novelraw Chapter 418: Soft Candy, Hard Candy, Milk Candy
Chapter 418: Soft Candy, Hard Candy, Milk Candy
Yan Province Financial Center, 50th Floor – Large Conference Room
"President Tang, this is the organizational structure chart for Confluent Investments. Currently, our vacancy rate is at 50%, but Deju Renhe is actively helping us fill these positions. Regardless, we are already fully operational."
Tang Song took the document from HR Director June and flipped through it carefully.
As the Chairman and CEO of Confluent Capital, he had absolute control over its wholly owned foreign enterprise (WOFE), Confluent Investments.
Below him was Vice President Zhang Chengyuan, who oversaw operations and compliance.
Another Vice President, Chen Weitian, was still at the Hong Kong headquarters but would take charge of investment operations once he joined.
Further down were the core business divisions, including Investment, Research, Risk Control, and Auditing.
With the talent foundation carried over from Slover Trust, every department already had staff in place, ensuring investment activities could proceed normally.
As a newly established mainland subsidiary, Confluent Investments’ primary responsibility was to assist the Hong Kong headquarters with post-investment management.
And as for his "Growth Plan Task", he needed to invest in three unicorn-potential companies.His first step was to leverage a professional team to screen high-value investment targets. Then, using [Tang Song’s Draft Paper], he would identify potential unicorns.
It was a massive undertaking.
Just as he was deep in thought—
"Buzz, buzz—"
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
A quick glance at the screen made Tang Song’s eyebrow twitch violently.
He immediately stood up.
"Excuse me, everyone, I need to step out for a moment."
Without waiting for a response, Tang Song hurried out of the conference room.
He walked to a quiet corner, pulled up Wen Ruan’s number, and dialed immediately.
He had almost forgotten—Shimmer Coffee’s marketing was set to enter deep collaboration with Light and Shadow Media.
Xie Shuyu had even invited him to discuss the deal with Wen Ruan, but—
That was during Qixi Festival, and he had been having too much fun, so it slipped his mind.
Although he knew Wen Ruan and Xie Shuyu wouldn’t actually start a fight, the thought of his two girlfriends meeting still made him nervous as hell.
"Beep… Beep… Beep…"
The phone rang for what felt like forever, making Tang Song break into a sweat.
Just as it was about to auto-disconnect, the line finally connected.
Wen Ruan’s low, sultry voice drifted through the receiver.
"Hello? What’s with the sudden call?"
"Ruan Ruan… Are you… okay?"
"Heh."
She let out a chuckle, then paused.
"I was just chatting with your dear Boss Xie about you."
Her tone dripped with sarcasm.
"Finally made your move, huh? Directly investing in Xie Shuyu—how does it feel?
Come on, tell me about it, little brother."
Tang Song exhaled deeply.
Hearing Wen Ruan throwing suggestive jabs actually made him relax.
At least it meant the situation wasn’t as explosive as Zhang Xintong had made it sound.
His voice turned gentle.
"It’s not that kind of relationship. And honestly, I think Ruan Ruan’s shares would be a much better investment."
"Oh, so you’re saying I have better assets?"
She scoffed.
"Fine, then tell me the truth—Did you arrange for me to move to Shengyuan Scenic Residence because of Xie Shuyu?
Do you have a thing for older women?
Trying to set up a combo deal, huh?"
Tang Song immediately denied it.
"Absolutely not! I would never!"
"Pfft, like I’d even bother exposing you. We both know exactly what kind of person you are."
Wen Ruan grumbled a few complaints, then changed the subject.
"Relax. I haven’t said anything about you and me to Xie Shuyu.
From what I know about her, she’s not an overly emotional person.
Even if she finds out, she wouldn’t confront me directly.
Besides—I’m the damn CEO of Light and Shadow Media now."
"I knew big sis was the best."
"You better know it!
I’ve made a lot of silent sacrifices for you, you know!"
She huffed, then suddenly sounded curious.
"Oh, right—Qingning Technology sent me an event invite today, specifically asking for me to attend.
Are you hiding something from me?"
Tang Song’s heart skipped a beat.
He suddenly remembered—
Wen Ruan was still unknowingly carrying a certain burden.
"Ruan Ruan, I need to ask you for a favor."
"Oh? Is it about your ‘White Moonlight’?"
"Yes."
"I don’t care, I don’t care! Don’t involve me in this!
I just wanna be your carefree little lover—don’t drag me into your drama."
Wen Ruan immediately rejected him.
"Sis, you’re the only one who can help me with this.
How about I explain it in person tonight?"
Tang Song deliberately emphasized "explain".
On the other end, Wen Ruan let out a sharp inhale.
"You’re serious? You said it yourself—you’re making the first move!"
"Yeah," Tang Song gritted his teeth, then teased,
"I know big sis has 72 amazing qualities—sexy, gentle, beautiful… and great at 69.
I’d really love to explore that in depth with you."
"Cough, cough!"
Wen Ruan’s dominant, sultry tone instantly faltered.
"Ahem… well… I, uh… I need to get to my meeting with President Xie.
If you’ve got something to say, tell me in person tonight."
Her voice dropped into a sly, teasing whisper.
"You know, I always say yes in one go.
No yes, no go.
Bye-bye~"
"Bye-bye."
As the call ended, Tang Song shook his head with a helpless smile.
First Xie Shuyu, now Liu Qingning.
Any normal woman would be furious in this situation.
But given the circumstances, he had no choice but to use his looks to placate big sis.
After all, he knew what Wen Ruan liked.
She loved his face.
She’d often talk trash about pinning him down and wrecking him.
Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Tang Song turned back toward the conference room.
He had just taken a few steps when a soft yet eager voice called out—
"President Tang!"
He looked up and nodded.
"Little Xue. You’ve already started, right?
How’s your new job so far?"
Lin Muxue bit her lower lip lightly, her eyes filled with warmth.
"I love it. Thank you so much for recognizing my potential and giving me this opportunity!"
Tang Song smirked in satisfaction.
She was highly adaptive and moldable—he had seen that firsthand back at Slover Trust.
Now that she was in Confluent Capital, it was a new challenge for her.
His task was to guide her transformation, observing her growth in perception and emotions—
To complete his [Understanding Human Nature] mission.
After a brief thought, he patted her shoulder lightly.
"Come on, let’s head inside for the meeting."
"Yes! Absolutely!"
Lin Muxue nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Tang Song and His 'Business Deals'
The elevator doors slowly closed.
As soon as they did, Xie Shuyu’s bright, warm smile faded, her red lips pressed together, and her eyes flickered with thought.
After today’s meeting, she could confirm one thing—
Tang Song and Wen Ruan’s relationship was anything but normal.
The framework agreement she signed was shockingly loose.
Light and Shadow Media had not only assigned their top-tier marketing team but had also offered media placements at rock-bottom prices with high rebate percentages.
The total cost ended up being 30% cheaper than their previous negotiations, yet the service quality was top-notch.
This was a long-term partnership, and Shimmer Coffee’s branding strategy required heavy marketing investments—this wasn’t a small amount of money.
And yet, Light and Shadow Media was giving them an unbeatable deal.
Tang Song…
Xie Shuyu’s lips trembled slightly, her mind a mess.
From the very beginning, she had never intended to marry Tang Song.
She had no desire to tie him down.
But now, standing at this crossroads, she couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.
She was an extremely rational woman.
In her worldview, she and Tang Song were fundamentally incompatible for marriage.
Men and women who had achieved success in their careers all sought the same qualities in a partner—
Someone obedient, family-oriented, and able to provide emotional stability.
She couldn’t be that person.
To her, family relationships often felt like a burden.
She couldn’t see herself settling down to be a supportive wife and mother.
"Ding—"
The elevator slowly stopped on the first floor.
Xie Shuyu sighed softly, brushing aside these troublesome thoughts as she stepped out with long, confident strides.
Shimmer Coffee’s headquarters was just across from Light and Shadow Media, inside Huayun Center, Tower A.
This close proximity made their collaboration even more seamless.
Shimmer Coffee Headquarters
As soon as she entered the building, her assistant, Little Min, approached.
"President Xie, you have a video conference with Linggan Design in a few minutes."
"Alright, noted."
Xie Shuyu nodded lightly and headed to her office to prepare the necessary materials.
If Shimmer Coffee wanted to expand, a lot had to be taken care of—
Beyond marketing campaigns, they needed to build a distinct brand identity and culture.
Ten minutes later, the key department heads arrived at the conference room.
The video call connected.
On the display screen, several employees from Linggan Design appeared.
Xie Shuyu smiled gracefully.
"Good afternoon, everyone."
"Good afternoon, President Xie. We’re all set to begin whenever you are."
"Alright," Xie Shuyu nodded, her gaze scanning the screen.
Then, she casually asked,
"Where’s Cheng Qiuqiu? She’s not here?"
One of Linggan Design’s female executives chuckled and replied,
"Qiuqiu is busy with another project.
Moving forward, Shimmer Coffee’s UI/UX design will be handled by Little Yu—one of our top U-Team designers with extensive experience.
Since Shimmer Coffee is undergoing a full-scale visual, experiential, and branding transformation, this will require team collaboration—and Little Yu is better suited for the role."
As she finished, a young woman wearing round glasses stood up and introduced herself.
"Good afternoon, President Xie. I’m Li Yu."
Xie Shuyu’s brows twitched slightly, but she didn’t say much.
"Alright, let’s begin."
She actually admired Cheng Qiuqiu—
Even though Qiuqiu was quiet and introverted, her designs had a unique touch, perfectly matching Xie Shuyu’s vision.
But at the end of the day, Cheng Qiuqiu was just an entry-level designer—
Maybe Linggan Design had their own reasons for reassigning her.
Linggan Design - Cheng Qiuqiu’s Perspective
Inside Chengjing Business Tower, at Linggan Brand Design Co., Ltd.
As soon as the conference room door opened, Cheng Qiuqiu rushed forward, her gaze locked onto her project manager.
"Sister Zhang, wasn’t I always responsible for Shimmer Coffee’s UI? Why—"
Manager Zhang barely spared her a glance.
"There’s no ‘why.’ You’re simply not a good fit."
With that, she turned around and left without further explanation.
Cheng Qiuqiu’s lips trembled.
Her eyes dimmed.
She was about to walk away, but suddenly, she overheard low whispers from inside the conference room.
"She acts like she’s some big shot—always with that cold, arrogant face, like the whole world owes her something."
"Yeah, I can’t stand people like that.
She doesn’t even know how to work in a team—I wouldn’t want to collaborate with her either."
Cheng Qiuqiu’s body froze.
A flicker of panic and helplessness crossed her usually calm, indifferent face.
Keeping her head down, she walked back to her desk, staring blankly at the Shimmer Coffee UI/UX Design Draft displayed on her screen.
She had heard rumors before—some colleagues had spoken badly about her behind her back.
But she never thought much of it.
She knew she wasn’t good at social interactions.
Her EQ was low, she struggled with small talk, and her expressionless demeanor often made her seem cold and distant.
Even back in school, she had unknowingly offended classmates.
But she had always been serious about her work.
Her performance was consistently outstanding.
She never imagined she’d be pushed out of a project like this.
Linggan Design was a typical internet company, operating with a project-based system.
Things like performance reviews and year-end bonuses were directly tied to the projects an employee worked on.
Shimmer Coffee had just completed its Series A funding and was set to engage in long-term branding collaboration.
It was the biggest design contract the company had landed in the second half of the year.
Being on this project meant a significant status boost.
If the project was successful, every team member would receive a substantial year-end bonus.
She had cherished this opportunity, working overtime for an entire week.
Just yesterday, she had even completed the first draft of the design.
And yet—
She had been completely excluded.
Of course, there was one other reason she wasn’t willing to admit.
Tang Song.
Previously, when working on Shimmer Coffee’s website and mini-program, she had been directly collaborating with him.
She had planned to send him her design draft today, to discuss the next steps for development integration.
But now—
Everything had changed.
"Ding-dong—"
A WeChat notification popped up.
📩 [Director Li]: "Qiuqiu, come to my office. I need to talk to you."
Cheng Qiuqiu bit her lip, then stood up and walked toward the office.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
"Come in."
She pushed open the door.
Director Li Jingzhong sat at his desk, motioning toward the chair across from him.
"Sit down, Qiuqiu."
She nodded silently, keeping her gaze lowered, expression unreadable.
"Here’s the thing—I’m traveling to Chengdu next week for an important client meeting.
Since your hometown is in Chengdu, I thought you could accompany me.
What do you think?"
Cheng Qiuqiu’s shoulders stiffened.
She lifted her head slightly and shook it.
"I’m sorry, Director Li. I have personal matters—I can’t leave right now."
Li Jingzhong raised an eyebrow, his smile unwavering.
"Think carefully about it.
This client is a big deal—if we land this contract, I can recommend you for a project manager position.
It would be great for your career."
Cheng Qiuqiu’s Breaking Point
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Cheng Qiuqiu suddenly shot up from her chair, gave a quick bow, and said firmly,
"Sorry, Director Li, I have something urgent to take care of. I’ll be leaving now."
Without waiting for a response, she turned around and strode out of the office.
She didn’t go back to her desk—instead, she walked straight out of the company and hid in a quiet stairwell.
Compared to school, the workplace felt so much colder and harsher.
Being ostracized by colleagues. Being harassed by superiors.
She felt completely drained.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t working hard—she just didn’t know how to navigate this environment.
Did she even belong in the corporate world?
Did she even have a future here?
Her friend Lingling was now a full-time designer at a major fashion brand, making over 10,000 a month, with several of her designs already bestsellers.
Her senior, Gao Mengting, had successfully started her own business and was now a shareholder and vice president.
And then there was Tang Song—
He wasn’t just a major investor in Songmei Fashion, he was also talented, wealthy, and always ahead of the game.
Compared to them, she felt like a complete failure.
The gap between them was only getting wider and wider.
Just then—
"Bzzzz—"
Her phone vibrated in her pocket.
She pulled it out, saw the name on the screen, and quickly answered.
"Hello, Senior."
"Qiuqiu, are you free to talk right now?"
"Yes, I’m not at work right now."
Cheng Qiuqiu licked her dry lips, trying to steady her voice.
Her senior, Gao Mengting, spoke gently.
"Our company is launching its own women’s fashion brand.
We’ll be forming a dedicated design team, and from now on, all of He Yi’s branding operations will be handled internally.
So... we won’t be doing side projects anymore.
Also, the design elements you previously worked on will likely be reworked to better align with the brand’s aesthetic."
Hearing this, Cheng Qiuqiu felt a sharp pang in her heart.
Tears welled up and spilled over without her even realizing it.
It wasn’t about the money.
She just... didn’t know why it hurt so much.
She sniffled, her voice low and hoarse.
"I understand, Senior. This is a good thing.
I wish you all the best."
"Qiuqiu, what’s wrong?"
Gao Mengting immediately sensed something was off.
"Did something happen at work?"
Cheng Qiuqiu quickly wiped her tears away.
"No, it’s just... some minor issues at work.
It’s nothing, really."
"Alright, let’s talk about something serious then."
"Eh? What is it?"
Gao Mengting chuckled softly.
"I just mentioned that we’re forming our own in-house design team, right?
Well, dear Designer Qiuqiu—are you interested in joining us?
And don’t say I’m not looking out for you—I’m offering you a direct managerial position.
The salary and benefits are way better than Linggan Design’s."
"What?!"
Cheng Qiuqiu shot up from the stairs, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Are you... serious?"
"Of course!
So? Interested in switching jobs?
Right now, Songmei Fashion is just as good as Linggan Design, if not better."
Cheng Qiuqiu’s hands trembled slightly.
A sudden rush of joy and relief flooded her chest.
"Senior, I’m just afraid I’ll let you down."
"That won’t happen.
Technically, you’re already part of our founding team.
Even though it started as a freelance gig, our boss and colleagues love your work.
I actually talked to Tang Song about you beforehand—he also has a great impression of you."
Tang Song.
She silently repeated his name in her head a few times before replying,
"Then... I’ll give it a try."
"Fantastic!"
Gao Mengting laughed excitedly.
"Finish handling things at Linggan Design and submit your resignation.
Our team is coming together fast, and we’re looking forward to having you on board!"
"Thank you, Senior. I’ll do my best."
After hanging up, Cheng Qiuqiu stared at the blank white wall in front of her.
Her racing heart slowly calmed down.
Then, she turned and headed back to the office.
Back at her desk, she opened Tang Song’s chat window.
She wanted to tell him about living with Senior Mengting and designing Songmei Fashion’s logo wall.
But as her fingers hovered over the keyboard, she realized...
She had no idea how to even start.
And she still didn’t understand why she had been hiding the fact that she knew Tang Song from her senior.
Maybe it was because of Lingling’s childhood birthday gift.
Maybe it was just her own complicated emotions.
Before she could figure it out, the sound of approaching footsteps made her look up.
Project Manager Zhang Jie and colleague Li Yu stood in front of her desk.
"Qiuqiu, hand over all the UI/UX design files you made for Shimmer Coffee to Li Yu."
"Got it."
Li Yu grinned.
"By the way, I heard you already started working on the Shimmer Coffee Digital Experience Design Draft.
Could you send that over too? I just wanna use it as a reference.
I’ll treat you to dinner in return!"
Cheng Qiuqiu’s expression remained ice-cold.
"I deleted it."
"…What?"
Li Yu’s smile stiffened.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Ugh, Qiuqiu, why do you have to be so difficult?
We’re all colleagues—do you really need to be this petty?"
Manager Zhang furrowed her brows, ready to say something to put Cheng Qiuqiu in her place.
But before she could—
"I’m resigning."
Cheng Qiuqiu’s voice was calm and firm.
8:00 PM – Shengyuan Scenic Residence, Building 6, Townhouse
Outside, the night was pitch black.
Inside the master bedroom on the second floor, the soft glow of ambient lighting flickered seductively.
The bed was a mess.
Wen Ruan lay lazily against the pillows, her silk nightgown barely covering her curves.
Her legs curled up slightly, her eyes hazy and unfocused.
"Splash—"
The sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Moments later, Tang Song stepped out.
Seeing big sis lying there, he couldn’t resist—
He walked over and gave her peachy hips a firm smack.
"So?"
"Absolutely divine."
Wen Ruan inhaled deeply, looking up at his ridiculously handsome face.
"Alright, tell me, little brother—what do you need big sis to do for you?"
She still hadn’t fully recovered from earlier.
With Tang Song’s full effort, she had soared past Grand Mage status straight to Archmage territory.
It was truly an experience beyond words.
Tang Song wrapped an arm around her, leaned close to her ear, and whispered—
He told her about how he had told Liu Qingning that Wen Ruan was his girlfriend.
The moment she heard this, Wen Ruan bolted upright, eyes wide with fury.
"Tang Song, you bastard! You’re making me take the fall for this?!"
"Alright, here you go."
Tang Song picked up his phone from the bedside table, opened WeChat, and navigated to Liu Qingning’s profile, then handed it over.
Wen Ruan snatched the phone swiftly, her slender fingers swiping across the screen with practiced ease.
A few moments later—
"Ding——"
A voice call invitation popped up.
Tang Song jumped in shock.
"Wait—what the hell are you doing?!"
Wen Ruan deftly dodged backward, arching her brows with a playful smirk.
"What? You scared?"
She leaned back lazily, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Just pretend I’m not here and focus on your little chat.
I just want to observe—you know, get a feel for her personality and your ‘dynamic’ together."
"Give it back!" Tang Song reached out to grab the phone.
But Wen Ruan simply held up a finger, signaling “shh”, and mouthed silently:
"It’s already connected."
The next second—
A soft, delicate voice came through the speaker.
"Tang Song."
Liu Qingning’s tone was sweet and light, carrying that gentle, bookish charm unique to her.
Tang Song’s heart clenched slightly, and he immediately composed himself, taking back the phone.
"Hey, Qingning. Have you eaten?"
"I had dinner at 6:30."
Her voice was calm, clear.
"**I’m in the study right now. Today, I came across Qingning Technology’s lossless auxiliary-free load balancing strategy, and I put together some notes.
I was just about to share them with you…**"
She continued speaking, her words carrying that familiar intellectual enthusiasm.
But Tang Song’s mind went blank.
Because right in front of him—
Wen Ruan was staring straight at him, grinning mischievously.
She fluttered her long lashes, then mouthed silently—
"I want candy."
Soft candy, hard candy, milk candy.