The bathroom in the secondary bedroom was filled with steam.

"Splish-splash—"

Jiang Yourong stood under the showerhead, letting the warm water flow rinse over her body, still slightly sore from the earlier exercise.

Yet her heartbeat refused to settle down.

Tang Song... Tang Song, he actually...

And Shen Yuyan and Xu Qing, they're best friends!

Oh my god! This relationship is way too messy!

Having lived for over thirty years, this was the first time she had encountered something like this in real life. The impact on this female professor, who had been deeply immersed in academia for years, was simply beyond words.

But beyond the shock, deep down, there seemed to be a sliver of morbid curiosity and a sense of thrill.

She shook her wet hair vigorously, forcing herself to shift her attention.

Looking down at her own body, the warm water streamed over her collarbone, flowed across the full, undulating curves, swirled briefly at her lower abdomen, and finally trickled down her thighs.

She had indeed lost some weight, and her curves were more toned.

But after all, she was at that age, and coupled with her easy-to-gain-weight physique, that layer of soft, pudgy flesh on her belly just wouldn't disappear.

Not to mention, tonight she had followed Xu Qing's lead and eaten three big scoops of Häagen-Dazs. The weight-loss diet plan she had stuck to all day had once again been declared completely bankrupt.

After finishing her shower, she dried herself off and changed into a loose, soft silk pajama set.

Sitting at the vanity to blow-dry her hair, she took a deep breath and picked up her phone to check the time.

9:50 PM.

Over at Tang Song's place... should be almost done, right?

After all, they've been at it for almost an hour and a half.

As soon as this thought popped up, it felt like a cat's paw was gently scratching deep in her heart, an itch that was hard to bear.

Almost as if possessed, Jiang Yourong stood up, placed her hand on the doorknob, and gently cracked it open a sliver.

The hallway was dark, with only faint, warm yellow nightlights glowing along the baseboards, casting long, blurry shadows down the corridor.

She stood at her doorway, waging an internal war for a full minute.

I'm just going to the kitchen to get a glass of water!

Right, I'm just thirsty, and I happen to be passing by!

She gave herself a flawless excuse, then stood on tiptoe and crept quietly towards the kitchen.

And this path inevitably had to pass by the heavy wooden door of the master bedroom.

Before she could even get close, a chaotic medley of sounds drilled straight into her ears.

Jiang Yourong stiffened all over, blood instantly rushing to her head, her cheeks burning hot.

My god! They're still going?!

And judging by the commotion... it's that intense?!

She bit her lower lip, not daring to make a single sound.

Not only that, she could faintly hear the conversation inside the door.

Qingqing, she...

And Yuyan, she's usually so aloof, so proper at the company.

How...

Are young people these days playing this wild?!

The impact of reality was a hundred, a thousand times more violent than any imagination.

Some pixelated scenes uncontrollably generated and played out in her mind.

She wanted to leave, but her legs simply wouldn't obey.

She just stood there stiffly, listening to the intermittent sounds from inside.

Her mouth hung open wider and wider.

She was, after all, a mature woman who knew what there was to know, but such an exaggerated spectacle was truly unheard of.

Is Tang Song made of iron? Doesn't he need to rest?!

She didn't know how much time had passed.

A sharp sound came from inside the door.

Jiang Yourong shuddered violently, almost jumping on the spot.

She covered her face, lowered her head, and hurriedly fled the corridor, rushing into the kitchen.

She yanked open the double-door refrigerator.

The cold air that hit her face finally cooled down her nearly exploding head a little.

She randomly grabbed a carton of chilled fresh-squeezed juice, didn't even bother with a glass, and directly chugged half the carton, "gulping" it down.

The icy, sweet-and-sour liquid slid down her throat, suppressing the restlessness in her heart.

But at the same time... it also whetted her appetite.

Looking at the fridge packed full of snacks, her hand uncontrollably reached out.

She couldn't help it, ate another small piece of Black Forest mousse, and popped a few cherries into her mouth. Only then did her wildly beating heart calm down a bit.

After finishing, wiping her mouth, Jiang Yourong finally came to her senses.

(TVT)

Darn it! The habit of eating when nervous struck again! I ate too much again!

My weight!

In the past, this fridge wouldn't have been filled with so many "sources of sin."

It was all because Xu Qing, that foodie, came over, and Shen Yuyan specifically stocked up a huge pile.

She hurriedly stuffed the remaining things back into the fridge and closed the door as if avoiding a plague.

Holding half a glass of water, Jiang Yourong prepared to return to her bedroom.

But the sounds she had just overheard, like a demonic melody piercing her brain, still lingered in her mind, refusing to dissipate.

She kept her eyes straight ahead, feigning composure as she walked quickly towards her room.

However, just as she passed that master bedroom door again.

A slapping sound came through.

Jiang Yourong's legs went weak, her foot stumbled, and she almost fell right there in the hallway.

She scrambled and crawled back to her room, "bang!" slammed the door shut, and immediately locked it from the inside.

Leaning against the cold door panel, clutching her chest, she gasped for breath in big, ragged gulps.

Crazy, crazy!

After calming down for a good while.

She walked to the desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down.

Opened her laptop, entered the password, clicked on an encrypted folder.

Started writing in her diary to distract herself.

The sound of keyboard typing echoed in the quiet room.

But as she wrote and wrote, scenes from outside the door involuntarily surfaced in her mind again, the rhythm of her fingers slowing down more and more.

Jiang Yourong bit her lower lip, sitting in the chair she unconsciously wriggled her full waist and hips, her clamped-together legs rubbing gently against each other.

The blush that had finally faded from her cheeks surged back up again.

After struggling and hesitating between desire and reason for a long time, she finally stopped typing her diary.

At the end of today's entry, with an utterly shameful heart, she typed the final two lines:

[In the end, I still couldn't resist, committed the mistake every adult woman makes.]

[Sin, sin! Amitabha! Form is emptiness!]

Save, close, shut down the laptop.

Three actions done in one smooth motion, as if finishing some guilty deed.

Jiang Yourong slowly shuffled to the bedside, threw herself heavily into the soft bedding, and casually switched off the bedside lamp.

Darkness instantly swallowed the entire room.

In the silence, a rustling sound of fabric rubbing together arose.

A moment later, a phone screen lit up in the gloom, emitting a faint, cold light.

It started playing the video of Tang Song's daily life she had recorded with her smart glasses.

Outside the window, the cold wind howled.

The rustling sound started again.

......

January 26, 2024, Friday.

The wind in Shen City carried a chill, the sky a pale, hazy gray without the sun.

"Ding-dong— Ding-dong—"

The faint sound of the doorbell seemed to drift into her dream from a faraway place.

Jiang Yourong frowned, turned over in the warm covers, burying her face deeper into the pillow.

"Ding-dong—"

It rang twice more, then stopped; someone must have opened the door.

Her eyes snapped open, she froze for two seconds before her consciousness slowly returned.

What time is it?

She fumbled on the bedside table, grabbed her phone, and pressed to light the screen.

7:45 AM.

It's already this late!

But it's okay, the [Xuanji Optical World] headquarters building is right next door in Shencheng Bay, within walking distance. There's still plenty of time.

She let out a long yawn, threw off the covers, sat up, and rubbed her messy hair.

She seemed to remember something, her face becoming somewhat unnatural.

After a quick wash-up in the bathroom, she changed into a relatively formal commuter outfit.

As soon as she opened the door to the secondary bedroom, her footsteps involuntarily paused.

Her gaze uncontrollably drifted towards the master bedroom.

The door was tightly shut, silent.

I wonder... are they up yet?

Last night's sounds uncontrollably started drilling into her brain again.

Jiang Yourong's face grew hot, she quickly averted her eyes and pretended nothing was wrong as she walked towards the living room.

After just two steps, an alluring aroma hit her face.

It was the charred fragrance of carbs, the savory richness of meat juices, mixed with the aroma of rice and the mellow depth of broth, weaving together into a scent that could most awaken the soul in the morning, drilling straight into her nostrils.

Jiang Yourong's nose twitched slightly, her whole body felt as if injected with a shot of adrenaline, and her stomach honestly let out a soft "gurgle."

She followed the scent towards the dining room.

Under the warm yellow light, a tall, slender figure was sitting at the dining table.

Tang Song was wearing a simple, solid-colored shirt, his hair slightly disheveled, a few stray strands falling over his forehead.

His posture was casual, yet it exuded an indescribable elegance and handsomeness.

On the table was a row of exquisite takeout containers, still steaming with heat.

Freshly cooked beef congee with poached egg, pan-fried turnip cake, Cantonese-style "fried two" (youtiao wrapped in rice noodle roll), a steamer basket of siu mai with crab roe, crystal shrimp dumplings, and bamboo-pole wonton noodles.

Under the dual temptation of delicious food and a beautiful sight.

Jiang Yourong almost uncontrollably walked over, her throat slightly tight, greeting softly, "Good... morning, Tang Song."

"Good morning, Professor Jiang, awake?" Tang Song looked up, seeing her, the corners of his mouth naturally curved up slightly. "Have some breakfast together, it just arrived, still hot."

That smile was warm and clean, warmer than the steam rising from the table, making one's heart flutter.

Jiang Yourong swallowed, obediently sat down opposite him, and picked up her chopsticks.

She only dared to take small, delicate sips of the congee in her bowl.

With the male god right in front of her, and being in a fat-loss period, how could she let loose and eat freely?

The atmosphere was quiet for a few seconds.

She suddenly remembered something and blurted out, "Oh right, what about Yuyan and Qingqing? Aren't they having breakfast?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it.

She wished she could bite off her own tongue.

Jiang Yourong, ah Jiang Yourong, why are you asking this?! Isn't this a classic case of 'protesting too much'?!

Tang Song's tone was flat. "They slept late last night, they're not up yet. Oh, by the way, Yuyan will probably take half a day off this morning, so she can't go to work with you. We'll go to the company together later."

"Didn't sleep well"..."take half a day off"...

These two phrases combined, the amount of information was simply explosive.

A tsunami instantly surged in Jiang Yourong's mind, last night's scenes flooding back.

"Oh... okay, got it."

She no longer dared to look around or let her mind wander, could only bury her head low, desperately stuffing congee into her mouth, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Hmm, gotta say, the taste of this morning tea place is really good, so fresh it feels like your tongue is melting.

Right at that moment, a crystal-clear, plump shrimp dumpling was gently placed into her bowl with chopsticks.

Jiang Yourong looked up, meeting Tang Song's smiling eyes.

"During a fat-loss period, you don't need to be too hard on yourself. Eating more carbs and quality protein for breakfast is completely fine. As long as you control your total daily calorie intake and place the main consumption during the day, it won't affect your fat-loss results."

Jiang Yourong's heart skipped a beat. "Thank you."

Tang Song smiled and proceeded to explain the logic of dietary pairing during fat-loss and notes on fragmented exercise suitable for office workers, all clearly laid out.

Jiang Yourong listened, a bit dazed, but a wave of warmth rose in her heart.

Actually, ever since Tang Song had Lele supervise her weight loss before, she had vaguely sensed that Tang Song genuinely cared about her health, it wasn't an offhand joke, he was very serious.

Now, early in the morning, he could still patiently explain these details to her, inevitably giving her some romantic illusions.

Her cheeks grew hotter and hotter. Using her own chopsticks, she picked up a piece of turnip cake, reached across the table, and gently offered it to Tang Song.

"This one is crispy on the outside, soft and glutinous inside, sweet but not cloying. Try it."

"Mm." Tang Song opened his mouth and ate it.

Right at that moment, a crisp system notification sounded in his ear.

"Ding! Halo charge has reached 100%, Halo Baptism has been triggered."

A thin halo of light sprayed down from above his head, like morning sunlight piercing through thin mist, dreamy and beautiful.

"Ding! You have obtained the wealth-luck type special item [Prosperity-Guarding Talisman]."

[Prosperity-Guarding Talisman]: A purple copper talisman meticulously cast using ancient methods, shaped in the ancient coin style of a circle outside and a square inside. The front is engraved with the characters "Shou Ye" (Guard the Enterprise), the back inscribed with the motto "Ying Cai" (Accumulate Wealth). The patina is warm and smooth, the form simple and ancient. Worn on the person, it can gather legitimate wealth, stabilize foundations, avoid unexpected risks in investments and operations, protect the household's wealth treasury to be full, and ensure career success. (This physical item can be gifted.)

[Note: Wealth comes from stability, enterprise is achieved through guarding.]

Tang Song was slightly stunned, instantly understanding.

It was the "Halo Effect 2" of the [Male-God Halo (LV5)] charging to 100%, triggering the Halo Baptism.

Calculating the time, it really should have reached the charging completion point.

His gaze fell on the system light screen before him. After carefully reading the description of the [Prosperity-Guarding Talisman], his eyes instantly brightened.

This thing came at just the right time.

His parents' birthdays were calculated according to the lunar calendar.

His father's birthday happened to be the second day of the Lunar New Year, and this year was his fiftieth birthday, a major milestone.

He had been pondering what gift to give.

This [Prosperity-Guarding Talisman] was just perfect.

It had meaning, wasn't overly flashy, and could be worn on the person.

Moreover, his father wasn't that old and, deep down, still had thoughts of making another career push.

After opening that hardware store, although he didn't say it, Tang Song could sense he quite enjoyed the sense of accomplishment from "doing something himself."

Now, with this talisman that could "avoid operational risks" safeguarding him, it would truly be foolproof.

Immediately, with a thought, he entered the [Character Center].

His gaze fell on the only UR card in the very center.

A light touch with his mind.

[Character Details]

[Secretary Jin (UR)]

[Status: Deep Sleep]

[Location: Zurich, Switzerland.map]

[Special Skill: Dream Link (Passive, currently available)]

......

Looking at that "available" status, a flash of heat passed through Tang Song's eyes.

Due to the time difference, it should be late night in Switzerland right now; Secretary Jin had just fallen asleep.

But there was no rush.

The skill was already completely unlocked, the key was in his hand.

He could push open that door anytime to see the Secretary Jin who haunted his dreams.

Tang Song looked at the exquisitely beautiful illustration on the virtual card, his mind conjuring up her image from that snowy night in New York, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifting slightly.

However, this scene, seen from the opposite side by Jiang Yourong, was another heart-stopping spectacle.

Tang Song had suddenly stopped talking just now, and then kept looking at her... chest.

And now he was still smiling.

He... what on earth did he mean?!

Was he hinting at something?

What should I do?

Jiang Yourong stiffened, could only pretend not to see, and continued stuffing small bites of cheung fun into her mouth.

Her heart was beating fast like a drum.

"Professor Jiang." His voice suddenly rang out.

"Y-yes!" Jiang Yourong jerked her head up, her gaze flustered and evasive.

"Why is your face so red?"

"N-no! It might be... the congee is too hot!"

Tang Song smiled, then said seriously, "Oh right, let me sync a schedule with you. Next Tuesday, I'm going abroad to Europe, then heading straight back to Yancheng for the New Year. In the short term, I'll be temporarily away from the company.

Regarding work matters, you and Yuyan keep a close eye for me, organize reports on key milestones, and forward any issues to me anytime. The President's Office currently doesn't have comprehensive staffing yet. During this period, I'll need you two to shoulder a bit more."

"Okay!" Jiang Yourong quickly picked up her phone, opened the memo app, and started taking notes seriously.

But a faint sense of loss welled up in her heart.

.....

After finishing breakfast, Tang Song went back to the master bedroom.

First, he collected the two torn JK uniforms, then kissed his two girlfriends who were still half-asleep goodbye, one after the other.

Xu Qing mumbled something, turned over, and continued sleeping.

Shen Yuyan drowsily opened her eyes, glanced at him, the corners of her mouth curved, then closed them again.

Tang Song smiled, washed up, put on his suit, and took Jiang Pangpang by car to the [Xuanji Optical World] headquarters building.

42nd floor.

Stepping out of the elevator, Tang Song's footsteps paused slightly.

He glanced sideways at the tightly closed door of the Chairman's office at the end of the corridor.

A meaningful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Last night, when Qingqing was being pinned down by Campus Belle Shen and crying pitifully, she had confessed everything—about Ms. Ouyang inviting her for tea, and wanting him to take her abroad to "inspect the yacht"—spilling all the details.

With his sharpness, of course he guessed Ouyang Xianyue's little scheme.

It was nothing more than still being unable to swallow her pride, wanting to find a shield.

The [Desire's Echo] item had dug up the deepest, most profound desire within her.

Sailing out to sea was that noble lady's most secret, most intense longing.

And a woman as supremely intelligent as her certainly knew that—issuing an invitation through Xu Qing would inevitably not escape his notice.

So, this was essentially a tacit compromise and probe.

The noble lady had finally been unable to bear it, taking the initiative to yield.

Her emotions had been stretched to the limit; that seemingly indestructible, dignified outer shell was already teetering on the brink.

The initiative had completely fallen into his hands.

The timing was just about right.

.....

Tang Yi Precision.

The lengthy transoceanic strategy meeting finally concluded.

Ouyang Xianyue pushed open the heavy solid wood door, casually placed several signed meeting documents on the corner of the desk, took off the slightly constricting suit jacket, revealing the silk shirt underneath.

She sat down in the large leather chair, turned on the computer, and accessed her private email.

Inside lay several in-depth investigation reports that had just been transmitted through special channels.

All were related to [Crown Bank].

This was information she had painstakingly pieced together over recent times, mobilizing high-level connections and intelligence networks in Europe and America, expending tremendous effort.

Apart from the meticulous analysis of fund flows like unraveling silk from a cocoon, what concerned her more was the dynamic assessment of the uncontrollable variable that was Anne Kate.

Recently, Crown Bank had been making frequent moves in European financial circles, even intending to integrate several offshore trusts.

Jin Meixiao, taking the opportunity of attending the Davos Forum in Switzerland, had already directly warned Anne and Crown Bank.

She naturally couldn't fall behind.

But these matters involved too many parties; the slightest misstep could trigger a chain reaction.

She couldn't directly ask Tang Song about his plans, so she could only quietly figure out the situation herself, bit by bit.

Just as she was pondering, the private phone that had been on silent on the corner of the desk lit up.

A WeChat message popped up on the screen.

[Xu Qing: "Sister Xianyue! All set! Tang Song has agreed to take me! It's next week! But he hasn't decided on the exact day yet. I'll tell you as soon as it's settled!"]

Seeing this message.

Ouyang Xianyue's gaze suddenly sharpened, her ample chest heaved violently, and even her breathing became somewhat rapid.

He agreed.

This meant that for that long-planned sea voyage, all the preconditions had been perfectly met.

Time was pressing; she had no extra time to hesitate or struggle.

So next... what should she do?

Ouyang Xianyue leaned back heavily into the leather chairback, tilted her head up, and closed her eyes.

In her mind, that dream that had tormented her for so long uncontrollably surfaced again—

the undulating blue open sea, the luxurious yacht isolated from the world, and that version of herself who had completely cast off all identity shackles, sinking into the waves and desire.

The images were too real.

As if she could reach out and touch that warm tide.

The reason and rules suppressed for years now seemed to be slowly submerged by the sea tide, difficult to maintain.

The hesitation and apprehension in her eyes gradually sank deep down.

Only a faintly ignited heat remained.

She suddenly stood up and walked to the other side of the desk.

There, a set of scholar's four treasures was always placed, used by her for quiet calligraphy practice and settling her mind.

She spread out a piece of gold-flecked rice paper, her delicate hand picked up a brush, the tip dipped in ink.

The brush tip hovered over the paper, suspended in mid-air for a moment, then descended heavily.

Before long, a wildly unrestrained, enchantingly written poem, "Yu Mei Ren · Fu Xin Qi" (The Beautiful Yu · Journey to the Heart's Appointed Time), leaped onto the paper:

"Heavy doors deeply shut, spring breeze quiet, / Through the eternal night, leaning on the railing, I reflect. / Flickering lamp shadows enter the layered city, / Secretly stirring between my brows and in my heart, ten thousand feelings.

Why need to probe shallowly whether your heart is true, / A single thought penetrates the vast sea. / Wait until clouds part, colors of clear sky blend, / Then let spring dampness soak through the peony red."

The final stroke ended heavily, ink pooling on the paper.

Ouyang Xianyue dropped the brush, her cheeks burning astonishingly.

This poem could be said to lay bare her longing, her compromise, and that secret anticipation without reservation.

Especially that last line, it was simply indecent, blatantly explicit.

If Tang Song saw it, her image would undoubtedly undergo an irreversible collapse, turning her completely into a languishing woman in a deep boudoir.

But she no longer cared.

Since she had decided to jump, she might as well burn completely once.

Burn until nothing remains.

After the ink on the rice paper gradually dried, she carefully folded the page and slipped it into an envelope.

The envelope was plain white, without any markings.

She had just picked up the desk phone, preparing to dial the internal line to have someone deliver it to [Xuanji Optical World].

"Knock, knock, knock."

A knocking sound suddenly came at the door.

Ouyang Xianyue's hand paused slightly, she quickly pressed the envelope under a book.

Her voice returned to its usual gentle, composed tone. "Come in."

Secretary Chen pushed the door open and walked in. Her usually steady face carried a trace of barely concealed excitement.

"Ms. Ouyang!"

"What is it?" Ouyang Xianyue's eyes narrowed slightly, keenly sensing something unusual.

Secretary Chen reported rapidly, "We just received formal emails from the Tangjin Family Office and President Tang himself. Next Tuesday, January 30th, President Tang hopes you can represent the Tangjin System and accompany him to Monaco for high-level closed-door discussions regarding comprehensive financial cooperation with Crown Bank and the establishment of offshore capital channels."

Ouyang Xianyue abruptly stood up, her hands braced on the edge of the desk, an irrepressible look of pleasant surprise on her face.

Monaco? Crown Bank?!

He was actively pulling her into the game?

Even laying his most core private treasury and trump cards directly before her.

And he chose Monaco as the negotiation location.

He truly understood her thoughts.

She had always been his most trusted person.

Secretary Chen, seeing her momentarily lost in thought, gently reminded her,

"Ms. Ouyang, how... should I reply to President Tang? He's still waiting on his end."

Ouyang Xianyue slowly came back to her senses, lifted the heavy book, took out the envelope pressed beneath it, and gently pushed it forward.

"Make a personal trip to Xuanji Optical World, deliver this to President Tang. This is my reply."

Secretary Chen didn't glance at the envelope, just solemnly accepted it with both hands and gave a slight bow. "Yes, I'll go immediately."

The door closed gently.

The office returned to silence.

Ouyang Xianyue slowly sank back into the wide leather chair, letting out a long sigh.

Then, an extremely rare, radiant smile slowly bloomed on her dignified, beautiful face.

This was probably the so-called... mutual journey towards each other?