novelraw Chapter 583: Illness
Chapter 583: Illness
"That’s all. I hope Assistant Lin will seriously reflect on this."
Qin Yingxue's eyes lingered on her face for a moment, then she said no more.
She turned and pushed open the conference room door, striding in.
The heavy door slowly closed behind her. Lin Muxue’s face showed panic as Qin Yingxue’s words echoed repeatedly in her mind.
Just yesterday, she had gained full control over the half-mountain mansion and the private jet, still basking in the joy of firmly holding the position of “biological assistant.”
The long-held tension in her heart finally relaxed completely.
She even began to feel that her previous constant suspicion and hostility towards Shen Yuyan had been somewhat petty.
But then, this “Golden Misfortune” suddenly appeared, striking her with a sneak attack out of nowhere.
Although she had secretly flattered herself, able to call Su Yu and Jin Meixiao “sisters,”
deep down she knew better than anyone that, regardless of real identity, status, family background, or personal skills and ability, there was a vast gulf between her and them. Just like Jin Meixiao told the beautician, she was the “main wife.”
Hearing it from Jin Meixiao herself, it sounded perfectly natural;
no one ever questioned or challenged it.
From the current situation, it was very likely that Jin Meixiao and Su Yu were at odds.
Now that she had grown close to Su Yu and Mo Xiangwan, Jin Meixiao clearly held a strong grudge against her,
even sending Qin Yingxue specifically to reprimand her, while being so warm to Shen Yuyan...
Who knew what might happen next...
Just as her mind was in chaos, a voice sounded beside her: “Lumna, the Kate Trust delegation has arrived. There is a very important person among them. Simon is in the reception room and needs you to come.”
Steven, the company’s Investor Relations Director, was briskly approaching her.
Lin Muxue snapped back to reality, forcibly suppressing the fear and unease in her heart, forcing a stiff smile. “Okay, I’ll go right away.”
She took a deep breath and quickened her pace.
Steven quietly introduced the backgrounds of the Kate Trust delegation members as they walked.
Soon, Lin Muxue found herself in the VIP reception room, facing a team of six.
All white, each exuding a strong aura. As a world-class top financial institution, Kate Trust’s representatives were seasoned industry elites, carrying an imposing presence without needing to raise their voices.
After some greetings, Lin Muxue led the group toward the main conference room.
Only a few steps in, she suddenly spotted a deeply familiar figure approaching.
Tang Song was coming toward them with Investment Vice President Wang Jiajun and others.
Their eyes met;
Lin Muxue’s lips twitched as if she was about to shed tears.
In her mind, she screamed: “Tang Song, save me!”
But the words died on her lips, swallowed back.
She merely slowed her steps, arriving beside him, adopting a graceful and professional demeanor, introducing both sides with the utmost effort to play the role of a bad assistant to herself.
She was smart—she knew that this “harem” war, if she complained to Tang Song and dragged him into her mess to support her, would change the nature of the conflict.
It would be tantamount to openly declaring war on Jin Meixiao, the “main wife,” completely alienating her.
She dared not gamble on whether she could still remain safely by Tang Song’s side then.
In this situation, Muxue had no choice but to endure, trying to find a sliver of hope between “Golden Misfortune” and “Su Celestial Emperor.”
.....
Inside the vast conference room, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.
On one side of the long conference table sat the Rongliu Capital team;
on the other side were representatives from Tangjin Family Office and Kate Trust.
The main agenda was: reviewing and finalizing the fund establishment process, along with internal coordination and preparation reports.
Shen Yuyan sat at the lower position, with a laptop glowing brightly before her, sitting upright.
A flush of excitement colored her cheeks.
At this moment, she finally felt she had achieved part of her ultimate life goal.
Located on the 38th floor of the international financial center, facing executives from Tangjin Family Office and Kate Trust, representing the highest levels of global capital power.
And now, she sat here as a core team member, participating in this top-tier closed-door meeting about the “Billion-dollar Alpha Fund of Funds.”
She didn’t know much about Qin Yingxue’s background, but the chief representative of Kate Trust, Marcus Leonard, was a name she had heard thunderously.
Among the top five shareholders of the P&
G group she once worked at, Kate Trust had a presence.
Mr. Marcus had visited their company headquarters before, and the entire group had received reports and notifications about his visit.
He was the Managing Director of Strategic Investments at Kate Trust and a senior top banker—an absolute heavyweight.
At this moment, the big shot was far from the arrogance or aloofness she had imagined;
instead, he showed exceptional enthusiasm and courtesy toward Tang Song and Rongliu Capital.
His team included top legal and compliance leaders, financial and tax architects, and cross-institution relationship coordinators...
This entire elite team would stay temporarily at Rongliu Capital, forming a special support group ready to respond at any time.
All this made her feel a surreal, dreamlike dizziness.
“Based on this, we recommend establishing linked risk control centers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and New York to ensure 24/7 global market monitoring...” Marcus’s voice continued.
Shen Yuyan’s fingers danced swiftly over the keyboard, recording every key point clearly.
The meeting agenda gradually deepened from macro strategy into execution details.
Vincent Wong, Rongliu Capital’s Vice President of Investments, gave a detailed report on due diligence progress for the initial proposed projects.
Time slipped away quietly amidst tense yet efficient discussion.
Shen Yuyan felt her brain had never operated at such high speed;
every piece of information flooding her ears was like a puzzle slowly constructing a magnificent blueprint before her eyes.
4:30 p.m.
The meeting neared its end.
Tang Song rose, his steady gaze sweeping across the room as he delivered a concluding speech.
When his words fell, restrained yet warm applause filled the room.
The tense atmosphere finally eased.
Marcus Leonard was the first to stand, smiling as he extended his hand to Tang Song: “Looking forward to our upcoming cooperation. I believe this will be a groundbreaking move that reshapes the industry.”
“It definitely will, Mr. Leonard.” Tang Song shook his hand firmly.
Qin Yingxue also stood, symbolically shaking Tang Song’s hand.
Her gaze casually landed on Shen Yuyan, offering a compliment: “President Tang, your new assistant is outstanding. Her supplementary insights on several cross-border merger cases during the meeting were very precise. With her here, I believe our future coordination will be much smoother.”
Marcus Leonard’s eyes flickered slightly as he immediately caught the signal, echoing: “Yes, Miss Shirley truly demonstrated extremely high professionalism—impressive indeed.”
Shen Yuyan’s expression confirmed this;
she quickly tried to show calmness and humility, “President Qin, Mr. Leonard, you flatter me. I will do my best to ensure flawless coordination.”
But inside, she was already overwhelmed by a volcanic surge of joy!
These words carried weight far beyond ordinary politeness or praise.
They came from the representative of Tangjin Family Office, in front of Kate Trust’s chief representative and all Rongliu Capital executives.
She immediately noticed.
Everyone around her—Rongliu Capital’s top executives and other representatives from both institutions—shifted their gaze subtly but noticeably.
There was a newfound genuine scrutiny, recognition, even a hint of respect.
It was these words that truly gave her a place and name at this top-tier power table!
From the early startup days, she had faced countless cold stares, sarcastic remarks, slanders, and insults.
For Shen Yuyan, this respect was hard-earned.
Her admiration for Qin Yingxue instantly peaked.
Tang Song smiled gently with approval as his gaze met Shen Yuyan’s. “Shirley is indeed a rare talent.”
Lin Muxue stood beside Tang Song, feeling her heart turn ice-cold and her face pale.
The worst had happened.
She knew Shen Yuyan’s character well;
she would never let go of any opportunity.
Now, with Qin Yingxue’s favor, she might even attract Director Jin’s attention.
Would she... be pushed out?
At the thought, an unprecedented fear gripped her heart.
Lin Muxue stood dumbfounded, her hands and feet icy cold, as if falling into an icy abyss.
She felt she was facing the biggest crisis of her life.
Mo Xiangwan’s sudden invitation, Bei Yuwei and other popular stars’ warm closeness, the consultant title at LVMH Group...
These seemingly heavenly privileges and easy-access resources were never handed out for free.
Heaven had mercy;
ever since little Snow received the “Hermès First Snow,” she had secretly flattered herself as part of the “Director Jin” faction,
wholeheartedly determined to grow stronger alongside them and create brilliance together.
Who would have thought she accidentally took the wrong path, passively siding with Su Yu?
The worst part... nobody told her in advance that these divine beings were fighting!
I am more wronged than Dou E!
Across from her, Qin Yingxue’s gaze calmly swept over Lin Muxue.
This “exceptionally high-profile” assistant truly deserved a reprimand.
In fact, from the start, she hadn’t taken this woman seriously at all. Lin Muxue only entered her sight as a supplementary piece of information during the investigation of Zhao Yaqian, an irrelevant background figure.
Later, when Lin Muxue suddenly became an assistant to the Gathering Capital committee, Qin Yingxue initiated a detailed background check on her.
The investigation was unimpressive.
A typical “fake socialite”—vain, ostentatious, born from a humble, almost barren background, with a personality full of impatience and speculative instability.
Yet this kind of person had become President Tang’s “private assistant,” even beginning to take over some of Director Jin’s previous duties.
Qin Yingxue knew well that Director Jin tolerated her presence precisely because she saw through Lin Muxue’s character.
She even intended to “stimulate” her through material differentiation, to make her obedient and well-behaved.
But who could have expected Lin Muxue to start mingling with Su Yu and Mo Xiangwan’s people, recently taking charge of President Tang’s Bombardier Global 7500 jet operations.
Many of her current actions were no longer just personal vanity but posed potential risks to influencing President Tang’s decisions.
Especially... the upcoming Tangjin Estate.
Since the estate was named “Tangjin,” its mistress could only and must be Director Jin.
If she didn’t reprimand Lin Muxue soon, this assistant might completely go wild, mistakenly thinking she could truly enter the inner circle.
Combined with her reckless personality, once used by Su Yu’s faction, she could easily make wrong judgments at critical moments, bringing huge trouble to the whole system.
Qin Yingxue’s gaze then shifted to Shen Yuyan, a faint smile barely visible at the corner of her mouth.
It was time to bring real opposition to Lin Muxue, to make her understand her position could be replaced at any moment.
And Shen Yuyan was the perfect candidate.
Ambitious, capable, and most importantly, a “fan” of Director Jin.
Plus, she had a “naive” close friend, Xu Qing.
[What a lucky one!]
Qin Yingxue couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, tinged with a hint of jealousy.
Because this opportunity was simply too precious.
The meeting ended;
everyone gradually dispersed.
Lin Muxue’s steps felt unsteady as she returned to her office, closed the door, and collapsed heavily into the soft leather chair.
Outside the window was the dazzling Victoria Harbour, but she had no mood to appreciate it.
Her mind was filled with “Golden Misfortune” and Qin Yingxue’s cold eyes.
“Buzz buzz buzz—”
Her phone vibrated on the desk—a new email notification.
The sender was [Kate Private Banking Division].
Lin Muxue blinked and opened the email. A beautifully formatted, data-rich PDF appeared on screen—her co-branded black card’s monthly statement.
Exactly one month had passed since activation.
Every expense was clearly itemized: specific time, location, merchant name, amount...
Clear as day, no omissions.
More chilling was the AI-generated spending analysis chart at the end of the statement.
The chart divided expenses into categories: “business travel,” “team building,” “gift purchases,” and “personal items.”
The bright red sector representing “personal items” occupied nearly 70% of the entire pie chart.
“Ah!” Lin Muxue gasped softly, instinctively shivering as a cold chill swept down her back.
It felt as if a pair of eyes were coldly watching her every move through this statement.
She felt like red fur was about to sprout on her body.
“From now on... I must never use it recklessly again, right?” Lin Muxue rubbed her flushed delicate face with both hands, feeling both wronged and fearful.
She was used to “poor” days;
suddenly gaining this limitless top-tier tool, plus Tang Song’s indulgence and near non-interference.
If she could really hold back, she wouldn’t be Lin Muxu.
Didn’t she see the ads on Douyin and Xiaohongshu still coming?
Thinking of her social accounts, Lin Muxue shivered.
Opening Xiaohongshu and Douyin, a stream of carefully shot and edited videos played across the screen.
Five-star hotel vlogs, first-class flight experiences, walls full of Hermès unboxings, elite-style top afternoon teas...
Her gaze struggled on those videos for a long time.
Finally, she pouted in grievance, eyes lowering.
This content had already drawn Director Jin’s explicit disapproval.
If she continued to act recklessly, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Besides, Qin Yingxue was right: as Tang Song’s assistant, she really couldn’t keep flaunting herself as a pure “rich flaunting internet celebrity.”
But should she just give up the accounts she had painstakingly built?
Those hard-earned fans, the huge satisfaction from the traffic, and that dazzling vanity...
Leaning back in her chair, two inner voices fought fiercely in her mind.
After a long time, she exhaled deeply, as if making a firm decision.
Give up? No, transform!
Little Snow had to pull herself together!
Since the “socialite flaunting wealth” route no longer fit, she would switch to the recently popular internet new-rich investor and financial knowledge sharing female blogger path!
This identity could satisfy her vanity for the “elite persona” while perfectly aligning with her current work at Rongliu Capital.
Maybe, she could even discover good early-stage investment projects and report them to Tang Song, earning his genuine admiration!
Besides, wasn’t she currently studying for an MBA at Imperial College? This was a ready-made, top-tier material and background!
She could completely abandon the flashy “flaunting” elements, replacing them with the “financial elite” professional attribute.
Now Rongliu Capital was a world-class private equity firm.
Any inadvertent display of her background would highlight her identity and status.
This was also a higher-level form of “showing off.”
Thinking this, Lin Muxue calmed somewhat but still felt a bit afraid.
“Ding dong—”
The WeChat notification sounded, and a message popped up.
[Tang Song: “Luna, book a ticket for Thursday morning to Yangcheng and the hotel. For details, coordinate with Wen Ruan’s assistant. It’s about the future investment in Smart Chain, I mentioned it to you before.”]
[Tang Song: “Wang Danzhou, 1322......”]
Lin Muxue quickly replied, “Okay, got it!”
Then she immediately called Wang Dandan, confirming all necessary details in a gentle and professional tone.
She created a special task folder named “GZ-231102” in her work notes.
Then switched to the flight and hotel booking apps, fingers flying as she quickly secured the best flights and room types.
She also gave clear instructions to the black card service team, booking a private car and security.
The whole process was smooth and efficient;
within just ten minutes, all core arrangements were set.
She then compiled a concise itinerary memo and sent it to Tang Song.
In this high-tension, battle-ready state, Lin Muxue’s spirits soared, her potential fully unleashed.
Her eyes reignited with fighting spirit.
Chairman’s office.
Seeing the memo from Lin Muxue, Tang Song blinked and replied with a “surprised” emoji.
[Little Snow: “(。-) At your service, President Tang!”]
They exchanged emojis for a while, then Tang Song put down his phone.
He picked up the magazine on the desk, looked at the photos, and smiled.
Recently, the big sister hadn’t been idle either;
her partner training progress was going very well.
She had not only accepted an exclusive interview with Fortune magazine but also earned a monthly column seat in Digital Marketing.
Her reputation in the industry was rising rapidly.
The magazine in his hand was sent by Wen Ruan’s assistant all the way from Yancheng.
It contained her full interview and some stunningly beautiful photo spreads.
Undeniably, under the nourishment of system props,
Wen Ruan’s condition was improving day by day.
In the photos, she was full of charm and elegance, her eyes carrying both the lazy allure of a mature woman and the confident composure of a business elite.
Every smile was like fine red wine, exuding intoxicating fragrance.
Looking at that radiant big sister in the photos, Tang Song smiled knowingly.
Soon he would meet her in Yangcheng.
While enjoying the local style, it was time to properly reward this enchanting big sister.
Her mission [③ Show Your Talent] seemed ready to complete soon.
Wonder what surprises the [Special Item Pack*1] would bring this time.
After carefully flipping through the magazine several times,
Tang Song stood and walked to the large floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the busy and magnificent city below.
His thoughts uncontrollably drifted to another city.
The image of Zhang Yan appeared in his mind.
His junior high school deskmate and friend, long forgotten in the corners of his memory,
had become increasingly vivid and warm due to the quiet messages left one by one on that silent QQ alternate account.
Tang Song exhaled softly, feeling mixed emotions.
It was unrealistic to say he had deep feelings for Zhang Yan,
after all, his entire youth, all his fluttering and pursuits, had almost entirely been for Liu Qingning.
But her more than ten years of silent messages, the image that faintly surfaced on the edge of his memory repeatedly,
truly moved him deeply.
It was a shock gently watched over by time, a pure feeling crossing many years without expecting a response.
The “Tang Song” in her heart was probably a figure she painstakingly pieced together and beautified in countless lonely nights with memories and imagination, a phantom completely different from the real him.
However, Zhang Yan was an introverted, sensitive, and insecure girl.
This was also why he hesitated over whether to see her or disturb her.
After a long while,
he picked up his phone and called Zheng Qiudong.
“Beep beep beep—”
“Hey, Old Zheng.”
“Hmm, all good, everything is going smoothly.”
“I want you to check someone for me.” Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on noᴠelfire.net
“Zhang Yan, a copy editor at a book marketing company in Yangcheng, 26 years old, graduated from Yancheng Agricultural University in 2021, previously worked at Gaosi Education in the Imperial Capital...”
“Okay, got it. Bye.”
He hung up.
Tang Song squeezed his phone and shook his head gently.
No matter what, even if he didn’t disturb her, he had to help her.
October 31, 2023, Tuesday.
8 p.m.
The night had long since fallen over Yangcheng, rain drizzling steadily outside the window, blending the old city’s street noise and damp air into a unique tranquility.
“Knock, knock knock.”
The doorbell rang suddenly, neither too loud nor too soft, with a tentative hesitation.
Zhang Yan was startled. Who could it be at this hour?
She came to the door and peered through the peephole.
Under the dim hallway light, a familiar yet blurry figure made her heart tighten.
She hurriedly opened the door.
“Mom, why are you here?”
“I... was passing by, so I came to see you.”
Zhou Hui stood at the door, holding an umbrella, her clothes damp from the rain.
She carried a plastic bag of fruit, looking somewhat uneasy, her eyes betraying fatigue she tried to hide.
She wore a slightly old but clean coat, her hair simply tied into a bun at the back, revealing a somewhat worn face.
Zhang Yan pressed her lips, asking no questions, silently stepping aside to let her mother in.
“Have you eaten, Ayin?” Zhou Hui glanced at Zhang Yan, her eyes flickering with tenderness and guilt.
“I ate tomato and egg noodles. What about you?”
“I ate too.”
Zhou Hui sat on the small sofa, placing the fruit bag on the coffee table, her hands awkwardly folded on her lap.
Juzi curiously poked her head out, eyeing the unfamiliar visitor, emitting a low rumble from her throat.
Seeing the suddenly appearing cat, Zhou Hui was momentarily stunned.
Zhang Yan quickly picked up Juzi, whispering, “This is a stray cat I found. Her name is Juzi.”
“Oh, oh.” Zhou Hui nodded without further comment, simply pushing the fruit bag toward the center of the table. “I bought some of your favorite dragon fruit.”
“Thank you.”
The air grew quiet, filled only with the sound of rain outside and Juzi’s soft breathing.
Between mother and daughter hung a silence both close and distant.
Zhang Yan lowered her gaze, unconsciously stroking Juzi’s soft fur, occasionally stealing glances at her mother.
Looking at her mother’s graying temples and deeply lined face.
Her eyes reddened slightly, quickly lowering her head again, afraid to be seen.
Though Zhang Yan had been in Yangcheng a long time, she hadn’t met her mother often.
One reason was distance and busy work;
the other was... her half-sister from the same mother but different father strongly rejected her presence.
She understood;
her mother had a new family, and her presence was a disturbance to that family.
Since second year of high school, her mother had unfailingly sent living expenses every month, making her life easier and improving her treatment at her aunt’s house.
When she entered university, her mother secretly traveled to Jing County, slipping a thick 5,000 yuan bill into her hand.
Her move to Yangcheng was largely driven by a long-held wish to see for herself whether her mother was doing well or suffering.
The reality was indeed tough.
Currently, her mother worked cleaning in an office building, earning about 4,000 yuan a month.
Plus, with two children from Uncle Chen’s side, she had to care for three children in total, living a tight and exhausting life.
“Are you doing well at work lately?” Zhou Hui finally broke the silence, her tone cautiously caring.
“Pretty good. Colleagues are warm, and the boss values me.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Zhou Hui nodded, beginning to show intermittent concern.
Over twenty minutes later.
“Cough, cough, cough—”
A violent, uncontrollable cough erupted deep from Zhou Hui’s throat.
She hurriedly covered her mouth, her body trembling violently from the effort, her face flushed red from coughing.
Zhang Yan immediately stood, gently patting her mother’s back. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
She noticed this time her mother looked much thinner than last time, the whole person smaller by a size.
“N-no... nothing!” Zhou Hui hastily waved her hand, barely stopping the coughing. “Just an old problem, seasonal bronchitis.”
She spoke while struggling to stand. “It’s late;
I... I should go.”
“I’ll see you downstairs.” Zhang Yan said, moving to hold the umbrella.
“No, no!” Zhou Hui quickly walked to the door, opening it. Then, as if remembering something, she turned back.
In the dim light, she looked at her daughter, opened her mouth but finally said nothing,
only stepped forward and clumsily but firmly hugged Zhang Yan.
The hug came so suddenly that Zhang Yan froze, standing there dumbfounded and unsure.
In her memory, this was the first time her mother had actively hugged her since coming to Yangcheng.
Her mother’s body was very thin;
even through her clothes, the bone structure was visible, but the embrace was surprisingly warm.
Then, she felt something bulging subtly in her mother’s abdomen, as if... swollen.
“Are you sick?” she blurted out, her voice filled with surprise she hadn’t realized herself.
“No, really nothing, just a bit of bloating recently.” Zhou Hui quickly released her and walked out carrying the umbrella.
“—” The door closed.
Zhang Yan hesitated a moment, then hurried to the balcony and opened the window;
icy rain immediately hit her face.
She leaned against the window, watching the exit below.
After a while, her mother finally came out of the building entrance.
She walked while coughing violently again.
The old umbrella she carried shook with her, looking like a flickering candle in the rainy night.
Zhang Yan’s eyes instantly reddened, her vision blurred.