CHAPTER 679: BEST FRIEND'S “TEST”

After several seconds of silence.

Lin Muxue suppressed the overwhelming joy that was about to burst forth from her heart, maintaining a reserved yet flattered demeanor as she said, "Ms. Ouyang... this is too sudden, how could I possibly take such a huge advantage from you?"

"There's no need to feel that way." Ouyang Xianyue's voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable authority. "We're already part of the same circle, so looking out for each other is only natural. You're Tang Song's personal assistant, which means we'll inevitably have frequent contact in the future."

Lin Muxue's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, her voice trembling with excitement: "You... you're absolutely right!"

Ouyang Xianyue acknowledged her as one of their own and even promised to look out for her!

This was nothing short of divine blessing!

Although Lin Muxue now held the prestigious position as Tang Song's "personal assistant," she still remained on the periphery of the true power circle.

Every time she tried to emerge, she was either suppressed by Su Yu's overwhelming presence or intimidated by Director Jin's imposing authority.

Now, receiving Ms. Ouyang's personal recognition.

This was practically equivalent to obtaining a letter of recommendation to enter the genuine inner circle.

It somewhat resembled how beautician Zhao Yaqian had gained Director Jin's favor and been gifted the TC Private Club!

Moreover, the Tang Jin Family Office was nominally established through the joint efforts of Ms. Ouyang and Director Jin.

If she truly wanted to advance further within the family office in the future, Ms. Ouyang's support would prove absolutely crucial.

Recently, under Shen Yuyan's relentless pressure, the highly ambitious Luna simply lacked the strength to refuse.

"Then it's settled. I'll have Chen Jing send you the detailed property information shortly. You two can communicate directly about the remaining matters."

"Yes, yes! Thank you, Ms. Ouyang! I'm truly honored to be able to purchase a property you once lived in, and I look forward to more learning opportunities with you in the future!"

"Hehe, there will be." Ouyang Xianyue paused slightly, then suddenly added, "By the way, Assistant Lin, if I recall correctly, your hometown is Chang'an City in Shan Province, right?"

Lin Muxue immediately responded: "Yes, from a county called Zhou County below the city."

She understood that for someone of Ouyang Xianyue's stature,

her resume and family background were completely transparent, so there was no need for any concealment.

"Hmm." Ouyang Xianyue responded lightly, "I have a relative who was recently transferred to work in Chang'an as a deputy mayor. I'll introduce you two sometime." s̈

BOOM—!!!

These words instantly exploded in Lin Muxue's mind.

Deputy mayor... of Chang'an City?!

Introducing him to me?!

Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy fucking shit!

Her mind went completely blank, and she almost instinctively said: "Thank you... thank you, Ms. Ouyang..."

"Alright, I won't disturb your work any further."

The call ended just like that, with casual ease.

Lin Muxue sat there clutching her warm phone, completely stunned,

her expression even more exaggerated than Gao Mengting's when she saw the Purchase Contract.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally snapped out of her daze.

She suddenly felt a sharp contraction in her bladder and quickly stood up, twisting her slender waist and perky bottom as she hurried toward the restroom with rapid footsteps.

No good, she'd drunk too much water earlier—this time it was really going to come out!

"Thump—"

"Click—"

"Pssss—"

Lin Muxue sat on the smart toilet with flushed cheeks, her long legs encased in black stockings trembling uncontrollably from excitement.

She certainly knew about Ouyang Xianyue's background, so she had no doubt about the authenticity of those words.

This definitely wasn't mere politeness—she genuinely intended to introduce her to valuable connections.

If she could... really establish a connection with a deputy mayor from her hometown.

Then when she returned home in glory...

The scene was simply unimaginable!

This Aunt Ouyang was truly a wonderful person!

After constantly being tricked and manipulated, she had finally encountered someone good!

"Ding dong—"

The WeChat notification sound interrupted her fantasies.

It was a document sent by that Secretary Chen.

[Modu IFC Residence - Property Information Overview]

With an excited heart and trembling hands, she opened the PDF file.

Her fingertips slowly scrolled across the screen, the light in her eyes growing increasingly brighter.

This was a 98-square-meter suite.

Located in the core area of Pudong's Lujiazui, seamlessly connected to the IFC Mall and office towers.

As a top-tier serviced apartment, it offered comprehensive five-star hotel services provided by the Four Seasons Hotel.

25-meter indoor heated swimming pool, fully-equipped 24-hour gym, jacuzzi, sauna steam room, housekeeping services...

Lin Muxue had heard about this apartment complex before.

They typically only offered long-term rentals and were rarely sold.

According to market rates, the monthly rent for such a unit would be at least thirty to forty thousand,

As for the actual property price, since there wasn't much market information available, she wasn't sure.

But conservative estimates placed it well over 10 million.

However, according to the information Secretary Chen provided, Ms. Ouyang's transfer price to her was only five million.

Almost equivalent to a fifty percent discount.

Lin Muxue walked out of the restroom feeling light-headed.

When she returned to the office, she happened to run into Gao Mengting emerging from the break room.

Her facial expression had already returned to its usual calm and gentle state.

Their eyes met.

Lin Muxue immediately beamed with a radiant smile, "President Gao, how did it go? Have you sorted things out with our boss?"

Gao Mengting let out a soft sigh and nodded, "Yes, I'll sign the contract now."

The two women sat opposite each other again in the lounge area.

Gao Mengting picked up a pen and carefully signed her name with deliberate strokes.

Then she stood up and poured a cup of tea for Lin Muxue.

The atmosphere gradually became more harmonious without them noticing.

Gao Mengting asked casually, "Speaking of which, Assistant Lin, how long have you been Tang Song's assistant?"

Lin Muxue thought for a moment and replied softly, "About half a year now."

Gao Mengting's eyes flickered slightly, then she continued asking, "Then... do you know Wen Ruan from Xingyun International Group, Director Wen?"

Lin Muxue's hand holding the teacup paused briefly, but her expression remained unchanged as she said, "I've met Director Wen a few times, though we're not particularly close. She's a very accomplished woman."

Wow, are you trying to trick me, Empress Muxue?!

Gao Mengting gave a soft "hmm" and didn't pursue the topic further.

A few days ago, Tang Song had already shared Wen Ruan's contact information with her.

Saying he wanted to facilitate deeper cooperation between Songmei Apparel and Smart Chain Future.

She had added the other woman as a friend and checked out her social media.

A woman's intuition told her that this stunningly beautiful woman with an incredible figure and captivating charm definitely had an unusual relationship with Tang Song.

Looking at the substantial purchase contract before her, and recalling Tang Song's gentle, caring tone during their phone call.

She couldn't help but sigh softly in her heart.

My dear partner, how many more secrets are you hiding from me?

....

5:00 PM.

Yintai Center, Weiguang Coffee Flagship Store.

"Here's to our successful cooperation!"

"To successful cooperation!"

The meeting concluded in a friendly and efficient atmosphere.

Both parties had formally reached a preliminary cooperation framework.

Moving forward, Ling Chain Technology would be responsible for Weiguang Coffee's cold chain logistics transportation and warehousing operations throughout the entire Southwest region.

After exchanging some pleasantries.

As they were parting, Fang Zhiyuan said tactfully, "By the way, President Xie, about our company's BP, I wonder what your investor has to say?"

Xie Shuyue's eyes flickered slightly, "My apologies, President Fang, I haven't had the chance to mention it yet."

The funding amount Ling Chain Technology required was too substantial.

And with Tang Song just arriving in Rongcheng, she hadn't even met him in person yet—how could she bring up such a matter right away?

Fang Zhiyuan seemed to see through her concerns and proactively changed the subject, "Speaking of which, I heard you'll be attending First Financial's brand private session at Jinjiang Hotel the day after tomorrow, President Xie? And as a specially invited sharing guest at that."

Xie Shuyue nodded, "Yes."

Fang Zhiyuan probed further, "Then... your investor should be attending with you, right?"

Xie Shuyue instantly understood his meaning.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally nodded, "He should be accompanying me, though he won't be speaking on stage."

"Good, understood! Then we'll see you then. I hope you can help with an introduction then, President Xie. Don't worry, we'll be mindful and definitely won't put you in an awkward position."

The smile on Fang Zhiyuan's face grew warmer, and without saying more, he stood up to bid farewell.

For a capital-intensive company like Ling Chain Technology that urgently needed to expand, time was of the essence.

They had to seize every possible opportunity to connect with the highest quality capital.

And an investor who could invest such a substantial amount in Weiguang Coffee all at once, under their personal name, undoubtedly had significant backing and clearly valued the consumer goods sector.

As long as the other party showed interest, he had absolute confidence in his company.

After seeing Fang Zhiyuan and his team off, just as Xie Shuyue was about to turn around, she spotted her friend Meng Ran.

"How did it go?" Meng Ran quickly approached and asked directly.

Xie Shuyue led her to the back office area and briefly described the meeting situation.

"...Ling Chain Technology's proposal is very professional and shows genuine sincerity. I've decided—I'm going with them."

After listening, Meng Ran's brows slightly furrowed, "Their proposal is indeed suitable for Weiguang's current stage. However... this basically means you've completely fallen out with Shuxian Supply Chain. Being this confrontational will likely bring quite a bit of trouble."

"There's no other way, this isn't something I can decide." Xie Shuyue's tone was calm, "At worst, we'll transfer supplies from other regions and switch a few suppliers. It'll just mean higher costs and more hassle, that's all."

Meng Ran opened her mouth, wanting to say "things probably aren't that simple."

But seeing her friend's stubborn expression, she ultimately swallowed her words.

Actually, in her opinion, Xie Shuyue could have adopted a more diplomatic approach.

For example, retaining the cold chain business in Sichuan province for Shuxian, while simultaneously allowing Zhongshu Group to participate in Weiguang's Series B financing.

This way, she wouldn't offend the local powerhouse, would secure substantial funding, and could even get brand endorsement.

However, she also understood her friend's concerns.

After all, Chen Hao clearly had ulterior motives, and considering her boyfriend's position as the major shareholder, Xie Shuyue's approach was reasonable.

Meng Ran sighed inwardly and changed to a lighter topic, "By the way, when is your little boyfriend arriving?"

"Could you not use 'little' to describe him?"

"Then... is he big? How big?" Meng Ran winked at Xie Shuyue, her face full of mischievous smiles, "I specifically transferred some Gillardeau oysters from our Hema warehouse for you. Give your man a good supplement tonight, make you happy."

Xie Shuyue's cheeks instantly flushed with a faint pink, and she unconsciously straightened her clothes.

"Can you be a bit more proper? He should be arriving soon—he messaged me half an hour ago saying he was on his way."

"Oh my god! Finally going to meet him in person! With how mysterious you've been, you've got me hooked like a fish on the line."

Just as Xie Shuyue was about to say something.

Her phone rang at an inopportune moment.

[Shuxian Supply Chain - Chen Hao].

Both women immediately dropped all joking expressions and exchanged glances.

Each could see the gravity in the other's eyes.

Xie Shuyue pursed her red lips and answered the call, "Hello? President Chen, what can I do for you?"

From the other end came Chen Hao's somewhat eager voice: "President Xie, here's the situation. Tomorrow afternoon, we at Shuxian Supply Chain are taking the lead to host a 'Southwest Region New Consumer Brands Supply Chain Collaboration Meeting' at our group building.

I've specially invited Deputy General Manager Zhang from New Hope Dairy, Chairman Li from Sichuan's largest semi-finished baking products factory, and several top fruit and vegetable suppliers will also be present.

Oh, and the person in charge of Coffee Talk Time under our group will also attend.

At that time, we'll announce the most favorable cooperation prices for the next year and open up some exclusive supply chain resources."

He paused briefly, his tone becoming meaningful, "I believe if you could personally attend, President Xie, you'd definitely secure a price you couldn't refuse. Moreover, we could discuss the matter of investing in Weiguang Coffee more deeply."

Xie Shuyue pressed her lips together, "Thank you very much for the invitation, President Chen. Unfortunately, I have a meeting with our independent investor tomorrow to discuss some important matters."

"Oh? An investor?" Chen Hao chuckled lightly, "Then that works out perfectly—you can invite him along. Actually, I've been wanting to meet this so-called 'powerful investment big shot' you've mentioned for a while now."

Xie Shuyue remained silent for a moment before saying softly, "I'll need to ask for his opinion on that, but he's very busy, so I'm afraid..."

"No problem." Chen Hao said dismissively, "I'll send you the detailed meeting information via WeChat later. I hope you'll seriously consider it, President Xie. I believe this would be beneficial for both of us."

After saying this, he hung up directly.

Meng Ran said quietly, "He's giving you an ultimatum. Gathering all the key suppliers together and offering you discounts in front of everyone. If you go, it means you're tacitly accepting his terms;

if you don't go, you're openly slapping him in the face, which would mean you'd really have to change suppliers immediately."

Xie Shuyue nodded, extending her slender fingers to massage her temples.

"Let's not talk about this anymore. I'm going to the restroom and will touch up my makeup while I'm at it."

"Oh my~ A woman in love indeed, even knowing to touch up her makeup now, haha, such an adorable Xiaoyu." Meng Ran patted her on the bottom.

"Get lost." Xie Shuyue rolled her eyes at her, a blush rising on her dignified face.

Watching her friend's noticeably tense retreating figure, Meng Ran sighed softly.

Just then.

"Ding dong—" The WeChat notification sounded.

The phone Xie Shuyue had left on the desk lit up.

A WeChat message also popped up on the nearby laptop.

[Little Song: "Shuyue sister, I've arrived downstairs, waiting for you in the southeast corner booth. Take your time with your work."]

Below was a photo taken from the booth's perspective, showing the interior of the coffee shop.

Looking at the "Little Song" nickname and the "Shuyue sister" address.

Meng Ran chuckled softly, feeling quite novel about the whole situation.

She never would have imagined that her good friend, who always presented herself as a "workaholic" and "career woman,"

would actually develop genuine feelings and even engage in the currently popular older woman-younger man relationship.

This was just like something out of a TV drama.

However, according to TV drama plots, things rarely went smoothly.

There would definitely be many twists, misunderstandings between them.

Like young, pretty "green teas" actively pursuing him, or wealthy, influential "female supporting characters" causing trouble.

Then Meng Ran's eyes shifted, she picked up her bag, said something to assistant Xiaomin who was still handling work, and walked straight out.

She was too curious, too eager to know what kind of man he really was.

This wasn't just out of concern and care for her friend, but also because Xie Shuyue had repeatedly invited her to become Weiguang Coffee's COO.

And this Tang Song, as the company's major shareholder—his personality and character would be important factors in her final decision.

After all, right now it was only because of their relationship that Tang Song was letting Xie Shuyue handle things freely.

The company's governance structure was deeply tied to the founders' personal emotions, and Tang Song was so young.

If their relationship encountered problems in the future, this huge investment would become a critical risk hindering Weiguang Coffee's development.

The simplest approach was for her, as a friend joking around, to personally "test" him.

While she wasn't as exceptionally beautiful as Xie Shuyue, whether in terms of appearance, figure, or temperament, she was quite attractive.

She could be considered a standard beauty.

Moreover, having reached her current position, she certainly didn't lack ability and insight.

When it came to a man's temperament, she was confident she could get a general sense with just a brief interaction.

Walking out of the back office area, Meng Ran subconsciously checked her reflection in the smooth metal wall nearby.

Her makeup was impeccable, her smile confident, her eyes carrying the competence and sophistication unique to urban professionals.

Satisfied, she curved her lips slightly and straightened the collar of her trench coat.

"Tap, tap, tap—"

Amidst the crisp sound of high heels, she walked with confident, graceful steps toward the southeast corner of the coffee shop.

At this time, there weren't many customers in the flagship store.

Soon, a figure's back came into her view.

Due to the angle, she could only see his side and back.

He wore a well-tailored dark cashmere suit that perfectly outlined his broad shoulders and slim waist, his black hair impeccably styled.

At the moment, he was lounging lazily against the spacious sofa back, his right hand resting casually on the armrest, his gaze directed out the window at the office building streets gradually enveloped by dusk.

Though he wasn't doing anything, he exuded a quiet yet powerful presence.

Just this silhouette alone had far exceeded her expectations.

Meng Ran's steps unconsciously slowed slightly, an inexplicable hesitation arising in her heart.

Before coming, she had mostly viewed him as her friend's mysterious boyfriend, wanting to assess his qualities in a sort of "interviewer" capacity without Xie Shuyue present.

But now, she suddenly remembered again—how could a man who could casually pull out forty million in cash for investments be a simple character?

Even if he were a second-generation heir, he definitely wasn't an ordinary one.

However, having come this far, her curiosity had reached its peak.

Anyway, he was her friend's boyfriend—it wasn't like she'd really offend him.

At most, it was just a joke.

After giving herself a simple mental pep talk, Meng Ran raised her head and straightened her posture again, a bright professional smile on her face as she strode confidently in that direction.

The distance gradually closed.

She reached out and gently tapped the figure's shoulder.

"Hello, Mr. Tang." Her voice deliberately softened, carrying the magnetism and initiative of a mature woman, "I didn't expect to run into you here. Do you remember me?"

As she made her move, the man slowly turned around.

A strikingly handsome face abruptly entered her field of vision.

Making Meng Ran's heart skip a beat.

His eyes showed no surprise or delight at being approached by an unfamiliar beauty, merely regarding her with a deep, calm gaze.

An overwhelming sense of pressure washed over her.

The perfect professional smile on Meng Ran's face gradually stiffened.

She felt that all her carefully prepared little schemes to test him had, under his gaze, transformed into childish, laughable, clumsy performances, completely exposed.

A mix of shame and palpitations instantly surged within her.

Just as she was stunned.

Tang Song stood up gracefully, his tall figure dominating her line of sight.

The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile, the pressure around him naturally dissipating.

"Meng Ran? Hello, I'm Tang Song."

His voice was exceptionally pleasant.

But Meng Ran's expression completely broke, her mind buzzing, "You... hello."

She had specifically asked Xie Shuyue and was quite sure Tang Song shouldn't have seen her photo.

How did he recognize her at a glance?!

Given her position, she had met many powerful figures and shouldn't have been this flustered.

It was mainly... this first impression of Tang Song was simply beyond her imagination.

Not just his flawless appearance, but also that calm, unruffled, effortlessly controlled powerful aura.

It wasn't something a man in his twenties should possess.

Just as she was feeling unbearably awkward, Tang Song seemed to see through her thoughts and said with a smile, "I've heard Shuyue sister mention you many times. You left a deep impression."

"Uh... is that so, well... Xiaoyu went to the restroom, so I came over first to say hello, afraid you might be bored." Meng Ran gave a dry laugh, quickly seeking an excuse to save face.

"Hmm." Tang Song nodded lightly, his demeanor composed, making a gesture of invitation with his hand, "Have a seat. Coincidentally, our President Xie gave me a task—to persuade you to join our Weiguang as COO. I was just worrying about finding an opportunity, and here you come offering yourself."

A half-serious, half-joking remark instantly dispelled the earlier awkwardness.

Meng Ran felt relieved internally, though she still somewhat self-consciously straightened her clothes before sitting opposite him, quietly adjusting her mindset.

"I heard from Shuyue sister that you're currently working at Hema Fresh?"

"Yes, that's right." Mentioning her professional field, Meng Ran finally regained a bit of confidence, "I'm one of the operations managers for Hema's Southwest region. The year-end is the busiest—these days I'm basically buried in warehouses and stores."

"Double Eleven just passed, and now you have to prepare for Christmas and New Year—the pressure must be quite intense?"

"Don't even mention it." Meng Ran shook her head with a smile, "Last year was all about expansion, this year it's all 'cost reduction and efficiency improvement.' We're constantly being chased by finance to account for everything while still trying to maintain the customer experience—it's quite exhausting. But it's not necessarily a bad thing. At least it forces us to focus on refinement instead of burning money recklessly."

"Hmm." Tang Song nodded slightly, his tone carrying affirmation, "But Hema's model still has plenty of potential. Combining front warehouses with community scenarios has brought quite a bit of inspiration to the industry in recent years."

"Frankly, it's just constant trial and error. Customers want cheap yet fresh products, and they want them delivered to their homes as quickly as possible—it's almost an impossible equation. Those of us in operations can only try our best to force these elements together somehow."

Their conversation unfolded naturally like this.

Tang Song leaned back elegantly on the sofa, legs crossed, subtly controlling the rhythm of the entire exchange.

As the discussion deepened, Meng Ran finally realized.

Wow! You're really "interviewing" me here!

She had originally come with the intention of testing him, but now the roles had completely reversed.

It actually made her feel the nervousness and excitement of being interviewed by a big shot.

Just then, a tall, beautiful figure appeared in her line of sight.

Meng Ran finally breathed a sigh of relief, standing up as if a weight had been lifted, "Xiaoyu, you're here."

Tang Song turned and saw the female CEO walking toward them.

Camel-colored coat, white silk blouse, black pencil skirt, nude stockings.

Standard office lady attire.

Making her radiate a charm that combined dignified maturity with sexy brilliance.