novelraw Chapter 441: Fake Ling
Chapter 441: Fake Ling
The night outside was deep and dark, with the neon lights of the city illuminating the sky.
Tap tap tap—
The sound of typing echoed clearly in the quiet room.
Liu Qingning’s fingers paused briefly on the keyboard before continuing to type:
"Our high school had a closed boarding system. Starting in the second semester of our first year, he often brought me fruit and snacks, saying they were leftovers from what his family sent him."
"Later, I found out that he had secretly used his own living expenses to buy them, which often left him hungry. His family's financial situation was actually quite average, but you know how teenage boys are—they care a lot about their pride. So, I pretended not to know and gradually started eating with him."
"Back then, I was quite popular at school, and the cafeteria aunties took good care of me. Every time I got food, they would give me extra portions, enough for both of us to share."
Liu Qingning glanced at the time—it was already past 10 PM.
She let out a soft sigh and typed:
"I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. Sorry for taking up so much of your time. Let’s stop here for today. Good night."[Wen Ruan]: "Good night. Thank you for sharing. He never told me any of this."
Closing her laptop, Liu Qingning sat in her chair, her gaze unfocused.
The room was silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the slightly heavy sound of her breathing.
By the time she came back to her senses, her eyes were already wet with tears.
She wiped them away, stood up, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.
The Shenzhen Bay nightscape remained dazzling. The lights nearby reflected off the sea, resembling scattered diamonds on white silk.
She exhaled deeply, as if trying to expel the weight in her chest along with her breath.
Lin Muchang had been away from Shenzhen for 20 days now.
She had been at Qingning Technology for less than half a month.
This had undoubtedly been the busiest period of her life, and she had deliberately buried herself in work.
She needed time to process everything and calm her restless emotions.
Until tonight, when she finally had a bit of free time, she had taken a two-hour walk along the seaside before gathering the courage to add Wen Ruan on WeChat.
The reason she shared her story about Shao Rong with Wen Ruan was mainly to dissolve any hostility between them and make future interactions easier.
She wanted to know how Wen Ruan saw Shao Rong, and she also wanted to explore the stories between them.
Most importantly, she still wanted to fight for Lin Mu.
Beyond her personal matters with Wen Ruan, she planned to deepen her involvement at Qingning Technology and become a true leader there.
Through her recent work, she had finally gained a full understanding of the company’s scale.
And to say she was shocked would be an understatement.
Qingning Technology was the core product of Smile Holdings’ AI strategic plan, initiated in 2018.
The company had acquired 12 AI technology firms worldwide, completed its technological integration in 2020, and was officially established in Shenzhen.
Currently, Qingning Technology boasted an elite team of scientists, 12,000 AI patents, a supercomputing cluster, and a quantum computing lab—its technological prowess was enough to disrupt the entire industry.
However, the company’s primary focus was on enterprise services, and it had yet to release consumer-facing AI applications.
Moreover, backed by Smile Holdings, Jingwu Capital, and Tangyi Precision, it didn’t need any external financing and had never disclosed its valuation.
As a result, its public reputation wasn’t as flashy as OpenAI's.
But based on what she had seen of its multimodal universal AI engine, she could say with absolute certainty—
In 2024, Qingning Technology would revolutionize the AI industry.
This was a trillion-dollar future.
Every time she thought about it, her blood boiled with excitement.
Though it wasn’t publicly known yet, she knew Tang Song held a 3% stake in Qingning Technology.
In the future, this would become an unimaginably valuable asset.
She hoped that during this journey, she could secure his interests on his behalf.
And more than anything—she hoped to walk this path alongside him.
Clenching her fists, Liu Qingning turned around and strode toward her bedroom.
September 8, 2023 (Friday) | Overcast to Light Rain | 24~26°C
At dawn, when Tang Song opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Lin Muxue’s delicate and well-defined face.
They were only a few centimeters apart, close enough to feel each other’s breath.
He stared at her face for a while, then leaned down and kissed her cheek before swiftly getting out of bed, a refreshing smile on his face.
Just then, a crisp system notification sounded in his ears.
“Ding! Congratulations, player! Aura effect activated—you have triggered an extra critical reward.”
“Ding! You have obtained a special item: [Heartthrob’s Eye Drops].”
Tang Song’s face immediately lit up with a smile.
It had been over 50 days since his last critical hit.
With a 2% trigger rate, it was definitely long overdue!
Stepping lightly into the walk-in closet, he opened the system inventory to check the reward details.
[Heartthrob’s Eye Drops]
Total: 10 drops
Each use includes a microcurrent eye massage, eliminates discomfort, enhances the clarity of eye whites, deepens iris color by 30%, and increases gaze intensity for 12 hours.
[Note 1]: Limited to one drop per day. After all 10 drops are used, a permanent improvement in eye microcirculation and appearance will be achieved.
[Note 2]: As a heartthrob, when you gaze into an opposite-sex individual’s eyes and say “I love you”, you will hear their uncontrollable heartbeat.
[Note 3]: "I swear I’m not wearing colored contacts."
After reading the description, Tang Song’s eyes sparkled.
What an OP eye drop!
With Tang Song’s Glasses, his daily reading and work rarely caused eye strain.
But what intrigued him most was the boost to his eye aesthetics.
At his current level of physical attractiveness, further improvements were difficult.
But this eye drop was undoubtedly a game-changer.
The eyes are the focal point of facial beauty.
Thanks to months of diligent skincare and a disciplined routine, his dark circles and puffiness were gone.
But his natural features still had minor imperfections—his eye bags were slightly visible, and his aegyo-sal wasn’t well-defined.
He was confident that after using all 10 drops, his looks would level up again.
Selecting [Heartthrob’s Eye Drops], he immediately used one.
Instantly, a cool mist enveloped his eyes.
It felt like gentle, delicate hands massaging his eyes from the inside out, soothing and refreshing.
The sensation was so intensely pleasurable that Tang Song couldn’t help but let out a low moan.
Moments later, his eyes returned to normal.
Tang Song looked into the mirror and was briefly stunned.
His black-and-white contrast was sharper, and under the warm closet lighting, his eyes looked crystal-clear, radiant, and mesmerizing.
It really did look like he was wearing colored contacts.
After admiring the effect for a while, Tang Song put on his [Unlimited Vigor] outfit, hummed a tune, and headed downstairs to start his morning routine.
After his workout, he had a simple breakfast before going home to take a shower.
Returning to the walk-in closet, his gaze swept over his neatly arranged wardrobe.
His gaze finally settled on a deep blue suit tucked away at the far end of the closet.
It was a gift from his junior, Yao Lingling. After a second round of adjustments, it had been tailored to fit him perfectly and happened to be a classic British-style formal suit.
Pairing it with a versatile white dress shirt and black leather shoes, Tang Song put on the ensemble piece by piece.
Then, he opened the system interface, entered the [Outfit Center], selected [Special Outfit - Accomplished and Renowned], and equipped it.
[Would you like to designate the current outfit as a set component?]
[Yes]
“Ding! [Special Outfit - Accomplished and Renowned] equipped.”
[Current outfit compatibility: 100%, all effects fully activated.]
As the system’s crisp notification sounded, a light, weightless sensation enveloped him.
Tang Song immediately felt his mind become more composed.
+2 Constitution, +2 Stamina, +1 Comprehension—Get!
Standing in front of the mirror, he remained silent for ten seconds.
His deep black pupils subtly contracted.
Just then, the sound of footsteps approached from the closet entrance.
A lazily soft voice called out, "Tang Song, are you in there?"
Right after, Lin Muxue, wrapped in a silk robe and barefoot, stepped inside.
Tang Song turned around and silently gazed at her.
His dark eyes seemed bottomless, impossible to read, impossible to predict.
Lin Muxue's footsteps halted abruptly, her body tensing up.
She stared blankly at Tang Song in his formal attire—first struck by how handsome he looked, then overwhelmed by an unexpected sense of awe.
Step. Step.
His leather shoes tapped against the floor as he strode toward her, closing the distance.
He wanted to test out his new outfit and the effects of the [Heartthrob’s Eye Drops].
"T-Tang… Chairman Tang…" Lin Muxue’s lips trembled as she subconsciously switched to a formal address.
Tang Song still didn’t respond.
Instead, he gently pinched her chin, leaned down, and kissed her lips.
"Mmh—!" Lin Muxue let out a muffled sound as her mind went blank.
She had a thing for powerful men.
Her initial attraction to Tang Song stemmed from seeing him stand confidently on the investment roadshow stage.
That cold, towering silhouette, brimming with self-assurance, had been etched into her memory ever since.
And the Tang Song before her now… was the ultimate evolution of that man.
As she stood there dazed, Tang Song locked eyes with her and slowly said:
"I love you."
"Ba-dump. Ba-dump—"
The thunderous sound of her heartbeat erupted uncontrollably.
Lin Muxue’s face flushed deep red, her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the floor—almost passing out on the spot.
Tang Song’s eyelid twitched at her intense reaction.
Damn! This effect is insane.
Then a thought crossed his mind—
What if I tried this on my crazy girlfriend, Xiao Jing?
No way.
He had to practice on Qingqing’s ass tonight first.
Shifting his gaze back to Lin Muxue, he asked with mild concern, "Are you okay?"
"I… I… might have just been too exhausted from yesterday…" Lin Muxue muttered, her eyes dazed and misty as she slowly got back on her feet.
Then, taking a deep breath, she whispered, "I love you too, Tang Song."
Tang Song smiled, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Oh right, Little Xue, I have something for you."
At those words, Lin Muxue’s face instantly brightened with a dazzling smile.
Waking up to Tang Song looking this handsome, hearing him say "I love you", and now he was giving her a gift?!
Damn!
Is this even real life?!
Why does this feel like a dream?!
With her eyes wide in anticipation, she watched as Tang Song walked over to the safe in the corner.
He retrieved a handful of items, then closed the safe again.
Returning to her, he grinned. "Hold out your hands."
Lin Muxue hesitated for a moment but obediently extended both hands.
Then—
"Clink-clank!"
A series of metallic thuds rang out.
Suddenly, she found herself holding five solid, hefty… gold bars.
Feeling the weight in her hands, Lin Muxue’s breath quickened, and a sudden urge to pee hit her.
She remembered this feeling all too well.
The last time Tang Song gifted her concert tickets, he had also given her two 100g bank-certified gold bars.
At the time, she had sold them due to an urgent need for cash.
Afterward, when gold prices surged, she had deeply regretted it.
And now—
Tang Song had just handed her five more.
At the current gold price, this equated to 230,000 yuan.
Her little personal savings had just been revived—no, it had exploded!
"Th-this…" Lin Muxue licked her lips, trying to maintain her composure. "This… is it really…?"
Tang Song patted her perky butt and chuckled.
"Take it. You've been performing exceptionally well lately—consider it a bonus for my assistant."
These gold bars had been sitting in his safe for a long time, with 25 left.
He had initially planned to tease Xu Qing with them tonight while spanking her, but then he thought—
Little Xue probably loves gold too.
Might as well give her a few.
As for the rest, he'd distribute them later—maybe to Big Sis and his favorite beautician.
"Then I’ll accept it. Thank you."
Lin Muxue immediately pounced on him, showering his face, lips, and neck with excited kisses.
For her, money was the ultimate aphrodisiac.
And combined with her overwhelming love for Tang Song, she was practically ready to devour him.
After some heated making out in the closet, Lin Muxue rushed off to the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Tang Song went to the study, turned on his computer, and began sorting through files.
Just then—
"Ding dong—"
A WeChat notification popped up.
[Lingling]: "Ahem, ( ) Good morning! I worked late last night—weather forecast update will be delayed a bit~"
Seeing the message from his junior, Tang Song smirked, took a selfie, and sent it over.
"I finally wore the suit you made for me. What do you think?"
[Lingling]: "(O.O) DAMN. TOO. HANDSOME. Unreasonably handsome!!!"
[Lingling]: "I’m making this my lock screen. This way, I’ll stay awake while drawing—no more fear of all-nighters! Hahaha!"
Tang Song: "(#Serious) Lock screen is fine, but you have to pay a royalty fee!"
[Lingling]: "(#PuppyEyes) I’m broke QQ"
Tang Song chuckled and typed back, "Then send me a picture of yourself. Oh, and make it a back-view shot—I want to see how your gym progress is going."
[Lingling]: "Sweating emoji"
Minutes passed, but Lingling didn’t send a photo.
Tang Song set his phone down and let his fingers dance across the keyboard.
After yesterday’s discussion with He Jingping, his decision to take over Huashang Fushi had sparked a series of new ideas for brand operations and OEM manufacturing.
These ideas might significantly accelerate his Growth Plan Task.
Over ten minutes later—
"Ding dong—"
His phone screen lit up again.
[Lingling: Back View Photo.jpg] Chapters first released on NoveI[F]ire.net
A loose white T-shirt paired with skin-tone leggings—captured from a low angle—perfectly showcased Lingling’s pear-shaped figure.
Clearly, she had been coached by an expert.
Tang Song blinked and couldn’t resist zooming in on the photo.
He had to admit—from the front, she looked pretty ordinary.
But from the back?
Ridiculously strong.
Her upper body was slender, her waistline sleek and toned, and her lower body was full and round like blooming pear blossoms.
Coupled with her well-defined, powerful thighs, she exuded a youthful, athletic femininity.
After admiring the photo for a while, Tang Song genuinely praised, “You look amazing!”
Star Blossom Garden Residential Complex
Laughter filled the entire living room.
"Wow, amazing! Haha, Tang Song praised you! Why don’t you ask him—who looks better, you or Lin Muxue?"
"Come on, let’s take more pictures! Let Senior see just how flirty Lingling can be!"
Blushing, Yao Lingling playfully wrestled with her friends.
She then twisted her hips dramatically, teasing, "You’re just jealous of my big butt!~"
Humming happily, she dashed back to her room.
Opening her closet, she pulled out a strapless "manga chest" bra she had ordered online, slipped it on, and—bam!—she was now a C-cup.
The bra had an adhesive lining, ensuring it stayed firmly in place.
Having been an A-cup all her life, she had avoided tight-fitting clothes and spaghetti straps.
And with her carefree personality, her fashion choices had always leaned toward loose and comfortable.
But after Senior Xu Qing’s guidance and under Lin Muxue’s pressure, she finally decided to try this “boob-enhancing” miracle product.
She had a cycling date with Tang Song on Sunday, so she needed time to get used to it and prevent any wardrobe malfunctions.
After changing, she checked herself in the mirror, her face tinged with shyness.
Holy sh*t!
Never in my life did I think I could have an S-shaped figure!
With her consistent glute workouts and today’s “manga chest” boost, her attractiveness had skyrocketed.
Excited, she walked out of her room.
Seeing her completely new look, Zhang Jiahong and Li Shumin gasped.
"This transformation is insane! If you’re not on next year’s consumer fraud show, I’m not watching it!"
"Damn, Lingling! This is straight-up deception! Poor Senior Tang Song!"
"From now on, we’re calling you Fake Ling!"
"No! That sounds terrible!"
"Fake Ling! Fake Ling!"
"Hey, hey! Talk all you want, but hands off!"
After messing around for a bit, the three had breakfast together and then headed to work.
Since rain was expected, Yao Lingling left her little scooter at home and took the bus to Yuhua Business Tower.
During the ride, she noticed something unusual—
Her turn-around rate was insanely high today.
Realizing this put her in an even better mood.
She couldn’t wait to see Senior’s reaction when he saw her.
Yuhua Business Tower
At the office, Lingling laughed and joked with her colleagues for a while before getting down to work.
The Yan Province International Fashion Exhibition was starting next Wednesday, and her designs were in the final tuning phase.
11:50 AM | Near Lunchtime
Yao Lingling stretched her wrists and stood up from her desk, about to ask Li Shumin to grab lunch together.
Just then—
"Hello, good afternoon, Lingling."
She turned around and saw Xiao Mingxuan walking down the hallway in casual wear.
"Director Xiao, you’re a bit late today."
The moment Xiao Mingxuan saw her new look, he froze, eyes widening.
"Holy sh*t, Lingling, you—"
Yao Lingling’s face turned slightly red. She playfully put a finger to her lips and whispered, "Shh. Let’s not ruin the illusion. I’m just a pretty façade, hahaha."
"Pfft—" Xiao Mingxuan chuckled.
He then shook his head in amazement, saying, "I have to admit, Lingling—you really are stunning. I seriously underestimated you before."
With her new C-cup and a tight-fitting T-shirt and jeans, her toned, curvy figure was fully showcased—taking Xiao Mingxuan completely by surprise.
"Thanks for the compliment!" Lingling grinned and playfully cupped her hands in a mock bow.
Then, she added, "Anyway, I’m heading to lunch with Minmin. Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet. Let’s go together—I haven’t had knife-cut noodles in a while."
Lunch at Jin Province Noodle House
Since she was blessed with a fitness-goddess physique, Yao Lingling had a big appetite.
She ordered a stir-fried knife-cut noodle dish, adding two eggs, a sausage, and a side of fish balls.
As she slurped down her noodles with an infectious energy, Xiao Mingxuan smiled but couldn’t hide a trace of concern in his expression.
1:00 PM | Outside Yuhua Business Tower
As they leisurely walked back from lunch, Xiao Mingxuan suddenly paused.
"Lingling, are you free right now?"
Lingling blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, nothing urgent."
"The weather’s nice—let’s take a walk outside. I want to talk about next week’s fashion expo."
"Oh, sure."
Xiao Mingxuan smiled at Li Shumin and said, "Minmin, you go ahead. Let Director Li know I’m back—we’ll have a meeting later."
"Got it."
Li Shumin gave Lingling a knowing look before heading inside.
The glass walls of the office tower reflected the overcast sky, while a moist breeze drifted by.
"Yesterday, my father and I had a meeting with the expo organizers. Apparently, one of Meigou’s board directors will be attending…"
"Our exhibition area is near the inner section, and we’ve already chosen our models…"
As they walked, Xiao Mingxuan discussed the event’s logistics, his tone slightly subdued.
After circling the building once, Lingling glanced at him.
"Are you okay? You seem… a little off today."
Xiao Mingxuan let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.
Then, suddenly, he asked—
"Lingling, what do you think of me as a person?"
Lingling’s eyes flickered for a moment, but she smiled brightly and said, "You’re great! Fantastic personality, good character, and highly capable."
"I think so too!" Xiao Mingxuan struck a self-absorbed pose, hand in pocket.
Lingling giggled, covering her mouth. "Mostly, you’re my boss—I wouldn’t dare talk bad about you."
After some lighthearted banter, Xiao Mingxuan sighed.
"Back when I first joined Shangya Fashion, you were the only one who was patient and willing to help me. That really left a deep impression on me. I thought, ‘Wow, this girl is not only beautiful but also kind-hearted.’"
"Haha, thanks for the praise, Director Xiao!"
"Lingling, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it? Go ahead."
Feigning nonchalance, Xiao Mingxuan said, "My family is pressuring me to get married, but I don’t want to follow their arrangements. Could you pretend to be my girlfriend?"
Lingling froze for a moment, then firmly shook her head.
"Sorry, I really can’t help with that."
Xiao Mingxuan let out a deep breath, shrugged, and forced a smile. "Alright, I was just asking anyway, haha."
Lingling chuckled and said, "Ugh, lunch was way too salty and spicy—I need to go drink some water."
"Alright, let’s head back."
Watching Lingling’s retreating figure, a complicated expression crossed Xiao Mingxuan’s face.
Truthfully, today’s conversation had just been a test.