novelraw Chapter 355: The Hardworking Zhang Yan, Little Xue’s Nemesis 7
Chapter 355: The Hardworking Zhang Yan, Little Xue’s Nemesis 7
Imperial Capital, Hesheng Xiaoyun Road, Building 8.
In Building 3, a 520-square-meter luxury flat housed an independent executive office.
On the computer screen, dense charts and documents flickered.
In the video conference, members of the overseas team appeared one after another, giving clear and concise updates on their work progress.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A somewhat urgent knock sounded at the door. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel⁂fire.net
Secretary Jin slightly furrowed her brows and muted the video conference.
"Come in."
Immediately after, Shangguan Qiuy a, her personal assistant, walked in briskly, holding a tablet in both hands, and stopped in front of the desk.
"Go ahead, what is it?""Director Jin, President Tang just sent an email regarding the security issue you mentioned earlier. I think it’s necessary to report it to you."
"Oh?"
Secretary Jin’s expression subtly changed. Her full chest rose slightly as she stood up from behind the desk and walked forward.
Shangguan quickly handed over the tablet.
Secretary Jin took it, gently adjusting her glasses as her gaze swiftly scanned the lines of information.
"Where is Liu Jiayi now?"
"She has been following your arrangements and staying in Yan City, mainly in charge of security services for Yanjing Tiancheng and Shengyuan Scenic Residence."
"Then assign her as a driver. Have her go to Quancheng immediately, and let the Golden Shield team take over the security at Yunjing Tai. Handle the details yourself—I don’t want any unexpected incidents."
"Understood, I’ll make the arrangements immediately."
Shangguan Qiuy a felt a slight chill in her heart.
"One more thing."
Secretary Jin paused briefly before continuing,
"From now on, I don’t need any updates on Liu Jiayi. Just have her serve President Tang well and keep all information about her strictly confidential—including from me."
"Understood."
The office door was gently closed.
Secretary Jin returned to her desk, casually picked up her steaming black coffee, took a sip, and resumed the video conference.
However, the overseas team members on the other side of the ocean noticed something—
Their normally serious and composed Director Jin seemed to be in an unexpectedly good mood.
Her tone became softer, her posture relaxed, and even her speaking pace slowed down.
Hua Jing Grand Hotel - A Chance Encounter
In the slightly noisy corridor—
"Holy sh*t! Tang Song! It’s really you! You’ve changed so much—I almost didn’t recognize you!"
Zhang Lei stared with wide eyes at the man before him, utterly shocked.
Tall and upright, full of energy, with smooth, refined skin, and dressed in expensive-looking clothes.
His aura was outstanding, almost like a celebrity.
In Zhang Lei’s impression, Tang Song had always been handsome, but he had never been this dazzling.
Tang Song flashed a bright smile and slung an arm around Zhang Lei’s shoulder.
"I was just looking at our middle school photos yesterday, and now I run into you—what are the odds?"
Speaking of luck, a thought crossed Tang Song’s mind.
Could it be that the 【+1 Luck】 boost he just got was already working?
Zhang Lei sighed, "Man, I moved houses a few times, and now I don’t even know where my old middle school photos are."
"I’ll take pictures and send you digital copies later."
"Hey, that’d be great! We’ve gotta add each other on WeChat—it’s been so long! Back then, it was all about QQ, but now I don’t even remember my password."
Zhang Lei patted his beer belly, then looked at Tang Song’s lean, muscular physique.
Snorting, he said, "Back in the day, we were on the same level looks-wise, but damn… I let myself go, and you just keep getting hotter. I’m jealous as hell."
"I was chubby before too, but I started working out."
The two continued chatting as they added each other on WeChat.
Back in middle school, Zhang Lei was the “rich kid” of the class—
Well, “rich” was an exaggeration. His father was a contractor who made good money during the economic boom, which made their family wealthy by town standards.
Zhang Lei lived large, spending money freely, always carrying the newest smartphones, and owning multiple gaming consoles.
At school, he was one of the most popular guys.
But judging by Zhang Lei’s appearance today…
It was clear that life hadn’t been too kind to him.
"Tang Song, are you still working in Imperial Capital? You look like you're doing really well. That outfit must’ve cost a fortune!"
Zhang Lei had stayed in touch with some old classmates—including a few from Tang Song’s hometown—so he had a rough idea of his career path.
Graduated from a top university, then worked at a major tech company.
Tang Song shook his head lightly.
"I left last November. Now, I’m in Yan City, running a livestream e-commerce business."
"Whoa?! You started your own business?! That’s badass!"
Zhang Lei patted his arm, his face full of admiration.
"No wonder you look so polished and put-together."
"Hey, do you remember Zhang Yunpeng from our class? That dude was always bouncing off the walls. He never went to high school, just messed around after middle school.
Now? He’s a mini-celebrity on Douyin, making money from short videos—he even got himself a Mercedes last New Year!"
"Gotta say, if regular folks want to make it big, becoming an influencer is one of the fastest ways nowadays."
Tang Song dug through his memory.
The name Zhang Yunpeng rang a faint bell, but he couldn’t recall his face.
What he did remember was that this guy was a terrible student, constantly yelling in class, and had a habit of harassing female classmates.
In fact, Tang Song once had a conflict with him—
Because of Zhang Yan, his old deskmate.
Thinking of her, Tang Song felt a strange emotion stir in his heart.
He asked, "By the way, Zhang Lei, do you know how Zhang Yan is doing? Where is she now?"
Zhang Lei had attended No. 2 High School with Zhang Yan, so he should have more recent updates.
Zhang Lei thought for a moment.
"Zhang Yan? I haven’t seen her in at least two or three years. But wait… shouldn’t you know more about her than I do?"
Tang Song raised a brow. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"She went to Yan City Agricultural University for college—isn’t that the same city as you? I thought you two kept in touch."
Tang Song’s expression froze slightly. "Yan City Agricultural University?"
"Yeah." Zhang Lei ran a hand through his messy hair and filled in the details.
After entering high school, Zhang Yan became extremely hardworking, even more so than before.
She had little to no social life, focusing entirely on studying.
She was also incredibly frugal—
She would split her lunch into two meals and pair it with free egg soup later.
Her beauty and "bookworm" aura made her quite famous at No. 2 High.
In 2016, she barely met the Tier 2 university cut-off, meaning she could have stayed local.
But she chose to retake the exam.
Unfortunately, she simply lacked the talent for academics.
Even after another attempt, she still couldn’t reach the Tier 1 threshold, ending up in a Tier 2 program at an agricultural university.
Hearing this, Tang Song felt a pang of discomfort.
A friend who worked so hard… yet got so little in return.
Reality was harsh. Some gaps simply couldn’t be bridged through effort alone.
"Vroooom!"
The engine roared to life as a Porsche 911 accelerated, merging into Yan City’s afternoon traffic.
Silent Tension in a Luxurious Car Cabin
Inside the quiet and opulent car cabin, neither of them spoke.
Xu Ning lowered her head, tears pattering down from her eyes.
She kept sneaking glances at Lin Muxue in the driver’s seat, looking like a child who had done something wrong.
After a long silence—
"Xiao Xue, right now, I—"
"Shut up!" Lin Muxue gripped the steering wheel tightly, her gaze sharp. "I’m driving. Don’t distract me!"
Xu Ning’s lips trembled, and she whispered, "I was wrong… I’m sorry."
"Huff—" Lin Muxue exhaled deeply and turned up the air conditioning.
She might be materialistic and vain, full of small flaws, but at least she had always been sincere with her friends.
Especially Xu Ning, who had helped her multiple times in difficult situations.
Back when she had just graduated, her income was barely enough to get by.
It was Xu Ning, a livestream host, who helped pay part of her rent.
She also gifted her daily skincare and hygiene products.
They often went to a barbecue stall near Yan City Vocational College, drinking, eating skewers, and dreaming of a brighter future.
For Lin Muxue—who had been mocked and ostracized by classmates throughout school—
Those days had been a warm and cherished memory.
But the sweeter the past, the more painful the fallout.
The car soon drove into the underground parking lot of Lanfeng International Luxury Apartments, smoothly pulling into a designated spot.
"Get out."
"Oh, okay. I can carry my luggage myself… Thanks, Xiao Xue."
Beep! The car’s lights flashed as it locked automatically.
Lin Muxue grabbed one of the suitcases and strode toward the elevator.
Xu Ning quickly jogged to catch up, curiously glancing around.
So this is where Xiao Xue lives now…
Of course, she had heard of Lanfeng International.
After all, she had spent years living in Yan City.
She loved luxury brands and showing off, and had even dined at the restaurants here before.
They entered a spacious, high-end elevator.
Lin Muxue scanned a keycard, and the button for the 20th floor automatically lit up.
"Ding—"
The elevator stopped at the first floor, and a few well-dressed men and women stepped in,
including two foreigners with prominent features.
As soon as they spotted Lin Muxue, their faces lit up with big smiles.
"Hi, Luna!"
"Good afternoon, Luna! How’s your weekend so far?"
Seeing her familiar colleagues, Lin Muxue smiled and responded fluently in English, casually chatting about her great weekend.
Xu Ning stood there, stunned, her mouth slightly open.
She wanted to ask something, but hesitated.
She never expected Xiao Xue’s English to be this good.
Not only that, but she also seemed to know these high-class professionals.
In just one year… Xiao Xue had changed so much.
Compared to the girl she used to know, she now felt unfamiliar, almost like a different person.
When they stepped out of the elevator, Lin Muxue’s expression instantly turned cold again.
After turning a corner in the brightly lit hallway, they arrived at a black-brown door with a gold nameplate displaying "2002."
Lin Muxue placed her hand on the handle, and with a fingerprint scan, the heavy door unlocked.
Entering the Apartment
"Clack, clack, clack—"
The sound of footsteps mixed with the rolling wheels of the suitcase filled the air.
Xu Ning carefully observed her surroundings—
A meticulously designed entryway, solid wood composite flooring, multi-layered ceilings, a luxurious crystal chandelier, a genuine leather sofa, a wool carpet, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view.
Outside the expansive glass wall,
the sky was a deep gray, with thick, heavy clouds hanging low, as if within reach.
Beyond the gleaming cityscape, the hustle and bustle of traffic and skyscrapers painted a vibrant urban scene.
This apartment was designed to five-star hotel standards—
far better than the Yanjing Huating apartment Lin Muxue previously lived in.
This was exactly Xiao Xue’s style.
Xu Ning stood in the living room, feeling uneasy.
"Xiao Xue… are you living alone now?"
Lin Muxue let out a cold laugh and sat down on the sofa, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"What, you want to be my roommate? Do you have the money?"
"This is a high-end apartment in the city center.
With this level of decor, the rent is about 5,600 yuan a month.
How much do you have?"
Xu Ning lowered her head, and tears welled up again.
"Xiao Xue, I was scammed.
He said he needed my money to invest, to prove himself to his parents.
He even made me take out online loans, saying the returns would be huge…"
Lin Muxue’s eyebrows twitched sharply.
"Did you actually lend him money!?"
Xu Ning shrank back, her voice trembling.
"I… I… I was wrong…"
"You f*cking idiot!"
Lin Muxue stood up and smacked her on the head.
"If you were just a sugar baby, I could at least respect that.
But you? You were paying for the guy, earning money for him, borrowing money for him to splurge, and getting played on top of it!
And now you’re buried in debt, crawling back to Yan City?
Now you remember me? Wow, Xu Ning. Bravo!"
Xu Ning suddenly threw her arms around Lin Muxue, sobbing uncontrollably.
She kept muttering, "I’m sorry… I regret everything…"
Lin Muxue gritted her teeth, but in the end…
she didn’t push her away.
She felt disappointed, furious, and heartbroken—
But seeing Xu Ning in such a miserable state stirred complicated emotions inside her.
After crying her heart out, Xu Ning slumped onto the sofa and finally explained everything.
After leaving Yan City, she and her "wealthy, elite" boyfriend moved to Hangzhou, hoping to make it big in livestreaming.
But her boyfriend was a reckless spender.
Their rent was exorbitant, and Xu Ning had to stream non-stop just to support them both.
Then, one day, he told her his "good brother" had an amazing investment opportunity.
But they needed startup capital.
He pushed her to borrow money from loan platforms and friends.
Xu Ning had doubts.
But she chose to ignore them—
Her only motivation was to win over his parents, to marry into money and live the rich life.
Like a gambler who had bet everything, she couldn’t afford to lose.
Until recently—
Her boyfriend suddenly claimed all the investment money was gone.
He even told her to ask her fans for money and hinted she should trade her body.
Only then did Xu Ning finally wake up.
But it was too late.
She lost everything—not only her savings but also racked up over a hundred thousand in debt.
She was being harassed by creditors daily.
She couldn’t bear to livestream anymore.
With nowhere else to go, she fled back to Yan City.
Lin Muxue listened, her breathing heavy, her blood pressure soaring.
"Xu Ning."
"Yes?" Xu Ning sat up straight immediately.
"Eat yet?"
"No… I haven’t eaten all day."
"Go shower. That’s the bathroom."
Xu Ning hurriedly grabbed her clothes and towel and rushed inside.
Closing the glass door behind her, she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.
Her guilt gnawed at her.
Scanning the bathroom, she trembled—
Everywhere, high-end skincare: Bvlgari, Chanel…
Even the towels were 3,000 yuan each from Morgan & Tina.
Xu Ning’s gaze suddenly froze.
Near the mirror, a neatly arranged set of men’s skincare products and a razor sat on the counter.
In the corner, a Versace men’s bathrobe hung on a rack.
As she recalled everything that had happened since their reunion, a sudden realization dawned on her.
She quickly undressed and took a hot shower.
Blow-drying her hair, she felt a sense of renewal—
After a year of confusion, a breakdown, and a scolding, the hot water seemed to wash away her misery.
Looking back at the past year, she felt like she had been under a spell, stumbling through life in a dazed haze.
Stepping out of the bathroom, she saw Lin Muxue sitting elegantly in a single armchair.
"Xiao Xue, can I use your makeup? I came in a rush and didn’t bring much."
Lin Muxue hesitated for a moment before saying, "In the walk-in closet. You can use the makeup—just don’t touch anything else."
"Okay, got it!"
Xu Ning tiptoed into the walk-in closet.
The moment she took in the scene before her, she froze in shock—her mouth gaping open.
On the vertical shelves, rows of Hermès Birkins, Chanel Leboy black-silver calfskin bags, LV Capucines, and Runway Bags sat in pristine condition.
Inside the wardrobe, luxurious designer outfits, silk scarves, and elegant hats were neatly arranged.
On the vanity table, an array of classic accessories and watches were on display—
Among them, even a Vacheron Constantin Overseas.
This… this was the exact walk-in closet they had once dreamed about,
Sketching it out together over drinks, fantasizing about the day they would live like queens.
Xu Ning wasn’t blind—
She could tell everything here was real.
The total worth of these items was beyond imagination.
Xiao Xue… actually made it.
She had achieved the life they once dreamed of.
A deep, inexplicable sense of loss crept over Xu Ning, threatening to swallow her whole.
She had chosen to gamble her future on a top-ranking sponsor,
All for the chance to live this kind of life one day.
Yet here she was, standing in Xiao Xue’s reality,
While her own dream had shattered into pieces.
She absentmindedly applied light makeup and turned to leave.
Just as she was about to exit, her steps halted again.
Hanging on the rack by the door were a few personal items—
A headband, a room key, a Porsche car key,
And a blue-and-white work badge.
Xu Ning remembered—
Before she left Yanjing Huating, Lin Muxue had just started working as a receptionist at Rongxin Venture Capital.
She had said she wanted to switch career paths,
To create a new self-media persona,
To reinvent herself as a highly educated financial expert.
As her best friend, Xu Ning knew—
Lin Muxue had always craved admiration and respect.
Even if it meant spending extra money and putting on a front,
She was determined to make it happen.
Hesitating slightly, Xu Ning reached out and lightly flipped the badge over.
At the center was Lin Muxue’s ID photo—
Dressed in formal business attire, her hair sleekly tied back,
She looked stunning and confident.
Below the photo, the title was clearly displayed—
Luna (Lin Muxue)
Senior Assistant to the Committee
Slover (HK) Trust
Xu Ning’s heart skipped a beat.
Her vision blurred, and her mind spun in confusion.
Returning to the living room, she looked at Lin Muxue—
Graceful, fashionable, standing tall with poise and elegance.
An overwhelming sense of distance struck her.
Xiao Xue had changed.
She was no longer faking confidence—
She was genuinely powerful now.
What exactly happened this past year?
"Let’s go."
Lin Muxue spoke calmly and strode toward the door.
Xu Ning hesitated briefly before hurrying after her.
The elevator stopped on the third floor, and they walked into a sophisticated Hong Kong-style teahouse.
Lin Muxue casually ordered a few signature dishes,
Then took the glass of lemon water offered by the server,
Sipping it elegantly.
Xu Ning bit her lip before finally asking—
"Xiao Xue… do you have a boyfriend?"
Lin Muxue set her glass down calmly. "No."
"Then… what do you do now?"
Lin Muxue looked up, a subtle smile on her lips.
"I’m an executive at a foreign financial firm. The people in the elevator earlier? They’re my colleagues."
"WHAT?!"
Xu Ning nearly choked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"You… seriously?!"
"Ha." Lin Muxue let out a soft laugh. "Believe it or don’t—it’s none of my concern."
As she stirred her drink, a distant look flickered in her eyes.
This unexpected reunion with Xu Ning brought back so many memories.
In a way, Xu Ning was like a fixed point in her past.
Every time she looked back at Xu Ning,
She could see just how far she had come.
This was the power of choice.
Xu Ning chose to take a gamble,
Foolishly throwing herself at a rich man,
Dreaming of overnight success.
But in reality, her life was no different from those "top donors"
who had once tried to lure Lin Muxue with money, empty promises, and fake futures.
The difference?
Lin Muxue knew her worth.
She never let temptation blind her.
If it weren’t for the $100 million family trust,
She wouldn’t have fallen so fast either.
But she never denied that she was materialistic.
And now that she had chosen Tang Song—
She was going to give him her all.
Xu Ning remained silent for a long time,
Then suddenly asked—
"Xiao Xue, do you remember Wen Qiuyue?"
Lin Muxue’s pupils constricted instantly.
Wen Qiuyue—
That arrogant, domineering heiress from the fashion industry.
Back in college, when Lin Muxue realized she couldn’t become a flight attendant,
She started working part-time as a model, constantly auditioning for gigs.
One time, during a casting event,
A judge publicly humiliated her,
Mocking her outfit as cheap and tasteless.
That incident became a running joke among classmates,
And she had never felt so humiliated in her life.
Determined to prove herself, she maxed out her credit card
to buy a high-quality counterfeit designer outfit for her next audition.
But Wen Qiuyue saw through it immediately—
She called her out in front of everyone,
Laughed at her for wearing fake designer clothes,
And insulted her for disrespecting their family's fashion brand.
She even forced her to change in a filthy mall restroom
before letting her enter the event.
That moment of humiliation and helplessness—
It was the catalyst for everything.
The more you lack something,
The more you crave it.
Because she had been crushed by shame and self-doubt,
She vowed to one day make everyone admire and envy her.