Chapter 494: Warmth, flower seedlings, magazines, family

The lightning completely illuminated the surroundings.

This was a small bedroom of only seven or eight square meters; apart from a single bed, there was only a simple desk and chair.

The furniture was quite old, and the walls were covered with mottled marks.

The window was somewhat dilapidated due to years of disrepair, emitting bursts of clattering sounds accompanied by the wind and rain.

"Boom—" The sound of thunder gradually approached.

Qiuqiu, curled up in the corner, trembled, her gaze fixed on the figure that had suddenly appeared.

She couldn't see the face or the build clearly, but she felt an extraordinary sense of familiarity and intimacy.

His appearance was like a warm light, seemingly capable of dispelling the surrounding fear and darkness.

Just then, the bedroom door was suddenly slapped twice with force, emitting a violent "bang-bang" sound.

Qiuqiu let out a low gasp and buried her head back into her knees.

Immediately following, an angry roar came from outside the door:

"You dead girl! You don't learn anything good all day long, just causing me trouble! You've only been at the new school for a few days and you're already fighting? Tell me, are you doing this on purpose?"

"Do you think you're still that little kid back in the countryside? Acting tough so casually, do you think this is the countryside?"

"Do you know how much money I spent to get you into this school? How many connections I had to pull? And this is how you repay me?"

"Do you know how busy I am every single day? I guard that crappy shop all day, so tired I can't even straighten my back,"

"and I still have to listen to your rotten business when I get back. What kind of sin have I committed!"

Sobbing sounds arose in the small bedroom.

Qiuqiu gritted her teeth, struggling to keep her whimpers from reaching outside the door.

Soft and slow footsteps sounded.

"Qiuqiu." The voice was like the first ray of sunshine in spring, piercing through the cold air.

Qiuqiu suddenly raised her head, looking forward with teary eyes.

He stood not far from the bed, his silhouette outlined vaguely by the dim light.

The warm aura gradually enveloped her body, bringing an infinite sense of security.

Just like the father she had fantasized about since she was little.

An infinite yearning and expectation suddenly arose in her heart.

She tilted her head and asked tentatively, "Da-dad?"

Tang Song was stunned; under the influence of the 【Dream Flower Seedling】, he seemed to be able to empathize with her current emotions.

He understood that she had projected her deep inner longing for a father into the dream, indirectly treating him as that symbol.

He did not correct her, but nodded gently, "Mm, it's Dad."

Hearing these words, Qiuqiu's tears burst forth.

She suddenly got up and threw herself into Tang Song's arms, like an injured kitten finding a sanctuary, sobbing as she said, "Dad, I'm so afraid that Grandma doesn't want me anymore, and Mom doesn't want me either. The classmates at school don't like me; they say I talk like a country bumpkin, and my clothes aren't stylish. I can't play the piano, I can't sing pop songs, I can't dance, and I can't fit in with them—"

She spoke intermittently, her tears gradually soaking Tang Song's clothes.

Tang Song gently patted her back, comforting her in a low voice, "It's okay, I'm here with you. No matter what happens, we can face it together."

Qiuqiu asked with a choked voice, "Really? You won't abandon me, will you?"

"Really, I won't abandon you."

At the same time, the warmth in his chest grew stronger, and the newly sprouted seedling seemed to have grown a bit larger.

The surrounding air became softer and warmer, and the darkness seemed to be dissipating.

Meanwhile, more violent door-banging and her mother's roaring came from outside: "Are you going to listen to me or not?"

"Open the door for me!"

Qiuqiu's body tensed up again, her face turning pale.

She shrank back to Tang Song's side, asking timidly, "Will Mom come in and hit me? I'm scared."

Tang Song held her trembling shoulders, his voice gentle and magnetic: "She won't. With me here, no one can hurt you, not even your mother."

As soon as he finished speaking, the roaring outside the door vanished without a trace; there was only the sound of wind and rain in the air.

Qiuqiu raised her head, looking at the blurry figure right before her eyes, a deep sense of reliance and trust gradually rising in her gaze.

"Dad, my window is broken; it makes noise whenever the wind blows. I'm too scared to sleep at night, and Mom isn't willing to let me sleep with her."

Tang Song looked at the broken window trembling in the wind and rain, his eyes flickering.

Like magic, the window instantly became new, and even the sound of the wind and rain outside was blocked out.

Qiuqiu's tears gradually stopped, her eyes full of curiosity and joy.

She quickly got out of bed, went to the window barefoot, and reached out to touch the brand-new window.

Turning back, she said in surprise, "Dad is amazing, you fixed it so fast!"

Immediately after, she pointed to the extinguished incandescent lamp on the ceiling, "This light often flickers at night,"

"I don't dare to turn it on. I told Mom, but she never had time to fix it, telling me to use the desk lamp first."

Tang Song wiped the tear stains from her face and looked up, "It'll be done in a second."

Following that, the light turned on, and the entire room became bright and clear.

Qiuqiu smiled like a flower instantly, "And this desk, the drawer always wobbles, I'm so afraid it'll fall off sometime."

Tang Song came to the desk, his gaze lingering for a moment on the crayon drawing on the table.

It depicted a kind-faced old grandmother carrying a basket on her arm, with some red chili peppers inside.

It was evident that Qiuqiu had a talent for drawing.

Although raw and simple, it was full of spirit.

Tang Song pulled the drawer, turned his head, and smiled, "You try it again."

Qiuqiu hurriedly sat at the desk and pushed and pulled it repeatedly.

Raising her head, she looked at him with worshipful eyes, "It's really fixed!"

Tang Song patted her head and smiled, "Is there anything else that needs repairing?"

Qiuqiu hesitated, her gaze becoming dim, and she said in a low voice, "The door at Grandma's house is broken, and there's a hole in the yard..."

In the bright and cozy small bedroom.

The teenage version of Qiuqiu lowered her head, unknowingly beginning to talk to herself.

First, she talked about the problems at Grandma's house, then she started talking about the few little chicks she raised in the yard.

As she talked, she started talking about things at school.

Today was her second month since transferring to Rongcheng.

Suddenly arriving in this strange big city from the countryside, she had lost contact with all her friends and classmates.

The environment, things, and people here gave her a deep sense of fear.

And her only familiar person, her mother, rarely had time to accompany her because of work.

The middle school she attended was considered quite good.

The classmates were all excellent; due to the gap in educational resources, her academic performance couldn't keep up with the others, and she didn't have many common topics with them.

Tang Song squatted down, looking at her at eye level, his palm gently stroking her smooth hair, comforting her in a low voice from time to time.

It was unknown how much time had passed when Qiuqiu's voice stopped.

She looked at the thunderstorm outside, turned around, her gaze filled with a hint of expectation: "Dad, can you sleep with me? I'm especially afraid of thunder."

Tang Song said in a gentle tone, "Of course."

"Thank you." Qiuqiu stood up immediately and began to tidy up her bed.

However, soon, a frustrated expression appeared on her face, "But my bed is too small, it can't fit both of us."

"It's okay, come with me, I know a wider and more comfortable place." Tang Song held her cold little hand.

The surrounding scene began to undergo a marvelous change.

The originally narrow small bedroom gradually blurred, replaced by an open room.

A super-large double bed was placed in the center, covered with snow-white bedding, and the surrounding decor was stylish and luxurious.

Qiuqiu widened her eyes, stepping cautiously onto the soft carpet, "Wow, where is this? It's so beautiful!"

"This is my home."

"Ah! So Dad, you live here? Then can I come here to stay often in the future?"

"Of course, you can treat this as your home."

"Thank you, Dad!" Qiuqiu excitedly climbed onto the bed, buried her face in the fluffy pillow, and took a deep breath: "It smells so good, much more comfortable than the bed at Mom's house!"

Tang Song sat by the bed, tucked the corners of the quilt for her, and then turned on the night light on the bedside table.

The light was soft and warm, enveloping the entire room in a cozy tranquility.

"Dad, can you tell me a story?"

"Hmm—I'll have to think about that—"

"Then I'll tell you one." Qiuqiu blinked her sparkling eyes and began to tell the stories her grandmother had told her since she was little.

The 【Dream Flower Seedling】 quietly stretched its branches, emitting a soft glow.

Her voice became lighter and lighter, and her breathing became steadier and steadier.

September 27, 2023, Wednesday, cloudy turning sunny.

The sky outside the window gradually brightened, and a thin mist permeated the air, like a light veil covering the city.

Sunlight spilled in through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft trail of light on the bed.

Her thick, long eyelashes trembled, and Cheng Qiuqiu slowly opened her eyes, sitting up with a slightly stiff body.

She looked ahead blankly, dazed for a while, then stretched, feeling a sense of refreshment surging through her whole body.

It had been a long time since she had slept so comfortably and soundly.

Generally speaking, whenever she encountered a thunderstorm, she would have nightmares, and most of the time she would be startled awake in the middle of the night.

But this time was exceptionally different; it seemed she had even had a beautiful dream.

In the dream, it seemed to be that period when she had just left Grandma's house for Rongcheng.

However, when she tried to recall it seriously, those originally vivid scenes gradually became blurry and hazy, eventually leaving only a vague emotion lingering in her heart, unable to be dispelled.

She rubbed her forehead hard.

She always felt that she had forgotten something important.

Even so, she felt inexplicably relaxed and peaceful in her heart.

She looked at the wall clock.

7:30.

"It's already this late!" Cheng Qiuqiu let out a low gasp and hurriedly jumped out of bed.

Then she remembered that her senior sister was still in Wushan, not in Yancheng.

If she was alone, she could just eat something casual.

Exhaling, Cheng Qiuqiu began to tidy up the bed.

Changing her clothes, she stood in the bedroom.

Her gaze subconsciously looked at the ceiling light above, then at her desk.

She felt a sense of loss in her heart.

Shaking her head, she came to the bedside table, unplugged the charger, and picked up her phone.

An unread message popped up on the screen:

【Tang Song: "Good morning, Qiuqiu."】

Cheng Qiuqiu's fingers paused slightly, and her heartbeat began to accelerate suddenly.

This message was sent at 6:00 in the morning, which meant Tang Song had sent it to her the moment he woke up.

What did he mean?

Was he caring about her?

Or was it just a casual inquiry?

She stared at the phone screen, dazed for a long time.

Cheng Qiuqiu's full chest heaved, and she bit her lower lip hard, suppressing all the secret joy and confusion in her heart.

Her fingers tapped the screen, replying with restraint and politeness: "Good morning, Mr. Tang, is there anything you need?"

After sending the message, she felt a bit of pain in her heart for some reason.

She felt as if she were losing something.

By the time she realized this, the time limit for recalling the message had already passed.

Immediately after, the phone vibrated.

【Tang Song: "Nothing much, it thundered and rained in Yancheng last night. Did you sleep well alone in the rental apartment?"】

Cheng Qiuqiu stood blankly in the room, staring at the screen for a few seconds.

She quickly typed a reply: "Quite well, I slept until now, feeling very energetic, and I'm just about to go eat."

【Tang Song: "Then what do you plan to eat?"】

The sound of fingers tapping on the screen rang out continuously.

The light in the bedroom gradually brightened, and the wall clock ticked away.

Just chatting about daily life like this, the corners of Cheng Qiuqiu's mouth unconsciously lifted into a shallow arc,

feeling incomparably fulfilled and satisfied.

"Morning, Qiuqiu."

"Good morning."

"Morning, Qiuqiu. Wow, your makeup today is so exquisite."

"It—it's alright—"

After greeting her colleagues in the department, Cheng Qiuqiu sat down at her workstation.

Since the second batch of employees for the team-building had already departed, the entire office area seemed very quiet.

Tidying up her things and opening her computer, Cheng Qiuqiu began to work seriously.

Perhaps because she had rested well, she was full of energy, her thinking was exceptionally active, and one inspiration after another popped into her mind.

She also had a brand-new understanding and thinking regarding the visual identification system of 【HEYISTUDIO】.

Her gaze became brighter and brighter, and the hand holding the drawing pen began to move rapidly.

It was unknown how much time had passed.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"

A notification popped up on the computer WeChat.

【Tang Song: "Qiuqiu, come to my office."】

Cheng Qiuqiu's hand stopped instantly, the drawing pen suspended in mid-air.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up and walked toward the president's office.

Passing by the activity area, she subconsciously stopped in front of the mirror and seriously smoothed her hair.

"Knock, knock, knock—"

"Please come in."

The magnetic voice made Cheng Qiuqiu's heartbeat accelerate suddenly.

Grabbing the doorknob, she pushed open the office door.

Sunlight from outside the floor-to-ceiling windows filled the entire room, and several documents and two cups of coffee were placed on the desk.

He was leaning against the desk, casually flipping through a document.

The sunlight illuminated half of his body, as if plating him with a layer of halo.

It also made him appear warm and charming.

Cheng Qiuqiu looked at his figure, her mind gradually becoming dazed, and she murmured unconsciously: "Da—"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she immediately realized her lapse in composure, hurriedly closing her mouth, her face instantly becoming extremely unnatural.

"You're here?" Hearing the movement, Tang Song raised his head, revealing a gentle smile.

Their gazes met, and Cheng Qiuqiu's heart pounded wildly.

She hurriedly lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly: "Mr. Tang, did you call for me?"

Tang Song put down the document in his hand, picked up a cup of coffee from the table, walked slowly to her, and handed the coffee over. "Have a cup of coffee."

"This—this is for me?" Cheng Qiuqiu was stunned for a moment, looking blankly at the coffee in her hand, somewhat unable to believe it.

"Mm, take it." Tang Song smiled, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the top of her head.

In his line of sight, the emerald-green flower seedling nurtured by the 【Dream Flower Seedling】 had already quietly grown a leaf,

appearing exceptionally spirited.

"Thank you." Cheng Qiuqiu took the coffee with both hands, her fingertips accidentally touching his skin.

Although she tried hard to maintain her surface composure, a layer of thin red still quietly rose on her earlobes.

"You're welcome." Tang Song picked up the other cup of coffee and shook it at her, "Come, let's toast."

With a "clink," the paper cups touched lightly, emitting a crisp sound.

Tang Song took a sip of coffee and asked with a relaxed tone: "How is work lately? Is the progress of the visual identification system going smoothly?"

"Mm, quite well," Cheng Qiuqiu replied in a low voice, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the coffee cup.

The two of them chatted like this, drinking coffee while talking about work.

Tang Song seemed to have thought of something and smiled: "By the way, Qiuqiu, the company has a surprise for you tomorrow."

"What surprise?"

Tang Song shook his head and said mysteriously: "You'll know tomorrow."

Yao Lingling had originally wanted to join the company after the National Day holiday, not wanting to take advantage of the company's paid holiday, but under Tang Song's insistence, she joined early.

This holiday was just right for her to understand the company's live-streaming style and the preferences of the target group.

This cheerful and generous junior sister's greatest characteristic was that she possessed extremely strong infectious power and could provide abundant emotional value.

For a girl like Qiuqiu with an "inner darkness," she was absolutely the most complementary candidate.

The two chatted for a few more sentences, and Cheng Qiuqiu bowed to say goodbye and left.

Watching her sexy, graceful figure disappear at the doorway, a flash of complex emotion crossed Tang Song's eyes.

Looking down at the coffee cup in his hand, the scenes from last night's dream surfaced once again.

Although he had only touched a part of it, the psychological trauma caused by those past experiences was truly fed back into his consciousness through the 【Dream Flower Seedling】.

She was indeed a very pitiful little girl.

Finishing the coffee in his hand.

Tang Song returned to the boss's chair, put on his glasses, and began to read the documents seriously.

After a while.

"Ding-dong—" A WeChat notification sounded.

【Wen Ruan: "The day after tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, when do you plan to return to Quancheng? Tomorrow morning, or the day after?"】

Seeing the message from the big sister, Tang Song's eyebrows raised slightly.

With Wen Ruan's personality, she would absolutely not ask such a question for no reason.

His gaze flickered slightly, and he replied: "Whenever you want me to return, I will return."

【Wen Ruan: Very sensible. jpg】

【Wen Ruan: "Accompany me home tomorrow night, and return to Quancheng the morning after. We've been together for so long, my parents have always wanted you to come home for a meal."】

Seeing her reply, a gentle smile appeared on Tang Song's face.

In fact, he was very clear that, unlike Zhao Yaqian, Lin Empress Mu Xue, and others,

the 30-year-old Wen Ruan cared very much about relationships and family.

She very much hoped that he would integrate into her family as her significant other.

Tang Song: "Alright, why don't I just stay at your house for the night, it can be considered spending the Mid-Autumn Festival together."

【Wen Ruan: (#covering mouth and laughing) Little brother, don't tell me you have some bold ideas again?】

Tang Song: "I indeed do, and they are very big."

【Wen Ruan: Tsk tsk, are they as big as 36E?】

Tang Song: "Sister, I want to see 36E right now."

【Wen Ruan: (#charming) Wait for me, I'll take a photo for you.】

Seeing Wen Ruan's extremely bold reply, Tang Song's heart instantly became fiery.

The big sister is truly understanding!

Waiting anxiously for a while.

"Ding-dong—"

【Wen Ruan: Photo. jpg】

Tang Song quickly clicked to view it, and the expression on his face froze.

This was not a selfie of Wen Ruan, but a cover of "Fortune" magazine she had taken.

On it was a blonde, blue-eyed white beauty, and she was someone he was very familiar with.

Serenity Kate.

Regarding Serenity's photos, he had already seen them many times online.

As one of the heirs of the Kate family and a co-founder of Silent Capital, she possessed a considerable degree of influence on a global scale.

Relying on her extreme family background and proud figure and appearance, she had frequently appeared on major financial and fashion magazines in recent years.

According to Wen Ruan, "Fortune" would conduct an exclusive interview with her in the middle of next month.

Perhaps it was also because of this reason that she had flipped through relevant content, subsequently seeing Serenity Kate's information.

As for why she guessed that Serenity Kate had something to do with him, Tang Song really didn't know; could it be a woman's sixth sense?

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"

【Wen Ruan: "How is it? Is it 36E? Does it look good?"】

Tang Song smiled and replied: "It's alright, I think sister's 36E is more tempting."

【Wen Ruan: "This is a top-tier foreign mare, how can I compare? Last time she represented Silent Capital to negotiate with Light and Shadow Media, I saw the real person, she looks very energetic."】

Seeing this message, Tang Song instantly understood.

He had indeed heard about Silent Capital contacting Light and Shadow Media before, but he didn't expect that Serenity had come to negotiate in person.

【Wen Ruan: "And, this Miss Serenity looked at me with a very strange gaze, as if she was sizing something up. You say, could it be that she has taken a fancy to me? (#mischievous smile)"】

Tang Song's fingers paused, almost laughing out loud, and he quickly replied: "You have to be careful, I heard this Miss Serenity's sexual orientation is a mystery, and she is also a fitness enthusiast, the kind with abdominal muscles."

【Wen Ruan: (#squinting) Oh? It seems you know quite a lot? Don't tell me you're thinking about riding a foreign mare?】

Tang Song's eye corners twitched, and he quickly changed the subject, starting to chat with her about the gifts to prepare for tomorrow's visit.

Yan Province Financial Center, Rongliu Investment, Assistant Office.

Steaming coffee emitted white mist in the cup.

Lin Empress Mu Xue sat in front of the large desk, her slender fingers gently tapping the laptop keyboard.

On the screen, lines of English words jumped out.

About to handle enrollment, she was truly a bit nervous.

Although Lin Tiantian promised to arrange a professional team to help her pass various hurdles,

Lin Empress Mu Xue was still a bit uneasy, afraid of being exposed because she was too "watery," so now whenever she had free time, she began to copy some literature and materials to improve her language expression ability.

"Ding-a-ling—" An urgent phone ringtone suddenly sounded.

Glancing at the caller information, Lin Empress Mu Xue's eyebrows tightened, she pressed the volume button to mute the ringtone, letting the phone vibrate silently on the desk.

After a while, "Ding-a-ling—" the ringtone sounded again.

She took a deep breath, her fingertips hovering over the answer button for a few seconds, eventually sliding to open the screen: "Hello?"

"Seeing Xiao Xue, how is your work? Are you busy?" The father's voice with a heavy local accent came from the other end of the phone, and shouts from the construction site could be heard in the background.

Lin Empress Mu Xue said in a cold tone: "Alright, Dad, if you have something to say, just say it directly, don't beat around the bush."

"Sigh, I just wanted to ask, are you coming back for the Mid-Autumn Festival? Your mom steamed a cage of date buns, and also pan-fried your favorite stone cakes—" The father's voice was clearly weaker, carrying a cautious flattery.

Hearing this, Lin Empress Mu Xue took a deep breath, "I can't come back, the company is very busy."

"Oh, oh." The father's voice was clearly disappointed, then he braced himself, "Well—your cousin Zhenzhen said she's going to Yancheng with classmates for the National Day holiday, I asked her to bring you some things from home, there are newly harvested walnuts, and the Qiong pot candy you loved to eat when you were little—"

Lin Empress Mu Xue's throat rolled slightly, and she was silent for a moment: "Got it."

"Seeing Xiao Xue, when you have time, come back and visit. Your mom—"

"Dad, I'm going to a meeting, hanging up first."

"Okay, okay, then you get busy."

The office returned to silence.

Lin Empress Mu Xue stared at the darkened phone screen, a complex expression appearing on her exquisite face. ===== CHAPTER 495 =====