The sky outside the window gradually darkened.

“Ding-ling-ling—” A pleasant phone ringtone sounded.

The lively chatter immediately stopped.

Li Jingrong glanced at the caller ID and instantly a sweet smile appeared on her face.

She quickly answered, “Hello, darling.” Oh, you’re here already? So fast! Okay, okay, wait for me downstairs, I’ll be right down.”

“Mm-hmm, bye-bye.”

After hanging up, Li Jingrong stood up and said to her two roommates, “My boyfriend is downstairs. I’m going out to see him first. Lele, how’s your ‘brother’? How much longer?”

Qian Lele looked at her phone and said, “There’s some traffic, should be about ten more minutes.”

They had agreed he would arrive before six, but Li Jingrong’s boyfriend came much earlier.

Wu Siqi immediately suggested, “How about we go to the first floor of the cafeteria first? It’s closer to the school gate, and it’s so cold today. Don’t let Jingrong and her boyfriend stand outside and wait foolishly.”

“Okay,” Qian Lele nodded and quickly sent a message to Tang Song on WeChat.

“GoGoGo! Let’s head out!”

The three grabbed their bags and walked out laughing and chatting.

Along the way, the refreshed Qian Lele attracted the attention of many classmates.

She awkwardly tugged at her clothes but couldn’t help a small flutter of excitement inside.

Stepping out of the dorm, the cold night wind mixed with the bleakness of winter hit her face.

Qian Lele instinctively tightened her knitted sweater.

Beside her, Li Jingrong stood on tiptoe and waved vigorously under a nearby streetlamp. “Darling, over here!”

Qian Lele looked up and saw a figure approaching.

He wore a dark business jacket, dressed clean and mature, his hair slicked back meticulously with gel.

Her light briefly lingered on him, and she recalled the gossip her roommates had shared before.

Li Jingrong’s boyfriend was Zhang Minghua, a local from Yancheng whose parents both worked in the government system.

After graduation, he smoothly entered a large and profitable state-owned enterprise.

Li Jingrong had met him during her summer internship.

He was well-off and attentive to Jingrong.

“Xiaorong, Siqi.” Zhang Minghua’s voice was gentle and steady.

His eyes flicked over Qian Lele and he was clearly taken aback, a flash of undisguised admiration in his gaze.

The fresh aura unique to a youthful girl, and her healthy, attractive figure.

In the bleak night wind, she was like a quietly blooming lily sprinkled with dew.

With Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong as contrast, she appeared even more delicate and charming.

Li Jingrong immediately linked arms with him, proudly introducing, “How is she? This is our dorm’s treasure junior, Qian Lele. Beautiful, right?”

“So beautiful, I tell you…” Zhang Minghua exaggerated, “Is she the campus belle of Yancheng Normal University?”

Qian Lele blushed and quickly waved her hand, “No, no, I…”

Li Jingrong laughed teasingly, “Alright, alright, stop flattering. Lele is actually quite shy, haha.”

Zhang Minghua couldn’t help stealing a few more glances at Qian Lele.

He smiled and said, “I’m not flattering, just telling the truth. Lele’s pure aura is rare in today’s world. Unlike those internet celebrities who all look the same. You can tell she’s a well-bred, quiet good girl.”

Qian Lele’s face turned red. For a moment, she didn’t know what to say and stood awkwardly.

Mainly because it was their first meeting, and she wasn’t used to such straightforward “praise.”

“Let’s go, it’s really cold outside. Let’s sit inside the cafeteria and wait. We’re still missing one person.”

“Who else?” Zhang Minghua asked curiously.

“Lele’s ‘brother,’ hehe, he’ll be here soon.”

Hearing the word “brother,” Zhang Minghua paused, then quickly regained composure, feeling a slight pang of discomfort.

After all, a pure and beautiful female college student having an ambiguous someone would cause a small regret in him, a “normal male.”

The group walked through the bustling campus path and arrived on the first floor of the cafeteria.

They found an empty spot near the entrance and sat down.

Zhang Minghua naturally took the lead in this small gathering.

He gentlemanly pulled out chairs for the girls and volunteered to buy drinks, exuding the calm and sophistication of a mature man in every move.

After sitting down, he opened up and talked without pause.

He shared amusing anecdotes from his state-owned enterprise, commented on current events, and occasionally dropped high-level English acronyms like “KPT,” “OKR,” and “SOP.”

Li Jingrong’s eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at her boyfriend.

Approaching senior year, job-hunting pressures loomed, and Zhang Minghua’s stable, promising position was a huge attraction and source of security for her.

This was the main reason she moved so quickly with him. For original chapters go to n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net

Yet Zhang Minghua’s gaze kept flickering repeatedly to Qian Lele’s face.

He couldn’t help it—she was just too beautiful!

Who wouldn’t want to take a few extra glances at a beauty?

He glanced at his girlfriend full of affection and smiled.

His tone relaxed, “Lele is in the Computer Science department? That’s a good major, very trendy now with the AI boom, though it’s exhausting.

Girls should still seek stability. Maybe try for a government job or something.

In our company, those in tech get a fixed salary plus project bonuses, easily over ten thousand a month. The key is stability, and housing fund contributions are at the highest rate, making future mortgages easier...”

Qian Lele listened quietly, occasionally nodding with a smile.

But in her heart, she didn’t really agree with him.

First, landing a government job is like crossing a bridge with thousands competing for one spot.

Second, she didn’t choose this major for stability and comfort.

Unlike Zhang Minghua’s fortunate family background, she needed to earn money, to use her skills to change her and her family’s fate.

No matter how hard or tiring, it didn’t matter.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated in her hand. Qian Lele looked down.

[Brother: “I’ve arrived at Normal University, heading to the cafeteria now.”]

Qian Lele’s heart jumped, both nervous and hopeful.

At the same time, an indescribable, overwhelming longing flooded her.

Those short more-than-half-months at the teacher’s apartment were the brightest period of her life so far.

She still remembered the silent top student boy.

And how he suddenly performed magic, turning her into Cinderella, dressing her in gorgeous clothes, riding a pumpkin carriage to attend Yaoyao’s birthday party.

Zhang Minghua sipped his drink and his gaze shifted to Wu Siqi.

“Siqi, your Yannan Short Drama Film Base is pretty good, huh? Backed by the serious central enterprise of the Cultural Tourism Group, the benefits must be solid and there are many opportunities.”

Wu Siqi nodded vigorously but hesitated, “The company is good, but I don’t know if I can get full-time after graduation.”

She was only an intern, with a tripartite agreement signed;

the company didn’t promise a 100% conversion, and some interns were eliminated every year due to fierce competition.

That’s why she was eager to prove herself.

Zhang Minghua smiled faintly, leaning forward slightly with the posture of a veteran, “You have to actively build relationships with leaders, keep your eyes open. Girls should be sweeter with their words…”

As dinner hour approached, the cafeteria buzzed with noise, and long lines formed at the food counters.

In front of three young, beautiful female college students, enjoying their sometimes focused, sometimes admiring gazes, Zhang Minghua, the absolute “leader” of the conversation, grew more animated and louder.

Just then, the noisy voices suddenly quieted.

All eyes turned in the same direction.

Accompanied by low whispers from many girls.

Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong noticed the anomaly and looked up curiously.

A tall, upright figure entered their sight.

He slowly walked in from the night-drenched entrance, a warm and gentle expression on his handsome face.

The caramel-colored turtleneck sweater gave a warm, deep texture, fitting his nearly broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted figure.

His black tousled hair brushed across the bridge of his delicate square-framed glasses.

Clean, fresh, yet carrying a trace of lazy artistic vibe.

He stood out from the noisy environment around him.

Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong blushed, hearts pounding, whispering in awe:

“Wow... This is way too godlike...”

“How did I not know our school has such a male god?!”

Zhang Minghua’s flowing chatter abruptly stopped. He shot an annoyed glance toward the entrance, his expression darkening.

Then he patted his girlfriend’s arm and joked in a playful, magnanimous tone, “No way, calm down. Look at Lele, so composed.”

Just then, Qian Lele, who had been quietly watching, suddenly stood up, her beautiful phoenix eyes fixed straight ahead.

Zhang Minghua’s expression instantly froze, extremely awkward.

Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong burst out laughing, about to tease,

but then saw Qian Lele briskly walking over.

The three were stunned.

They watched helplessly as Qian Lele, under countless gazes, stopped before the “male god.”

“You’re here, brother.”

Hearing the crisp, pleasant address and seeing the carefully dressed Cinderella in front of him,

Tang Song smiled warmly and gently ruffled her hair. “Good evening, Lele. You look so pretty today, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Though exaggerated, it truly felt that way.

Nearly two months apart, Qian Lele had become paler, her skin more delicate.

Plus the makeup, her pure female college student aura almost overflowed.

Feeling Tang Song’s warm, slender hand, Qian Lele’s cheeks instantly flushed red.

She shyly replied, “No... it’s just...”

Tang Song chuckled lightly, suddenly like magic, he lifted the paper bag he had been carrying behind his back.

“Before coming over, I stopped by the pedestrian street outside school and bought some grilled starch sausages from Sister Wen, and a pack of your favorite spicy chips.”

Looking at the bag, smelling the familiar scent inside, and the familiar figure in front of her, Qian Lele’s eyes reddened.

But she quickly composed herself and smiled as she took it, “Thank you, brother.”

Then she suddenly remembered something and turned around quickly.

She introduced, “This is my brother, Tang Song. These are my roommates, Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong, and Jingrong’s boyfriend.”

Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong finally snapped out of it and blushed as they stood up.

“Hello, thank you... thank you for coming to help out!”

“Y-You’re welcome...”

Looking at the guy so close, their eyes were full of shock and disbelief.

Though they had guessed the guy who made Qian Lele so earnest must be extraordinary,

they never imagined he would look like this!

Not just his figure and appearance, but his aura and vibe—they were just like the male lead stepping out of the romance novels they stayed up late reading!

Zhang Minghua’s face stiffened, forcing a weak smile.

He nodded, as a greeting.

Tang Song smiled gently at everyone and said, “I bought a few extra grilled sausages, Lele, share them with everyone.”

Qian Lele immediately took out the sausages from the bag and handed one to each person.

Wu Siqi and Li Jingrong quickly took them, softly saying “Thank you.”

Zhang Minghua looked at the starch sausages and casually waved his hand, “Thanks, I don’t really like starch sausages.”

Qian Lele frowned slightly and put the sausages back.

Zhang Minghua glanced at his Tissot watch and urged, “It’s almost time. Should we head over now?”

Wu Siqi quickly came to her senses, “Yes, yes, we can just take a taxi at the school gate. Our company reimburses it.”

“Alright then, let’s hurry and get a good spot.”

Saying that, they quickly arrived at the school gate.

Wu Siqi took the initiative to arrange, “Let’s split into two cars. I’ll go with Lele, Jingrong, you and Minghua take the other.”

The three got into the car.

Wu Siqi consciously sat in the front passenger seat, “Driver, to the east gate of Yannan Short Drama Film Base.”

Hearing this familiar name, Tang Song in the back row paused slightly.

He then realized Lele had only said she was shooting a short drama in a livehouse, but it turned out to be at Yannan.

But that made sense, as the Yannan Short Drama Film Base was booming.

With the explosive growth of the short drama market, it had become the hottest film industry cluster in Yan Province and even all of North China.

Besides taking short drama shoots for major platforms, many media companies and MCN agencies’ internet celebrities settled there long-term, shooting various short video scripts.

The huge traffic and popularity also drove the rapid development of surrounding industries.

The base company expanded many supporting facilities, including not just bars like livehouses, but also themed cafes and trendy restaurants.

The taxi slowly merged into the thick nighttime traffic.

Tang Song glanced sideways and saw his “Cinderella” stealing glances at him from the corner of her eyes.

Their eyes met.

Qian Lele shivered, quickly looked away, focusing on the neon lights rapidly passing by outside the window.

Her cheeks involuntarily flushed red.

Tang Song smiled, breathing in her clean, fresh scent, and began to ask about her recent life and studies in great detail.

Qian Lele held the paper bag tightly and answered clearly, even voluntarily sharing some of the front-end knowledge she was learning recently.

This was her favorite feeling, something she had longed for deeply.

The two quietly chatted through the night, the atmosphere warm and natural.

Wu Siqi looked at them through the rearview mirror, feeling both envious and excited.

For some reason, whenever she saw Tang Song and Lele together,

she felt as if she had walked into a classic scene from Xu Qing’s novel, experiencing the huge satisfaction of “shipping a CP.”

...

At the southeast corner of Yannan Short Drama Film Base.

An Aston Martin slowly stopped in front of the newly built livehouse, immediately attracting many gazes.

The car door opened, and Xu Qing stepped out elegantly in a pair of exquisite high heels.

Her little sidekick Susu followed closely.

“Wow... Big shot Qingqing, this place is so cool!”

“Heh, it’s okay. Come on, Susu, let’s go in.”

This livehouse named “Light Rail” was the newest facility in the entire film base, not yet officially open to the public.

Tonight was its first formal lighting, all for Miss Xu Qing’s script.

This was the face! This was power!

Xu Qing crossed her arms, confident, knowing no rivals.

()

Inside the livehouse.

The lights were already adjusted, with blurry beams intersecting in the air, creating a lazy yet restless atmosphere.

There were not many staff on site, mostly livehouse employees maintaining order;

the core crew, including director, cinematographer, lighting, numbered just over a dozen.

This was the characteristic of short drama filming: efficient, streamlined, fast-paced.

“Qingjie is here!”

“Good evening, President Xu!”

Seeing Xu Qing, the staff immediately enthusiastically surrounded her.

“How’s it going? Ready?” Xu Qing nodded and switched into work mode.

Notably, with the expansion of Ordinary Folks, the legal department was split out separately.

Xu Qing, through her connections with Tang Song and Guo Liyuan, smoothly became the legal director.

Plus her 2% equity, she had already become the company’s “little overlord.”

“All equipment is debugged, next is extras entering the scene.”

After inspecting the set,

Xu Qing led the somewhat dizzy Susu to the quiet VIP booth on the second floor.

This was also the best viewing spot.

The table was already set with exquisite fruit plates and various drinks.

“Big shot Qingqing... You’re amazing!” Susu looked up to her with full admiration.

She had learned so much today.

After lunch, she had been assigned directly to an executive suite at Lan Feng International Five-Star Hotel, with no cost to herself.

It was arranged by big shot Qingqing’s close friend Lin Muxue, who even gave her a free top-level spa voucher.

Now at the crew, big shot Qingqing’s aura was even more obvious.

Confident, powerful, seemingly invincible.

Simply a queen stepping out of an anime!

“Hehe, not bad.” Xu Qing smiled faintly, “If you want to cameo again in the future, just say the word.”

“Thank you, big shot Qingqing! You’re my god!”

Susu’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she kneeled on the soft sofa seat.

Hands clasped, she solemnly bowed to Xu Qing.

“No need to be so polite.” ()

Soft jazz music started playing in the air.

They drank a few sips and ate some exquisite fruit snacks.

Susu finally couldn’t hold back her burning gossip and leaned forward cautiously. “Um... Qingjie, can I ask a personal question?”

“Go ahead.” Xu Qing gracefully swirled her cocktail, relaxed and poised like a celebrity preparing for an interview.

“Well... I’ve been following your serialized story in the group. I’m really curious, your ex-boyfriend, the super domineering CEO, did you really break up for good?”

At first, Susu was a fan of the male lead, deeply infatuated with the cold, domineering but deeply affectionate CEO Xu Qing talked about.

She had thought it was all fiction until this meeting revealed it was real.

So that domineering CEO must exist in reality.

It felt like chasing an anime that turned real.

And the “male second lead,” who later completely won her over, an ideal man of the world!

She couldn’t wait to know what they were really like.

Hearing this, Miss Xu Qing frowned slightly.

She didn’t answer directly, just drained her glass.

She sighed softly and looked toward the dazzling night view outside the bar, seemingly lost in a complex and sorrowful memory.

After a while, she slowly said, “Kids talk about breakups. In the adult world, there’s only ‘temporary separations’ and ‘inextricable entanglements’...”

She fully embodied the character Xu Yanqing, reaching the highest level of cosplay.

.......

Meanwhile, two taxis stopped at the Light Rail Livehouse entrance.

Tang Song and others got out one by one.

Many young people had gathered at the entrance to “guest star,” mostly students from the nearby university.

All dressed fashionably and energetically.

Wu Siqi, clearly familiar with the process, led the four to a temporary check-in point at the entrance.

“Hello, I’m Wu Siqi, an intern at the film base. These are my friends.”

The check-in staff verified the list and smiled, handing over four glow wristbands and some drink coupons.

“Welcome! Wear the wristbands on your wrists;

these are your ‘passes’ for tonight. You can use the coupons for unlimited soft drinks and snacks at the bar. Starting at 7:20, there will be a special buffet.”

“Got it, thank you!”

The group put on the wristbands and entered the livehouse.

The venue was already crowded.

On stage, the band was tuning equipment, occasionally producing distorted guitar riffs that drew excited whistles from the crowd.

Since they arrived late, the central stage area was already full.

Wu Siqi led them to a booth in a corner, where they finally sat.

Qian Lele clearly was new to this kind of place, sitting nervously at the sofa edge.

Her beautiful phoenix eyes were filled with curiosity and nervousness as she observed everything around her.

Li Jingrong exclaimed sincerely, “This place is amazing! Feels more professional than the livehouses in the city! Your film base is really something!”

Wu Siqi smiled, “It’s pretty awesome.”

Zhang Minghua took over the conversation with an insider tone, “This film base’s background is more complicated than you think.”

He paused, enjoying the curious looks from the girls, “It was initially a joint venture between Handing Group and Cultural Tourism Group, involving the entire southern district’s cultural tourism planning, a government key project!

But later, due to the real estate downturn, Handing Group had cash flow problems and sold their shares.

I heard from a leader at my company that the new owner who took over is a top billionaire who paid over 100 million in cash...”

The girls let out small gasps.

Wu Siqi widened her eyes, “Really? Our behind-the-scenes boss is that powerful?!”

She was just an intern, and the highest leader she had contact with was her supervisor;

she knew nothing about the company’s deeper background.

“Of course it’s true, and phases two and three will start construction next year. I heard that billionaire will continue investing, including studios and hotels...”

Zhang Minghua relaxed, leaning against the sofa back, chatting leisurely with an air of experienced ease.

His gaze casually swept to Tang Song.

But to his regret, Tang Song showed no special reaction.

He just listened quietly, occasionally turning his head to chat softly with Qian Lele, seemingly indifferent to the “heavy insider news.”

Actually, these were just half-understood gossip from various banquets and dinners.

Now exaggerated by him, it was more to make himself the center of attention.

They chatted in the booth for a while.

The livehouse crowd began to stir.

Wu Siqi pointed excitedly to a spot diagonally ahead, “The bar has drinks and food ready. Let’s go grab some, drink, eat, and chat.”

“Go! Let’s go! Let’s have more!” Li Jingrong immediately responded, pulling Zhang Minghua up affectionately.

Tang Song glanced at the slightly awkward Cinderella beside him, noticing the faint gazes around.

He smiled and reached out, gently wrapping her cool hand in his palm.

Qian Lele’s heart skipped a beat.

Lowering her head, she hid her flushed cheeks behind her falling hair and let him lead her through the multicolored flashing lights and crowds inside the livehouse.

Silently feeling the warmth of being held, guided, and protected.

The five queued at the bar.

Tang Song’s gaze scanned the surroundings, curiously observing the filming crew preparing the shoot.

Though he had invested in Ordinary Folks for a long time, this was his first time at a shooting site, feeling quite novel.

Suddenly, his gaze froze, his face showing astonishment.

The Light Rail Livehouse’s second floor was a semi-open circular corridor, separated from the dance floor below by dark metal railings.

Unlike the crowded, lively atmosphere downstairs, it was darker and quieter upstairs, with a few VIP booths scattered sparsely.

In one of the best view booths, a woman reclined on the sofa, holding a brightly colored cocktail with an elegant and lazy posture.

Though some distance away and dim lighting, wearing Tang Song’s glasses, he immediately recognized his cosplayer girlfriend.

Da Sha Qing!

Tang Song raised an eyebrow, his lips involuntarily curling into a slight smile.

He realized it had been two or three days since returning to Yancheng. He had promised to visit her but never got around to it.

He hadn’t expected to run into her here and planned to surprise her.

He gently squeezed Qian Lele’s hand and whispered in her ear, “Lele, I have something to take care of. I’ll be back soon. You guys have fun.”

“Oh, okay.” Qian Lele nodded instinctively.

Feeling Tang Song’s hand loosen, her heart inexplicably felt empty.

Her gaze uncontrollably followed his figure as he walked through the crowd, climbing the stairs step by step.

...

In the dim shadows of the second-floor VIP booth.

“Sis Qing, I saw you said in the group your ex-boyfriend chased you in a Ferrari on the rainy night viaduct. What happened to him later?”

Susu held her face, eyes full of longing for “CEO romance literature turned reality.”

“He...” Xu Qing’s eyes grew distant, as if sinking into a complex, sorrowful memory. “He’s probably alone now, guarding that empty villa that once belonged to us. Drinking in silence, waiting for me to change my mind.”

“After all.” She extended a slender finger and lightly tapped her red lips, “Some things, once tasted, can never be quit.”

“Wow... He sounds so tragic!” Susu’s heart ached hearing this. “Because of his dominance and arrogance, he lost someone as outstanding as you, Sis Qing. He must regret it terribly!”

“Heh!” Xu Qing’s lips curled into a faint smile, three parts sarcasm, three parts coldness, four parts nonchalance. “A man’s regret is like expired canned food—worthless except to prove how blind he was.”

Just then, a low, magnetic voice suddenly spoke from the side: “What ex-boyfriend? What tasted?”

Xu Qing stiffened sharply and mechanically raised her head in slow motion.

She saw the all-too-familiar figure.

Damn! Caught red-handed!

The composure of the “female lead” instantly collapsed, replaced by pure panic and confusion.

(0nO) !!