novelraw Chapter 394: Director Jin and Qixi, Xiaoxue’s Deep Friendship
Chapter 394: Director Jin and Qixi, Xiaoxue’s Deep Friendship
As a massive conglomerate, Smile Holdings had a tightly structured internal organization.
At its core was the highest decision-making body—the Business Management Office.
The director of this office was none other than Executive Director Jin Meixiao, who oversaw business strategy, planning, budgeting, execution, and daily operations.
The office's internal members included high-ranking executives from various business sectors, division heads, and regional marketing leaders.
Even Jin Meixiao’s assistant was part of this top-tier management body.
Many of them held positions at the headquarters or within Smile Holdings, helping to manage its vast business network.
So, when Youjing revealed Shangguan Qiuya’s identity, the three of them were stunned.
In other words, standing before them was a true core executive of Smile Holdings—someone with direct influence over major business decisions.
Even Wang Yubo, who had been acting confidently, couldn’t help but tense up.
His so-called "business partnership" with Smile Holdings was just exaggerated boasting.With a conglomerate as enormous as Smile Holdings, its business spanned countless industries. Even a small supermarket could technically claim to be a “business partner.”
It was just like how some people used Alibaba or Tencent’s cloud services and then shamelessly declared on their websites that they had a "strategic partnership with Alibaba and Tencent."
Clenching his fists, Wang Yubo forced a broad smile and said,
"Good afternoon, Director Zheng. I’m Wang Yubo from Yuanjian Holdings. We’ve met a few times before—you probably remember me, right?"
Zheng Qiudong shifted his gaze from Tian Jing and stood up, looking at Wang Yubo.
"Hello, of course, I remember. Just last week, I met with your father in Jiang City."
Having spent years navigating the human resources industry, Zheng Qiudong had an extensive network.
Yuanjian Holdings had been one of their long-term clients, and as for Chairman Wang Le’an’s son, of course, he remembered him.
Then, Zheng Qiudong turned his attention to Tian Jing, his eyes filled with curiosity.
So, this was the payroll supervisor from Jinxiu Commerce—the one rumored to have connections with President Tang?
Noticing Zheng Qiudong’s gaze, Xiaojing quickly smiled and greeted him,
"Hello, Director Zheng, I’m Tian Jing."
Although she didn’t know him personally, given Shangguan Qiuya’s presence, it was only natural to take the initiative in greeting him.
After all, she wasn’t a fan of socializing, but she wasn’t naive either.
Someone of Zheng Qiudong’s caliber was far beyond her father’s league, so she made sure to be polite and friendly.
"Hello, Xiaojing." Zheng Qiudong’s smile became much warmer.
Watching their interaction, Shen Yuyan, who had been feeling nervous and excited, finally relaxed.
She quickly clung to Xiaojing’s arm, straightened her back, and smiled,
"Nice to meet you, Director Zheng. I’m Shen Yuyan. It’s an honor to meet you!"
MAHA Cloud was truly a top-tier social platform.
She had just come here for the first time and had already encountered Zheng Qiudong and Shangguan Qiuya.
"Hello," Zheng Qiudong nodded politely, not paying her too much attention.
Sensing his indifference, Shen Yuyan felt a twinge of disappointment, but she quickly adjusted her mindset.
This was just the first meeting, and she was still just an ordinary person—this kind of treatment was normal.
Instead, Xiaojing’s background seemed even more mysterious.
Getting into Smile Holdings was one thing, but personally knowing Director Jin’s assistant was another level entirely.
No wonder she became Tang Song’s official girlfriend!
Even with a biased perspective, Qingqing was nowhere near her level.
Family background, charisma, influence, figure…
Of course, her best friend Qingqing wasn’t completely lacking. For instance...
For instance... Cosplay? Meow meow meow?
Just as her mind wandered off in random directions, Wang Yubo’s eyes shifted to Shangguan Qiuya, who had just stood up.
With a warm smile, he said,
"I happened to be having lunch with Miss Tian, and I never expected to run into you, Ms. Shangguan. What a pleasant surprise!"
Hearing this, Shangguan Qiuya merely nodded coolly.
She then looked at Tian Jing and said,
"Xiaojing, come sit over here. The Bill Harlan private-label wine here is excellent—you should give it a try."
"Thank you, Sister Qiuya." Xiaojing smiled and nodded before pulling Shen Yuyan over to the long table.
She had never been particularly fond of Wang Yubo or Ren Mingyuan, so she had no interest in drinking and chatting with them.
This was the perfect chance to slip away.
Noticing the shift in atmosphere, Wang Yubo’s smile stiffened slightly.
He had no idea how he had offended Shangguan Qiuya.
On top of that, he realized that Zheng Qiudong’s gaze toward him had changed as well.
Confusion filled his mind.
All he wanted was to use Xiaojing’s connections to build better relationships—he hadn’t said anything inappropriate, had he?
Unable to figure it out, Wang Yubo maintained his polite smile and said,
"Well then, we’ll let you all continue your conversation. Mingyuan and I will head over to the lounge."
Given the circumstances, the best choice was to step away and avoid any real conflict.
"Alright, see you."
"Bye-bye."
Ren Mingyuan hesitated for a moment but still bid them farewell before following Wang Yubo out of the lounge area.
Watching the two men leave, Shangguan Qiuya’s eyes narrowed, her gaze turning sharp.
She casually picked up a glass, poured Tian Jing a drink, and asked softly,
"Xiaojing, how do you know Wang Yubo? Why were you with him at MAHA Cloud?"
Xiaojing blinked and tugged on Shen Yuyan’s arm before answering sweetly,
"I just came along with Sister Yanyan for fun."
Feeling Shangguan Qiuya’s gaze land on her, Shen Yuyan shuddered and quickly clarified,
"This is my first time meeting Director Wang. His investment firm, Gongying Technology, is one of our company’s investors and partners."
"Oh." Shangguan Qiuya’s expression softened.
She patted Tian Jing’s back and said in a gentle voice,
"The second-generation circle in Beijing is complicated. Just focus on your training at the company—there are some people you’re better off not getting involved with."
"Mm-hmm, I understand. Thank you, Sister Qiuya, for looking out for me." Xiaojing nodded obediently.
She was sharp enough to see Wang Yubo for what he was after just a brief encounter.
He wasn’t exactly a bad person, but she simply didn’t like him.
She had met plenty of similar people, introduced by her friends or family.
For example, the Liang Yufan her father had always wanted her to meet.
Maybe it was because both "Wang Yubo" and "Liang Yufan" had the character Yu in their names, but she subconsciously disliked interacting with them.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have bluntly rejected Wang Yubo at his own dinner gathering.
Listening to their conversation, Shen Yuyan pressed her lips together, her emotions incredibly conflicted.
The value of Xiaojing’s connections was beyond her imagination.
Judging by Shangguan Qiuya’s attitude, their relationship was far from just a typical superior-subordinate dynamic.
Clink— A glass was placed in front of her. The source of this content ɪs novel·fire.net
Shen Yuyan looked up to see Zheng Qiudong nodding at her.
"Thank you, Director Zheng!" She eagerly grasped the glass, excitement shining in her eyes.
She had felt a bit disheartened when Shangguan Qiuya ignored her earlier.
But now, with Zheng Qiudong personally pouring her a drink, her self-esteem and vanity soared.
"No need to thank me," Zheng Qiudong chuckled warmly.
Under the soft lights, the crystal-clear wine shimmered beautifully.
The rich tannins spread across her mouth like velvet, full-bodied yet delicate, as if performing a dance on her taste buds.
Of course, drinking wine was secondary—what mattered most was the atmosphere and the people around her.
This moment felt like the peak of her life experiences.
Sitting in the top-tier MAHA Cloud Club, perched a hundred meters above the bustling cityscape of Beijing, and rubbing shoulders with power players like Zheng Qiudong and Shangguan Qiuya—
Shen Yuyan felt like she was floating on air, her heart racing with excitement as a flush of exhilaration spread across her face.
She wished more than anything that one day, she could truly become part of this elite circle!
In the Lounge
Ren Mingyuan sighed, "I never expected that the friend Yuyan brought along would have such a powerful background—she even knows Director Jin Meixiao’s assistant."
"Hmm." Wang Yubo nodded slightly, lost in thought.
Originally, Ren Mingyuan had casually offered to introduce him to a high-quality beauty, but Wang Yubo hadn’t taken it seriously.
After all, he was never short on women.
However, after meeting them in person, his interest had been piqued.
Both Shen Yuyan and Tian Jing were exceptional beauties—the kind that were rarely encountered.
Of course, if he had to choose, it would definitely be Tian Jing.
The details in their brief interaction made it clear—
She wasn’t some fake socialite; she was the real deal—a bona fide "white-rich-beautiful" heiress.
Unfortunately, she didn’t give him any face. And from the looks of it, her status was far from ordinary.
Pushing too hard would only create unnecessary trouble.
Shen Yuyan, on the other hand, was a different story.
She came from an ordinary background, was ambitious, and knew how to navigate social situations.
More importantly, she wasn’t actually close to Tian Jing—
She didn’t even know that Tian Jing had connections with Shangguan Qiuya.
A perfect target.
Wang Yubo’s gaze fell on Shen Yuyan, who was still sitting at the table.
Casually, he asked,
"Shen Yuyan is the general manager of Youjie Domestic Services, right? How much equity does she hold?"
Ren Mingyuan immediately responded,
"26%. But as one of the company’s co-founders, she still has absolute control over it."
Wang Yubo clinked glasses with him and took a large sip of wine before speaking in a low voice,
"She’s quite talented—good image, great presence, excellent speaking skills, and impressive capabilities. Have her come work for Gongying Technology.
Going forward, she can be my main point of contact for certain projects."
Ren Mingyuan immediately understood his intentions and shook his head.
"Yuyan is indeed an outstanding woman. I actually invited her to join Gongying Technology before as the Brand Manager, in charge of marketing for our smart home division.
But she turned me down."
"Oh? Why?" Wang Yubo raised an eyebrow.
"Come on—Youjie Domestic Services is just a small company with a valuation barely exceeding ten million yuan.
It doesn’t even compare to Gongying Technology in terms of growth potential or platform size."
Ren Mingyuan gave him a knowing smile.
"Our school’s former 'Campus Belle Shen' has big ambitions.
She isn’t just working for money—she wants to use a successful entrepreneurial venture to achieve social mobility.
In other words, she doesn’t see value in taking a management role at Gongying Technology.
Her collaboration with us is purely to leverage our Smart Home APP to scale up Youjie Domestic Services."
"Haha. I love ambitious women." Wang Yubo chuckled.
"Find a way to gain control of Youjie Domestic Services, and I’ll personally extend an invitation to her."
"Uh..." Ren Mingyuan hesitated.
"Director Wang, she’s my junior from university. Plus, our partnership was arranged through Yan City’s Startup Incubation Park—this isn’t exactly ethical, is it?"
"Oh, cut the crap." Wang Yubo patted his shoulder.
"You guys deliberately split your investment funding into two phases just to gain more control, didn’t you?
I’m simply telling you to be more decisive about it."
As a major shareholder of Gongying Technology, Wang Yubo wasn’t involved in daily operations but was well aware of the company’s business strategies.
The partnership with Youjie Domestic Services wasn’t an isolated case.
Gongying Technology was actually engaging with four different small-scale domestic service companies, each dominant in a different region.
Youjie Domestic Services in Yan City was just the first step.
Through strict investment clauses, they planned to gradually turn these four companies into Gongying Technology’s subsidiaries,
driving traffic to them, providing value-added services, and helping them expand their business scope.
Ren Mingyuan sighed and muttered,
"Alright, I get it. But even if she leaves Youjie Domestic Services, she probably won’t take a job at Gongying Technology—unless she gets equity."
Wang Yubo smirked.
"I’m about to transfer from Yuanjian Holdings to Mingjian Capital, and I’ll need reliable subordinates.
Shen Yuyan wants to climb the social ladder, doesn’t she?
A financial firm is the perfect platform for that. I don’t think she’ll refuse me."
Mingjian Capital was a renowned private equity firm in China.
With his father’s backing, Wang Yubo wouldn’t be starting from the bottom. He was set to take up the role of Director of Fundraising.
From their brief interaction, he could tell—
Shen Yuyan was deeply invested in networking and moving up the social hierarchy.
With her burning ambition and hunger for success, it would be hard for her to resist such an opportunity.
He had exactly what she needed.
Ren Mingyuan’s eyes flickered, and he raised his glass with a grin.
"Well then—congratulations in advance, Director Wang."
"Heh." Wang Yubo chuckled.
"By the way, there’s another big development. Once I join Mingjian Capital, Gongying Technology’s C+ funding round will kick off, and Mingjian Capital will be one of the investors."
"Oh?" Ren Mingyuan’s eyes lit up.
"Does this mean we’re preparing for an IPO?"
"Yep. We’ve met all the requirements for a New Third Board listing.
With strong capital backing, everything will fall into place smoothly."
Ren Mingyuan took a deep breath, excitement surging through him.
"Thank you, Director Wang!"
His co-founding team still held 11% of Gongying Technology’s shares.
Of course, as the company had grown, some early team members had been squeezed out, and their shares had been consolidated by him and two other co-founders.
After years of hard work, their goal had always been to go public.
Once the stock was publicly listed for a year, they could begin selling their shares for profit.
That’s when these intangible shares would transform into real wealth.
Wang Yubo took a slow sip of wine, his gaze locked onto Shen Yuyan, who sat gracefully at the table.
He was eager to see the moment when she lost everything—when she was kicked out of Youjie Domestic Services, lost all hope, and ultimately succumbed to the irresistible offer he would extend.
Toying with human nature had always been the greatest pleasure.
For women like her—ambitious, driven, and desperate to climb higher—
he found them particularly interesting.
Meanwhile, at the Table
"Sister Qiuya’s management training course was amazing! It really helped me a lot."
"And learning how to understand other departments’ priorities and concerns, and build cross-departmental relationships…"
Xiaojing eagerly shared what she had learned in her corporate training, lavishing compliments in between.
Shangguan Qiuya was typically elegant and composed, but today, she hadn’t stopped smiling.
Seeing this, Shen Yuyan’s opinion of Xiaojing shifted again.
This wasn’t "that silly girl Qingqing always teased"—
This was a true heiress raised with elite education, confident, observant, and socially adept.
No wonder Shangguan Qiuya liked her.
"Can’t say, can’t say." Shangguan Qiuya smiled mysteriously.
"I haven’t even told Director Jin about this yet."
Zheng Qiudong was taken aback. "Even Director Jin doesn’t know? Aren’t you afraid she’ll be mad?"
"Of course not." Shangguan Qiuya raised an eyebrow.
"Last time, Lin Tiantian leaked information to Director Jin in advance, so now this responsibility is entirely mine." (See Chapter 84)
Zheng Qiudong took a deep breath, his curiosity fully ignited.
This was major gossip!
He’d have to dig around later to get the full story!
9 PM, Yan City – Yanjing Huating Residential Complex
"Ting Ting isn’t off work yet?"
"Mm-hmm, she just finished her livestream. It’ll take her another half hour to get home."
"She’s been working like crazy ever since she got that 5% equity in Songmei Fashion. But hey, that’s what happens when you have a great boss like Tang Song."
Lin Muxue chuckled and shook her head.
"By the way, Qianqian, have you planned how you’re spending Qixi Festival yet?"
Hearing this, Zhao Yaqian, who was practicing yoga, immediately perked up.
She turned around with a bright smile.
"Of course! I’m spending it with Brother Song—it’s our first Valentine’s Day together!
I even got him a gift. I’m sure he’ll love it!"
"That’s wonderful. Wishing you both a happy Qixi."
Lin Muxue smiled, but a fleeting hint of sadness flashed in her eyes.
After all, she wasn’t Tang Song’s official girlfriend.
On a day like Valentine’s, she had no choice but to step aside.
But at least, she had a gift to look forward to.
Just thinking about the Qixi present Tang Song had prepared for her made her heart feel full, as if it were overflowing with honeyed warmth.
She hadn’t looked forward to a day this much since childhood—back when she used to get new clothes for Chinese New Year.
Her family was too poor back then, and new clothes were a luxury only afforded once a year.
By the time she reached high school, she had a tiny bit of allowance and could finally save up to buy clothes for herself.
"Xiaoxue!" Zhao Yaqian suddenly grinned, noticing her expression.
"How about you join us on Qixi?"
"J-Join what?" Lin Muxue’s face turned bright red in an instant.
"I’d better not… I don’t want to disturb you two.
Besides… Tang Song will probably be really busy."
She knew Tang Song far too well.
There was Wen Ruan, Xie Shuyu, Shen Yuyan, Xu Qing—so many women.
For this Qixi Festival, Tang Song was practically going to be a time-management master.
She didn’t want to add to the chaos.
Zhao Yaqian giggled and hugged Xiaoxue, leaning in close to her ear.
"I mean, join us in gaming! This time, I won’t help my brother—I’ll team up with you and take him down!"
"Uhh…" Lin Muxue pressed her legs together tightly, whispering,
"I don’t believe you! The moment Tang Song gives an order, you’re going to switch sides again!
And that tongue of yours…"
"Aah! What nonsense are you saying?!" Zhao Yaqian’s face went completely red.
The two of them playfully wrestled on the couch, their laughter filling the room with warmth and closeness.
Then, Zhao Yaqian suddenly held onto Lin Muxue tightly.
"Xiaoxue, will you tell me about your past?"
"We’ve known each other for so long, but you’ve never really talked about it."
Lin Muxue froze, her eyes flickering with hesitation.
Her past wasn’t pretty—it was dark and painful, something she had never wanted to bring up again.
Subconsciously, she wanted to be the "financially literate, high-class Lin Muxue", not the "Xiaoxue" who was once trampled underfoot by life.
Seeing her hesitation, Zhao Yaqian softened her voice, her tone filled with genuine warmth.
"Xiaoxue, I’m not as dumb as you think.
After spending so much time with you, I can already guess a lot of things, even if you don’t say them.
I just truly see you as my friend, my sister, and I want to share our pasts with each other."
She wasn’t the smartest, but she wasn’t stupid either.
She was just a little naive, someone who had never truly experienced hardship before.
But after everything that had happened lately, she had grown a lot.
She had started noticing things—
The fake job, the rented apartment, the way Lin Muxue never mentioned her family or university…
It was clear that she carried a heavy burden.
Zhao Yaqian truly wanted to break down those walls and have a heartfelt conversation with Xiaoxue.
Lin Muxue bit her lip hard, her breath shallow.
Then, she took a deep breath and smiled.
"Qianqian, let’s go have some skewers."
"Yes!" Zhao Yaqian immediately cheered.
"I’ve been dieting for dance practice—I’ve been dying for a cheat meal! Let me go get changed!"
With that, she ran barefoot into the master bedroom, her footsteps echoing down the hallway.
A few minutes later—
Zhao Yaqian emerged in a light athletic outfit, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Gogogo!"
Click. The door shut behind them.
The elevator descended slowly, and soon, their matte-gray Porsche 911 glided out of the underground garage, headlights illuminating the night.
20 Minutes Later – Old District, Yan City
The car rolled to a stop in a worn-down neighborhood.
As they stepped out, the rich aroma of barbecue filled the air.
Not far away, a middle-aged woman stood by a grill, a blower fan whirring loudly as she cooked skewers over open flames.
Beside her, a timid-looking young girl, no more than 10 years old, stood nearby.
"Smells so good!" Zhao Yaqian’s eyes sparkled, her mouth watering.
"Is this the place?"
Lin Muxue’s gaze softened, a nostalgic warmth surfacing in her eyes.
"Yeah. I used to come here all the time when I was in school. Let’s go."
The grill owner noticed them approaching and paused, momentarily surprised before breaking into a warm smile.
"Xiaoxue! You’re here! Come sit—what do you want to eat?"
"Xiaoxue-jie…" The young girl looked up at her with wide, nervous eyes, hesitating before quietly greeting her.
It had been a while since she last saw Xiaoxue, but…
She looked different now. She seemed… incredible.
"Hey, Weiwei! It’s been a long time." Lin Muxue grinned and waved.
"I brought you a little gift."
She handed over a fashionable, pretty hair tie.
"Ah…" Weiwei hesitated, glancing at her mother.
"Take it. Say thank you to your Xiaoxue-jie."
Weiwei finally accepted it, her face turning pink as she bowed slightly.
"Thank you, Xiaoxue-jie!"
Lin Muxue smiled, ordered some skewers, and led Zhao Yaqian to a corner seat.
A few minutes later, the skewers arrived, along with two bottles of Beibingyang soda, courtesy of Weiwei.
"Cheers!"
Clink— The glass bottles met in a crisp toast.