novelraw Chapter 439: Already on the Path to Death!
Chapter 439: Already on the Path to Death!
The notification sound slowly faded.
Tang Song’s brows relaxed instantly, his eyes flickering with excitement.
The [Qualified Leader] task had been triggered when he acquired Lanfeng International Hotel, and now, it was finally completed.
During this time, he had familiarized himself with hotel operations, strengthened team management, and expanded his vision and strategic thinking…
In fact, he had felt that he was close to completion half a month ago, but the system kept showing it as unfinished, always missing the final step.
He glanced at the excited couple across from him, their faces flushed with joy.
Suddenly, Tang Song realized something.
At its core, this task was about enhancing his "leadership charisma"—becoming a competent corporate leader.
Actively recruiting reliable employees and earning their loyalty and gratitude was also a key aspect of the task.
Although Lanfeng International Hotel’s finance department had new employees recruited through Deju Renhe, it still needed some trustworthy "insiders".He had known Sun Youguang for a long time. Initially, they worked in the same office area and often chatted. He was well aware of Sun’s character and capabilities and had also heard him mention his girlfriend before.
They had plans to get married and buy a house in the next two years.
Currently, they were renting a small secondary bedroom in a remote area of West Second Ring, paying 500 yuan in rent per month. The long daily commute was exhausting.
Life was quite tough for them.
That was also why Tang Song had taken the initiative to invite Li Juan.
It was a good deed well done.
Without immediately checking the reward details, Tang Song’s face lit up with a radiant smile. His eyes were bright as he said, "What do you think? Lanfeng International Hotel is less than two kilometers from here. If you work there, you and Youguang could rent a one-bedroom apartment nearby, making your daily life much easier."
"Thank you, President Tang, for this opportunity!" Li Juan clasped her hands together tightly and bowed deeply, her voice trembling slightly with emotion.
She then unzipped her backpack, pulled out a resume, and handed it over. "This is my resume. You can take a look first. I’m available for an interview anytime."
Sun Youguang’s eyes reddened as he said, "Thank you, President Tang! Li Juan has a solid foundation. If it’s just a general finance position, she should be more than qualified."
After all, Lanfeng International Hotel was a well-known company. In terms of job stability and salary, it was far more reliable than a small firm.
However, every position had fierce competition.
Normally, someone with Li Juan’s resume wouldn’t even make it past the initial screening.
Tang Song nodded, took the resume, and skimmed through it.
Graduated in Accounting from Yan City University of Economics and Trade.
Four and a half years of work experience, with only one job change in between.
Expected salary: 5.5K.
Noticing Tang Song’s gaze, Li Juan spoke softly, "The Intermediate Accountant exam is this weekend. Youguang and I are both taking it, and we should pass without any issues."
They had been preparing for this exam for a long time and were almost guaranteed to succeed.
Tang Song nodded, put away the resume, and smiled. "You’re currently unemployed, right?"
"Yes!"
"Good. How soon can you start?"
Hearing this, both Li Juan and Sun Youguang froze, momentarily unable to react.
The interview hadn’t even started, yet he was already asking about the start date?
Li Juan blushed and stammered, "Uh… as soon as possible, of course. But I’m not sure if the hotel has any concerns."
Her personality was much more outgoing than her boyfriend’s, and she knew this wasn’t the time for pleasantries.
"Alright, hold on. Let me check with the hotel."
Tang Song took out his phone, snapped a picture of the resume, and sent it to Lanfeng International Hotel’s HR Director before immediately dialing the number.
Li Juan and Sun Youguang exchanged a glance and instinctively sat up straighter, watching Tang Song nervously.
This was about their future.
If this job worked out, they could finally have financial stability and even start considering buying a home in Yan City.
"Beep—beep—"
The phone rang only twice before the other end picked up immediately.
Tang Song took a sip of coffee and spoke in a calm yet authoritative tone, "Director Xia, I just sent you a resume. The name is Li Juan. Assign her to the accounting team in the Finance Center."
"She’ll handle supplier payments and reimbursements."
Hearing Tang Song’s words, Li Juan and Sun Youguang’s eyes widened.
Wait… was he directly assigning her a position, even specifying her job responsibilities?
This wasn’t what they had expected at all.
And that tone—why did it sound… like he was the boss?
Tang Song responded with a couple of "mm-hm" before turning back to Li Juan. "How about starting next Monday?"
Li Juan swallowed nervously and explained, "I have the Intermediate Accountant exam on Monday morning. Could I start in the afternoon instead?"
"Of course!" Tang Song smiled kindly and spoke into the phone again. "She’ll start next Monday afternoon. Salary will be at the standard rate—7K. Her contact info is on her resume. Just send her the offer directly."
"7K."
Li Juan took a deep breath, feeling dizzy.
She remembered seeing Lanfeng International Hotel’s job listing—the salary range was 5K to 7K.
That meant Tang Song had given her the highest possible salary from the start.
That was equivalent to the salary of a finance manager at her previous company.
Looking around at the high-end environment and at Tang Song across from her, a surreal feeling washed over her.
For a moment, she even suspected that she was dreaming.
But the sharp pain in her palm told her that this was real.
"Alright, that’s settled. Goodbye."
After hanging up, Tang Song patted Sun Youguang on the shoulder and teased, "I remember your salary is 7K too, right? Now you two match. When you get promoted and get a raise, you can increase Li Juan’s salary as well—so you don’t lose face at home."
Having unexpectedly completed a side mission, Tang Song was in an excellent mood.
Sun Youguang’s lips trembled as if he had a lot to say, but in the end, all he managed was, "Thank you, President Tang."
Li Juan quickly followed up with another round of gratitude.
"Youguang was the first employee at Songmei Fashion. Aside from being colleagues, we’re also good friends. No need to be so formal."
Tang Song raised his coffee cup and clinked it against theirs.
The three of them continued chatting about work while sipping coffee.
Sun Youguang and Li Juan were still in a daze, only responding nervously to Tang Song’s questions.
It wasn’t until Tang Song stood up and bid them farewell that they finally snapped back to reality.
Watching his figure disappear, Li Juan pursed her lips and whispered, "Honey, what’s the relationship between your President Tang and Lanfeng International Hotel? I have a feeling…"
Sun Youguang nodded, his voice filled with excitement. "Let me check."
He pulled out his phone and searched "Lanfeng International Hotel." Chapters first released on NoveI★Fire.net
Soon, he found the official Lanfeng International Hotel Co., Ltd. and clicked into its corporate public records.
Scrolling down, he quickly saw a crucial piece of information.
[Shareholder Information: Tang Song (80% ownership); Yunxi Real Estate Co., Ltd. (20% ownership)]
Sun Youguang gasped sharply and swallowed hard.
As an accountant, he knew exactly what this meant.
He had always known that President Tang was powerful—after all, he had managed to get tickets to Su Yu’s concert and even owned the 30th floor of Yunxi Tower.
But he never expected that Tang Song was actually the owner of Lanfeng International Hotel.
And judging by the recent corporate records, the ownership transfer must have happened within the past month or two.
Because of work, he had previously looked up information on the two shareholders of Songmei Fashion. At the time, President Tang and President Gao only held equity in this one company.
But no matter what, there was one thing he was sure of.
His girlfriend’s job was secured—even more stable than his own.
He placed his phone in front of his girlfriend, his voice trembling with excitement. "Juan’er, let’s calculate our finances at the end of the year and see if we can afford the down payment for a house in Yan City."
…
Back in the office.
Tang Song leaned back in his executive chair and opened the system interface.
After glancing at his 73-point charisma score, he accessed his inventory.
The [Outfit Gift Pack] he had just obtained was sitting there quietly.
He selected the gift pack and opened it immediately.
"Ding! You have received [Special Outfit - Accomplished and Renowned]."
[Special Outfit - Accomplished and Renowned]: Special attire, +2 Constitution, +2 Stamina, +1 Comprehension, includes a calming effect on the mind.
Set Components: Unknown.
Attached Effect: Accomplished and Renowned (When wearing this set, if the player remains silent for 10 seconds, it triggers a special effect that instills a sense of awe in those looking at you.)
Special Attribute: Allows you to designate an existing British-style formal suit as the set’s component.
…
A "special outfit"—Tang Song’s eyes were full of delight.
In Heartthrob Growth Plan, he had received similar outfits before, even ones that could be manually enhanced with effects.
But in reality, the special attribute of this outfit was far more practical.
At the very least, he wouldn’t have to custom-order a suit from scratch, saving him a lot of time.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang.
Tang Song glanced at the caller ID, his eyebrows lifting slightly.
[Huashang Fashion CEO - Wu Wei]
He answered the call. "Hello, President Wu."
"Hello, Chairman Tang. I’m calling about the collaboration between Songmei Fashion and Huashang Fashion that you mentioned last time."
"Oh? President He is back?"
"Yes, I just finished speaking with him. He wants to meet you tonight for a more detailed discussion. Would you be available, Chairman Tang?"
Tang Song pondered for a moment before replying, "I can make it."
"Alright, I’ll have Yashan send the time and location to Assistant Lin on WeChat. I won’t take up more of your time. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
After hanging up, Tang Song’s gaze turned thoughtful.
As a well-known clothing manufacturer, Huashang Fashion valued its new production line, but it wasn’t something overly precious.
Yet, judging by He Jingping and Wu Wei’s cautious attitude, they seemed overly careful about this.
Regardless, he had a system task to complete—he had to secure this production line.
More importantly, Songmei Fashion was directly tied to the main quest.
On this matter, he wouldn’t back down.
…
Yan Provincial Financial Center, 50th floor – Confluent Capital.
"Indemnification... Compensation clause... So that’s what it means..."
Lin Muxue murmured softly, fingers tapping the keyboard as she recorded her understanding of the terms into a document. She sipped her steaming black coffee now and then.
Her English skills had significantly improved, and she had started using real-life case studies to understand financial terminology and its application.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"
A WeChat notification popped up.
[Huashang Fashion - Feng Yashan: "Good afternoon, Assistant Lin. Chairman He and Chairman Tang have an informal meeting tonight at Jinglan Business Club at 7 PM. Here are the details… Please arrange Chairman Tang’s schedule accordingly."]
She carefully recorded the message and sent back a polite response.
Immediately, Lin Muxue felt a surge of energy.
It had been a week since she officially became Tang Song’s assistant, and she was finally getting into the groove!
This was how it should be!
Ideally, she should be handling all of Tang Song’s schedules!
Otherwise, what was the point of earning a 1.5 million yuan annual salary, if all she did was read documents and memorize financial terms every day?
Excited, she wiggled her legs slightly, then quickly relayed the information to Tang Song.
"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"
[Tang Song: "Got it. I’ll have Liu Jiayi pick you up later."]
"Nice!" Lin Muxue exhaled happily, feeling utterly refreshed.
She’d get to ride in Tang Song’s Rolls-Royce Phantom again!
As an assistant, she was really starting to feel the perks of the job!
Next, Lin Muxue searched online for information about the business club, even calling their customer service to gather details.
Only after ensuring she fully understood the venue did she return to studying advanced financial terminology.
The thought of accompanying Tang Song to a high-profile event again filled her with excitement.
This boosted her focus and memory, making her studies much more efficient.
As the end of the workday approached…
"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"
Her phone vibrated again.
[Shen Yuyan: "Xiaoxue, are you free tonight? I happen to be in the financial center for some business. Want to grab dinner later?"]
Lin Muxue raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a bright smile.
She replied, "Sorry, I have plans with President Tang tonight. We’re attending a business event. Maybe next time."
[Shen Yuyan: "That’s unfortunate. By the way, what kind of event is it?"]
Her eyes flickered, and she replied with a straight face, "That’s confidential. I can’t disclose it."
After sending the message, she noticed Shen Yuyan didn’t reply for a long time.
Lin Muxue tapped her foot lightly on the ground, spun around in her office chair, and let out two small laughs.
Ever since their unexpected encounter at the Hilton Hotel, Shen Yuyan had been constantly trying to probe her for information.
This woman was incredibly scheming, always subtly fishing for details about Tang Song and her actual relationship with him.
She could clearly sense Shen Yuyan’s envy toward her.
And nothing felt better than the admiration of a rival.
After a quick bathroom break, she had just returned to her desk when her phone suddenly rang.
Seeing the caller ID, Lin Muxue quickly answered, "Hello, Jiayi."
"Mm, got it. I’ll head down now. See you soon."
Hanging up, she swiftly gathered her belongings, grabbed her bag, and strode toward the elevator.
The moment she stepped outside, she immediately spotted the Rolls-Royce Phantom, its hazard lights flashing in the designated pickup zone.
Since it was right at rush hour, the entrance of the office building was bustling with people.
Lin Muxue stood tall, chest out, waist slightly swayed, and gracefully entered the front passenger seat.
As an assistant, she was well aware of boundaries—since Tang Song wasn’t present, she would never sit in the back seat without permission.
Noticing the stares from the crowd outside, Lin Muxue pressed her knees together tightly, her face tinged with a faint blush.
In the corner of the office building’s lobby.
Shen Yuyan watched as the Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly pulled away, her gaze lowered.
She had heard Xu Qing mention Tang Song’s Rolls-Royce before, but this was her first time seeing it in person—it was indeed impressive.
"Yuyan, I’m really sorry, but I can’t help with this. The betting agreement clauses in your investment contract are very clear—there’s no room for manipulation."
The young man sitting across from her shrugged helplessly and closed the document.
"I understand. Thank you, Mingchen."
"My advice is to have a serious discussion with Gongying Technology—maybe there’s still a way out."
"Mm, I suppose that’s my only option." Shen Yuyan sighed, a faint bitterness flashing across her face.
As the days passed, her company’s performance showed no improvement.
She no longer had any confidence in fulfilling the betting agreement clauses.
She had come here specifically to talk with a friend who worked in financing consulting, hoping to find a loophole in the investment contract to secure the second round of funding.
But the reality was—she had been delusional.
Just then—
"Ring, ring, ring—"
Her phone rang.
It was Zhang Tianqi.
Shen Yuyan gave Song Mingchen a slight nod before standing up to answer the call.
Walking toward the exit, she lowered her voice. "Hello, Tianqi, what’s up?"
"Yuyan, I found something about Tian Jing that you asked me to look into."
Shen Yuyan’s energy immediately sharpened. "Go on."
Soon, Zhang Tianqi’s excited voice came through the receiver.
"She really comes from an impressive background. Her father is Tian Chengye, an executive director at Zhongcheng Group, a supervisor at Jinxiu Commerce, and a shareholder of Lingruan Technology… Yuyan, how close are you to Tian Jing? My company has a lot of business dealings with Zhongcheng Group—if possible, I’d love for you to introduce us…"
As Zhang Tianqi continued talking, Shen Yuyan’s heart sank little by little.
She had suspected that Xiao Jing came from a prominent background, but she never expected this level of influence.
Even though she had been tirelessly working to expand her network, she had rarely come into contact with people of this caliber.
For a woman like Tian Jing—an elite, top-tier white rich beauty—to be Tang Song’s girlfriend, she suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of inferiority.
…
6:40 PM
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up smoothly outside Jinglan Business Club.
Lin Muxue quickly stepped out of the car, opened the back door, and gracefully welcomed Tang Song out.
They entered the club’s spacious and elegant lobby.
Her high heels clicked crisply against the natural marble floor, the sound sharp and rhythmic.
The interior design was stunning—a perfect fusion of modern minimalism and classic elegance, creating a comfortable yet prestigious atmosphere.
A lobby manager dressed in a qipao guided them to the third floor via elevator.
After walking through a corridor, they arrived at a private dining room.
Lin Muxue knocked lightly on the door, glanced at Tang Song for confirmation, then reached out and pushed the door open.
Stepping into the dignified and grand private room—
He Jingping immediately stood up with a smile and approached them warmly.
"Good evening, welcome, Chairman Tang! Please, come in and have a seat."
"Good evening, Chairman He."
After exchanging pleasantries, Tang Song discreetly observed this Chairman of Huashang Fashion.
He was not particularly tall, his hair was graying, but his eyes were sharp and filled with energy. His voice carried a commanding presence, exuding the vitality of a man still at his prime.
After taking their seats at the dining table, they exchanged more polite small talk.
Dishes were served one after another.
With every dish that was brought out, He Jingping personally introduced its origins, ingredients, and preparation method.
"This Silver Spring Lamb is a house specialty here…"
"This Pan-Seared Matsutake comes from wild mushrooms harvested above 3,500 meters altitude, before the caps open…"
…
A server brought over a decanted bottle of red wine, pouring each person a glass.
The crystal-clear clinking of wine glasses rang through the air as they took a sip of the rich, velvety wine.
"Knock, knock, knock—"
A sudden knock on the door.
The door pushed open immediately after.
A young man, around 27 or 28, stepped inside.
"Sorry, I’m a few minutes late."
He walked briskly to the dining table and, upon seeing Lin Muxue, a flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes.
Then, he looked at Tang Song, smiling. "You must be Chairman Tang? I’ve heard so much about you!"
He Jingping shook his head and chuckled, patting the young man’s arm.
"Chairman Tang, this is my son, He Zhihui. He used to work in brand operations at Huashang Fashion, but I later assigned him to Huashang Cultural & Creative, where he’s been doing well. He was recently promoted to General Manager this year."
Tang Song nodded calmly. "Nice to meet you."
Hearing the names "Huashang Cultural & Creative" and "He Zhihui", Lin Muxue’s body stiffened.
A trace of unease flickered in her heart.
No wonder this man looked familiar.
Huashang Cultural & Creative was a subsidiary of Huashang Fashion, responsible for developing fashion-related products (such as designer-collab accessories) and organizing fashion events to enhance the brand’s cultural appeal.
Back when she was working as a commercial model, she had collaborated with Huashang Cultural & Creative—she had even shot advertisements for Huashang Fashion through them.
And back then, the person in charge of fashion events was none other than He Zhihui.
During that time, she had already started crafting her public image. With her stunning figure and striking looks, she was one of the most eye-catching models in the industry.
As a rich second-generation heir, He Zhihui had "pursued" her for a while.
But calling it "pursuit" was too polite—he had actually wanted to keep her as a mistress.
If she hadn’t seen him here today and heard his self-introduction, she probably wouldn’t have even remembered him.
After all, many men like He Zhihui had tried to chase her over the years, but she had rejected every single one.
But now, meeting him again in this setting, and right in front of Tang Song…
A wave of indescribable humiliation engulfed her.
After some small talk, He Zhihui turned his gaze to Lin Muxue, a hint of amusement and intrigue flashing in his eyes.
"And this lady is…?"
Lin Muxue’s mind snapped back into focus.
She quickly composed herself, her expression shifting into a professional smile.
"Hello, President He. I’m Chairman Tang’s assistant, Lin Muxue."
"Ah, Assistant Lin—such a beautiful name. It’s quite memorable."
He Zhihui smiled meaningfully at her.
Clearly, he remembered this former commercial model, Xiao Xue.
Their eyes met.
Lin Muxue pressed her red lips together, quickly shaking off her momentary unease.
Her past couldn't be changed, but so what?
At worst, she’d just be upfront with Tang Song about her time as a freelance model.
She had done nothing wrong.
And now?
She was no longer that easily manipulated, powerless model.
What was Huashang Fashion anyway? Just a company with a net worth of 800 million yuan.
Her eyes suddenly sharpened.
As Confluent Capital’s top assistant and Tang Song’s woman—
If He Zhihui dared to have any improper thoughts again…
Then he was already on the path to death.