novelraw Chapter 450: Zheng Qiudong, Shangguan Qiuya
Chapter 450: Zheng Qiudong, Shangguan Qiuya
Xingchen Huayuan Residential Complex.
“Bye-bye.”
“Bye-bye~ Senior, take care on the road.”
As she watched the Bentley Continental disappear from view, Yao Lingling slung her tote bag over her shoulder, lowered her head, and walked into the apartment building.
Gradually, her steps quickened.
“Clack—”
The sound-activated hallway lights flickered on one by one as she quickly ascended to the fifth floor.
Standing in front of the door, Yao Lingling rubbed her burning cheeks, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.
But the scenes in the car kept flashing in her mind.
The dark cabin, those long, smooth hands gently kneading…Even though it had only lasted a few seconds, even though there had been clothing and a 4CM cushion in between, it still sent shivers through her body and soul.
That feeling was indescribable—almost as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
“Click—”
The door suddenly cracked open.
Two heads peeked out.
“Ah!” Yao Lingling jumped back in fright, nearly leaping out of her skin.
“Jeez! What are you two doing?! Don’t you know that scaring people like that can be deadly?!”
Li Shumin blinked, looking mischievous. “We’ve been waiting for you for ages. Why weren’t you coming in? Don’t tell me… you did something indecent?”
“Shut up! You’re the one who did something indecent!” Yao Lingling, face flushed, yanked the door open, pushed past them, and strode inside.
She changed into her slippers and headed to the living room.
Zhang Jiahong, still dazed, asked, “Lingling, Minmin said Senior Tang Song is a billionaire and the owner of Lanfeng International Hotel. Is that true?”
At first, she had thought Li Shumin was joking and hadn’t taken it seriously.
But just now, while standing on the balcony, she had seen Tang Song actually drop Lingling off in a Bentley Continental—and her mind had short-circuited.
She still hadn’t recovered.
“It’s true…” Yao Lingling sighed helplessly. “Actually, when he gave Su Yu those concert tickets and birthday gifts, didn’t we already suspect something? So it’s not that surprising.”
Back when she received that luxury Qixi Festival gift box, Zhang Jiahong had even joked that maybe Tang Song was a secret rich guy.
After all, casually giving out gifts worth over a hundred thousand yuan wasn’t something a regular person could do.
“Holy st! Holy st! Holy s**t!” Zhang Jiahong’s eyes widened. “I… I was just talking nonsense before! Who knew… this… No wonder he helped me secure that Huashang Fashion job offer!”
Looking at Yao Lingling, she felt like this whole thing was surreal.
They used to joke about treating Tang Song like an electronic pet—who would’ve thought their electronic pet turned out to be a dragon?
And Lingling’s luck… was honestly just insane.
Li Shumin nodded seriously. “Yeah, it’s pretty f**king wild! But it’s real.”
After a moment, Zhang Jiahong rubbed her temples. “I can’t. My brain is scrambled—I need a minute.”
Li Shumin smacked her lips, suddenly excited. “From now on… does this mean we have top-tier connections? The owner of Lanfeng International Hotel is our friend—imagine how impressive that sounds!”
Yao Lingling quickly waved her hands. “Hey, hey, don’t go blabbering about this everywhere! Keep it low-key!”
“Relax, I was just fantasizing.” Li Shumin suddenly leaned in, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Lingling, be honest. You guys went for a ride for over an hour… Really nothing happened?”
“Nothing!” Yao Lingling answered firmly.
Li Shumin sighed in disappointment. “Damn, I wanted to ask you what it’s like to have intimate contact with a heartthrob like Tang Song… What a pity.”
“Ugh, I’m exhausted after a long day. I’m gonna lie down for a bit.” Yao Lingling waved them off and quickly escaped into her bedroom.
Closing the door behind her, she tossed her bag aside and collapsed onto the bed.
She wriggled slightly, eyes closed, her mind filled with inappropriate thoughts.
For a while, she just lay there, lost in her imagination.
“Bzzz—”
Her phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated.
Yao Lingling quickly sat up, grabbed her phone, and glanced at the screen.
The smile on her face faded.
[Xiao Mingxuan]
She hesitated for a moment before picking up.
Soon, a low, hoarse voice came through the receiver. “Hey, Lingling.”
Yao Lingling immediately asked, “President Xiao, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Xiao Mingxuan paused before saying, “I’m sorry. What happened today… was all because of me.”
Yao Lingling responded lightly, “Oh, it’s fine, really. It was just a misunderstanding—it’s all in the past now. Let’s just focus on preparing for next Wednesday. I’m looking forward to Qimeng making it big!”
From the other end of the call, Xiao Mingxuan’s breathing became slightly uneven.
Yao Lingling grew concerned. “Hey? President Xiao? Are you okay?”
After a moment, his voice came through again. “Thank you, Lingling. You’re a really great girl—especially your personality. Every time I spend time with you or talk to you, I feel this overwhelming emotional warmth. I…”
Hearing where this was going, Yao Lingling playfully interrupted, “Wow, I didn’t realize I was this amazing in President Xiao’s eyes! Thanks for the compliments, boss. I’ll keep working hard!”
Xiao Mingxuan fell silent for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice, “Alright. As long as you’re okay. Bye.”
“Bye-bye.”
Hanging up, Yao Lingling let out a long sigh.
She genuinely saw Xiao Mingxuan as a friend.
And she could tell… that he had his own struggles.
So even though Wen Qiuyue had been completely out of line today, she didn’t hold anything against Xiao Mingxuan.
Lying on her bed, she spaced out for a while.
Then, her phone screen lit up again.
[Tang Song: “I’m home. Good night. Sleep early.”]
After quickly replying, Yao Lingling leapt off the bed, tied her hair into a high ponytail, and strode toward the bathroom.
She had always been an optimistic and carefree person who didn’t dwell on things. She liked to look ahead and focus on positive possibilities.
Right now, what she needed to do was work hard to improve herself and become a famous fashion designer as soon as possible!
Oh, and get her glutes in shape while she’s at it!
Monday, September 11, 2023.
Cloudy. 21–28°C.
Huashang Fashion Headquarters, 8th Floor, Chairman’s Office.
He Zhihui leaned lazily against the sofa, spinning his phone between his fingers. “Dad, last night President Lin talked to me for a long time. He wants to push for a cross-shareholding deal between Yingqu Media and Huashang Fashion.”
“That’s impossible.” He Jingping took a sip of tea and shook his head. “Let’s wait until the joint venture starts showing results before discussing that. Are their terms still the same?”
“Yeah.” He Zhihui spread his hands. “Their bottom line is 51% ownership, meaning they must have control over the joint venture. But they’re willing to let me be CEO. Right now, traffic is king, and they don’t see our supply chain and equipment as a major advantage—Southern manufacturers aren’t bad either.”
He Jingping set down his teacup, his brow furrowed in thought.
He Zhihui leaned forward. “Dad, are you worried about Tang Song?”
“Mm.” He Jingping nodded. “I’ve had people reach out to him a few times over the past few days, but his responses have been perfunctory.”
“Hah, he really thinks he’s something, huh?” He Zhihui crossed his legs and sneered. “He rejected our partnership and now wants to strangle us? At least within Huashang Fashion, he can’t stir up much trouble.”
He Jingping pondered for a moment before saying in a low voice, “Let’s observe for now. Harmony is best.”
Tang Song held 35% of the company’s shares and two board seats, granting him veto power over major decisions.
He didn’t want to escalate things too much.
If necessary, they could limit the joint venture to non-core operations or exclude major assets during the initial phase to circumvent potential interference. However, that would slow the company’s growth.
Just then—
“Knock, knock, knock—”
“Come in,” He Jingping called out.
The company’s President, Wu Wei, strode in briskly.
“President Wu!” He Zhihui greeted enthusiastically, standing up.
Wu Wei gave a nod and sat beside He Jingping, his expression serious. “Chairman He, Chairman Tang has just sent six people to our company, requesting to audit the financial data. They want full cooperation.”
“Oh?” He Jingping’s brow furrowed slightly. “What does he mean by that? Does he think we’re harming his shareholder interests? Is he here to check the books?”
Wu Wei shook his head. “Among them is lawyer Zhao Xingzhi from Quanjing Law Firm. I know him personally. According to him, Chairman Tang simply wants to gain a deeper understanding of the company.”
He Zhihui muttered in irritation, “We’re at a critical stage for Huashang Fashion. A high-profile audit like this will slow down our operations and, if word gets out, damage our market reputation!”
“We don’t have a choice. We can’t refuse.” Wu Wei’s tone was firm. “As a shareholder and board member, Chairman Tang has the right to access financial records.”
He Jingping tapped his fingers on the sofa’s armrest and said gravely, “Then notify the Finance Department to fully cooperate. Have Director Li oversee this personally.”
“Understood. Rest assured, Chairman He—I’ll handle it.” Wu Wei nodded and left.
As the office door closed behind him, He Zhihui cursed under his breath.
His impression of Tang Song was terrible—not only because of Lin Muxue, but also because Tang Song had blatantly disrespected him during their last meeting, treating him as if he were insignificant.
Now, he was in the middle of taking over Huashang Fashion, trying to make a name for himself through the joint venture.
Tang Song, standing in his way, had undoubtedly become his "enemy."
“Dad, do you think he’s trying to dig up something so he can use it against us? Maybe he’ll demand that we transfer production lines to Songmei Fashion?”
“Let him dig all he wants—our financial records are clean.” He Jingping waved a hand dismissively. “Enough. Stop standing around like an idiot. Go meet Tang Song’s audit team and figure out what exactly they want.”
“Got it. Leave it to me.” He Zhihui grabbed a cigarette from his father’s coffee table and strode out of the office.
4:00 PM
Yan Provincial Financial Center, 50th Floor
Inside the conference room—
“Chairman Tang, we conducted a preliminary analysis of Huashang Fashion’s financial statements from the past three years…”
“We plan to use DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) and Relative Valuation methods for cross-verification. The core variables in the DCF model have been determined, including revenue growth rate, net profit margin, capital expenditures, and WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital)…”
Geraint (Liu Zhengping), the head of Huashang Fashion’s equity acquisition team, stood in front of the projector, reporting the progress of the project.
Tang Song, wearing glasses, listened attentively, occasionally asking questions.
During his Scholar’s Badge buff, he had absorbed a vast amount of financial and economic knowledge.
But knowing wasn’t the same as applying it in real-world business cases.
This acquisition and takeover was a learning experience for him as well.
Besides, he had full trust in the professional team from Confluent Capital—especially since its shareholders included Tang Jin Family Office.
After nearly an hour, the meeting concluded, and the attendees filed out.
Tang Song pushed open his office door and immediately spotted Assistant Lin sitting quietly on the sofa, waiting.
Dressed in a tailored women’s business suit, she exuded the aura of a true financial elite in this setting.
“Chairman Tang, you’re here.” Lin Muxue quickly stood up, flashing a bright smile.
Tang Song casually closed the door and returned a slight nod with a smile.
Lin Muxue handed over a file. “The due diligence team has officially entered Huashang Fashion and will focus on examining its assets and liabilities. The full audit should be completed this week.”
“Good work.” Tang Song took the documents and sat down across from her.
As he flipped through the files, he inhaled the fresh, delicate fragrance emanating from his assistant.
To quickly gain control over Huashang Fashion, he had deployed a three-pronged strategy:
Reevaluating the company’s assets and share dilution potential under his own name.
Negotiating with Dingyun Investment and Chengrong Group through Confluent Capital.
Secretly acquiring shares from six minority shareholders through Slover Trust.
The advantage of Slover Trust was complete confidentiality.
As a trust company, it kept his name out of sight—allowing him to secure control without alarming He Jingping.
Once all transactions were completed, he could restructure the board of directors immediately.
After reviewing the documents, Tang Song looked up.
Lin Muxue hesitated before speaking softly, “Chairman Tang, He Jingping has run Huashang Fashion for many years. The company’s upper management is full of his loyalists. Even if you control the board, it’ll still be difficult to truly take over. I think we should prepare a succession plan in advance.”
Tang Song raised an eyebrow and nodded approvingly. “Not bad, Assistant Lin. Your thinking is very clear.”
Lin Muxue’s smile deepened, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. “That’s all thanks to your guidance, Chairman Tang.”
In truth, most of the materials and arrangements had been beyond her expertise.
To ensure she didn’t make any mistakes, she frequently sought advice from Zhang Lili, a former foreign investment banker and close friend.
Zhang Lili’s sharp insights had been a huge help.
Tang Song chuckled and gestured toward his desk. “Go to the leftmost drawer and bring me the folder inside.”
“Got it!” Lin Muxue stood up, her high heels clicking as she walked over.
Her movements were graceful, her waist subtly swaying—paired with today’s outfit, she exuded an aura of icy elegance and allure.
She gently placed the folder onto the coffee table in front of Tang Song. The source of thɪs content is novel•fire.net
Instead of returning to her seat, she stood quietly beside him.
Tang Song opened the folder.
Inside were dossiers of key personnel.
The first document read:
[Huashang Fashion Co., Ltd. – President – Wu Wei]
Wu Wei had graduated from Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management, later earning an MBA from MIT in the U.S.
After graduation, he joined McKinsey & Co., specializing in consumer goods and retail strategy.
In 2014, he met He Jingping at an industry summit and later joined Huashang Fashion as Strategy Director, leading its digital transformation and supply chain optimization.
By 2017, he was promoted to Vice President, overseeing brand operations and marketing. In 2022, he succeeded He Jingping as President.
Though He Jingping had stepped down as CEO, he still controlled daily operations, and Wu Wei had to report everything to him.
According to Deju Renhe’s internal reports, Wu Wei was highly competent and ambitious.
However—with He Jingping grooming his son, He Zhihui, to take over, Wu Wei’s position was now under serious threat.
At 42, he was at the peak of his career, craving greater authority and a bigger stage.
That was the greatest point of conflict.
Apart from Wu Wei, every mid-to-senior executive at Huashang Fashion was now under surveillance by Deju Renhe’s headhunting team.
Those worth keeping would stay. Those needing replacement would be directly swapped out.
“This is… Wu Wei’s résumé.” Lin Muxue pursed her lips in surprise. “The details are so thorough… even a personality analysis?”
“Mm. He’s the first target.” Tang Song nodded slightly. Then, he took a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. “Tomorrow, pick someone up from the airport and arrange for him to stay at Lanfeng International Hotel.”
Lin Muxue immediately responded, “Got it!”
Taking the high-quality black-and-gold business card, she lowered her gaze to read it—then froze for a moment.
[Deju Renhe Consulting Co., Ltd. – Chairman – Zheng Qiudong]
As Tang Song’s assistant and someone who had been working in finance for a while, she naturally knew about Deju Renhe.
Even her colleague Zhang Lili and many others had been recruited through Deju Renhe.
It was the largest human resources and headhunting firm in China and had been named one of Fortune China’s Most Valuable Consulting Brands for three consecutive years.
With its business expanding rapidly in recent years, Deju Renhe now covered full-spectrum consulting services.
It even had a Government and Public Affairs division, directly participating in national economic zone planning.
For a company like that, its chairman’s status and influence were self-evident—a true elite figure, frequently featured in news reports and high-profile events.
Looking at the business card in her hand, Lin Muxue felt a surge of excitement, once again realizing the privilege of being Tang Song’s assistant.
Tomorrow, I have to take a picture with him and post it on Little Red Book, Douyin, and Shen Yuyan’s group chat.
That would definitely boost her prestige again!
Tang Song set down the folder and suddenly asked, “By the way, Assistant Lin, do you have Liu Jiayi’s number?”
Lin Muxue quickly regained her composure and said softly, “Yes. I made sure to get Jiayi’s contact info earlier.”
“Good. Tomorrow, have her drive you to pick up Zheng Qiudong.”
“Huh?” Lin Muxue blinked, then grinned. “Okay. Thank you, Chairman Tang!”
Hell yes! (A.A)Y Ya!!
Now, tomorrow’s photo post could also feature a Rolls-Royce Phantom, making it even more badass!
Hahaha!
Just thinking about it got her hyped, her cheeks faintly blushing.
Noticing her reaction, Tang Song raised an eyebrow and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her slightly closer.
Lin Muxue trembled slightly and sank into his embrace.
A moment later, his lips found hers, and her clothes started to loosen.
At nearly 200 meters above ground, the floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the bustling cityscape.
As Tang Song indulged in Lin Muxue’s response, his mind remained on his full takeover plan for Huashang Fashion.
To ensure everything went smoothly, he had personally called in Zheng Qiudong.
At the same time, it was an opportunity to meet his ‘trusted ally from the game’ in person.
Beijing, Smile Holdings Headquarters.
In the busy office area, the clatter of keyboards and the ringing of phones blended into a rhythmic hum.
Click, click, click.
A pair of crisp, confident footsteps approached from afar.
The employees quickly paused their work and greeted her enthusiastically.
Shangguan Qiuya walked with a warm, approachable smile, heading straight toward the corner of the office area.
Sensing the movement, Xiaojing, who had been slacking off and chatting in group messages, quickly lifted her head and beamed.
“Assistant Shangguan! Good afternoon!”
Shangguan Qiuya gave her a gentle nod, her tone calm and pleasant. “Xiaojing, come with me to the small meeting room.”
“Of course!” Xiaojing immediately stood up and followed quickly.
The two of them entered a temporary meeting room near the office area.
The room wasn’t large, but it was bright and neatly arranged, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the vibrant streets of Beijing.
Shangguan Qiuya gestured for Xiaojing to sit, then gracefully took a seat across from her.
Xiaojing blinked and grinned sweetly. “Shangguan-Sis, your outfit today is gorgeous, and your makeup is flawless! You’re the epitome of a corporate goddess!”
“Thank you.” Shangguan Qiuya chuckled lightly, her gaze radiant as she looked at her. “Xiaojing, your corporate training has officially ended—congratulations! You did exceptionally well.”
“Ah!” Xiaojing immediately stood up, bowing deeply. “Thank you, Sis! I’m really grateful for all your guidance and help—not just at work but also in my personal life! I have no idea how to express my gratitude!”
“No need to be so formal. Sit down.”
“Sis, I actually got you a small gift, but I didn’t bring it with me today. How about this—after work, we grab a meal, then swing by my place so I can give it to you?”
“Sure, thanks in advance, Xiaojing.”
Shangguan Qiuya smiled at her, keenly noticing the subtle shift in her form of address—from “Assistant Shangguan” to “Sis” (Sister Qiuya).
This little one is sharp.
Even though she lacks ambition, she still knows how to seize the right moments.
Now that she was leaving Smile Holdings, they would no longer be superior and subordinate.
Calling her “Sis” now clearly signaled that she wanted to maintain and deepen their personal connection.
They continued chatting pleasantly for a while.
Halfway through the conversation, Shangguan Qiuya suddenly said, “By the way, I’m leaving for a business trip to Yan City tomorrow. Once you return home in a few days, we can meet up there.”
“Really? That’s awesome!” Xiaojing’s eyes sparkled. “I’ll treat you when you get there! Have you arranged a place to stay?”
“Mm. I’ll be staying at Lanfeng International Hotel.”
“Oh, perfect! My house is super close to there—I’ll come visit you!”
“Heh, sounds good.” Shangguan Qiuya looked into her eyes, her tone turning serious. “One more thing—tomorrow morning, Director Jin is meeting a select group of employees, and I specifically recommended you. Make sure to give it your best shot.”
“Hiss—” Xiaojing inhaled sharply, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
As a die-hard anime fan, she idolized Jin Meixiao, who seemed as unreal as an anime protagonist.
To her, Jin Meixiao was like Boa Hancock from One Piece—powerful, elegant, and completely untouchable.
During her corporate training in Beijing, her biggest wish had been to see this ‘Empress’ of the business world in person.