novelraw Chapter 370: The Fake Heiress
Chapter 370: The Fake Heiress
Seeing the look on Tang Song’s face, Xie Shuyu took a soft breath, her gaze lowering slightly.
With a calm tone, she said, “I do admire you—your character, intelligence, capabilities… even your appearance. But you need to understand that marriage is about merging two families.
“Getting married means I’d have to deal with in-law relationships, household matters…
“I know myself too well. I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“And most likely, it would lead to endless conflicts with my future husband—irreconcilable differences.”
After finishing, she reached out and gently patted Tang Song’s arm. “I’m sorry.”
There was one thing she didn’t say—mainly because she didn’t want Tang Song to think she was too cold-hearted or rational.
With her financial security, she had no need to tie herself to anyone through marriage.
Shimmer Coffee carried her youth and dedication—she had given the best years of her life to it.
To her, this business was both an emotional anchor and a long-term security.If she and Tang Song ever had a major falling out due to their relationship, those emotions would inevitably spill over into the workplace.
She could already foresee the chaos it would bring.
Such cases weren’t uncommon, both domestically and internationally.
Rather than risk it, she preferred to set boundaries from the start.
She didn’t mind having a romantic and fulfilling relationship with Tang Song.
She was even open to having children.
But marriage?
No, thank you.
—
“That’s alright.” Tang Song suppressed the surge of joy in his heart and said softly, “I understand. If you had really wanted to marry and settle down before, I wouldn’t have even had a chance.”
Hearing this, Xie Shuyu’s tightly clenched hands slowly relaxed.
She lifted her eyes to look at him.
Handsome, confident, radiating raw masculinity—
After a moment of hesitation, she stood up straight and kissed the corner of his lips.
“Thank you.”
Feeling the initiative from the elegant CEO, Tang Song fell silent for a second before asking in a gentle voice,
“Sister Shuyu, what if I marry someone else in the future? What will you do?”
Xie Shuyu met his gaze and answered seriously, “That’s your right. I can promise you that I won’t interfere, nor will it affect our business.”
“And what about our relationship?”
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she straightened her posture.
“That depends on you, Tang Song. We’re just starting out—our future is uncertain.
“The reason I brought up marriage now was to prevent any misunderstandings later.”
“I understand.”
“Let’s go. It’s almost noon. Let’s have a meal together to celebrate.”
With that, Xie Shuyu elegantly walked behind her desk.
Given her intelligence, she had already pieced things together from Tang Song’s tone and attitude.
His feelings for her weren’t exclusive.
Meaning—there were other women.
But she had mentally prepared for this.
A man like Tang Song—she would never be able to control him.
If anything, he might be the one controlling her.
Love is a game of power. The loser always has to compromise.
The best-case scenario?
She would win this game.
Tang Song would love her so much that he’d be willing to spend his life with her—even without marriage.
And if she lost?
She would have to make some sacrifices.
But at this stage, she wasn’t ready to lose.
Nor did she believe she would lose to any other woman.
—
Tang Song stood quietly to the side, admiring Xie Shuyu as she tidied up her things.
She was truly slender—her waist seemed small enough to grasp in one hand.
Yet, her curves were perfectly balanced.
Her full chest and shapely hips gave her an alluring silhouette.
Especially when she bent over slightly—the way her toned, round backside contrasted with her delicate waist was mesmerizing.
Almost like a model on a runway.
—
Soon, the two of them stepped out of the CEO’s office.
“President Xie! President Tang!”
“President Xie!” “President Tang!”
Employees greeted them one by one, their expressions filled with complex emotions.
Xie Shuyu, in a great mood, smiled and responded graciously.
The elevator stopped at the B2 parking lot.
Inside the BMW 7 Series, surrounded by a faint scent of perfume, Tang Song turned slightly to observe the stunning woman in the driver’s seat.
The engine rumbled to life.
Her skin was like smooth jade, illuminated by the dashboard’s dim glow, exuding a cool elegance.
Dressed in a sleek black business outfit, sitting in the dimly lit underground garage—she was absolutely captivating.
“What’s wrong?” Xie Shuyu fastened her seatbelt with graceful movements, her posture upright.
A few strands of hair fell beside her face, adding an effortless charm.
Different women had different appeals.
The presence and poise of a CEO like her—someone he had just shared an intimate moment with—stirred something hot in Tang Song’s chest.
Unable to resist, he leaned over and kissed her.
His lips pressed firmly against hers, lingering, savoring.
Xie Shuyu raised her eyebrows slightly but didn’t resist.
The confined space of the car amplified their senses.
The fresh scent of her, the warmth of their contact, the intensity in his gaze—
Her heartbeat quickened.
No matter how composed or rational she was, this was still her first relationship.
And today…
Her first kiss.
An indescribable feeling of excitement swirled inside her.
—
“That’s enough. We should get going, or the restaurant will run out of good seats.”
Xie Shuyu straightened up and said softly, “Where do you want to eat?”
Without hesitation, Tang Song replied, “Yan Bin Lou.”
—
“…Hmm.”
Xie Shuyu pursed her lips, understanding his meaning.
Four months ago, their first official meal together had been at Yan Bin Lou
.Back then, Tang Song had dressed up carefully for the occasion—clearly taking the dinner seriously.
But because of Wang Yunping’s unexpected arrival, he hadn’t enjoyed the meal.
Soon, the black BMW 7 Series pulled out of the parking lot.
Seated in the passenger seat, Tang Song wore a bright smile.
Though the CEO always kept her lips shut tight while kissing, he was confident that it wouldn’t be long before he’d break through that barrier—
And unlock the next level of intimacy.
With a chuckle, he casually turned on the car’s audio system.
Soft music filled the space.
The song playing was an English classic—You’re Beautiful.
—
🎶 My life is brilliant. My love is pure… 🎶
—
Listening to the gentle melody, glancing at the young man beside her, Xie Shuyu smiled faintly.
Her fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel in rhythm with the music.
Maybe… starting a relationship isn’t so bad after all.
—
6:00 PM
With the growl of an engine, a matte gray Porsche 911 drove into Lanfeng International Luxury Apartments.
Clack.
Lin Muxue stepped out, carrying a stylish insulated food bag over her shoulder.
After locking the car, she walked toward the elevator.
Halfway there, she couldn’t resist turning back to admire her beloved sports car once more before continuing forward in satisfaction.
Inside the elevator, she caught sight of her radiant reflection in the mirror.
Smiling, she pulled out her phone and struck a few playful poses—snap, snap!—taking a series of photos.
—
A moment later, the elevator doors opened.
Still humming a tune, Lin Muxue unlocked the door to Apartment 2002.
—
"Xiaoxue, you're back!"
Xu Ning, who had been watching TV in the living room, dashed over eagerly.
She quickly took the food bag from Lin Muxue’s hands.
“What do you want to eat? I bought a lot of groceries today—I can cook for you!”
“No need. I brought dinner back.”
—
Xu Ning’s eyes widened as she peeked inside the insulated bag.
"…Xiaoxue, you’re joking, right? This is your company’s lunchbox?”
—
"Hiss—"
Xu Ning bit down on her tongue, her face flushing red. “I see… okay then.”
“How’s the information I asked you to put together?”
“Oh, right! It’s done.” Xu Ning quickly stood up, grabbed a piece of paper from the desk, and handed it to Lin Muxue.
Lin Muxue took it and glanced through it—her eyebrows twitched wildly.
This was a list of all the debts Xu Ning owed.
After adding everything up, it totaled a staggering 430,000 yuan.
Much of it was from borrowing here to pay there, rolling over debts with sky-high interest rates.
—
“…I’m sorry. I know I messed up,” Xu Ning admitted before Lin Muxue could even say anything.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Muxue clenched her teeth and said, “Forget the apologies. Focus on how to climb out of this mess.”
“I… I just want to find a proper job now. Live-streaming doesn’t pay enough, and I can’t get modeling gigs anymore,” Xu Ning said hesitantly. “Xiaoxue, you’re doing so well now—can you help me find a job?”
Lin Muxue’s eyes flickered as she ate, silently contemplating.
Finding a job was easy.
For example, Li Yujiao and Zhang Xi—those rich socialites could get placements with a snap of their fingers.
But Xu Ning owed too much money.
She needed a high-paying job with career prospects.
Suddenly, a thought struck her—Fanfu Suzi Media was doing incredibly well, and they were signing short drama actors.
Xu Ning was indeed good-looking and had some acting talent.
This could be a perfect fit.
And with Tang Song likely investing in a short drama production base, the industry was clearly booming.
After weighing the idea for a moment, Lin Muxue spoke in a serious tone.
“I’ll figure out the job for you. But starting tomorrow, call every loan platform you borrowed from and negotiate the interest down. Calculate how much you need to clear your first payment—at least get yourself off the blacklist for defaulters first.”
—
“Thank you, Xiaoxue!”
Hearing her words, Xu Ning burst into tears.
“I really don’t know how I’ve survived these past few months. You’re the only one helping me now, even though I treated you so horribly before… I’m sorry.”
—
After dinner, Lin Muxue did a quick check on her finances.
Even though she drove a Porsche 911 worth over 2 million yuan, lived in a luxury apartment, and used high-end designer brands, she wasn’t actually rich.
Her monthly salary was around 45,000 yuan, but her biggest payday would come from her year-end bonus.
She also had high expenses and had lent 100,000 yuan to Qianqian’s mother.
In reality, she didn’t have much in savings.
At most, less than 200,000 yuan.
If it weren’t for her rising social media income and that $20,000 USD Tang Song gave her, she would’ve been struggling.
Ugh… when will I hit the jackpot and make a fortune?
Life was tough.
Xiaoxue sighed.
—
Ding-ling-ling—
Her phone rang urgently.
Xu Ning glanced at her screen before quickly picking up.
“Hello, Mengmeng?”
“I’m at Lanfeng International Apartments. Where are you guys?”
“Mm-hmm, got it. I’ll wait for you in the hotel lobby.”
After hanging up, Xu Ning said, “Mengmeng and the others are almost at Lanfeng International Hotel.”
—
“Let’s go.”
Lin Muxue stood up.
“You’ve been back in Yan City for almost a week. I haven’t even taken you out to enjoy yourself yet.”
Since the Lanfeng International Hotel was just 200 meters away, she didn’t bother driving.
She walked with Xu Ning toward the venue.
—
The warm night breeze brushed past them.
Xu Ning spoke softly,
“Xiaoxue, honestly, Wen Qiuyue is just one of those arrogant rich girls. She treats everyone like that. It’s been more than two years… she probably doesn’t even remember what happened back then.”
Lin Muxue’s lips curled into a cold smile.
“Don’t tell someone to be kind if you haven’t suffered what they have.”
“I don’t care if she remembers or not. I just know how she bullied me back then!
“If I don’t get my revenge, I’ll never be able to let it go!”
—
Back in university, she had been naïve and insecure.
Wen Qiuyue’s humiliation had cut deep—it became a psychological scar.
Even though she wasn’t strong enough yet to take full revenge, she needed to start preparing.
Tonight, she had arranged to meet Li Bing and Zhang Mengmeng precisely to gather information on Wen Qiuyue.
Unlike her, Xu Ning had been working in the modeling industry.
Even though she had been away for a year, she still had connections.
Both Li Bing and Zhang Mengmeng were cooperative models for Jiaxin Fashion.
Lin Muxue had known them back when she was active in the scene, but they weren’t particularly close.
—
Seeing Xiaoxue fuming, Xu Ning quickly explained,
“I just don’t want you to get hurt…
Jiaxin Fashion is a big deal in China, and Wen Qiuyue is the daughter of the company’s owner.
I’m worried that if you act impulsively…”
—
“Don’t worry. I won’t be as reckless as you.”
—
“…Fine.”
Xu Ning pouted, feeling a little wronged.
She genuinely feared that Xiaoxue would mess with the wrong person.
Billionaire heiresses like Wen Qiuyue were naturally arrogant.
When she first entered the modeling industry, she had been bullied plenty herself.
—
As they stepped through the grand revolving doors, cool air greeted them, instantly washing away the lingering heat.
—
The hotel lobby was magnificent.
A double-height ceiling, soaring over seven meters tall.
Three dazzling chandeliers hung in the center, casting reflections across the polished floor.
It was pure luxury.
—
Xu Ning held onto Xiaoxue’s arm, lowering her voice in admiration.
“I haven’t been here in almost two years…
Lanfeng International Hotel is still so gorgeous.
Looks like they’ve done some renovations too.”
—
Just then, two uniformed hotel staff near the entrance immediately stepped forward.
—
“Good evening, President Lin! Do you need any assistance?”
—
Xu Ning froze.
Her eyes darted around, checking if they were really talking to Xiaoxue.
—
“No, I’m just waiting for some friends. You guys can carry on.”
Lin Muxue replied calmly, shaking her head.
—
“Understood! Please don’t hesitate to call us if you need anything.”
—
After settling into the lobby lounge, Xu Ning stared in awe.
“Xiaoxue… are you a VIP here? They’re so respectful to you.”
—
Lin Muxue leaned elegantly against the sofa, a playful smile on her lips.
“They’re not polite to me because I’m a regular guest.”
—
“Then why?”
—
“In a way… I’m technically their boss.”
—
“B-Boss?!”
Xu Ning’s jaw dropped.
“But I thought you worked at a finance company?”
—
“…And? How does that stop me?”
Lin Muxue grinned.
She wasn’t trying to show off, but once you reached a certain level, even subtle flexes could leave people speechless.
If Xu Ning knew the true power players behind her—Mo Xiangwan, Tang Song, Luo Bin—
She’d probably pass out on the spot.
—
Just then, her phone rang again.
Xu Ning quickly answered.
“Hello, Mengmeng?”
“We just got off the cab—we’re at the entrance.”
“Got it, see you in a sec.”
—
Soon, two tall, glamorous women strutted in.
Tight slip dresses, high heels, bold makeup, designer accessories.
—
“Mengmeng, Li Bing—it’s been so long!”
“Finally back in Yan City, Xu Ning!”
—
Zhang Mengmeng blinked at Lin Muxue, gasping.
“Wait… this is your best friend Xiaoxue? She looks completely different!”
A strong wave of perfume filled the air as Li Bing and Zhang Mengmeng sat down beside Lin Muxue, immediately pulling out their phones from their handbags.
Without a word, Lin Muxue calmly handed them her Hermès Birkin.
—
Snap! Snap!
The two women slung the designer bag over their shoulders, posing dramatically in the hotel lobby while striking various Instagram-worthy angles.
Their conspicuous display quickly drew attention from bystanders.
—
“Xu Ning, Xiaoxue, it’s the off-season right now. Executive suites at Lanfeng International Hotel are only around 2,000 yuan per night. How about the four of us split a room?”
“Only 500 per person, plus we get unlimited access to the executive lounge—such a steal!”
“Exactly! The executive lounge at Lanfeng International is amazing. The lighting in there makes for gorgeous photos.”
—
Watching their actions and listening to their chatty excitement, Lin Muxue’s gaze blurred for a moment.
It was like she was looking at her past self.
A fake heiress.
That was her black history—her starting point.
But that was past tense.
—
Taking back her beloved Hermès Birkin, Lin Muxue gracefully stood up.
Her expression was poised and confident as she said,
“No need to split the cost. If you like it, I’ll book the room for you.”
—
“…Uh…”
Li Bing and Zhang Mengmeng exchanged bewildered glances.
—
“What do you mean, Xiaoxue? Are you covering the whole bill? Did you strike it rich?”
Lin Muxue let out a light chuckle, tilting her chin slightly.
“Let’s go. I asked Xu Ning to invite you two here today because I had some questions.
“We’ll talk at the club lounge—tonight’s on me.”
With that, she turned and walked toward the elevator.
Xu Ning hesitated for a moment before pulling her two friends along to follow.
—
Inside the opulent elevator, a uniformed staff member promptly inquired,
“President Lin, which floor would you like to go to?” ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel✦fire.net
“Gu Yi Business Lounge. Book a private leisure suite for me.”
—
“Understood.”
The staff member nodded briskly, murmuring into his earpiece.
—
Soon, the elevator doors opened on the 5th floor.
Stepping out, they were immediately greeted by hostesses in elegant Hanfu, their voices soft and warm.
—
Lin Muxue acknowledged them with a slight nod, her expression composed.
The duty manager approached with a bright smile.
“President Lin, your private suite is ready. Allow me to escort you.”
—
“Thank you.”
The interior of the club exuded an antique charm, rich with modern Chinese aesthetics.
Ink wash paintings and calligraphy scrolls adorned the walls, while the air carried a faint aroma of tea and the soft melody of a guzheng.
Yet, Xu Ning, Zhang Mengmeng, and Li Bing weren’t admiring the decor.
Their minds were in shock, their eyes glued to Xiaoxue.
She seemed to radiate an aura of prestige, suddenly feeling completely out of reach.
—
Inside the tastefully luxurious leisure suite, Lin Muxue casually ordered some wine and fruit.
Then, she turned to the duty manager.
“Oh, and Manager Zhang, please inform the concierge—I’ll be booking an executive suite for my friends tonight.”
—
“Understood, President Lin.”
—
“Mengmeng, Li Bing—you have your IDs, right?”
Meeting Lin Muxue’s gaze, Zhang Mengmeng and Li Bing instantly nodded.
Their eyes held undeniable respect.
—
As the suite door closed, Xu Ning gulped.
She wanted to ask something, but the words just wouldn’t come out.
Meanwhile, Zhang Mengmeng and Li Bing stole glances at Lin Muxue’s Hermès bag and the Vacheron Constantin Overseas watch on her wrist.
—
It finally hit them.
These were real.
The real deal.
They had known Xiaoxue before.
Hell, they had split group-buy deals with her.
But after just over a year, she had turned into someone untouchable.
—
Feeling the shift in their gazes, Lin Muxue simply smiled indifferently.
Crossing her legs, she spoke calmly.
—
“Mengmeng, Li Bing, you both work with Jiaxin Fashion, right?”
Zhang Mengmeng sat up straighter.
“Yes, we both signed long-term contracts.
“We mostly do photo modeling now, producing images for e-commerce platforms.”
Lin Muxue nodded.
“And Wen Qiuyue? Do you interact with her much?
“Her company is in Hangzhou, right?”
—
“Yeah, she’s based in Hangzhou now.”
“She has her own independent company and a fashion brand called Yue Shang.”
“It’s doing pretty well—kind of an influencer brand.”
“Oh, and I heard she just got engaged recently.”
—
Lin Muxue raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Engaged?”
—
“Yep. But with her terrible attitude, her fiancé is in for a world of suffering.”
“I heard her fiancé is also the heir to a local fashion company.
“He’s a returnee from overseas, and the company is called Shangya Fashion—it’s pretty well-known.”
“I actually worked as a trade show model for them before.”
—
“…Shangya Fashion…”
Lin Muxue muttered the name under her breath, her mind already piecing things together.