Chapter 665: I Will Guard Your Path

January 20, 2019, Major Cold.

Rongcheng.

A black Audi traveled along a quiet path beside Huanhua Creek.

Tang Song sat upright in the rear right seat, his posture elegant and straight, hands loosely clasped before him.

With a calm gaze, he admired the bleak yet dignified winter scenery outside the window.

Inside the cabin, the temperature was pleasant, and the air was filled with a faint woody fragrance.

"Tang Song," a calm and magnetic voice came from beside him, "my grandfather has already had someone investigate all your information. I also, following your instructions, selectively disclosed your connections with those capital groups to him. I am unclear what judgment he will ultimately make of you. Therefore, I hope that during the conversation shortly, you will be cautious."

"Mm." Tang Song nodded slightly, not surprised.

He turned his head slightly to look at Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue beside him.

At that time, she had just turned thirty-one, standing in the most beautiful years of a woman's life.

She wore a camel-colored double-breasted coat over a simple white turtleneck sweater.

On her person remained a trace of the scholarly air belonging to a graduate of a prestigious university, while she also began to gradually emit that kind of graceful and noble radiance unique to the matriarchs of top-tier aristocratic families.

In Tang Song's gaze, there was not a shred of desire or astonishment belonging to a young man, only the absolute calmness of a chess player examining a board.

Their gazes met in the air for a moment.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue exhaled lightly, actively breaking eye contact to look ahead at the iron gate drawing ever closer.

"We will arrive shortly."

At this moment, she was far less calm and self-assured than Tang Song.

Over the past two years, under Tang Song's guidance, Tangyi Precision had not only miraculously risen from the dead but had also surged forward with a nearly savage posture.

It was now one of the leaders in the domestic precision manufacturing sector and was striding boldly toward globalization.

This earth-shattering comeback had long attracted high attention within the Lady Ouyang family.

And just recently, Tang Song had privately revealed a piece of news to her.

The United States would impose a comprehensive blockade on the domestic technology industry this year.

Tangyi Precision must, before this storm arrived, complete the acquisition of overseas core technology companies and internal industrial upgrades at any cost to obtain sufficient capital to "survive the winter."

And this required the unreserved and full support from within her family.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue knew very well that without a reasonable explanation, she could never answer to the scheming elders within her family.

Therefore, just half a month ago, under Tang Song's "guidance," she had chosen to "confess."

She revealed to the family elders the existence of Tang Song, this mysterious "mastermind behind the scenes," as well as the background of his intricate connections with overseas capital groups like Smile Holdings and Jingwu Capital.

Ultimately, her grandfather, Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Chengping, decided to personally meet this mysterious young man.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue actually understood very well the worry and vigilance in her grandfather's heart.

He wanted to see with his own eyes whether this young man was truly a "genius" who could bring hope to Huaxia's technology.

Or merely a "proxy" pushed to the forefront by greedy overseas capital.

And the result of this meeting would determine what attitude her family would adopt toward Tang Song.

■

The car finally stopped in front of a seemingly inconspicuous Chinese-style small building.

The car door opened, and air carrying a chill instantly rushed in.

Tang Song stepped out of the car, glancing at the somewhat nervous Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue beside him.

A extremely faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth as he gently patted her back, "Don't worry, I have everything under control. Let's go."

Having said this, he elegantly strode forward with his long legs, following the attendant who had been waiting there, and walked straight into the small building.

Looking at his incredibly upright and reliable back, Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue's heart miraculously settled down.

Inside the study, there were no luxurious decorations, only rows of wooden bookshelves reaching from floor to ceiling, densely packed with various professional books and documentary materials.

Tang Song finally met the legendary Academician Lady Ouyang.

Nearly eighty years old, he wore a Zhongshan suit washed to a pale white; his figure was thin, yet he remained as straight as a pine tree.

Those eyes, looking out from behind reading glasses, were exceptionally bright, sharp as if they could pierce through the human heart.

He did not sit in the main seat but sat with Tang Song on opposite sides of an ancient chessboard.

The two began playing Go right then and there.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue sat quietly kneeling beside the tea table not far away, boiling water and brewing tea for the two men.

The scent of tea mixed with the quiet ink fragrance in the study, permeating the air; on the chessboard, black and white stones fought in an inseparable struggle.

As they placed their stones, the two discussed the latest in quantum computing and artificial intelligence, talked about the difficulties in domesticating industrial software, and discussed technical bottlenecks in new materials.

Possessing the [Go Mastery] skill temporarily purchased from the System, combined with his current nearly "divine" state of mind.

Tang Song's chess skill had reached the realm of transformation; every move seemed plain and ordinary yet hid deadly traps.

"Click—"

As the final black stone fell, the game instantly settled.

Tang Song won the game by a margin of half a point.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Chengping remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "Young man, excellent chess skill, excellent temperament."

"You flatter me."

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Chengping slowly rose and walked to the wall adorned with a huge world map, gazing at him with profound eyes:

"Tang Song, your boldness truly surprises me. But have you considered that even if we achieve breakthroughs in a few technologies, the entire technical standard and financial system dominated by the West remains a high wall we cannot shake for now. Can Tangyi Precision smash through it?"

Tang Song stood and moved to his side, "That is precisely why we cannot focus solely on technology. In the next decade, the global landscape will undergo drastic changes. The chip blockade is only the first step; next comes finance, energy, and food. This is an all-around strangulation. Therefore, our only way to break the deadlock is to rely on our vast market and manufacturing advantages to construct a 'Pan-Asian Economic and Technological Internal Circulation' independent of the US dollar system. This internal circulation will be the most solid backing for our industrial upgrading."

His fingertip traced across the Eurasian continent, "And the heart of this new system is high-end manufacturing. Tangyi Precision's goal is to become the most powerful atrium within this heart. As for Smile Holdings and Jingwu Capital, they are the levers I use to pry open the initial resources for this new system."

Listening to this grand yet logically rigorous vision, the doubt in Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Chengping's eyes was gradually replaced by a burning glow.

He fell silent for a long time, then sighed, "This vision is grand, but realizing it requires too much time and is filled with too many uncertainties; I fear I will not live to see it."

Tang Song looked at him, an incredibly confident smile appearing on his face, "Old sir, it will not take long. Five years, only five years."

"Tangyi Precision will become the undisputed setter of technical standards in the global consumer electronics field, completely shedding the label of an 'OEM factory'."

"Our independently developed industrial-grade chips will occupy more than 30% of the entire Pan-Asian market share."

"And in the field of artificial intelligence, our independently developed AI large model will inevitably become one of the core engines driving the transformation of the next era."

"All of this, I guarantee, you will definitely witness with your own eyes."

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue looked at the back of the figure standing beside her grandfather, her gaze becoming dazed.

In that moment, she saw a kind of nearly "divine" brilliance on that young man who was only twenty-one years old.

It was an absolute confidence and control born from having seen through all the contexts of the future.

To be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him at the forefront of this turbulent, magnificent era of great change.

To witness it with her own eyes and participate in it with her own hands—she felt honored by it all.

And she would firmly "guard his path" for him.

On the way back.

Tang Song leaned back in the soft seat, looking at the street scenes flashing by outside the window, and remarked casually, "I quite like the scenery here; the climate is also nice. Winter is much more comfortable than in the north."

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue beside him turned her head and said in a probing tone, "Then... shall I help you build a residence here as well? You can come and stay often in the future."

Tang Song smiled faintly and gave a noncommittal "Mm."

Light ignited in Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue's eyes.

The car continued forward, gradually merging into the congested main thoroughfare of the city center.

At a red light intersection, the vehicle slowly came to a stop.

As if suddenly discovering something, Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue extended her slender white finger, pointing to a semi-old electric scooter parked in the non-motorized lane not far from the roadside.

"Look, that little girl, doesn't she look a bit like Su Yu?"

Tang Song turned his body slightly and swept a glance in the direction she indicated.

On the back seat of the electric scooter, a girl wearing a school uniform with her hair tied in a high ponytail sat silently, head bowed, unknown what she was thinking about.

Judging from the contour of her profile, that high-bridged nose and exquisite jawline were indeed quite similar to that female star.

But the temperaments of the two were completely different; this girl carried a suppressed, nearly gloomy coldness about her.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue withdrew her gaze and mentioned casually, "Su Yu sent me a message yesterday. She wants to meet you once and asked when you would be convenient."

Tang Song lowered his head to look at the watch on his wrist, his tone devoid of any ripple, as cold as if discussing official business unrelated to himself.

"Tell her to contact Smile to schedule an appointment."

"...emm, okay, I understand."

The green light turned on, and the car slowly started moving.

Just at the instant the two vehicles passed each other, Tang Song vaguely heard the impatient voice of the mother in front of the electric scooter, heavy with a Sichuan accent:

"You dead girl! All you know how to do is give me a stinky face every day! You don't study hard, you fight with classmates, and the Gaokao is coming soon! If you don't get into a good university, you'll have plenty to cry about later—"

The car window glass slowly rose, gradually isolating that piercing voice from the outside.

The black Audi A8L finally came to a steady stop under the corridor of a hotel in the center of Rongcheng.

Tang Song was the first to step out of the car.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue followed closely behind.

The instant they had just steadied themselves, hurried footsteps approached.

Secretary Jin, dressed in standard professional attire, appeared before them.

"President Tang, did everything go smoothly?"

"Mm, no problems." Tang Song nodded lightly.

Secretary Jin immediately shifted her gaze to Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue.

A flawless, formulaic smile graced her face: "Ms. Lady Ouyang, you've worked hard. From now on, I will take over Mr. Tang's itinerary."

Looking at this exquisitely beautiful Director Jin, Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue returned a perfect smile of her own. "No need for such courtesy. After all, this is Tang Song's first formal visit to my grandfather; by both sentiment and reason, I should accompany him personally. Let's go; I'll lead you inside."

Their gazes collided silently in the air.

Secretary Jin said nothing more, merely nodding slightly before turning gracefully, her long legs striding forward as she led the way into the hotel.

Her high heels struck the polished floor with a rhythmic cadence.

The firm, heart-shaped buttocks, perfectly outlined by her dark hip-hugging skirt, swayed in an arc of ultimate temptation.

Clearly ringing in Tang Song's ears came the system's notification: ["Secretary Jin" Favorability -1].

He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

At this moment, his attention had just shifted away from Tang Zong Entertainment and Su Yu.

Secretary Jin clearly still harbored some resentment from their recent "cold war" toward him.

The reason she had taken the trouble to come to Rongcheng this time to "guard" him was, of course, concern for his safety.

After all, the person they were about to meet held an identity that was far too special, and regarding Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue and the unfathomable family behind her, Secretary Jin always maintained a deep sense of vigilance.

Tang Song, however, made no move to correct the friction between them, nor did he intend to expose these underlying tensions.

He knew very well that for any massive power structure to maintain long-term vitality and stability, its interior could absolutely not be a realm of perfect harmony.

Moreover, by April 2023, he himself would undergo a tremendous transformation.

Only through competition, contradiction, and checks and balances

could this giant ship forever sail on the correct course.

Indeed, if necessary, he would even personally manufacture conflicts.

Returning to the presidential suite on the hotel's top floor, the three of them chatted for over another hour about the future strategic synergy between Tang Yi Precision and Smile Holdings.

Future strategic synergy work.

They also shared a meal together.

Only then did Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue finally rise to take her leave.

After seeing her off, Tang Song walked over in front of Secretary Jin.

Extending his hand, he naturally helped adjust the collar of her silk shirt. "You look incredibly beautiful today; this outfit suits you very well, and I like it a lot. Come shopping with me tonight; we can also taste some of Rongcheng's delicacies."

No special expression appeared on Jin Meixiao's face; not even her eyelashes trembled.

"Understood, Mr. Tang. I will contact the security team immediately to plan the route."

["Secretary Jin" Favorability +2]

It was the Spring Festival of 2019.

His white moonlight was so busy preparing for the "Internet+" Entrepreneurship Competition that she could barely catch her breath, staying in their hometown for only a short week.

On New Year's Eve, after finishing the reunion dinner,

Tang Song came alone to the county seat of Jing County, walking shoulder to shoulder with Liu Liu Liu Qingning, who had also secretly slipped out of her home, along the deserted streets.

When had it started? Fine, fragmented snowflakes began drifting down from the sky.

The dim yellow light of the streetlamps illuminated the falling snowflakes, resembling a grand, silent fireworks display.

Right there in this world belonging only to the two of them, Liu Liu Liu Qingning suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around.

Looking at him, her eyes, which always seemed to hold a spark, were now filled with seriousness and expectation:

"Tang Song, we'll soon be seniors; do you have any plans?"

Tang Song smiled, looking at the tip of her nose reddened by the cold, his own face reflecting boundless reverie about the future:

"To the Imperial Capital; I think I should be able to get into the Imperial Capital University for my graduate studies."

Hearing this answer, an incomparably brilliant smile instantly bloomed on his white moonlight's face.

It was brighter than the fireworks in the sky.

She let out an "Ah!" of excitement, spread her arms, and jumped directly onto his back.

Then, she stuffed her icy hands into the warmth of his nape, speaking with a tone full of certainty: "Then it's a deal! I'll wait for you in the Imperial Capital!"

"Mm, wait for me to come and join you."

"Giddy up!"

Liu Liu Liu Qingning gently nudged his leg with her foot, clad in snow boots.

On the snowy ground, a long trail of footprints, varying in depth, was left behind.

Laughter echoed through that snow-swept, incredibly beautiful New Year's Eve.

Time thereafter seemed to pass with exceptional speed.

Under Tang Song's maneuvering, a lightning-fast M&A campaign targeting precision manufacturing and optical enterprises with core technologies across the global scope officially commenced.

He too began to become truly busy.

Consequently, the time he spent at school grew shorter and shorter.

But even so, many familiar figures still appeared within his fragments of memory.

For instance, Zhang Yan, who occasionally flashed through his mind; at that time, she should still have been striving to catch up to his footsteps.

For instance, that meteoric figure who was the absolute focus of the campus wherever she went, the great school beauty Shen Shen Shen Yuyan.

And then there was Sister Sister Qingqing, his future cosplayer girlfriend, dorky and cute.

Tang Song's interactions with her were actually not few; at Lu Lu Ziming's birthday party, in the crowded throngs of the school cafeteria, and even in the same elective lecture hall—only back then, Xu Qing was extremely tsundere and had not noticed him, a small transparent figure.

The latter half of 2019, senior year.

After repeated weighing and deduction,

Tang Song ultimately abandoned his plan to pursue graduate studies.

He chose to join Meigou Technology, this foreign trade unicorn that was rapidly rising.

He opted for a more direct approach to fully cope with the immense technological and financial transformations about to arrive.

On the day he learned of this decision, his white moonlight, who was so busy she couldn't even find space to put her feet down on the other end of the phone, fell silent for a long time.

She still took three days of leave to rent an apartment for him in Tiantongyuan.

That secondary bedroom, barely a dozen square meters, was tidied up neatly by her, filled with the breath of life.

On the first night Tang Song moved in, the two sat in the living room, talking about many, many things.

His white moonlight spoke excitedly about the potential of artificial intelligence to change the world, about the brilliant prospects of Shixing Century Zhixue, and also about the immense value of Meigou Technology as a "unicorn."

She strove, using all her knowledge and passion, to paint for him a blueprint of an incredibly beautiful future.

On her face existed both comfort and encouragement for him, as well as a tremendous expectation that "we will ultimately meet at the same summit."

And so, life with his white moonlight in the Imperial Capital began.

After starting work, although both became increasingly busy, they still maintained the closest contact, sharing every little detail of their lives with each other.

And to better coordinate with him, Secretary Jin personally served as the Chairman of Meigou Technology.

On the surface,

Secretary Jin was the company Chairman, while Tang Song was an ordinary programmer.

But in private, Secretary Jin would always change the style and color of her stockings according to his preferences.

Then, in that exclusive Chairman's office located on the top floor, she would await his instructions.

This could be considered a little tacit amusement between the two of them.

It was precisely during these days that seemed calm on the surface but were actually turbulent beneath.

Every morning, on that crowded Subway Line 5, the figure of Zhang Yan began to repeatedly appear in Tang Song's memories.

She always carried a conspicuous red backpack, standing quietly on the right side of Car Door Number 11.

That happened to be the position where he habitually stood after boarding the train each time.

■

The newly established Tang Jin Family Office began to exert its strength.

London, Singapore, Tokyo—one office after another landed like chess pieces in the heart of major global financial centers.

They precisely liquidated their positions on the eve of the tech stock bubble burst and profited by shorting stock index futures;

then, at the peak of market panic, they aggressively bought the dip on core assets:

In 2019, they placed heavy bets on commodities, enjoying the bull market frenzy brought by the global monetary easing of 2020, ultimately completing an epic-level wealth transfer of global high-quality core assets.

At the same time,

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue demonstrated the powerful capabilities of a top-tier entrepreneur.

Leading the team personally, she spent a year and a half, sparing no cost, to thoroughly digest, absorb, and reorganize all the acquired technology systems from different countries.

By the end of 2020,

a brand new version 2.0 of Tang Yi Precision, possessing complete independent intellectual property rights and covering the entire industrial chain from core materials and precision optics to intelligent manufacturing,

was officially announced to be born.

Simultaneously, in North China, the Pearl River Delta, and the Yangtze River Delta, dozens of supporting supply chain factories controlled or partially owned by Tang Yi Precision rose from the ground.

Tightly revolving around the core of Tang Yi Precision, they formed an efficient and stable industrial closed loop.

The character cultivation mission for [Precision Queen - Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue] reached its conclusion.

On the day of her great success, there was no victory banquet, nor any press conference.

Tang Song flew alone to Shencheng.

In the Chairman's office of Tang Yi Precision, he gently pushed a box crafted from a single piece of golden nanmu wood in front of Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue.

Inside the box was the physical item reward Tang Song had just received from the system—the [Moon's Protection] Necklace.

The pendant on the necklace was a curved crescent moon, meticulously carved from a single piece of mutton-fat white jade.

The jade was warm, smooth, and flawless in its purity.

Under the lights, it emitted a soft, holy halo, as if a handful of moonlight had been plucked directly from the sky.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue looked at him, genuine emotion flowing in her eyes.

Tang Song said nothing, gently lifting the necklace from its box.

He moved behind her and personally fastened it around her neck.

The cool chain and the warm jade pendant rested lightly against the warm skin of her neck.

Lady Ouyang Lady Ouyang Xianyue slowly closed her eyes.

November 1, 2020, Halloween.

After a busy day, Bai Yueguang dragged him out of his rental apartment without explanation, rushing him to Sanlitun to participate in the Halloween fan celebration there.

In that square filled with strange costumes, monster cosplayers, and the laughter of young fans.

Liu Liu Liu Qingning spoke to him mysteriously, saying she would perform a magic trick that would "bring good luck."

Then, just like that, she stood before him chanting spells and dancing with her hands and feet.

While he wasn't paying attention, she quietly slipped a carefully prepared gift box into his backpack.

She repeatedly instructed him to wait until he got home before opening it.

That night, back in his small rental apartment, he opened the gift box.

Lying quietly inside was the latest Huawei Mate 40, brand new at the time.

It was the first day of sales; due to chip shortages and other reasons, this phone held special significance then, selling out instantly upon release, with long queues forming outside physical stores and scalpers driving the price of a single unit up to over ten thousand Zhao Yuan.

She had specifically asked a classmate working at Huawei to help her secure one for him in advance, which was no easy feat.

On the eve of Christmas 2020, the signing ceremony.

Tang Song and Secretary Jin stood side by side before the iconic Charging Bull statue on Wall Street.

Fine snowflakes fell silently from the gray sky over Manhattan.

Around them were financial elites in wool coats, hurrying about their business.

"Click—"

Qin Qin Yingxue, holding a DSLR camera, pressed the shutter, freezing this moment forever.

This photo was to celebrate the official establishment of the global headquarters of the [Tang-Jin Family Office].

Secretary Jin took the camera to view the photo just taken.

On the screen, against the backdrop of wind, snow, and Wall Street, her figure and Tang Song's appeared serene and powerful.

A smile mixing pride and satisfaction appeared on her face.

Their story had now taken its place at the world's table.

From this day forward, the [Tang-Jin Family Office] officially entered the public eye.

Like a massive boulder thrown into the deep sea, it stirred up towering waves within the global elite capital circles.

Night had long since fallen.

The main lights in the office were off; only the dazzling night view of Manhattan, resembling a river of diamond stars outside the window, streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling glass, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across everything inside.

Tang Song and Secretary Jin stood side by side amidst this fleeting brilliance.

The entire world seemed to fall silent.

"We succeeded."

Secretary Jin spoke softly, her eyes rippling with a dreamlike light.

In over four years, from a humble beginning in Yancheng to standing today at the peak of global finance.

All of this felt like a beautiful dream one dared not wake from.

Tang Song said nothing, merely gazing quietly down at this city of desire that never sleeps.

After a long while.

He suddenly turned his head to look at her beside him. "Secretary Jin."

"Yes."

"If, starting from some day, I become fat, unkempt, and no longer 'brilliant,' no longer the person I am now, how would you see me?"

His voice remained calm, betraying no emotion.

Secretary Jin tilted her head slightly, looking at his profile, which appeared somewhat blurred in the light and shadow.

After a moment, a perfect smile bloomed on her beautiful face.

"I will guard you."