Cognitive Awakening

"I told you, there was no way they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and they weren't on a date either." Zhao Yue covered her mouth and smiled. "That big brother in the administrative jacket was far more outstanding than Tang Song."

Wang Yubo nodded in agreement and sighed. "He looks like a social elite with status. Quite an impressive presence. Tang Song is pretty capable to know people like them."

Zhao Yue's eyes shifted as she carefully observed Tang Song.

He was slimmer than before and looked much more energetic. He had started paying attention to his clothes and hairstyle, and he even had connections like these.

More importantly, Brocade Business was about to complete its financing and transition online.

As the department's technical expert and the actual developer of the scm System, Tang Song would definitely become President Chen's top right-hand man in the future.

At the very least, a middle-management position was within reach, and his salary would surely exceed ten thousand.

Thinking about it that way, Brother Song did not seem as bad as she had thought.

If he could lose a little more weight, he would count as a very qualified boyfriend.

Then she looked at Wang Yubo in front of her.

Though he was tall and thin and dressed well, his looks were only average.

Moreover, he worked in sales, so his income was unstable. Once the company adjusted its business operations, it was hard to say what his performance pay would be.

After thinking it over again and again, Zhao Yue sent Tang Song another message: "I discovered another one of Brother Song's strengths! You can chat and laugh so naturally with successful people older than you. So impressive! I should learn from Brother Song!"

"Little Song! Little Song! Are you okay?" Xie Shuyu looked at Tang Song, who had fallen into a daze, and lightly tapped the table.

Wang Yunping shook his head with a smile. "Mr. Tang, seeing how excited you are, could it be that you hold shares or stock options in your company?"

"Whew..." Tang Song let out a long breath, sat back down, and asked nervously, "Then, Manager Wang, do you know Jin Meixiao?"

Wang Yunping seemed to have heard an absurd joke and sneered. "Mr. Tang, is there any need to joke with me like this?"

Xie Shuyu frowned. "Manager Wang, Tang Song is a typical tech nerd. He may not know much about these things, so don't read too much into it."

"Uh..." Tang Song also realized that he seemed to have asked an especially stupid question.

Wang Yunping raised his wrist to check the time, then stood up. "General Xie, I still need to visit a client this afternoon. Let's talk separately another day. I have a lot more I'd like to discuss with you regarding the future direction of the coffee industry."

His purpose for today had already been achieved, and the process had gone fairly smoothly. Wang Yunping had no intention of shamelessly lingering any longer.

When pursuing a woman like Xie Shuyu, one needed to know when to stop, proceed step by step, and let one's charm show. Excessive disturbance would only provoke her dislike.

Xie Shuyu stood and said politely, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye!" Wang Yunping picked up his handbag. His gaze swept over Tang Song, and in the end, he could not hold back. "Mr. Tang, when you have time, you should get to know more people outside your circle, read more books, and broaden your horizons and knowledge."

After watching him leave, Xie Shuyu explained to Tang Song, "Wang Yunping is a senior manager at Yunjing Consulting and mainly handles investments. Anyone in that field couldn't possibly not know the Executive Director of Smiling Holdings."

As if deeply moved, she said softly, "Even ordinary people have probably heard that name to some extent."

The founder of Smiling Holdings, Entrepreneur of the Year 2018, Fortune 40 Under 40, one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2022, a Forbes cover figure...

The halo around her was too dazzling, so dazzling that no one dared look directly at it.

As a workaholic with an extremely strong career drive, Jin Meixiao was also the direction and goal Xie Shuyu worked toward.

Walking out through the Main Door of Yanbin Restaurant.

Tang Song watched Xie Shuyu drive away in her BMW and disappear around the street corner.

He lowered his head and repeatedly murmured, "Smiling Holdings, Jin Meixiao, Secretary Jin."

These words, which had originally existed only in the game, had actually Appeared in the real world.

He opened the System Interface and checked the main storyline description.

Note 1: Perhaps your achievements in the game are not illusory. Continue completing system missions and improving yourself, and you will obtain the rewards you have long dreamed of.

So that was how it was.

Stocks, futures, entrepreneurship, investments...

His struggles in the game had not been illusory. Everything could be traced, and everything was solid and real.

As long as he could truly keep growing and unlock rewards, he could turn everything in the game into reality.

Not only assets, but also the characters he had personally cultivated.

In the game's story, seven years had passed from 2016 to 2023.

To him, characters like Secretary Jin had long ceased to be mere data. They carried emotions, pasts, and experiences.

For a moment, Tang Song was overwhelmed by a flood of emotions.

Scene after scene from the game Flashed through his mind.

There was ambition for the future, and there was melancholy for the present.

After returning to Qingxin Garden.

Tang Song's restless heart could not calm down.

He simply changed into sportswear and began jogging along the road outside the residential complex. When he grew tired from running, he walked instead.

Only when he was too exhausted to walk did he return to the Rental House.

He threw himself onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

After waking up, he stared blankly for quite a while before his state of mind gradually recovered.

At his core, he was still Tang Song, an ordinary office worker.

An unremarkable appearance and an average inner self.

Though Wang Yunping was rather arrogant, what he had said was right.

Tang Song should meet more people, read more books, and broaden his horizons and knowledge.

Only by truly growing and Approaching the Male God Tang Song from the game would he have a chance to meet Secretary Jin and take over his vast assets.

Once he understood this, Tang Song felt much lighter, and his goals for the future became clearer.

Just then, the crisp System Prompt Sound rang out again.

"Ding! You have triggered the Side Quest Cognitive Awakening. Please go to the Mission Center to view it."

He checked the mission information.

Mission Content: A person's understanding contains the books they have read and the roads they have traveled. Please select ten classic works that will help your growth and read them effectively.

Mission Reward: Comprehension +1; Ginkgo Bookmark ×1

Mission Progress: 0%

He checked the item details.

Ginkgo Bookmark: Carefully crafted from Ginkgo Leaves that fell in autumn. Place it inside the books, materials, or other texts you are reading to effectively increase your memory by 30% while reading.

Note: You who love reading are like this fallen autumn leaf. Even when steeped in the winds and frost of time, no trace of decline can be seen in your bearing.

After reading the mission introduction and rewards, Tang Song's eyes shone with excitement.

As expected of a Side Quest, the rewards were truly generous.

Insight was one of the Four Basic Attributes, and also the most important among them.

Constitution, agility, and endurance could all be gained through acquired effort, but Insight was much, much harder.

It mainly referred to one's ability to understand and analyze things, and its upper limit depended on one's talent.

Even in Male God Growth Plan, there were very few missions that could increase Insight.

And the Ginkgo Bookmark went without saying—it was an item that could increase memory.

With it, he could greatly improve his efficiency and save time in his future studies.