novelraw Chapter 426: Xu Qing, Shen Yuyan, Lin Muxue
Chapter 426: Xu Qing, Shen Yuyan, Lin Muxue
Early September afternoons still carried traces of summer’s heat.
Shen Yuyan stood beneath Building 4, silent, her gaze unfocused. The warm wind pressed her cotton T-shirt against her skin, and her jet-black hair swayed lightly.
The past two years of entrepreneurship and dealings with capital had taught her a few things.
Setting aside trust-fund heirs and sudden upstarts, the wealthier a person was, the more they understood the true value of money. They typically had a strong sense of control over their finances, preferring rational spending over impulsive purchases driven by emotions or external influences.
This rationality was sometimes mistaken for stinginess.
It was especially evident in her encounters with investors.
She hadn't interacted much with Tang Song. Most of what she knew about him came from Lu Ziming, Xu Qing, and occasional WeChat chats.
Overall, he was an intelligent man with his own behavioral logic.
So no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't understand why Tang Song was so generous toward Xu Qing.
Could he really be a hopeless romantic?Would a hopeless romantic have so many girlfriends?
Of course, it was possible that he was just feeding Xu Qing empty promises.
Twenty-four million in shares, luxury cars, mansions—it all felt unreal, too good to be true.
But if it was real…
“Ring ring—”
The sharp ringtone suddenly interrupted Shen Yuyan’s thoughts.
Xu Qing quickly picked up her phone and exclaimed in surprise, “It’s my mom.”
Answering the call, she cleared her throat and calmly said, “Hey, Mom, are you at the station?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got everything arranged. You’ll definitely make a grand impression!”
“Oh, and I have a gift for you too.”
“Hehe, take your time guessing. Bye-bye.”
Hanging up, Xu Qing waved her phone excitedly and grinned at her best friend. “My mom just arrived at the high-speed rail station. She’ll be in Yan City by around three. Let’s go, my dear Yanyan! We need to head upstairs—I have to get myself together!”
Being with Tang Song had kept her so busy that she hadn’t had time to take care of herself. Her hair was a bit messy, and she barely had any makeup on.
From this moment on, Xu Qing, the young lady of privilege, had to play the role of a poised and successful woman. Naturally, she needed to be flawless—just enough to give her mother a little shock.
Shen Yuyan smiled and nodded without saying much.
Xu Qing locked her car and pulled her best friend upstairs.
Then, they got to work.
She applied a more composed makeup look, changed into a newly bought Celine tweed dress, and restyled her hair.
Spinning in front of the mirror, Xu Qing still felt like something was missing.
Her large black eyes darted around before she suddenly opened her wardrobe and pulled out a thick padded bra.
This one had thicker padding than the one she wore for Tang Song.
It boosted her straight to a D-cup, which looked so exaggeratedly fake that she had hesitated to wear it before.
But today was her moment to shine! Young Lady Xu Qing had to stand tall!
Excitedly, she changed into the new bra and swayed side to side in front of the mirror, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
Now, this was right!
Stepping out of the bedroom, she saw her best friend spacing out on the couch.
Xu Qing bounced over, puffed out her chest, and declared, “Yanyan, don’t I look stunning?”
Shen Yuyan glanced at her. “Big Silly Qing.”
Xu Qing pouted and smirked. “You better show some respect to your Sister Qing. Who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll have a mansion, and you can move in too.”
“What would I do there?” Shen Yuyan chuckled. “Listen to you screaming all night because of Tang Song?”
“You—!” Xu Qing’s face instantly flushed. “I would never be like that!”
Her voice was loud, but her confidence was weak.
Last night had been her first time. Even though Tang Song had deliberately teased her, he’d still gone easy on her.
But this morning, he barely did anything, and she was already begging for mercy, even blurting out some embarrassing things.
If they were to truly go head-to-head in the future, she had zero confidence in holding her ground.
Seeing the teasing smile on Shen Yuyan’s face, Xu Qing, flustered and embarrassed, pounced on her.
The two playfully wrestled on the couch for a while.
Then, Xu Qing suddenly whispered, “Yanyan, don’t worry. We’ll be best friends for life. We’ll live in a mansion together and eat all the best food.”
Their eyes met, and an unspoken emotion stirred within Shen Yuyan’s heart.
Stuck in the mess of Youjie Domestic Services, watching Gao Mengting and Guo Liyuan rise higher and higher, she was already feeling uneasy.
Now, her best friend had found love and even spent the night with him.
And then there was everything Tang Song had promised Xu Qing.
The impact of it all weighed on her.
She couldn’t suppress the sense of loss and melancholy creeping into her heart.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuyan gently ruffled Xu Qing’s hair and softly said, “Don’t overthink. I’m just dealing with some work frustrations.”
Xu Qing grinned playfully. “Mhm, just remember, no matter what, I’ll always have your back.”
Shen Yuyan parted her lips as if to say something, but just then—
Her phone rang again.
Xu Qing quickly answered, “Hello, Aunt Zhang.”
“Yes, I’m driving over to pick up my mom and Aunt Ping.”
“Mhm, don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”
“Got it, the Hilton Hotel. Bye-bye.”
Hanging up, Xu Qing turned to her best friend. “Yanyan, wanna come with me to the station? We can take the Bentley for a spin!”
Shen Yuyan shook her head. “I’ll pass. I have a video conference later. I’ll join you all for dinner tonight.”
She and Xu Qing had known each other since middle school, and their families lived close by. She was so close to Xu Qing’s mom that she was practically treated like a daughter.
With Han Yajing visiting Yan City, she definitely had to spend time with her.
“Alright, I’ll let my mom know.” Xu Qing nodded and started typing a WeChat message.
On the high-speed train from Jinyang City to Yan City—
Han Yajing, dressed in a stylish autumn outfit, set her phone down, her face brimming with energy.
Turning to Cui Xueping beside her, she said, “My daughter is picking us up and taking us to the hotel.”
Cui Xueping asked curiously, “Qingqing’s picking us up? She got a car?”
“Ugh, that girl has had a mind of her own since she was little. I don’t even know when she bought it.” Han Yajing sighed dramatically, tilting her head in mock exasperation. “She has her own money now—this old mother can’t control her anymore.”
Cui Xueping was surprised. “Wasn’t Qingqing working in legal affairs? Did she switch to a more lucrative job?”
“That’s not what I meant.” Han Yajing chuckled. “It’s just that this kid has good luck—she became a shareholder in their company. I don’t know the details, but apparently, she made some money and wants to surprise me.”
Cui Xueping, Han Yajing’s high school classmate, had come along to Yan City to attend Zhang Huijuan’s daughter Liu Xuan’s wedding.
Han Yajing had only mentioned Xu Qing’s situation to her relatives. After all, before meeting up with her daughter, she wasn’t sure what the reality was.
Bragging too much beforehand, only to arrive in Yan City and find a completely different situation, would be downright embarrassing.
To be safe, she hadn’t said much about it to Zhang Huijuan or Cui Xueping.
Cui Xueping froze for a moment, eyes widening. “Qingqing… a company shareholder? No way.”
Hearing the skepticism, Han Yajing immediately frowned. “That’s what Qingqing told me herself.”
Cui Xueping’s mouth twitched. “Alright, then.”
She knew Xu Qing’s situation. After graduating, she had been working in legal affairs, earning around five or six thousand a month.
And just like her mother, the girl had a carefree and slightly unreliable personality.
A company shareholder? Most likely nonsense.
Noticing Cui Xueping’s expression, Han Yajing felt a little irritated and lowered her voice. “Don’t doubt it. I had Qingqing’s fortune read when she was little, and they all said she had an extraordinary fate! She’s destined for great success. If she were a boy, she’d probably be a high-ranking official by now!”
Cui Xueping sighed. “I don’t put much faith in that stuff. There’s a guy at my office, Xiao Wang, who says his birth chart is amazing—something about all five elements in balance, a clear career path, and perfect romantic luck. Guess what happened…”
“This is different! Completely different!” Han Yajing waved her hand dramatically, her expression serious. “I consulted a real hidden master. He combined Ba Zi, Zi Wei Dou Shu, physiognomy, Qi Men Dun Jia, and Liu Yao divination—it’s foolproof!”
“…Right.” Cui Xueping rubbed her forehead, at a loss for words.
Han Yajing ignored her, casually munching on pickled chicken feet while chatting on WeChat.
After a while, the train’s PA system announced:
“Dear passengers, the next stop is Yan City Station, the final destination of this train. Please prepare your belongings…”
“We’ve arrived!” Han Yajing’s face lit up with excitement as she started gathering her luggage.
Her daughter’s last visit home had been during the May holiday. It had been four months since then, and of course, she missed her.
She was also eager to see just how impressive her daughter had become.
Yan City’s high-speed rail station had three levels—
Two above-ground waiting halls and an underground floor housing the exit, metro entrance, taxi stand, and parking lot.
Carrying their bags, the two followed the crowd off the platform. After asking a staff member for directions, they finally reached the underground parking area.
Just as they exited the passage, Han Yajing suddenly gasped and waved frantically in one direction. “Qingqing! Qingqing! Over here!”
Cui Xueping followed her gaze and blinked in surprise.
Standing quietly at the edge of the pickup crowd, Xu Qing wore a stunning dress, a necklace, a watch, and carried a Chanel handbag.
She looked composed, elegant, and poised—
A stark contrast to the carefree, unserious girl in Cui Xueping’s memory.
The two groups quickly met.
Han Yajing immediately dropped her luggage and pulled her daughter into a tight hug, exclaiming, “Oh my, my daughter is so beautiful now! Let me take a good look at you!”
“Alright, Mom, you’re messing up my hair.”
After a brief moment of affection, Xu Qing tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and greeted, “Aunt Ping, long time no see. How have you been?”
“I’m good.” Cui Xueping studied her, still feeling something was off.
Her outfit and demeanor… she almost resembled her best friend, Shen Yuyan.
“Mom, Aunt Ping, let’s get in the car. Aunt Zhang and Xuanxuan are waiting at the hotel.”
“Yes, yes, let’s head to the hotel first.” Han Yajing looked around. “Qingqing, where’s your car?”
“Over there.” Xu Qing pointed ahead and started walking.
With her back turned, her eyes curled into crescents, and her grin nearly stretched to her ears.
The three of them followed the parking lot passage.
Suddenly, Xu Qing stopped and said with a smile, “We’re here. This is it.”
Both Han Yajing and Cui Xueping froze, staring at the car beside Xu Qing.
The mesh-patterned grille was both refined and imposing, featuring Bentley’s iconic winged emblem.
The smooth, elegant body lines gleamed with a pearlescent white sheen under the lights, exuding pure luxury.
Cui Xueping swallowed hard. “A… Bentley?”
Han Yajing glanced at her daughter, then back at the Bentley, her face flushing with excitement. “Qingqing, is this the car you drove here?”
“Mhm, yeah.” Xu Qing couldn’t help the smug curve of her lips. “A Bentley Continental GT.”
“This car is stunning!” Han Yajing immediately pulled out her phone. “Click, click—” She snapped several photos.
Some relatives had doubted her and her daughter. Now, she would send these pictures back to shut them up!
Cui Xueping’s eyelid twitched. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
Xu Qing sneaked a sideways glance at their reactions, laughing internally.
But outwardly, she maintained her composure. She stepped up to the car, gripping the handle.
“Click—” The car lights flickered as it unlocked.
Xu Qing turned back with a smile. “Mom, Aunt Ping, let’s put the luggage in the trunk first.”
The two women quickly responded and walked to the back of the car.
As Xu Qing approached, the sensor-activated trunk slowly opened, revealing a modest storage space.
Then—
The three of them froze at the same time.
Inside, neatly arranged on one side, were several high-end gift boxes and shopping bags.
LV, Chanel, Bulgari…
There were at least six or seven of them.
And judging by the pristine packaging, they were all brand new, unopened gifts.
Xu Qing’s heart skipped a beat, her eyes sparkling.
Oh wow! Little Songzi really was a treasure trove!
The car was hiding so many surprises just waiting for her to discover!
This had to be because he felt guilty about making her cry last night—so he had prepared these gifts for her in advance.
More proof that he absolutely adored her!
“Qingqing…” Han Yajing clutched her chest, eyes misty. “My precious daughter, is this the gift you were talking about? I love it! What a surprise!”
“My daughter really understands me best. I’ve always wanted a luxury item my whole life. Now, when I attend Xuanxuan’s wedding, I’ll look amazing!”
Without hesitation, Han Yajing tossed her luggage into a corner of the trunk and eagerly picked up an LV gift box, admiring it fondly.
Cui Xueping’s brain short-circuited, and her forehead twitched.
She muttered sourly, “Yajing, you sure are low-key. You never mentioned any of this, and now Qingqing’s already this accomplished.”
Han Yajing turned around and hugged her daughter emotionally. “Qingqing is incredible and so filial. Now that she has money, she hasn’t forgotten her mother. My precious daughter, I love you!”
Xu Qing, who was tightly wrapped in her mother’s excited embrace, slowly widened her mouth in shock.
She wanted to explain—
But she just couldn’t bring herself to say it.
The gift she had actually prepared for her mother was just a hundred-yuan lipstick set.
After exercising her stock options, Xu Qing barely had any savings left. If not for the 500 yuan Tang Song had given her for cosplay expenses, she would’ve been completely broke.
Now that she thought about it, this really wasn’t ideal.
After all, she was now the owner of a Bentley and a shareholder.
Looking at the dazzling luxury goods in the trunk, Xu Qing's eyes welled up with tears as well. "Mom, as long as you like it, that’s all that matters."
The heartfelt mother-daughter moment made Cui Xueping’s eyes turn red with envy.
—
The pearlescent Bentley Continental slowly pulled out of Yan City High-Speed Rail Station.
In the passenger seat, Han Yajing was busy touching every surface, snapping photos left and right, even more occupied than Xu Qing, who was actually driving.
In the backseat, Cui Xueping couldn’t hold back her curiosity and blurted out, “Qingqing, did you buy this car?”
She had secretly looked it up on her phone just now—
Even the cheapest Bentley Continental cost at least 3 million yuan, an astronomical sum.
Hearing this, Han Yajing also turned her gaze toward her daughter.
She had been too excited earlier and had nearly forgotten to ask about the car.
Xu Qing, gripping the steering wheel, blushed slightly. “It’s my boyfriend’s car.”
“Boyfriend?” Cui Xueping was stunned. “Qingqing, you have a boyfriend?”
Han Yajing’s eyebrows shot up in excitement. “Mhm, one of the reasons I came to Yan City this time was to meet him. Oh, right, Qingqing, Zhang Ayi’s family is treating us to dinner tonight. Is your boyfriend free? Have him join us—it’ll be livelier.”
She had no ulterior motives—she simply wanted to bring out Qingqing’s boyfriend, who was supposedly more handsome than Edison Chen, and show him off while also strengthening their future in-law relationship.
Xu Qing hesitated. “He’s free, but he’s pretty busy. I’ll call him before dinner to see if he can make it.”
Before, she hadn’t thought much about introducing Tang Song to her family. But now, she suddenly felt nervous and shy.
Han Yajing nodded eagerly. “Mhm, no rush, no rush. Oh, by the way, Qingqing, how’s work going?”
“It’s going great. The company is developing smoothly, and I’m now a shareholder with my own office.”
“What kind of business are you mainly involved in?”
“Micro-short dramas. I occasionally help write scripts…”
Outside, the bustling city scenery blurred past the window.
Listening to the mother-daughter conversation, Cui Xueping felt an inexplicable mix of emotions.
She never would’ve imagined that the carefree little girl she once knew had transformed into this.
—
Nearly half an hour later.
The Bentley Continental smoothly pulled into the Yan City Hilton Hotel.
Xu Qing carefully parked the car before leading the two inside.
Han Yajing and Cui Xueping whispered among themselves, marveling at how generous Zhang Huijuan’s family was.
The wedding was set in the Hilton’s largest banquet hall, and all out-of-town guests were accommodated in five-star hotel suites, with travel expenses reimbursed.
Listening to their conversation, Xu Qing’s gaze flickered slightly.
Zhang Ayi’s family had originally started in plush toy wholesale.
Back when she was in college, she often dragged her best friend along to Zhang Ayi’s house to eat and hang out.
She had been especially close with Xuanxuan, who frequently took her out for food and fun.
Later, Zhang Ayi’s family set up their own factory, integrating production and sales, and their business skyrocketed.
It was around that time that Xu Qing gradually lost touch with Zhang Ayi and Xuanxuan.
However, she had met Xuanxuan’s husband before.
It was at a networking event she attended with Shen Yuyan, where she ran into Liu Xuan and her then-boyfriend, Wu Wenhao.
He was in his early thirties, five years older than Liu Xuan, came from a wealthy family, and was extremely capable.
Now, he was reportedly a senior executive in the investment development department of Handing Group.
Back when Shen Yuyan was seeking funding for Youjie Domestic Services, she had shamelessly dragged Xu Qing along to treat Liu Xuan and Wu Wenhao to dinner, but it didn’t work out in the end. Read complete version only at Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
—
Just as they arrived in the lobby—
Zhang Huijuan and Liu Xuan, who had been waiting for them, quickly approached.
“Hui Juan, Xuanxuan.”
“Oh my, Yajing, Xueping! We’ve been waiting forever for you!”
“It’s been over a year since we last met, hasn’t it?”
“Almost two years.”
“If it weren’t for Xuanxuan’s wedding, we probably wouldn’t have gathered this year either.”
Xu Qing greeted them proactively. “Zhang Ayi, Sister Xuanxuan.”
Liu Xuan nodded with a smile. “Qingqing.”
Zhang Huijuan beamed as she took Xu Qing’s arm. “Qingqing, it’s been a while since you visited. You’re getting prettier and prettier.”
“Thank you, Zhang Ayi.” Xu Qing blinked her large black eyes and carefully examined the two women she hadn’t seen in a long time.
Zhang Ayi hadn’t changed much.
But Liu Xuan had matured significantly—
She was dressed in an elegant, form-fitting gown, her hair neatly styled in an updo, with flawless makeup, radiating the aura of a wealthy, sophisticated woman.
After registering their details at the front desk, they went upstairs together.
Once settled in their rooms, the old friends gathered at the lobby bar, lounging on the sofas in the lounge area, drinking tea and catching up.
Xu Qing, sitting to the side, absentmindedly nibbled on desserts.
She opened WeChat and messaged her best friend:
Xu Qing: “Yanyan, my mom and I just arrived at the Hilton. We’re in the lounge on the 31st floor. When are you coming? My mom keeps asking about you.”
After returning to her room earlier, she had subtly explained her real situation to her mom—
Like how her high monthly royalties from writing were due to wealthy readers sending big tips,
And how she had borrowed 400,000 yuan from Shen Yuyan to exercise her stock options and become a shareholder.
Of course, the part about having a boyfriend was absolutely true—no exaggerations there.
A moment later—
[Yanyan]: “Almost there. Traffic’s a bit heavy.”
After sending a reply, Xu Qing scooted closer to her mom and told her that Shen Yuyan would be arriving soon.
Suddenly, Cui Xueping turned to Liu Xuan and asked, “By the way, Xuanxuan, where’s your fiancé? Is he here today? We haven’t met him yet.”
“Yes, we’ve only heard that he’s a senior executive at a big company—very impressive. We’ve been wanting to meet him,” Han Yajing chimed in.
“Well,” Liu Xuan chuckled, “he was downstairs overseeing the wedding venue setup, but his company is hosting a banquet on the 4th floor tonight, and some of his senior executives have already arrived, so he went to join them.”
She glanced at her watch. “He should be free now. I’ll give him a call and have him come over.”
—
A taxi slowly pulled up to the hotel’s main entrance.
Shen Yuyan stepped out, striding into the grand glass doors.
Her brown leather heels clicked crisply against the finely textured marble floor.
After sending a quick message to Xu Qing on WeChat, she headed straight for the elevators.
Just as she approached, something caught the edge of her vision.
She paused, turned, and her gaze froze slightly.
At another set of elevators—
A familiar figure stood quietly, dressed in a sleek black strapless gown, exuding elegance and style.
Her smooth, bare back was exposed, and her dark brown hair was pinned up, with a few loose strands cascading over her shoulder, swaying gently as if touched by the wind.
She was surrounded by a few well-dressed men and women, all in their thirties or older.
Seeing her exquisite and defined profile—
Shen Yuyan’s red lips pressed together, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions.
At that moment, Lin Muxue seemed to sense something and turned her head.
Their eyes met—
And a soft, knowing smile curved on Lin Muxue’s lips.