novelraw Chapter 864: Two Trending Searches
Chapter 864: Two Trending Searches
When they returned to the top floor of the Paris Grand Hotel, it was already 10 a.m.
The security team, the private steward, and the service staff continued to operate in an orderly fashion.
The corridor was as quiet as ever, as if nothing had happened.
In the lounge, Ouyang Xianyue stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a cup of hot tea, quietly watching the Port of Hercules outside.
She had changed back into a neat, light-colored professional suit, her long hair pinned up, makeup applied with meticulous care.
She had reverted to that poised, resplendent, impeccably controlled Ms. Ouyang.
Tang Song walked up beside her and followed her gaze to the blue sea beyond the harbor.
“What now? Want to take a trip to Nice together?”
Ouyang Xianyue turned her head to look at him. “The Tangjin Estate?”
“Mm. A helicopter there takes less than half an hour. Since we’re already nearby, why not stop by?”Ouyang Xianyue shook her head gently. “I won’t go. If I show up there, it will be given a lot of extra meaning. Besides... the New Year is coming soon. You know how it is — at this time every year, I always have a lot of things. Many people want to visit, many relationships need maintenance, many people to see, many lines to walk. Nothing can be skipped.”
Tang Song nodded. “I understand.”
He knew very well.
For someone like Ouyang Xianyue, the New Year was never just a holiday schedule.
It meant visiting, appeasing, probing, picking sides, and it meant countless eyes focusing on her.
To indulge for two days and two nights on the high seas was already a luxury and an act of willfulness.
“But...” Ouyang’s phoenix-like eyes curved a little, “this New Year should be much easier for me. Grandpa’s condition has stabilized completely. Not only has he escaped danger, but for at least three years his mental and physical state should be fine.”
As she spoke, a trace of certainty entered her voice.
With a solid three years, the restive voices inside the family would be thoroughly suppressed.
And she would have absolute confidence that, within those three years, she could weld her power, resources, and foundations so tightly that no one could shake them.
“That’s obviously the best news for us,” Tang Song said, his tone softening as he looked at her.
Ouyang Xianyue met his gaze, set down her teacup, turned, and took a step forward.
Her nose brushed his cheek lightly.
A faint, high-end perfume mixed with the warm scent of a mature woman washed over him.
“Thank you, Tang Song. For what you did for my grandfather.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she kissed his lips directly.
Secretary Chen, standing quietly nearby, immediately lowered her eyes, looking solely at her own feet, acting as if she had seen nothing.
Xu Qing, who was pretending to play with her phone but secretly peeking over, blinked.
Wow, this is really different.
They aren’t even hiding it anymore.
After a brief, quiet kiss, Ouyang Xianyue naturally stepped back half a pace.
There wasn’t much shame on her face, nor any dramatic change in expression; only a composed ease had smoothed across her features.
“I’m leaving. See you back home.”
She gave Tang Song a faint smile and turned to walk toward the door.
Her high heels struck the thick carpet, producing a muffled, elegant sound.
It was the presence and charm unique to the Precision Queen — breathtaking without a single word.
Tang Song stood in place, watching her silhouette fade through the doorway, the scent she left lingering in his breath.
A strange feeling welled up inside him.
The past two days and two nights felt like a dream.
Perhaps precisely because it felt like a dream, it was even more worth savoring.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Xu Qing sitting there, beckoning her over.
“Little maid, back to the room.”
“Ting!”
Xu Qing crossed her arms and gave him a sidelong look, staying put.
“What’s wrong?” Tang Song walked over and ruffled her hair. “Why are you sulking?”
“You called me maid even though we’re back!” Xu Qing puffed her cheeks and complained in a mock-aggrieved tone. “On the boat these past two days I served you all day long, and you kept spanking me. My life is so miserable, boohoo...”
As she spoke, she even put on a little act like she was about to cry.
Tang Song bent down and kissed her on the cheek.
“Okay, stop being angry. Come on, let’s go pack up.”
“Where to?” Xu Qing blinked.
“The Tangjin Estate.” Tang Song looked at her, the corner of his mouth lifting. “I’ll take you to see your big villa, then we’ll return to the country. Since we came all this way.”
Xu Qing’s dark eyes lit up instantly.
To the Tangjin Estate?!
Just the two of them?!
And her future dream home, filled with figures, an e-sports room, cosplay outfits, and floor-to-ceiling windows?!
She could even write an extra chapter about it!
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Ahhh! I’ll go pack right now!”
She sprang from the sofa and grabbed Tang Song’s sleeve, racing toward the royal suite.
The moment she stepped through the door, she dove straight into the walk-in closet.
Watching her rush off, Tang Song shook his head and smiled.
This big Da Sha Qing has fast moods and is easily cheered up.
He turned slowly toward the huge panoramic window.
Outside, the sea breeze blew, the blue ocean sparkled and met the sky at the horizon, vast and magnificent.
“Ha.”
The system interface unfolded before his eyes.
Tang Song reached up and opened his personal info panel.
[Player: Tang Song (Charm 94)]
[Identity: Songmei Apparel - President / Xuanji Optical World · Global CEO]
[Height: 185 cm, Weight: 80 kg]
[Physique: 86, Stamina: 89, Agility: 89, Comprehension: 91]
...
A very gorgeous personal panel, approaching his late-game data in the game.
Base attributes were nearly all around 90.
And he was only six points away from the ultimate charm milestone of 100.
For a moment, Tang Song felt an inexplicable mix of emotions.
From the original 24 charm points when the game first became real, he had reached 94 in the blink of an eye, almost at completion.
Looking back on the journey, what he’d gained wasn’t only his own improvement.
It was also lives rewritten, fates reset.
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, tamping down all the feelings.
The mainline ahead remained crystal clear.
On the Songmei Apparel front, everything was steadily progressing. The next step was to leverage the buzz to grow the team, expand channels, and broaden influence.
Before the New Year, he definitely needed to return to Yancheng to tidy up company affairs for after the holidays, and then go back to Jing County.
As for Xuanji Optical World, the real big show was within sight.
February 26 to 29, 2024.
Barcelona, Spain.
MWC2024.
This year’s Mobile World Congress would undoubtedly be a global-level tech spectacle.
AI phones, AI terminals, XR devices, next-generation smart hardware... they would all be the hottest focus under the spotlight.
Xuanji Optical World would formally unveil its first-generation flagship smart glasses there, along with the roadmap for subsequent VR and AR devices.
That would be the company’s first true step onto the world stage.
It was also the most important part of his growth plan mission.
Besides that, there was another matter to handle.
Qiuqiu’s Dream Flower Seed.
One major reason he hadn’t advanced the seed’s growth and blooming was the hidden reward of [Charm +1] within that milestone.
After all, the harder it becomes to increase charm later on, the more valuable each point is.
It was very possible that the next fourth bloom would be the moment the seed was fully matured.
It was time to reap the harvest.
Thinking of the little girl who had called him “Daddy” in her dream, and the designer who always seemed cool and distant but was shockingly soft at heart, Tang Song couldn’t help smiling faintly.
Maybe it was time, at the Tangjin Estate, to arrange a designer-exclusive villa for her and her junior.
Hmm... add something extra?
For example, an art studio with excellent lighting, where they could quietly paint and design.
And occasionally, if they had time, they could do other things together.
Like life drawing, for instance.
How delightful.
...
Yancheng, North City Garden complex.
8:30 p.m.
The bedroom heater was on high, making the whole room warm.
A layer of fine condensation had formed on the window glass, isolating the cold winter wind outside.
Cheng Qiuqiu sat at her computer wearing only a camisole, her orange hair falling casually over her shoulders, her expression serious and focused.
Several tabs were open on the screen.
There were past winners on the D&AD website, case breakdowns from international design forums, and the visual system source files she had been reworking these last few days.
With Su Zhan’s help, she had refined an already complete visual identity system.
From font specifications and color systems to dynamic interface details and application scenario extensions, all the materials had been reorganized, archived, translated, and submitted.
Now, the competition entry had been formally submitted.
All that remained was to wait for the preliminary review.
But the more she waited, the more anxious she became.
After all, this was D&AD.
A truly hall-of-fame level award in the global design world.
To her, it felt like something distant, almost unreal.
After a moment, Qiuqiu leaned back in her chair.
The room was quiet.
She could faintly hear the television in the living room and Lingling’s footsteps pacing back and forth.
Her eyes left the computer screen and fell to the phone on the desk.
She lit the screen.
A chat interface appeared.
He hadn’t contacted her in the last two days; it seemed he had been out at sea and it was inconvenient on the boat.
She hadn’t asked more.
After all, the big scenes he now touched were things she couldn’t access — remote in every sense.
Perhaps that’s why she cared so much about the yellow pencil.
She lowered her head and gently bit her lower lip.
The screen went dark and then she lit it again.
Again and again.
Just then,
“Dun dun dun~~”
A WeChat video call invitation suddenly popped up on the screen.
[Tang Song]
Qiuqiu’s heart surged. She hurriedly tapped to accept.
When the call connected, the first image that filled the screen was bright winter sunlight.
Then, a full-height window came into view.
Outside the window was a manicured lawn, low shrubs, and the distant blue sky.
Tang Song stood in that light, smiling and waving, “Hello, QQ, what are you doing?”
Qiuqiu froze for two seconds before whispering, “Nothing.”
“Thinking of me?”
Qiuqiu’s face went awkward. “I... I...”
“Looks like I guessed right.” Tang Song smiled and leaned closer. “Raise the camera a little.”
Qiuqiu obediently did as he asked.
“Tilt it forward a bit.”
She adjusted the angle as instructed.
The camera wobbled, then steadied.
The visual impact of her figure under the camisole, and her expression — part chilly, part nervous — filled the screen.
Noticing Tang Song’s appreciative gaze, Qiuqiu’s cheeks flushed. She hurriedly changed the subject. “Are you done with work?”
“Mm, just back from the Mediterranean.” Tang Song leisurely admired Qiuqiu’s figure. “How was your weekend?”
“Mainly busy preparing the D&AD yellow pencil entry. I just submitted it...” she answered.
Looking at Tang Song in the frame and hearing his voice, Qiuqiu relaxed and brightened.
They chatted casually about the yellow pencil and daily life.
Suddenly Tang Song shifted tone and asked, “When are you going back to your hometown in Rongcheng for New Year?”
“The day after tomorrow,” Qiuqiu answered honestly. “I have a ticket for the twenty-eighth on the lunar calendar.”
“Then we probably won’t meet.” Tang Song raised an eyebrow. “I won’t be back until the day after tomorrow either.”
At that, the light in Qiuqiu’s eyes dimmed. “Oh...”
She hadn’t insisted on meeting. She knew he was busy.
But hearing “won’t meet” made her feel hollow.
Especially now that he was shuttling between Shen City, Yancheng, and overseas, meeting up was becoming increasingly difficult.
“It’s fine.” Tang Song saw her reaction and smiled. “We’ll meet after the Spring Festival. I’ll be at Songmei Apparel for a few days to handle physical store and AI integration matters. We’ll meet then.”
Qiuqiu pressed her lips together and nodded. “Okay.”
“By the way.” Tang Song blinked playfully. “I prepared a gift for you.”
Qiuqiu raised an eyebrow. “...A gift?”
“Mm.”
“What gift?” she couldn’t help asking.
Tang Song toyed with mystery a bit.
“The gift is at my place. After the New Year, come to my house and pick it up. You’ll see then.”
Qiuqiu immediately looked away and her cheeks began to heat.
Going to his place to take a gift — those words together were enough to churn her heart into chaos.
Tang Song smiled. “Don’t want it?”
Cheng Qiuqiu shook her head quickly. “I want it. I want it.”
“Then it’s decided.”
She hugged her phone and nodded gently.
They gazed at each other through the screen in silence for several seconds.
Neither spoke.
The quiet between them wasn’t awkward; it felt like a gentle entanglement.
After a while, Tang Song smiled and said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up first.”
Qiuqiu hovered on the verge of speaking, then said, “…Nothing.”
In truth, she had so much to say.
But she was inarticulate and didn’t know how to express it.
After those ambiguous, warm moments they’d already shared, many emotions were jammed in her chest — burning hot yet she could not utter a single word.
Just as she thought the call would end and felt disappointed,
Tang Song suddenly said, “Wait.”
“Hmm?” Qiuqiu instinctively raised her eyes.
He looked at her and the smile in his eyes softened. “I miss you, Qiuqiu.”
Qiuqiu’s breath stopped; the blush on her face visibly spread.
“I miss you too...”
“And.” Tang Song chuckled low, waved to the camera with tender familiarity, “I love you. Bye, baby Qiuqiu.”
He blew a flying kiss to the camera and decisively ended the call.
The room fell silent.
Qiuqiu hugged her phone, stared at the chat screen, and sat stunned for a long time.
Only his three words echoed over and over in her ears.
Above her, the Dream Flower Seed suddenly trembled violently.
Its slender branches slowly unfurled. The bud that had been about to open trembled; the exotic, alluring red inside its petals had darkened a bit.
This was the first time.
Tang Song had said “I love you” to her.
The feeling was indescribable.
Fluttery, warm, surprising, utterly unreal...
Qiuqiu curled up in the chair, her ears and cheeks flushing all the way to her neck.
Her heart raced as if it might burst.
Her mouth curved up little by little.
It felt like she had finally received something she hadn’t dared to confirm even in dreams.
At that moment, Lingling’s urgent voice suddenly came from outside the door:
“Qiuqiu! Qiuqiu! Something happened! Come out quickly!”
Qiuqiu startled, snapped out of her reverie, and hurried up to open the door.
In the living room, Lingling stood there clutching her phone, practically bouncing with excitement.
“Quick, quick! Big news! Su Yu! It’s big news from Su Yu!”
Qiuqiu blinked and walked over reflexively.
Lingling thrust her phone at her and spoke rapidly, “Just posted! Ten minutes ago! She posted two Weibos in a row and the trending lists have already exploded!”
Qiuqiu looked down.
The screen showed Su Yu’s Weibo page.
The first post was a new song announcement:
[@Su Yu V: February 14, Valentine’s Day. New folk single ‘Our Song’, meet you then. Written for those unspoken words that still remain in the heart.]
The attached image was a minimalist poster, gentle and restrained in tone but full of story.
Her eyes quickly moved to the second post —
[@Su Yu V: I am honored to be officially appointed co-chair of the Tangjin Cultural Fund. In the future, I will, together with outstanding collaborators, explore new possibilities in cultural content, brand partnerships, and the integration of entertainment and AI.]
Lingling stomped excitedly beside her, “New song to listen to! And releasing on Valentine’s Day! Sister Yu is definitely going wild again!”
Qiuqiu nodded and immediately pulled out her own phone, opening Weibo to repost, comment, and like with astonishing speed as a seasoned superfan.
Posting wasn’t enough; she tapped into the trending page and started frantically scrolling.
Sure enough, the trending topics were already exploding.
#SuYu_Valentines_NewSong#
#SuYu_TangjinCulturalFund#
#SuYu_CoChair#
One after another, heat surging rapidly.
“Whoa—” Lingling leaned over and pointed at the screen. “What exactly is this Tangjin Cultural Fund? It sounds so impressive.”
Qiuqiu stared at the phone screen, her eyes shining as she scrolled and explained quietly.
“Of course it’s powerful. People have already started digging. This fund isn’t a regular celebrity name-on-the-door cultural project. Behind it is a real family office.”
Lingling blinked. “A family office?”
“Mm.” Qiuqiu nodded, her finger pausing on a long analysis post. “Look, someone already compiled it. The Tangjin Cultural Fund seems to be just the public-facing cultural arm. What’s really behind it is an organization called the Tangjin Family Office.”
The national Diva’s traffic and attention were already absurdly high.
Now that Su Yu personally posted and solemnly announced this new position, it naturally aroused massive curiosity.
Her fans, casual followers, and finance-circle onlookers all flooded in, digging for information.
The two girls leaned together and kept reading.
The more they read, the more stunned they became.
It was the first time they had such a direct realization that such a force existed in their country.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t just “inside the country” anymore.
Because this family office’s headquarters were overseas, with a presence across multiple countries and regions.
Smile Holdings, Tang Yi Precision, Qingning Technology — these companies all had deep ties to it.
Abroad, there were funds, trusts, banks, and various complex investment platforms.
Even the currently high-profile Xuanji Optical World was only a piece of this massive system.
In short, this wasn’t a simple fund.
It was a true, giant, super conglomerate.
It even had deep layouts and influence in Hollywood.
The Tangjin Cultural Fund, however, was a key chess piece within this massive system aimed specifically at “entertainment + AI.”
A large portion of its core capital even came directly from the industrial fund behind Tang Yi Precision.
So its emergence affected far more than the entertainment industry.
In the current backdrop of the AI boom, when capital was scrambling for cultural content entry points, this fund had already stirred significant waves in finance and industry circles.
Gradually, the discussion sparked by Su Yu’s Weibo was beginning to overshadow even her new single announcement.
“I—” Lingling was stunned, mouth slightly open. “This is ridiculous. How did I not know our country had something so powerful... And Sister Yu’s cross-over is insane. She jumped to this level in one step?”
Qiuqiu’s eyes shone with prideful excitement.
“Tangjin is backed by Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang’s circle. They’re friends of Sister Yu. I think it’s because of Sister Yu’s talent, capability, and influence — she’s really powerful enough to be officially pushed to this role.”
“Amazing.” Lingling hugged Qiuqiu excitedly and pressed her against Qiuqiu’s D-cup. “Sister Yu is so awesome. We’ll be able to bask in the glow. We must cling to that fragrant thigh! Hehe.”
They were both little sisters under Su Yu’s wing and knew Su Yu was Tang Song’s official girlfriend.
Seeing her career reach this new level, they could only feel excitement and admiration.
Qiuqiu blushed and pushed her away lightly.
“All right...”
Lingling grew more excited and said with a grin, “Such big news calls for a celebration tonight! I just bought a lot of snacks!”
She ran to the fridge, opened it, and crouched down to rummage through it.
“Qiuqiu, what are you drinking? RIO or beer?”
“RIO.”
“Got it, coming up.”
...
America, Washington.
K Street, Sloane-Huntington Strategic Group, private meeting room.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the winter sky was cold and gray.
The distant silhouette of Capitol Hill was lightly veiled in mist.
“In Washington,” Ms. Sloane picked up the documents on the table and smiled faintly, “the core of lobbying has never been about following the rules. It’s about deciding the framework within which others will think.”
Secretary Jin watched her calmly. “So I don’t like to discuss matters within someone else’s framework.”
Ms. Sloane paused slightly.
Then she let out a low laugh, and an unhidden appreciation flashed in her eyes.
“Wait for my news. Very soon.”
She finished and turned to leave.
The door closed behind her.
The room returned to quiet.
After a brief silence,
“Knock knock knock—”
The door was tapped softly again.
“Come in.”
Secretary Jin didn’t look up, answering in a measured voice.
Shangguan Qiuyas pushed the door open and entered, her steps light.
“Director Jin.”
“What is it?”
Shangguan Qiuyas handed over a tablet. “Su Yu just officially announced two pieces of news in the country. One is about the Tangjin Cultural Fund.”
Secretary Jin took the tablet and let her eyes linger on the screen for a moment.
The corner of her mouth curved into a faint smile, part unsurprised, part intrigued.
Shangguan Qiuyas asked softly, “Director Jin, should I have PR suppress it? The discussion is still climbing.”
“No need.” Secretary Jin flipped through the documents. “She sure knows how to seize timing.”
“Understood.” Shangguan Qiuyas bowed slightly, inwardly impressed.
Su Yu joining the Tangjin Family Office had in fact been basically decided. Both Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang supported the move.
But tacit consent was one thing. True identity, authority, fund control, advisory seats, execution boundaries... according to Tangjin’s rules, these things were never finalized quickly.
And by choosing this moment to announce high-profilely, Su Yu used her irreplaceable public influence to thrust the matter into the spotlight.
Ms. Ouyang had just spent a few days alone with President Tang in Monaco and at sea.
At this moment, from both a matter of face and position, she would naturally feel a hint of concession and indebtedness.
So it was likely that the cultural collaboration rights and content entry arrangements from the Tang Yi Precision industrial fund would be handed over smoothly.
Just then,
“Vrrr—”
Shangguan Qiuyas’s phone buzzed.
She glanced down and her expression shifted slightly.
“Take it.” Secretary Jin nodded lightly.
Shangguan Qiuyas immediately answered and responded in low tones.
At first her expression was steady, but as she listened, her brow creased.
After hanging up, she raised her head and said carefully, “Director Jin, the new news we just received is also related to Miss Su Yu.”
“Oh?” Secretary Jin finally looked up.
“She changed her itinerary and will go to Jing County this Wednesday. Through President Mo’s channel she said that because the new song’s lyrics were written by Zhang Yan, she needs to do a final confirmation and revision in person before release.”
Secretary Jin pondered and then said calmly, “Arrange it. I’ll return to the country a day early.”
“I’ll modify the itinerary immediately.”
“Also—”
Shangguan Qiuyas paused as she started to leave.
Secretary Jin’s voice remained steady. “Zhang Yan probably has no place to stay in Jing County. Have Lin Tiantian go early and bring Zhang Yan to the house I have in Jing County. Say I invited her and want to meet formally.”
“All right, understood.” Shangguan Qiuyas hurried off.
Secretary Jin leaned back in her chair, her gaze on the gray sky outside.
“You little star, you really don’t make things easy.”