novelraw Chapter 346: A Male Protagonist Straight Out of Women’s Fiction
Chapter 346: A Male Protagonist Straight Out of Women’s Fiction
Beicheng Garden Residential Complex.
“Ahhh, Yiyi—” The door swung open.
Xu Qing stormed in energetically.
After changing into slippers and stepping into the living room, she nearly bumped into Shen Yuyan, who was coming out of the bedroom.
“Good evening, Yanyan.”
“You look pretty happy. Did something new happen between you and Tang Song?” Shen Yuyan pointed at the shopping bag in her arms. “What’s this?”
Xu Qing patted the Chanel bag in her arms, grinning from ear to ear. “A Chanel COCO CRUSH Little Gold Bean Necklace! I checked—it retails for 21,000 at the boutique!”
As a self-proclaimed little money-grubber, she couldn’t resist the temptation of expensive luxury gifts.
Shen Yuyan raised an eyebrow. “Did Tang Song give this to you?”
Previously, when Xu Qing gifted him a 4090 graphics card, Tang Song had returned the favor with gifts worth nearly 30,000—a Dior chain bag, LV perfume, Chanel silk scarf, and lipstick.She still treasured them, often showing them off.
“Nope.” Xu Qing stuck out her pink tongue, making an exaggerated expression. “Yanyan, I ran into that Wen Ruan you mentioned today while eating KFC with Tang Song. She was the one who gave me this necklace. My god, that chest, that ass—damn!”
Shen Yuyan’s expression froze in confusion. “She… why would she give you a necklace?”
“Hehe, because your bestie here is just too adorable! I completely won her over, hahaha!” Xu Qing proudly lifted her chin.
Shen Yuyan twitched at the corners of her mouth and smacked her on the head. “If you were a kitten, maybe she’d buy you a collar to play with. But you got caught having a meal with her boyfriend—what woman would tolerate that? Watch out, that necklace might be poisoned!”
“Ahh!” Xu Qing jumped back in fright, then quickly realized, “No way! Sister Wen Ruan was really nice to me, and she bought this necklace on the spot.”
“Heh, ‘Sister Wen Ruan’ now? Are you planning to be her good little sister?”
Shen Yuyan knew her best friend too well—always whimsical, impulsive, and easily swayed by others.
“Sigh, she’s actually impressive. I have to admit it—being her little sister doesn’t sound too bad.” Xu Qing excitedly pulled out a business card from her bag and handed it over. “Look at this! Sister Wen Ruan even said she’s got my back. If I run into trouble at work, I can go straight to her!”
“This is…” Shen Yuyan’s brows twitched when she saw the name on the card. In disbelief, she murmured, “Wen Ruan… Executive Director of Light and Shadow Media!?”
“Mm-hmm! Yanyan, have you heard of this company?” Xu Qing blinked her large, dark eyes. From her best friend’s reaction, she could tell this was a big deal.
Shen Yuyan’s breath quickened, her chest rising and falling.
After a long pause, she finally spoke with difficulty, “It’s the leading media company in Yan Province. Youjie Domestic Services even worked with them before.”
For a home service company, customer acquisition was the hardest part.
When they first started, aside from the channels through Zhang Tianqi’s uncle, they had also purchased advertising slots from media companies.
But due to limited funds, the “cooperation” was basically just a recharge account used for occasional ad placements.
Later, after Guo Liyuan joined Fanfu Suzi, and Youjie Domestic Services secured funding, she relaunched the advertising initiative.
“Damn, that’s insane!” Xu Qing was shocked before her eyes lit up with excitement. “Doesn’t that make her way more powerful than Lin Muxue!?”
Shen Yuyan bit her lip, her expression complicated. “It’s different. If this business card is real, then Wen Ruan is already a big-name figure.”
She had noticed a pattern—every woman with ambiguous ties to Tang Song seemed to have an impressive background.
But what confused her even more was—why was Wen Ruan being so generous?
If she were Tang Song’s girlfriend, she’d be doing everything to eliminate the competition.
The fact that she wasn’t causing trouble for the other women was already surprising enough, but actively showing kindness? That made no sense.
Shen Yuyan grabbed her best friend’s arm. “Qingqing, what exactly is your relationship with Tang Song?”
“Uh?” Xu Qing’s face flushed red, and she whispered, “We’re just friends. Why?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yanyan, what are you imagining? He has a girlfriend. Two, actually!”
“Just answer me!” Shen Yuyan grabbed her chin and stared into her eyes.
Xu Qing’s gaze flickered nervously, and she stammered, “He… he… he kissed my cheek. It was a forced kiss. I didn’t agree to it.”
Faced with her closest best friend, she didn’t choose to hide it.
Shen Yuyan wrapped her arms around Xu Qing’s waist and gazed at her with bright eyes. “Qingqing, my advice is—if you really like him, be proactive.”
Xu Qing stiffened and lifted her chin stubbornly. “I’m a righteous, morally upright legal professional! I wouldn’t do that!”
“Then stay far away from him and don’t have any ambiguous interactions! If he tries to kiss you again, push him away hard!”
Hearing this, Xu Qing’s expression flashed with panic. “I’m not arguing with you. I haven’t finished my novel—I need to go write!”
With that, she lowered her head and quickly walked to the bedroom.
Bang! The bedroom door slammed shut.
Xu Qing leaned against the door, taking several deep breaths before sitting at her desk, staring blankly at the Chanel box.
Right now, Tang Song was probably doing unspeakable things with Wen Ruan.
After a while, she angrily cursed Tang Song a few times—“Scumbag!”
Then, carefully tucked the gift box into a drawer, turned on her computer, and furiously started typing.
(-.1)
Damn you, Little Songzi! You dared to kiss my cheek and spank me!
Just wait and see how I deal with you tonight!
Yanjing Huating, Luxury Apartment.
Inside a French-style, light-luxury bedroom, the lights shone brightly.
Fresh from a shower, Xiaojing lay sprawled out on her pink, oversized round bed, wearing only a thin camisole and leggings, looking incredibly seductive.
Her glowing, fair skin made the entire room seem brighter. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ n0velfire.net
She kicked her slender, long legs, eyes gleaming as she stared at her phone screen.
In the “The Beauty of the Second Dimension” WeChat group—
[Qingqing: “His gaze turned hazy, and with a loud ‘thud,’ he dropped to his knees before me, tears streaming down his face as he said…”]
“Hmph! How dare you write about my Brother Tang Song like that! Be careful—I might just tell on you!” Xiaojing muttered to herself, her face filled with excitement.
She couldn’t help but imagine a day when Brother Tang Song might make her kneel and beg for forgiveness… or even make her drink bathwater.
Too perverted! Unthinkable!
Biting her lip in excitement, she quickly typed out a reply in the group.
For the first time in a week, Qingqing was back to sharing her real-life stories.
This time, a new character appeared—
A mature, seductive luxury car saleswoman.
She had gotten a little too close to Qingqing’s “warm-hearted” boyfriend when he went to buy a car.
One day, Qingqing caught them having a meal together, only to discover that the saleswoman was actually her cousin from her hometown.
From there, things took a dramatic turn.
But what really intrigued Xiaojing was—who was this “cousin” in real life?
Because every character in Qingqing’s stories had a real-world counterpart.
If the male lead suddenly had a new pursuer, that meant Tang Song had really gained a new admirer.
Who Could It Be?
And Who’s the Drama Queen by the Male Lead’s Side?
This thrilling mystery, this sense of uncovering secrets, had her completely exhilarated.
“Ring—ring—ring—”
Her phone suddenly rang.
It was Qi Wen, a colleague.
Xiaojing quickly answered, “Hello, Sister Wen.”
“Ah, sorry! I was so busy earlier, I forgot to reply to your WeChat.”
“Mm-hmm, I’m free tomorrow night. You go ahead and plan.”
“Mm-hmm, bye-bye.”
After hanging up, Xiaojing resumed scrolling through the group chat.
Since Jinxiu Commerce was now a Smile Holdings subsidiary, it had received four slots for a corporate training program in Beijing.
The requirement was middle management under 30 years old.
There weren’t many people who met the criteria, so it all depended on who had the stronger connections.
She and Qi Yao were already preselected as two of the candidates.
Qi Wen’s father was a top executive at a state-owned enterprise in the province and an old classmate of CEO Feng Zhongping.
After resigning from the Channel Sales Department, Qi Wen directly entered the Cross-Border E-Commerce Division as a branch manager.
She was fully qualified for the program.
As for Xiaojing, she didn’t even need to compete—her father was a shareholder and supervisor, and she herself was a longtime employee and the salary supervisor.
Unlike her, Qi Wen cared deeply about this training opportunity.
To be precise, the only reason she had joined Jinxiu Commerce was because of Smile Holdings.
Though she and Qi Yao hadn’t known each other long, they had grown exceptionally close.
So when Qi Wen got the opportunity to travel to Beijing for business, she invited Xiaojing to stay at her luxury apartment.
Xiaojing didn’t have much, but she had plenty of houses!
Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu…
She had homes in almost every city she liked, and they were all in prime locations with top-tier renovations.
Qi Wen had called to invite her to dinner tomorrow night—a gesture of gratitude and also a chance to discuss the trip’s details.
After prying some gossip from the chat, Xiaojing flipped over in bed, switched off the crystal chandelier, and turned on the bedside mood lighting.
She blinked and gently twisted her legs.
Returning to her home screen, she clicked on Tang Song’s WeChat and sent a video call request.
“Ding—ding—ding—”
The call went unanswered for a while.
Just as she was about to hang up, the screen suddenly lit up with Tang Song’s image.
Xiaojing gasped softly, her eyes widening.
This…
The camera didn’t show Tang Song’s face, only his upper body.
He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and as he moved, beads of sweat glided down his skin.
His well-defined chest, chiseled six-pack abs, and perfectly sculpted muscles looked as if they had been carved by a master artist.
The sheer masculine energy was overwhelming.
Xiaojing’s reflexes kicked in—she started taking screenshots immediately.
“Click—click—click—”
A moment later, Tang Song sat down on a bench on the other end of the video.
The camera slowly tilted up, revealing a sharp, well-defined face—straight nose, thin lips.
His black hair was damp with sweat, carrying an unexpected allure.
Xiaojing licked her lips, feeling a tingling numbness wash over her.
Up until now, her interactions with Tang Song had been playfully sneaky but never too bold.
But this was the first time she realized just how incredible his physique was!
He literally had a model’s body, like a character from a Korean webtoon!
“Xiaojing, what’s up?” Tang Song’s voice was slightly weary.
Xiaojing squeezed her thighs together and spoke softly with a sweet, obedient tone, “Song, did you just finish working out?”
“Mm, almost two hours. I’m pretty exhausted.”
“Over-exercising can be harmful to your body. You need to take care of yourself.”
As she said this, she continued to feast her eyes on the visual treat before her.
Originally, she had planned to ask if he had bought a car or if he knew any sales reps.
But after seeing this version of Tang Song, she completely forgot about all that.
They chatted for over ten minutes.
Xiaojing blinked her big eyes and sweetly teased, “I never knew your body was this amazing. I can tell you work really hard! Can I see your leg muscles too?”
Her expression was pure and innocent, as if she was just genuinely curious about his fitness routine.
Tang Song was momentarily taken aback, an awkward expression flashing across his face. “I was just about to shower, so…”
Xiaojing’s eyes instantly sparkled with excitement. “Oh, that’s totally fine~” she purred.
“Uh…”
After a brief pause, the camera shifted.
“AH!” Xiaojing gasped, quickly covering her mouth as her face turned beet red.
“Xiaojing, your turn.”
Xiaojing bit her lip, adjusted her phone camera, and—
A young woman in a camisole and leggings appeared on the screen.
“Not enough,” Tang Song’s voice was warm and clear, like a gentle breeze that sent shivers down her spine.
“Oh my god…”
Shengyuan Scenic Residence – Townhouse.
After ending the video call, Tang Song chuckled and shook his head as he walked out of the third-floor media room.
From the very first date with Xiaojing, he had sensed that this so-called “company goddess” was far from the obedient, innocent girl she pretended to be.
And sure enough, her boldness and initiative only confirmed it.
Just like what happened just now.
(。Y。)
So interesting! Just like Qingqing—equally entertaining!
Pushing open the master bedroom door, Tang Song took a shower, dried himself off, and climbed into bed.
He wrapped his arms around Wen Ruan, who was sound asleep, and gently kissed her hair before slowly closing his eyes.
This big sister had really suffered today.
It was the first time he had ever seen her so terrified, her voice going completely hoarse.
She was definitely taking the day off tomorrow.
August 4, 2023 – Friday – Overcast, Turning to Showers – 26°C ~ 35°C
Yunxi Tower – Songmei Fashion.
“The return rate has dropped to 45%, but livestream sales have also declined.”
“That’s unavoidable. Before, it was all thanks to Bei Yuwei’s popularity. Now that the hype is fading, only the real target customers remain. But even this smaller group is still quite sizable.”
“Keep up the effort. The key is still product selection and quality control. I’m currently deploying the inventory management system—it’ll be ready for use soon.”
"Alright, meeting adjourned!"
Walking out of the conference room, Tang Song took out his phone and glanced at it, his brows slightly raising.
Two missed calls.
They were from his cousin Yang Zihang, the son of his eldest aunt.
That was rare.
It had been nearly ten months since he started working in Yan City.
Though both of them lived in the same city, the only time they had actually met and talked was when his mom asked Yang Zihang to help deliver something for her (Chapter 121).
Back in his CEO office, Tang Song dialed back the number.
The call was answered quickly. "Hey, Cousin."
“Hey, Xiao Song, I heard from Auntie that you’re driving back to Yan City in the next couple of days? Do you know exactly when?”
“If nothing changes, I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.”
“Perfect!” Yang Zihang chuckled. “I need to send my household registration booklet back home, and I was worried about mailing it—too risky. Since you’re heading back to Quancheng, can you take it for me?”
“No problem. Want to meet up today?”
Yang Zihang thought for a moment. “How about dinner tonight? I feel bad—I should’ve treated you ages ago. Our company just opened this trendy restaurant, and I was going to check it out with my girlfriend, so let’s go together.”
Tang Song nodded. “Sounds good. Just send me the restaurant’s address.”
It was Friday, and most of his work for the week was already wrapped up.
After hanging up, he quickly received a WeChat message from Yang Zihang.
[Zihang: Jinshi Restaurant.map]
[Zihang: I get off work early, and I live nearby. Let me know what time works for you.]
[Tang Song: Cool, I’ll be off at 6 PM. I’ll text you when I’m close.]
After putting down his phone, Tang Song glanced at his watch.
16:10.
He didn’t know much about Yang Zihang’s recent situation, only the occasional updates from his parents.
After graduating from college, Zihang joined a state-owned enterprise—a typical 9-to-5, stable and stress-free.
His girlfriend was a coworker, a pretty girl, from what he’d heard.
Not long ago, they bought an apartment in Yan City, which explained why the household registration booklet was with him.
Dezheng Business Tower – Yan Provincial Cultural & Tourism Investment Group
After putting down his phone, Yang Zihang got back to work.
Their company paid salaries on the 5th of every month, or earlier if it fell on a holiday.
Today was payday.
This morning, as soon as his paycheck hit his account, he and his girlfriend planned a fancy dinner to celebrate.
But during lunch, he heard from his mom that Tang Song was heading back home.
His impression of Tang Song was still stuck in their teenage years.
Back then, they were pretty close since their families were from neighboring towns and often visited each other.
But over the years, they had drifted apart and barely kept in touch.
He had only heard bits and pieces from family—
That Tang Song had worked insanely hard in college, never even taking breaks during summer and winter vacations.
That his grades were outstanding, and he was expected to get into a prestigious graduate program.
But then his dad lost his job, his mom got sick, and he was forced to give up his academic dreams to work at a big-name internet company in Beijing.
Then, out of the blue, he moved to Yan City last November.
During Chinese New Year, the family gossip was that Tang Song had gained a lot of weight and looked exhausted.
But when they met last time, Tang Song left a deep impression on him—
He had slimmed down, looked confident, and carried an air of authority.
And that partner of his—the rich, stunning woman driving an S-Class Mercedes—was absolutely legendary.
5:00 PM
After wrapping up his work, Yang Zihang clocked out and left the office.
Before heading downstairs, he texted his girlfriend:
[Zihang: Zhu Zhu, I’ll be waiting downstairs.]
Taking the elevator with his coworkers, he headed to the parking lot, lighting a cigarette while waiting.
His girlfriend, Zhao Yuzhu, worked in General Administration, on a different floor than him.
After a few minutes, he spotted her walking out of the building, accompanied by her colleague and best friend, Hu Jingjing.
Zhao Yuzhu wrinkled her nose and scolded him, "You’re smoking again? You just got over a cold!"
“Relax, it’s just one,” Yang Zihang chuckled. “By the way, my cousin is joining us for dinner. He’s heading back to Quancheng tomorrow and will help me take my household registration booklet home.”
Zhao Yuzhu blinked in surprise but nodded. “That’s perfect—better than risking the mail.”
Hu Jingjing grabbed Zhao Yuzhu’s arm and said eagerly, “Brother Zihang, I’ve seen that restaurant all over Douyin! I’ve been dying to go. Mind if I tag along?”
“Of course not! The more, the merrier.”
The three of them laughed as they got into the car.
Soon, their black Passat merged onto the main road.
Hu Jingjing sighed, “I’m so jealous of you two—house, car, stable jobs. Your life is perfect.”
“What’s there to be jealous of?” Zhao Yuzhu scoffed. “Buying a house just made us slaves to the mortgage. Our monthly payment alone is over 4,000 yuan! State-owned enterprises may be stable, but the pay is crap. We don’t have any connections or family backing—this is probably as good as it gets for us.”
Yang Zihang just smiled and didn’t say much.
His family was average at best.
Ever since he got a girlfriend, his parents pooled their savings to help buy a car and put 150,000 yuan towards their apartment’s down payment—completely draining their funds.
Thankfully, his girlfriend was a great person.
Even though they weren’t married yet, she supported him financially, helping to share expenses.
“I think Brother Zihang’s department is great,” Hu Jingjing said. “New media is booming—there’s a lot of potential!”
Zhao Yuzhu shook her head. “It’s tough. I’ve been thinking about telling him to switch jobs.”
As a General Office Administrator, she had insider knowledge of the company hierarchy.
Yang Zihang was just a basic employee in the New Media Operations Department, mainly handling video editing and packaging.
It wasn’t a core division, the company didn’t take it seriously, and without connections or background, his chances of promotion were slim to none.
“Don’t do it!” Hu Jingjing advised. “The economy sucks right now. What if the new company shuts down? You guys are getting married next year—stability is key.”
Yang Zihang nodded. “It’s hard to find a good job right now. I’ll hold on for a couple of years. In the meantime, I might start my own social media account and try to earn some extra cash.”
“Well… that makes sense.” Zhao Yuzhu sighed.
Working in administration, she had met a lot of high-level figures.
She couldn’t help but dream bigger.
Deep down, she wanted her boyfriend to aim higher.
But given their financial situation, taking risks wasn’t an option.
Soon, their car pulled into a residential complex and parked outside Building 3.
This was a typical older neighborhood—no elevators, six-story buildings, slightly run-down facilities, and poor greenery and property management.
But its biggest selling point was location—only 3km from their workplace.
They made their way up to Apartment 401.
Yang Zihang put the household registration booklet into a sealed bag and stuffed it into his pocket.
The three of them sat in the living room, casually chatting while waiting for Tang Song.
Zhao Yuzhu patted her boyfriend’s thigh and curiously asked, “Hey, Zihang, does your cousin have a girlfriend?”
Yang Zihang thought for a moment before replying, “Probably not.”
He had specifically asked his aunt, and she confirmed that Gao Mengting was just a business partner, not Tang Song’s girlfriend.
Zhao Yuzhu continued, “What does he look like?”
Yang Zihang immediately pictured Tang Song from their last meeting—
White dress shirt, black trousers, leather shoes, tall, handsome.
So he answered truthfully, “Well, he is my cousin, so he looks a bit like me. Pretty good-looking.”
“Tsk—” Zhao Yuzhu rolled her eyes and playfully smacked him. “Be honest!”
“Fine. He’s really good-looking, but his vibe is what stands out—he’s got that elite, professional aura.”
“Wow!” Zhao Yuzhu nudged Hu Jingjing. “That’s your type! The sophisticated, mature ‘senior’ vibe! Wanna give it a shot?”
Hu Jingjing laughed but didn’t take it seriously. “Got a photo? Let me see how handsome he is.”
She didn’t have many hobbies—she just loved reading romance novels.
She was always daydreaming about meeting a male lead straight out of a novel.
Everyone knew this about her, so her friends often teased her about it.
Yang Zihang shrugged. “Unfortunately, I don’t have one.”
“Ding-dong—”
His WeChat notification chimed.
Yang Zihang glanced at his phone and smiled. “Tang Song just got off work. He’ll be here in about 20 minutes. Jingjing, you’ll get to see him in person soon.”
Hu Jingjing froze for a second, then asked curiously, “Brother Zihang, what’s your cousin’s full name?”
“Tang Song.”
“Tang Song!?”
Hu Jingjing’s eyes lit up like a spotlight.
“That name alone screams ‘powerful CEO’! The male lead in the novel I’m currently reading—《Wrong Room, Found a Bossy CEO》—is also named Tang Song!”
Her excitement skyrocketed.
“The writing is amazing, the plot is super engaging! The male lead keeps getting bullied and teased by the female lead—it’s so much fun!”
Then, her eyes sparkled mischievously.
“Hehe, when I meet him, I’m definitely recommending the novel to him!”