Chapter 9: Xie Shuyu

11:40 AM.

Tang Song stepped out of the taxi, sent a message to Xie Shuyu, and then looked up at the Yanbin Building in front of him.

It was a three-story detached building facing the street, with a dark gray facade accented by minimalist lines and geometric patterns, giving it a very stylish look.

Inside the large floor-to-ceiling windows, the decor was modern and trendy, and the environment was clean and tidy.

It was no wonder it had become a popular spot for social media check-ins.

Walking through the dark glass doors, he immediately bumped into a familiar figure.

Zhao Yue, wearing a long blue dress, was with a tall, thin guy.

Taking a couple of steps closer, Tang Song recognized the guy—Wang Yubo from the sales department, a very honest and spirited young man.

The two seemed to be waiting for their table, chatting and laughing together. Their movements looked quite intimate, like a man and woman in the ambiguous stage of a relationship.

Seeing Tang Song walk in, the greeter stepped forward quickly and said enthusiastically, "Hello, sir. How many?"

"Two. I've already made a reservation, table 10 on the second floor."

"Understood, I'll take you there."

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhao Yue’s ears twitched, and she turned to look over.

A flash of embarrassment crossed her face, and she subconsciously let go of Wang Yubo’s arm.

Tang Song smiled and took the initiative to greet them, "Good afternoon, Zhao Yue, Yubo."

Zhao Yue smoothed the bangs on her forehead and pretended to be nonchalant. "Hello~ Brother Song, are you here to eat too? Wow! This outfit looks really handsome today! Your hairstyle is great, too!"

In the office, Tang Song had always been the standard "nerd" type; his hair only varied in length, and he rotated between two or three sets of clothes.

This was the first time she had seen him in such a trendy outfit, and it was indeed eye-catching.

Tang Song smiled and said casually, "Your dress is very pretty today, too."

The three of them stood together and exchanged a few pleasantries before Tang Song waved his hand and smiled, "I'll head up first, bye."

With that, he followed the waiter up the stairs.

Watching his figure disappear around the corner of the stairs, Zhao Yue gripped the shoulder strap of her bag, a hint of shame and annoyance flashing in her eyes.

She had been worried that if Tang Song saw them, he would get jealous or cause a scene, but after realizing he didn't react at all, she felt uncomfortable.

It felt like a fish she had been keeping in her pond had swum away.

Just then, the waiter walked over quickly. "You two, there's a table upstairs. I'll take you there."

They went up to the second floor and sat at a table near the corner.

Wang Yubo opened the QR code for their pre-purchased couple's meal and let the waiter scan it.

Zhao Yue, meanwhile, scanned the restaurant nonchalantly and quickly found Tang Song.

He was sitting in the best spot in the restaurant—by the window on the east side, spacious and quiet.

Yanbin Building was a very popular local hotspot; it was hard to get that table on a weekend without booking well in advance.

Thinking back to Tang Song’s outfit and attitude today, Zhao Yue’s eyes flickered, and she instantly had a guess.

He must be on a date with some girl!

Hu Mingli? Li Yan?

Several names popped into her head instantly—all female colleagues who had a good relationship with Tang Song at the company.

Noticing Zhao Yue’s unusual behavior, Wang Yubo followed her gaze.

He chuckled, "I didn't expect a tech nerd like Tang Song to have a romantic side. He must have a girlfriend, right?"

"I'm not sure, maybe."

"The wine-marinated meat and steamed dishes here are excellent, and the plating is beautiful. I'll take photos for you later."

"Okay, I trust your photography skills."

As Zhao Yue chatted with Wang Yubo, she secretly kept an eye on Tang Song.

She saw him staring intently at the top of the stairs, as if waiting for something.

She couldn't help herself and took out her phone to send a few messages to Tang Song.

"Brother Song, Yubo just got a promotion and said he wanted to treat me to a meal to celebrate. We're good buddies, and we've always had a good relationship, haha."

"By the way, I forgot to ask earlier, who are you on a date with today, Brother Song?"

"Dressed up so carefully? It wouldn't be one of the big beauties from our company, would it?"

After a while, the phone buzzed a few times.

[Tang Song: "She is indeed a big beauty, but not from our company. (#smile)"]

Zhao Yue took a deep breath, feeling even more upset.

Although Tang Song’s background and appearance weren't top-tier, his technical skills were outstanding; he was the best programmer in the entire department.

Beyond backend work, his frontend skills were also good, and he had helped her a lot at the company.

Gritting her teeth, Zhao Yue replied, "Hehe, is she prettier than me? Otherwise, why haven't I seen you take the initiative to treat me to a meal! (#sad) (#doge)"

...

Looking at the message from Zhao Yue, Tang Song didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He really didn't know why she was so full of herself.

Zhao Yue was, at best, not ugly. She had a few small advantages in her features, and with makeup and concealer, she could barely pass as a 6/10 beauty.

Perhaps she had mistaken the face in her social media photos—heavily filtered and edited—for her real self.

Just as he was thinking about how to reply, a beautiful figure flashed into his line of sight, making Tang Song’s heart skip a beat.

Even though there were many people on the second floor, when you looked in that direction, you would notice her immediately.

The moment she appeared, she became the focus of the crowd.

This was the most intuitive manifestation of a person's charm.

Beyond her looks and figure, there was an outstanding temperament and aura.

This was also the direction he was working toward.

Tang Song took a deep breath, stood up from his seat, and a bright smile appeared on his face.

...

In the corner, Zhao Yue was still waiting for Tang Song’s reply. Finding no response, she looked at him again and immediately noticed him standing up.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she followed his gaze.

The expression on her face instantly froze.

Walking over was a woman with a model's figure—tall and thin.

Her features were bright and beautiful, her skin fair, and her hair thick and dark.

She wore a light-colored casual shirt, a plaid A-line skirt, nude stockings, and brown high heels, with a high-quality camel coat draped over her arm.

She looked dignified, elegant, and fashionable, possessing a unique attraction.

Although she looked thin, she was full of energy, standing tall with sharp, bright eyes.

She gave the impression of being clean, efficient, and decisive.

Like a beautiful female CEO from a TV drama.

Moreover, her clothes and accessories looked expensive at a glance.

Although Zhao Yue didn't know the brand, she recognized the bag slung over the woman's shoulder.

It was a Louis Vuitton "Gilded Sahara," worth over 200,000 yuan, known as the ceiling of crocodile leather bags—a luxury item she dreamed of having.

Watching the woman walk step by step to sit opposite Tang Song, Zhao Yue murmured blankly, "This... this can't be, right?"