Chapter 405: Old Acquaintances and Metamorphosis

As that figure disappeared around the corner of the restaurant corridor, the buzzing in Shen Yu's ears gradually subsided.

Yet, her frantically beating heart had not cooled in the slightest.

She had previously pondered Tang Zong's rise to wealth quite seriously.

Based on information gathered from university classmates and Tang Zong's own resume, there were only a few possibilities.

Software patent licensing and transfers.

Participating in key projects at Meigou Technology, earning bonuses and stock incentives.

Virtual currency.

Independently developing popular software, only to be scouted and acquired by a large corporation.

Any of these would be enough to make him an "internet upstart" with a certain amount of capital.

Such people usually have relatively narrow social circles and lack deep-seated social foundations.

However, facts proved that Tang Zong was not as she had imagined.

There is a vast gap even among the wealthy.

A difference in the magnitude of wealth, social networks, industry sectors, and the degree of resource control.

Tang Zong, who could casually pull out 24 million for an investment in Fanfu Suzi, and Tang Zong, who owned a luxury five-star hotel, represented two entirely different meanings.

Added to that were his age, appearance, and temperament, which could only be described as impeccable.

No wonder he had girlfriends like Tian Jing and Wen Ruan.

Glancing at the stunned Shen Yu beside him, Hou Shaoyuan whispered, "President Ma, Yu, let's head into the private room."

"President Ma, please!" Shen Yu quickly composed herself and reached out to nudge Li Meixia, who was blushing furiously beside her.

Ma Zijian nodded gently and followed the three of them inside.

Returning to the 【Si Hour】 private room, they ordered their dishes.

Ma Zijian looked at Shen Yu, his expression becoming much more lively and enthusiastic. He chuckled, "I didn't expect President Shen to be a friend of Chairman Tang as well. We really do have quite the connection."

"President Ma is right; it is indeed quite a connection." Shen Yu pursed her lips and smiled lightly, appearing poised and graceful.

Her superb appearance and temperament, paired with her lithe and sexy figure, radiated a charming allure from head to toe.

Ma Zijian recalled the interaction between her and Tang Zong just moments ago, his eyes flickering slightly. "If I may be so bold, how do you and Chairman Tang know each other?"

"President Ma is too polite. We were university classmates. In fact, the founding team of our Youjie Housekeeping all graduated from Yancheng University of Technology; we are all alumni."

"Oh?" Ma Zijian's eyebrows rose slightly. "I see. No wonder you are all so outstanding."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Ma Zijian smiled and began chatting warmly with Shen Yu about the situation at Youjie Housekeeping.

A beautiful woman, especially one at Shen Yu's level, could be considered a rare resource.

Since she was also a university classmate of that Tang Zong, many things were hard to say for sure.

Sitting to the side, Hou Shaoyuan took a deep breath, his tone complex. "President Ma, I recall that the Lanfeng International Hotel is a property under your Yunxi Real Estate, isn't it? How did it become Tang Zong's?"

Ma Zijian glanced at him and said, "It's quite simple. Chairman Tang acquired 80% of the hotel's equity and is currently serving as the company's executive director himself."

Li Meixia let out an "Ah," quickly covering her mouth to apologize. "Sorry, I'm sorry."

Shen Yu's hands clenched subconsciously, and she bit down hard on her lower lip.

This was Lanfeng International Hotel! The top-tier hotel in Yancheng, with the behemoth listed company Yunxi Real Estate behind it.

Tang Zong had actually managed to buy the controlling interest from Yunxi Real Estate.

Her heart was a whirlwind of emotions, and regret wrapped around her once more.

If she had only overridden the objections back then and let Tang Zong invest in Youjie Housekeeping.

Why would there be so much trouble now?

She could have used Youjie Housekeeping as a stepping stone to entangle herself with Tang Zong professionally.

She might not have lacked the opportunity to realize her life's ambitions in the future.

Yet, she had personally pushed that opportunity to her university classmate, Guo Liyuan.

Fortunately, there was still Xu Qing; Tang Zong had specifically given her a gift for the Qixi Festival, and their relationship was growing increasingly close.

This could be considered leaving herself a retreat.

"This..." Hou Shaoyuan's lips trembled, his face turning somewhat pale.

Because Lanfeng International Hotel had no history of financing or listing, it had no specific valuation.

However, comparing it to similar properties, one could guess that its value was no less than 800 million.

His family was in the foreign trade business, but all their assets combined didn't even reach 100 million.

He couldn't compare to such a big boss who owned real industry.

Glancing at Shen Yu beside him, he recalled her previous attitude toward Tang Zong.

Hou Shaoyuan gritted his teeth, feeling both anxious and angry.

From the start of Youjie Housekeeping to the later financing, he had truly spent no small amount of effort and money trying to pursue this great campus beauty.

He hadn't even dated anyone else on the surface.

He had been full of confidence originally, but now it seemed there was no chance.

He knew Shen Yu's character; her ambition and desires were both very large.

In this regard, compared to Tang Zong, he had no capital to compete whatsoever.

Dish after dish of exquisite food was brought in.

Shen Yu quickly adjusted her mindset, eating while introducing the service model, advantages, and team of Youjie Housekeeping to Ma Zijian.

Her speaking pace was moderate, her voice clear and pleasant.

The scene appeared very harmonious.

Shen Yu could feel that since Tang Zong's appearance, Ma Zijian's attitude toward her had undergone a fundamental change.

The probability of reaching a cooperation was very high.

Of course, it wasn't realistic to expect to finalize a deal after just one meeting.

Yunxi Property currently already had three cooperative housekeeping service companies.

Even if they had the strength to get a piece of the pie, they would have to wait until some contracts expired.

The reason she valued Yunxi Property so much was because of the other party's deep background and fame.

Having this successful client case would greatly increase their company's credibility.

Talking about cooperation with other property companies would then have more confidence.

Two o'clock in the afternoon.

Both sides politely and enthusiastically bid each other farewell.

The white Audi A7 drove out of the Lanfeng International underground parking lot.

Because Hou Shaoyuan had drunk quite a bit of alcohol, Li Meixia was driving.

The rain had already stopped.

The car window was lowered a crack, and the damp, cool wind rushed in, blowing Shen Yu's thick black hair into disarray.

Her gaze was somewhat vacant, her mind a mess.

In the driver's seat, Li Meixia kept talking about topics related to "Tang Zong," "Yunxi Property," and "Lanfeng International."

She actually knew very little about Tang Zong, having only seen him once at the roadshow.

So her feelings were more of shock and excitement.

She was also happy about the client resources they might obtain.

Sitting in the back row, Hou Shaoyuan frowned, suddenly interrupting, "Meixia, be quiet for a moment, my head hurts a bit."

"Oh, oh, sorry." Li Meixia quickly shut her mouth and began to focus on driving.

Twenty minutes later.

The car slowly stopped at the Beicheng Garden residential complex.

Shen Yu gripped her bag. "I'm going home first. Drive carefully on the road, bye-bye."

"Wait a moment." Hou Shaoyuan suddenly pushed open the car door and followed her out, whispering, "I'll walk you."

Looking at Hou Shaoyuan's expression, Shen Yu nodded. "Thank you."

Passing through the north gate of the complex, they walked forward along the stone path for a while.

Hou Shaoyuan unbuttoned his shirt, looking at her. "Yu, we've known each other for almost seven years, right?"

"Mm." Shen Yu stopped, looking at him with a calm expression, seemingly having guessed what he wanted to say.

"You used to say you only wanted to develop your career with peace of mind. Now the angel round for Youjie Housekeeping is over, and it includes the 1 million I painstakingly got from my family. You should know what my intentions are toward you, right? Give me a straight answer."

Because he had drunk quite a bit, Hou Shaoyuan's face was somewhat red, and his speech appeared somewhat casual.

He could wait before because he felt there was hope, and he was never short of girls around him.

So he was willing to wait and willing to accompany this great campus beauty in playing the startup game.

But Tang Zong's appearance, and the attitude Shen Yu showed today, shattered his hope, making him extremely unhappy.

Shen Yu pursed her red lips, and after a moment of silence, said, "I'm sorry."

"Heh, fine, I've finally seen you for who you are. Let it be." Hou Shaoyuan's tone was very poor.

"Shaoyuan, you should understand that your investment in Youjie Housekeeping is not a loss. Based on the current valuation, you've already made over 1 million."

"Then I'll sell you the 14% equity I have on hand now. Do you want it?"

Shen Yu took a deep breath. "I don't have the money."

"So, talking to me about returns before cashing out is just bullshit!" Hou Shaoyuan rubbed his hot face, looking at her. "Don't think I'm stupid. I'm very clear about the gambling agreement with Gongying Technology. It won't be easy to get the second investment payment."

"We are already working hard now. Also, thank you for helping to contact President Ma. With a big client like Yunxi Property, we will be able to open up the situation very soon."

"Heh, then I wish you good luck. Bye."

Waving his hand, Hou Shaoyuan turned and walked toward the main gate.

Back in the car, he took out his phone and sent a message to Wei Pingjun, the representative director of Gongying Technology, arranging to meet and chat tomorrow.

Wei Pingjun had approached him privately before and seemed to have some interest in the equity he held.

He was never the type to swallow his anger, and he was even less "Buddhist" than Zhang Tianqi.

He hadn't suffered much hardship or grievances since he was a child.

Since Shen Yu's behavior made him feel stifled and uncomfortable, he wanted to make things difficult for her, and incidentally, get back the money he had invested with interest.

My family has a mature trading company waiting for me to inherit; who the hell has time to waste on this crappy housekeeping company?

Does she really think I'm some idiot simp like Wang Ning?

August 28, 2023, Monday, showers turning to clear, 18~22°C.

Shengyuan Jiajing residential complex.

6:00 AM, it was pitch black outside the window.

"Ouch, what are you doing? I haven't slept enough yet!"

"Smack—"

"You jerk! You hit me again!" Wen Ruan shouted angrily, turning over to pin Tang Zong beneath her, sitting down on him.

Tang Zong smiled, letting the big sister take the wheel.

With his full buff bonuses, his body would recover to its peak every morning after waking up, and he felt incredibly energetic.

Looking at the big sister on top of him, Tang Zong hugged her comfortably.

The name "Zhuangzhuang" (Strong) was truly not given in vain.

Wen Ruan, who worked out year-round, had a very low body fat percentage, great strength, and was particularly agile in her movements.

If there were really a harem fight, conservatively estimated, she could suppress four or five people by herself.

"Rumble—" Peals of thunder sounded outside the window.

Rain tapped against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the balcony, making a crisp sound.

A long time later.

"OK, morning exercise complete."

Tang Zong patted Wen Ruan's butt and walked into the bathroom, feeling refreshed.

After showering, he made a nutritious breakfast in the kitchen and returned to the master bedroom.

Looking at the big sister lazing on the bed, Tang Zong leaned into her ear and said, "I put the breakfast I made for you in the fridge. Remember to eat it after you get up. I'm leaving first; it's going to be very busy today. Bye." Wen Ruan hummed and grunted twice, hooking her leg around his as a farewell.

Walking out of the townhouse in Building 6, Tang Zong took a turn and headed straight to Building 9.

After calling Xie Shu Yu, he successfully went up to the 4th floor.

The benefits of having a girlfriend live in the same complex were instantly apparent.

Just as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw the nanny waiting, as well as the open door.

Changing into disposable slippers, he walked into the brightly lit living room.

A faint floral fragrance wafted into his nose, and a bright, poised figure entered his view.

Xie Shu Yu was lazily leaning against the sofa, her ink-black long hair hanging loosely over her shoulders and back, with a simple yet exquisite hairpin clipped to one side.

The slim-fit long-sleeved top outlined her graceful figure perfectly, and the V-neck design revealed a snowy, deep cleavage.

One of her arms was naturally draped over the sofa armrest, while the other hand rested lightly on her leg, her posture elegant and leisurely.

Please... you.... bookmark_(!)

On the coffee table in front of her lay a somewhat messy stack of documents and a bouquet of blooming fresh flowers.

Under the bright lights, her fair skin seemed to glow with luster.

She was truly very fair; among the girls Tang Zong knew, she was only slightly inferior to Su Yu and Xiao Jing.

At this moment, the female CEO was very domestic and leisurely, revealing a rare gentleness and calmness.

"Sister Shu Yu, good morning."

Tang Zong smiled and raised his hand, the bright, handsome smile on his face making the entire living room seem a bit brighter.

"Good morning, Xiao Song." Xie Shu Yu stood up elegantly, looking at him. "Have you eaten?"

"No, I came over early to mooch a meal from you. You don't mind, do you?"

Xie Shu Yu turned her head. "Sister Liu, make an extra portion for breakfast. Prepare it now."

"Alright, President Xie." The nanny, Sister Liu, agreed, quickly ducking into the kitchen and closing the door.

Only the two of them were left in the living room.

"Sit down and wait a moment. It just so happens I can tell you about the problems we need to solve today." Xie Shu Yu bent down to pick up the documents, shifted her position inward, and signaled for Tang Zong to come sit.

The black-and-white floral long dress covered her ankles perfectly.

As she moved, her waist swayed lightly and her skirt fluttered, full of moving charm.

Tang Zong paced over to the sofa area, looking at the bright and poised female CEO, and couldn't help but open his arms to hug her tall, elegant body.

"Sister Shu Yu is truly beautiful." He said a sweet word.

Tang Zong took a deep breath of her moving fragrance and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Since they were at home, Xie Shu Yu appeared very relaxed and had no intention of stopping him.

After kissing for a while, Tang Zong's hand slowly moved downward, caressing her waist and buttocks through the excellent-textured dress.

He earnestly felt the female CEO's sexy, slim figure.

Compared to Wen Ruan, whom he had just played ball with, they were two extremes.

Although they both belonged to the "light mature woman" category, one was full and plump, while the other was slender and soft.

If they were put together to play ball, that would truly be...

Seemingly thinking of some stimulating plot, Tang Zong's heart surged, and his hand subconsciously applied some force.

"Mm..." The female CEO let out a low moan, frowning slightly, her head moving backward to leave his lips.

Their eyes met.

Her gaze was deep and bright, her temperament poised and intellectual.

Tang Zong's hand couldn't help but squeeze again, and he lowered his head to kiss her fair cheeks.

Unlike Wen Ruan, Xie Shu Yu had always faced him with the posture of an older woman or an elder, and even now, there were still traces of that.

This could be seen from the way she addressed him; when not involving work, she would privately call him "Xiao Song."

The intimate contact with Xie Shu Yu was a continuous psychological climb and conquest for Tang Zong.

The indescribable sense of satisfaction was incomparably wonderful.

A moment later.

Xie Shu Yu affectionately pinched his cheek and whispered, "Alright, sit down. We should eat in a moment. Let's chat about work simply first."

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

The two sat down on the sofa.

"The biggest problem for Weiguang Coffee right now is a lack of people; a lot of work can't proceed smoothly."

"We have signed a long-term cooperation agreement with Yunjing Consulting. This time, they will send a complete team to provide us with support in talent recruitment and selection..."

Xie Shu Yu placed the documents in front of him, sat up straight, and crossed her long, beautiful legs.

The light pink sandals she was wearing hung slightly, and the crystal-clear rhinestones on the shoes shimmered with fine light.

After entering work mode, wisdom and confidence flashed in the female CEO's eyes.

After she finished speaking, Tang Zong put down the documents in his hand and shook his head. "Yunjing Consulting's business is too messy, and they aren't professionally engaged in human resources consulting services. Although they have cooperative agencies, the efficiency will be greatly reduced."

"Then what do you mean?"

Tang Zong smiled confidently. "After doing this yesterday, I contacted two companies. They will both arrive today to cooperate with Yunjing Consulting and help us solve all human resources problems."

Xie Shu Yu was surprised. "What companies?"

"I'll tell you if you kiss me."

Xie Shu Yu raised her eyebrows, leaned forward, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Tell me."

Tang Zong hugged her slim waist gently. "Bocai Yingrui and Deju Renhe."

"Uh..." Xie Shu Yu shook her head and smiled. "Yunjing Consulting has a cooperative relationship with Deju Renhe. I have already entrusted them to contact Deju Renhe to help us scout for talent; there's no need to spend extra money. However, things aren't that simple. Building a brand-new human resources system isn't something that can be done quickly."

Tang Zong breathed in the pleasant scent on her and smiled. "This is different."

"What's different?"

"The level of support is different. If Deju Renhe opens their talent pool to us, and Bocai Yingrui and multiple headhunting teams follow up throughout the process, fully mobilizing an extensive network of contacts to strictly screen and evaluate the candidates found, do you think it will be much faster?"

Xie Shu Yu's eyes widened a bit. "Achieving the effect you mentioned requires a lot of service fees; the cost-performance ratio is extremely low. It's not something an enterprise like ours can afford."

Although Tang Zong spoke very beautifully, she was a mature and rational businesswoman.

It was impossible to waste precious financing funds on such things.

Looking at her expression, Tang Zong said mysteriously, "Let's talk about this after meeting today. The result will definitely satisfy you."

"Alright."

The two chatted for a few more sentences, and breakfast was brought to the table.

Cranberry cheese bagels, shrimp with scrambled eggs, asparagus, blueberries.

The portion of Tang Zong's was more than twice that of Xie Shu Yu's.

Able to maintain such a good figure at 32 amidst busy work, Xie Shu Yu was very restrained in her diet.

9:30 AM.

The Buick business van slowly stopped at Building A of the Huayun Center.

A group of three got out of the car and stepped into the office building's main entrance.

While waiting for the elevator.

A girl in her late twenties said, "Wang Jingli, I heard that President Xie of Weiguang Coffee is very beautiful. Is it true or false?"

"Heh, she is indeed very beautiful. You'll know once you meet her."

Wang Yunping smiled lightly.

Among the women he had come into contact with over so many years, Xie Shu Yu left the deepest and best impression on him.

He had also tried hard to pursue her for a period of time before.

However, later, because of Tang Zong and the special attitude of Ma Zijian from Yunxi Property toward him, he put away his little thoughts and took the initiative to reduce contact with Xie Shu Yu.

Afterward, because Weiguang Coffee fell into a financing dilemma, they hadn't met for almost two months.

It wasn't until last week that he got the news that Weiguang Coffee's Series A had ended, and the investor was an individual, not an institution.

Coming here this time was to assist Weiguang Coffee in formulating a brand-new recruitment strategy and process, including job analysis, talent profiling, recruitment channel selection, interview evaluation methods, etc.

For this, he specifically brought two senior human resources consultants from the Functional Consulting Department to cooperate with him in completing this project.

They got on the elevator.

Wang Yunping turned and asked, "Li Wei, have you contacted Deju Renhe?"

"Mm, just talked on the phone this morning. We've already submitted our requirements. Once Weiguang Coffee confirms, we can start the recruitment work."

"Alright, Weiguang Coffee is our long-term client. You and Jianan, put in more effort."

"Understood!" Li Wei and Wang Jianan nodded quickly.

Wang Yunping was a senior manager in the company and belonged to the management level. Coming here this time was mainly to lead the team and provide guidance; the work was still to be done by his subordinates.

After all, this client, Weiguang Coffee, was developed by him and had always been maintained by him.

"Ding—" The elevator door slowly opened.

Wang Yunping took a deep breath and strode out of the elevator.

Arriving at the Weiguang Coffee headquarters.

After saying a word to the receptionist girl, the three followed her inside.

Thinking of the Xie Shu Yu he was about to meet, Wang Yunping still felt somewhat restless inside.

Subconsciously, he tidied up his attire and hairstyle to make himself look more decent.

"Knock, knock, knock—" The door to the large conference room was knocked.

"President Xie, the people from Yunjing Consulting are here."

"Please come in."

The frosted glass door was pushed open gently. Wang Yunping thanked her warmly and led the way into the conference room.

His gaze instantly fell on a tall, sexy figure.

175cm height, bright facial features, fair skin, exquisite makeup, paired with a fashionable ladies' suit.

Compared to when she was rushing about for investment roadshows and seminars, and busy with Series A financing, she looked much better.

She looked poised, elegant, clean, and efficient.

Exhaling, Wang Yunping showed a bright smile on his face. "President Xie, sorry to have kept you waiting. The road was a bit congested."

"No problem, welcome everyone."

Just as Wang Yunping wanted to introduce his colleagues behind him, a tall figure walked out from the corner.

He walked straight to Xie Shu Yu's side and stood still.

His figure was tall and well-proportioned, his appearance handsome and three-dimensional, wearing a tailored suit. Standing together with Xie Shu Yu, they looked very well-matched.

Their eyes met.

Wang Yunping was stunned, the expression on his face becoming very unnatural. He said blankly, "Tang Zong."

Although his appearance and temperament had changed a lot, it was indeed him.

"Long time no see, Wang Jingli." Tang Zong nodded with a smile, his posture elegant, his temperament calm and confident.

Xie Shu Yu beside him moved her eyes slightly, affectionately holding Tang Zong's arm, and introduced, "Wang Jingli, Tang Zong is our company's Series A investor and also our current major shareholder."

Wang Yunping's eye corners trembled, his voice dry. "Mr. Tang, long time no see."

Tang Zong's gaze examined this "old acquaintance" he hadn't seen for a long time.

In his early 30s, handsome features, side-parted hair, leather clutch bag, looking gentle and elegant.

It's definitely you.

Regarding Wang Yunping, Tang Zong could truly be said to have a deep impression.

Back then at Yanbin Tower, he and Xie Shu Yu talked about investment, finance, supply chains, innovation, coffee beans, luxury goods, and art.

Conversing freely, gentle and elegant, knowledgeable and retentive.

It had dealt him quite a blow at the time, interrupting his plan to change Xie Shu Yu's impression of him.

At that time, Wang Yunping looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze and said some things that weren't pleasant to hear, which also helped him trigger the 【Cognitive Awakening】 task.

Facing him again today, Tang Zong only felt a slight fluctuation in his heart, and at the same time, he had a clearer understanding of his own metamorphosis.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 406 =====