novelraw Chapter 540: The Camellias Bloom, First Kiss
Chapter 540: The Camellias Bloom, First Kiss
October 11, 2023, Cloudy, 1323°C.
Morning sunlight streamed into the room through the gap in the curtains.
Shen Yuyan sat up in bed and rubbed her slightly tired eyes.
Her movements were slow and lazy, as if still immersed in some lingering thoughts.
Hugging her knees, she curled up at the head of the bed, staring blankly ahead.
Last night, she had a dream—a very strange... sweet dream.
In the dream, she was back in her college days.
Once again, she became the campus belle, adored by all, at the height of her glory.
In the dream, she rushed straight into the lecture hall, sat beside Tang Song in everyone’s shocked gaze, and confessed to him.
She smoothly became his girlfriend.They had a romantic campus relationship—
bathed in spring rains, welcomed the summer, felt the autumn breeze, and stepped through the winter snow.
Every scene was as beautiful as a movie.
Zoning out for a while, Shen Yuyan shook her head, gradually pulling herself out of the fantasy.
As for Tang Song—there was no way she didn’t like him.
The reason she dreamed that was, deep down, she was filled with regret and longing.
Regret that she never noticed him in college;
longing that, if she could become his official girlfriend, not only could she enjoy sweet love, but also use his power to climb the social ladder.
But reality isn’t one of Xu Qing’s novels. There aren’t that many miracles.
She checked the time.
7:02.
Shen Yuyan put on a loose-knit cardigan, stepped into her slippers, and walked into the room across the hall.
The door wasn’t locked. A light push and it opened.
The lighting in the room was soft. Xu Qing was curled up under the covers, a shiny thread of drool at the corner of her mouth, smacking her lips now and then, sleeping soundly.
Shen Yuyan stood beside the bed, pressing her lips into a gentle smile, quietly watching her for a while, eyes full of warmth.
Xu Qing’s personality was always so bubbly and simple-minded.
Since high school, Shen Yuyan had always “covered” her, and in the ten-plus years since, she had remained just as naive.
Every time she looked at her, Shen Yuyan couldn’t help but recall their youthful days together.
She stepped closer, lifted the covers, and patted her bestie’s perky butt, “Time to get up, Qingqing.”
“Mm Tang Song, you’re so bad, spanking me again...” came a low murmur.
Shen Yuyan froze slightly, cheeks reddening, then her gaze dimmed.
She could tell Xu Qing truly liked Tang Song, yet she had chosen to do something that might hurt her friend.
Sighing, Shen Yuyan took off her slippers and climbed into bed,
hugging Xu Qing from behind, planting a gentle kiss on her playful cheek, and said in a low voice, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me, my dear silly Qing.”
“Ugh~ you awful Little Songzi, what are you trying to do again... I’ll make Yanyan beat you up…”
Hearing that, Shen Yuyan couldn’t help but giggle and reached in to gently tickle her, “Silly Qing, the sun’s up already.”
“Ugh...” Xu Qing mumbled as she rolled over drowsily, eyes cracking open just enough to see her bestie before burying her face into Shen Yuyan’s chest, mumbling, “Don’t bug me... five more minutes...”
“If you don’t get up, I’m gonna use up all your sunscreen spray!”
“Go ahead... your Sister Qingqing’s not broke now... I’ve got lots and lots of money... heheh...”
Shen Yuyan stifled a laugh and patted her, “Little Songzi’s coming to spank you again, run!”
“Ah!” Xu Qing gasped and sat up abruptly, clutching her butt in panic, her dark eyes darting left and right, “No hitting! No hitting!”
“O(n_n)O haha~” Shen Yuyan patted her little butt, “Gotta say, it does feel nice to spank. No wonder Tang Song likes it.”
“Ahh! You scheming Yanyan, you tricked me!” Xu Qing pounced on her,
and the two besties started “wrestling” playfully on the soft mattress.
They rolled around, their cheeks flushed red.
After a while, Shen Yuyan suddenly pinched her face and casually asked, “Qingqing, if one day I did something that hurt you, would you forgive me?”
Xu Qing paused, “You make it sound like we’re dating. What, got someone behind my back?”
“Just pretend we are. I’m just asking. Answer me!”
Xu Qing huffed proudly, eyes askance, “Nope! Not unless you wash my underwear and socks for a month!”
Hearing that, Shen Yuyan’s eyes misted slightly. She didn’t say anything more, just hugged her tighter.
This best friend of over a decade had always supported and trusted her unconditionally,
even willing to give up so much for her.
“Hey, what’s with you today? So clingy and gooey!”
“What? We used to sleep in the same bed. Now that you’ve got a boyfriend, I can’t?”
“Not true! You’re just exhausting me. I need to pee.”
“Wait—tell me more about you and Tang Song.”
“What is there you don’t already know? I told you everything.”
“There’s one thing you never mentioned.” Shen Yuyan leaned in and whispered with a laugh.
The room once again filled with giggles.
Spring was in the air.
Zhuxi Residential Complex
Pages flipped from time to time, accompanied by the soft rustling of paper—an unusually peaceful scene.
Gao Mengting curled up on a beanbag chair, her fair, pretty feet resting on a low stool, swinging slightly.
Once, one of her life goals was to find her own “Mr. Darcy.”
After returning from Wushan to Yancheng, she reread Pride and Prejudice, and the words seemed to take on new meaning.
She and Tang Song had already reached a kind of intimate relationship—one where they could feel each other’s presence without speaking.
But even so, Gao Mengting still felt there was a vague, lingering distance between them.
Like a haze—elusive but real.
That confident and mysterious partner who co-founded Songmei Fashion with her, was like Mr. Darcy in the book,
always revealing unexpected tenderness at key moments.
But it was this restraint and distance that left Gao Mengting slightly troubled.
“Maybe what we need is a sincere, rain-soaked conversation outside of Pemberley.”
After zoning out for a bit, she finally set down the book and stood up.
Sunlight fell across her profile, casting a faint warmth.
She walked to her vanity and began doing her makeup.
After changing into an autumn outfit, she stepped into the living room.
Then her nose twitched—
She looked toward the kitchen with a puzzled expression.
Footsteps could be heard from the kitchen as Cheng Qiuqiu came out with a plate of stir-fried spinach, saying softly, “Good morning, Senior.”
“Qiuqiu?” Gao Mengting blinked, a smile spreading on her face. “I thought you’d gone to the office.”
This junior of hers had recently become a workaholic, like she was running on adrenaline.
Riding her motorcycle out before sunrise, returning at midnight, practically living at the office 24/7.
Even during Gao Mengting’s busiest days, she hadn’t been this intense.
“No...” Cheng Qiuqiu looked slightly awkward. “I got up a bit late today, and I’ve finished all my work. Just waiting for leadership to review.”
“Thanks for the hard work. You’ve been doing so well, and even made me breakfast,” Gao Mengting said gently.
“It’s nothing.”
Cheng Qiuqiu sat down at the table and began eating quietly.
She’d been up with insomnia until 2 AM. Still tired.
Mainly because—her “pervy” behavior in the president’s office had been caught by her friend Lingling.
The shame still haunted her.
She kept feeling like a voyeur... spying on something her senior treasured.
Just thinking about that scene sent her into a panic.
Her senior had been so good to her—even helped her get into Songmei Fashion. And yet…
Now that her senior had returned from Wushan,
she’d made up her mind to avoid contacting Tang Song privately as much as possible.
“To maintain distance.”
“By the way, Qiuqiu, there’s a big meeting this morning. You’ll be attending too, so be ready.” Gao Mengting said cheerfully while chewing on spinach. “Tang Song’s finally back—I can relax a bit now.”
At that, Cheng Qiuqiu blurted out, “President Tang’s coming to the office today?”
“Yup. If he didn’t show up soon, our employees would forget he’s their boss.”
“Mm.” Cheng Qiuqiu pursed her lips, keeping a straight face, though her heart suddenly raced.
It had only been half a month, but for some reason, she missed him so much.
Longed to see him.
After breakfast, Gao Mengting started cleaning the kitchen, and Cheng Qiuqiu went to change in the bedroom.
Then they took the Mercedes E-Class to the office together.
...
Yunxi Tower, Songmei Fashion.
After greeting her colleagues, Cheng Qiuqiu sat at her desk, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the president’s office.
She bit her lip lightly, fingers unconsciously tapping on the desk, as if waiting for something.
9:30 AM.
A message came through the work group: All team leads and above, please gather in the main conference room.
Cheng Qiuqiu took a deep breath, checked her hair and collar in the mirror, then stood up to head to the meeting with the others.
She was the visual branding team lead—and its only member—so she qualified to attend.
As they neared the conference room, the atmosphere grew lively.
Employees gathered in small groups, chatting in hushed voices, faces full of excitement and anticipation.
Just then, a stir spread from ahead.
Along with enthusiastic greetings: “President Tang!”, “Good morning, President Tang!”...
Cheng Qiuqiu immediately looked up, eyes fixed on the direction of the voice.
After half a month, Tang Song’s figure finally appeared in her line of sight again.
In that instant, it felt dreamlike and unreal.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray business suit, with a light blue shirt underneath and no tie—casual, yet dignified.
A few wisps of hair fell across his forehead, glowing under the morning light. He looked elegant, confident, and dashing.
“Wow, President Tang is looking more and more handsome...”
“Yeah, every meeting feels like a scene from a drama.”
A few female employees exchanged glances, whispering excitedly.
At that moment, in Cheng Qiuqiu’s eyes, Tang Song seemed to be glowing.
An unprecedented sense of security, warmth, and attachment surged up in her chest, making her eyes mist over slightly.
“You’ve all worked hard. Everyone’s done a fantastic job during this period!”
Tang Song’s face wore a bright smile, his voice clear and magnetic.
His gaze swept across the crowd, landing on each person.
Their eyes met, and Cheng Qiuqiu instinctively took a step forward.
But then she noticed Gao Mengting standing beside him.
Since they had arrived together, she keenly observed that her senior’s lipstick had changed color—
Which meant… she and President Tang had kissed before the meeting. Fiercely, at that.
While she stood dazed, several female streamers, including He Yiyi and Li Qingya, squeezed their way forward.
He Yiyi even gave Tang Song a hug—acting especially intimate.
A rush of complex emotions surged in her heart: jealousy, disappointment, urgency…
Cheng Qiuqiu could no longer suppress her impulse.
She stepped forward, stopping in front of Tang Song. “Good morning, President Tang.”
Her expression remained calm, but her voice carried a faint tremble.
“Morning.” Tang Song nodded with a smile, then asked, “Where’s Lingling? I don’t see her.”
Cheng Qiuqiu lowered her head and replied, “She’s in a meeting at Huashang Fashion this morning. Said they’re starting the first draft of the new clothing line.”
“Mm, alright.” Tang Song didn’t say much more and walked into the main conference room.
As she watched his retreating figure, Cheng Qiuqiu felt a wave of suffocating frustration, grievance, and loss.
They’d been chatting just fine on WeChat, but now that they met in person,
he didn’t treat her as anything special—just another ordinary employee.
And the first thing he asked about… was Lingling.
So it turns out, he doesn’t really care about her.
Her hands tightened on her laptop, her breathing gradually growing erratic.
Above her head, the [Dream Flower Seed] gently swayed, stretching its branches—it seemed even brighter than usual.
The spacious and well-lit main conference room quickly filled with more than twenty people.
Tang Song stood by the projector, remote in hand.
After surveying the room, he slowly began,
“Everyone, thank you again for your hard work. First off—congratulations!
During the National Day holiday, our store sales surpassed 20 million, and we broke the record for single-day revenue!”
A wave of cheers and applause erupted.
Then the meeting officially began.
Although Tang Song had been traveling constantly during this time, he hadn’t neglected his work.
He and Gao Mengting had even refined the company’s development plan.
In the post-holiday period,
Songmei Fashion would fully promote accounts like “He Yiyi’s Life Channel” and other beauty channels to create a traffic matrix.
The monthly advertising budget would increase to 2 million.
In collaboration with Huashang Fashion, they’d establish a flexible supply chain—
offering 50-piece minimums with 7-day rapid replenishment, reducing inventory risk and supporting quick restocks for trending items.
Within a month, their proprietary HEYISTUDIO designs would aim to make up 30% of total offerings.
Through differentiated design, they would raise the average order value and increase fan stickiness.
The team would expand to over 120 people to support brand development and product selection optimization.
An intelligent warehouse management system would be built to dynamically monitor the restock rate of popular items vs. unsold products.
His voice was steady and powerful, filled with infectious enthusiasm, gradually pushing the energy in the room to its peak.
More than an hour later,
the meeting ended.
Tang Song closed his laptop, stood up, and casually chatted with the surrounding colleagues.
His gaze swept the room again, lingering briefly on Cheng Qiuqiu.
She was looking down at her screen, her expression focused and quiet, a bit indifferent—
as if none of what was happening around her had anything to do with her.
Tang Song raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything more. He turned and walked out.
Cheng Qiuqiu looked up, her gaze following his retreating figure.
But her mind churned like a disturbed lake—swirling restlessly.
As the colleagues gradually dispersed, only the sound of a few people packing up remained.
She still sat silently in her chair, hands resting on the keyboard, fingers pressing hard on the keys.
Lines of meaningless letters popped up on the screen.
All sorts of negative emotions rushed in:
self-doubt, sadness, bitterness, pain…
Like a tidal wave, they overwhelmed her.
She even had an extreme thought—
to quit on the spot, to shock him into paying attention, to make him care and try to stop her.
That idea was just as absurd and childish as a rebellious kid acting out on purpose—
but it kept growing wildly in her heart, out of control.
“Bzzzzz—” Her phone vibrated on the desk, snapping her out of it.
Cheng Qiuqiu stiffly turned her head.
She looked at the screen—and instantly froze.
[Tang Song: “Qiuqiu, come to my office. 😊”] Official source is n0velfire.net
A short message—yet she reread it many times.
Every word ignited a hidden yearning deep inside her.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears; even her fingers trembled slightly.
Cheng Qiuqiu slowly stood up and quickly headed toward the president’s office.
Knock knock knock—
“Come in.”
Cheng Qiuqiu took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the entire room.
Tang Song stood beside the desk, flipping through a document.
Hearing the door, he looked up, a gentle and affectionate smile on his face.
“Qiuqiu, you’re here.”
Her lips moved slightly, as if to speak, but all she managed was—
“President Tang, you called for me?”
Tang Song set down the file in his hands, his gaze sweeping over her with admiration, a pleased smile lifting his lips.
“This outfit suits you today. You look beautiful.”
Qiuqiu had clearly dressed up—her hair was immaculately styled, makeup subtle yet refined, enhancing her cool elegance.
A white blouse paired with light blue jeans—simple, yet stylish and sexy.
It perfectly showed off her figure:
manga-like curves, a slim waist, round hips, long legs, a sculpted back…
Every line was like a piece of art.
With her sophisticated, cool goddess face, she radiated a charm that was impossible to ignore.
In terms of proportions, she had the ideal manga physique—nine-heads-tall perfection.
Very similar to Su Yu.
That was why people often said she resembled her.
Looking at her now, Tang Song couldn’t help but recall the girl Qiuqiu from his dream.
His gaze softened.
Noticing his eyes on her, Cheng Qiuqiu bit her lip, suddenly feeling flustered.
“T-This outfit is one of our livestream’s featured items. The operations team asked me to model for it, took some pictures, and then gave it to me.”
She didn’t know why, but today, she had instinctively wanted to dress to impress—
even leaving two buttons open on purpose.
“Oh?” Tang Song raised his eyebrows and stepped up to her.
His gaze paused briefly on the top of her head.
It had only been a short while, but the [Dreamscape Flower Seedling] had grown significantly. The glow it cast onto her body gave her a radiant halo—breathtakingly beautiful.
Then, his gaze shifted downward, taking in her outfit with growing satisfaction.
The task issued by the Little Umbrella, “The Self-Cultivation of a Warm Guy,” had two challenges:
The first—“a beautiful woman’s initiative in giving a first kiss”;
The second—“a date with your quirky girlfriends,” with all three wearing matching outfits.
Finding suitable matching clothes for three girlfriends with wildly different figures on short notice was definitely a bit of a headache.
But thankfully, this was exactly what Songmei Fashion specialized in.
Take Qiuqiu’s outfit today, for example—it was one of their featured pieces, and the warehouse had every size in stock. He could simply use these directly and save himself a lot of trouble.
Thinking of the first challenge, Tang Song’s gaze instinctively fell on her cool and elegant face, his heart beating slightly faster.
It seemed... this designer friend might be a solid option.
The [Dreamscape Flower Seedling] didn’t just enhance comprehension—it also slightly boosted charm.
Its growth rate and blooming depended on the energy provided by the "cultivator," as well as Qiuqiu’s desire to reciprocate.
He had already linked with Qiuqiu twice in dreams, and their relationship in those dreams was very... intimate.
So, showing some closeness in reality wasn’t out of line, right?
Finding a decent excuse for himself, Tang Song turned around and walked to his desk.
He pulled out a sleek leather envelope from the drawer and gently placed it in front of Qiuqiu.
“This is...?” Qiuqiu blinked in surprise, her eyes landing on the envelope. Her voice carried a mix of curiosity and hope.
Tang Song’s lips curved into a warm smile, his tone soft:
“I took a trip to Modu over the holiday. This is a gift I brought back for you.”
“F-For me?” Her chest rose slightly, a blush blooming across her pale cheeks.
Those icy eyes now shimmered with a barely concealed delight and a flicker of unease.
“Mhm.” Tang Song nudged it forward a bit. “Open it and see if you like it. I picked this out just for you. Took quite a bit of effort, too.”
That part was true—he’d worked particularly hard to satisfy Miss Su Yu’s conditions.
Qiuqiu instinctively reached for it, her fingertips brushing the smooth leather surface.
A rush of giddiness nearly overwhelmed her; even her words stumbled. “Th-Thank you… You really didn’t have to…”
A gift from Tang Song?!
A surprise he picked out just for her?!
Joy surged through her like a tidal wave. Even her lashes trembled.
Taking a deep breath, she carefully opened the envelope. Her fingers brushed against a thick, glossy sheet of paper.
When she pulled it out, a beautifully printed photo came into view.
“Su Yu!”
Qiuqiu gasped, eyes going wide with disbelief—her expression completely losing composure.
In the photo, Su Yu wore traditional costume, exuding a surreal elegance—so beautiful it was almost unreal, like a celestial being who had stepped out of a dream.
Her delicate features and the ethereal charm in her eyes carried a transcendent air, like morning mist resting on petals—hazy and dreamlike.
As a diehard fan, Qiuqiu recognized the image instantly—it had to be from Su Yu’s upcoming year-end film.
But she was sure: this still hadn’t been released online.
If it had, it would have blown up on social media.
And more importantly, at the bottom of the photo—
Su Yu’s handwritten signature.
A real, signed photo!
Something Qiuqiu had dreamed of owning.
Just then, the [Dreamscape Flower Seedling] above her head began to sway wildly.
Its green glow grew even brighter, its leaves expanding rapidly, as if echoing the joy and excitement within her.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
Qiuqiu stiffened slightly. Her voice trembled, “I love it. Thank you, Tang Song.”
She was so overwhelmed she even forgot to call him “President.”
“There’s more,” Tang Song added mysteriously, his gaze growing gentler.
Qiuqiu blinked, not understanding.
Tang Song pointed to the signed photo. “Flip it over and see.”
She obediently turned the photo around.
Immediately, two lines of elegant handwriting appeared before her eyes:
“Qiuqiu should be like a camellia—
Even in winter, blooming bright red.”
“Love, Su Yu.”
The office suddenly went silent, save for the sound of Qiuqiu’s quickening breath.
She clutched the signed photo, reading the message on the back again and again.
Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks before she even realized it.
That sentence held deep meaning for her.
In this world, there had only been one person who’d often said that to her—her grandmother.
When her grandma had been sick in the hospital, she had often held Qiuqiu’s hand and whispered with a frail voice:
“Little Qiu, you have to be like a camellia—even in winter, blooming bright red.”
It was her grandma’s hope for her, and the softest place in her heart.
And now, that exact phrase appeared in her idol Su Yu’s handwriting—delivered to her by Tang Song.
It felt like a gift from fate.
She could no longer hold back. With a choked sob, she threw her arms around him.
Tang Song, just like in the dream, reached out and gently patted her back. “It’s okay, Qiuqiu.”
After a long time, she finally calmed down.
She looked up at his familiar face, breathed in his familiar scent, and felt the familiar comfort of his presence.
It was as if she saw the threads of destiny weaving in secret.
Their eyes met.
Tang Song gently pressed a hand against her slender back and leaned in closer.
They were so near, they could feel each other’s breath.
Ten seconds passed.
Qiuqiu’s gaze began to lose focus.
Maybe it was her imagination, but she seemed to see encouragement and expectation in Tang Song’s eyes.
A strange yet irresistible impulse rose in her chest—
Before she realized it, she rose on tiptoes… and kissed him.
Above her, the [Dreamscape Flower Seedling] swayed wildly.
Its green glow broke into fine beams of light, raining down on Qiuqiu.
In just a few seconds, a pristine white camellia silently bloomed amid the shimmering light.
Its petals were clear and delicate, radiating a gentle glow.
“Ding! Congratulations, player—
First bloom of [Dreamscape Flower Seedling] successful!”
Immediately after, the camellia above Qiuqiu’s head turned into a starry light and merged into Tang Song’s body.
Tang Song’s mind cleared in an instant.
[Comprehension +1]