At the Beicheng Garden Community.
Click! Shen Yuyan opened a can of cold drink and gently placed it near Tang Song's hand.
“This year, over 2,200 short dramas have been registered for filming, and the market size is expected to reach 37 billion yuan by year-end…
“The rapid market growth has drawn significant capital inflows, with several listed companies actively entering the short drama business…”
With Shen Yuyan’s deliberate guidance, the conversation naturally turned to “short dramas.”
Tang Song listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a comnt or two.
He had so basic understanding of these erging short dramas, a new genre of storytelling. They were brief, tightly plotted, and featured diverse thes—perfectly tailored for fast-paced, snackable content consumption. The market potential was undeniably vast.
Xu Qing also joined the discussion enthusiastically. She had done her howork on the trending short dramas, especially as she was about to join a new company in the field. Her insights were detailed and well-organized, and she occasionally added a playful charm by pouting or helping Tang Song with his food, acting as the life of the party.
The atmosphere at the dining table was light and joyful, filled with laughter.
As the clock neared 9 PM, Tang Song took a sip of his chilled drink, looking at his two vibrant and lively alumnae with a smile. “Tonight’s dinner was excellent. I’m full and satisfied. Let’s now move on to the topic of investnt.”
He was very pleased with how the evening had gone.
Moreover, this investnt matter was tied to his personal Growth Plan Task, and it was ti to take the next step.
Shen Yuyan nodded, gently setting down her chopsticks.
After a brief pause, she looked Tang Song in the eyes and said, “First of all, Tang Song, I owe you an apology. U-Clean Dostic Services has attracted a new investor—an intelligent ho solutions company from Beijing that offers complentary services to our platform. Most of the other shareholders favor their investnt. So… I’m sorry, but I’m here to apologize for this matter.”
Under the table, she nudged her best friend’s foot, her bright, clear eyes filled with genuine regret.
Xu Qing quickly swallowed the piece of braised pork in her mouth and bowed deeply. “Sorry!” Her twin ponytails swung wildly, giving her a look of earnest sincerity.
Tang Song raised an eyebrow and, after a brief mont of thought, pieced together the underlying issue. “This is because the other partners have issues with , isn’t it?”
It wasn’t hard to guess.
From what Xu Qing had shared about Shen Yuyan’s entrepreneurial journey, along with his review of the business plan and Slover Trust’s due diligence, Tang Song had a clear understanding of U-Clean Dostic Services’ internal structure and relationships.
For example, Wang Ning, the university class monitor, was a minor shareholder but had a significant say as the technical lead.
Then there was the seed investor, Hou Shaoyuan, a wealthy second-generation alumnus who clearly had a romantic interest in Shen Yuyan.
With a new alternative investor available, it wasn’t surprising that they’d exclude him.
Shen Yuyan bit her lip and earnestly replied, “In any case, this is my fault. I’m sorry to have let you down.”
As one of U-Clean’s two co-founders, she could have persuaded Zhang Tianqi to support her and bring in Tang Song’s investnt.
However, to maintain team stability and pursue the promising future promised by Gongying Technology, she ultimately decided to forego this opportunity.
Tang Song shook his head with a calm smile and replied firmly, “It’s fine. Investnts are ant to grow alongside the company’s developnt and profitability. If the founding team has issues with the investor, that represents a significant operational risk. Even if you had accepted my investnt, I would have declined.”
The Growth Plan Task’s second phase, Capital Virtuoso, required him to complete three effective venture investnts to improve himself.
Tang Song had initially considered U-Clean after seeing their roadshow at an investnt conference and conducting thorough research. He saw the project as an opportunity to hone his personal skills.
As it was his first self-managed investnt, he hoped to gain returns, build confidence, and reinforce his growth trajectory.
If U-Clean’s founding team didn’t welco him, there was no need to force the issue.
Even for Xu Qing and Shen Yuyan’s sake, he wouldn’t lower his standards.
Hearing his words, Shen Yuyan felt both relieved and unexpectedly unsettled.
It was hard not to be moved by Tang Song’s confidence, composure, and sincerity.
Having such a partner would have been a dream co true.
She pinched her thigh, pushing aside these distracting thoughts, and straightened her posture.
What was done was done; she now needed to focus on completing U-Clean’s angel round. Securing funding quickly would allow them to expand, scale up, and eventually exit at a higher valuation.
“Honestly, the housekeeping sector has limited potential. I initially chose it because Zhang Tianqi already had an existing business. If you’re interested in investing, I can introduce you to a highly promising project.” Discover more novels at N0velFire.ɴet
“Oh? Tell more.” Tang Song sat up, curiosity lighting up his eyes.
Shen Yuyan pulled Xu Qing’s arm and said softly, “It’s the short drama company we just discussed. The company’s CEO and shareholders are my university classmates. Xu Qing is already set to join them after wrapping up her current job.”
Feeling the tug on her arm, Xu Qing nodded vigorously and pulled a business card from her pocket. “They’re alumni from our year, too. Really great people!”
Tang Song took the card.
"Ordinary Folk Cultural dia Co., Ltd. CEO: Guo Liyuan."
Shen Yuyan then gave a detailed overview of the company.
Located in Huan City International, the firm offered integrated marketing services and dia representation.
At the start of the year, they had ventured into premium short dramas to expand their content portfolio and create additional advertising opportunities.
The company was actively seeking Series A funding.
It was clear that Shen Yuyan had done her howork. Her analysis was thorough and objective, without excessive personal bias.
As the clock ticked on, Tang Song’s eyes grew brighter.
When Shen Yuyan finished, she smiled and asked, “What do you think? Interested? If I had the money, I’d likely invest myself. The odds of making a profit are high.”
After a mont of silence, Tang Song nodded. “It’s certainly a promising field. I have a good feeling about the short drama market. Yuyan, let’s start a group chat so I can speak with Guo Liyuan. I’ll need to conduct due diligence, but if everything checks out, I’ll participate in Ordinary Folk’s Series A round.”
“Great! Wishing you a successful partnership,” Shen Yuyan said, raising her drink in a toast.
“Thank you.”
Their glasses clinked lightly.
Xu Qing, realizing she was being left out, pouted and protested, “Hey, hey, hey! I’m the key figure in this deal, aren’t I? How could you two forget about ?”
Tang Song burst into laughter and raised his drink toward her.
Xu Qing imdiately brightened, raising her own mug happily.
Shen Yuyan gave her a playful knock on the head, shaking her head in exasperation.
After chatting briefly about Guo Liyuan, Tang Song glanced at the ti and bid farewell.
Since this was his first visit to their ho and his purpose had been fulfilled, it was ti to leave.
“I’ll walk Tang Song out,” Xu Qing offered, standing up.
“Take care on the way,” Shen Yuyan replied.
“Goodbye!”
“Bye-bye!”
As the door closed behind them, Shen Yuyan let out a long sigh, suddenly feeling a hollow emptiness in her chest.
She couldn’t quite explain why, but it felt as though she’d lost sothing precious.
Slipping on her slippers, she trudged to the balcony and opened the window, letting the sumr night breeze wash over her.
In the reflection of the glass, she caught sight of her blank expression and the empty room behind her.
She didn’t know why she felt this sudden lancholy—restless and uncertain.
Looking down, she saw two familiar figures.
Tang Song and Xu Qing walked side by side toward the east gate of the community, playfully tapping each other on the head. Their casual, natural closeness stood out.
For a mont, Shen Yuyan’s gaze grew distant.
Was she feeling unhappy because Xu Qing seed to have found soone she liked?
That seed the most likely explanation.
She and Xu Qing had known each other since junior high, bonding over ani and shared study sessions. They had attended the sa high school and university, nearly inseparable for over a decade.
Still, Tang Song was undeniably outstanding—his looks, deanor, and abilities made him a rare gem among their peers.
Certainly, far more reliable than Zhang Tianqi or Hou Shaoyuan.
She could only hope that this investnt would bring him success.
Biting her lip, Shen Yuyan tried to shake off her frustration, though the nagging sense of unease only grew stronger.
“Here’s good enough. My car’s just up ahead,” Tang Song said, stopping.
“I’m sorry, Tang Song.” Xu Qing clasped her hands in front of her, looking up at him with an apologetic expression. “Asking you to invest and then backing out… no matter the reason, it was wrong of to waste your ti.”
Tang Song suddenly stopped walking and, with a neutral expression, said, “What if I don’t accept your apology, Qingqing?”
Xu Qing froze, stamring, “I… I… what do I need to do for you to forgive ?”
She snuck a glance at Tang Song’s face, wondering if he was going to make her send him so flirty cosplay photos as penance.
Tang Song chuckled, stepping closer until they were nearly face-to-face. Her sweet scent, a mix of skincare and makeup, was intoxicating.
“How about this? When we take pictures next ti, you wear a few more cosplay outfits. Let practice my photography skills—like the characters you used to cosplay during school.”
Xu Qing’s cheeks flushed bright red. Shaking her head vigorously, she squeaked, “Changing outfits? That ans booking a room! No way… absolutely not…”
You sneaky Tang Song! You already have Little Jing obsessing over you, and now you’re dragging into a hotel? Absolutely not!
(⊙o⊙)…
Hearing the words “booking a room,” Tang Song’s eyes lit up—it wasn’t a bad idea at all.
“Qingqing, think carefully. I might soon beco a shareholder of Ordinary Folk dia. You wouldn’t want to lose your new job so quickly, would you?”
Tang Song’s amused gaze dared her to take the bait, his eyes practically saying, “Show your acting skills!”
Spending ti with Xu Qing always brought out his mischievous side.
She was fun, entertaining, and so easily teased. It was no wonder so many of their university classmates had dubbed her their “White Moonlight.”
Xu Qing pouted, her face a mix of grievance and resolve. Her gaze softened as she tilted her head, looking up at him.
His face was so close.
His high nose bridge, thin lips, and sharply defined jawline filled her vision.
The evening breeze tousled their hair, setting it afloat in the soft, amber streetlight.
The mont felt like sothing out of a romance novel—beautiful and surreal.
Caught up in the scene, Xu Qing unconsciously slipped into the role of a heroine. Looking at the handso male lead before her, she said in a gentle, shy voice, “Fine… I’ll agree.”
Tang Song blinked, feeling slightly let down by Xu Qing’s unusually compliant response. “Good. Once you’ve started at your new job, let’s set a ti.”
“Okay, I’ll listen to you,” she replied softly, her gaze unusually tender.
Tang Song studied her face, sensing sothing was off. Was she possessed or sothing?
After a brief hesitation, he reached out and gave her a light pat on her perky bottom. “Qingqing, are you okay?”
The sudden touch jolted Xu Qing out of her trance. Covering her burning face with her hands, she sputtered angrily, “You can’t do that! That’s harassnt! Don’t forget, I’m a certified legal professional. Watch out, or I’ll…”
You sneaky Tang Song! You dared to spank ! Ahhhh!
Before she could finish her protest, Tang Song waved two tickets in front of her.
Xu Qing’s rant trailed off, her wide, dark eyes instinctively locking onto the tickets.
The words “With Yu Concert” and “VIP Invitation” jumped out at her.
She gasped. “Are these tickets to Su Yu’s concert in Yan City? June 20th?”
“Yep. I rember you’re a fan of Su Yu. Here are two tickets. Do you want them?”
“Yes! Yes! Give them to ! Tang Song, give them all to !” Xu Qing nodded furiously, reaching out to grab the tickets.
Tang Song laughed, handing them over without further teasing. “Thank you for dinner tonight, Qingqing. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight! Drive safe! I’ll book a room and contact you later!” Xu Qing bowed deeply, her sincerity clear.
As Tang Song’s figure disappeared into the night, Xu Qing kissed the concert tickets with excitent. She jumped and spun, unable to contain her joy.
Hmph! Tang Song, you’re forgiven this ti—for Su Yu’s sake!
Yuyan, your best friend has done well! I can take you to see Su Yu’s concert!
User Comments
0 comments from readers