novelraw Chapter 464: Secretary Jin’s Little Maneuver
Chapter 464: Secretary Jin’s Little Maneuver
September 14, 2023, Thursday, sunny, 17~29°C.
The morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow on the floor. A faint fragrance lingered in the air, mixed with the scent of red wine, making the atmosphere feel especially tranquil.
Lin Muxue let out a soft hum, her eyelashes trembling slightly as she slowly woke up from her sleep. Her body felt as if it had been run over—every inch sore and exhausted.
She lay there for a while, her mind gradually clearing up. Checking the time, it was already close to 8 AM. Tang Song had probably already gotten up for work.
Then, scenes from last night flashed through her mind like a movie.
Lin Muxue buried her face into the pillow, muttering softly, “I’m done for, I’ve embarrassed myself completely this time.”
Overwhelmed by excitement last night, she had ended up using some tricks she learned from the “Socialite Group” on Tang Song and even spouted quite a bit of trash talk.
The result? A complete defeat. By the end, her mind was in a haze, leaving her entirely at his mercy, trying out positions she had never done before. It had been an absolute spectacle.
Thinking about it, a trace of fear flickered in Lin Muxue’s eyes.
Just one time, and she felt like she was set for the whole week.Rubbing her sore body, Lin Muxue winced and slowly sat up. She struggled to make her way to the bathroom for a quick wash.
Since her clothes were still in the living room, she had no choice but to grab one of Tang Song’s T-shirts from the walk-in closet.
Due to her proportions, her lower body was long.
The slightly loose T-shirt draped down to her calves, unintentionally adding a touch of sensuality.
Lin Muxue smoothed out her messy hair, barefoot, as she walked toward the living room.
Just as she approached the study’s small door, a voice full of warmth and enthusiasm came from outside:
“Mm, wishing them great success for the press conference. You’re really looking forward to Qingmi’s bright future.”
“Go, Qingning darling! You love him, mua~”
“Come on, give him a kiss.”
“Hey, hey, hey, don’t be so reserved! Have you even kissed him yet?”
“That’s what makes it interesting! If you’re serious, just rush to Shenzhen today and kiss him in person!”
“You miss him.”
Lin Muxue stood quietly at the door, listening to the conversation outside, her gaze flickering.
Qingning?
That was a name she had never heard before.
And it was also the first time she realized Tang Song had such a “lively” side to him.
Like an ordinary guy in love.
Because of the impact of the family trust incident in the past, Tang Song had always been the aloof CEO type in her eyes.
Even in front of Zhao Yaqian, he had never been this relaxed—more like last night, gentle and warm.
Was she envious? Of course.
But she was self-aware. Being able to go from a “disastrous beginning” to becoming his assistant, with her future already planned out by him, was already the best possible outcome.
“Alright then, you should get to work. Bye-bye.”
“Oh, almost forgot! You look gorgeous today, haha.”
Hearing the voice inside, Lin Muxue quickly turned away from the study and headed toward the living room.
Her expression stiffened slightly.
The dress, lingerie, and underwear that had been scattered all over the floor last night were gone—only a pair of slippers remained.
Even the map she had drawn on the floor had been cleaned up.
After searching around with no luck, Lin Muxue was about to return to the bedroom when footsteps suddenly sounded behind her.
Then, Tang Song’s voice came: “Awake?”
“Mm.” Lin Muxue quickly turned around, a faint blush creeping onto her face. “I came to get my clothes.”
Tang Song stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her waist, lowering his head with a smile. “I had the property management send your Chanel gown for dry cleaning—it should be back before 9. Your lingerie is in the laundry room, already washed and dried.”
Hearing this, Lin Muxue’s throat tightened, her eyes widening in an instant, overwhelmed with emotion.
This treatment… Oh my god!
If she weren’t in “absolute sage mode” right now, and if she weren’t still sore, she would have definitely initiated another round.
Licking her lips, Lin Muxue stood on her toes, leaned in, and gave him a light kiss on the lips. “Thank you.”
Tang Song patted her on the butt. “There’s breakfast in the dining room, go eat.”
“Mm.” Lin Muxue nodded and followed him to the dining area.
On the solid wood dining table were milk, fresh fruit salad, and golden croissants.
As she ate, Lin Muxue stole glances at Tang Song.
He was wearing a simple white dress shirt, sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing his toned forearms.
The morning sunlight cast soft shadows on his sharp features, making him look even more attractive.
To her, Tang Song was now the most charming man in the world—completely flawless.
Tang Song replied to a few messages on his phone before suddenly asking, “By the way, Xiaoxue, what’s your current education level?”
“Cough, cough, cough—” Lin Muxue choked on her milk.
“S-sorry, sorry.”
She quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin, avoiding eye contact.
Faced with this most embarrassing topic, her first instinct was to lie. But that thought vanished almost immediately.
After all, Tang Song already knew her inside out. And last night, he even mentioned helping her secure a master’s program at a prestigious university.
Biting her lip, Lin Muxue mumbled, “I… I did my associate’s degree at Yan City Vocational College, majoring in [Air Stewardess]. Later, I took an independent study course and passed Yan City University of Economics and Trade’s Business Administration program. I got my diploma this July—it’s verifiable on the academic records website.”
After saying this, she cautiously looked at Tang Song, afraid he might say something discouraging.
“Mm.” Tang Song nodded calmly. “Then… here’s your first task.”
“Huh? Yes, sir!” Lin Muxue immediately straightened her posture.
Hearing “task” instinctively switched her into assistant mode.
Tang Song chuckled. “Pick a university and a master’s program you want to enroll in. I’ll arrange for your admission—you’ll have your diploma within a year. It’s mainly online coursework, though you may need to visit campus occasionally.”
Lin Muxue’s eyes lit up instantly. “What universities can I choose from?”
In the past, when she attended social events, she always claimed to be a graduate of the University of Economics and Trade. At times, even she started believing it herself.
But that only worked in casual settings—certain things just couldn’t hold up under scrutiny.
“Anywhere in the global TOP 100—G5, Ivy League, you name it.”
“This…” Lin Muxue’s breathing became rapid, her voice slightly dry. “Okay, I’ll think it through seriously and get back to you soon.”
With that settled, Tang Song stood up. “Alright, finish your breakfast. I’ll go pack up and head to work.”
“Okay.”
Watching Tang Song’s figure disappear, Lin Muxue stomped lightly in place and let out a low cheer, unable to hide her excitement any longer.
Many of her colleagues at Slover Trust and Confluent Capital were graduates of those prestigious schools.
Every time school and alumni were brought up in conversation, she always felt incredibly awkward and deliberately kept silent.
She never expected that one day, she’d finally have something to show for it.
Since Tang Song said he could arrange it, it would undoubtedly be a degree recognized by society.
For her, this was an invaluable opportunity.
From now on, she could show off with confidence when she went out!
She definitely had to discuss this thoroughly with Zhang Lili later and pick the most suitable option!
…
Yuhua Business Tower, Shangya Fashion Design.
“Good morning, Lingling, Minmin.”
“Morning, Zhao.” “Morning.”
“Hey, weren’t you guys at the exhibition hall these past few days? Why are you back at the office?”
“Oh, just had to come back to handle some things.”
During the fashion exhibition, the office area felt a bit deserted.
After sitting down at her desk, Yao Lingling scanned her surroundings before her gaze finally settled on her own workspace.
Stacks of neatly bound fabric samples, a digital drawing tablet, a wall covered in sticky notes, photos, a cup, a pillow, a potted plant, a charger…
Looking at these familiar items, a touch of sadness and melancholy surfaced in her eyes.
Not many people had been at the conference center yesterday, mostly senior executives and core designers, so the news about her and Li Shumin hadn’t spread.
Most of their colleagues knew nothing about it.
Yao Lingling was deeply sentimental.
Shangya was her first company after entering society.
From her senior-year internship, probation period, and eventual promotion to designer—every step was vividly etched in her memory.
Despite Shangya’s flaws, she still felt a strong sense of belonging here.
She had always hoped the company would improve, working diligently and forging close bonds with her colleagues.
However, things had ultimately taken an unforeseen turn.
“Haa…” Yao Lingling sighed, feeling a hollow emptiness inside.
A gentle pat landed on her arm. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NoveI(F)ire.net
Li Shumin gave her a soft tap and whispered, “Lingling, what’s with the sighing? Don’t tell me something changed with President Lin? Don’t scare me.”
“No, no!” Yao Lingling quickly pulled herself together, flashing a bright smile. “You know about Muxue, she’s a high-ranking executive at Huashang Fashion—getting us a job won’t be a problem.”
Yesterday, when she first saw Li Shumin, the poor girl was completely dumbfounded, mumbling like a distraught woman in a folk tale.
If Yao Lingling hadn’t reassured her with Lin Muxue’s promise, Li Shumin probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep all night.
“Mm-mm.” Li Shumin nodded vigorously, her eyes full of anticipation. “Do you think, once we move over, we can get a raise like Jiahong did?”
“It definitely won’t be worse than Shangya. Huashang is much bigger—even as an assistant designer, the pay is better.”
“President Lin is really kind. This is a blessing in disguise for us!” Li Shumin sighed emotionally before suddenly asking, “Do you think Tang Song knows about our situation?”
“Mm, he already does.” Yao Lingling nodded, a trace of warmth flickering in her eyes.
This morning, when she sent Tang Song the "weather report," he specifically comforted her and even asked about her future plans.
Just then, both their phones vibrated with a WeChat notification.
In their small four-person group chat:
[Tang Song: “@Lingling @Minmin, when will you be able to complete your resignation process?”]
Li Shumin giggled. “Wow, Senior Tang Song is amazing! He still remembers us. Lingling, hurry and reply!”
Yao Lingling opened the chat and quickly typed:
[@Tang Song: We just arrived at the office. We’ll submit our resignation today, but the handover will take about a week, so I expect to formally leave next week. Minmin should be able to leave sooner.]
As a lead fashion designer, she had a lot to hand over—design drafts, fabric samples, craftsmanship notes, pattern-making details, supplier connections… a whole mess of things.
“Bzz bzz bzz—”
[Tang Song: “Alright, once you’ve officially resigned, I’ll treat you both to a proper celebration. Also, if the company gives you any trouble during the process, let me know—I’ll take care of it.”]
“Whoa! That’s our Senior Tang Song for you! So cool!”
Li Shumin gasped in admiration, her eyes sparkling as she typed:
[@Tang Song: Thank you, Senior! That’s such a reassuring thing to hear—I’m really touched!]
Yao Lingling rolled her eyes and lightly smacked her. “Heh, now you’re sucking up?”
Li Shumin shrank her neck sheepishly with a silly grin.
After chatting with Tang Song for a bit, they finally put down their phones and started discussing their resignation process.
Yao Lingling glanced at Tang Song’s profile picture, feeling both grateful and helpless.
Senior was truly wonderful, but the more she saw his excellence, the more she felt unworthy of him.
She used to fantasize about winning design awards, becoming a renowned designer, and then proudly confessing her feelings to him.
But now, everything was back to square one.
She and Minmin even needed his help securing jobs, which only deepened her sense of inferiority.
Just then, footsteps approached.
Yao Lingling and Li Shumin looked up to see Xiao Mingxuan walking over with a tense expression.
Their eyes met, and his lips trembled slightly before he finally stopped in front of them.
After a moment, his voice came out low and hoarse. “Lingling, Minmin, come with me to the meeting room.”
Li Shumin instinctively looked toward her best friend, her stance completely deferential.
“Let’s go, Minmin.” Yao Lingling tugged her arm and headed toward the meeting room.
The frosted glass door was gently shut behind them.
Xiao Mingxuan sat across from them and let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”
Yao Lingling pursed her lips and said calmly, “President Xiao, what’s done is done. Let’s talk about how the company plans to handle our departure.”
Li Shumin opened her mouth but hesitated.
She used to have a good impression of Xiao Mingxuan, even harboring a secret crush on him.
But after Wen Qiuyue’s arrival and the company’s disgusting behavior, her perception had taken a drastic turn.
Xiao Mingxuan shook his head, quickly composing himself. He spoke sincerely, “Lingling, let’s discuss your compensation first.
“First, during your time at Shangya, all the clothing designs you created will be granted to you, with authorization for the company to use them.
“Second, the company will continue promoting those designs and pay you royalties based on the core designer rate.
“Third, your severance package will be 2N+1, with a lump sum of five months’ salary.
“In addition, you were supposed to receive a year-end bonus. Since it’s almost October, we’ll issue it as if you’ve worked the full year.”
When he finished speaking, both women were stunned.
Yao Lingling remained composed—she had somewhat expected this after seeing how Wen Ruan and Lin Muxue handled things at the conference center.
But Li Shumin’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock.
This was nothing like what she had imagined!
Just this alone meant Lingling would walk away with at least fifty or sixty thousand yuan, plus ongoing royalties!
“And Minmin.” Xiao Mingxuan turned to Li Shumin. “For you… since you don’t hold design copyrights, it’ll just be 2N+1 and the year-end bonus.
“But if you need help finding a job, I can assist with that too.
“As for your departure date, that’s entirely up to you two.”
Li Shumin swallowed hard, her view of Xiao Mingxuan shifting yet again.
“This good? This isn’t firing employees—this is practically charity!”
Just as Li Shumin was about to express her gratitude, Yao Lingling suddenly asked, “President Xiao, does the company have any conditions?”
Xiao Mingxuan hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words. “No conditions, as long as you can let go of your anger. Also, if possible, could you tell President Tang that we hope he won’t pursue the matter further?”
Li Shumin blurted out, “President Tang? What do you mean?”
Yao Lingling’s heart skipped a beat as she instantly connected the dots.
Xiao Mingxuan lowered his voice. “I mean Tang Song.”
“Ah! Senior Tang Song? He…” Li Shumin’s expression froze, stumbling over her words. “He’s going to pursue this…?”
Xiao Mingxuan pressed his lips together tightly, gaze lowered. “This whole situation started because of me and Wen Qiuyue. Shangya is actually innocent. My dad only acted the way he did because of Wen Qiuyue’s request. I hope you both can forgive the company.”
For Shangya and Jiaxin Group, Wen Ruan or Lin Muxue wouldn’t have caused any fundamental impact.
At most, they’d be blocked from Meigou’s cross-border channels, but they could always find alternative routes.
But Tang Song was different—he was a true power player.
Zheng Qiudong, Shangguan Qiuya, Director Sun—each one of them was someone they couldn’t afford to offend.
Hearing the faint desperation in Xiao Mingxuan’s voice, Li Shumin and Yao Lingling exchanged bewildered glances.
After a long moment, Yao Lingling took a deep breath, her expression complicated as she nodded. “Got it.”
She should’ve realized it sooner, but she had been too caught up to think it through.
Both Wen Zhenhua and Xiao Liguo had treated Lin Muxue with such courtesy, yet Tang Song’s status was even higher than hers.
Clearly, Xiao Liguo was afraid of offending Tang Song, which was why he had offered such generous severance terms.
Yao Lingling was a reasonable person. She knew that the real root of the problem was Wen Qiuyue—Xiao Liguo simply hadn’t considered two junior employees to be worth his concern.
Now that she had received compensation, the company had expressed its apology, and her design copyrights had been returned, her resentment and anger had dissipated.
“That’s settled then.” Yao Lingling stood up. “Thank you, President Xiao. We’ll submit our resignation applications right away and complete the handover as soon as possible.”
“Mm, no rush.”
Watching Yao Lingling’s figure disappear from the conference room, Xiao Mingxuan leaned back in his chair and let out a low sigh, his eyes filled with an irrepressible sense of loss.
During his six months at Shangya, Yao Lingling had been the closest person to him.
Beyond romantic feelings, he truly valued their friendship.
Being around her was always fun and relaxing.
Even after his identity was exposed, Yao Lingling never treated him with flattery or blind admiration like others did.
But after everything that had happened, there was no going back.
…
Beijing, Smile Holdings Headquarters.
“Ding—”
The elevator came to a slow stop on the top floor of the tower.
Secretary Jin stepped out, followed closely by two assistants.
One of them spoke quickly and concisely, reporting the day’s schedule in an orderly manner. “The group’s senior management meeting is at 10 AM, with the agenda focusing on investment decisions for the new energy project… Also, the urgent documents received last night have been organized and placed on your desk.”
Employees in the corridor paused their work and respectfully nodded. “Director Jin!”
Secretary Jin gave a slight nod, her steps graceful and composed, the sharp rhythm of her high heels tapping against the floor.
She pushed open the office door, and sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the room.
Secretary Jin walked to her desk, casually setting her handbag aside. Her gaze swept across the neatly arranged documents, but she didn’t immediately start reading them.
A moment later—
“Knock, knock, knock—”
“Come in.”
Assistant Lin Tiantian entered quickly, carrying a thick stack of folders, her demeanor both professional and respectful.
“Director Jin.”
“Mm, speak.” Secretary Jin crossed her long legs, her clear, sharp eyes looking at her.
Assistant Lin immediately straightened her posture and reported in a steady, precise tone:
“Shangguan has already made contact with Wen Ruan. They had dinner together last night. I’ve compiled everything from their conversation regarding President Tang and placed it in the right-hand drawer of your desk.”
Secretary Jin nodded, casually pulling out the file while gesturing for her to continue.
“President Tang sent an email last night concerning Lin Muxue. It includes details on her education enhancement plan and the co-branded credit card arrangement.”
Assistant Lin stepped forward, placing a document on the desk.
“Oh?”
Secretary Jin arched an eyebrow and flipped through the pages, a faintly amused smile gradually appearing on her lips.
Assistant Lin added at just the right moment, “The initial credit limit is relatively low, mainly to grant her access to the corresponding services.
“The card’s ownership is structured through a Singapore Variable Capital Company (VCC), with dual-layer SPV separation from President Tang’s personal assets. The fund pool is managed by Kate Bank.
“Additionally, President Tang has instructed us to implement real-time spending monitoring and periodically generate a ‘Desire Heatmap’ to analyze Lin Muxue’s spending preferences. There’s also a spending alert mechanism to prevent her from making unnecessary financial mistakes.”
Secretary Jin chuckled softly, closing the file with an air of amusement. “How’s the progress on the two co-branded credit cards I asked you to prepare?”
“They’ll be shipped to Beijing next week—one under Wen Ruan’s name, the other under Zhao Yaqian’s.” Assistant Lin responded promptly.
Secretary Jin lifted her gaze, her expression deep and unreadable. “Tomorrow is Qingning Tech’s press conference. When is Wen Ruan arriving?”
“Her flight is at 2 PM today, expected to land in Shenzhen by 5 PM. One of the key receptionists for the event is Liu Qingning.”
“Good.”
Secretary Jin leaned back slightly, her ample chest pressing against the fabric of her blouse, forming an enticing curve. She smiled and instructed, “Secure a recurring commentary spot for Wen Ruan in the ‘Digital Marketing’ column on the third Friday of every month.
“Check for any upcoming major awards in the advertising industry and get her nominated.
“Also, arrange an interview with Fortune magazine and set up a special feature for her.
“I want all of this done before I arrive in Yan City.”
“Understood.”
Assistant Lin swiftly jotted down the instructions. Though her expression remained neutral, she fully grasped Director Jin’s intent.
Since President Tang had sent an email indicating that he was willing to help Wen Ruan expand her high-end social network and gain industry recognition, it gave Director Jin room to maneuver.
After all, Liu Qingning from Qingning Tech wasn’t exactly staying quiet.
She had proposed developing an “AI+Advertising Integration” initiative and was planning a collaboration with Xingyun International Group—clearly for Wen Ruan’s sake.
Director Jin was obviously wary of Liu Qingning getting too close to Wen Ruan.
This was just the beginning.