novelraw Chapter 538: Waving Wings
Chapter 538: Waving Wings
October 9, 2023, Monday, sunny, 1225°C.
An autumn morning, the sky still dark.
Yancheng Normal University was shrouded in a thin mist.
Qian Lele’s biological clock woke her on time. She rubbed her drowsy eyes and sat up from the warm bed.
The dorm room was pitch black.
Qian Lele fumbled around at the head of the bed and picked up her phone.
The faint light from the screen lit up her bright and pretty face.
She quietly got dressed, climbed out of bed, put on the Adidas sneakers Ding Yao gave her, and walked out of the dorm.
She jogged along the familiar route toward the track field, rhythmic breaths and footsteps echoing in her ears.
It was a habit she’d developed back when she “lived together” with Tang Song in the teacher apartments. But now, that familiar figure no longer ran ahead of her.Figures gradually filled the track.
Now and then, a boy or two would appear beside Qian Lele, chatting and laughing with her.
Qian Lele ran a bit farther, then abruptly changed direction and left the track.
A trace of frustration rose in her heart.
Since the start of the semester, with no way to keep up her street stall and baking gigs, she’d become a part-time frontend developer at Shimmer Coffee with Tang Song’s help.
The job was respectable and easy, related to her major, so she no longer had to work herself to the bone and had much more personal time.
With a bit of impulse, she’d started dressing up, intentionally or not.
Her skincare, hairstyle, and outfits all looked much more polished than before—naturally attracting some attention on campus.
Getting chatted up wasn’t a first.
It was worth mentioning that a few days ago, her first part-time paycheck came through.
Besides the base ¥2,500, she surprisingly got an extra ¥600 in phone and meal stipends. HR said it was specially arranged by President Xie.
With no social security deductions, her take-home was ¥3,100—more than what her mom earned back home.
That income significantly improved her life. After sending money home, she could still stash away a “decent” little savings pot.
Lately, she’d been eyeing a new phone with better camera quality.
Because she loved photography.
The sun gradually rose, and the early morning campus felt quiet and peaceful.
Leaves rustled gently in the cool morning breeze.
Stepping on the fallen leaves, Qian Lele pictured a better and better life, her face blooming with a happy smile.
After grabbing breakfast, she carried her tray toward a seat.
It was just after 6 a.m., and the cafeteria was mostly empty. She immediately spotted a familiar figure.
Wu Siqi, her senior roommate in year four.
“Siqi, you’re up early.”
“Lele.” Wu Siqi was eating an egg pancake, frowning. “Can’t help it. I’ve got interviews coming up and need to prep.”
“Mm, good luck!”
“Really envy you, Lele. You’ve got a stable job already in junior year. Shimmer Coffee is killing it. I keep seeing your short videos on Douyin lately—they’re opening branches in the Capital, Modu, even Shenzhen.”
Qian Lele paused, then started comforting and encouraging her senior.
Job prospects weren’t great these days, and out of the five roommates, most were opting for grad school or civil service.
Wu Siqi, coming from a modest background, hoped to find a reliable company and settle down after graduation.
The company she was interviewing with was “Yannan Short Drama Film Base Co., Ltd.”
A recently established firm with state-backed capital, and very close to the university. It attracted many seniors at Normal University.
Qian Lele sincerely hoped this senior would pass her interview and start a new chapter in life.
After breakfast, while walking back to the dorm:
Wu Siqi asked curiously, “By the way, Lele, what about your boyfriend? Didn’t see you two dating over the National Day holiday.”
Qian Lele’s face turned red, and she hurried to explain, “Not my boyfriend, it’s... he’s my brother.”
“Oh oh~ got it. Why hasn’t your brother visited lately? When will you introduce us?”
“He... he’s really busy.”
Qian Lele pressed her lips together, her thoughts drifting far, far away.
.......
Shengyuan Scenic Residence, townhouse row.
Morning sunlight streamed through the curtain gap into the room.
Accompanied by soft “meow meow” sounds, Wen Ruan slowly woke from her sleep.
She sat up, long brown hair cascading over her shoulders in a slightly messy, lazy beauty.
Beside her, a fluffy Ragdoll cat lay quietly, watching her.
Wen Ruan looked down at the adorable little thing and smiled dotingly. “Good morning, Little Snowball.”
“Meow~”
Wen Ruan couldn’t resist the burst of affection and gently rubbed its soft ears, showering it with kisses.
The woman and the cat played on the bed for quite a while.
Wen Ruan picked up her phone and took a few photos with her furry darling, Snowball.
Then she tapped on a pinned chat box, picked the best one, and sent it over.
Message: “My soft, white kitty Snowball—so much fun to play with.”
“Bzzzz—”
【Tang Song: “Mm, Wen Ruan’s Snowball is definitely fun—soft and white.”】
“Pfft—” Wen Ruan couldn’t help but chuckle at that, her laugh alluring and rich, like a glass of fine red wine.
She licked her lips, eyes sparkling, and replied: “Still messing around in Modu with your foreign chick? If you don’t come back soon, I’ll let someone else play with Snowball.”
【Tang Song: “Zhuangzhuang, are you itching for a spanking again? You dare say that?”】
Wen Ruan curved her lips, and with a sultry, raspy queenly tone, replied: “Why wouldn’t I dare? Someone has no time to play with the cat, and I’m not allowed to let someone else?”
Her voice stretched and lifted, sounding especially seductive.
【Tang Song: “Wait till I get back to Yancheng. You’re the first I’m dealing with!”】
Seeing her “trap” succeed, Wen Ruan smiled smugly and added: “I posted the cat photo to my Moments, and a bunch of people liked it—Lingling, Qingqing, President Xie... oh, and your assistant Xiaoxue. They all seem to love Snowball. You should bring them over to play. I’m very generous.”
【Tang Song: “Emm... sure, like Qingqing and Xiaoxue, they’re especially fond of you.”】
Wen Ruan’s smile widened.
She leaned slowly against the headboard, cuddled the Ragdoll into her arms, petting it while continuing to chat.
8:00 a.m.
Wen Ruan put her phone away, quickly freshened up, and stepped into the walk-in closet.
Standing in front of the mirror, she couldn’t help but admire her skin closely again.
Since she’d started playing basketball with Tang Song, her skin had gotten better and better—even some previous blemishes had quietly disappeared.
Now her complexion was back to its peak state two years ago—even her bust looked perkier.
After basking in her own beauty for a bit, Wen Ruan changed into a perfectly tailored professional outfit and headed downstairs, energized.
“President Wen!” The administrative assistant Wang Dandan, waiting in the living room, immediately stood up.
Wen Ruan raised her eyebrows and said with a relaxed smile, “Good morning, Dandan. You’re here early.”
“I just got here too. I was afraid of disturbing your rest, so I didn’t notify you in advance,” Wang Dandan explained with a smile.
Wen Ruan nodded. “Come on, let’s talk over breakfast.”
“Okay.”
In the dining room, the housekeeper auntie had already prepared a hearty breakfast.
Bacon pancakes, fresh fruit salad, and steaming hot soy milk.
Once the two were seated in the dining room.
After they sat down, Wang Dandan laid out the documents she was holding and gently placed them on the table, reporting clearly and methodically, “This is all the information about the company you asked me to research. I’ve already sent the digital copy to your WeChat and email. Tuesday at 3 p.m., there’s a senior management meeting at Yanbei Printing Factory; Thursday at 10 a.m., you need to attend the new project launch meeting at Nebula International Group...”
As she listened to the assistant’s report, Wen Ruan casually flipped through the documents.
She had now basically stepped away from her work at Light and Shadow Media and was gradually taking over affairs at Nebula International Group.
To ensure a smooth transition, she naturally needed to produce some eye-catching results.
And the direction she had chosen was the red-hot “AI.”
This choice was also influenced by Liu Qingning.
In fact, their conversations had never stopped.
On top of that, Tang Song had previously mentioned he was looking to invest in promising tech companies, which was why she zeroed in on this startup founded by a university classmate.
Zhilian Future—a tech company specializing in “AI-powered full-link smart marketing solutions for e-commerce.”
Through multimodal AI and big data analysis, it offered businesses one-stop services from user insight and content generation to precision delivery.
Its core business was helping enterprises achieve efficient traffic conversion and brand growth while reducing operational costs.
As a leading name in domestic ad marketing, Nebula International Group had every reason to keep pace with industry trends.
Investing in a company with unicorn potential like this one was undoubtedly an excellent choice.
Even more importantly, it helped strengthen her connections with Tang Song and Liu Qingning, paving the way to improve their three-way relationship. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novel{f}ire.net
Thinking of this, Wen Ruan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
She really had it tough—taking the blame for who knows how many things, and having to think through every move so thoroughly.
Finishing the last sip of soy milk, Wen Ruan casually picked up her phone and sent the company’s info to Liu Qingning.
She messaged: “Qingning, you were totally right before—AI really is the future. I’m thinking of having Nebula International expand into this field, and we’re considering investing in this company. If you have time, help me check out whether their tech is solid.”
.....
Shenzhen, Qingning Technology Tower.
“Ding—” a notification popped up.
Liu Qingning’s fingers paused mid-typing and she quickly replied to Wen Ruan’s message.
Opening the document Wen Ruan sent, her long lashes fluttered slightly, and her eyes darted across the screen.
In truth, she had already proposed a company-wide initiative to develop “AI + ad marketing integration applications.”
This was precisely to lay the groundwork for future collaboration with Nebula International.
During past chats with Wen Ruan, she had intentionally and unintentionally planted ideas in that direction, hoping to spark Wen Ruan’s interest in the field.
She hadn’t expected Wen Ruan to jump straight into it through investment.
The corners of Liu Qingning’s lips curled slightly. She thought to herself, “That works too.”
All the maneuvering was ultimately to better engage with Wen Ruan and understand her character.
Of course, at the root of it all, it was about convincing herself.
Avoiding things never solved problems.
She knew she couldn’t let go of Tang Song. Facing this complex emotional situation, wanting to break her own boundaries and accept the idea of sharing him with another woman—
For Liu Qingning, that was unimaginably difficult.
But if one day she could become friends with Wen Ruan and truly see her excellence and kindness, maybe the resistance in her heart would gradually fade.
She lifted her eyes and looked out the window at the bustling Shenzhen cityscape, a trace of determination in her gaze.
“Knock knock knock—” came a knock at the door.
“Come in.” Liu Qingning straightened up.
The office door opened and a tall, stylish figure walked in.
Liu Qingning immediately stood. “Director Qin, you’re here.”
“No need to be so formal. Just call me by my name or senior when we’re in private,” Qin Yingxue said warmly as she walked to her side.
As a board member of Qingning Tech and a senior from Imperial Capital University, Qin Yingxue had developed a great rapport with Liu Qingning over the past two months.
Liu Qingning paused and said, “Alright, Senior Yingxue.”
Qin Yingxue patted her on the shoulder, then sat beside her and began chatting about recent work.
A full half-hour passed.
Only then did Qin Yingxue get up to leave. As she did, she casually said, “Oh right, President Tang went to Modu over the holiday, didn’t he?”
“Mm, yes. He was going to connect with a company called Yimai Tech.”
Qin Yingxue chuckled. “I heard from a friend working at the Modu Film Base that President Tang also visited Su Yu’s crew—and even did a cameo role. Haha, quite interesting. Didn’t expect him to be into that kind of thing.”
Liu Qingning’s pupils shrank slightly, but she didn’t let it show. She smiled and said, “Really? He didn’t mention that to me. I’ll ask him later.”
“Ah? He didn’t tell you...” A faint touch of “awkward panic” appeared on Qin Yingxue’s face. She quickly added, “Maybe there’s a misunderstanding, Qingning. I only heard it secondhand—don’t tell him I told you, okay? I’m scared he’ll be mad at me.”
“Mm-hmm, I got it. Don’t worry, Senior Yingxue.”
Qin Yingxue opened her mouth like she wanted to say something else, but in the end just sighed and turned to leave.
As her figure disappeared—
So did the smile on Liu Qingning’s face. Her eyes flickered, her mood sinking.
Tang Song, Modu, Su Yu.
He went to Modu... for Su Yu?
Suddenly, her temples began to throb violently, and a familiar pain struck out of nowhere.
Liu Qingning let out a low groan, her breathing turned fast and heavy.
She quickly opened the drawer, pulled out the “Qingnang Gourd” Tang Song had given her, and held it tightly to her chest.
Yunxi Tower, Songmei Fashion.
“Good morning, handsome guys and pretty gals!” Yao Lingling’s voice was crisp and full of energy, instantly brightening the entire office.
“Morning, Lingling.” “Morning!”
“Lingling, you’re all dolled up today. Something good happen?”
“Nope, just basic operations, nothing major.”
Yao Lingling laughed and waved her hand, heading to her workstation and setting down her bag.
Chatting with coworkers as she went, she quickly tidied her desk—efficient and lively.
She brewed a steaming cup of coffee and sat at her window-side desk.
The sweeping city view through the floor-to-ceiling windows was in full view, putting her in a great mood.
A beautiful and busy day was starting right now.
After finishing her coffee, Yao Lingling walked over to the brand department area and asked with concern, “Yixuan, Qiuqiu hasn’t arrived yet?”
Sun Yixuan shook her head. “She did—she was sketching here earlier. Probably in Director Gao’s office now.”
Another colleague chimed in with admiration, “Qiuqiu’s been like she’s on rocket fuel lately—arriving at 7-something in the morning and staying past 10 p.m.”
“By the way, have you guys seen Qiuqiu’s latest visual identity system? Super impressive!”
“Truly impressive. I heard that Nebula International Group’s art consultant gave high praise. Now it’s just waiting on President Tang to give the final go-ahead.”
Right after that, the team began whispering in low voices.
Yao Lingling listened for a bit, feeling a faint trace of worry.
These past two days after the holiday, she’d been at Huashang Fashion, coordinating the first batch of clothing designs with the team there.
She hadn’t expected Cheng Qiuqiu to be working so hard.
She definitely had to advise her later—work is important, but health matters even more.
Still, with the “Visual Identity System” making progress, Senior Tang Song would definitely be pleased.
Speaking of which, it was already the 9th. According to what he said earlier, he should be returning to Yancheng around now.
Thinking of that made Yao Lingling’s mood instantly brighten.
She blinked, then walked cheerfully toward the independent office area.
Senior didn’t have a secretary or assistant.
Before he arrived at the company, she—his dearest underclassman—naturally had to tidy up his office ahead of time and water the plants.
Standing at the door of the CEO’s office.
Standing at the door, Yao Lingling glanced around, then grasped the handle and gently pushed it open, tiptoeing in.
However, her expression froze the moment she stepped inside—shocked and stunned.
Qiuqiu was standing in the office, with a rag and mop placed nearby.
The whole office had been cleaned spotless, not a speck of dust.
The problem was, Qiuqiu was holding one of Tang Song’s dress shirts, seemingly lost in thought.
“Qiuqiu? What are you doing here...”
At the sound of her name, Qiuqiu spun around.
Their eyes met. Her face flushed red at a visible speed. She stood there blankly, lips trembling.
It took her a while to squeeze out a sentence: “I... I finished all my tasks... just came to help clean the office a bit.”
Due to her extreme nervousness, the words slipped out in full dialect.
Yao Lingling looked at her, then at the suit jacket in her hands, seemingly realizing something.
But soon, she broke into a bright grin, teased mischievously, “D**n, didn’t expect you—with those thick brows and big eyes—to know how to butter up the boss too! Haha, we really think alike.”
As she spoke, Yao Lingling walked up quickly, grabbed a cloth, and gave the desk a symbolic wipe. “Now I’ve contributed too. If President Tang asks, we’ll say we did it together!”
“Oh... I... okay...” Qiuqiu nodded dazedly, then looked down at the shirt in her hands again.
Yao Lingling’s eye twitched slightly and she laughed, “Oh come on, I’m a professional fashion designer. Let me take care of President Tang’s clothes!”
With Yao Lingling joking around, Qiuqiu finally started to relax.
Though her face was still red-hot with embarrassment, wishing she could crawl into a hole.
She didn’t even know why—something about that shirt just felt so familiar.
And the faint scent on it gave her a deep, comforting attachment.
So she’d picked it up on impulse, without even thinking.
.......
50th Floor, Tower A, Yan Province Financial Center – Rongliu Investment.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the spacious, bright office.
Lin Muxue sat behind a large walnut desk, upright and elegant, dressed in a sharply tailored professional suit, exuding a capable and confident aura.
Several documents were properly laid out on the desk along with an iMac monitor, which was currently playing a romance film.
“Knock knock knock—” A light knock echoed.
Lin Muxue quickly switched the screen to charts and looked up, “Come in.”
Her voice was clear with a slight commanding tone.
The door opened, and Miles from the Investment Department stepped in.
“Luna, here’s the latest update on the convertible bond operation for Huashang Fashion,” Miles said as he walked briskly to the desk and handed over a folder. “We’ve completed a full analysis of Huashang Fashion’s financials from the past three years and built a valuation model for its convertible bond agreement based on market conditions.”
Lin Muxue took the report, flipped through it with her slender fingers, and nodded with a professional air. “Any potential risks we still need to confirm?”
“None so far. Everything’s on track. Based on current shareholding, once the bond converts to equity, the He Jingping family’s shares will be diluted to around 31.8%, just under the one-third threshold required for major decisions.”
“This step is critical. No room for error.” Lin Muxue nodded slightly.
Though she didn’t fully grasp all the technical jargon, she had a solid understanding of the essentials.
At least one thing was clear: President Tang’s plan was progressing smoothly.
Soon, Huashang Fashion would fully belong to her boss.
He Jingping and his son would be left out in the cold.
After Miles exited, Lin Muxue leaned back in her chair, sipped her coffee,
gazed out at the bustling city through the window, and smiled, her long legs swinging slightly.
Sweet!
After receiving a Black Credit Card, her quality of life had skyrocketed—her confidence and sense of security too.
She felt like she was standing at the top of her game now—“Empress Muxue” was no exaggeration.
Even if Su the Emperor stood in front of her, she wouldn’t flinch.
After all, she was Tang Song’s one and only assistant, and Tang Song was Jin Meixiao’s boyfriend.
Her status? Absolutely badass!
(·)
After carefully reviewing the documents, she checked the time.
10:12.
Lin Muxue sat up straight, picked up her phone from the desk, and dialed Tang Song’s number.
“Doo... doo...”
The call rang for quite a while. Just as she was about to hang up, it finally connected.
Tang Song’s slightly rough voice came through the receiver: “Hello, Xiaoxue.”
Lin Muxue sensed something off in his tone but didn’t think too much of it.
She cleared her throat and tried to keep her tone professional. “President Tang, we have new updates on Huashang Fashion’s convertible bond. I felt it was important to report to you right away.”
Before she finished her sentence, a strange mix of background noise came through the line.
It sounded like clothes rustling... and a woman’s breathy voice, whispering in fluent English.
Lin Muxue faintly caught a few keywords: “you’re a devil,” “let me go,” “f**k”...
Upon hearing those words, Lin Muxue instantly felt parched, her legs subtly rubbing together.
She knew exactly what was happening—too well.
“If now’s not a good time, I can call back later,” she offered.
“No need, go ahead.” Tang Song was breathing hard. “I’m... handling something. But your report is important. Continue.”
Lin Muxue bit her lip and began softly reporting.
Meanwhile, all kinds of messy noises and Tang Song’s stern commands kept coming through the phone, making her heart pound faster and faster.
Who was that on the other end? He was actually being that rough? Who could take that kind of pressure?
After a long while, when she finally finished her report with great effort—
Tang Song’s voice returned: “Good work, Assistant Lin. The holiday’s over, and I’ve got a new task for you.”
“Yes, sir!” Lin Muxue tried to suppress her internal chaos.
“You know I’ve been scouting investment opportunities. In the coming days, try to get into some high-end social circles or industry elite networks. Help me gather useful intel.”
“Got it.” Lin Muxue shifted in her seat, then softly asked, “By the way, President Tang, when will you return to Yancheng? Do you need me to book your ticket?”
It had been a long time since they’d seen each other. Her beautician friend was still back in Shandong, and she was feeling like a cat scratching at her insides.
“Tomorrow. I’ve already bought the ticket.”
“Okay.” Lin Muxue swallowed, her voice tightening slightly. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up. Once you’re back in Yancheng, I’ll report to you in person.”
Tang Song grunted, then added, “Oh, one more thing I should let you know in advance.”
“Please go ahead.”
“There’ll be a new hire at Rongliu Investment soon, in the role of my special assistant. But it won’t overlap with your work—don’t worry.”
“Boom—”
A thunderclap struck the newly crowned “Empress Muxue,” who had just ascended to the peak.
Lin Muxue’s whole body stiffened, her face ashen.
It’s over! Her precious assistant title was under threat!
Tang Song’s special assistant?! Who the h**l is it?!