Chapter 99 - 99 98 Please Respond 2016

Chapter 99: Chapter 98: Please Respond 2016 Chapter 99: Chapter 98: Please Respond 2016 May 4, 2023, Thursday, light rain turning overcast, 15~19°C. The light rain drizzled, falling onto the damp cobblestone paths. Two black business vehicles slowly approached and came to a steady stop at the drop-off area of Linjin Building. “Click-clack—click-clack—” The car doors opened one after another, and a group of five people stepped out of the cars. All around their forties, they were dressed in sharp suits, and their hair was neat and tidy. Each one of them looked energetic, exuding the unique charisma of the elite class. Several company leaders quickly came forward to greet them. After shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, everyone walked towards the building with smiles. For Jinxiu Commerce, today was a big day. Following a change in company’s shareholding, the first board of directors meeting was finally convened, with all five current directors in attendance. This meeting would determine the company’s strategic direction, financial decisions, appointments and dismissals of senior managers, and the re-establishment of company policies. Watching this group of big shots enter the conference room, excitement and anticipation surged on the faces of the employees. Early that morning, the news had thoroughly spread. The investment in their company came from Smile Capital, a CVC institution under Smile Holding, a well-known domestic firm. They had suddenly become employees of a sizable factory. On the surface, the office area was quiet, but their WeChat groups were as lively as if it were the festive season. In a small group from the technical department. [Front-end – Li Song: “I heard from Brother Wen that our technical support department will definitely be upgraded to a business unit!”] [Developer – Du Shaokai: “It’s true. In addition to the existing positions, there will also be live broadcasting, design, and editing tech personnel, all unified into the technical support business unit. President Chen is going to be promoted to Chief Technical Officer (CTO).”] [Developer – Wang Chaoyang: “There’s another advantage, our department will also have its own management and decision-making authority. For instance, expenses such as reimbursements and travel costs can be regulated based on actual conditions.”] ... As the discussion progressed, everyone became more and more excited. Many people began to whisper and discuss with flushed faces filled with excitement. After a Labor Day holiday, they had suddenly become employees of a big factory, and their department had become the core of the company—it was like a pie had fallen from the sky! What was usually the most dreaded Monday suddenly felt wonderful, and even the drizzling rain outside seemed to have a poetic charm. ... When Tang Song opened his eyes, it was almost 10 o’clock in the morning. He had come home late the night before and had stayed up excited for a long time after unlocking a reward. Fortunately, thanks to the effect of “Attractive Man Halo (LV2),” he woke up refreshed after a good night’s sleep. He opened WeChat and saw a number of unread messages. They were mainly from several ex-colleagues’ WeChat groups, all discussing the company’s board meeting today. Seeing the familiar words “Smile Holding,” a smile couldn’t help but appear on Tang Song’s face. He had a feeling that this investment in Jinxiu Commerce was like Secretary Jin interacting with him. It was as if he was giving her a gift in a different way through the “Dream Gift Box.” This tacit understanding was subtle, but he could sense it. Further down were messages from Gao Mengting. Today was the first workday after the Labor Day holiday; the HR and finance departments were already at the company starting normal operations. The legal firm consultant they had agreed upon would arrive at 2 p.m., reminding him not to miss it. Tang Song replied briefly, got out of bed for breakfast, and got ready. ... At 11 a.m., the rain gradually stopped. The east gate of YJTC residential complex. After verifying his identity with the property management, Tang Song smoothly drove into the underground garage. With the guidance of a security guard, he parked his BMW 330 in parking space A1-002. He thanked the security guard and handed him a bottle of drink. Tang Song’s gaze then shifted to the silver Mercedes-Benz S450L parked in space A1-001. A white horse, silver Benz, black Audi—all were very classic color combinations. Silver is a legendary color for the Mercedes-Benz brand. The silver of this spatial-temporal model looked very high-end, as smooth as a mirror, with a halo that seemed to flow. The wide front bumper and the delicate design of the headlights complemented each other, creating a strong visual impact. The lines of the car body were smooth and elegant, exuding a calm and understated presence. Under the lights of the garage, the luxury and grandeur were palpable, the atmosphere brimming with excitement, stirring the heart. By comparison, the neighboring BMW 330i seemed especially unremarkable. Lightly touching the standing Mercedes-Benz emblem, Tang Song turned and walked into the spacious and bright entry hall. With the help of the property staff, he took the elevator up to the 20th floor. The corridor was brightly lit, with the ground and walls clad in shiny warm-toned tiles. Turning the corner, he saw the brown armored fire doors, simple and elegant. Standing in front of the door, Tang Song held his breath, keyed in the password, pulled open the door, and stepped inside. The lights in the house instantly illuminated. The overall design was without a central light, combining linear lights, magnetic track lights, and spotlights. The lighting was soft, rich in layers, and full of depth. The decoration was based on warm coffee tones, complemented by gray, white, and wood colors, with marbled ceramic tiles on the floor featuring veins. At a glance, it had the atmosphere of a large flat apartment. To the left was a spacious, south-facing living room, and to the right was an independent cloakroom in the entryway. The cloakroom contained a variety of new slippers in different sizes and colors. There was also a smart control system on the wall, which could adjust the lighting, central air conditioning, and more. After a brief tour around the entryway, Tang Song turned left into the expansive living room. The living room plus dining area must have been over 100 square meters, refined and imposing, filled with an Italian light luxury style blending classic and modern design elements, exuding high-class appeal. Looking around at the surrounding gray electric curtains, Tang Song quickly found the switch and began to slowly draw them open. The outside light instantly pervaded the space. Taking a deep breath, Tang Song stood in front of the south-facing floor-to-ceiling window. The sky wore a deep grey hue, the clouds thick and low, as if within reach. Through the 270-degree wraparound glass curtain wall, one could see skyscrapers, a bustling traffic, and the constant flow of people coming and going. The clamor and busyness of the city seemed magnified many times over on this rainy day. As Tang Song’s gaze swept the scene, he caught sight of the Cloud Stream Building standing tall beneath the overcast sky, where he also owned an entire floor. Gently closing his eyes, Tang Song spread his arms wide, embracing the beautiful view before him. A lifelong goal had finally been realized, and so completely at that; he was too excited for words. Standing in the living room, he spun around 360 degrees, then started to wander around his grand house. Dual kitchens, east and west, an artistically designed island, wrap-around fabric sofas, a full set of kitchenware and appliances, a private study, solid-wood bookshelves filled with books, high-end bathroom fixtures... With 390 square meters, the apartment boasted 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, ample width, panoramic views, and exquisite decoration. A perfect combination of comfort and aesthetics highlighted the opulent luxury of the large flat. Finally, Tang Song pushed open the master bedroom door. Full-length panoramic windows, a through balcony, hardwood floors, exquisite bedding... Neutral tones created an atmosphere of warmth and tranquility. After admiring it for a while, Tang Song walked into the master bedroom’s dressing room. A U-shaped walk-in design, an open space. He turned on the lights. Tea-colored glass cabinet doors, full of Italian light luxury style. Double-row hanging areas for clothes, with built-in warm lighting strips, creating an invincible ambiance. In the middle, an island of alternating heights, and a black leather dressing stool of a fine texture. In the dark closet hung many men’s garments, shirts, suits, casual jackets, and so on. Bags, shoes, hats also had a special display area, far from empty, neatly lined with an array of products. Overall, it rivaled the display of a luxury brand boutique, even more understated and lavish. Tang Song picked them up for a closer look; the fabrics felt very high-quality, with no visible brand logos, and each garment fit his size perfectly. Considering the clean room and the Mercedes-Benz, it was certain that this apartment had been meticulously arranged before he took over. He opened every closet door one by one to check. Tang Song found many more wonderful items. Scarves, gloves, belts, ties. Each item, at least 10 of them, was neatly arranged in drawers. At last, he found that safe in the corner cabinet. He gripped the handle, his thumb touching the fingerprint scanner. “Click—click—” After a few crisp sounds, the safe opened smoothly. The interior, lined with leather, revealed a three-tier structure. The topmost layer contained two thick file folders. One held materials for the large flat, including the property title, keys, access card, electricity card, and more. The other held comprehensive information about the Mercedes-Benz S450. He took out the keys and cards and placed them aside, then continued to look downwards. The second layer had a rather heavy wooden box with no lock. Gently lifting the lid, Tang Song’s face was instantly illuminated by a blaze of gold. His expression turned very interesting. Inside lay shiny gold bars. He examined them closely; each bar was a standard 100g bank-cast gold bar, 30 in total. Compared to diamonds, a marketing gimmick, gold was the real precious commodity, practically equivalent to money. Based on the current price of gold, the total value exceeded 1.3 million, and it had the potential to appreciate. For him at the moment, it was indeed a significant sum. The in-game me really didn’t disappoint! Please bring on more of such things in the future! After playing with the gold bars affectionately for a while, Tang Song carefully replaced the box. His gaze then shifted to the bottom most layer. It was empty except for a single A4 sheet of paper. He picked up the paper and realized there was also a photo underneath. Seeing the image in the photo, Tang Song’s expression softened. Secretary Jin was sitting in the corner by the window, dressed in a white silk shirt, cradling a copy of “The Interpretation of Dreams.” Her profile was brightened by the sunlight, edged with gold, its undulating curves like the dunes shaped by the wind in a desert. Fluidly beautiful, a masterpiece of nature. Tang Song stared at the photo for a while before putting it back in place. Then he looked at the A4 sheet in his hand; it appeared to be a screenshot of an email interface. However, both the sender and recipient had been blurred, and the content was entirely in English. This piqued Tang Song’s curiosity even further. His English was fairly good; he had passed Level 6 in college, but to be sure, he took out his phone to take a photo and translate. Soon, lines of text came up. ———————— “Sir or Madam, though I know this is abrupt, I have decided to send this email. I must clarify that I am a staunch atheist, and I do not know your name, gender, nationality, or beliefs, nor do I have any intention to inquire. For a long time, I have been dreaming the same dream every night, always about the same person. They speak to me a lot in the dream, but each time I awake, I can only remember this email address. Freud said in ‘The Interpretation of Dreams’ that in this world, there are no coincidences, only necessities, and this is also true of dreams. He also said that dreams are a fulfillment of a wish. I am currently making a choice about my own future path, and my subconscious in sleep tells me that the owner of this email will provide the correct answer. After much hesitation, I’ve decided to give it a try. Today happens to be April Fool’s Day, and you may treat this as a joke by a stranger. But if you have similar experiences, please respond. ——April 1, 2016”