In the quiet office.

"Ms. Ouyang?!"

Xu Qing's voice instantly cracked, and she almost slid right off her ergonomic chair.

She already knew from her best friend that Ouyang Xianyue and Tang Song had a deep relationship, and she was also Little Songzi's direct superior over at [Xuanji Optical World], with a supposedly immense background.

But for her, this phone call was just too sudden, too terrifying!

After all, the two of them had never had any contact before, and their life trajectories were worlds apart.

Even though she now called herself a "well-known writer" and "hit screenwriter," holding shares in a short drama film and television base.

Compared to someone like Ouyang Xianyange...

It was simply the distance between a small hill and Mount Everest.

"It's me. I hope calling so suddenly isn't disturbing your work." Ouyang Xianyue's voice was steady and gentle, like an understanding elder.

"No, no, no! Absolutely not!" Xu Qing quickly sat up straight, stammering as she asked, "Y-you... you... what can I do for you?"

"Hehe." A light chuckle came through the receiver. "No need to be so nervous, Qingqing. May I call you that?"

"Of course! Call me whatever you like!"

Xu Qing was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, nodding repeatedly, only to remember the other person couldn't see her after nodding, and hurriedly responded with a series of "Mhm, mhm, mhm."

"When I met and chatted with Su Yu last time, she mentioned you. She said you're a very talented screenwriter, and that you have a few short dramas that have exploded online recently." Ouyang Xianyue's tone was relaxed. "I took some time to watch them too. They're quite interesting. Very imaginative."

"Ah, this... that's just small-time stuff... not worth your attention..."

Xu Qing's face flushed red with embarrassment, feeling so guilty she wanted to crawl under the desk.

Those three short dramas of hers were basically accelerated, condensed versions of her steamy CEO romance novels.

The plots were melodramatic, the lines were cringe-worthy.

They were satisfying, sure, but absolutely not fit for refined company.

How could she have imagined that this busy, dignified, elegant Precision Queen would deign to watch such corny videos?!

"No, I genuinely found them interesting." Ouyang Xianyue's voice carried a hint of laughter. "Don't think of me as too old. I'm actually only a few years older than you all. When I'm tired from work, I also scroll through short videos, watch shows to relax."

"No, no, no! I didn't mean that!"

Xu Qing frantically waved her hands, her face completely red.

Thanks to Scheming Yuyan's vivid descriptions, in her impression, this Ms. Ouyang was a major figure sitting high in the clouds.

Someone who could sit at the same table as Director Jin.

Now, personally calling her, not only with such a friendly attitude, but actually to discuss short dramas with her?!

This was just... too down-to-earth!

"By the way, Qingqing. I heard you and Shen Yuyan have been good friends for many years, right? And you still live together?"

"Mhm, mhm, yes! We've known each other since junior high." Xu Qing hurriedly answered.

"That's truly rare." Ouyang Xianyue sighed sincerely. "In one's lifetime, having such a long-time friend who knows you inside out to support each other is truly a great fortune."

She paused, her tone becoming even gentler and full of appreciation:

"Although I haven't had direct contact with you, Yuyan is now working at [Xuanji Optical World], serving as Chief Ecosystem Officer. Her abilities are strong, she's decisive in her work, and I admire her very much. As her best friend, you must certainly be no less capable. You must be a clever and sharp girl too."

Xu Qing: (⊙▽⊙)!!!

Wow!

Ms. Ouyang, your judgment is spot on!

She felt like a balloon being inflated, instantly puffing up.

"Hehe, you flatter me too much, Ms. Ouyang."

She bit her lower lip, trying hard to suppress the smugness threatening to rise in her voice.

"Yuyan is now staying long-term in Shen City alone. The work pressure is high, and without you by her side, she must feel lonely." Ouyang Xianyue smoothly extended an invitation. "If your work schedule allows, why not find some time to come to Shen City for a few days before the New Year? I'd like to invite you to my home for tea, to chat in person. Also, I've prepared a small gift for you, as a token of our meeting."

Hearing the words "invitation" and "gift," Xu Qing's heart rate suddenly accelerated. When Tian Jing had her birthday, Ms. Ouyang had sent an expensive gift through that top lawyer Luo Bin. Watching from the side, she had secretly envied it for a long time.

Now, such treatment had actually landed on her head.

It seemed her talent could no longer be hidden, and she was indeed very likable.

"Of course, no problem. Thank you, Ms. Ouyang." She cleared her throat. "I'll arrange my current work and definitely fly over to see you before the New Year."

She had originally planned to go to Shen City anyway, since Shen Yuyan was there.

Plus, the New Year was approaching, and she planned to give herself a long vacation for travel.

Then, during the New Year, she would take Scheming Yuyan back to their hometown to show off.

"Good, then I'll wait for you. Coordinate the specific itinerary with Yuyan and let me know."

The call ended.

Xu Qing clutched her phone, doing a little excited bounce in the office.

Immediately after, she quickly picked up her phone and dialed directly.

As soon as the call connected.

She couldn't wait to shout into the phone, "Yanyan! Something huge! Ms. Ouyang just called me personally!"

Shen City, [Xuanji Optical World] Global Headquarters, 27th floor.

Chief Ecosystem Officer's office.

Listening to her best friend's excited voice through the receiver, Shen Yuyan moved the phone slightly away from her ear.

She leaned back into the spacious chair, her tone steady. "Alright, don't just get excited. Handle your own work first. We just moved into the new building here, Tang Song has just officially appeared and taken up his new post. Everyone is so busy they can barely keep their feet on the ground. Come over a bit later."

"Hey, Scheming Yuyan, why aren't you excited at all?" A deliberately lowered, smug snort came from the other end of the line. "Could it be... you're jealous of me? Relax, relax. When I go as a guest to Ms. Ouyang's home, I'll be generous and take you along as an attendant."

"No need." Shen Yuyan refused without hesitation. "Since Ms. Ouyang specifically invited you alone, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to tag along."

"Tch, suit yourself. Not gonna argue with you. I'm going to check flight tickets now!"

The call ended abruptly.

Shen Yuyan placed her phone face down on the desk, her brows unconsciously furrowing slightly.

With Tang Song officially stepping into the spotlight, she had also truly entered that "Tang Jin" core power circle she once dreamed of.

But the closer she got to the center, the clearer she could see the turbulent undercurrents beneath the surface.

Director Jin and Ms. Ouyang, these two rumored to be the closest of friends.

Their relationship was actually not harmonious.

They represented two different logics of power, two different sets of interests, two different stances.

And now, she had already aligned herself with Director Jin.

As for Qingqing...

A complex emotion flashed in Shen Yuyan's eyes.

She certainly knew that for her best friend to be privately contacted by a big shot of Ouyang Xianyue's caliber, it definitely wasn't because of "writing good short dramas."

That was Ouyang making a move.

This might not be a good thing.

But then again, considering Xu Qing's carefree, transparently silly personality.

Blundering into friendship with Su Yu, blundering into Ouyang Xianyue's favor, blundering into this top-tier circle where even she needed to tread carefully...

Perhaps, this was her best protective coloring.

Being a fence-sitter with no clear stance, being the atmosphere-maker who livens things up, being the beloved mascot everyone likes.

In the eyes of those big shots, such a person naturally poses no threat and can even provide emotional value.

Thus, no one would really bother to meticulously scheme against her or bully her.

Perhaps, this was the smartest, safest way to survive in this battlefield.

The corner of Shen Yuyang's mouth lifted slightly, a soft light rising in her eyes.

Fools have fortune.

This saying had never been wrong when applied to Qingqing.

A moment later, she gathered all her thoughts, her gaze returning to the computer screen before her.

It was a message from Li Meixia that had arrived before Xu Qing's call.

[Meixia: "Yuyan, Wang Ning contacted me privately, wanting to apologize to you in person. He was laid off from [Win-Win Technology] last week. From the looks of it, he wants to beg for your help to return to our company."]

She clicked send.

Picking up the black coffee on her desk, she took a sip, a pleased and cruel smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

For those who had once trampled on her, betrayed her, she never knew the meaning of "magnanimity."

She had been secretly watching them, and she had never stopped applying pressure.

[Win-Win Technology] was far weaker than she had anticipated.

After the failure of their Series C funding round, this was originally a smart home company propped up by concepts, bloated and hollow.

Add to that, during this period, as Chief Ecosystem Officer of [Xuanji Optical World], she had subtly tripped them up using channels and the ecosystem.

Now, [Win-Win Technology] was deeply mired in trouble.

Sales plummeting, capital chain tightening, core suppliers cutting off supplies, a large number of technical backbone staff leaving...

Wang Ning being laid off was just the tip of the iceberg.

Next, they would fail to meet their VAM agreement and be thoroughly liquidated by the capital behind them, officially heading towards the dead end of bankruptcy.

That hypocritical senior Ren Mingyuan, with his mouth full of benevolence and morality, his good days were coming to an end.

As for the other culprit, Wang Yubo.

After the Tang Yi Precision ecosystem conference ended, he had already been forced to formally resign from [Yuanjian Shares].

But this was far from enough.

Shen Yuyan put down her coffee cup, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

How could she forget?

That humiliating night in Modu, Wang Yubo's contemptuous trampling of her.

That insulting "Get out."

And his arrogant gaze as if looking at a piece of trash.

Just making him resign? That was letting him off too easy.

Her next target was the listed company [Yuanjian Shares] itself.

Although she couldn't yet access the core level of the [Tangjin Family Office] to mobilize massive funds, don't forget, this was Tang Song's office.

And she was Tang Song's woman.

When the time was ripe.

Even just borrowing a little of "Tang Jin's" influence in the secondary market.

Would be enough to trigger an avalanche, cause [Yuanjian Shares'] market value to collapse, plunge it into crisis, and allow them to step in and reap the harvest. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

One day, she would make Wang Yubo lose everything he could rely on, make him kneel before her and beg for mercy.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Yuyan checked the time.

11:40.

Opening WeChat, she clicked on Tang Song's chat window.

Carefully wording her message: "President Tang, are you free at 3 PM this afternoon? Regarding the next phase of the ecosystem strategy, my colleagues and I have preliminarily outlined a framework. We'd like to seize the moment and report it to you."

Click send.

She looked at the screen, her eyes full of anticipation.

Her "work relationship" with Tang Song was one of the things she enjoyed most right now.

She could legitimately see him, could openly stay by his side, could meet his gaze during meeting breaks and then casually look away.

Then spend the whole day in this subtle sense of anticipation.

For someone experiencing a first love, this feeling was novel and addictive.

...

42nd floor, the management office area on the right.

The glass door of the office was slightly ajar.

Several large workstations were neatly arranged with various engineering prototypes, test reports, and data terminals.

The air carried a faint residual warmth from electronic equipment and the smell of paper.

Jiang Yourong stood beside Tang Song, holding a paper report.

"President Tang, this version of the engineering prototype is based on the latest neuromorphic computing data from our lab, representing an iteration of the numerical algorithm."

"The focus was on optimizing the dynamic pupil distance adjustment and the visual compensation model for long-term wear. In the lab-simulated continuous wear scenario, the visual fatigue index decreased by approximately 12.3% compared to the previous generation prototype..."

"However, the hardware team feedback indicates that the weight distribution of the temple arms is still in the fine-tuning stage." Jiang Yourong paused, observing Tang Song's reaction. "Do you feel noticeable pressure behind your ears wearing it now?"

Tang Song was currently wearing a pair of AR engineering prototypes that already looked very close to everyday black-framed glasses.

He tilted his head, testing the movement of his neck. "Slightly tight, especially on the right side. The pressure point is a bit prominent."

"It might be that the hinge angle preset is still based on the standard head model data." Hearing this, Jiang Yourong naturally took half a step forward. "Let me help you fine-tune the structural angle."

This action naturally shortened the distance between the two.

She slightly raised her heels, lifted both hands, and placed them on the fine-tuning knobs at the junction of the frame and temple arms.

As she raised her arms, the already form-fitting blue shirt tightened.

The full, voluptuous curves of a mature woman's body were displayed without reservation before Tang Song's eyes.

Because extremely precise calibration of the wearing angle was needed, the distance between them was very close.

And due to her particularly prominent cup size, some friction and contact were inevitable.

A rich, warm scent, a mix of faint high-end perfume and the warmth of flesh, wafted around Tang Song's face with her slightly hurried breathing.

Enough to stir distracting thoughts.

Through the AR lenses, Tang Song looked at Jiang Pangpang, who was trying hard to appear composed.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, but he didn't expose her little scheme.

Mainly because... it was indeed quite comfortable.

Even after losing weight, this Professor Jiang's bone structure and physique meant she still had plenty of flesh on her.

Soft, plump.

After that ambiguous massage experience at the Fengcheng hotel, this usually intellectual Professor Jiang had become bolder.

Like now, daring to take advantage of him under the guise of work.

In this regard, she was much more straightforward than that other equally mature noble lady.

Of course, he understood.

Ouyang Xianyue, after all, had a special status, was married, and naturally couldn't express her feelings so casually.

And the [String Moon Drifting] task's core requirement was for him, during daily contact before departing for Monaco, to use his own charm and emotional intelligence to the greatest extent to stir the emotional tides within Ouyang Xianyue.

To discern and manipulate her complex psychology, swinging between calculation and desire.

To gain the upper hand in this high-level emotional game with the Precision Queen, push-and-pull was necessary.

And Tang Song's greatest advantage was that he had enough patience and absolute initiative.

In fact, just these few days of deliberately executed "now close, now distant" and "all business" attitude, he had already faintly sensed the restlessness and unease hidden beneath Ouyang Xianyue's calm exterior.

For the next period, he would stay in Shen City. Besides advancing the work at [Xuanji Optical World], he needed to continue "conquering" this noble lady.

The only regret was that he couldn't have another exhilarating "three-player ranking match" with the actress and the big sister before they hurriedly left Shen City.

On one hand, they genuinely needed to recuperate.

On the other hand, it was also because Wen Ruan was about to get busy, extremely busy.

As the new Chairman of [Xingyun International Group], she needed to lead the completion of the group's global mergers and acquisitions and business restructuring, making ample preparations for the final US listing.

Additionally, matters regarding her "Oxford University Visiting Scholar" identity and paper still required her to go to Europe for a while.

Before the New Year, most of her energy would be spent on the European and American markets.

Coincidentally, Xiao Jing had also gone to Switzerland with Annie these past couple of days.

He had already arranged for Luna to return, to call the beautician, find some free time, and take them to fly to the [Tangjin Estate] in France to complete that [Assistant Practice] task and take a vacation at the same time.

Withdrawing his thoughts.

Tang Song lowered his head, looking at Jiang Yourong who was so close.

He raised his hand, seemingly unintentionally, stroking over the curve of her waist and hips tightly wrapped by the bodycon skirt.

Jiang Yourong's body trembled slightly, her gaze flustered as she took half a step back.

"Ahem... done. The temple arm angle has been widened by 0.7 degrees. President Tang, how does it feel now?"

Just as Tang Song was about to speak.

"Knock, knock, knock—" A knock sounded at the door.

"President Tang." The duty administrative secretary appeared at the doorway, respectful. "Lunch is ready, set up in the private room at the very back of the tea break area."

"Alright." Tang Song nodded slightly, his gaze turning to Jiang Yourong as he invited, "Professor Jiang, care to join? My set meal includes the signature mousse from that Blue Ribbon dessert shop."

When she heard the word "mousse," Jiang Yourong's throat involuntarily moved, and she subconsciously swallowed.

Looking again at Tang Song's handsome, captivating face, she ultimately couldn't resist this dual temptation of "delicious food + beautiful man."

She smoothed her hair, softly replying, "Then I'll be imposing. Thank you, President Tang."

"Let's go." Tang Song gestured with his hand and stepped out.

He invited Jiang Yourong not just for those unspoken little ambiguities in the workplace.

As the CEO of [Xuanji Optical World], he genuinely needed this technical assistant's help.

The core technological path of [Xuanji Optical World] involved extremely challenging cutting-edge fields like neuromorphic computing, dynamic pupil distance adjustment, and spatial perception algorithms.

Relying solely on reading dry reports was far from enough.

Jiang Yourong not only had an academic background but also work experience from the [Smile Holdings] period, possessing a deep understanding of the entire chain from lab to product.

More importantly, she was absolutely one of their own.

The two walked side by side out of the office, passing through the busy, vibrant open-plan office area.

"President Tang."

"Director Jiang."

Staff along the way stopped and nodded in greeting.

Given the current massive scale of [Xuanji Optical World], the affairs requiring Tang Song's personal attention and decision were extremely numerous.

For efficient operation, a 「CEO Office」, commonly known as the 「President's Office」, was established directly under the CEO.

It was staffed with over twenty elite employees.

This office was responsible for strategic implementation tracking, cross-department coordination, information hub management, and key project advancement.

And the 「University Cooperation and Technology Transfer Office」 that Jiang Yourong was responsible for reported directly to the President's Office in the organizational structure.

She also worked here daily.

This was why, internally, everyone was more accustomed to viewing this Director Jiang as President Tang's technical assistant.

...

Soon, the two arrived at the exclusive private room at the very back of the tea break area.

Pushing the door open, the interior was decorated with great style.

The one-way glass wall ensured absolute privacy while allowing those sitting inside to take in the entire sea view of Shencheng Bay.

The afternoon sun shone warmly through the glass.

On the dining table, the administrative secretary had already neatly arranged the exquisite business lunch.

M9 Wagyu beef light salad, French pan-seared silver cod, hand-poured Geisha coffee... and the enticingly sweet signature Blue Ribbon mousse.

Seeing that dessert, Jiang Yourong's eyes instantly lit up.

Returning to the workplace, and working beside Tang Song, she was of course very conscious of her weight.

So, she hadn't touched high-calorie bombs like mousse for a very long time.

Every time she passed a dessert shop, she had to take a deep breath and force herself to walk past without a sideways glance.

That kind of torture, those who know, know.

But now, Tang Song had actively invited her.

If she ate it, it wouldn't count as breaking her diet, it would just be accompanying the leader.

The psychological burden instantly cleared to zero.

"Try it." Tang Song smiled, pushing the mousse in front of her.

Jiang Yourong held back for two seconds, then picked up a small spoon and gently scooped a corner.

Putting it in her mouth.

The smooth, cool cream and rich fruity aroma instantly melted on her tongue, the sweetness just right.

Jiang Yourong couldn't help but squint her eyes comfortably, her previously tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

While eating the dessert, she looked up at the young CEO across from her, who was leisurely cutting his Wagyu beef.

Tang Song's side profile was handsome, the dark shirt exuding a clean, cool aura.

Her mood was wonderful.

No wonder so many male bosses liked hiring young, beautiful female secretaries.

Thinking from the opposite perspective, being able to have lunch with such a pleasing and emotionally stable top-tier superior provided immense emotional value.

Moreover, compared to the suffocating, constantly tense high-pressure environment under Director Jin before, although Tang Song had a strong presence, his temperament was much gentler.

Work pressure was acceptable, salary was extremely high, treatment was top-notch.

It was simply awesome.

It made her want to drink milk.

Just as she was enjoying this moment of relaxation.

"Click."

The door handle was pressed down, and the door was pushed open.

With half a mouthful of mousse, Jiang Yourong instinctively turned her head.

Her movements froze, her throat making a "gulp" sound as she swallowed the dessert, and she abruptly straightened up from her chair.

"Ms. Ouyang!"

Ouyang Xianyue stood at the doorway, wearing an exquisite dark professional suit, her long hair tied up, poised and upright.

Her gaze swept over Jiang Yourong, giving a slight nod of acknowledgment, then turned to Tang Song.

"President Tang, Director Jiang. I hope I'm not disturbing your meal? I just finished work and was planning to go out to eat. I heard from the admin side that President Tang's business meal just happens to have my favorite French pan-seared silver cod. I took the liberty of coming over to freeload a meal. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. It's my honor to have Ms. Ouyang join us."

Tang Song put down his knife and fork, stood up, and naturally and gracefully pulled out the dining chair to his right.

Ouyang Xianyue smiled slightly, walked to Tang Song's side, and elegantly took her seat.

Only then did Jiang Yourong sit back down.

But the previous sense of relaxation was completely gone.

She placed her hands on her knees, subconsciously straightening her back, her face switching to a stiff professional smile.

In fact, she had always held a sense of awe towards this Ms. Ouyang.

Especially now that she was acting as Director Jin's informant, her situation was even more fraught with undercurrents.

Eating together was like sitting on pins and needles.

The administrative secretary quickly added a set of utensils and a new meal.

The atmosphere in the private room underwent a subtle shift.

Tang Song's expression remained composed throughout.

Cutting the food on his plate, he smoothly steered the conversation back to work.

"Ms. Ouyang, Professor Jiang and I were just discussing hardware adaptation issues related to the neuromorphic algorithm. Currently, it seems the convergence speed on the algorithm side is faster than expected, but the thermal power consumption on the hardware side still needs another round of optimization..."

Tang Song spoke at a steady pace, his logic clear, every point grounded.

While stating his points, he would politely look at Ouyang Xianyue, making eye contact for a second or two before naturally looking away, devoid of any personal emotion.

Completely the professional CEO persona, "wholly devoted to the cause."

Ouyang Xianyue elegantly ate her cod and salad, responding to his questions in an orderly manner.

Her demeanor was impeccable, her smile just right, her tone unhurried.

As if she really was just "passing by for a free meal."

But Jiang Yourong, sitting beside them, felt as if needles were pricking her back.

The occasional glance this noble lady cast her way seemed to contain something indescribable, like an assessment, or perhaps... a dismissal?

She didn't dare think too much, nor could she bear to leave.

Heaven knows how much she loved that mousse cake!

Lunch proceeded quietly in this atmosphere.

...

"Very delicious." Ouyang Xianyue was the first to put down her utensils, gently wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "But I'm controlling my diet lately, so I'll stop here."

Jiang Yourong, who had only just reached half-full, subconsciously slowed her chewing pace as well.

Secretly sighing in relief.

Was she finally leaving?

She couldn't help but glance at the mousse beside her hand. Only one corner was scooped out, more than half remained.

The rich chocolate aroma mixed with the sweet creaminess silently tempted her.

She swallowed.

However, contrary to her expectations, Ouyang Xianyue showed no intention of getting up.

She leaned back into her chair, lazily crossing her legs, her gaze settling on Tang Song.

"President Tang, I've been practicing Huaisu's 'Self-Narrative Scroll' a few more times these past two days. The more I practice cursive script, the more interesting I find it. I've suddenly grasped a different charm in a few characters."

Jiang Yourong inwardly sighed in despair.

Alright... the big shots' after-meal pastime was actually discussing calligraphy?

This was a complete blind spot in her knowledge.

She could only despairingly withdraw her gaze from the mousse and continue struggling with her Wagyu beef.

Their gazes met secretly in the air.

Looking at the elegant, gorgeous noble lady beside him, Tang Song instantly understood that she had finally been unable to resist revealing a crack.

"Alright."

To Tang Song's surprise, Ouyang Xianyue didn't have someone bring paper and brush.

Instead, she directly extended her slender, fair fingers, gently dipping them into the water glass in front of her.

Fingertips wet with water.

Using her finger as a brush, she slowly began writing on the dark tablecloth of the dining table.

Her wrist suspended, her fingertip gliding over the table surface, leaving behind long, thin, transparent water trails.

Cursive script emphasizes continuous flow of energy, completed in one stroke. Her movements were fluid, without the slightest hesitation.

Tang Song lowered his eyes to look.

The water stains spread on the dark gray cloth, the strokes wild and entangled like dragons and snakes.

It was a single character.

「Wet」

Jiang Yourong stole a glance.

She only saw a few messy, flowing water marks, without brushstrokes or structure. For someone without a calligraphy foundation, she couldn't recognize the specific character at all.

She wisely lowered her head, continuing to cut the food on her plate.

"What does President Tang think of this character? How is it written?"

Ouyang Xianyue lifted her gaze.

The pair of phoenix eyes that were always calm and restrained still held a composed expression.

Tang Song didn't speak. He simply extended his hand, his long index finger lightly covering that patch of water marks.

His fingertip gently pressed down.

The originally coherent character shape was instantly scattered, leaving only a blurry, damp trace.

"Ms. Ouyang's character, much like yourself... is full of charm."