novelraw Chapter 645: School Anniversary
Chapter 645: School Anniversary
Chapter 645: School AnniversaryThe bedroom light was switched on again, the warm yellow glow enveloping Tang Song.
He didn't immediately check the newly triggered task;
instead he opened that grainy, nostalgically dated video once more.
He quietly watched that familiar-yet-strange version of himself on the screen.
Eighteen-year-old him, full of swagger, his eyes brimming with unabashed longing for the future.
Around him were noisy classmates, teasing good-naturedly;
outside the window, the midsummer sunlight was so bright it hurt to look at;
in his heart, he daydreamed about the blissful life of university.
Back then he firmly believed he would only get better, confident that one day he would meet his Bai Yueguang at the promised peak.
It was because that memory had been so beautiful that, later, when he left the Imperial Capital, said goodbye to his Bai Yueguang, and his life plunged into the abyss, seeing that graduation photo on Deng Yazhi's Moments stabbed him so painfully.
That helpless feeling of dreams being completely crushed by reality almost swallowed him whole.Fortunately, dreams came true and game assets manifested into reality.
Now...
the once unreachable Bai Yueguang had returned to his side.
Those boyish boasts that once seemed unrealistic were gradually turning into reality.
He had even far surpassed the boldest expectations of his younger self.
Tang Song exhaled slowly, a surge of powerful, nearly burning emotion and pride rising within him.
“Chew chew chew—”
[Deng Yazhi: “I've been wanting these past few years to meet up with the friends we used to have, to see how everyone's doing. But everyone's so busy and scattered across the country;
meeting up isn't easy. Seeing you now really fills me with emotion—little Song has quietly become so outstanding. I'm truly happy for you! Just as I thought!”]
Tang Song read her characteristically frank, upbeat message and a warm smile appeared on his face.
He typed back: “Thanks, Duck. I'm really surprised to see you today, and I'm grateful you kept those precious photos and videos.”
[Deng Yazhi: “I often dig out those old things to look at;
I miss those days so much. Ah, I have to go—my director's hassling me again. I have to get back to work. Get some rest, see you tomorrow.”]
Tang Song: “See you tomorrow.”
Putting down his phone, Tang Song leaned back against the headboard, staring into space.
After a long while, his eyes regained their calmness and depth.
He opened the system interface to view the task details.
This branch mission wasn't as simple as it looked.
The task description used phrases like "finalize a strategic investment intention" and "shake the local industrial landscape."
This was no longer something that could be completed by merely signing an investment contract or donating a teaching building.
No matter what, Quancheng was an independent economic entity with millions of people.
To truly "shake" its industrial structure required, beyond vast funds, top-level strategic design, immense resource integration capability, and political wisdom to negotiate deeply with local government.
Every link in that chain was full of challenges and unpredictability.
But precisely because of that, it would better raise his own capability and vision.
He was now standing on the crucial threshold of the "Charm 90" metamorphosis.
He indeed needed this kind of real, weighty politico-business campaign to elevate his skills and scope.
Moreover, "giving back to one's hometown" was probably the ultimate romantic fantasy that every ambitious man had once imagined.
The enormous sense of achievement that comes from personally transforming one's homeland would be unparalleled.
This was not merely completing a task—it was fulfilling a dream of his younger self.
Tang Song's mouth lifted slightly;
his gaze burned with vigorous energy.
He picked up his phone again and called Shen Yuyan.
“Beep beep—” The line rang a few times before being answered.
On the other end, Shen Yuyan's deliberately low, sweet voice came through: “Hello... President Tang, calling so late—do you need me to handle anything for you? Some 'special' personal matters?”
Tang Song let out a light laugh, didn't respond to her flirtation, and got to the point: “Shirley, notify Chen Weitian at Rongliu Investment. Have him assemble an investment team of about five people, focused on semiconductor materials and new energy hardware. Team members must have industry backgrounds and experience liaising with government guidance funds. Have them fly to Quancheng tomorrow afternoon to report to me in person.”
Shen Yuyan on the line was clearly taken aback for a moment, then her tone snapped professional and efficient: “Understood, President Tang! I’ve noted it!”
“Mm.” Tang Song paused, then continued, “Also, for the meeting with Mayor Li tomorrow, I plan to take the lead in establishing an industrial fund in Quancheng. Shirley, prepare—this project will be handed to you for initial coordination.”
“...Yes, thank you for your trust, President Tang. I won’t let you down.”
Tang Song could clearly hear Shen Yuyan’s hurried, slightly ragged breathing.
.....
Zhende Hotel, standard room 706.
The room was brightly lit;
the air smelled like coffee mixed with instant noodles—the unique scent of late-night overtime.
Deng Yazhi rubbed her sore eyes and typed swiftly on her laptop.
On the screen was the press release for tomorrow’s Yizhong school anniversary.
She was making final word choices for the paragraph about "distinguished alumni returning home."
“Yazi, I can’t do this anymore!” the girl with a bun beside her wailed. “How many drafts is this now? What does he still want to change?”
Deng Yazhi didn’t look up, eyes fixed on the “core reporting points” document from the Municipal Propaganda Department on the screen.
She comforted her: “Xiaonan, hold on a bit more. Director Liu's always like this—famous for being 'allergic to accepting drafts.' Take down his comments first. After I finish polishing the copy, I’ll help you make the edits.”
She had long ago grown used to this intensity.
From being a contract worker from another province to finally getting into the coveted staff position at Quancheng Television, she valued this hard-won job more than anyone.
“Alright...” Sun Xiaonan sighed.
Time passed in the rhythm of keyboard clacks and occasional sighs.
At eleven-thirty at night they finally emailed the finalized press release and the feature script to Director Liu.
Deng Yazhi collapsed back in her chair, relieved, stretching widely.
Sun Xiaonan, having just finished washing up, paused abruptly when she walked past Deng Yazhi’s laptop.
“Yazi! Who's this senior?! A newly debuted star? That aura is unreal—broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs... wow, he’s totally my type! Wait, is this him in high school? Still hot! But... even hotter now!”
She practically pressed her face to the screen.
Deng Yazhi watched her coworker’s lovestruck expression and immediately looked proud, chin lifting smugly: “Handsome, right? He’s my high school classmate, Tang Song. The pic on the right is the one I just took of him downstairs tonight.”
“Your classmate?!” Sun Xiaonan’s eyes widened into saucers. “Seriously?! Send it to me on WeChat! I want his contact info!”
Deng Yazhi pushed her head away with a laugh: “Don’t even think about it. He’s already taken—back in high school he and our class superstar were a couple.”
“Oh? They’re dating now?”
Deng Yazhi hesitated, then told the truth: “I actually don’t know.”
She had been working away from home and only recently joined the city TV station this year. When she came back to Quancheng full of emotion, she had posted that treasured old graduation photo on her Moments, planning to find time to meet old classmates and see how everyone turned out. She even wanted to take new comparison photos. But work had been too busy and the plan got shelved.
So she didn't really know the current relationship status between Tang Song and Liu Qingning.
Sun Xiaonan’s eyes lit up and she kept probing: “So there still might be a chance. By the way, what does he do? Is he based in Quancheng now?”
Deng Yazhi shook her head: “He majored in computer science—he's a programmer. He worked for a big firm in the Imperial Capital before;
then he went back to Yancheng. He should still be over there.”
“Programmer? Pretty good—must make bank!” Sun Xiaonan clapped excitedly. “Is he coming to the anniversary tomorrow?”
“Come on, don’t be ridiculous. He’s very faithful;
don’t go messing things up.”
“Aw, stop bossing me around—tell me more, Yazi. What's Tang Song really like? I want to know the enemy’s profile.”
Deng Yazhi smiled, a trace of memory flickering across her eyes, and she quietly recounted her impression of Tang Song.
They were placed in the same class only after the split of arts and sciences halfway through sophomore year.
Back then Tang Song was sunny, handsome, radiating youthful charm—the kind that made girls steal extra glances.
In senior year, wanting to be in the same city as Liu Qingning, he transformed, studying like mad.
Unfortunately, the gap in talent was too wide;
in the end he missed the mark and went to Yancheng University of Technology, missing his dream.
At university he changed: more reserved, unkempt, cutting off contact with many classmates.
Deng Yazhi had worried and visited him a few times then.
After they started working, contact between them dwindled.
She knew Tang Song had followed Liu Qingning to the Imperial Capital.
As she spoke she opened a cloud drive to a seven-year-old interview video.
On the screen a fresh-faced boy sat at a desk, answering classmates' teasing questions about future hopes.
Deng Yazhi sighed softly while watching.
Over the years she’d learned bits and pieces about the classmates’ situations.
Aside from Liu Qingning’s meteoric rise, the most successful was probably Sun Jiayue, working in a fundraising department at a good Shanghai financial firm.
Others...
Some failed the college entrance exam and went directly into the workforce, working construction sites, sun-darkened and no longer resembling their former selves;
some entered decent universities but afterward remained ordinary wage slaves struggling in big cities;
some had already married and had kids, their Moments filled only with baby photos and bargain links.
They once had lofty ambitions—at seventeen or eighteen they were wildly reckless, promising themselves grand, seemingly unrealistic vows about the future.
But looking back now, most were flattened by reality into sighs and helplessness.
After all, ideals are full while reality is lean.
How many actually become the person they wanted to be as a teen?
Take herself: she pretends to Tang Song that she’s a reporter at the city station, but in truth she was just tagging along with the program team doing coordination and errands.
At the station she was just an unremarkable small role.
....
November 20, 2023, Monday, clear, 4–19°C.
Six in the morning.
A heavy fog wrapped the county in gray-white.
Deng Yazhi and Sun Xiaonan woke to loud alarm clocks and struggled to sit up.
They washed, changed into the prepared black women's suits, grabbed their bags, and hurried downstairs.
After a quick breakfast in the hotel restaurant, they headed straight to the school.
Banners had been hung outside campus, a red carpet ran to the gate, and security and etiquette teams stood in neat formation.
They checked in, collected media passes, shot empty establishing shots at the school gate, and did a few prearranged interviews with students and retired teachers...
Once the work tasks were done, Deng Yazhi slung on her DSLR and began roaming the campus, taking candid shots.
Being back at her alma mater—the familiar yet strange environment—made her feel as if she were that girl in a uniform running under the sun;
she couldn't help feeling sentimental.
At eight o'clock sharp, the bulk of the program team from the city finally arrived in a grand procession.
Leading them was Liu Jianjun, the chief producer of Quancheng Watch and deputy director of the news center.
A little over fifty, slightly overweight, stern-faced and immaculately dressed.
He skimmed through the footage Deng Yazhi and Sun Xiaonan had shot, scolded them with a grave face, then turned to discuss the day's filming schedule with host Xie Xuan and the main cameraman.
It was then that Deng Yazhi caught a name in their lowered-voice conversation that made her heart skip.
Mayor Li Jiping was scheduled to attend in person today.
She and Sun Xiaonan exchanged a glance and both saw shock they couldn't hide.
No wonder the station had mobilized so many people;
even Director Liu and star host Xie Xuan were personally on site!
By the time they reached the plaza before the main venue, it was already bustling.
The etiquette students hired by the school wore bright red qipaos, lined up neatly on both sides of the red carpet.
Outside the plaza, uniformed police and plainclothes security patrolled unobtrusively.
This obviously exceeded the security level of an ordinary high school anniversary.
Amid festive drums, one luxury car after another with local plates began pulling into the clearing.
Soon a bigger commotion attracted her attention.
A black Bentley glided in.
Doors opened and two figures stepped out amidst the school leaders' entourage, walking with commanding spirit.
Sun Xiaonan whispered beside her: “That's Li Yunfan, the boss of Maixiangyuan, right? Such presence. Who's that young handsome guy next to him—an assistant?”
“No.” Deng Yazhi shook her head. “That’s our senior Zhao Rui. A Tsinghua standout. I heard he was promoted this year to VP in CICC’s investment banking division and led an IPO.”
“Wow! Amazing! A true golden child—under thirty and probably earning over two million a year, right?”
“Yeah. He’s two years ahead of us and was the gaokao top scorer for his year.”
Deng Yazhi’s tone held complex emotion.
In their cohort, only a handful had made any headway after barely three years since graduation;
distinguished alumni invited back were rare.
Most of those given grand receptions were business magnates in their forties or fifties like Li Yunfan.
But Zhao Rui—a peer of similar age reaching such heights—left a deeper impression on her.
That was a real, almost insurmountable gap among contemporaries.
Even an AI entrepreneur like Liu Qingning might be a bit behind him.
Sun Xiaonan watched Zhao Rui being fawned over and smacked her lips. “Power and status really are the best costumes for a man. Look at Zhao Rui—tall, handsome, young and brilliant. He’s literally a novel’s male lead!”
Deng Yazhi chuckled: “What, suddenly changing loyalties? No longer into our Tang Song?”
“Heh, not that. Just appreciating the sight.”
Both of them worked within the system and understood the halo that came with status.
They knew they wouldn’t even get a chance to interact with people like that, let alone date them.
While they were quietly musing, two understated black Magotans rolled slowly into the plaza.
“The county committee leaders are here!”
A murmur passed through the crowd.
School leaders and local entrepreneurs quickly straightened up to greet them.
Under Director Liu's instruction, Xie Xuan immediately went into action, leading the camera and audio crews forward.
Deng Yazhi and Sun Xiaonan—small cogs in the team—were left standing at the fringes, watching the spectacle of success from afar.
After a while the scene settled.
Sun Xiaonan suddenly prodded Deng Yazhi: “By the way, when is your classmate Tang Song arriving?”
“I’ll ask.” Deng Yazhi said, pulling her phone from her pocket and sending Tang Song a WeChat.
Once the anniversary officially started everyone would be seated as arranged and she’d be busy reporting, but she genuinely hoped to speak with her long-unseen classmate before then.
“Ding—”
[Tang Song: “Just left, about ten minutes away.”]
Deng Yazhi replied quickly: “Okay, see you soon.”
Sun Xiaonan peeking over her shoulder lit up: “Wow! Ten minutes! I’ll see the male god soon! Yazi, should I touch up my makeup?”
“...Touch up what?” Deng Yazhi rolled her eyes.
At that moment Director Liu’s voice came from nearby: “The city government convoy is nearly here. Stay sharp! Deng Yazhi, stand with Xie Xuan and watch your positioning—don’t wander into the shot!”
“Got it!”
Deng Yazhi’s heart tightened and she jogged over.
Sun Xiaonan hurried after, stuffing away her lovestruck expression and putting on a professional face.
The mayor wouldn’t do casual interviews at such an event.
The station’s goal was to film footage of leaders offering guidance and to do brief interviews with accompanying municipal propaganda officials.
But the ceremony had to be as grand as possible.
As time ticked, word that the city government leaders were about to arrive spread through the crowd.
The relaxed chatter in the plaza gradually died down.
County official Zhang Chengming, Yizhong principal Liu Zengyin, and business figures like Li Yunfan straightened their demeanors, faces showing nervous anticipation as they adjusted collars.
With the low rumble of engines, two black Audi A6Ls and a Buick GL8 eased into the plaza.
Everyone's eyes focused on the Audi "car number one" in the center.
“Click.”
Doors opened.
Deng Yazhi, not far away, held her breath.
One familiar figure after another came into view.
Director of the Municipal Development and Reform Commission Chen Jianguo, deputy head of the Propaganda Department Lin Haisheng, government office secretary Wang Tao... and Mayor Li Jiping.
Mayor Li wore a dark administrative jacket, steady in stance.
His face was expressionless but he swept the scene with a calm, commanding presence.
At that moment Deng Yazhi’s heart raced uncontrollably.
Since joining Quancheng Television she had never seen so many core municipal leaders gathered at once.
Mayor Li, whose reputation preceded him, had an even more imposing bearing in person.
“Mayor! Welcome and thank you for your guidance! All of us in Jing County have been looking forward to your arrival!”
“Mayor Li, hello! I’m Liu Zengyin, principal of Jing County Yizhong. We’re honored you could take time to attend our anniversary!”
“Mayor Li, hello, I’m Li Yunfan from Maixiangyuan and an alumnus of Jing County Yizhong—welcome!”
A flurry of humble and eager greetings followed.
Mayor Li nodded slightly, shook hands with the main leaders, and offered a few measured words of encouragement, congratulating Yizhong on its fiftieth anniversary.
Camera flashes and red recording lights popped;
the atmosphere reached its peak.
Behind them, Sun Xiaonan nudged Deng Yazhi and whispered: “Why aren’t the city leaders going inside? It’s so cold out here. Also, by my count your classmate Tang Song should be arriving soon.”
Hearing this, Deng Yazhi froze for a moment.
Sure enough, since the city government leaders had arrived, the county committee and school should have escorted their distinguished guests into the VIP lounge immediately.
Why were they still lingering outside?
Before she could make sense of it, Wang Tao hurried over and whispered into Mayor Li’s ear.
Unexpectedly, instead of moving inside, Mayor Li turned his gaze toward the far end of the red carpet and even allowed a faint, warm smile.
That anomalous movement was like a silent command.
Everyone who was "in the know" turned their heads accordingly.
In an instant, Deng Yazhi and Sun Xiaonan saw a strange sight in the plaza:
municipal, county, and school leaders simultaneously stopped talking, as if waiting for an important arrival.
The previously noisy crowd quieted down.
Tension tightened visibly.
Deng Yazhi was bewildered and a little unnerved.
At that moment, a subtle ripple came from beyond the perimeter.
A stately black Rolls-Royce Phantom glided silently to the end of the red carpet.
Its heavy, sleek body gleamed coldly in the early winter sun;
the Spirit of Ecstasy on its hood sparkled.
It rolled up smoothly with no hesitation and precisely stopped opposite Mayor Li and the leaders.
The front passenger door opened first.
A tall, capable figure stepped out.
She wore a sharply tailored gray women’s suit, her hair neatly pinned back, her professional smile flawless. She quickly walked around to the rear and respectfully opened the rear-hinged door.
A polished black leather shoe stepped onto the ground.
Then a striking, handsome figure emerged into view.
He wore a bespoke deep-blue suit;
the premium fabric shimmered in the sunlight.
The suit hugged his frame perfectly. In the sun he looked like a sword drawn from its sheath—powerful and elegant.
He merely raised his head slightly, made no unnecessary movements, yet exuded an impossible-to-ignore aura.
All eyes were instantly drawn to him.
Even Mayor Li subconsciously paused for a fraction of a second.
On the other side of the rear door, wearing beige professional attire, Liu Qingning stepped out. She didn’t try to steal the spotlight—she simply stood quietly and looked at Tang Song.
At that moment Shen Yuyan stepped forward just enough and introduced with perfect timing: “Mayor Li, let me introduce—this is Tang Song, chairman of Rongliu Capital.”
“Hello, Mayor Li.” Tang Song wore a confident, composed smile and extended his right hand.
Mayor Li stepped forward and gripped Tang Song’s hand firmly, his voice loud and sincere: “Hello, Chairman Tang! I’ve been looking forward to meeting you! They say Jing County produces gifted people—now I see it’s true!”
“Click—click—”
Camera shutters clicked all around.
Sun Xiaonan’s mouth formed an involuntary O. Seeing this man descend from a Phantom and receive the mayor’s personal reception, her face flushed and she trembled slightly.
Deng Yazhi stood stunned, camera instinctively raised but she forgot to press the shutter.
Her brain felt as if struck by lightning.
This... this is... Tang Song?!