Chapter 570

October 28, 2023, Saturday, cloudy turning to light rain.

Six in the morning, before dawn, the sky outside was a faint gray-blue.

Tang Song slowly opened his eyes in the familiar scent, his nose surrounded by the fragrance of gardenias, clear and gentle.

He turned his head slightly; in the dimness, a sleeping face appeared in his line of sight.

Liu Qingning was lying on her side, her hair messily spread between the pillow and his shoulder.

Her breathing was thin, slow, and even, like the tide on the coastline of Shenchengwan.

Her cheeks still retained the lingering flush, and the corners of her mouth were slightly curled, as if she were having some beautiful dream.

The scenes from last night surged into his heart, making Tang Song's heart surge.

The tight embrace, the whispering—their bodies were both as hot as flames, on the edge of testing and merging, getting closer.

They have known each other for nearly 20 years and have been good friends for over 10 years.

Never before had they been so intimate.

Unlike him, Liu Qingning always maintained an instinctive purity between emotion and body.

Every close contact allowed him to feel her green longing and cautious restraint from her expressions and physical reactions.

But precisely because of this, the passion she felt was exceptionally genuine.

Tang Song could feel it.

The reason Liu Qingning didn't want to go so fast, besides the hurdle in her heart not yet being crossed, was also because she hoped to have a clean, pure love that got closer bit by bit.

And this simplicity of his white moonlight was also what made his heart flutter the most.

Tang Song took a light breath and kissed Liu Qingning's rosy cheeks.

Then he carefully pulled out his arm, got up, and tucked the quilt corner for her.

In October in Shencheng, it was already starting to get a bit chilly.

On the carpet in the room, the phone screen lit up.

Just at this moment, a crisp system prompt sounded in his ear.

"Ding! Congratulations to the player, the halo effect has taken effect, you have triggered an extra critical hit reward."

"Ding! You have obtained the special item 【Advanced Body Optimization Potion】."

Tang Song was slightly stunned, a surprised smile appearing on his face.

After holding back for so long, he finally won the prize again! And it was a precious advanced potion!

Even in the game, this kind of prop is extremely rare.

Tang Song walked into the walk-in closet on tiptoe.

Opened the system warehouse to check the reward details.

【Advanced Body Optimization Potion】: After use, your body will enter a "Golden Adaptation Period," from the skeletal system to the muscular network, from the nervous system to the metabolic mechanism, hormone secretion will tend toward balance, body control ability will be strengthened, you can precisely control subtle movements, and the triggering frequency of the "flow" state will be improved: (Physique +3, Endurance +3, Agility +3).

【Note: During the potion activation period, it is recommended to perform at least 60 minutes of medium-intensity or higher training daily to maximize absorption effects.】

Tang Song shouted "Awesome" in his heart!

As expected of an advanced potion, it's an all-around improvement, and all 3 basic attributes are +3.

It's simply meant to shape a "God-like Body."

As for him now, it's already hard to improve his appearance and charm, but with the blessing of this potion, he might be able to go a step further.

Mermaid lines, V-taper—bring it on!

Selected 【Advanced Body Optimization Potion】, used immediately.

In his mouth, a mass of liquid suddenly appeared, refreshing and sweet.

"Gulp—"

The liquid slid down his throat, Tang Song's nerve endings jumped, and his heart began to accelerate.

But after just over ten seconds, his body gradually returned to calm.

At the same time, Tang Song felt an indescribable clarity and energy.

The medicinal power began to take effect!

Quickly changed into 【Outfit - Infinite Vitality】, and walked into the living room with high spirits.

First, he warmed up on the treadmill for ten minutes, then stood on the yoga mat and started high-intensity fat-burning training.

Sweat slid down his temples, and his muscles were ignited by heat.

His body began to turn red and hot.

Yet Tang Song felt extremely comfortable.

I don't know how much time passed.

A reproachful voice suddenly came from behind: "Hey, are you really okay doing this to your body?"

Tang Song slowly stopped his movements, turned his head, and saw Liu Qingning, who had changed into fitness gear, looking at him with some worry.

"Up so early?"

Liu Qingning came to him, "My biological clock is very healthy now."

"I know, but didn't you sleep very late last night? And at that time—" Tang Song blinked.

"Don't say it!" Liu Qingning's face turned red, and she patted his chest lightly.

Her palm was immediately stained by the sweat on his body, making her subconsciously recall her loss of composure last night, and she couldn't help but kick him again.

Tang Song chuckled and brushed her bangs, his fingers sliding across her cute face, slowly moving downward.

Liu Qingning subconsciously wanted to dodge, but was pulled directly into his arms.

The scent of male sweat mixed with hormones rushed toward her.

She bit her lower lip, her body trembled slightly, and even her voice became much thinner, "I'm serious—you just exercised too intensely, it's not good for your body."

Changing the subject, she said: "I'm asking you, I just saw you exercising for more than twenty minutes, it's too intense, it's not good for your body."

"It's okay, your boyfriend's body is even better than you think."

"I'm just worried about you!"

Tang Song lowered his head and kissed her, then suddenly lay on the yoga mat, pointed his finger at his back, and said in a relaxed tone: "Come on,

come up and try, let you feel the strength of your man!"

Liu Qingning was stunned, and soon understood what he meant.

She laughed "pfft," her eyes curved as she walked over and carefully sat on his back.

Her soft buttocks pressed against his hot spine, heat steaming, it was actually quite comfortable.

Immediately after, Tang Song's shoulder blades stretched out powerfully like a tiger leaping, up and down.

Liu Qingning's hands rested on his shoulders, feeling the explosive power surging under his muscles.

A near-primitive instinct quietly rose, making her heart surge with an indescribable touch.

After a long while.

She got off his back with some heartache, "Okay, okay, stop for a second, hurry up and drink some water to rest, don't push yourself."

Tang Song's movements slowed, he chuckled, and stood up.

The next second, amidst Liu Qingning's exclamation, he suddenly pressed her down onto the sofa.

His arms supported her on both sides, his gaze burning.

"What are you doing—" Liu Qingning was pressed under him, her gaze dodging, her voice much softer.

"Drinking, some water." Tang Song blinked and lowered his head to block her lips.

The sky outside was gradually brightening.

Amber morning light passed through the floor-to-ceiling window, falling on the intertwined silhouettes of the two.

The whole world was immersed in a gentle halo.

9:30 AM.

The black Maybach S-Class stopped slowly in front of Gate 1 of Shenchengwan.

The driver, wearing a well-tailored suit, got out of the car neatly, put the suitcase into the trunk, and quickly opened the rear door.

Tang Song looked down at her, "Aren't you getting in the car? I'll give you a ride."

Liu Qingning shook her head, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, "How old am I, still need someone to send me? I asked for leave yesterday, and I still have work to finish."

Tang Song looked at her deeply, but in the end, he didn't insist, just pinched her fingers lightly and let go.

"Take care of yourself, come to Yancheng whenever you miss me. I'll come to see you when I have time."

Liu Qingning smiled and took a step back, her hands behind her back, just like when she used to play hide-and-seek with him.

"Alright, don't make it sound like a life-and-death separation, it's just Yancheng and Shencheng, the plane takes a few hours. Hurry up and go, don't miss the time. Send me a message when you get in the car, and report in when you arrive in Xiangjiang."

Tang Song bent down and got into the car, looking back at her before closing the door.

Liu Qingning stood outside the window, waving hard, her eyes curved into two cute little crescents.

"Bye-bye."

"Bye-bye."

The car drove away slowly until a turn finally swallowed his figure completely into the streetscape of Shencheng.

Liu Qingning still stood motionless until her vision blurred and her eyes turned red.

She stubbornly raised her head, wiped away the wetness in the corners of her eyes, and turned back to the empty large apartment.

The slippers he wore were still casually left by the carpet; on the island counter was the half-drunk black coffee; in the corner of the sofa, the book he read lay quietly there...

Tears finally couldn't be controlled and gushed out of her eyes, falling onto the floor tiles with "pitter-patter" sounds.

A long time later.

She walked over, wiping her tears while earnestly tidying up these traces.

Standing in front of the north-facing floor-to-ceiling window, her gaze swept across Binhai Avenue, the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, and Shenyun Road, as if silently estimating where he was now.

"Ding-a-ling—" The phone ringtone broke the quiet atmosphere.

Liu Qingning looked down at the screen.

【CEO - Ye Hanwen】

She quickly put away her emotions and answered the phone: "Hello, President Ye."

Qingning Technology's president, Ye Hanwen, is a famous figure in the field of artificial intelligence and also a scientist.

He has made remarkable achievements in AI large models, multi-modal systems, intelligent search, and other directions, and is the core figure pushing the R&D and commercialization of Lime 3.0.

She had heard his name in college and had always respected him very much.

"Hello? Qingning, did I disturb you?"

"No, please go ahead."

"I originally wanted to talk to you in person yesterday, but you asked for leave. Now things are a bit urgent, so I can only find you on the weekend to communicate." He paused, his tone turning solemn: "Qingmi AI has now entered normal iteration, and next there is an extremely important project that requires you to personally lead the Qingmi AI team to dock."

"What project?"

"You know Xuanji Light Realm, right?"

Liu Qingning thought for a moment and said: "A holding subsidiary of Tang Yi Precision, focusing on AR glasses, very famous in the industry."

The reason she knew so clearly was because Liu Shuang was an AI engineer at Tang Yi Precision.

She had also participated in some software support. "Not bad. Their first-generation product is about to land, and Tang Yi intends to launch a new round of financing, and also hopes to introduce deep cooperation in more fields."

Ye Hanwen's words continued.

Liu Qingning subconsciously turned on the phone's recording button and listened intently.

Soon, her thinking was completely mobilized. Smart glasses, as a new generation of intelligent terminals integrating artificial intelligence, AR, and IoT technology, are brewing to become the next tech trend and the core node of interaction revolution.

And this is also one of the key directions for the application of Qingning Technology's large models.

With Tang Yi Precision's breakthroughs in MicroLED, chips, and computing power, Xuanji Light Realm has already begun to have a mature product form.

And this cooperation will be deeply empowered by AI to jointly create an epoch-making terminal product.

The more she listened, the more excited she became.

This is not only a key technical verification but possibly an opportunity for her to overtake on a curve in her career.

The reason she stayed in Shencheng and stayed at Qingning Technology certainly included considerations of guarding interests for Tang Song and understanding his past.

But deeper down, it was an indescribable obsession and stubbornness.

She had been the best since she was a child, confident to the point of being near-arrogant.

That's why she made the choice alone without informing Tang Song.

Having agreed with him to "meet at the peak," she climbed at her own pace without stopping for a moment.

Yet now she suddenly discovered that he was already standing at the peak, while she was still on the road to climbing.

That's why she stayed here alone, working hard without stopping, integrating into Qingning Technology, quickly building communication channels with the company's senior management, and mastering more core resources.

Because she always longed to fulfill that promise one day and make up for the biggest regret in her heart.

At least she couldn't be worse than Su Yu.

And "Xuanji Light Realm" might be that turning point.

However, Ye Hanwen's next sentence made her heart beat suddenly faster.

"Also participating in this cooperation is Tang Zong Entertainment. They will jointly build content ecosystem barriers and scene landing capabilities, and this part of the integration work also needs you to coordinate."

Liu Qingning bit her lip.

Is it finally coming?

Su Yu.

Yancheng, Qiaoxi District, Glimmer Coffee.

The glass door was pushed open gently, and a tall, plump figure stepped in.

A camel-colored suit paired with wide-leg pants of the same color, the silhouette was clean, and her figure was plump but not bloated.

Walking on the ground where light and shadow intertwined, she brought with her a relaxed atmosphere full of charm.

"Hello, welcome, is there anything you need?"

The waiter's tone was gentle, but his gaze couldn't help but look a few more times.

Wen Ruan's lips curled slightly, she leaned over slightly to look at the handwritten menu on the counter, her fingertips tapping the wooden edge, "Give me a Glimmer Cold Brew, half sugar."

At this time, there were not many people in the coffee shop; occasionally, two or three tables were occupied by people from nearby companies talking about business, and there were couples whispering in the corner.

Wen Ruan walked slowly to the window seat and sat down.

The folds of the trench coat behind her hung naturally, her plump legs crossed, her posture lazy but extremely charming.

She picked up the cold brew coffee that had just been delivered and took a light sip.

The aroma of nuts and chocolate instantly diffused in her mouth, the sweetness of maple syrup lingered on the side of her tongue, rich but not greasy, with a faint coolness in the aftertaste.

Wen Ruan squinted her eyes comfortably.

Her gaze slowly swept across the entire coffee shop, examining this brand-new Glimmer Coffee with great interest.

After all, she was the one who did the marketing plan, and she used to be very familiar with the structure and atmosphere of the entire coffee shop.

Unlike the previous business coffee shops, this newly opened Youxiang store in Qiaoxi District was only 60 square meters, but it was warm and bright enough.

A few minutes later.

The shop door was pushed open again.

"President Xie!" "Good morning, President Xie!"

Several employees stood up to greet her.

"Tap, tap, tap—"

The sound of high heels hitting the wooden floor approached rhythmically.

Wen Ruan put down her coffee cup, raised her head, and saw that familiar figure.

Dark knit base, hip-hugging skirt, flesh-colored stockings, high heels.

Tall and slender figure, sharp aura, bright eyes.

The footsteps stopped in front of her.

Xie Shu Yu pulled out a chair and sat down elegantly, "Long time no see, Wen Ruan."

"Indeed long time no see, it's been almost a month, right."

Wen Ruan's red lips curled, her gaze falling on her exquisite but somewhat tired makeup, examining her calmly.

She had long known that Xie Shu Yu was a typical workaholic, the busier she was, the more excited she became, with no boundaries in life.

When they worked together in the past, she was heavily suppressed by this "female devil," but fortunately, now that their positions had changed, this paranoia seemed very cute instead.

Being busy is good!

Both of them belonged to the "older sister" category, and she was really afraid that this female president would snatch her "food."

Xie Shu Yu hesitated for a moment and said: "Tang Song is on a business trip in Shencheng, right?"

"Hmm." Wen Ruan raised her wrist to check the time and smiled: "He should be leaving for Xiangjiang by now, taking the high-speed rail,

arriving at 10:59."

Xie Shu Yu's movements paused, her expression a bit unnatural, "Hmm."

She had never been a qualified lover; she wouldn't contact him frequently, nor could she be concerned at all times. At most, she would report her itinerary every day,

and greet him a few times.

Of course, what truly made her awkward was that she was now talking about the same "boyfriend" with another familiar woman.

After a brief silence, Wen Ruan took the initiative to break the quiet, saying softly: "The new cold brew is really good, very delicious. The national branch plan for Glimmer Coffee is almost finished, right?"

Xie Shu Yu's gaze instantly became bright, "Yes, publicity is key, especially this time covering the whole country, I'll have to trouble Xingyun International to come forward."

This was also the core reason she took the initiative to meet Wen Ruan.

The previous cooperation was signed with Guangying Media, and although some resources could be mobilized, it was far less efficient than Wen Ruan coming forward personally.

Not to mention, Wen Ruan is Tang Song's girlfriend, and Tang Song also holds shares in Glimmer Coffee.

At this very moment, nepotism became the most effective weapon.

While speaking, she had already quickly switched to work mode, talking endlessly about the entire plan.

She even asked the waiter to bring paper and pens to write and draw.

More than half an hour later.

The conversation came to a temporary end.

Wen Ruan suddenly asked: "President Xie, do you have any plans for lunch?"

Xie Shu Yu shook her head: "No."

"How about we go to my house for a meal together? Let's talk slowly."

Xie Shu Yu was slightly stunned, looking into Wen Ruan's eyes, thoughtful.

Both are adults, and they are friends themselves, so she naturally understood what Wen Ruan meant.

This was wanting to get on good terms with her and build a "good connection."

She was silent for a moment and then said softly: "Okay, then I'll disturb you. From now on, don't call me President Xie in private, just call me by my name."

"Okay, President Xie." Wen Ruan responded solemnly.

Xie Shu Yu burst into laughter upon hearing her address.

The atmosphere became much more relaxed.

Wen Ruan was smiling on the surface, but she couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

She had no choice; she had to take the initiative.

Soon she would enter the Tang Jin Family Office, and next would be the "palace battle" facing Jin Dongshi and Su Yu.

If she didn't find some comrades to "resist the thunder" with her, she would really be a bit scared.

So far, she only had Lingling under her.

Although Boss Xie was a bit thin, her ability and character were beyond reproach.

Just at this moment.

"Ding-a-ling—" The phone ringtone rang.

【Administrative Assistant - Wang Dandan】

Wen Ruan nodded to Xie Shu Yu and answered the phone, "Hello, Dandan."

"Director Wen, good morning." Wang Dandan's voice was as clear and moist as ever, "Just received a notice from the Board Secretary; next Monday, the group will hold an extraordinary board meeting."

"Oh?" Wen Ruan raised her eyebrows, "What is the content?"

"It involves an important investment. 'Xuanji Light Realm,' a holding company under Tang Yi Precision, will launch Series A financing, and our group has the opportunity to participate."

"Tang Yi Precision? Xuanji Light Realm?" Wen Ruan raised her eyebrows, "What other companies are there?"

"Wait a moment." Wang Dandan flipped through the documents and replied after a moment: "Rongliu Capital, Deju Renhe, Tang Zong Entertainment, and Qingning Technology."

Wen Ruan took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently.

Good heavens.

She knew it, things weren't that simple.

Is this to expose more facts to Liu Qingning?

And by the way, form an "alliance" to force Jin Dongshi?

Are you kidding me? Can I not participate?

(==)

Shencheng North Station.

In the business waiting room, the atmosphere was quiet and orderly, occasionally hearing a few whispers and the sound of suitcase wheels rubbing against the ground. Tang Song sat in a leather seat in the corner, spreading out a copy of "National Geographic" in his hand, reading with great interest.

A staff member in uniform approached, bent slightly, and said in a gentle and polite tone: "Mr. Tang, the train is about to arrive; you can enter the station in advance."

"Okay, thank you."

Tang Song nodded, picked up his suitcase, and under the guidance of the staff, passed through the exclusive passage and the business ticket gate.

"Mr. Tang, your carriage is in the third section ahead, please walk this way."

"Please watch your step."

Walking to the platform area in an orderly manner all the way.

"Rumble—"

A low thunder rolled through the air.

Only then did Tang Song notice that at some point, fine rain had begun to drift in the sky.

A breeze blew, carrying a bit of moisture and coolness.

Tang Song looked up at the sky, took out his Bluetooth headset from his pocket, and put it on.

Double-clicked the touch area of the headset.

"BGM: Just because I looked at you more in the crowd, I could never forget your face—"

Faye Wong's unique ethereal voice slowly sounded, and "Legend" lingered in his ears.

He lowered his head, lit up his phone screen, and began to reply to unread messages one by one.

The surrounding passengers entered the station one after another.

Fine rain fell lightly, and the prompt sound that the train was about to arrive sounded in the distance.

Rain threads fell along the gaps in the steel structure roof, hitting the ground and making shallow water marks.

"Hey, Zhang Yan," Lulu hugged her backpack and muttered softly: "You say, besides doing this, what else can we do? Do you have any plans?"

"I, I haven't thought about it either."

"Sigh, forget it, when we get to Yangcheng later, let's go eat hot pot first. Make it spicy, maybe it will wake us up."

Zhang Yan hesitated for a moment and nodded: "Okay."

What she actually wanted to do most was to go back and pick up Orange first, then cook a pot of hot rice.

But she could feel Lulu's expectation, so she was too embarrassed to refuse.

The two walked slowly along the edge of the platform and finally stopped in front of the tail carriage.

Leaning against the pillar, they stood and talked in low voices.

Rain and fog filled the sky, weaving a hazy halo in the air.

At some point, a few little girls speaking Cantonese came beside them.

They were whispering and chattering, their tones filled with irrepressible exclamation.

"Hey, is that a celebrity?"

"His profile is really handsome!"

"He has more temperament than a superstar—"

The gazes of several girls looked straight in a certain direction on the opposite platform, and one of them was even secretly taking pictures with a mobile phone with a telephoto lens.

Lulu was attracted by the movement and raised her head curiously.

The next second, her whole person almost held her breath.

In the rain and fog, a tall figure stood on the opposite platform.

He was wearing a caramel-colored sweater and dark gray suit pants, his figure was straight, and his shoulder and back lines were clear.

His jet-black hair was gently brushed by the wind, and his outline was blurred by the rain.

It was as if he were separated from the surrounding hustle and bustle by a thin film, lazy and intellectual.

It looked just like a high-end promotional poster for an art film.

"Look!" Lulu poked Zhang Yan with her elbow, lowering her voice but unable to hide her excitement, "There's a super handsome guy opposite! Look quickly, it's really the kind you can't even dream of, it's absolutely amazing!"

Zhang Yan smiled shyly and didn't look back.

Instead, she secretly touched the two copies of "Dragon Ball" in her backpack, seemingly thinking about something difficult.

"Oh, don't be shy, look quickly! I'm not lying to you!" Lulu grabbed her arm.

Zhang Yan hesitated for a moment and turned around slowly.

"BGM: Dreaming that we could meet again by chance one day, from then on I began to miss you alone—"

Tang Song put away his phone and slowly raised his head.

"Rumble—"

A silver-gray high-speed rail drove into the platform.

The wind swept across the entire platform with fine rain.

Zhang Yan subconsciously raised her hand to block the wet wind from blowing into her eyes.

Her gaze crossed the tracks, separated by the station sign and the rain and fog, only seeing the outline of a dark figure gradually blurring in the wind.

Then, it disappeared behind the speeding train windows.