novelraw Chapter 554: Charm
Chapter 554: Charm
Secretary Jin slowly walked into the room, her long hair softly curled, her eyes clear and deep.
Her gaze landed on him, a flicker of complex emotion passing through her eyes. “President Tang, long time no see.”
Tang Song looked up, the corners of his lips slightly lifting. His tone was gentle but void of extra sentiment. “Doesn’t seem that long.”
“Twenty-two days. Looks like you’ve been having a good time lately.”
“You should know, I’m in my senior year. A lot of things need to be handled properly.” Tang Song shifted his gaze away from her legs.
“So, during those days you were in the Imperial Capital, I didn’t disturb your alone time with your childhood sweetheart.”
Secretary Jin walked to the seat across from him, her long legs crossed. Her skin faintly visible beneath the sheer stockings became even clearer.
A light and natural fragrance lingered in the air, low-key but sophisticated, lifting one’s spirits.
Tang Song showed no reaction, just sat calmly on the sofa and said slowly, “Next, I’ll stay in Meigou for three years in peace. You’ll serve as Chairwoman.”
Secretary Jin paused, and the expression on her face visibly brightened.“Three years?”
She repeated softly, a strange glint flashing through her eyes.
“Yes. I hope you won’t find me annoying.” Tang Song made a rare joke.
“I’ll take care of everything for you. What about housing? Where are you planning to live?”
“No need to worry about that. I’ve already got a place.”
Secretary Jin raised her eyebrows slightly. “Oh? Where?”
“Tiantongyuan West Zone 1, a small 13-square-meter second bedroom. Very cozy.”
Saying that, Tang Song chuckled lightly.
Secretary Jin’s eyes sparkled. She immediately understood his meaning, bowed her head slightly, and gently bit her red lips. “President Tang, you really know how to enjoy life.”
She quickly returned to her usual composed self, lifted her head and looked at him. “Jingwu Capital has completed its acquisition of WisdomechAI. The next step is to carry out in-depth integration with Qingning Tech. The Tang-Jin Family Office has also been officially established. I hope you can pay more attention to it. It’ll be our most important asset pool in the future.”
“Hmm, very good. Progress is faster than expected.” Tang Song nodded slightly. “Qingning Tech has finished initial integration. The next key step is commercializing large models.
At Smile Holdings, we’re launching a new fund—AI Computing Power Support Program. It will focus on GPU chip R&D, data center construction, and AI startup incubation.
Notify Yunxi Property to simultaneously build AI industrial parks in major first-tier cities.
...
The industry is just beginning. What we’re doing is not just investing in AI, but building a complete AI ecosystem.
In three years, I want Qingning Tech to become a global core power in the AI field.
Not just Qingning Tech, Tangyi Precision must also keep up with the basic computing power infrastructure.
GPU chips, data centers, large model training... these must all accelerate.
You haven’t spoken to Ouyang yet. Luli Precision will invest heavily in developing proprietary AI chips.
Tang Song spoke calmly and naturally about his plans for the next three years.
In summary, his main focus moving forward would be on Qingning Tech and Tangyi Precision.
All financial investments would gradually be handed over to Wu Kezhi and Secretary Jin.
Secretary Jin listened, her gaze gradually darkening.
Once Tang Song finally stopped, she spoke, “I think your plan is too aggressive. I don’t deny AI’s potential, but the problem is—the tech path isn’t mature, and the market understanding is not unified. What if... we bet wrong?”
Tang Song looked into her clear and spirited eyes and said nothing.
Their eyes met. Secretary Jin appeared calm, but her long legs involuntarily tilted slightly.
Clearly, she wasn’t at ease inside.
After a long pause.
Tang Song suddenly stood up and walked behind the desk.
He casually picked up a pen and drew a curve on an A4 sheet.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Then let’s make a bet, Secretary Jin.”
“What kind of bet?”
Tang Song gripped the pen, his voice gentle yet firm. “A bet on whether my prediction is wrong.”
“What’s the wager?”
“A ‘private directive’.” He paused and added, “If you win, you can issue one private directive to me anytime. Whatever it is, I won’t refuse.”
“Private directive...” Secretary Jin looked at him, a strange emotion flickering in her eyes. “Anything? Are you sure?”
“Of course. Even if it’s...” Tang Song paused meaningfully. “Even if it’s asking me to stand beside you and make our relationship public—I won’t refuse. But it’s limited to me alone.”
Secretary Jin’s fingers slightly tensed, and waves stirred deep in her gaze.
She asked in return, “And if I lose?”
“If you lose, you also have to accept one private directive from me.” Tang Song gently slid the paper in front of her.
Leaning in slightly, his breath lingered at her ear, full of pressure. “So, Smile, will you accept it?”
Secretary Jin looked at the paper in her hand. A few names flashed through her mind.
“Alright, President Tang. I accept.”
She took the pen from his hand and signed her name with swift and decisive movements.
Then she looked at Tang Song, her long, beautiful legs elegantly crossed. “If you win, I’ll also follow your private directive. I’ll do anything for you.”
“This pen is yours. I’ll take it back when I need it.”
......
October 20, 2023, Friday, clear, 7~20℃.
A little after 6 a.m., Tang Song slowly woke up from his sleep.
“Ding! [Secretary Jin’s Story Easter Egg] has ended. You’ve unlocked Secretary Jin’s call permission. Please confirm the activation time within 5 hours.”
He rubbed his forehead as memories from the dream surged like a tide.
This storyline was linked to memories he obtained from [The Self in the Mirror], likely around November 2019.
Qingning Tech had just completed its initial integration. Tangyi Precision was entering a technical breakthrough period. The Tang-Jin Family Office had just been established...
A massive faction had formed. Smile Holdings was at a crucial point of capital expansion.
It was also the time when he was about to head to the Imperial Capital to start his internship and job.
After that, he entered a “day-and-night companionship” phase with Secretary Jin, lasting until he left the capital in November 2022.
That period should be the most real companionship he had in the system world.
And now, this dream Easter egg’s flashback brought back those familiar yet distant emotions.
With future memories, Tang Song naturally wouldn’t make mistakes. So this wager was, from the start, rigged against Secretary Jin.
Or perhaps it was a kind of playful cruelty, set aside for his future self to trigger.
He stared at the dark ceiling in a daze, replaying the stunning image of Secretary Jin in his mind.
An inexplicable feeling surged in his chest.
Her calmness wasn’t detachment, but restraint.
Her silence wasn’t doubt, but waiting.
With charm nearing 80, his permissions would only continue to increase.
He had a strong hunch—it wouldn’t be long before he could touch Secretary Jin in reality.
As for that “private directive”...
He already had an idea.
Just treat it as a flirty couple’s game. After all, he’d done far worse with Little Jing.
While his thoughts were racing—
“Deng deng deng~~”
A WeChat video call invitation popped up.
Qingning
Glancing at the time, Tang Song immediately answered.
They had agreed to work out together this morning. Looks like he overslept today.
The call connected quickly, the screen lighting up with a familiar, adorable face.
“Morning, baby.” Tang Song’s voice was warm, his gaze tender.
“Didn’t we agree to work out together this morning?” Liu Qingning said with a hint of complaint. “I messaged you so many times and got no reply. I thought something happened to you.”
“No, I just drank a bit too much with Zhang Lei last night and slept pretty deeply.”
Liu Qingning wrinkled her nose, half-sulking as she reminded him, “Drink less next time.”
She set her phone on the treadmill stand, stepped back a few paces, revealing her full upper body.
Thanks to her recent fitness regimen, she looked better than ever—almost back to her peak academy days.
Her skin was glowing and rosy, her figure toned, waist tight, chest full and firm. The E-cup curve under her sports bra was perfectly outlined.
In the early morning, when Tang Song’s body was at its peak, his breath instantly quickened.
Liu Qingning smiled and threw him a “call” gesture, then stepped onto the treadmill and hit the start button.
In an instant, waves surged—the visual impact maxed out.
Tang Song felt as if his White Moonlight was “maliciously” tempting him, and he simply couldn’t resist.
.....
9:30 a.m.
30th floor of Yunxi Building, SoMei Fashion’s main conference room.
Bright lights filled the room, the air scented with coffee and a hint of tension.
Tang Song stood in front of the projector screen, remote in hand, sweeping his gaze across the seated employees.
More than 20 people had arrived, including Gao Mengting, He Yiyi, Liu Renjie...
Basically, all the key departmental heads were present.
“Everyone, from launching the He Yiyi account to reaching stable growth, I’ve seen all your hard work. You accomplished the toughest tasks in the shortest time. Whether it’s improving live-stream sales data or building our short-video matrix—I’m very satisfied.”
“Now, our supply chain is fully streamlined. The first batch of samples is being rushed out by Huashang Fashion and should be ready for release next week.”
“Next, what we need to do is truly start building our brand...”
Tang Song looked around and spoke slowly: “Today, I officially announce—the launch of HEYISTUDIO’s branded commercial operations!”
As soon as the words fell, the conference room erupted in applause.
Everyone’s eyes sparkled with excitement and passion.
“This afternoon’s live stream will feature the newly designed studio—it’s the brand’s first public appearance. All departments, make sure the warm-up, stream-push, and promotions are in place...”
The meeting wasn’t long.
After just over half an hour, the entire company went into high-speed mode.
The original T3 studio had already been redecorated per the new visual identity system.
On the screen directly behind, the HEYISTUDIO logo and slogan also appeared.
In fact, as the brand director of HEYISTUDIO,
He Yiyi was the main promotional force.
With her current base of over two million followers, plus the recent pre-launch moves—short video teasers, comment section interactions, and several rounds of buildup—
once the brand was officially announced, it would rapidly spread through her fanbase, triggering viral growth.
Brand awareness would no longer be a problem.
Tang Song returned to the CEO’s office and gently closed the door.
He leaned back in the chair, eyes gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the distant city skyline.
Autumn sunlight spilled across the desk—warm but not blinding.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened the system interface to access his inventory.
The original [Secretary Jin’s Story Easter Egg] had now turned into [Secretary Jin’s Call Permission (Limited Time)].
Tang Song’s eyes flickered with a hint of uncontrollable excitement.
He selected the item and used it immediately.
“! [Secretary Jin]’s call permission has been unlocked. Duration: 5 minutes.”
As the prompt sounded, Tang Song quickly lit up his phone screen.
At the top of his contact list, a new name appeared: “@Secretary Jin.”
Wasting no time, Tang Song dialed the number.
“Doo—doo—doo——”
The ringing tone felt like it was stretching out for ages.
Tang Song’s fingers unconsciously tapped the desktop, his chest rising and falling as his breath grew shallow.
This was the first time he was calling her in real life.
Before, he could only sense her presence through dream fragments, item Easter eggs, or task rewards.
But now, she was right there.
Real yet distant, gentle yet mysterious.
Ba-dump… ba-dump——
His heartbeat quickened with every ring.
Finally—
A low, gentle voice came through the receiver, slightly trembling: “Hello, President Tang.”
The voice came from the other end, like it had traveled from the depths of a faraway dream—clear and familiar.
Tang Song’s hand clenched tightly, his throat moving. “Secretary Jin, I love you.”
No matter what, his first priority was to reassure this “Big Boss,” just in case a metaphorical truck did show up one day.
There was a moment of silence on the other end.
Then—
Thud!
A loud crash came from the phone—like something hit a wall, or something fell to the ground.
“Director Jin! Are you okay?” “Director Jin!”
“I’m fine. Don’t come in!”
“Secretary Jin?!”
Imperial Capital, Smile Holdings headquarters, outside the meeting room.
Secretary Jin rubbed her reddened forehead where she’d bumped it, her chest rising and falling, a rare blush creeping across her face.
She lowered her head and smoothed out her slightly messy bangs. “I’m okay… just… accidentally knocked over a cup.”
“That’s good.” Tang Song’s voice was full of concern.
“One moment.” Secretary Jin pursed her lips, gave her assistant a look, and quickly walked toward a vacant office.
Behind her, Assistant Lin Tiantian opened her mouth but said nothing. She glanced at the conference room full of puzzled faces, then reluctantly walked inside.
Once inside the empty office, Secretary Jin gently closed the door behind her. She leaned back against it, her heartbeat still unsettled.
In a slightly confused tone, she said, “President Tang, what did you just say? Could you repeat that? I didn’t quite catch it.”
As she spoke, she activated the voice recording feature.
“Secretary Jin, I love you.”
“Oh?” The corners of her lips lifted. “Sorry, President Tang, the signal was a bit off just now. What did you say?”
“I said—I love you, Secretary Jin.”
This time, he spoke slowly and clearly.
Every word felt like it was carved into her very bones.
It was the first time she had clearly heard Tang Song say those three words.
That dream on the Qixi Festival had been hazy and unreal to her—not nearly as vivid as it had been for Tang Song.
Once the dream ended, all she could remember were the emotions within it.
Far from the tangible clarity of reality.
The emotions welling up inside her were beyond words.
Leaning against the office door, her long chestnut hair slightly disheveled, veiling her flushed cheeks—
“President Tang, I’m currently in an internal company meeting. Is this really the right time to say something like that?”
“What’s wrong with the timing? I just wanted you to know.”
Secretary Jin’s lips curved into a smile. “As far as I remember, there’s nothing particularly special between us. Or should I call it… partnership? Like your current Ms. Gao? Isn’t that right?”
She spoke with elegance and composure.
Having known Tang Song for over seven years, he had always been calm and indifferent. The occasional flicker of emotion in his gaze or speech disappeared as quickly as it came.
Forget confessing or defining their relationship—there had never even been a hug or a kiss.
If not for the existence of the “Tang-Jin Family Office” and the “Tang-Jin Estate” to prove her place in his life, they could only be classified as “kindred spirits.”
That’s why she was jealous of Su Yu. That’s why she had shown off the roses and card from Tang Song to Su Yu.
And now, Tang Song had personally called to confess.
Everything had changed.
Still, in just half a year, so many random women had suddenly appeared. There was no way she wasn’t affected by it.
From people like Wen Ruan, Secretary Jin had already learned about a whole new Tang Song, and also about his personality.
So naturally, she knew how to “handle” him.
“Uh…” Tang Song hesitated for a moment. “Secretary Jin, to me, you’ve never just been a partner. My feelings for you go much deeper than you realize. Honestly, you’re one of the most important people in the world to me.”
Secretary Jin gripped her phone, took a deep breath, and forced down the surge in her chest. Her tone remained calm. “After a year apart, President Tang, you’ve really become quite the smooth talker. But I’m sure you have many ‘most important’ people, right? I don’t seem particularly unique. Heh.”
She strolled over and sat lightly on a chair, turning up the earpiece volume to max.
“No. To me, you are the most special. No one else could ever replace you.”
Secretary Jin crossed her legs. Her high heels dangled lightly. “Is that so? First time I’ve heard you say something like that. Feels… unreal.”
[Keep talking!!]
“Of course. You’re my ideal type—you’re outstanding, disciplined, emotionally stable, multitalented, and absolutely stunning…”
With his impressive lung capacity, Tang Song rattled off a string of praise in one breath.
From her professional skills to her personal charm, from work ethic to daily details—he listed them all. His tone steady but burning with passion.
Every word hit its mark, striking straight at Secretary Jin’s heart.
Her face flushed, her heart raced, and she couldn’t sit still. The whole world felt like it was spinning.
Tang Song was still going.
His tone softened, and he started asking about her diet, workout habits, and sleep quality... Chapters first released on N0velFire.ɴet
After a while, Tang Song’s voice gradually slowed, as if setting the stage for something.
Secretary Jin brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “President Tang, after all this time, you called just to talk about these things?”
“There’s one more thing.”
“Oh? What is it?” Secretary Jin pursed her lips.
Tang Song paused, like he was gathering momentum, then slowly said, “Do you remember that bet from November 2019? About whether the AI industry would explode within three years?”
Secretary Jin’s tapping toe suddenly stopped, her chest gently rising and falling with her breath. She forced herself to stay calm. “Of course I remember. I admitted last year that I lost. You were right. So... President Tang, are you here to collect your wager? Don’t worry, I’d never go back on my word.”
“Yes.”
Secretary Jin bit her lower lip. “So what do you want me to do? Go ahead, President Tang. But remember, we agreed—it has to be a private directive, meaning... something personal, about me.”
A slightly quickened breath came through the receiver. Then came the words that completely caught Secretary Jin off guard:
“Take off your bra, panties, and stockings right now—and send them to me in Yancheng.”
The air seemed to freeze.
Secretary Jin’s face shifted through a range of emotions—shock, then embarrassed anger, and finally, a subtle, unreadable smile.
She pressed her legs tightly together and said slowly, “As you wish.”
Yancheng, Yunxi Building.
Tang Song slowly set down his phone, leaned back in his chair, his gaze visibly trembling.
His heart felt oddly empty.
Their first official call had ended just like that—and he had poured out everything he had wanted to say for so long.
To him, Secretary Jin was truly the most special.
Like a 2D dream girl descending from the heavens.
Elegant, rational, and perfectly restrained—an ideal woman to the extreme.
Yet that “as you wish” just now carried a hint of teasing indulgence.
And for some reason, Tang Song felt a strange thrill—like he had just defiled a goddess.
After all, no matter how he saw her, Secretary Jin was still that “legendary Director Jin.”
No one knew how much time passed.
Knock knock knock— the sound of knocking broke his train of thought.
Tang Song quickly gathered himself and looked up. “Come in.”
The door opened gently, and a well-proportioned, striking figure stepped into the CEO’s office.
Gao Mengting was wearing a sharp, form-fitting pencil skirt and a black cropped blazer. The lines of her outfit were smooth and elegant.
Her long brown hair fell naturally over her shoulders. With a radiant smile on her face, she exuded confidence and energy.
Meeting his gaze, she smiled brightly. “Partner, the livestream’s about to begin! Come on, let’s go witness our company entering a new chapter!”
Looking at his beautiful, refined partner, Tang Song felt like he saw a glimpse of Secretary Jin in her.
He stood up, walked slowly to her side, smiled at her, and said lightly, “Let’s go.”
In He Yiyi’s exclusive livestream studio—
The lighting was soft but layered. Background music played a gentle piano tune, adding a touch of artistic flair.
The whole studio was styled like a luxurious bedroom with an oversized walk-in closet, all in line with HEYISTUDIO’s visual identity system.
The main color tones were Moonstone gray and CreamSilk ivory. On the wall, the brand logo played across a screen.
The clothing racks were designed with minimal wooden structures, and each item of clothing was presented like a carefully curated piece of art.
On camera, He Yiyi sat on the main sofa, wearing a light autumn outfit. She looked elegant and relaxed—like a leading lady stepping out of a lifestyle magazine.
After some interaction, thanks to boosted traffic, the number of viewers skyrocketed—quickly surpassing 8,000.
The chat was buzzing, and the comment section was on fire.
He Yiyi adjusted her earpiece and gave the camera a gentle smile:
“Some of you might’ve noticed, today’s studio looks a little different.”
“That’s right.”
“Because I have something really important to share with you all.”
“I’m about to launch my own women’s clothing brand—HEYISTUDIO.”
“HEYISTUDIO is aimed at professional women and freelancers aged 25–35. Women who seek quality but dislike pretentiousness; who love fashion but won’t blindly follow trends.”
“I hope every woman who wears HEYISTUDIO can find her most authentic self in a crowd.”
“Not loud, but not dull. Not pandering, but not aloof. Like autumn wind—gentle yet firm. Like a nighttime city—warm, but never noisy.”
Her tone was smooth and warm, like she was telling a story, not promoting a product.
The viewer count kept rising, and the data climbed steadily.
As a top-tier streamer, He Yiyi had a massive fanbase. The launch of her new brand, combined with two weeks of buildup, had ignited audience excitement.
Tang Song stood in a corner, watching the livestream feed with steady eyes.
Just then—
“!”
The system interface automatically unfolded before him.
[October 20, 2023. After a period of hard work, you captured the bonus of an opportunity event, led your team through an IP upgrade, launched a brand-building plan, formed a professional design team, built a complete supply chain, and secured seamless OEM partnerships…]
[Within the boundaries of the system’s rules, you moved with steady, powerful steps to complete the key landing of a brand from 0 to 1—demonstrating outstanding strategic vision and resource integration ability.]
[At this moment, standing at the starting line of brand commercialization, you feel a profound sense of achievement and fulfillment. It is a growth that comes from within—a true milestone on the road of entrepreneurship.]
[You’ve completed Task ①: Branding.]
[You’ve unlocked the achievement: “Brand Breakthrough.”]
[You’ve earned a reward: Charm +1.]
[Your Charm has reached 80, successfully unlocking the next tier of assets and permissions.]