novelraw Chapter 223: Su Yu Takes Center Stage
Chapter 223: Su Yu Takes Center Stage
The rain in Shanghai had stopped at some unknown point.
Buses, subways, city walks...
Tang Song followed Qiuqiu and the others through the bustling crowds of this international metropolis, experiencing up close the prosperity and allure of a city where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold.
“Here, tea for you! Thanks for treating us to such a feast at lunch,” Cheng Qiuqiu said, handing him a cup of Bawang Cha Ji.
Tang Song, who had been snapping photos in a corner of the theater, put down his phone and took the tea with a smile. “Thanks, Designer Cheng.”
Puncturing the sealed lid with a straw, he took a sip of the cold, rich green tea, immediately feeling refreshed and invigorated.
This time of year in Shanghai, the air was damp and stifling, making outings quite uncomfortable. Google seaʀᴄh N0velFire.ɴet
Cheng Qiuqiu held her own cup of fresh fruit tea, sipping noisily before wiping the sweat off her forehead.
Glancing at Tang Song, she added, “You’re welcome, Programmer Tang.”
Hearing this odd nickname, Tang Song shook his head. “That name doesn’t sound great.”The corner of Cheng Qiuqiu’s mouth curved slightly around her straw. “I think ‘Designer Cheng’ doesn’t sound that great either.”
“Fine, then. Thanks for the milk tea, Qiuqiu.”
“You’re welcome.” Cheng Qiuqiu looked at the people coming and going in the exhibition hall and fell silent.
Tang Song glanced curiously at her indifferent profile.
This designer seemed to have a particularly reserved personality. Unless the topic was about Su Yu, it was rare to see her smile warmly.
He had already noticed this before, whether at Shimmer Coffee or the music restaurant.
At 4 p.m., the premiere of the final film Su Yu had participated in began, and everyone gradually entered the screening hall.
It was a workplace drama about the struggles of everyday people, with a tightly woven plot and intense emotional resonance. The characters were vividly portrayed, and the depiction of workplace challenges felt incredibly authentic.
Unconsciously, Tang Song found himself immersed in the story.
When the film reached its climax, Su Yu finally made her cameo appearance.
Excited murmurs filled the theater.
In front of him, Cheng Qiuqiu clasped her hands tightly and whispered, “She’s so beautiful!”
Dressed in a perfectly tailored light-colored blouse, paired with a gray-blue high-waisted pencil skirt and nude heels.
Her hair was tied back in a bun, with the long bangs at her temples styled into soft S-shaped curves.
Her makeup was fresh and radiant, highlighting her delicate features. Her graceful neckline, slender limbs, impeccable waist-to-hip ratio, and full, round figure all came together to embody an exquisite sense of both elegance and professionalism.
Tang Song’s expression turned a bit odd.
This outfit and the character Su Yu portrayed gave him a distinct “Secretary Jin” vibe.
Especially her clear and bright gaze—it seemed she had purposefully worn cosmetic lenses, and the close-up shots of her eyes were stunningly captivating.
Tang Song thought back to the Secretary Jin he had seen in Mirror Self and then looked again at Su Yu on screen.
It was no surprise she was an award-winning actress. Her portrayal was spot on, with her aura and posture executed to perfection.
Shanghai, the Hermès Event Venue, A Glimmering Affair
The Hermès event in Shanghai was a radiant spectacle, with dazzling lights illuminating the venue.
The guest list primarily comprised Hermès VIC (Very Important Client) members, alongside a notable array of domestic and international socialites and fashion elites.
The showroom was perfectly populated—not too sparse, not overly crowded—with well-dressed men and women mingling in style. In the corner, an international band played soft, soothing music. Displays showcased high-fashion clothing, exquisite leather goods, luxurious jewelry, and elegant silk scarves.
“Finance industry—you’re amazing, Muxue, such a young talent!”
“At the end of the day, I’m just another worker. Unlike you, Sister Mu, living so freely,” Lin Muxue replied smoothly.
“Clink—”
The crisp sound of champagne glasses meeting echoed.
Lin Muxue tilted her head back, taking a large sip of champagne before exchanging a few more words with Sister Mu. With ease, they naturally parted ways.
Events like this had one undeniable advantage—networking opportunities.
Every attendee was either a social elite or a Hermès VIC client, all of them far above her own station.
She glanced at the name tag in her hand:
[PENWY Brand Founder and Owner, Peng Ximu]
Curious, she opened her phone and searched. It turned out to be a somewhat well-known internet brand, mainly dealing in fashion and beauty products, with several physical stores offline.
As a woman deeply driven by vanity, her ultimate aspiration was to create her personal brand. Ideally, it would achieve a significant level of recognition.
Someday, she dreamed of confidently handing out her business card and introducing herself:
“I’m the founder of the Muxue brand. Feel free to contact me for collaboration.”
“Hahaha!”
The mere thought brought a flush to her cheeks, and she chuckled softly to herself.
“Excuse me, Ms. Lin. Would you like some beverages or snacks?” a formally dressed waiter approached her politely.
Lin Muxue placed her empty glass onto the tray, picked up another champagne flute, and nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
Her fingers lightly brushed against a row of Hermès' latest fashion pieces.
Sipping her champagne, she tried on outfits with the help of the waiter, occasionally joining Zhao Yaqian to chat with the surrounding guests and make introductions.
Draped in luxury brands and blessed with decent social skills, Lin Muxue carried herself with remarkable poise throughout the event.
Her cheeks now slightly flushed from the alcohol, she basked in the experience of a “true socialite,” savoring the admiring glances from others.
She seemed entirely absorbed in the magnificence of the scene before her.
After all her efforts, “Little Xue” had finally stepped into the big leagues, attending a truly high-end gathering.
Her smile widened as she thought about the university classmates she’d meet later that evening.
To elevate Zhao Yaqian’s Hermès experience, Slover Trust had upgraded the vehicle for the event, sending a nearly 3-million-yuan Bentley Flying Spur.
The thought of stepping out in front of her classmates in such an elegant, luxurious car filled Lin Muxue with giddy anticipation. She couldn’t help but fidget, her entire body tingling with excitement.
Her mind wandered back to Tang Song.
A vivid fantasy began to unfold in her head, and the thought of being intimately close to him—well, it made her yearn even more.
At the second-floor railing, Su Yu sat quietly, wearing sunglasses and a cap with a shirt casually draped over her slim frame.
Her translucent, glowing skin seemed to radiate a soft light. Her thick, flowing hair partially obscured a swanlike neck of breathtaking beauty, while her delicate, well-proportioned face exuded an otherworldly elegance.
Across from her, the assistant spoke softly, “Sister Yu, should we bring Ms. Zhao upstairs now?”
Su Yu lifted her gaze, looking through the glass railing to the floor below.
There, Zhao Yaqian was leisurely strolling, touching this and examining that, her expression sweet and carefree, a radiant smile lighting up her face.
Su Yu’s eyes held a trace of distraction.
When she first met him, she had been about that same age.
Unknowingly, more than six years had passed since then.
First, it was Jin Meixiao, then Liu Qingning, and now Zhao Yaqian.
But unlike them, she hadn’t been as lucky—she never earned his love or his time.
“I’ve always followed your advice, always strived to make myself better, and never dared to burden you in any way.
You even said yourself that I’ve become your ideal version of me.”
Su Yu lowered her head, pressing her lips together tightly. She couldn’t understand what she had done wrong to make him unwilling to meet her even once in the past three years.
She had thought about him so intensely she felt like she was losing her mind, but the only place she could see him was in her dreams.
“Sister Yu...” The assistant’s soft voice interrupted her thoughts.
“I’ll think about it a little more,” Su Yu replied, her gaze flickering indecisively.
After the Golden Phoenix Gala, she had wanted to meet this “canary” and have a chat. But in the end, she hesitated, afraid that he would find out and hate her for it.
What she feared most was being hated by him.
Even in her maddening longing, she had never acted impulsively, nor had she tried to stir up scandals to catch his attention.
But in the end, she still couldn’t hold back. She came to the Hermès event site, perhaps out of a deep desire to see just what kind of person this woman was.
Just as she was about to speak, her assistant’s phone vibrated.
The assistant glanced at the screen and lowered her voice, “Sister Yu, it’s a message from President Mo. She says President Tang is in Shanghai.”
“Ah!”
Su Yu’s lips and the corners of her eyes twitched violently.
Lowering her head, her pale, slender hands clenched her thighs tightly.
He’s here! Is it because Zhao Yaqian is here?
Does he know about my little stunt?
What should I do?
“Buzz buzz—”
“Give me the phone!” Su Yu exhaled and nervously took the device.
On the chat interface was a photo sent by Mo Xiangwan.
Su Yu frowned slightly and opened the image with a hint of suspicion.
Her face immediately froze in disbelief, her body trembling faintly.
The photo was a group picture taken in front of the promotional poster for her movie.
Standing in the center was Tang Song, holding a support banner with her image on it. A sticker of her face was even pasted on his cheek.
He wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, paired with the familiar black-rimmed glasses, his smile warm and gentle.
Tears instantly filled Su Yu’s clear, expressive eyes, spilling over and rolling down her cheeks.
Her vision blurred, but she didn’t care, staring fixatedly at the picture of him.
The assistant, startled by her reaction, quickly handed her tissues. When Su Yu didn’t respond, the assistant dared not disturb her further.
“Buzz buzz—”
More photos appeared on the chat screen, accompanied by a fan forum link.
Su Yu hastily wiped her tears, biting her lip as she clicked through the photos one by one.
All of them were support photos from the film festival. In every image, he looked gentle and dashing, almost like the version of him she had dreamed of countless times.
She opened the forum link. It was a post from the Yan City Fan Club, documenting a meticulously organized support event.
“You came to Shanghai just to attend my support event?”
“Could it really be, as Ouyang said, that you’re searching for some emotional shift?”
“I really, really want to see you.”
Her lips parted slightly, murmuring softly.
A long while passed before Su Yu’s eyes regained their light. She opened the forum app and typed out a long reply under the post.
After taking a deep breath, she stood up from her seat.
Glancing down at Zhao Yaqian, her face carried a faint smile. “Let’s go. I need to start preparing for the concert on the 20th.”
With that, she stepped forward, the light, cheerful music in the background matching her increasingly buoyant steps.
Her figure was stunning, her movements elegant and graceful, as if she were dancing rather than walking.
It was evident that her mood was far more excited than she let on.
Her assistant quickly followed, feeling a bit incredulous. It was the first time she had seen this side of Su Yu—so genuinely happy.
"Today was so much fun! Su Yu is absolutely stunning!"
"Thanks again, Brother Song, for the big lunch! Let’s hang out together when you’re back in Yan City!"
"Yeah, I’m in the group too. Let’s plan some activities together!"
"When Su Yu’s concert happens on the 20th, we’ll be outside watching—let’s meet up then!"
Qiuqiu glanced at Tang Song and said, “I booked a sleeper train for early tomorrow morning. Tonight, I’ll check out of the Marriott and head back to Yan City.”
She had arrived in Shanghai on Thursday, staying two nights at the Wangjing Marriott Hotel. Between the hotel, tickets, and fan support expenses, she had nearly exhausted her entire paycheck from last month.
She couldn’t keep splurging like this. Besides, she had accumulated work waiting for her back home, and her graduation was just around the corner.
Tang Song smiled and nodded, “Safe travels. See you in Yan City.”
He waved goodbye to the other girls as well before hopping into a roadside taxi, blending into the flow of Shanghai’s traffic.
"Wow, Tang Song is so handsome! He’s as good-looking as the campus heartthrob from our school!"
"It’s not just his looks—it’s his demeanor and personality. Totally my type!"
"And he’s so generous! I wonder if he has a girlfriend?"
The group of girls chattered excitedly about Tang Song, their impressions of him glowing. Qiuqiu, standing nearby, nodded in agreement.
To be fair, Tang Song really was impressive—kind, confident, good-humored, and emotionally intelligent. He was the kind of person who made an excellent friend.
Her initial negative impression of him stemmed from misunderstandings, like when she thought he was secretly photographing her during a bike ride. But thinking back now, it must have been a mistake on her part.
Suddenly, a piercing scream broke through the chatter.
Xiao Qing, one of the fan club members, was red-faced, jumping up and down in excitement.
“What is it, Xiao Qing?” The others immediately rushed over.
"Ah… ah… oh… uh…" Xiao Qing stammered, too excited to form coherent words. Finally, she simply thrust her phone toward them, furiously tapping the screen.
"Ahhh!"
"Ahhh!"
"Ahhh!"
A chorus of screams erupted in the square outside the theater, drawing curious glances from passersby.
Curious about the commotion, Qiuqiu also leaned in for a look. With just one glance, she froze in place, utterly stunned.
At the top of her recent fan post was a pinned comment:
[Su Yu: “Thank you, dear [Pikachu Qiuqiu], for sharing this. This is one of the happiest surprises I’ve ever received. Having fans like you is my greatest fortune… Your support is my strongest and most unshakable backing. I look forward to the day we meet. Love you.”]
The comment was quite lengthy, beginning with general thanks to her fans. But as it went on, the tone shifted. It almost seemed like Su Yu was addressing one specific person—her.
Reading it repeatedly, Qiuqiu became convinced that Su Yu’s words were meant for her alone.
Everyone knew that Su Yu personally managed her forum account.
This meant the message was genuinely from Su Yu herself.
For over seven years, Su Yu had been Qiuqiu’s idol. She had supported her through her toughest times, witnessing her rise to the pinnacle of her career. Su Yu had become both a source of inspiration and spiritual comfort to her.
Seeing phrases like "Pikachu Qiuqiu," "happiest surprise," "meet," and "love you," Qiuqiu’s eyes welled with tears, glistening with emotion.
She couldn’t help it—the sensation was overwhelming, almost dreamlike.