novelraw Chapter 373: Tang Song Through Liu Qingning’s Eyes
Chapter 373: Tang Song Through Liu Qingning’s Eyes
For Shen Yuyan, Luo Bin might have been an unattainable figure, but the impact wasn’t too shocking.
After all, he was a well-known lawyer—if luck was on her side, she could run into him at certain events.
But Ouyang Xianyue was different. She was truly a titan in the business world.
She was one of the rare pioneers in China who had reached the pinnacle of her field, a leading figure whose business philosophy and insights had profoundly influenced the industry. Her speeches and perspectives often sparked widespread discussion within the sector.
Under her leadership, Tangyi Precision started with electronic manufacturing and precision mold components, later expanding deep into consumer electronics, automobiles, chips, precision molds, and telecommunications.
Today, it stood as one of the world’s top electronic design and manufacturing enterprises, boasting world-class research and innovation capabilities.
With production bases and R&D centers established across the globe, the company employed over 300,000 people and contributed more than 10 billion yuan in annual taxes.
Unlike Director Jin, a key player in finance and investments, Ms. Ouyang was a true manufacturing mogul.
Of course, Smile Holdings was also one of the shareholders of this company.
Rumors even suggested that Tang Jin Family Office was co-founded by Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang, and the two shared a close personal relationship.Though the exact assets controlled by the office were unclear to outsiders, occasional capital moves revealed just the tip of the iceberg.
Back in university, Shen Yuyan had little interest in the business world or capital markets. She was more focused on leveraging her Campus Belle status to build connections for future opportunities.
It wasn’t until she began interning at a multinational company that she truly encountered these aspects—only then did she realize the world was home to such extraordinary women.
Especially Jin Meixiao, who, at only 28 years old, already controlled a massive holding group.
Shen Yuyan had always viewed her as the ultimate goal, an idol in spirit.
Her own ambitions had gradually expanded under the inspiration of Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang, two highly successful women.
As she stared at the photo of Xiaojing and Ouyang Xianyue, jealousy flared in her eyes.
Noticing her friend’s expression, Xu Qing instinctively shrank back.
“Yanyan, don’t get so worked up. Xiaojing was just lucky, that’s all. I mean, she’s based at Smile Holdings’ headquarters now—it’s easy for her to run into big names.”
Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuyan lowered her voice.
“Qingqing, push my WeChat to her. The Everything Connected Industrial Ecosystem Conference is happening in a few days. I want to establish contact with her in advance.”
“Huh?” Xu Qing looked surprised. “But how should I say it? Just tell her the schedule changed and that my friend is going instead?”
Shen Yuyan replied flatly, “Say whatever you want, as long as I get her WeChat.”
Realizing how determined her friend was, Xu Qing sighed helplessly.
“Fine, I’ll message her.”
She slumped into Shen Yuyan’s executive chair, fingers tapping away on her phone.
Every now and then, her face would flush as she pursed her lips and muttered softly.
After a few minutes, she stood up and let out a deep breath.
Raising an OK sign, she said, “Done. Check your phone. And just so we’re clear—you better keep my identity secret.”
After all, Shen Yuyan was General Manager of Youjie Domestic Services and had received an invitation from Gongying Technology. That made her someone of importance.
More crucially, the persona of “Xu Yanquing” was, at its core, based on Shen Yuyan herself.
Letting Yuyan take her place to approach Xiaojing was actually a reasonable move.
Shen Yuyan nodded, pulled out her phone, and glanced at the screen.
A new friend request had appeared.
After clicking “accept,” she immediately sent a message.
“Hello, Xiaojing. I’m Shen Yuyan, Qingqing’s friend. Nice to meet you.”
The fact that Xiaojing could connect with Ouyang Xianyue and even take a photo with her was proof that she wasn’t ordinary.
According to online discussions, Ouyang Xianyue strongly disliked her photos being circulated among netizens. Unless it was a major conference, images of her were extremely rare.
This meant that Xiaojing might be even more influential than she had assumed.
Suddenly, she understood why Xiaojing was Tang Song’s girlfriend.
After all, his other rumored partner, Wen Ruan, was Executive Director of Light and Shadow Media.
In fact, she was beginning to suspect that Xiaojing was Tang Song’s real, official girlfriend—an elite White Rich Beauty.
From a rational standpoint, she had to befriend Xiaojing and bring her into her network.
As for Xu Qing’s concerns about keeping up appearances and maintaining her disguise, Shen Yuyan didn’t care.
Sooner or later, she would have to interact with Xiaojing anyway.
7:00 PM
After tidying up her workstation, saying goodbye to her colleagues, Liu Qingning picked up her backpack and walked out.
As she waited for the elevator, she pulled out her Bluetooth earbuds and put them on.
With a double-tap on the touch control, soothing music filled her ears.
「BGM: I want to hear the music you’ve listened to, I want to read the books you’ve read…」
Lowering her gaze slightly, Liu Qingning's eyes flickered with thought.
This was rush hour in the office building, so she waited a while before squeezing into the packed elevator.
Standing at the entrance, she awkwardly shifted backward.
Having a large chest was such a hassle.
It was a burden on her body, made shopping for bras difficult, and certain clothes just didn’t fit well.
If only they were smaller.
The elevator reached the first floor and slowly came to a stop.
After swiping her access card through the security gate, she had just stepped out when a voice called from behind.
“President Liu!”
Turning around, she saw her colleague Huo Lili running toward her.
As a subordinate in her department, Huo Lili had always been someone she worked closely with.
“What’s up, Lili?” Liu Qingning paused her music.
Huo Lili grabbed her arm and asked in a hushed voice,
“President Liu, I saw on the job boards that our company is hiring a Software Department Manager. Are you leaving Century Zhixue?”
After a brief silence, Liu Qingning answered,
“Lili, Century Zhixue is growing well. Whether I stay or go won’t have much impact.”
To maintain company stability, leadership transitions hadn’t been announced yet.
When the company moved from Beijing to Shenzhen, many senior employees left, and most of the current staff were new hires.
Only a few, like Huo Lili, had followed them from Beijing, which was why she chose to be honest.
Hearing this, Huo Lili adjusted her round glasses and asked expectantly,
“Then… is President Cheng also leaving? Are you both heading to a big company or starting a new venture?”
At the time, they were the ones who recruited her. With few friends in Shenzhen, she was eager to continue working with them.
“Not together.” Liu Qingning shook her head gently. “I have my own plans.”
“…Oh.” Huo Lili sighed, disappointed.
Many at the company had assumed that she and Cheng Qingfeng would end up together.
Both were graduates of Imperial Capital University, had co-founded the company, and had worked closely for years.
But every time her colleagues teased them, Liu Qingning had firmly denied it.
Still, in their eyes, they made a great pair.
After saying goodbye, Liu Qingning tied her hair into a ponytail, unlocked a shared bike, and rode home, humming along with the music in her earbuds.
The hot summer air carried a breeze, rustling her bangs as the neon lights flickered on, marking the start of the city’s nightlife.
By the time she reached her 60-square-meter, two-bedroom rental, the fatigue from work had almost melted away.
Liu Qingning’s Apartment
She lived in a cramped 7-square-meter second bedroom, barely big enough for a 1.5-meter-wide bed. Aside from that, there was only a small wardrobe.
She and Liu Shuang had rearranged the living room, moving the TV out and replacing it with two desks for working from home and late-night overtime.
Looking at herself in the full-length mirror, Liu Qingning sighed helplessly.
The long hours and sleepless nights had taken a toll—her skin condition had worsened, and her body hadn’t been spared either.
At 163 cm tall, her weight had climbed to 53 kg.
Sure, her chest accounted for a significant portion, but the once flat stomach had softened, and her face looked rounder.
Compared to her school days, her beauty had declined. The source of this content ɪs novel_fіre.net
Back then, what motivated her was simply making money while applying her technical skills.
Now that she had achieved her initial goals, she realized how much she had lost along the way.
She made herself a simple cucumber and egg soup in the kitchen, settling for a light dinner.
After cleaning up, Liu Qingning washed up and carefully applied a face mask, then leaned against the fabric sofa, flipping through a technical book.
"Click—"
The sound of the door unlocking echoed.
A moment later, the door swung open.
Carrying a tote bag, Liu Shuang stepped inside. Seeing Liu Qingning sitting on the couch, she clutched her chest dramatically.
“Jeez, you scared me! I’m not used to seeing you home this early. And that face mask—kinda creepy, honestly.”
Liu Qingning used to follow a 9-9-7 schedule, rarely getting home before 10 PM.
Most nights, she would drag herself through a quick wash, chat for a bit, and then crash straight into bed.
“Heh, I’m resigning soon—why would I still be pulling overtime?”
“Fair point.”
Liu Shuang pulled a plastic bag from her tote and placed it on the coffee table.
“Brought you some snacks—daily nuts and beef jerky, your favorites.”
Liu Qingning licked her lips but struggled to refuse.
“I’m not eating. I’m on a diet! I’ve gotten way too fat, I can’t even look at myself.”
Liu Shuang glanced at her bust and couldn’t help but snark.
“Come on, drop the humblebrag. With that figure, if you threw on a tight camisole, you’d have people snapping their necks on the street just to stare.”
People really were built differently.
Fat distribution was like a genetic lottery.
They were the same height and similar weight, yet Liu Shuang’s fat all went to her waist and legs, while Liu Qingning’s all went to her chest.
Combined with her baby-faced round cheeks, she was more of a soft, curvy beauty than anything fat or ugly.
Honestly, if anyone needed to lose weight, it was her.
Thinking about the Dongpo pork she ate for dinner, Liu Shuang suddenly felt a little guilty.
Meanwhile, Liu Qingning stubbornly patted her waist.
“Still fat. I have to drop below 100 pounds before the end of August.”
Liu Shuang immediately caught on.
“Ohhh, I see now—it’s because of Tang Song! You’re afraid he’ll find you too chubby?”
Her expression turned incredulous.
“Qingning, sometimes I seriously think that guy has brainwashed you.”
Liu Qingning’s brows furrowed beneath her face mask.
“Watch your mouth!”
“Alright, alright, I get it—you’re always defending your childhood sweetheart. My bad.”
Liu Shuang pouted and plopped down beside her, giving her thigh a firm slap.
To Liu Qingning’s friends and classmates, Tang Song was an unforgettable name.
Everyone knew Liu Qingning had a “totally ordinary” childhood friend.
Their bond was undeniably close.
When Tang Song moved to Beijing, Liu Qingning took three days off just to help him apartment-hunt and settle in.
Even after starting work, whenever she had vacation time, whether it was dinners or karaoke nights with old classmates, she always brought him along.
Liu Shuang, who had pursued a graduate degree at Huaqing University, stayed in touch with Liu Qingning throughout her time in Beijing.
So, she knew plenty about Tang Song.
Average family background.
Mid-tier university.
Low-level programmer at Meigou Tech.
Got fat, looks pretty meh.
By all standards, he was nowhere near worthy of her.
After a brief pause, Liu Shuang suddenly said,
“Qingning, I honestly think Shenzhen suits you better.
This city has top-tier research resources, strong government support, cutting-edge infrastructure, and tons of industry events and forums.
Startups here are booming—AI chips, large models, automation software, platforms—you name it.
And let’s not forget Huawei, Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tangyi Precision, some of the best tech giants in the world.
Oh, and of course... a company that shares your name—Qingning Technology.”
She grabbed Liu Qingning’s hand, her eyes gleaming.
“Our office is in Shenzhen Bay No.1, T7. Every time I look at Qingning Tower right across the street, I get this weird feeling.
Your name matches it exactly!
Qingning Technology was founded in 2018—the same year you jumped into AI under Professor Wang’s mentorship.
With your skillset and career track record, you could totally land a position there.
Plus, there are tons of alumni from Imperial Capital University working there—you’d have instant connections.
Imagine this: one day, you could be running Qingning Technology yourself!
You’d be like our chairwoman, gracing the cover of Time Magazine, leading a global AI revolution.
Come on, tell me—doesn’t that excite you?”
Liu Shuang got more and more carried away, painting a grand vision in an attempt to convince her to stay.
Though Tangyi Precision was headquartered in Longgang District, a portion of its employees worked in Nanshan, right across from Qingning Technology Tower.
The reason?
To closely collaborate on AI applications and product integration.
If Liu Qingning joined Qingning Technology, their offices would be right next to each other.
And they’d still be roommates, making city life a lot easier for both of them.
Finally, when she stopped, Liu Qingning let out a quiet sigh.
“Shuangshuang, I know all this.
After resigning, I’ll be heading back to Yan City for a while.
I’ll take my time figuring out my next steps and where I want to be.”
Buying a house in Yan City was mostly about staying close to Tang Song’s family.
It didn’t mean she was tied there forever.
If Tang Song still had ambitions for a bigger city, she was willing to go with him.
After a long silence, Liu Shuang finally said,
“Qingning, I just have to say—Cheng Qingfeng or Xiang Kai would be way better choices for you.”
Liu Qingning shook her head.
“I’m not arguing about this.”
“Not arguing…”
Seeing her stubborn expression, Liu Shuang sighed.
“Fine. Forget I said anything.”
After four years as roommates, she knew Liu Qingning too well.
No amount of words would change her mind.