novelraw Chapter 533: Investor Night
Chapter 533: Investor Night
The social plaza was brightly lit, the whole space dazzling as if it were broad daylight.
The air was filled with the faint scent of champagne and the aroma of delicate hors d'oeuvres, guests clustered in groups of twos and threes.
Low conversations and bursts of laughter filled the air.
“After checking in, guests usually come to the welcome reception area. This serves as a warm-up for business networking, mainly for ice-breaking, information filtering, and resource pre-matching,” Sun Jiayue stood beside Liu Jing, her tone professional and composed, “Brother Liu, this way please.”
She wore a sharply tailored business suit, her makeup flawless, every movement exuding the crisp energy of a workplace elite.
Liu Jing kept one hand in his pocket, his demeanor relaxed, “This event is quite the scale. Looks like Modu’s investment circle really is pretty active.”
Xu Pengyuan, knowing the man had a “flashy” personality, chimed in with a smile, “Yeah, Brother Liu, with you here as a representative of real industry transitioning into investment, you’ll definitely draw some attention. Jiayue and I both have a bit of a network—later we’ll introduce you around.”
Sun Jiayue nodded and added, “Plus, a lot of individual LPs are here tonight, and even representatives from some family offices. You’ll have shared topics with them.”
Liu Jing raised his eyebrows, clearly pleased.
Even though he could tell they were flattering him, he was the type who enjoyed that sort of thing—he found it quite amusing.“How’s your prep going? Got any specific targets?”
Sun Jiayue lightly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling gracefully, “I’ve already listed a few names—mainly LPs who might be interested in our fund. Of course, it still depends on how the conversations go on site. I’ll be counting on you for help, Brother Liu.”
“Heh, let’s go. Since I took your invitation from someone else, I’ve got to follow through.”
Sun Jiayue pressed her lips together slightly, “Thank you, Brother Liu.”
In her mind, she couldn’t help but think of Tang Song—and his Lamborghini and VIP invitation.
She instinctively looked around but didn’t spot him.
As the crowd grew denser, Sun Jiayue gave a word and led the two of them toward a small group nearby.
Her eyes landed on two of the people.
One was a representative from the Tianhong Family Office, the other an LP from Qihang Capital—both were on her list.
The three of them lingered on the edge of the circle for a moment, then smoothly worked their way in. Official source is NoveI-Fire.ɴet
To her relief, Liu Jing, though a bit of a show-off, turned out to be quite dependable.
And he really was wealthy—a second-gen rich kid—with an air about him that made it easy for her to open doors.
In just ten minutes, they’d worked through three or four groups and collected five business cards.
“Well?” Xu Pengyuan leaned in with a slightly smug grin, “The person I found for you is solid, right? Definitely more useful than that high school classmate of yours.”
Sun Jiayue pressed her lips together and nodded, “Thanks, Pengyuan.”
She didn’t feel so guilty about Tang Song anymore.
After all, it was already October—Q4, the critical sprint for performance.
To hit her targets and avoid being eliminated, she had to give it everything.
Everything had to be results-oriented.
Just then, Brother Liu came over holding a glass of champagne, “Jiayue, Pengyuan, Redwoods and IDG execs are over there—you guys want to go say hi?”
Sun Jiayue and Xu Pengyuan exchanged glances, then replied awkwardly, “Brother Liu, it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to go over uninvited. Best to have someone introduce us. Maybe we wait until the dinner segment?”
“Oh? That so...” Liu Jing raised his brows, his expression darkening, “So what kind of intermediary do you need?”
He picked up on the subtext: that he wasn’t qualified enough.
Sun Jiayue pressed her lips again, “Please don’t misunderstand, Brother Liu, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just that those folks are top-tier in the investment world—they’re used to formal introductions.”
Xu Pengyuan quickly raised his glass to clink with Liu Jing’s, chuckling to smooth things over, “You know how these events are—everyone’s careful about protocol.”
Liu Jing was clearly displeased and stopped chatting, heading off with his champagne into another group.
Xu Pengyuan opened his mouth but stood awkwardly in place.
Watching this, Sun Jiayue sighed inwardly.
These rich second-gen sponsors were really hard to handle.
The problem was—if she truly had the qualifications to mingle with those big shots, why would she even be worried about fundraising quotas?
She could just jump ship to one of those top-tier capital conglomerates.
That was her dream.
Right now, she was just a fundraising officer at Hengyue Investment, a small-to-midsize private equity fund with almost no brand power in the industry.
When facing those high-profile VIPs at the event, her status was entirely “unequal.”
Only by leveraging public segments (keynotes, roundtables) or indirect connections could she hope to engage with them.
A while later.
An announcement came through the lobby speakers: “Dear guests, welcome to the ‘Investor Night: Leading the Future’ banquet. The main venue is about to open. Please follow staff guidance to enter in an orderly manner.”
Sun Jiayue waited for a moment, then leaned forward and said, “Brother Liu, let’s go in and get familiar with the venue. The evening will be more relaxed—I’ll help you meet more people then.”
Liu Jing nodded lightly, put down his champagne glass, and followed Sun Jiayue and Xu Pengyuan toward the main hall.
As they approached, a familiar figure appeared.
Zhang Nuo was hurrying through the crowd with a camera in hand.
“Nuo Nuo!” Sun Jiayue waved with a smile.
Seeing them, Zhang Nuo picked up speed and jogged over, “Jiayue, you’re here!”
Sun Jiayue pointed at the camera in her hand, curious, “Why are you holding that? Weren’t you supposed to be assisting today?”
Zhang Nuo shrugged helplessly, “I was! Came here to assist my boss, but they gave me a last-minute assignment.”
She briefly explained.
Her company, Kaifeng Wealth, was a large financial services firm involved in investment consulting and IB work. Many of their clients were large corporations or well-known institutions.
Naturally, they were attending tonight as VIP guests.
According to protocol, these heavyweight guests had to wait until all regular attendees were seated before entering in staggered batches, every two minutes.
She came with her boss, and one of her tasks was to take event photos and help build atmosphere. When their clients arrived, she had to cheer and call out titles.
Then she added with a grin, “By the way, isn’t Tang Song coming through the VIP entrance? Maybe I’ll run into him later. I’ll check out the girl he brought and send you an update.”
Sun Jiayue blinked, “Right.”
Hearing their chat, Liu Jing’s expression soured slightly.
He’d come here hoping to make a splash, aiming to break into Modu’s investment scene at this high-end gathering.
Xu Pengyuan had hyped things up, promising to “make his name known” and “pave the way for the future.”
But reality wasn’t living up to expectations.
Those entering through the VIP corridor were clearly the real core of this event.
No lines, no security checks, media interviews, red-carpet treatment—
While he, along with Sun Jiayue and Xu Pengyuan, could only count as “outer circle.”
Thinking this, and watching them chat, Liu Jing said casually, “You all keep talking—I’m heading in.”
With that, he walked inside.
Sun Jiayue’s expression shifted, and without even saying goodbye to Zhang Nuo, she quickly followed.
Clearly, the young master was upset.
Her entire fundraising quota—and tonight’s “utility man plan”—rested on Liu Jing. If she upset him now, it’d be game over.
Watching Sun Jiayue disappear, Zhang Nuo felt a bit worried but had no time to dwell. She briskly made her way toward the “VIP exclusive corridor.”
Located on the right side of the lobby, a special “starlight walkway” had been constructed, leading straight to the front-row reserved area.
On both sides of the corridor, many financial journalists and media had already gathered.
The chatter and laughter in all directions made for a lively atmosphere.
Zhang Nuo scanned quickly and walked up to a woman in her thirties, whispering, “Boss, I’ve got the camera!”
Wei Yilan took the camera, her face serious, “Thanks, Nuo Nuo. This venue is important tonight. I heard for certain reasons, the Sinsight Capital delegation this time is unusually significant.”
Zhang Nuo whispered curiously, “How big? Someone from headquarters?”
“I’m not sure,” Wei Yilan shook her head. “But judging by the host’s attitude, at least someone at the global partner level.”
“Ah!” Zhang Nuo’s heart skipped—she instantly perked up, “That’s huge...”
‘Investor Night’ might be prestigious, but it was still just a Yangtze Delta finance gathering. International capital showed up, but usually it was regional execs.
If it really was a global partner from Sinsight Capital—they’d be the hottest figure of the night.
Approaching 6 p.m.
The lobby’s soft background music suddenly surged into a dramatic crescendo.
At the same time, the spotlights lining the VIP entrance corridor flashed on.
“All right, everyone get ready!” Wei Yilan clapped her hands, adjusting the camera settings.
Zhang Nuo stood among the crowd, eyes glowing, both waiting for Tang Song and hoping to catch a glimpse of the big boss from Sinsight Capital HQ.
Soon, the silhouettes of the first group of guests appeared at the end of the corridor.
Over a dozen tech companies participating in the opening presentations—Gongying Technology, Kongming Touch, PWL, and others, including some of their firm’s clients.
Flashes lit up on either side of the red carpet.
Reporters rushed forward, firing questions and conducting interviews.
......
Inside the wide, luxurious main hall.
The lighting gradually dimmed, and the previously noisy chatter faded away.
On the main stage, an arc-shaped LED screen glowed with a deep blue background, the event’s logo shining prominently in the center.
Above, programmable lights slowly lit up, focusing on the stage.
Round banquet tables were arranged in a fan shape, each topped with name-engraved place cards, fine tableware, and sparkling crystal glasses.
“Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good evening! Welcome to the ‘Investor Night: Leading the Future’ event…”
The host’s clear and captivating voice echoed through the venue, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
Xu Pengyuan leaned toward Liu Jing and explained, “Brother Liu, next is the VIP guest entrance, then the formal agenda—roundtables, project presentations, and so on. If you’re interested, you can join in.”
His tone was respectful, with a hint of eagerness.
However, Liu Jing merely responded with a faint “mm” and scanned the surroundings.
Their location was at the side-rear of the venue—essentially the outermost edge.
This made the always-proud Liu Jing feel quite uncomfortable.
Logos and guest names of several companies appeared one after another on the big screen, prompting a wave of murmurs across the room.
Then suddenly, the spotlight swung toward the VIP entrance area.
Amid warm applause, the first group of VIP guests stepped into the hall and appeared on the main screen.
Sun Jiayue quickly introduced them, “The first one is Kongming Touch, a local Modu company...
That’s Gongying Technology, a tech firm focused on smart home solutions. They just completed a Series B in February this year, with a post-money valuation of 350 million yuan. I heard they’re here this time for a Series C led by Mingjian Capital... It falls under the ‘Next-Gen Information Tech’ category, which is heavily supported by the New Third Board. According to our internal info, they’re very likely to enter the IPO pipeline soon...”
Time passed, and the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.
Groups of VIP guests were led into the hall one after another by greeters and event organizers.
Among them were top names in various industries, heads of Asia-Pacific divisions of global VC firms, and senior executives from renowned PE firms like Wenbo Investment and Mingjian Capital.
Liu Jing, influenced by the atmosphere, lightened up and started actively asking about the institutions and people he was interested in.
As the caliber of guests kept rising, the conversations in the room grew more intense, pushing the energy to a peak.
Unicorn CEOs, board chairs of major conglomerates, senior executives from top-tier investment institutions...
Each name that appeared rippled through the air, sparking discussions and admiration.
“That’s the VP from Sequoia China overseeing the consumer tech sector. Recently led several major deals, including...”
“That’s the new board member from IDG, just transferred back from Silicon Valley...”
Sun Jiayue and Xu Pengyuan sat next to Liu Jing, carefully introducing whatever they knew, visibly excited.
As finance professionals, they naturally looked up to these industry heavyweights.
However, what puzzled Sun Jiayue was that she still hadn’t seen Tang Song—or the stunning girl who’d been with him.
The truth was, she actually cared quite a bit about that old high school classmate.
It wasn’t just because of Liu Qingning. Some of the qualities Tang Song displayed recently really impressed her.
So she was all the more curious—just who exactly was the girl with him?
But all the VIPs had already entered, and still no sign of them.
Could they have come through the regular entrance?
At that moment.
BZZZ BZZZ— the phone on the table suddenly vibrated wildly.
【Zhang Nuo】
Sun Jiayue blinked, quickly picked up the call. “Hello, Nuo—”
Before she could finish, an ear-piercing scream came through the speaker, followed by Zhang Nuo’s frantic voice: “Sinsight Capital... Tang... Tang... Song! Confluent Capital.”
Her voice was fast and panicked, as if she’d encountered something unbelievable.
In over seven years of knowing Zhang Nuo, this was the first time Sun Jiayue had ever heard her lose composure like this.
“Nuo Nuo, slow down—what’s going on? What happened with Tang Song?” Sun Jiayue tried to calm her.
“Ahhh! I... I don’t know what to say! It’s unbelievable! You wouldn’t believe it even if I told you! He’s... he’s going in! Look up! Quick, look up!”
Following her words, Sun Jiayue furrowed her brows and looked up at the big screen ahead.
Next to her, Xu Pengyuan and Liu Jing, who had also caught some of the shouting, looked up too.
Then, on the massive 20-meter LED screen, the lighting flowed—and two striking logos appeared at the center.
On the left: the iconic SSC (Sinsight Capital).
On the right: a minimalist logo built around the infinity symbol (∞), labeled beneath: Confluent Capital.
Below each logo, several names appeared.
After a brief silence, the venue erupted. Even in the front-row VIP section, some guests stood up, eyes locked on the entrance.
For them, the name “Annie Kate” and her title “Chairwoman of the Strategic Committee” said it all.
Anyone remotely familiar with Sinsight Capital knew what that identity meant—what level of power and status it signified.
“Strategic Committee Chair... Kate...” Xu Pengyuan’s throat bobbed as he exclaimed, “Why would Sinsight send so many big guns here?”
The event organizers had previously announced that Bai Xingwen, SVP of Sinsight Capital China, would attend.
That alone was already a big deal.
Yet now, besides Bai Xingwen, there were two partners—and the Chairwoman of the Global Strategic Committee.
That kind of lineup was enough to headline a world summit or forum.
“Jiayue... are you okay?” Xu Pengyuan quickly noticed Sun Jiayue’s odd expression. “You alright?”
She didn’t reply—just stared intently at the screen, her body trembling.
Everyone else was caught up discussing Annie Kate’s identity, but she’d spotted a name that was all too familiar.
Sun Jiayue bit her tongue hard. The sharp pain reminded her—this wasn’t a dream.
Tang Mi?!!!
Chairman and CEO of Confluent Capital?!
If not for Zhang Nuo’s call, she would’ve thought it was just someone with the same name.
But recalling her bestie’s words, a mind-bending thought flooded her mind.
This “Tang Song”... was the Tang Song she knew.
But how was that even possible?
In the VIP zone, second row.
Ren Mingyuan abruptly stood up, staring at an unassuming name on the screen, his pupils shaking. “Confluent Capital?! Shen Yuyan? Special Assistant?”
His heart sank.
When they’d bumped into Shen Yuyan earlier, they hadn’t taken her name badge seriously.
But now, this firm appeared alongside Sinsight, entering shoulder-to-shoulder—that background was anything but ordinary.
He’d never heard of Confluent Capital before, but its presence here was no coincidence.
And Shen Yuyan clearly wasn’t just any guest—she was part of the core delegation.
Right now, Gongying Technology was at a critical moment in its fundraising and IPO planning. They’d spent months prepping. No surprises could be allowed.
Ren Mingyuan glanced forward at Wang Yubo,
Who sat with the Mingjian Capital delegation, eyes fixed on the name “Confluent Capital,” his face unreadable.
Without hesitation, Ren Mingyuan hurried to Wang Yubo and asked in a low voice, “Chairman Wang, Shen Yuyan—”
Wang Yubo sneered, voice dark and cold, “Special Assistant at Confluent Capital? Ha. No wonder she turned down my offer. So she climbed to a higher branch.”
“Seems so. Otherwise, with her personality, she’d never have been that impulsive,” Ren Mingyuan agreed. “So what now?”
“What, you worried she’ll ruin our plan?” Wang Yubo raised a brow.
“Yeah, a bit.”
“Relax. No matter what, she’s still just an assistant—probably a last-minute attendee. Besides, Mingjian Capital isn’t something just anyone can shake.”
“Right! That’s true. If she really had cards like that, she’d have played them already. Things wouldn’t have gotten to this point.”
Ren Mingyuan finally exhaled.
Just then, the spotlight began to sweep slowly—locking onto the end of the VIP corridor.
All eyes followed.
The big screen shifted, camera capturing the corridor’s entrance.
Wang Yubo stood, eyes icy as he stared.
Being close, he could faintly make out the scene within.
First came a tall, upright silhouette—familiar.
Leather shoes stepped into the light.
The spotlight poured down like a stream, outlining him clearly and vividly.
Raven-black hair glinted under the light, with a few strands falling casually over his forehead.
He walked out calmly and nonchalantly, his black-and-white eyes sharp beneath a serene gaze.
Every inch of him exuded a cool, refined aura.
Wang Yubo froze—his eyelids twitched violently.
That man... was the same one he’d seen beside Shen Yuyan at the venue earlier.
The one who’d said, “I don’t care who you are.”
He’d been planning to investigate him and take revenge.
Who’d have thought... they’d meet again like this.
Ren Mingyuan, who’d just relaxed, now stood frozen, stunned.
Following him appeared a tall, stunning woman—
Wearing a tailored suit of matching color, golden hair and blue eyes, an impossibly perfect figure—like a magazine cover model.
The sapphire earrings shimmered under the lights, her pale skin radiant.
Her deep blue eyes were filled with confidence and command; her red lips curled in a smile, emanating an overpowering presence.
Every step she took was elegant and composed, as if she were born to walk this stage.
Behind the pair, seven or eight more people followed.
Men in fitted suits, women in polished ensembles—all poised, focused, and solemn.
Each one exuded presence and purpose.
The group of ten followed the hosts toward the very front of the VIP section—a moving spectacle that captured every gaze.
Applause rang through the hall.
Back in the side-rear of the main venue,
Xu Pengyuan sat dumbfounded, eyes wide as saucers.
Liu Jing also realized—that guy was the one who drove the Lamborghini earlier, the very classmate of Sun Jiayue’s.
His lips moved slightly, and he turned to her. “What’s going on? Wasn’t that guy your classmate?”
Sun Jiayue had already stood up at some point, eyes dazed, locked on that figure.
She’d worked in Modu finance for three years, attended countless events and forums.
She recognized some of them.
Like Qi Botao and Bai Xingwen from Sinsight Capital.
But now—even those people, including the elegant Ms. Kate—had willingly faded into the background for him.
In the spotlight,
He remained calm, untouched by the surrounding noise,
Like the bright moon high above, casting light on a river of stars.
A step behind him, Sun Jiayue saw that familiar figure—the girl they’d guessed had come with Tang Song.
“How could this be...” she muttered, still unable to believe it.
Confluent Capital... Chairman...
The shock was beyond comprehension.
In her mind appeared the Tang Song from high school, and the one she’d met recently.
They seemed like the same person—but somehow never fully aligned.
It felt like a dream. A surreal, yet vividly real dream.
Then, in her ears echoed what Tang Song had said when she invited him to pose as a “tech rising star” LP for Investor Night.
【“You want me to be an LP?”】
【“Alright then, send me your fund’s deck. If there’s no major issue, I’ll seriously consider it.”】
So... he had been serious.
A deep wave of regret surged over her like a tide.
Just days ago, she’d canceled his invite because of Liu Jing.
If she hadn’t changed her mind... if she had brought Tang Song here...
Would she be one of those walking behind him now?
A stabbing pain surged in her chest, making her instinctively hold her breath—but it did nothing to still the storm inside.