novelraw Chapter 427: The Show Has Already Been Stolen
Chapter 427: The Show Has Already Been Stolen
The distance between them was only five or six meters.
Yet at this moment, Shen Yuyan felt as if Lin Muxue was incredibly far away.
On Lin Muxue, she could clearly see a sense of confidence and ambition.
That kind of presence deeply pierced her sensitive heart.
Ding— The elevator doors slowly opened.
A man wearing glasses politely reminded her, “President Lin, the elevator has arrived.”
Lin Muxue responded calmly, “Apologies, I ran into a friend. I’ll go say a few words—you all go up first, I’ll join you shortly.”
“Understood, we’ll be waiting for you at the 4th-floor East Banquet Hall.”
“Bye-bye.”
“Bye-bye.”After saying farewell to the others, Lin Muxue turned her gaze back to Shen Yuyan.
Raising her right hand slightly, she greeted her with a gentle smile.
“Good afternoon, Yuyan.”
Shen Yuyan parted her red lips slightly.
“Hello, Xiaoxue. It’s been a while.”
“It really has been a while. How have you been?”
Lin Muxue stood with her hands in front of her, holding her clutch, her eyes shimmering slightly.
Back in the day, she had been young and reckless, constantly insecure and fearful of competitors trying to steal Tang Song’s affection.
That was why she had deliberately targeted both Shen Yuyan and Xu Qing.
But in recent months, after everything that had happened, her mindset had begun to change.
Starting next week, she would officially join Confluent Capital, moving into her own private office as an executive assistant, marking the beginning of her new career.
She had already purchased a set of personal office items, including desk organizers, a calendar, aromatherapy, and decorations—she couldn’t wait to set everything up.
On top of that, her company, Xue Tang Culture, had just signed its first batch of actors.
Now, all that was left was for the Yannan Film Base to open.
Facing Shen Yuyan again, she no longer felt the urge to prove herself—instead, she felt calm and observant.
“I’ve been well.” Shen Yuyan’s expression was serene and gentle, but deep inside, she felt a bitter ache.
In truth, this period had been one of the most frustrating times of her life.
There were no words to describe it.
And now, standing in front of an accomplished, confident Lin Muxue, the sense of defeat in her heart became even stronger.
However, she quickly adjusted her mindset and smiled.
“We really do run into each other a lot. Xiaoxue, what brings you here today?”
“Mm, Handing Group is hosting the launch of their Yunding Residence series today. Tonight, there’s a private banquet and wine tasting at the Hilton. I was invited to attend.”
Handing Group? Yunding Residence?
Shen Yuyan’s expression brightened, and she moved closer to Lin Muxue, speaking in a friendly tone.
“I’ve heard a lot about Yunding Residence, and it’s actually really close to where I live. Xiaoxue, can I come with you to check it out?”
Lin Muxue was momentarily stunned, but then she nodded readily.
“Of course! I’ll take you in.”
Shen Yuyan sincerely expressed her gratitude.
Yunding Residence was one of the hottest real estate projects in Yan City—
The first phase consisted entirely of large-scale luxury apartments, with its target buyers being high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs.
At present, the property management company had not yet selected a housekeeping service provider.
She and Li Meixia had tried multiple times to schedule a meeting with the project directors, but they had never found an opportunity.
Since top executives from the headquarters would be attending this launch event, it was the perfect chance to connect with the decision-makers.
If she could establish a connection with the property management directors, it would be incredibly beneficial for Youjie Domestic Services.
And having Lin Muxue by her side would help reduce obstacles and dismissiveness.
The elevator ascended smoothly, stopping on the 4th floor.
As they stepped out, a long red carpet stretched before them.
Lin Muxue lifted her chin slightly, swayed her slender waist, and strode forward with graceful confidence.
Shen Yuyan adjusted her blazer and followed closely behind.
As soon as they approached the banquet check-in area, several staff members rushed over with warm enthusiasm.
“Good evening, Miss Lin. Welcome!”
“Welcome, Miss Lin. We are honored to have you here.”
“Miss Lin, this way please. Let me escort you to the VIP section.”
These were all Handing Group staff members, including several department leaders.
“Thank you.” Lin Muxue smiled gracefully, seemingly unaffected.
However, in the corner of her eye, she subtly glanced at Shen Yuyan—
A flicker of undeniable excitement flashed across her gaze.
Heavens, help me!
I swear I didn’t do this on purpose. You walked right into it yourself!
The Yannan Short Drama Film Base negotiations—
She had attended every meeting with Tang Song.
Later, she had also handled several business emails related to the project.
Naturally, she had gotten to know some of Handing Group’s senior executives.
She had received a personal invitation from one of Handing Group’s vice presidents—in other words, she was attending on behalf of Tang Song.
As for Shen Yuyan tagging along—
That was just for fun, enjoying the attention and showcasing her presence.
Otherwise, with less than 20,000 yuan in savings, why would she attend a high-end real estate launch event?
As they stepped into the brilliantly lit banquet hall, the air was filled with the delicate blend of perfume, fresh flowers, and gourmet food.
Many guests had already arrived, gathered in small clusters engaged in conversation.
As Shen Yuyan walked, she scanned the room, spotting several familiar faces.
Just then, Lin Muxue suddenly stopped walking.
Two middle-aged men in sharp suits approached them.
One of them, with a warm smile, greeted, “Miss Lin, we’re delighted to have you here tonight.”
“Thank you, President Zhao, for the invitation.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lin Muxue stepped slightly aside and introduced them calmly.
“Yuyan, this is Mr. Zhao Mingwen, Vice President of Handing Group Headquarters.
President Zhao, this is my friend Shen Yuyan. She’s interested in our project and wanted to come along to learn more.”
Zhao Mingwen greeted her enthusiastically.
“Welcome, Miss Shen!”
“Thank you, President Zhao.” Shen Yuyan struggled to remain composed, politely bowing slightly.
Her eyes, however, betrayed undeniable shock.
As a housekeeping entrepreneur, she was very familiar with Handing Group—a top-tier real estate developer in Yan Province.
Established in 2004, it held national first-class real estate development certification and second-class property management certification.
With 15 subsidiaries and 2,800 employees, it was a diversified enterprise, spanning real estate, construction, engineering management, property services, and financial investment.
Such a high-ranking vice president of a major corporation was standing right in front of her, treating them so warmly.
Looking at Lin Muxue’s calm and collected demeanor, Shen Yuyan couldn’t understand it, but she was deeply shaken.
If only she had such connections, securing contracts for a few residential complexes or office buildings would be a piece of cake. Youjie Domestic Services’ crisis would be solved effortlessly.
This was the power of resources and connections—the very thing she lacked the most.
31st Floor—Heaven Bar
Around them, everyone was chatting excitedly about Xu Qing’s fiancé—how outstanding he was.
Han Yajing couldn’t help but feel intrigued. She leaned in and whispered, “Qingqing, your boyfriend is still good for dinner later, right?”
She was counting on her precious daughter’s boyfriend to make her proud tonight.
“No problem. He lives nearby, so he’ll get here quickly.”
Xu Qing warned, “Mom, when you see him, please be reserved! We just got together, so don’t start calling him son-in-law and scaring him off!”
She knew her mom too well.
If Tang Song showed up in person, she’d definitely be overjoyed—
And if she started talking about marriage and having kids, she’d die of embarrassment.
“Relax, relax, I got it!”
Han Yajing grinned. “Look at what I’m wearing today—all designer brands! Isn’t it stylish? Does it look good?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Xu Qing rolled her eyes.
Still waiting for Shen Yuyan, she nudged her again on WeChat.
Ding!
[Cunning Yan: Ran into Xiaoxue in the lobby. Chatting with her for a bit, I’ll come find you later.]
Seeing the message, Xu Qing’s heart skipped a beat.
Lin Muxue is there too?!
From their few meetings, Lin Muxue had always given her an aggressive impression—
Plus, with her close relationship with Tang Song, Xu Qing often dreamed about her—
As the villainous female antagonist.
The impression was too deep.
Just then—
Han Yajing cleared her throat loudly, smiling as she announced,
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you all—Qingqing’s boyfriend is joining us later! You’ll all get to meet him.”
“Oh? Qingqing has a boyfriend now?”
“I didn’t see her post about it on Moments. When did this happen?”
“Just recently.”
Xu Qing’s cheeks flushed red.
With all these elders around, discussing this topic felt so awkward.
Zhang Huijuan asked with concern, “Is the young man also based in Yan City? What does he do for work?”
“Yes, he’s in Yan City, and he runs his own business.”
“Oh?” Zhang Huijuan’s brows lifted slightly. “What’s his name? Maybe I’ve heard of him.”
Having been in Yan City for over 20 years, climbing up from wholesale trading to owning her own factory, she had a wide network and had met all kinds of people.
If possible, she wanted to vet this young man for Qingqing, just to make sure he wasn’t a bad match.
Xu Qing bit her lip and answered, “His name is Tang Song.”
Zhang Huijuan thought for a moment, then shook her head.
“Don’t know him. I don’t think we’ve crossed paths.”
“Tang Song…”
Liu Xuan muttered the name, then suddenly said,
“That sounds familiar… I feel like I’ve heard it before.”
Zhang Huijuan’s eyes lit up.
“Oh? Then when we meet him later, we should chat and see if we’ve met before.”
Just then—
A deep, steady male voice sounded from nearby.
“Apologies for being late.”
Xu Qing turned around and saw Wu Wenhao striding toward them.
Dressed in a navy blue suit, his neatly styled hair, well-defined features, and confident aura radiated a mature and composed presence.
Liu Xuan smiled and affectionately held onto his arm.
In a warm tone, she introduced him,
“Wenhao, these are my mom’s longtime friends—they came all the way here for our wedding.”
Wu Wenhao nodded slightly, his face carrying a polite yet warm smile.
His voice was calm and reassuring as he said,
“Welcome, everyone. I’m Liu Xuan’s fiancé, Wu Wenhao.
Thank you for traveling all this way—it’s truly an honor for us. Read complete version only at novelꜰire.net
If there’s anything we didn’t prepare well enough, please forgive us.”
After a round of lively introductions, Zhang Huijuan asked,
“Wenhao, is work settled for today?”
“All set. The vice president of the group is here today, so I accompanied him for a bit.”
“The vice president is here? That means this banquet is a big deal.”
Zhang Huijuan lowered her voice. “If you’re busy with work, go handle that first—Xuanxuan and I can take care of things here.”
She was extremely satisfied with this son-in-law.
At such a young age, he was already a leader in Handing Group’s Investment Development Department.
Calling him young and successful was no exaggeration.
“It’s alright, Auntie.”
Wu Wenhao smiled.
“The leadership is just making an appearance—they won’t be staying long.”
The main launch event for Yunding Residence had already taken place earlier in the conference center and sales complex.
This was just a celebratory banquet.
“Then that’s good.”
Zhang Huijuan finally relaxed, then began introducing him to several of her friends.
The group stood up enthusiastically, greeting him warmly.
With his confident demeanor and impressive status, Wu Wenhao immediately earned admiration from the elders.
The rest area remained lively for a while before Zhang Huijuan suggested,
“Let’s head downstairs. It’s getting crowded here—I booked a private room on the 5th floor. We can eat and chat there.”
“Good idea, it’s almost dinnertime.”
As they spoke, they gathered their belongings.
Han Yajing nudged her daughter and whispered,
“Qingqing, don’t forget to remind your boyfriend.”
“Got it!”
Xu Qing opened WeChat and sent Tang Song a message.
“By the way, why isn’t Yuyan here yet?”
“I’ll call her.”
Xu Qing quickly found Shen Yuyan’s contact and dialed directly.
She was a little worried her best friend might be getting bullied by Xiaoxue.
Riiing—
The phone in Shen Yuyan’s pocket vibrated violently.
She put down her wine glass, glanced at the caller ID, and quickly answered,
“Hello, Qingqing.”
“Yanyan, are you okay?”
Shen Yuyan glanced at Lin Muxue, who was standing nearby, and replied softly,
“I’m fine. Really.”
Tonight, Lin Muxue was much more composed than before.
In fact, with a little guidance, she had even introduced her to several Handing Group executives, allowing her to exchange contacts.
A pretty successful evening.
“That’s good. We’re heading to the restaurant now—5th floor, Bojing Hall.
Oh, and Tang Song is coming later.
You can talk to him about Yunxi Property Management.”
Hearing Tang Song’s name, Shen Yuyan’s heart skipped a beat.
She lowered her voice, “Got it. I’ll come find you soon. Bye-bye.”
Hanging up, she turned to look at Lin Muxue, who was basking in attention.
She longed to be the center of attention too.
Even more, she longed to stand at the top.
Biting her lip, she muttered internally,
"Xiaoxue, don’t get too smug—I’m already working hard."
She couldn’t help but laugh at herself.
She used to say that when she made it big, she would take Xu Qing along to enjoy life.
But now, she found herself pinning her hopes on Xu Qing instead.
Tang Song’s image surfaced in her mind once again.
In the beginning, she had considered making a move herself.
With her title as School Belle, along with her looks, figure, and emotional intelligence, she was confident she could win Tang Song’s favor.
But as she observed more, she realized that her best friend had truly fallen for him.
There were even nights when they slept together, and Xu Qing would call out “Tang Song” in her dreams.
Understanding this, she had backed off voluntarily, never again sending him gym photos or texting beyond normal friendly conversations.
To her, her best friend was undoubtedly the most important person.
If she really went through with it, she’d be competing with Xu Qing for a man, and that was a line Shen Yuyan could never cross.
Just thinking about it filled her with guilt, inner turmoil, and self-reproach.
However, after one setback after another, seeing Tang Song’s influence, and how Xu Qing was treated so well, she couldn’t suppress a shameful thought.
Especially after meeting Lin Muxue today, that thought became even more tempting.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuyan shook her head and rejoined the crowd.
After toasting and chatting with the others for a while—
She affectionately held Lin Muxue’s arm and smiled.
“Xiaoxue, thanks for your help tonight. Qingqing is waiting for me upstairs, so I won’t bother you any longer.”
“Huh? Qingqing is here too?” Lin Muxue was momentarily stunned, her eyes widening slightly.
“Yeah, she’s at the 5th-floor restaurant.”
Lin Muxue pursed her lips and said, “Then I’ll go with you and say hi. I haven’t seen her in a while, and I do miss her.”
She was handling some of the business operations at Lanfeng International Hotel, so she naturally knew about Tang Song and Xu Qing staying in the Presidential Suite.
She didn’t harbor any hostility toward Tang Song’s women.
Besides, Xu Qing was a bit playful and much cuter than her calculating best friend.
She actually enjoyed getting along with people like that.
And who knew—maybe one day, Tang Song would have them running a three-stack team together.
Hearing Lin Muxue’s words, Shen Yuyan’s gaze flickered before she smiled and nodded.
“Sure, let’s go sit for a bit.”
Tang Song would also be coming soon.
She was curious to see Lin Muxue’s reaction, which might help her gauge the real nature of her relationship with Tang Song.
Bojing Hall private dining room, a bright and spacious lounge area.
Everyone sat on genuine leather sofas, sipping steaming hot tea, filling the room with laughter and lively chatter.
“Oh my, Wenhao is so refined and accomplished—he and Xuanxuan make such a perfect couple!”
“I’m so jealous of Huijuan! Her daughter is so outstanding, and now her son-in-law is just as impressive!”
“Wishing you both a happy marriage and success in both family and career!”
As the undisputed main characters of the gathering, Wu Wenhao and Liu Xuan were the center of conversation.
Han Yajing also sighed in admiration, but inside, she was itching with envy.
She had lived a very ordinary and quiet life over the years, working as a store merchandiser.
But her personality was actually quite flamboyant, and she had been suppressing that side of herself for a long time.
Now that her daughter was rising fast, with such an amazing boyfriend, she just wanted to show off a little in front of her old friends.
Her only concern was whether her daughter had exaggerated things.
The earnings from her writing and the company shares didn’t quite match what she had described.
Because of this uncertainty, she had been holding back from boasting too much.
A plump auntie chuckled and said,
“Huijuan, my son is working in Yan City now too. He’s planning to buy a house next year. If we go with your son-in-law’s company, can we get a discount?”
Wu Wenhao smiled and said,
“Of course! As long as it’s a Handing Group property, I can get you an internal price—the discount will definitely be great.”
“Fantastic! Then we’ll have to trouble you for that when the time comes!”
The plump auntie was beaming with joy.
Han Yajing, watching the exchange, couldn’t resist speaking up.
“Then if Qingqing ever wants to buy a house, we’ll have to trouble Wenhao too.”
Her daughter’s career was taking off—who knew, maybe she’d want to buy a home soon.
Might as well bring it up now in case it came in handy later.
Hearing this, Zhang Huijuan asked curiously,
“You two are thinking of buying a place for Qingqing in Yan City?”
“No, no, no, that’s not what I meant.”
Han Yajing waved her hands and grinned.
“We parents aren’t that capable. Qingqing’s doing well on her own—she’s a shareholder in their company now, and she’s made quite a bit from writing novels.”
“Oh wow, Qingqing is that impressive?!”
“She’s a company shareholder now?!”
Seeing her old friends’ shocked expressions, Han Yajing’s face lit up with pride.
Liu Xuan was stunned for a moment before she asked,
“Qingqing, where do you work now? Did you get equity incentives?”
“Yeah.”
Xu Qing nodded, unable to hide her smile.
“I switched jobs a while ago. Now I’m working at a media company and received stock options—I’ve already exercised them.”
Seeing her daughter so composed and accomplished, Han Yajing felt deeply satisfied, her face glowing with pride.
“That’s amazing!”
“What does your company do? Advertising agency?”
Liu Xuan’s brows lifted slightly.
She had a new level of respect for this younger sister.
Although they hadn’t had much contact in the past two years, she knew Xu Qing very well.
She never expected her to have such abilities.
Xu Qing smiled and said,
“Yeah, we used to focus mainly on advertising agency services, but we’ve now shifted to micro-short drama production.”
The moment she heard “short drama”, Liu Xuan froze slightly, as if something had clicked.
Then she suddenly asked,
“Qingqing, your boyfriend—his name is Tang Song, like the Tang Song Yuan Ming Qing dynasty Tang Song, right?”
“Tang Song?”
Wu Wenhao immediately looked up, glancing at his fiancée in surprise.
Xu Qing blinked, unsure why she had suddenly switched topics, but she still nodded.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Liu Xuan let out a breath.
“No wonder his name sounded so familiar. Wenhao mentioned it a few times recently.”
Since she and Wu Wenhao had been living together, she had occasionally heard about his work.
Like that mysterious new investment mogul in Yan City, Mr. Tang.
Apparently, he was not only incredibly wealthy but also highly impressive.
Wu Wenhao had frequently mentioned him at home.
But she had never connected that Tang Song with Xu Qing’s boyfriend.
Han Yajing’s eyes lit up instantly, excitement shining in her gaze.
“Xuanxuan, are you saying Wenhao knows Qingqing’s boyfriend?”
“What a coincidence!”
Everyone’s attention snapped toward Wu Wenhao.
Wu Wenhao was momentarily taken aback, then let out a small laugh.
“Haha, it’s probably just a coincidence. The Tang Song I know is an investor.”
Han Yajing clapped her hands in excitement.
“Then it must be him! Qingqing’s boyfriend is also an investor!”
It matched perfectly!
Her daughter’s boyfriend wasn’t just some nobody!
Liu Xuan shook her head.
“Auntie Han, don’t get too excited yet. The Tang Song Wenhao mentioned isn’t just any investor—
He recently spent over 100 million yuan to acquire an 80% stake in Yannan Short Drama Film Base from Handing Group.”
The room erupted into gasps of amazement.
Han Yajing’s smile slowly stiffened, as she turned to look at her precious daughter, suddenly feeling a little uncertain.
Even without a strong concept of money, anyone would understand what a billion-yuan film base meant.
Xu Qing was stunned for a moment.
On the surface, she tried to stay composed, but her little butt couldn’t help but wiggle, and she bit her lip tightly.
It was obvious—she was thrilled to the extreme.
Damn you, Little Songzi!
Just like that, he secured the Yannan Short Drama Film Base?!
There’s no way I can avoid flexing today!
She cleared her throat and grinned.
“Well… yeah, it should be the same person. I didn’t expect this either—Wu Ge actually knows Tang Song.”
The room fell silent in an instant.
Han Yajing’s body trembled as she clutched her daughter’s hand tightly, her face flushed with excitement.
My dear daughter! You’ve truly made me proud!
Wu Wenhao froze for a few seconds, staring at Xu Qing in disbelief.
“Qingqing, could you tell me more about your boyfriend? I need to confirm something.”
Someone who could move over a billion yuan in cash flow—he knew exactly what that meant.
Xu Qing is Tang Song’s girlfriend?
How is that possible?!
Just as Xu Qing was about to speak, there was a knock on the door.
Then, the door slowly swung open.
Two tall, graceful figures stepped inside—
One was dressed in a chic, casual suit, exuding elegance and confidence.
The other wore a stunning evening gown, poised and composed.
The moment they appeared, all eyes in the room turned to them.
“Yanyan, you’re here!”
Xu Qing immediately stood up and waved.
Shen Yuyan exchanged a quick glance with her before stepping forward with confidence.
“Aunt Zhang, Sister Xuan, Auntie, sorry for being late.”
“Not late, not late!”
Han Yajing stood up enthusiastically, grabbing her hand affectionately.
Just then, Wu Wenhao suddenly shot up from his seat, his face filled with shock.
“Miss Lin?!”
His voice was loud, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
Shen Yuyan’s mouth twitched—her expression nearly cracked.
This Xiaoxue is seriously insane.
No matter where she goes, she always runs into someone she knows.
It’s like she was born with a built-in flexing aura!
Lin Muxue blinked, her mind quickly recalling his information.
Wu Wenhao—Investment Development Manager of Handing Group. One of Young Master Xie’s associates.
She had met him once when accompanying Tang Song to a private gathering at Junming Executive Lounge. (Chapter 397)
But it had been a brief encounter.
Luckily, she had been in high spirits that day, and her memory was particularly sharp, so she remembered his name.
She glanced at Wu Wenhao, then at Xu Qing, who was sitting nearby.
With a calm, effortless smile, Lin Muxue said—
“Hello, Manager Wu. So, you know Qingqing?”
“…Yes.”
Wu Wenhao struggled to respond, his mind in chaos.
Lin Muxue is Tang Song’s assistant.
And she knows Xu Qing.
That meant—
Xu Qing’s so-called “boyfriend” could only be that Tang Song.