novelraw Chapter 810: No Rules
Chapter 810: No Rules
As time passed, the clock hands quietly slid past nine in the morning.
Gradually, more guests arrived in the lounge one after another. Although the chatter remained subdued, it was clearly more lively than before.
Wei Tingsong glanced at his wristwatch, composed his expression, stood up, straightened his clothes meticulously, and said in a low voice to the crew members,
"It's about time. Follow me. Remember, we're here to liven up the atmosphere, not to be background props. Be warm and polite, know when to stop—that's the bottom line."
"Understood, President Wei."
"Got it."
Everyone responded in low voices.
Bei Yuwei also quickly straightened up, carefully smoothed her skirt and the collar of her trench coat, confirmed her posture was flawless, and then followed.
They began to engage in brief, polite greetings with some of the guests in the lounge, one by one.
The crew members were all outstanding in appearance and temperament, accustomed to such scenes in the entertainment industry, and their basic social etiquette was quite impeccable.Their smiles were appropriate, their greetings fitting, and the atmosphere did become slightly more relaxed and pleasant because of them.
Bei Yuwei also understood why Wei Tingsong was so nervous.
Although the number of guests in this lounge wasn't particularly large, almost all of them were representatives of powerful local industrial groups in Dongguan.
They were basically on the same level as Zhou Ran's father, Zhou Lingjun, or even higher.
Among them, there were indeed some young-looking men and women who could be identified as "second-generation" heirs brought by their elders to see the world.
But even these young people behaved exceptionally refined, restrained, and reserved on this occasion.
Even if some young men occasionally showed appreciation or curiosity toward Bei Yuwei, they maintained just the right distance, politely exchanging a few words before stopping appropriately, without the slightest hint of frivolity or overstepping, displaying excellent upbringing and a sense of the occasion.
What made Bei Yuwei feel most unusual was—
She could clearly sense that the important figures present all seemed somewhat unsettled.
They frequently checked their watches, or stopped talking immediately after a few whispered words. From time to time, someone would get up and leave, going to the terrace or corridor outside the lounge to look around.
Clearly, they were all waiting.
This subtle restlessness and sense of waiting permeated the entire space.
It made the confusion and curiosity in her heart continuously rise.
What kind of esteemed existence were those "heavyweight guests" President Wei mentioned?
Could they be more than just one level above the people before her eyes?
Amid this silent speculation and waiting, change quietly arrived.
9:20.
A conference manager in a black suit, wearing an internal communication earpiece, walked steadily into the center of the lounge.
In a clear and gentle voice, she announced, "Good morning, distinguished guests. The tee-off ceremony will be held at the first tee. Please proceed to the 'Central Assembly Corridor' outside the main clubhouse, and we will head to the site together shortly."
These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake.
The guests in the lounge, who had been maintaining their composure, instantly perked up. They stood up one after another, straightened their clothes, and seemed eager to head outside.
Wei Tingsong immediately gave the crew members a meaningful look. Everyone quickly and quietly merged into the departing crowd.
Not too far forward to attract attention, but not falling behind either.
Only at this moment did Bei Yuwei and the others truly get a glimpse of the full scale of today's grand event.
They were guided through a wider central landscape corridor that connected multiple core areas of the clubhouse.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls on both sides of the corridor were meticulously maintained French royal gardens and the undulating green fairways in the distance.
Inside the corridor, guest groups from different VIP lounges were converging in an orderly manner from various directions, like streams.
The number of people wasn't actually large.
At a rough glance, there were only about thirty or forty in total.
Both men and women were present, including a few foreign faces of different skin tones.
Immediately afterward, Bei Yuwei saw that the Dongguan industrial tycoons from the earlier lounge now actively stepped forward to greet them.
In stark contrast to their casual or condescending attitude when talking to the crew's artists earlier, they now appeared extremely respectful and cautious.
The sounds of greetings and conversations created faint echoes in the spacious corridor.
Bei Yuwei and the others were left at the edge of the crowd, seeming somewhat out of place.
As artists who had climbed up in the entertainment industry's arena of fame and fortune, they possessed an almost instinctive sensitivity to reading expressions and recognizing auras.
Soon, using the scattered conversations around them, they obtained clearer information.
Several of them quickly exchanged glances, and their expressions involuntarily turned grave.
Among this group of guests converging from other lounges, aside from representatives from Tang Yi Precision headquarters, most were actually core executives from the tech unicorn [Xuanji Optical World] and advisory committee members from the legendary, mysterious [Tangjin Family Office].
And the person these people had gathered here, patiently waiting for, was a thunderous name—Ms. Ouyang.
This name was mentioned repeatedly in lowered voices, carrying awe and distance.
Bei Yuwei's heart began to beat uncontrollably, almost pounding out of her chest.
For people like them, someone like Ouyang Xianyue represented true power, rules, and reverence.
She finally understood the terrifying caliber of this business event.
The representatives of Dongguan's local industrial groups here were merely supporting players.
In essence, this was a gathering of a truly top-tier circle.
What she couldn't understand was, how could their small crew be allowed into such an occasion? Even as the most marginal decoration?
The other artists clearly had similar thoughts. The initial excitement or curiosity on their faces had long vanished, replaced only by a pale look of understanding and wariness.
Right at that moment.
"Buzz buzz buzz—"
A short vibration came from the phone in her hand.
Bei Yuwei immediately swiped open the screen.
[Tang Song: "Just exited the tunnel. A bit of traffic on the road. Estimated arrival in about 10 minutes."]
Without almost any hesitation, she immediately turned to the equally unsettled lead producer, Wei Tingsong, beside her and said, "President Wei, I need to step away for a moment. To meet a friend. He'll be here soon."
Hearing this, Wei Tingsong's expression instantly changed. "Yuwei! Are you crazy? Can't whatever it is wait until after the event starts, find an opportunity then?"
The surrounding crew members all looked over.
Lin Keke's heart skipped a beat, knowing it was Yuwei's patron arriving.
"I know," Bei Yuwei said with firm eyes but a softer tone. "But that person is very important. He was also specifically arranged by President Mo from the company. I must go."
Hearing the words "President Mo," Wei Tingsong's heart lurched violently.
The name Mo Xiangwan was a gold standard in the entertainment and media field, representing the will of [Tang Entertainment].
"Alright... then be extra careful. Go quickly and come back quickly. Be sure to mind your manners."
"Thank you, President Wei." Bei Yuwei nodded.
She turned to look at Lin Keke beside her, gently patted her hand, then turned and walked inward.
Her high heels made almost no sound on the soft carpet.
Her thoughts were clear and resolute.
No matter how dazzling or awe-inspiring to others this grand scene gathering elites and the powerful might be, in essence, it had nothing to do with a small-time artist like her from the entertainment industry.
Here, she was merely a dispensable ornament.
Only Tang Song was the support she could truly touch and must firmly grasp.
She had to see Tang Song before he entered, to brief him on the situation here and about Zhou Ran's matter.
Pleasing him, gaining his understanding and even protection, was her core mission today.
Relying on memory and the path she observed upon arrival, she quickly passed through several relatively quiet internal corridors and soon returned to the peripheral area of the clubhouse's main lobby.
Compared to the bustling "Assembly Corridor" earlier, this place now seemed spacious and open, with only a few staff members moving in the distance and almost no guests in sight.
She didn't linger, walking straight toward the direction leading to the main entrance.
Just as she was about to cross the center of the lobby and head toward the huge revolving glass door, a figure caught the corner of her eye from the side front near the rest area—Zhou Ran!
He still hadn't left?!
Only now, the usual arrogance and unrestraint were completely gone from his face, replaced by a bloodless pallor.
His eyes were filled with vacant confusion and shock.
Standing opposite him was a middle-aged man, roughly in his fifties, well-maintained, wearing a dark tailored suit.
Intermittent, extremely suppressed yet still leaking a trace of harsh scolding could be faintly heard: "...Do you know how big a mess you've stirred up this time?! Who did you offend?! You useless fool!"
Bei Yuwei's heart pounded violently. She instantly recognized him as Zhou Ran's father, Zhou Lingjun, Chairman of Hengke Group.
No wonder she hadn't seen him in the earlier lounge or Assembly Corridor. He was here "dealing with family matters."
Bei Yuwei's heart instantly leapt to her throat. She quickly lowered her head and quickened her pace.
However, right at that moment.
Zhou Lingjun happened to turn around. Then, his eyes widened slightly. He actually grabbed Zhou Ran's arm, pulled him, and walked straight toward her direction.
Bei Yuwei was terrified out of her wits by this sudden turn. Her footsteps halted abruptly, her face instantly turning deathly pale.
She really didn't want to attract any trouble at the moment of meeting Tang Song.
But the next second, she realized she was overthinking it.
Zhou Lingjun didn't even glance at her, brushing right past her, quickly stepping forward to greet another side—there, several figures were emerging from the VIP executive passage.
Leading them was a middle-aged woman around forty years old, wearing an exquisitely tailored, high-quality dark gray business suit, her hair in a meticulously neat low bun, wearing frameless glasses, holding a dark leather document folder.
Her appearance was ordinary, but her demeanor was steady and capable, her eyes sharp and penetrating, possessing a low-key yet unignorable presence.
Behind her followed several senior venue management personnel and assistants, both men and women.
"Secretary Chen! Secretary Chen, hello!" Zhou Lingjun's posture was extremely humble. "I'm truly sorry to disturb you here..."
The woman addressed as "Secretary Chen" didn't pause her steps in the slightest, only calmly sweeping her gaze over the Zhou father and son, her eyes showing no ripple.
She merely gave a slight nod, acknowledging the greeting.
Zhou Lingjun hurriedly pulled Zhou Ran to follow, speaking rapidly, "Secretary Chen, I'm Zhou Lingjun from Hengke Group. This is my son, Zhou Ran. Young people don't understand things. He might have unintentionally spoken inappropriately on some occasion before, offending your esteemed company..."
Secretary Chen's footsteps finally paused slightly. She didn't look at the trembling Zhou Ran, only saying coldly to Zhou Lingjun, "Apologies, it's not convenient now."
After saying that, she continued walking forward, leaving no room for further conversation.
Zhou Lingjun's extended hand hung awkwardly in mid-air, ultimately dropping powerlessly. "Alright, alright. Then please attend to your matters first."
Secretary Chen said no more. The group left the lobby directly.
Bei Yuwei witnessed all of this, her inner shock beyond measure.
Almost unconsciously, she also quickened her pace, following far behind Secretary Chen's group.
Watching that straight, composed back ahead of her, Bei Yuwei's heartbeat uncontrollably accelerated.
Who was she?!
What was the identity of this "Secretary Chen"?
How could she make Zhou Lingjun—a veteran industrial magnate entrenched in Dongguan and even the province for years, with a vast network of industries and political-business connections—so humbly and publicly block her path to apologize?
For Bei Yuwei, this was simply unbelievable.
Who exactly had Zhou Ran offended? The level of power revealed behind this far exceeded her understanding.
Exiting the main clubhouse entrance, they arrived at the sunlit, red-carpeted circular drop-off area.
To Bei Yuwei's surprise, that Secretary Chen also stopped.
The few people she brought with her quickly straightened their clothes, standing neatly and uniformly behind her.
Immediately, the surrounding security personnel also quickly gathered, expressions solemn, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Clearly, they were also waiting.
Waiting for a certain truly important figure who was about to arrive.
The person even this "Secretary Chen" had to personally welcome... who could it be?
Could it be the legendary Chairman Ouyang?
With deep awe and intense curiosity, Bei Yuwei didn't dare get too close. Instead, she shifted position, finding an inconspicuous but well-viewed corner to stand.
She took out her phone to check the time.
Five minutes had passed since Tang Song's earlier message saying "about 10 minutes left."
At this moment, the circular drop-off area was cleared, appearing exceptionally quiet.
Winter sunlight spilled on the ground, dust dancing in the light beams.
Amid the anxious waiting.
"Vroom—"
The low, powerful roar of an engine came from the tree-lined avenue in the distance.
Two black lead escort vehicles slowly drove in.
Immediately after.
A completely black Rolls-Royce Phantom drove along the VIP exclusive lane.
The car glided extremely smoothly, ultimately stopping precisely at the very center of the red carpet in the drop-off area.
Bei Yuwei instantly realized something.
She saw that Secretary Chen now wore a genuinely respectful expression on her face.
She quickly walked down the steps, not letting the security personnel beside her act at all.
Instead, she personally walked to the side of the Rolls-Royce's rear door.
She slightly bowed and opened the heavy car door.
"President Tang, good morning. Welcome to Guanlan Lake."
At this moment, everyone's breath seemed to be held.
The scene was so quiet you could even hear the sound of wind rustling leaves.
Bei Yuwei's heart pounded violently.
A foot wearing black handmade leather shoes stepped onto the red carpet.
Immediately after, a tall, slender, and upright figure slowly emerged from the car.
He wore a dark gray casual suit, no tie, the collar slightly open, appearing both relaxed and full of strength.
His posture was elegant and composed, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
Under the clear winter sunlight, his entire person seemed gilded with a layer of pure, transcendent radiance.
On his handsome face, his gaze was deep, calm, and serene.
"President Tang!"
"Mr. Tang!"
With his appearance, the surrounding people immediately bowed, their voices uniform.
Watching this scene.
Bei Yuwei only felt a "buzz" in her mind, a complete blank.
Tang... Tang Song?!
What was going on?
In her understanding, Tang Song was the mysterious shareholder of [Tang Entertainment], Su Yu's boyfriend, a hidden big shot in the entertainment industry with extensive connections.
That was already impressive enough.
But... this was Guanlan Lake.
This was a top-tier arena of fame and fortune where industrial giants and financial tycoons gathered.
That "Secretary Chen," whom even Zhou Lingjun and his son had to humble themselves to curry favor with and apologize to, would personally open the car door for him and welcome him with such a respectful attitude?!
She stared blankly at that familiar yet unfamiliar figure in the sunlight.
It had only been a little over three months since she last saw him at Wushan.
But at this moment, he seemed to have completely transformed.
Not only was his appearance more dazzling, but the demeanor revealed in his every gesture and movement made him exude an indescribable, top-tier charm.
Especially in such a setting, it made her feel a soul-deep tremor and unfamiliarity.
She just watched him and that Secretary Chen conversing in low voices.
Her whole body trembled, completely unable to grasp the situation.
And she didn't dare approach.
Right then, his gaze seemed to drift from the conversation, looking over toward her.
The corners of his lips naturally curved upward, outlining a charming smile.
Bei Yuwei's heart clenched violently. An indescribable mix of complex emotions instantly rushed to her nasal cavity. She subconsciously bit her lower lip, her eyes inexplicably feeling warm, even wanting to cry.
She didn't know why—
Perhaps it was the accumulated grievances and pressure of recent days; perhaps it was the shock and sense of security he brought now, far exceeding expectations; or perhaps, simply because he saw her and smiled at her.
Immediately after, Tang Song gently beckoned to her.
Bei Yuwei took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing all the chaos, fear, and excitement in her heart. She moved her somewhat stiff legs, walking toward that man at the center of the light.
Each step felt like treading on clouds, yet also like stepping back onto solid ground.
"Long time no see, Little Bei." Tang Song's gaze fell on her face.
"President Tang, long time no see." Bei Yuwei walked up close, lowering her head, her voice slightly trembling.
"How's the new drama filming going recently? Smoothly?"
"S-smooth," she tried hard to make her voice sound steady.
Sensing her restraint, Tang Song didn't say more. Turning to the side, he introduced, "This is Chen Jing, Secretary Chen. Bei Yuwei, my friend. Also, the upcoming spokesperson for our [Songmei Apparel]."
Secretary Chen looked at Bei Yuwei, her gaze calm and professional, giving a slight nod. "Miss Bei, hello."
"Secretary Chen, hello." Bei Yuwei felt overwhelmed by the honor, quickly bowing in response.
After all, as an artist who had risen from the bottom through a dramatic reversal, she had already keenly realized what the term "friend" and this introduction meant in this setting.
She gradually adjusted her state, displaying just the right amount of politeness and respect.
After brief pleasantries.
Tang Song glanced at the time and said calmly, "Let's go over."
"Understood, President Tang. The car is ready." Secretary Chen immediately responded, then gestured to the side.
Immediately after, a lengthened golf cart without any markings silently pulled up nearby.
The body was low-key, but the interior was visibly luxurious and elegant.
"President Tang, Director Jiang, Miss Bei, please."
Bei Yuwei lowered her head, closely following the slightly plump Director Jiang, and got into the back row of the vehicle.
Secretary Chen sat in the passenger seat diagonally in front of them.
And the widest, most comfortable independent seat in the middle row was occupied only by Tang Song alone.
Bei Yuwei slightly glanced sideways. Through the glass curtain wall of the main entrance, she vaguely saw Zhou Ran's rigid body and fearful gaze.
In her dazed state.
The golf cart slowly started.
It didn't head toward the lobby assembly area like other guests. Instead, it followed a tree-shaded internal path, directly bypassing the clubhouse lobby and all public areas.
It glided along the smooth asphalt path toward the depths.
Bei Yuwei looked ahead, initially still somewhat confused.
Not understanding, where were they going? Didn't they need to sign in at the lobby?
Soon, the scenery outside the window suddenly opened up.
The air instantly became fresh, carrying the scent of grass and damp soil.
An endless expanse of golf course, trimmed like a green velvet carpet, spread out before them, completely opening the field of vision.
She was completely stunned.
The cart didn't stop.
Following the dedicated lane along the edge of the fairway, it passed fences and checkpoints all the way, heading straight toward the direction of the first tee.
Quiet, smooth, unobstructed.
This was... driving directly in?!
Bei Yuwei's heartbeat accelerated again.
Especially thinking of those people currently still waiting in the central corridor—the distinguished industrial magnates, tech executives, and financial advisors...
They might still be engaging in social pleasantries, while she was already in a car, gliding past the rules above their heads in such a transcendent manner.
The impact of that privilege gave her goosebumps all over.
She had attended some high-end events with golf segments.
Even the biggest celebrities, the wealthiest bosses, had to gather at the clubhouse uniformly, form groups, then walk or take designated shared carts to the tee.
That was the rule.
But now...
There was no rule.
Or rather, he was the rule.