novelraw Chapter 621: Head-to-Head — Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang
Chapter 621: Head-to-Head — Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang
Chapter 621: Head-to-Head — Director Jin and Ms. OuyangWater bar area.
"Is that Meng Chuan? Wow, he looks even more handsome in person than in the photos!"
"Who is he? I've never seen him before. Is he from out of town?"
"Zi Qin, don't joke around. He's not from our circle. That's the wealthy heir from Singapore. He's only 28 and already the Asia-Pacific head of Stellar Investments."
With Tian Chengye's grand reception over there, the young people near the bar were quietly discussing the new focal figure.
Soon, the background information about Meng Chuan spread quickly within this small circle, causing them to let out suppressed whispers.
They were only invited to the birthday party and had never heard of such a high-profile "big shot" attending before.
For a moment, many people's eyes showed undisguised admiration and curiosity.
They were all just "prospective heirs" who had just started engaging with family businesses, with assets at most in the billion range.
"Who’s that foreigner beside him? Looks pretty arrogant." Ni Qingli shook her head holding her wine glass. "I don't know, but his status is definitely not ordinary. Look, even Meng Chuan is so courteous to him."
"Those two are both top-tier. Do you think I should go talk to them later and get their contacts?" a girl was eager.
"I still think Xiao Jing's boyfriend is more outstanding and has better charisma."
"That's true. Tang Song really feels like a two-dimensional male god come to life."
As soon as this was said, their gazes involuntarily shifted together toward where Tang Song was standing.
He quietly stood beside the flower arrangement table, holding a bouquet in his hand.
His side profile was deep and clear under the light, his expression focused and calm, as if all the outside noise was irrelevant to him.
He wasn't doing anything deliberately, yet naturally radiated a powerful aura.
Even Meng Chuan’s arrival didn’t seem to affect him at all.
Qin Hua, who had been a bit distracted, also lifted her head following everyone's gaze.
Her eyes became extremely complicated when they landed on Tang Song.
She still hadn’t recovered from the shock that her best friend Xiao Jing’s boyfriend was actually the owner of Lan Feng International Hotel, a billionaire under 26.
The key was his temperament—it was simply... incredible.
At that moment, a louder and more suppressed commotion suddenly sounded beside her ear.
Qin Hua immediately snapped back to reality.
She saw Tian Chengye and her father, their faces showing excitement and anxiousness to the point of losing control, all gathering toward the group of hundreds of youths.
Soon after, Ni Qingli and others also looked over in surprise.
Quickly, key information spread like ripples among the crowd through whispered gossip.
"Bank of New York Mellon."
"...Mellon family..."
"...Wall Street... America’s top financial tycoons..."
These terms sounded like they were from another world to these young people.
Most of them had been sent abroad by their parents for polishing their image, some even studied economics and finance.
They naturally understood the weight behind these names.
Qin Hua’s face showed extreme shock.
Staring blankly at the elegant yet slightly arrogant white young man, she felt her breath grow difficult.
She was a career-driven person;
otherwise, she wouldn’t be competing with her brother for the inheritance of Zhongcheng Group.
She had studied at the Stern School of Business, New York University, majoring in economics.
What was the Mellon family?
They were the backbone of the global financial system, the asset custodians for countless hedge funds and sovereign wealth funds, the pinnacle of the capital world’s pyramid. 𝙍Ａɴ𝙤BЕṤ
In class, she had encountered the name countless times in case studies and dreamed of the view from the peak of Wall Street capital.
But it was only ever a dream.
She never imagined that today, at her best friend’s birthday party, she would actually meet a real member of the Mellon family.
"Qin Hua, come over here!"
Her father Qin Dechang’s slightly urgent call interrupted her thoughts.
She snapped back to attention and quickly walked over.
"Dad, Uncle Tian."
"Come here, Hua Hua," Qin Dechang pulled his daughter close, proudly introducing, "This is my daughter, Qin Hua. She studied abroad at NYU Stern and her English is quite good. Hua Hua, Mr. Mellon’s Chinese isn’t very good. Please help us translate."
He paused, then added as if explaining or hinting, "Mr. Meng and Mr. Mellon are our distinguished guests. We can’t expect them to always accommodate us."
Qin Hua’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, her face flushing with excitement.
She knew this was her father creating an opportunity for her.
At tonight’s "special" birthday banquet, Meng Chuan and Mellon were undoubtedly the heaviest presences.
If she could show herself and connect with such top-tier contacts, it would greatly benefit her development.
Qin Hua immediately suppressed all the turmoil in her heart, smiling appropriately, and greeted Meng Chuan first.
Then, somewhat nervously, she said, "Mr. Mellon, a pleasure to meet you... (Mr. Mellon, very pleased to meet you. I’m Qin Hua and warmly welcome you to Yancheng.)"
Conrad Mellon sized up the delicately made-up Eastern girl before him, his gaze lingering for a moment.
A faint smile curled on his lips as he replied in English, "Miss Qin, pleased to meet you as well. Your English is very good, and you are beautiful."
Though polite, the compliment carried a subtle tone of superiority from someone of higher status to a lower one.
Tian Chengye watched Qin Hua speaking with Meng Chuan and Conrad, his eyes flickering.
He clearly understood Qin Dechang’s intention—hoping Qin Hua would gain their favor and develop further.
He glanced at Tang Song and his daughter’s positions, his light flickering as he sighed inwardly.
Though well-rooted and successful in Yancheng, he was limited.
In his forties and in his prime, he still dreamed of leading his family to greater heights.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have risked everything to go "all in" on the unfamiliar new energy sector.
Undoubtedly, a top heir like Meng Chuan from a leading family office was the "ladder" he had long dreamed of.
He had multiple contacts with him and heard about his character, overall very excellent.
Meng Chuan could quickly pull him out of his current predicament.
But now, it was obviously impossible.
With Qin Hua as the "icebreaker,"
other bold second-generation heiresses with overseas study backgrounds immediately gathered courage and surrounded them.
Using fluent or broken English, they excitedly chatted with the two "distinguished guests."
Facing these young, beautiful girls,
Meng Chuan always maintained the image of a charming nobleman, speaking wittily and humorously, making the girls laugh repeatedly.
The atmosphere was lively but tasteful.
Conrad Mellon was more distant, his gaze always filled with scrutiny and amusement.
After all, for him, this was just an ordinary social party in a foreign land.
He mostly wanted to find some fun after work.
The social center of the entire banquet hall was completely occupied by them.
.....
Beside the flower table.
Xiao Jing glanced at the two men surrounded like stars around a moon, Meng Chuan and Mellon, and couldn’t help but curl her lips slightly, feeling frustrated.
Finally, Tang Song appeared like a god and became the center of attention.
But these two guys showed up and stole all the spotlight!
She had planned that even if Meng Chuan came over, she could borrow the identities of Shangguan Qiuyas and Zheng Qiudong later to launch a strong counterattack.
But who would have thought that old Mr. Zheng still hadn’t arrived!
When she went on stage to thank people, even if she revealed Shangguan Qiuyas’s identity, the shock would be limited.
After all, Sister Shangguan was ultimately just Director Jin’s assistant, not Director Jin herself.
But then again, if Jin Meixiao from Smile Holdings showed up, that would be like unleashing the "king’s aura" of a female emperor!
Everyone else would have to step aside;
the world would collapse.
After all, she was a true top figure in the business world.
As if thinking of something, Xiao Jing secretly glanced at her boyfriend beside her.
He still had that calm, indifferent demeanor, as if the noisy "vanity fair" outside had nothing to do with him.
He didn’t even pay attention to Meng Chuan and the others;
the occasional glance was filled only with genuine indifference and composure.
In fact... it was somewhat similar to the Director Jin she had in mind, like a godly presence.
Seeing this "divine" posture, Xiao Jing felt as if countless feathers were gently tickling her—itchy, bittersweet, and wet.
After seeing her mother Chen Man leave with the other noblewomen, she couldn’t help but lean closer to him.
"Xiao Jing." Tang Song’s clear and pleasant voice suddenly sounded by her ear.
Xiao Jing quickly raised her head, instantly hiding all her little thoughts, obediently and sweetly replying, "Here, Song!"
Their eyes met, locking into a pair of deep, abyss-like, and slightly scrutinizing eyes.
In that moment, Xiao Jing felt completely stripped bare, inside and out, unable to help but squeeze her legs tightly together.
Tang Song reached out, unresistingly embracing her slender waist, his voice low and cold, "Are you hiding something from me?"
"N-no, I’m not," Xiao Jing squeezed her legs together, mist welling in her eyes.
This tone, this aura, this pressure... it was simply... overwhelming.
Looking at his perverted rich white beauty friend, Tang Song’s lips lifted slightly in a barely noticeable curve.
His fingers gripping her waist squeezed hard once.
"Ah!" Xiao Jing let out a suppressed low moan, ambiguous whether from pain or pleasure, soft and sticky. "Song... I..."
The sudden punishment, combined with Tang Song’s current posture, almost made her collapse.
Tang Song looked into her eyes, his tone still indifferent. "Did Uncle Tian encounter some trouble? And what about Lin Jingming and Meng Chuan today?"
In his current state, from scattered words and the reactions of those present, combined with observing Xiao Jing, he had already guessed a lot.
He also realized he might have "misjudged" Xiao Jing before.
He originally thought she was just a cute yet perverted little hobbyist, otherwise a sweet and obedient person.
But after the recent observation and recalling previously ignored contact details, he suddenly realized she was far from as innocent as she seemed.
"Not saying anything?" Tang Song’s voice grew colder. "Seems like you want to be 'punished'?"
Xiao Jing’s body trembled more violently, but her eyes shone with excitement and desire.
She bit her lower lip, speaking in a wronged tone as if forced to confess.
"Private massage, Brother Tang Song, I... I was wrong.
It’s... it’s Dad. He specially invited Meng Chuan and Lin Jingming, hoping I could 'communicate and connect' with them at the birthday party to have more choices...
The reason is... the Hueneng Electronics my dad invested in is facing a major crisis, almost bankrupt. Lin Jingming and Meng Chuan could save it...
Sorry, Brother Tang Song, I’m sorry."
Xiao Jing’s voice was very low, only the two could hear.
It was like a kitten who had done something wrong, confessing and begging its owner for mercy.
Tang Song’s expression didn’t change, only calmly asking, "Anything else?"
"I... don’t have... ah!"
On the skin of the flower table side facing away from her, a clear pain came.
Her cheeks uncontrollably flushed with a sickly red, her gaze hazy.
This secret punishment in public was simply irresistible to her.
Tang Song slightly lowered his head, enjoying Xiao Jing’s trembling reaction while whispering into her ear, "Looks like you’re very dishonest. We’ll have a good talk tonight. I’ll teach you how to fix each mistake one by one."
"O-okay, Lord Tang Song..."
Xiao Jing accidentally let slip her fantasy world’s honorific, the excitement making her almost lose balance.
At that moment, two female waitresses carrying silver trays gracefully approached.
They wore matching, well-tailored hotel uniforms with simple silver masks, their steps elegant and synchronized.
One waitress bowed slightly in front of Tang Song, handing over champagne with a clear, pleasant voice. "Director Tang, this is a special Parisian flower prepared for you."
Tang Song casually took a glass, his slender fingers contrasting elegantly with the cool cup.
His eyes met hers through the mask’s gap, curious and nervous.
He nodded slightly, his voice flat, "Thank you."
The waitress’s face reddened slightly, quickly withdrawing her gaze and turning to leave with her companion.
Tang Song watched their graceful backs, lightly sipping the champagne as bubbles delicately burst on his tongue.
That one was Pei Yanke, whom he had met once before;
the other was probably Xiao Meiqi from the Echo girl group.
His gaze subtly scanned the banquet hall.
Soon, near the bar and dessert table, he caught sight of three other similarly "out of place" figures.
As top idols, their posture, eyes, temperament, and the constant poise they maintained in front of cameras were incomparable to ordinary waitresses.
Tang Song had browsed their profiles online before. In this special state, each person’s information instantly matched the real person.
Seeing their appearance, he only briefly thought and understood the arrangement behind it.
It was likely the handiwork of Su Yu and Mo Xiangwan.
After the waitresses left, Xiao Jing bit her lip holding the champagne.
She wanted to say something more to continue provoking Tang Song’s "punishment," but her expression suddenly stiffened.
From the crowd, Meng Chuan’s gaze had already crossed over to them.
Then Tian Chengye, Qin Hua, and the others all turned direction and walked toward them.
Xiao Jing instantly reverted to the sweet and obedient rich girl.
Smiling, she welcomed the approaching group.
"Come, come, Meng Chuan, Mr. Mellon," Tian Chengye enthusiastically led the way, "This is my daughter, Tian Jing."
Meng Chuan’s gaze first landed on Tang Song beside Xiao Jing, whose charisma was exceptional.
He paused briefly, a faintly unusual expression flashing in his eyes.
Then he shifted his gaze to the birthday girl of the night, a bright, confident smile blossoming on his face. "Miss You, happy birthday. You are much more beautiful in person than in your photos."
He seemed to casually clasp his hands in front of him.
When he opened them again, a finely designed, brilliantly sparkling Van Cleef &
Arpels bracelet appeared in his palm.
The whole gesture was smooth and elegant, like a magician’s flourish, instantly causing the surrounding girls to admire and whisper excitedly.
"Thank you." Xiao Jing smiled and nodded.
"May I trouble the beautiful birthday girl to extend your hand so I can place this small blessing on you?"
Meng Chuan smiled warmly and politely, exuding an irresistible gentlemanly charm.
However, Xiao Jing did not immediately extend her hand.
She turned to Tang Song beside her, meeting his deep and calm eyes.
"Thank you, Mr. Meng, but the gift is too expensive. I’ll keep it first and wear it later."
At Tian Jing’s sudden refusal, the atmosphere instantly became extremely awkward.
Tian Chengye’s heart twisted as he took a deep breath.
He quickly made a decision.
Smiling, he stepped forward and forcibly broke the awkward mood. "Haha, my fault, I forgot to introduce you both. This is Jingjing’s boyfriend, Tang Song. This is Meng Chuan from Singapore’s top family office, Stellar Investments, President Meng."
Though he desperately wanted to climb up to Meng Chuan, he was ultimately a loving father.
Since Tang Song’s identity and strength had shown themselves to be fully worthy, he would never force his daughter to do anything she didn’t want for business interests.
He was also willing to stand up and protect his daughter.
Hearing this, Meng Chuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gentle gaze gradually cooling.
He then turned his attention to Tang Song.
With a nobleman’s smile back on his face, he awaited Tang Song’s self-introduction.
However, Tang Song just looked at him calmly, seemingly still waiting for him to "bow."
Heh.
Meng Chuan sneered coldly inside.
Though he acted charming, he was from a top prestigious family, a key heir groomed by his clan, and his pride was greater than anyone else’s.
He could ignore matchmaking or beautiful women, but he would never tolerate someone else’s challenge.
Seeing this tit-for-tat scene,
You Chengye’s forehead immediately broke out in a fine cold sweat.
The other guests around held their breath, their faces full of shock.
Meng Chuan’s identity was obvious, and there was a Mellon family member standing beside him, yet Tang Song’s attitude was overly arrogant, even bordering on disdain and contempt.
This... was way too presumptuous, wasn’t it?
Qin Hua looked at her best friend Xiao Jing and then at Tang Song, a ridiculous and complicated feeling rising in her heart.
At this moment, Conrad Mellon, who had been watching the scene with great interest, couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.
He patted Meng Chuan’s shoulder, stepped forward, and directly ignored Tang Song.
With his blue eyes full of aggression, he looked straight at Xiao Jing.
He openly scanned her fair and pretty face and sexy, hot figure.
Then he extended his hand with an unrefusable posture and said, "Happy Birthday, Ms. Tian... You are stunningly beautiful. May I have the honor to express my admiration?"
Conrad Mellon’s provocative action instantly made the atmosphere even more tense.
But no one dared to speak at this moment.
Xiao Jing’s smile faded;
she quietly stood beside Tang Song without reaching out her hand.
Amid this tense standoff,
In the corner, Shangguan Qiuyas, who had been unusually quiet while sitting with Xu Qing, stood up and walked directly toward them.
Watching her back,
Xu Qing clicked her tongue, her dark eyes gleaming with excitement.
To her, the unfolding scenes were like the countless novel plots she had imagined playing out live right before her eyes!
This not only gave her abundant creative inspiration but... was so thrilling!
Anyway, in her eyes, under such circumstances, Xiao Songzi was the perfect domineering CEO male lead in her writing and absolutely would never suffer any grievances!
Just as the deadlock was about to become unresolvable, You Chengye gritted his teeth and was about to say something.
Tang Song suddenly moved.
He casually turned sideways, picked up a freshly trimmed white rose from the flower tube, and placed it in Xiao Jing’s empty hand.
His gaze calmly met Conrad’s as he leisurely said, "Mr. Mellon, in our culture, a gentleman does not offer to shake a lady’s hand when she is already holding something. Especially when her boyfriend is standing right beside her."
Even facing both Meng Chuan and Conrad,
His demeanor was impeccable, elegant, and noble;
his expression calm and carefree, casual as always.
It seemed no different from how he treated others.
The people around held their breath cautiously.
Shock, amazement, surprise, schadenfreude, admiration...
All sorts of complex gazes converged on Tang Song like spotlights.
"You..."
For the first time, cold fury of genuine offense appeared in Conrad Mellon’s usually detached blue eyes.
He was used to being admired and revered in any occasion.
As "blue blood," he represented the purest WASP elite class.
At this ordinary birthday party, subconsciously, he looked down with top-tier class arrogance.
This sudden and unscripted "confrontation," and this "rule-breaking" Eastern man,
Made him feel a rare absurd sense of being offended.
.....
Seeing this, Xiao Jing’s heart tightened, nervous and agitated.
The plot development had already exceeded her script.
Brother Tang Song’s aura was strong enough, but the opponent’s family background was terrifying.
But soon, her eyes lit up!
She saw the figure walking through the crowd.
Her strongest "trump card" was finally arriving! It was time... to reveal it!
At times like this, only Director Jin’s name could calm the scene!
"Sister Shangguan!"
Xiao Jing’s sweet call broke the frozen atmosphere like a clear bell.
"Whoosh—"
All eyes turned to the woman wearing a silver butterfly mask gracefully entering the crowd.
Confusion, curiosity, strangeness...
They all knew this woman with the compound surname "Shangguan" had come with Xiao Jing’s boyfriend.
But since arriving, she barely interacted and sat quietly in the corner.
No one recognized her.
No one understood why she would step forward at this tense moment.
Could she be trying to mediate?
Shangguan Qiuyas smiled at Xiao Jing, nodded gracefully, and naturally stood beside Tang Song, slightly bowing, "President Tang, Lawyer Luo has arrived."
After speaking, she looked toward a direction outside the crowd.
Following her gesture, everyone subconsciously looked that way.
Soon, a middle-aged man in a deep blue tailored suit appeared.
He looked just over forty, handsome with sharp features.
His simple 3:7 hairstyle was combed back neatly, showing meticulousness.
His steps were steady and confident, and his bright, calm eyes scanned the room with a reserved smile.
Luo Bin soon stopped in front of the crowd.
"Good evening, President Tang," he greeted Tang Song first, then Shangguan Qiuyas, "Assistant Shangguan, long time no see."
"Good evening."
Tang Song lightly nodded, a faint smile on his lips.
"Long time no see, Lawyer Luo." Shangguan Qiuyas smiled and responded, then took off her mask and introduced, "Xiao Jing, this is Lawyer Luo Bin from Quan Jing Law Firm."
"Miss Tian, happy birthday." Luo Bin’s face showed a perfectly gentle smile.
Among the crowd, several people familiar with the domestic legal field suddenly looked at Luo Bin, their expressions sharp.
You Chengye’s heart pounded fiercely.
Quan Jing Law Firm was one of the "Big Eight Red Circle" top law firms in the country, a leading legal giant.
Many of Zhongcheng Group’s business affairs were deeply cooperated with Quan Jing’s Yancheng branch.
Even the current contract disputes of Hueneng Electronics were entrusted to Quan Jing.
As the leader and managing partner of such a global top law firm, Luo Bin’s prestige and fame were enormous.
But at this moment, he couldn’t match the man in front of him with the news photos at all.
But... why was Luo Bin attending his daughter’s birthday party?
And he seemed to have a good relationship with Tang Song.
Xiao Jing took a deep breath and smiled, "Hello, Lawyer Luo, thank you very much for attending my birthday party."
She was a bit puzzled herself. Why did a top lawyer come instead of the old Mr. Zheng from Dejurenhe?
Luo Bin smiled, "I came today on behalf of Ms. Ouyang from Tang Yi Precision to bring you a birthday gift. She admires your performance during your time at Tang Yi and looks forward to you joining headquarters."
"Ms. Ouyang?!" Xiao Jing’s eyes widened in disbelief, "...sending me a gift?"
She had only met Ouyang Xianyue once in the Imperial Capital and boldly asked for a photo.
Even after parachuting into Tang Yi Precision, she never imagined she would be remembered or receive such attention, let alone a birthday gift.
"Wow—"
The crowd immediately burst out with uncontrollable exclamations, then quickly turned into buzzing chatter.
Most didn’t know Luo Bin and felt nothing about him,
but the name "Ouyang Xianyue" was absolutely thunderous.
Meng Chuan’s expression paused slightly, quickly restrained, and he looked at You Jing.
Although he heard from You Chengye that Tian Jing worked at Tang Yi Precision,
he never expected her to have social ties with Ouyang Xianyue herself, or receive such attention.
He took a deep breath, his expression serious for the first time.
Stellar Investments aimed to develop in China’s new energy field, and Tang Yi Precision was an unavoidable hurdle.
He came specifically to Yancheng to inspect projects because of Tang Yi Precision’s large new energy industrial chain in its Yancheng branch.
If Tian Jing could connect with Ouyang Xianyue, he would seriously consider the so-called "matchmaking."
Luo Bin’s expression remained calm, undisturbed by the atmosphere.
He opened his briefcase and took out a high-quality velvet gift box, handing it to Xiao Jing.
"Since it’s at Ms. Ouyang’s special request, I didn’t put the gift at the sign-in desk. Please understand."
Because so many people attended this birthday party, Xiao Jing couldn’t receive gifts one by one, so they were all placed together at sign-in.
During the following game segment, there would be random draws and on-site openings.
"Thank you, Director Luo! Please also thank Ms. Ouyang for me!" Xiao Jing took the heavy gift with trembling hands, her heart surging.
Then her eyes quickly scanned the impressive Shangguan Qiuyas beside her and the shocked expressions around.
An idea instantly popped up.
She originally planned to reveal Shangguan Qiuyas’s identity and thank her when she gave her speech.
But now wasn’t this a once-in-a-lifetime great opportunity?
She turned to her still somewhat stunned father and raised her voice slightly, "Dad, I haven’t properly introduced you yet. This is my and Tang Song’s good friend, Shangguan Qiuyas."
Her voice paused, then playfully scanned around, "Oh, right, she also works at Smile Holdings now and is Director Jin’s personal assistant."
Buzz—
The scene fell into a brief silence.
What a joke! She was Jin Meixiao’s... personal assistant?
Everyone’s minds felt a bit dazed.
It was just a friend’s ordinary birthday party, but so many "big shots" kept popping up one after another.
First the tech prodigy Lin Jingming, then the mysterious hotel owner Tang Song, Stellar Investments’ Meng Chuan, the Mellon family’s Conrad...
Now even the legendary richest woman, Jin Meixiao’s personal assistant appeared!
Damn... how could this feel so unreal?