"Hello, Assistant Shangguan." Her voice unconsciously carried a hint of respect.

"Yourong, am I interrupting your weekend rest?" The voice from the other end was Shangguan Qiuya’s, clear and pleasant yet carrying a touch of familiar friendliness.

"No, no, I’m just organizing some documents in the office."

"That’s good," Shangguan Qiuya’s tone was light and natural, "I just came over from the Imperial City, and I’m near your normal university. I thought since I’m here, I’d like to invite you for lunch, if it’s convenient? I’ve already booked the restaurant."

This sudden invitation made Jiang Yourong’s heart skip a beat.

She knew that someone like Shangguan Qiuya would never just casually or randomly invite someone for a meal.

"Convenient! Of course, it’s convenient!"

"I’m almost downstairs at your teaching building."

"Okay, I’ll be right down!"

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yourong took a deep breath, went to the mirror, and quickly adjusted her makeup and outfit.

After confirming everything was appropriate, she put on her tilted hat, grabbed her handbag, and quickly left the office.

Arriving downstairs, she immediately saw the imposing black Maybach parked by the roadside.

Beside the car, a tall, slender figure stood elegantly.

Wearing a well-tailored beige long trench coat, paired with a matching high-neck cashmere sweater, exuding a quiet yet undeniably strong presence.

"Assistant Shangguan." Jiang Yourong stepped forward quickly.

"Yourong, you’re here." Shangguan Qiuya raised her head, a perfectly timed smile on her face as she personally opened the rear door for her.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before getting into the rear seat of the car.

"Boom—" The car door closed. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The Maybach smoothly started, isolating the clamor of the campus outside.

Having met not long ago, Jiang Yourong was not as nervous as she was the first time.

Yet, looking at the extraordinary Assistant Shangguan beside her, her heart couldn’t help but surge with complex emotions.

Destiny can be so amazing at times. If she hadn’t left back then,

maybe now she would have a place beside Chairman Jin as well.

She chuckled to herself self-deprecatingly.

Jiang Yourong took the initiative to speak: "Assistant Shangguan, are you here in Yan City for important work this time?"

Shangguan Qiuya smiled and casually said: "Sort of, I’m here to attend a friend’s birthday party."

Jiang Yourong was somewhat surprised; she would never have guessed that someone of Shangguan Qiuya’s status would have friends in Yan City requiring her personal attendance at a birthday party.

Shangguan Qiuya did not linger on this topic too long, instead starting to chat casually with her.

They talked about her teaching life in college and the research projects she was currently tackling.

The atmosphere gradually grew more familiar.

Ten minutes later.

The car stopped outside a high-end private restaurant.

Entering the private room, the two sat across from each other.

Shangguan Qiuya suddenly seemed to remember something and asked casually: "By the way, Yourong, I remember you’re longtime friends with Ms. Xie Shuyu, the founder of Glimmer Coffee, right?"

"Yes!" Jiang Yourong felt a stir in her heart and immediately nodded, "We were college classmates and have stayed in touch ever since. Now we’re both in Yan City and are very close."

Shangguan Qiuya’s lips slightly curved upward, revealing a meaningful smile.

"Chairman Jin has always been interested in the new consumption sector in China. Smile Holding recently acquired full control of a boutique coffee bean supplier in Yun Province. The company has its high-altitude plantations and roasting factories, and with Smile Holding’s support, they’ve formed a strong beverage research and development team."

She paused, her gaze fixed on Jiang Yourong’s face, and slowly said: "I hope to convey a proposal to President Xie through you. We can become Glimmer Coffee’s exclusive raw material suppliers for the future. Moreover, our research team can also engage in deep collaboration with her to jointly develop new products suitable for the domestic market."

"This... this is certainly a good thing!" Jiang Yourong suppressed her inner shock, trying to keep her voice calm, "I’m sure Shuyu will be very interested."

Shangguan Qiuya nodded and continued: "Additionally, Chairman Jin mentioned that the supplier company plans to establish an ’AI Intelligent Quality Control and Flavor Development Laboratory’ in the future, which will require technical support from professional teams at universities. She thinks you and your team are very suitable."

This—

Jiang Yourong felt as though a huge current surged from her tailbone straight to her head, her whole body’s blood boiling in an instant.

...

Lanfeng International High-end Apartment.

The door of room 2002 was gently opened, and two radiant figures walked out.

Lin Muxue carrying her Hermes Birkin, was discussing Snow Candy Culture’s recent business expansion with Xu Ning as they headed toward the elevator.

With the official launch of the Yan Nan Short Film and Television Base, her talent agency business had developed exceptionally fast.

In just three months, the company had already achieved preliminary profitability.

However, what bothered her a little was that the company’s money was different from personal funds; it couldn’t be directly withdrawn for spending, only received as dividends or reimbursed through legitimate means.

But that’s not too bad; at least she was now a bona fide ’boss.’

As her thoughts drifted.

A tall and immensely imposing figure suddenly appeared in the center of the corridor ahead of them.

The corridor’s lighting was carefully designed to be warm-toned, angled down from the ceiling, perfectly illuminating the figure.

She wore a fitted beige knitted dress, which outlined her impressive curves, casually draped with a high-quality black cashmere long coat.

The simple color palette was transformed by her into a powerful presence that was heart-stopping.

Her features were distinct and stunning, like a Greek sculpture.

Her golden wavy hair cascaded like a waterfall over her shoulders, making her skin appear so pale it seemed to glow under the lights.

Lin Muxue’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Anne Kate!

She could recognize her instantly.

Not only because the other person was a member of the Gathering Emotion Gold committee but also because she had met her in the Lanfeng International Apartment where Su Yu lived during Su Yu’s concert, but she was just an inconspicuous little Xue, hardly speaking a word.

But why would she suddenly appear here?

As Lin Muxue was filled with uncertainty, Anne Kate stopped.

A pair of ice-blue eyes, as clear and cold as Siberian ice lakes, directly shot over.

It was a higher-dimensional scrutiny.

Calm, indifferent, yet carrying a soul-piercing sense of coercion.

Lin Muxue stopped as well, breathing somewhat tense.

She knew some background information about the other person; one of the heirs of the United States’ Kate family, a real world-class beautiful and rich girl.

Their eyes met.

Lin Muxue forced herself to calm down, maintaining a suitable smile on her face, "Hello, Ms. Kate, what a coincidence running into you here."

"Not at all, darling." Anne’s voice was light and carried a hint of lazy American charm, with an understated rising inflection.

Then, she stepped forward, leaning toward Lin Muxue, with a playful, mysterious smile on her lips.

"I’m here for you."

Lin Muxue’s legs tightened.

Oh my God (‵o′)凸! She really came for me, Emperor Muxue!

Moreover... Why does this voice sound so familiar?!

She instinctively held her breath, trying to search through fragments of her memory.

A blurred fragment suddenly emerged.

The last time Tang Song was on a business trip to Shanghai, when she called, the foreign female voice coming from the other end, mixed with pleadings and gasps, seemed... to be hers!