheng Qiuqiu?]
They’d exchanged numbers before for work purposes, but this was the first time she’d called him directly.
Answering the call, he greeted, “Hello, Designer Cheng. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Tang Song,” Cheng Qiuqiu hesitated briefly before continuing, “I bought some local Shanghai breakfast. Want to try some? I can bring you a portion.”
“Uh… sure, thank you.” Tang Song rubbed his temples, wondering if he’d misheard.
Last night, he’d spent hours spiraling into an emotional haze over Su Yu’s invitation letters and their photograph, struggling to fall asleep despite the calming effects of his Heartthrob Aura (Level 3).
“I’m in the lounge on the 38th floor. You can come over.”
“Okay.”
Hanging up, Tang Song glanced at his phone, still half-asleep but confirming the call was real. Shaking off the remnants of grogginess, he began to freshen up.
Though the executive suite came with access to an impressive breakfast buffet featuring a vast selection of Chinese and Western dishes, he appreciated her thoughtfulness and decided to try what she’d brought.
After donning a casual summer outfit and completing his morning routine, Tang Song took the elevator to the 38th-floor lounge.
His eyes scanned the room and quickly found Cheng Qiuqiu.
Dressed in a crisp shirt and jeans, she was drying her slightly damp hair with a hotel towel—likely caught in the morning rain. On the coffee table before her lay an assortment of paper bags and food containers.
“Good morning.”
“Morning,” she replied with a small smile. “Here’s what I’ve got: fried dough sticks, pork-and-bamboo shoot shumai, wontons, savory soy milk, and soup dumplings…” She listed off the items before adding, “Pick whatever you like. I chose these based on reviews, so they should all be good.”
Glancing at her rain-specked outfit and the spread of breakfast items, Tang Song quickly pieced it together: she was still apologizing for the incident with his car’s paintwork.
While Tang Song harbored lingering annoyance toward Liu Wenning and his accomplice, he had moved past the matter after the compensations and apologies were settled.
Still, Cheng Qiuqiu’s persistent need to make amends mirrored the meticulous and responsible attitude she displayed in her work.
Without any dietary restrictions, Tang Song casually selected a few items and thanked her.
Her smile softened as she noted his choice. “Looks like you just woke up. Sorry for disturbing your rest. I have to head out early for the festival screenings. Shanghai has 41 cinemas showing films from the festival, and my fan group plans to watch every one of Su Yu’s competition entries. I heard some venues even support VR screenings, which should be pretty cool.”
“Su Yu’s films?” Tang Song murmured, memories of her invitations and events resurfacing in his mind.
So many premieres and film festivals she had invited him to, but he had never attended. Nor had he ever watched one of her movies in a theater.
Now, with her participation in the Shanghai International Film Festival, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to experience it all firsthand.
Just then, the system chimed.
Ding! You have triggered the challenge mission [Shanghai Film Festival]. Please check the mission center for details.
[Mission Details]: Today, immerse yourself as a Su Yu fan and fully engage with the film festival. Watch all of Su Yu’s competition entries.
[Reward]: Random Gift Pack x1[Note]: The more invested you are in the experience, the better the gift pack.Closing the system interface, Tang Song looked up. “Designer Cheng, how many competition films has Su Yu participated in?”
“Three,” she replied with a glimmer of excitement. “Only one is a leading role—the one that won the award. The other two are supporting roles, basically appearances to boost other Tangzong Entertainment stars.”
Tang Song nodded thoughtfully, then smiled. “As a die-hard Su Yu fan, would it be okay if I join your group for the festival?”
He reasoned that his friend Zhao Yaqian would be busy with an Hermès event during the day, leaving him free to complete the mission without conflicting with evening plans.
Cheng Qiuqiu blinked, surprised. “Tickets are hard to get. Most of us had to go through scalpers, and they’re 350 yuan each. You…”
Her voice trailed off as she remembered the Mercedes S-Class Tang Song had driven and the aura of confidence he exuded during their previous encounters. A bit embarrassed, she added, “Well, I suppose that’s not expensive for you. I can help you buy them.”
“Thanks. I’ll send you the money.” Tang Song opened his phone, prepared to pull up her contact.
Cheng Qiuqiu hesitated briefly before biting her lip. “Uh, that’s my work account. Let’s exchange personal WeChats instead.”
“Sure!”
After scanning each other’s QR codes, Tang Song transferred the funds.
Instead of returning to their respective rooms, the two lingered in the lounge, chatting about the festival while enjoying the Shanghai street-style breakfast.
Cheng Qiuqiu explained that her fan group, though small, was officially recognized and occasionally featured on Su Yu’s community page. There was even a chance—albeit slim—that Su Yu herself might interact with their posts.
Tang Song listened with growing interest, his thoughts drifting between completing his system mission and the possibility of seeing Su Yu on-screen for the first time.
Today’s agenda was set: become a true Su Yu fan and dive into the festival experience.
After finishing breakfast and gathering his belongings, Tang Song waited for Cheng Qiuqiu’s message. As he did, his phone chimed with a series of notifications.
WeChat – Qiu Yu:
“Good morning, Tang Song! Thanks to your few words at Huashang Fushi, our partnership went incredibly smoothly! Since it’s Saturday, do you have time for lunch or dinner? I’d like to treat you to express my gratitude.”
Tang Song replied truthfully:
“Sorry, I just arrived in Shanghai for a work trip yesterday. I’m not in Yancheng.”
Qiu Yu:
“Ah, you’re in Shanghai? Then let’s plan for another time!”
Not long after, his phone rang again. It was Li Zhixi, a college classmate.
Tang Song raised a brow as he answered, “Hey, Zhixi.”
On the other end came an excited, familiar voice:
“Hey, Song Ge! You’re in Shanghai?”
“I arrived last night. Qiu Yu told you?”
“Yeah, she mentioned it. By the way, our company just finalized a partnership with Huashang Fushi, and I heard you played a big role in it. Hehe, once the project is developed, I’ll apply to Yancheng for on-site implementation and training. I’ll probably stay for a month or so. We can hang out and maybe visit the Yanke University campus together.”
The two chatted about old college days for a while.
Li Zhixi’s voice grew even more enthusiastic:
“Got plans for today? If not, let’s meet up. I’ll treat you to a meal, and we can call Kai Ge and the others on video—it’ll be a blast!”
Tang Song considered this.
“I’ll be busy during the day, but I’m free tonight. Text me the time and place, and I’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
“Deal! Shanghai nightlife is something else. After dinner, I’ll show you around some night markets.”
After ending the call, Tang Song received Cheng Qiuqiu’s message that she was ready to go.
Dressed in a simple white T-shirt, jeans, and black-framed glasses, Tang Song kept his look understated with no special accessories.
He met up with Cheng Qiuqiu and six other girls from her Su Yu fan group—all current university students who had traveled from Yancheng to Shanghai for the event.
The group was lively and full of youthful energy. Tang Song, looking clean, fresh, and undeniably charming even in his low-key attire, was warmly welcomed.
The girls enthusiastically shared snacks, asked him to buy drinks, and even invited him to take selfies and exchange WeChat contacts.
Tang Song, a “fake fan,” blended seamlessly into the group. Surrounded by vibrant young women, he felt transported back to his own university days—a refreshing and fun experience.
The girls chatted non-stop about Su Yu: her latest works, personal growth, fashion sense, and admirable qualities.
As a fanbase, Su Yu’s supporters were known for their dedication and positivity. Su Yu herself was an idol who made it easy to be proud of her:
Scandal-free career: No gossip, no controversies, no unflattering headlines.Professionalism: A reputation for hard work and integrity both inside and outside the industry.Talented and versatile: With dozens of hit songs, starring roles in major dramas, and leadership on three wildly successful variety shows.Selective roles: She refused intimate scenes and focused on strong, empowering female leads and meaningful, patriotic projects.Some fans even speculated that Su Yu might be a lesbian, a topic that sparked excitement rather than controversy among the girls.
“If Su Yu really is into women,” one of them giggled, “I wouldn’t mind getting close to her myself.”
Even Cheng Qiuqiu, usually reserved, blushed at the notion, her expression betraying an imaginative daydream.
Tang Song, seated among the giggling and swooning girls, felt increasingly awkward. As they indulged in wild fantasies about “his” Su Yu, he was at a loss for words.
10 a.m., Bvlgari Hotel Suite.
Meanwhile, Lin Muxue had just uploaded her meticulously edited video content to various platforms. After a luxurious breakfast, she pampered herself with a long, indulgent shower and dedicated time to skincare, makeup, and hairstyling.
Today was a monumental day on her calendar:
Afternoon: She would accompany Zhao Yaqian to an exclusive Hermès private event, a rare and prestigious opportunity.Evening: A reunion with several former college classmates who now worked as flight attendants.Lin Muxue had always admired the grace and elegance associated with the flight attendant profession. She had once dreamed of becoming one herself, even choosing an aviation services program after high school.
However, reality soon shattered her ambitions.
Her interviewer had made it clear that securing a contract as a flight attendant required hefty bribes—400,000–500,000 yuan for international positions, or 100,000 yuan just for ground staff roles.
Coming from a modest family, these fees were out of reach.
Understanding her limits, Lin Muxue decisively pivoted. She became a freelance model and started building her own social media presence, creating a career where she could shine without depending on others.
Reflecting on her past struggles and the journey to her present self, Lin Muxue took a deep breath.
Standing before a full-length mirror, her gaze met her reflection—poised, radiant, and determined.
Her eyes burned with confidence and ambition.
“Today,” she thought, “is mine to conquer.”