novelraw Chapter 751: Top-Level Sunken Plot
Chapter 751: Top-Level Sunken Plot
"Secretary Jin..."
Those three words were low and magnetic, carrying a strand of meaning only the two of them could understand, a seam running across time.
Looking at this living "paperwife" in front of him, Tang Song was actually far less calm inside than he appeared.
Fortunately, with the costume special effects enhancing the appearance, all his emotional fluctuations were perfectly concealed.
He remained deep, mysterious, and elegant, impossible to read.
The shoulder beneath his palm trembled slightly.
Secretary Jin did not pull away, nor did she show any panic.
She only turned her head a little, her gaze passing through the thin lenses to land on the hand Tang Song had draped over her shoulder.
She could clearly feel the pressure and warmth coming from his palm,
and she could smell the unique scent on him.Strange yet intensely familiar.
The title "Secretary Jin" was likewise a secret mark between them,
dating back to their bizarre dreamlike first meeting in 2016.
Subconsciously, she had taken that odd substitute name as another name lodged deep in her soul.
Unfounded, yet carved into the bone.
After a moment,
the corner of her mouth lifted into an ambiguous half-smile. In fluent, standard English she said calmly, "Mr. Tang, as Silent Crown's shareholder representative, your current actions seem to be stepping beyond the boundaries of a strategic partner."
She raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny, "This isn't quite the same as the strict rules you laid out in your email."
Tang Song's eye twitched briefly, but it passed in an instant.
True, the system's initial task required him to strictly act as the shareholder representative, only calming Secretary Jin's emotions within the rules and communicating with her on a deep level.
But with the trigger of the Mist Gentleman hidden attribute, he had personally broken those rules.
"What? Mr. Tang, is your sudden silence because you've realized your own capriciousness?"
She lifted her eyelids and looked at him with bright, spirited eyes, asking a question that left no room for avoidance.
Tang Song looked into her eyes and clearly felt Secretary Jin's current mood.
She was still annoyed.
After all, what he had done in Yancheng had been a bit excessive.
If any ordinary woman in the real world had her power and means, she would probably have "accidentally" made him disappear already.
But fortunately, she was his Secretary Jin.
With 100% goodwill and loyalty, she indulged his every whim and excused his oddities.
Even if she felt very uncomfortable, she expressed it here in a nearly flirtatious manner, showing off her small temper.
He pondered for a moment, not withdrawing his hand, but replying with a question, "As far as I know, Smile Holdings' global shareholders' meeting has always prized efficiency and lasted only one day. Ms. Smile, why has this one suddenly been changed to four days? Can you tell me why?"
Secretary Jin lifted that exquisitely beautiful face and put on a standard smile.
"As an executive director and major shareholder, I believe I have the right to adjust the schedule according to strategic needs. If you object, you are welcome to submit a written appeal to the group's executive committee."
No system prompt appeared, indicating Secretary Jin was wearing a fake smile.
But even a fake smile was breathtakingly beautiful.
Especially the posture of "what I say goes," full of an indescribable attractiveness and conquering desire.
Tang Song's throat moved slightly.
He stepped forward another small step.
Their distance compressed to mere inches.
They could even clearly see the tiny glints reflected in each other's pupils, feel the warmth and moisture of each other's breath on their faces.
Secretary Jin's eyelashes fluttered, her full, rosy lips pressing together slightly.
"Written inquiries are too slow," Tang Song said, lowering his head to look at her. "Then let me ask another question: why did you ask me to come to your suite at 8:00 tomorrow morning? Is that really a strategic necessity?"
Secretary Jin did not flinch. She crossed her legs with graceful ease,
a movement imbued with an ineffable charm.
She replied leisurely, "Before I answer, I'd like to know what prompted you to choose to meet me at such an open social cocktail party. You should be well aware this exposes a lot under the spotlight, brings me a lot of trouble, and... it goes against the rules you initially set."
Light and tension intertwined in the air, sparks flying.
For the first time, Tang Song felt such a visceral exchange and tug at the soul.
It made him understand more deeply.
She was no longer a one-dimensional Secretary Jin, but a flesh-and-blood person with temper, who even knew how to turn the guest into the host—a top-tier partner.
Tang Song let out a soft laugh, his eyes becoming incredibly gentle. "Because I couldn't wait to see you earlier. For that, I'm willing to break the rules."
As he spoke, his hand slid down from her shoulder, inching lower.
Through the couture silk blouse, warm palm pressed against her slim yet firm back,
his fingertips stroking lightly, the exquisite sensation traveling along nerve endings straight to the heart.
It was an aggressively possessive touch.
It was the most intimate physical contact they had shared in real life so far.
Secretary Jin's body stiffened slightly, but then she relaxed and even leaned back a fraction, resting her weight against his palm,
as if consenting, as if savoring.
She slowly raised a hand;
her long fingertips lightly brushed the obsidian lapel pin at his collar.
Her eyes flickered. "President Tang, I recall you once taught me— in risk management, impulsive emotional decisions usually indicate major hidden dangers. You warned me to avoid emotional actions in all future business conduct. I have always taken your words seriously."
Tang Song exhaled, his hand on her waist tightening slightly. "But this impulsive decision has only one beneficiary: you. I also once taught you— if the gains are large enough and belong only to us, then appropriate rule-bending is permissible."
"Is that so?" Secretary Jin narrowed her pretty eyes slightly;
behind the lenses a dangerous, alluring light shimmered. "Then tell me, President Tang, may I also 'break the rules'?"
Tang Song instantly caught her hint.
He shook his head. "As a decision-maker, you must balance multiple interests."
"Oh?" Secretary Jin hummed softly, dimples barely visible, smiling but not quite. "So your meaning is: it's allowed for you to cross the line, but not others? Isn't that... a naked double standard, President Tang?"
Tang Song's expression became slightly awkward.
Secretary Jin didn't press that point further. She changed tack. "Fine. Since you've already broken the rules, tell me, President Tang: how should I cooperate with you on this New York trip?"
Tang Song thought for a moment and answered slowly, "All our interactions must be reasonable and consistent with my current identity as shareholder representative. They must not affect external judgments about me."
Only by completing this role-interaction task could he truly unlock part of Secretary Jin's communication permissions,
so he had to execute it strictly.
The system's task demanded caution in playing the shareholder representative role, and that actions be reasonable and not break character.
That did not mean distancing themselves, but cloaking each intimate contact with a professional outward appearance.
Besides, he was only one step away from Charm 90.
Everything was within reach.
"Reasonable..." Secretary Jin murmured, musing over the word.
She was perhaps the person in the world who best understood "Tang Song under special conditions," and she knew his taboos.
So she was willing to cooperate unconditionally, even proactively restrain others.
After a moment,
she adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and raised her head. "Understood. It seems I need to be extra careful over the next few days. Besides that, I have some long-standing questions I'd like you to answer, President Tang."
"What?"
"The personal item you asked me for on the phone last time—were you satisfied with it?" She tilted her head, a teasing smile at the corner of her mouth. "I was really startled then. I didn't expect our strategic President Tang to have such a playful side privately."
Tang Song's mouth twitched.
When he received Secretary Jin's plot easter egg, he had indeed felt a little carried away and oddly made the request.
Later, the exquisitely packaged gift box that Shangguan Qiuyas delivered overnight contained precisely the pair of stockings she had just taken off after exercising, still carrying her scent.
In retrospect, it was a little... perverted.
Even with the Mist Gentleman disguise, his face warmed.
But outwardly he kept his composure. "That was a bet we agreed on. If you lose, you accept it, right? Also... shirts, socks, hairclips can all be 'personal items.' You voluntarily gave the stockings. I'm curious what you thought."
"Seems I misunderstood you, President Tang." Secretary Jin raised an eyebrow and leaned closer, eyes flickering. "So... do you still keep the stockings now?"
"...."
Tang Song felt a little overwhelmed.
(□:)
Because he really did keep them, locked in the safe in his walk-in closet.
If he admitted it, would his image in Secretary Jin's eyes collapse instantly?
While Tang Song was silent, Secretary Jin stepped forward another half-step.
That step broke the last safe distance.
Only a sliver of space remained between them where one could hear each other's breathing.
The fullness beneath her couture silk blouse brushed against the front of Tang Song's suit with each inhale.
That barely-there touch was more lethal than direct contact.
Tang Song tensed.
From this angle,
he could perfectly admire her exquisitely beautiful face and the noble, upright posture like a poplar.
The couture shirt outlined her perfect S-curve, a beauty honed by self-discipline and nourished by power—an aggressive beauty.
"And..." her voice took on a strange tone, "I vaguely remember you appearing in my dream on the Qixi Festival four months ago."
"That dream seemed different from the others."
"The events in the dream were fuzzy, but some sensations felt very real. Could you tell me... what exactly happened that night?"
Tang Song: 0mll°
Recalling the Qixi night scene in flashes, he activated Secretary Jin's dream.
In the Smile Holdings building, the kisses, the embraces, the later time at the amusement park, the hand feeling her heartbeat...
Because it was a dream, everything was veiled in gauze for him at the time;
even skin-to-skin contact felt separated by an unreal barrier.
For the passive recipient of the dream, it likely truly felt like a spring dream.
Now that she asked in person, she was obviously not only seeking confirmation but also teasing and settling accounts.
Tang Song lowered his head, looking at the woman within arm's reach.
At this moment,
with the Mist Gentleman's perception enhancement, he could keenly sense
the light flowing from the depths of her eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses—a soft, bone-deep seductive gleam.
It was a top-tier pull that words couldn't capture.
If Ouyang Xianyue was gentle influence that seeped everywhere, Secretary Jin was a deadly toxin combining restraint and temptation.
Her poise and emotional intelligence were among the highest he'd encountered.
And clearly she had learned, through certain channels, about some of his current behavioral patterns, which emboldened her to apply targeted pressure like this.
If not for the Mist Gentleman effect, Tang Song felt he could not hide his emotions in front of her;
she would hold him tight in her grasp.
Yet it was precisely this Secretary Jin who cut so deep—so overwhelmingly charming!
Especially with only a wall between them: the top-tier Wall Street cocktail party filled with glittering elites.
And this legendary Ms. Smile—usually unflinchingly stern and feared by many—was now in his palm, speaking the most provocative words in the calmest tone possible.
Even their argument felt like flirting.
She was perfect like a work of art to be admired from afar, yet real enough to make his heart quiver.
Tang Song could not hold back.
He gripped her slim waist with force and pulled her fiercely into his arms.
"Mm..."
A very soft muffled sound escaped her throat, carrying startled fluster.
Secretary Jin pressed against him.
The body in his embrace was warm, soft, and full.
Her piercing, high-end fragrance blended with her body heat and filled his senses instantly.
"I love you, Secretary Jin."
The person in his arms said nothing and made no movement,
simply allowing him to hold her as if time had stopped.
In the Vermeer exhibition hall, light and shadow flowed quietly.
The paintings on the wall seemed silent witnesses;
even floating dust hung motionless in the air.
At that moment, time stretched, isolating the art sanctuary in Manhattan's noisy center into a tiny island for just the two of them.
After an unknown interval,
Secretary Jin drew a deep breath, exerted a bit of strength, and rationally, restrainedly freed herself from his embrace.
"President Tang."
She lifted her hand and smoothed the slightly mussed hair and the crumpled collar.
The flush on her cheek visibly faded, replaced by that signature smile.
"This is the Miss Kate Bank social cocktail. With so many eyes, we can't disappear for too long. Also, to safeguard your identity, I need to spread some smokescreens."
"Hm." Tang Song nodded lightly, straightening his sleeve and restoring that mysterious, elegant gentleman persona. "I will follow your arrangements, Director Jin."
Hearing his formal address and the deliberately emphasized title "Director Jin" caused her eyes to flash.
She adjusted her glasses. "Then I'll step out first. Please make yourself comfortable."
With that she turned, without lingering.
High heels clicked elegantly on the luxury carpet with a steady, precise "tap-tap."
Her black pencil skirt clung to her waist and hips with perfect tailoring.
As she moved, the fabric tightened and relaxed, outlining a full, firm inverted heart silhouette.
Every sway hit Tang Song's aesthetic point precisely, while exuding an untouchable nobility.
The moment her hand touched the doorknob, her step paused slightly.
For just a second, emotion and reason seemed to reach a balance.
Secretary Jin turned her body slightly and looked back at him with a deep, long glance.
The corridor light poured from above, tracing soft yet sharp contours on her profile.
That look was longer than any words.
Click—
The door opened. She stepped into the bustle and never looked back.
Tang Song stood where he was, staring at her receding figure and dazed for a moment.
This was his Secretary Jin.
She carried an inner orderliness and rationality that, combined with her perfect looks and high intelligence, made her irresistibly attractive.
Tang Song glanced at his palm, as if the touch on her waist still lingered there—soft, yet resilient.
He raised his head, the mist in his eyes swirling, masking intense greed and possessiveness as a deeper smile formed.
The next four days of the shareholders' meeting would be something to look forward to.
He opened the door and walked out.
New York's night was thick,
and their story was only beginning.
Back at the cocktail, the event had reached its peak.
Under the huge glass dome,
the smell of money and power flowed thickly.
This was the social stage at the apex of the world's pyramid.
Here, every sentence could decide a company's fate;
every clink of glasses might move billions.
When Tang Song reappeared, the noisy sea parted for him again.
His unique mystery, dignity, and the special halo from his private conversation with Ms. Smile made him the center of gravity.
Those usually arrogant Wall Street elites and picky top socialites couldn't help but track his silhouette.
It was instinctive reverence for strength and boundless imagination about unknown power.
.......
Shencheng time, Monday, 8:00 AM.
Nanshan District, a detached villa.
A southern winter morning was warm and humid;
golden sunlight pierced the mist and fell on the lush bonsai pines in the courtyard.
In the spacious master walk-in closet, a faint scent of incense lingered.
Ouyang Xianyue stood before the oversized full-length dressing mirror, focused on straightening her appearance.
Today she was not in a formal suit, but a modernized new-Chinese-style stand-up collar top made of understated, luxurious black Song brocade, faint cloud patterns drifting across it.
Dignified and composed, yet retaining the elegant charm of a mature woman.
She lifted her hand and slowly fastened the last warm pearl button with long, slender fingers.
Knock, knock, knock—three very restrained knocks sounded outside the door.
"Enter."
Ouyang Xianyue did not turn, only adjusted the collar curve in the mirror to ensure no wrinkles remained.
Secretary Chen Jing stepped in briskly.
She did not carry the usual urgent files or tablet, but clutched a phone tightly.
Her face looked strained, even more solemn than usual.
"Ms. Ouyang, there is new news from New York."
Ouyang Xianyue paused.
Through the mirror she looked back at Chen Jing. "Oh? He met Director Jin?"
"He did." Chen Jing inhaled deeply. "Not only did they meet, but the scene completely exceeded our pre-risk assessment."
Ouyang Xianyue turned slowly. Her long-practiced pressure radiated outward like a tide. "What happened?"
Chen Jing reported rapidly. "According to the original plan, President Tang should have attended the shareholders' meeting discreetly as a shareholder representative. But in reality, Tang Song attended the Miss Kate Bank cocktail and acted very high-profile.
He accepted top champagne gifted by Elizabeth Sloane under everyone’s eyes and even personally poured her a drink."
Chen Jing then detailed Jin Meixiao's entrance and the on-site situation.
"What?!"
Ouyang Xianyue inhaled sharply, anger flashing in her phoenix-like eyes.
Her worst fear had come true.
A seasoned political strategist, she always believed the worst thing was over-involvement in foreign political whirlpools.
Especially with the current unpredictable international situation.
American party disputes, infighting within Jewish capital, energy conglomerate jockeying...
Those were meat grinders that left nothing behind.
Has Jin Meixiao lost her mind?
To show sovereignty, she’d put Tang Song on the fire? Did she not understand the consequences?
At that moment she felt wary and displeased toward that "ally" across the ocean.
"Ms. Ouyang, please don't be anxious." Chen Jing hurried to supplement. "Actually... Director Jin seems to have realized the risk, or rather, this was part of her plan. She carried out a series of tight damage-control measures."
"Tell me."
"Because Director Jin attended high-profile, public attention and media lenses nearly all focused on her alone. She leaked internal information about Tang Jin Family Office's global asset restructuring to the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg in advance."
Chen Jing pulled up some screenshots from foreign sites. "Right now Wall Street's conversation centers on speculating Ms. Smile's next strategic moves."
"As for President Tang... although he caused a stir within small circles, mainstream media didn't overexpose him. His external identity has been controlled as the new global CEO of Xuanji Optical World."
Ouyang Xianyue looked through the reports;
her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
She was silent for a long time. Her anger dissipated, replaced by a complex emotion.
She was smart.
A little review and she understood Jin Meixiao's intent.
"Attract fire, divert attention." Jin Meixiao made herself the target, shielding Tang Song.
She staged the grand scene and activated her vast network
ultimately to provide a plausible cover for the two to meet publicly.
Ouyang Xianyue's feelings were mixed.
She might once not have understood such madness, including Su Yu's pathology.
But now she seemed to understand perfectly.
Like herself.
For years Tang Song had been the shadow behind Tang Yi Precision.
So when she heard he would officially become Xuanji Optical World's global CEO, she became so excited she acted impulsively.
We are all the same.
We all want him by our side.
Ouyang Xianyue pursed her lips and turned. "Where is Tang Song now?"
"After the cocktail, President Tang dined at the Monarch Club with Adrian and others. That's partly a public signal and also sets the stage for his return to the family office."
Ouyang Xianyue nodded and regained her usual composure and grace.
"Contact the New York consulate. Make a courtesy call and say we have an important young entrepreneur visiting. If anything unexpected happens or he faces unfair scrutiny, request necessary consular protection and assistance."
"Understood. I'll handle it right away." Chen Jing replied.
This was Ms. Ouyang's style: prepare ahead, always be the firmest backup.
Ouyang Xianyue's eyes shifted, then she changed the subject. "By the way, how is the cooperation between Rongliu Capital and the Quancheng government progressing?"
"Very smoothly. The industrial guidance fund has been established and is coordinating with Xuanji Optical World's supply chain team. The province and city attach great importance."
Ouyang Xianyue reflected briefly, a flash of resolve in her eyes. "Arrange my schedule. I want to go to Quancheng to inspect in person."
Chen Jing blinked in surprise. "Ms. Ouyang, you... you personally?"
With Ouyang Xianyue's current status, her personal visit to an inland city would be a major political and commercial tremor.
Coordination would be extensive and the signal extremely strong.
It would mean Tang Yi Precision and its capital are about to heavily invest in the southern Yannan region.
"Yes, I'll go myself." Ouyang Xianyue's gaze dropped slightly. "I recall in Xuanji Optical World's supply chain plan there was a high-precision optical polishing factory, right?"
"Yes." Chen Jing nodded. "Mainly for producing core lens components for future AR glasses."
"Excellent, then site it in Jing County. I remember President Tang's father is familiar with mechanical construction, correct?"
"Well... yes." Chen Jing hesitated.
From what she knew, Tang Song's father had once run a hardware store in town and worked in a factory for several years...
Could that be called 'familiar'?
"Experience is valuable." Ouyang Xianyue's voice dropped as if stating an undeniable truth. "After the factory is built, we'll need a respected 'honorary advisor' to oversee quality. I think Mr. Tang's father is perfect. He is Tang Song's father and has relevant hands-on experience."
"Understood." Chen Jing bowed her head and said no more.
Although the jump seemed large, she could not argue—the man was Tang Song's father.
Ouyang Xianyue turned to the window, an anticipatory tone entering her voice.
"Also... arrange notice. When I go to Quancheng, schedule a private visit. I want to see Tang Song's father."
"Okay." Chen Jing showed no expression, nodded respectfully, and left.
The door closed softly.
Ouyang Xianyue lowered her gaze, watching her reflection in the window, a smile with hidden meaning curling at the corner of her mouth.
Jin Meixiao had acted willfully in New York, exposing him to the Wall Street spotlight.
Su Yu had harnessed public opinion to force him to arrive in Paris on time.
These were not only risks but opportunities.
Opportunities that would give her a legitimate excuse to act without being blamed.
Yes, she was a hypocrite.
8:30 PM, New York, top floor of The Plaza.
The T.J. Suite—Tang Jin Suite.
In the domed library, a vintage green-shaded lamp cast a warm yellow halo.
Tang Song sat in a single leather armchair facing the large arched floor-to-ceiling window.
Below lay the quiet outline of Central Park.
In the distance, Midtown Manhattan glittered.
He held an original book on game theory, but his mind wandered.
It was filled with images of Secretary Jin.
Undoubtedly, Secretary Jin was the most charming—and the most unique—woman he had ever encountered.
With her, he felt a soulful attraction.
The afternoon cocktail had not fully ended when Secretary Jin left early to handle urgent business.
Given her position, she couldn't stay long at such an event;
after all, the shareholders' meeting began tomorrow.
Their true private time together totaled barely over an hour.
Now she was in the royal suite downstairs.
But as he played the "shareholder representative" role, he had no reason to openly knock on an executive director's door at this hour.
He couldn't say he was there to discuss strategic deployment for the shareholders' meeting tomorrow.
Such behavior would be unreasonable and could break his persona.
It might even be judged by the system as a violation, causing the interaction task to fail.
"Slap—"
Tang Song closed the book in irritation and tossed it aside.
He picked up a soda, took a sip. The cold drink slid down his throat, but could not soothe the restlessness inside.
The elevator took seconds to arrive.
Yet he couldn't go to see her.
It was torture.
Like an addict given a taste of sweetness and then abruptly cut off.
At that moment,
"Ring—"
His phone rang suddenly.
[Shangguan Qiuyas]
Tang Song answered, "Hello, Shangguan."
"President Tang." On the other end, Shangguan Qiuyas' voice was deliberately low but urgent and grave. "Sorry to disturb your rest. But there's an incident—things are very urgent."
Tang Song's fingers tightened instinctively. "What happened? What's going on?"
"Just now, during the security team's routine second sweep, they found a micro listening device operating behind a decorative painting in Director Jin's royal suite living room!"
"What?!" Tang Song shot to his feet.
"Not only that." Shangguan Qiuyas continued, "Another shareholder representative, Mr. Weber, had a similar device found in his hotel room. The models are identical to the device in Director Jin's room. Preliminary judgment is that they are from the same batch of professional espionage equipment.
The security team is urgently tracing the source, but the devices are highly professional and have erased all physical identifiers.
This very likely was a premeditated commercial espionage operation targeting tomorrow's major shareholders' meeting.
Director Jin's room is no longer secure, and we cannot fully trust the hotel's security."
"(o)." Tang Song's heart jumped;
he suddenly realized something.
"President Tang." Shangguan Qiuyas' voice turned pleading. "Director Jin is in a passive situation. Changing hotels now is extremely risky and likely to cause media uproar. I'd like your instruction."
"Go on."
"Could Director Jin temporarily move to your Tang Jin Suite to stay one night?"
"Your suite is private property with independent ownership and has always been guarded by our core security team with no outsiders entering. It's the safest place right now. As a shareholder representative, for the most important partner in a special moment, you wouldn't refuse providing refuge, would you?"
Hearing this tightly reasoned argument, Tang Song's expression became hard to contain.
He felt he could see through the phone to the exquisitely beautiful face smiling charmingly.