Chapter 658: For You!

The message was very simple, containing only six brief characters.

Yet it caused ripples to spread across the surface of the tea cup in Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue's hands.

Her mother, sitting opposite, immediately noticed her intense emotional shift and asked with concern, "Xiao Xiong, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue shook her head gently, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. "Someone—very important—has returned."

Hearing her daughter's words and seeing the soft expression on her face,

her mother seemed to understand something; her eyes flickered as she asked tentatively, "Is that—Tang Song?"

"Mm." Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue nodded. "Moreover, he's coming to Rongcheng at the end of the month to accompany me in visiting Grandfather."

"This—" Her mother's eyes instantly widened. "He's coming to our home? Oh my, I must hurry and prepare!"

"Should I have the east wing room cleaned out? The one next to yours; it has a good orientation and is quiet—"

Her tone was filled with undisguised joy and anticipation.

Hearing this, Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue paused for a moment, then shook her head with an amused smile. "Mom, you're overthinking it; that's not what I mean. It's mainly that Grandfather has been mentioning him constantly; he wants to see him one last time before he passes. As you know, he is considered the young person Grandfather has admired most over all these years."

"Ah?" A trace of disappointment appeared on her mother's face, followed immediately by cautious words: "Xiao Xiong, actually, it's not just your grandfather; your father and I—we also admire him greatly. We both feel that this young man, whether in terms of vision, capability, or character, is truly extraordinary. Having such a—close friend gives us great peace of mind."

"Hehe." Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue was amused into laughter. "You two really know how to let your imaginations run wild. I am already 36 years old, and he is only 26."

"Do you think that's possible? Moreover, the relationship between us is not what you imagine."

As she spoke, she tapped the screen with her fingertip and replied earnestly and solemnly: "Long time no see, Tang Song."

After sending the message, she gently exhaled.

Even though she had already received a clear answer from Wen Wen Ruan, this direct contact from him personally felt completely different.

She gently set down the tea cup in her hand and picked up her phone.

Her fingertips slid slowly across the cool screen.

The last message remained from about a year ago, just before Christmas in 2022.

At that time, entrusted by Su Yu, she had sent Tang Song a message asking whether he would go to Modu for Su Yu's birthday.

However, that message had vanished like a stone sinking into the sea, receiving no reply whatsoever.

Just as he had said when he left back then, he intended to act even more decisively than imagined.

Come to think of it, she herself had not seen Tang Song for a year.

"Buzz buzz buzz—"

The phone vibrated.

[Tang Song: "I'll arrive in Rongcheng tomorrow afternoon; come pick me up?"]

Seeing this message, a smile involuntarily bloomed on Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue's face, and she quickly typed: "Of course, as you wish."

Her mother sipped her tea lightly, watching her expressions and movements, her gaze thoughtful.

Their family had only first learned of the existence of the name "Tang Song" five years ago.

At that time, Tangyi Precision had already completed its most crucial round of financing and technological innovation, even aggressively acquiring a German optical lens company.

It had also secured the core OEM business of three well-known overseas technology companies in one fell swoop.

Becoming the hottest "dark horse" in the domestic technology manufacturing industry.

When they learned from their daughter Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue that a mysterious young man stood behind all of this, their hearts were naturally extremely shocked.

However, after mobilizing the family's power to conduct the deepest possible background investigation into Tang Song, they set aside their worries.

Tang Song's background was extremely clean, so clean it was almost inconceivable.

From his ancestors three generations back to himself, all information was clear and verifiable.

He was simply a young man from an ordinary rural family in Yan Province, with no special background whatsoever.

Yet it was precisely this seemingly unremarkable young man who managed to stir up bloody storms in the treacherous domestic and international financial markets.

Personally founding enterprises that would later become renowned, such as Tangyi Precision, Smile Investment (the predecessor of Smile Holdings), and Jingwu Capital.

More importantly, this young man was extremely important to their daughter, who had always looked down on others.

So important that, to ensure his absolute safety within the country, Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue had not hesitated to mobilize all the connections and favors of both the Lady Ouyang family and her ex-husband's family.

At the same time, he was the only member of the opposite sex with whom Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue had maintained a close relationship over all these years.

As a mother, she could not help but feel some anticipation.

After pondering for a moment, she could not resist asking the question that had lingered in her heart for a long time: "Xiao Xiong, then—what exactly is the relationship between you two now?"

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue paused, about to say something.

But suddenly she stopped.

Her white, delicate fingers unconsciously swept lightly across the cool phone screen, her gaze slightly unfocused.

What relationship?

It seemed she had never seriously considered this question.

★￠O

To call them elder and junior? That was absurd. Although Tang Song was respectful before her, he had never shown the slightest trace of awe. Their interactions were also dominated by him.

To call them friends? Yet it seemed to go far beyond that.

Perhaps—they could be called soulmates?

This term made even she herself feel somewhat affected.

Her thoughts drifted involuntarily back to nine years ago.

That year, not yet 27, she had just newly wed when her husband passed away due to an accident.

To escape the complicated, suffocating internal struggles within the family, and to find an outlet where she could devote herself wholeheartedly,

she voluntarily took over the mess her husband had left behind: Xinkaihang.

It was a precision instrument company that had once been glorious but was now burdened with heavy debts.

Due to outdated technology, broken capital chains, and intensified market competition, Xinkaihang was on the verge of bankruptcy; it had been her husband's greatest worry.

Although the affection between them had not been deep, as a wife, she still hoped to fulfill her husband's last wish.

Yet even though she exerted her utmost effort, mobilizing all her resources to rescue it, problems such as factory shutdowns, employee unrest, and a sharp decline in customer orders still surged in like a tide.

For two full years, she was nearly driven to a dead end.

At that time, her entire being was like a string stretched to its limit, about to snap.

And under such circumstances, Tang Song appeared before her.

That young man, only 19 years old, had clear and clean eyes, yet carried a depth of wisdom and serenity completely incongruous with his age.

At their first meeting, he gave her an indescribable sense of closeness, as if he were an old friend lost for many years.

With his support and guidance, she step by step pulled herself out of the abyss.

And personally forged the broken "Xinkaihang" into the vast and awe-inspiring technological empire of "Tangyi Precision" it is today.

There had been too many stories between them.

Now, she was already 36 years old.

Seven years of time, looking back, seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye.

The Tang Song of the past had always been indifferent, lacking the warmth of emotion.

In truth, deep in her heart, she very much hoped to have one candid exchange with this "kindred spirit."

For instance, regarding Jin Meixiao, regarding Anne Kate, regarding his future, true plans.

To remind him to beware of certain people.

She had far too many doubts and worries.

Over these years, she had countless times wanted to raise them, but the Tang Song who interacted with her was too "aloof," too "self-centered," and too "untouchable."

And Jin Meixiao herself was the person closest to him, far closer than she was.

Many words, she simply could not bring herself to speak.

But now, he who had returned from his "tempering" seemed to have undergone earth-shaking changes.

Would the relationship between them also change?

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue ultimately did not answer her mother's question.

She set down her tea cup, stood up, and walked alone slowly into the courtyard.

In November, Rongcheng had long lost the stifling heat of summer.

The air carried a trace of lingering sweetness and coolness from the burnt-out osmanthus flowers.

In the yard, the hundred-year-old ginkgo tree had leaves that had turned completely yellow, resembling a spread-out, enormous golden canopy.

She vaguely remembered that the Lady Ouyang Xiao Xiong of those days had once tirelessly circled this great tree, gathering ginkgo leaves.

She raised her head, gazing at that sky where clouds rolled and spread out, high and clear.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, it seemed to gradually weave into a figure brimming with high spirits and radiant brilliance.

At 19, he had from the very beginning destined to stun her for the rest of her life.

"Tang Song, you don't know how much I anticipate meeting you tomorrow, the new you."

The night grew deeper.

In a high-rise apartment in Qingyang District.

The lights were bright, the atmosphere warm.

On the wide white sofa in the living room, Xie Sister Shu Yu leaned lazily, her pair of crystal-white beautiful feet bare, her posture casual and relaxed.

She wore a simple white silk shirt-dress, her pair of straight, slender supermodel legs strikingly eye-catching.

Under the cool-toned lighting, they glowed with an ivory-like delicate and moist luster.

Clutched in her arms was a cartoon pillow of Chibi Maruko-chan, forming a wonderful contrast moe with her current mature and sexy aura.

In fact, born in '91, she had once been an animation fan herself.

She especially loved *Chibi Maruko-chan* and *Inuyasha*.

On this point, Meng Ran shared many common topics with her.

The two of them had once made a promise that once they earned money, they would travel together to Shizuoka City in the Land of Cherry Blossoms.

To visit the prototype school of Chibi Maruko-chan.

It was just that now, they no longer possessed the state of mind and feelings they once had.

Meng Ran held a bottle of cocktail, sitting opposite Xie Shu.

That face, which always carried a hint of competence and sharpness, was written all over with fan-like adoration and longing.

"—Truly, Li Xiaoyu, I genuinely feel that Ms. Lady Ouyang is the true idol for all female entrepreneurs of our era."

"Not only did she, by her own strength, elevate [Tang Yi Precision] to the global pinnacle, but she also made immense contributions to our nation's tech innovation industry—"

Xie Shu listened quietly, occasionally smiling and echoing a word of agreement.

She knew that this friend of many years had always regarded Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue as her ultimate idol.

She had even deliberately imitated Ms. Lady Ouyang's most classic medium-short hairstyle from the past.

Such a woman was indeed worthy of everyone's respect.

Of course, if one had to compare, deep in Xie Shu's heart, she actually admired Director Jin even more.

After all, Ms. Lady Ouyang's family background was too prominent; for instance, her uncle was the current top leader of Sichuan Province.

On her path to success, while there was certainly her own effort and talent, she had inevitably also received the protection and lifting power of her family.

Whereas Director Jin was even more legendary, younger, and more awe-inspiring.

She seemed to have truly started from nothing, relying solely on her own strength to create the vast and mysterious empire of [Smile Holdings] in just a few short years.

Just then.

"Ding-ling-ling," the mobile phone Xie Shu had placed on the coffee table suddenly rang.

[Zhao Ying]

Meng Ran immediately stopped speaking, leaned her body forward slightly, her gaze becoming focused, and asked in a lowered voice: "Is that the Deputy Secretary-General of the Catering Association?"

"Mm." Xie Shu responded with a sound, answered the call, and pressed the speakerphone button.

A warm, middle-aged female voice came from the speaker: "Oh, President Xie! I hope I'm not disturbing your rest?"

Xie Shu spoke in a gentle tone: "Secretary-General Zhao is too polite; if you are looking for me, I have time anytime."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhao Ying finally got to the main point, her tone becoming strictly "business-like."

"It's like this, President Xie. Recently, our association received reports from several member units stating that the fire safety and food safety permits for a few new stores of our [Glimmer Coffee] seem to still be going through procedures? So we wanted to confirm with you whether the association needs to step in to help coordinate?"

Xie Shu's expression remained unchanged, and she still smiled as she responded: "Thank you for Secretary-General Zhao's concern. Our [Glimmer Coffee]

has always operated legally and in compliance with regulations; the licenses for all our stores are being processed simultaneously according to the strictest standards. However, since the association is so concerned, I will have my legal colleagues send you a copy of the relevant progress documents later for your records."

They chatted for a few more sentences.

Then hung up the phone.

Xie Shu sighed helplessly, rubbing her sore brow center.

This was not the first one.

Just an hour ago, a sales manager from New Hope Dairy, whom [Glimmer Coffee] had previously contacted, had also personally reached out to her, beating around the bush about Zhongshu Group and Coffee Time, his words filled with implications.

The influence of [Zhongshu Group] was like an invisible net, having long permeated every corner of this region.

And Chen Hao was using this net to exert pressure on her.

Meng Ran's expression also became grave.

"Li Xiaoyu, looking at it now, if you want [Glimmer Coffee] to develop smoothly in the southwest region, relying solely on your own strength will likely be very difficult.

If you don't want to be meddled with by Zhongshu Group, you must introduce a more powerful capital partner, one with a complete ecosystem and absolute strength, a capital that can shield you.

Otherwise, as Glimmer grows bigger and bigger in the future, all sorts of troubles will still come knocking."

Xie Shu nodded.

This situation was actually very common in business; this was also why many companies that clearly lacked no money and had healthy cash flows would still actively accept financing.

They often even introduced multiple investment institutions with different backgrounds simultaneously.

This was not just for the money, but also to introduce the resources, connections, and "protective umbrella" behind the shareholders.

Forming a community of shared interests to jointly resist external risks.

The two exchanged words in low voices for a while.

Meng Ran looked at her and suddenly asked: "What about that mysterious boyfriend of yours? When is he coming?"

"The specific time isn't certain yet, but he will definitely arrive before the 2nd."

"I think you should have a good talk with him this time. This is no small matter," Meng Ran's tone became serious, "Being able to put up forty million in cash at once to support you, he must have some background, right?"

Xie Shu shook her head, "Regarding this topic, I have never asked."

She was an extremely independent person and greatly enjoyed the Normal Mode of interaction where they each possessed their own independent space.

She had never actively probed into Tang Song's privacy, such as his real assets.

"You really are something." Meng Ran shrugged helplessly, then as if thinking of something, asked tentatively: "Hey, by the way, where is your boyfriend planning to stay when he comes to Rongcheng this time?"

"Probably a hotel."

"How about—having him come stay here for a night? Just in the same room as you." Meng Ran's eyes rolled, "We've been good sisters for so many years; I really want to formally meet him, and also help you get to know him better."

She was actually very tempted by the COO invitation Xie Shu had mentioned, but her biggest concern was [Glimmer Coffee]'s

current instability.

Therefore, she hoped to meet this mysterious "Tang Song" in person, preferably to seriously assess his true strength.

In case she really changed jobs in the future, he would be her behind-the-scenes boss after all.

Hearing her friend's suggestion, Xie Shu's cheeks instantly turned red, and she hesitated somewhat.

Seeing her like this, Meng Ran seemed to have discovered some earth-shattering secret: "No way?! No way, Li Xiaoyu! Don't tell me—you two haven't slept together yet?!"

The corner of Xie Shu's eye twitched; she lifted her wine glass, trying to hide her embarrassment, "—Is this that important?"

"Of course it's important!" Meng Ran's voice rose eight degrees, her face full of disbelief, "Didn't you say you've been together for several months already? With a great beauty of national color and heavenly fragrance like you, he could actually hold back? Could it be he has some hidden physical ailment?"

"Get lost! Don't talk nonsense!" Xie Shu gave her a tap on the back, neither light nor heavy, "We just haven't had the time."

"Tsk tsk, oh my! Now I really want to meet this Tang Song; this guy is simply a divine person!" Meng Ran sighed with emotion for quite a while.

Then she said with great enthusiasm: "Dearest Li Xiaoyu, that's your boyfriend! Yet until now, you two don't even have a proper conversation once a day, and you don't sleep together even when traveling out of town on business; do you think this is normal?"

Xie Shu's expression paused slightly.

Meng Ran indeed had a point.

Between her and Tang Song, they truly did not resemble a normal couple at all.

Not to mention other things; having come to Rongcheng together, under normal circumstances they would definitely be staying together.

Thinking of this, although there was no great change on her surface, inside her heart began to pound wildly.

"Then—when he arrives, I'll ask for his opinion."

Just at this moment.

Xie Shu's mobile phone rang again.

[Inspiration Design - Cheng Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu]

"I'll go take a call."

Xie Shu greeted Meng Ran, picked up her phone.

Walking towards the bedroom while answering the call.

"Hello? Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu."

"Mm, it's convenient, tell me what's the matter."

"A lawyer? Did you encounter some problem?"

"Uh—alright, I'll help you find someone first, and push the contact information to you later."

Rongcheng Second People's Hospital.

At the end of the corridor on the sixth floor of the Inpatient Department.

Outside the window was the pitch-black night sky and the chaotic, crisscrossing rooftop lights of the city below.

Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu stood by the window, holding her slightly overheated phone, her lips dry.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the phone number sent by Xie Shu and dialed.

"Hello? Is this Lawyer Wang? Hello, I am Cheng Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu, introduced by President Xie Shu. It's like this; two and a half years ago, my mother purchased a two-bedroom apartment of 87 square meters in full at 'Harmony Elegant Residence' in Tianfu New District—"

She narrated the entire process of her mother buying the house, the property becoming unfinished, and getting injured while defending her rights as calmly and objectively as possible.

Then, she pressed the receiver tightly against her ear.

Listening quietly to the lawyer's professional reply, occasionally answering a few questions with "Mm," "Yes," or "Right."

As an unfinished property from this year, Lawyer Wang had obviously investigated the situation of Harmony Elegant Residence, making the communication very smooth; ten minutes later, she silently hung up the phone.

She did not return to the ward, but merely walked to a plastic resting chair in the corridor and slowly sat down.

Her mother's condition had basically stabilized, and she could have been discharged this afternoon originally.

But that woman lay in the hospital bed, stubbornly and throwing a tantrum-like refusal to be discharged.

Shouting that the developer's security guards had injured her, they must compensate money, and must return every single cent of the house payment.

Towards this mother, Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu truly had no way, and also feared she would do something irreparable wrong again.

Therefore, she had no choice but to steel herself to seek help from that President Xie, hoping to find a solution through legal means.

The result was cruel.

First, regarding compensation for personal injury.

In that chaotic scene of collective rights defense, gathering evidence was extremely difficult.

The best outcome, with high probability, would merely be the other party paying one or twenty thousand in medical and lost-wages fees out of "humanitarianism" to settle the matter.

Second, and most fatally, concerns that unfinished building.

Even if they spent time and money to sue, won the lawsuit, and the court ordered the developer to refund the money.

But the developer had no money; in the end, they would only receive a meaningless legal IOU, useless even for forced execution.

The worst, and most likely, outcome was this.

Once the developer truly went bankrupt, the order of repayment would make things even more chaotic—

By then, let alone getting the money back; due to property disputes, that house might legally no longer belong to them.

They just sat idly in the corridor for a long time.

Suddenly, a shout came from beside her ears: "Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu."

Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu lifted her head and saw her mother walking out of the ward.

Li Aunt Meihua's eyes, usually shrewd and fierce, now appeared exceptionally cloudy, filled with bloodshot veins.

She came to the side of the chair and sat down heavily beside Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu.

"Did you ask that lawyer kid? Can we—can we still get the money for that house back?"

"It can't be gotten back."

Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu pressed her dry lips together, as if stating a fact unrelated to herself.

Hearing these five crisp and decisive words, Li Aunt Meihua first froze for a moment.

Immediately, large, cloudy tears surged uncontrollably from her eye sockets.

She suddenly slapped the wall, "Damn it, you ancestors' planks! Those damn bastards! Turtle sons! May they be hit by a car the moment they step outside! Take all the money they swallowed and buy medicine! Buy coffins!"

She used the most vicious dialect to curse that heaven-killing developer.

As she cursed, her tears flowed more and more.

Her voice shifted from anger to sobbing.

Passing patients' families and nurses around looked over in their direction one after another.

Their gazes held either sympathy, impatience, or contempt.

Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu subconsciously shrank her neck, her body trembling slightly from shame and embarrassment.

Li Aunt Meihua, however, noticed nothing, pounding the wall over and over with her fists.

Like Xianglin Sao, she repeated endlessly:

"He told me back then how comfortable it would be! He said Tianfu New District would be Rongcheng's future new center, making it convenient for you to find a job later!"

"A subway was going to be built nearby, plus a park! I saw the renderings; separation of pedestrians and vehicles, good greenery, and even a small garden inside!"

"All five permits were complete! When we bought it, the building was nearly topped out!"

"How—how could it just vanish like that?! Why did it turn out this way?!"

More and more gazes from the surroundings focused on them, like needles pricking Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu's body.

She seemed unable to endure it any longer.

The disgust, incomprehension, and resentment she had suppressed for years toward this woman erupted completely in this moment like a volcano.

She suddenly stood up from the chair, turned around, and shouted in a voice nearing a scream:

"What house were you buying?! Who told you to buy a house?! Didn't you want to hoard that little money of yours until you died?! Why are you buying a house now?!"

"You damned girl! Wasn't I doing this for you!"

"For me again?! For me again!" Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu's expression was somewhat manic, "That's enough! Since I was small, was everything you did for me?!

You two went to work in other places, leaving me alone in the village as a left-behind child, and that was for me!

In junior high, you brought me to Rongcheng, letting me be bullied in that unfamiliar environment, and that was also for me!

When Grandma fell ill and urgently needed money to save her life, you clutched the money tightly in your hands and wouldn't take it out, and that was also for me!

Now, you've lost a lifetime of savings, and that's still for me?!

This is two million! Inside—inside that is also Father's death compensation!"

Li Aunt Meihua was stunned into silence by her daughter's barrage of questions, staring blankly at her as tears flowed even more fiercely.

Crying and shouting in defense, she said, "Wasn't everything I did for you? Do you know how I've lived all these years after your father died? We, an orphan and a widow, didn't even have a house of our own, having to live every day watching others' expressions! Wasn't I just afraid you'd suffer the same hardships I did?!"

She wiped away her tears, her voice taking on a crazy stubbornness:

"Your father back then fell to his death from scaffolding while building houses in Rongcheng. His greatest wish in this life was to have a house in the city and bring you here to enjoy life. I had no ability, couldn't keep him safe; I couldn't—I couldn't fail to keep you safe too! This house was bought for you; on the property deed, it's written with your name, Cheng Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu. How could I have expected—it would become unfinished—"

Hearing these words from her mother, Cheng Cheng Qiuqiu suddenly froze in shock.

Her lips trembled slightly; all her words were stuck in her throat, unable to utter a single syllable.