Camellias in Bloom, First Kiss

October 11, 2023, cloudy, 13~23°C.

The morning sunlight streamed into the room through the gaps in the curtains.

Shen Yuyan sat up in bed and rubbed her slightly tired eyes.

Her movements were slow and languid, as if she were still immersed in some kind of thought and unable to completely detach herself.

Hugging her knees, she curled up at the head of the bed, her eyes glazed over.

Last night she had a dream, a very strange and beautiful dream.

In her dream, she returned to her university days.

She once again became the most popular and sought-after school beauty.

In her dream, she rushed into the lecture hall, sat down next to Tang Song amidst everyone's shock, and confessed her feelings to him.

She successfully became his girlfriend.

The two embarked on a romantic campus romance.

They bathe in spring rain, welcome summer, feel the autumn wind, and crush winter snow.

Every scene is as beautiful as a movie.

After staring blankly for a while, Shen Yuyan shook her head, gradually pulling herself out of her reverie.

It's impossible to say that one has no Good impression or dislike for the Tang Song.

The reason for having such a dream is ultimately due to one's own regret and longing.

I regret not discovering him in college:

She longed to become his Official Girlfriend, hoping not only to enjoy the sweetness of love but also to achieve upward social mobility with his help.

But reality isn't Xu Qing's novel; where do so many Miracle happen?

I checked the time.

7:02.

Shen Yuyan put on a loose-fitting knitted cardigan and slipped on her slippers as she walked into the room opposite.

The door wasn't locked; it opened with a gentle push.

The room was dimly lit, and Xu Qing was curled up in bed, drool hanging from the corner of her mouth, making soft "smack smack" sounds from time to time, sleeping soundly.

Shen Yuyan stood by the bed, smiled gently, and watched Jingjing for a while, her gaze as tender as water.

Xu Qing's personality is always so carefree and she's quite naive.

Since high school, she has always been "protected" by Shen Yuyan, and has maintained this innocent appearance for more than ten years.

Every time Shen Yuyan sees her, she can't help but think of the youthful days they spent together.

She walked to the bedside, lifted the blanket, and patted her best friend's plump little bottom. "Get up, Qing Qing."

"Hmm~~ Tang Song, you're so naughty, you spanked my butt again—" A low moan sounded.

Shen Yuyan slightly, her face flushing slightly, but then her gaze dimmed again.

She could tell that Xu Qing really liked Tang Song, but she still chose to do something that might hurt her best friend.

With a sigh, Shen Yuyan took off her shoes and crawled into bed.

He hugged Xu Qing from behind, looked at her playful face, and gently kissed it, saying in a low voice, "I'm sorry, please forgive me, my dear Silly Qing."

"Ugh~ You wretched little Songzi, what are you trying to do now—I'll get Yan Yan to beat you up—."

Hearing her words, Shen Yuyan couldn't help but chuckle, reaching in to gently tickle her. "Silly Qing, the sun's already high in the sky."

"Hmm," Xu Qing groggily turned over, opening her eyes a crack. Seeing it was her best friend, she buried her face in her chest again, mumbling indistinctly, "Don't bother me—let me sleep for another five minutes—"

"If you don't get up soon, I'm going to use up all your sunscreen spray!"

"Use it as you please—your sister Qing Qing isn't short of money now. She has tons and tons of cash. Hehe."

Shen Yuyan couldn't help but chuckle, patting her on the shoulder. "Little Songzi's coming to spank you, run!"

"Ah!" Xu Qing gasped, sitting bolt upright, frantically covering her bottom with her hands. Her large, dark eyes darted left and right. "Don't hit him! Don't hit him!"

"0(∩_∩)0 Haha~" Shen Yuyan patted her little bottom, "You know what, it feels pretty good to hit her, no wonder Tang Song likes it."

"Ugh! You Scheming Yan, you tricked me!" Xu Qing lunged forward, brandishing her claws, and started "wrestling" with her best friend.

Rolling around on the soft mattress.

The two fooled around for a while, their cheeks turning red.

A moment later, Shen Yuyan suddenly pinched her cheek and casually asked, "Qing Qing, if one day I do something to wrong you, will you forgive me?"

Xu Qing was taken aback. "You're talking like we're a couple. What? Are you seeing someone else behind my back?"

"Just pretend we're a couple, I'm just asking you casually, so tell me!"

Xu Qing squinted arrogantly, "I won't forgive you! At the very least, you'll have to wash my underwear and socks for a month as punishment!"

(*)

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuyan's eyes welled up slightly. He didn't say anything more, but simply hugged her tightly.

This best friend, who has been with her for over ten years, always supports and trusts her without reservation, and is even willing to give up many things for her.

"Hey, what are you doing? Why are you all sticky today!"

"What's wrong? We used to sleep in the same bed, but now that you have a boyfriend, it's not okay anymore?"

"No way! You've kept me awake, I need to get up and pee."

"Don't go yet, tell me about you and Tang Song."

"What is it that you don't know? I've already told you everything."

"There's another aspect you haven't mentioned," Shen Yuyan Whisper her ear, chuckling softly.

The room erupted in laughter and chatter again.

Springtime is in full bloom.

Zhu Xi Residential Area.

The sound of pages turning occasionally rang out, accompanied by the slight rustling of paper, creating an exceptionally quiet atmosphere.

Gao Mengting curled up on the beanbag chair, her fair and pretty feet resting on a low stool, occasionally swaying slightly.

Once, one of her life plans was to find her "Mr. Darcy".

After returning to Yancheng from Wu Mountain, I reread Pride and Prejudice, and the words seemed to have taken on new meaning.

She and Tang Song had reached a close relationship, one where they could sense each other's presence without needing to speak.

Even so, Gao Mengting still felt that there was a subtle barrier between them.

It's hazy like mist, yet it truly exists.

Her partner, who co-founded Songmei Clothing with her, was confident and free-spirited yet always carried a hint of mystery. Like Mr. Darcy in the book, he always showed unexpected tenderness at crucial moments.

But it was precisely this restraint and distance that caused Gao Mengting some minor distress.

"Perhaps we also need a candid conversation in the rain, similar to the one we had outside Pemberley Estate."

After staring blankly for a while, Gao Mengting finally put down her book and stood up.

Sunlight shone on her profile, casting a soft warmth.

She went to the dressing table and began to put on makeup.

I changed into my autumn clothes and stepped into the living room.

Then, she sniffed and looked strangely toward the kitchen.

Light footsteps came from the direction of the kitchen, and Cheng Qiuqiu came out carrying a plate of stir-fried spinach, saying softly, "Good morning, Senior Schoolmate."

"Qiu Qiu?" Gao Mengting blinked, a smile playing on her lips. "I thought you went to the company."

This junior student has been working like crazy lately, like she's been injected with adrenaline.

He rides his motorcycle out before dawn every day and doesn't return until late at night, wishing he could spend 24 hours a day in the office.

Compared to that, I've never worked this hard, even when I was at my busiest.

"No," Cheng Qiuqiu's expression was slightly unnatural. "I got up late today, and I've already finished all my work. I'm just waiting for my supervisor to check it."

"Thank you for your hard work, especially cooking for me." Gao Mengting said gently.

"It's fine."

Cheng Qiuqiu sat down at the dining table and ate in silence.

She had insomnia until 2 a. m. last night and is still a little listless.

The main reason is that her "indecent" behavior in the President's Office was caught by her good friend Ling Ling.

That feeling of shame still lingers to this day.

She always felt like a voyeur, peeping into the treasure that Senior Schoolmate Kai cherished.

Whenever she thinks of that scene, she feels flustered and confused.

The Senior Schoolmate was so kind to her and even helped her get into Songmei Clothing, but now the Senior Schoolmate has already returned from Wu Mountain.

She has made up her mind to avoid contacting Tang Song privately as much as possible in the future and to keep her distance.

"By the way, Qiu Qiu, there's a big meeting this morning, and you'll be attending. Get ready in advance." Gao Mengting chewed on her spinach and said with a smile, "Tang Song is finally back, and I can finally relax for a while."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Qiuqiu blurted out, "Mr. Tang go to the company today?"

"Yes, if he doesn't come soon, our company employees will forget about him as their boss."

"Hmm." Cheng Qiuqiu pursed her lips, her face expressionless, but her heart suddenly began to race.

Even though it's only been half a month since we last saw each other, I don't know why, but I miss him terribly and long to see him.

After breakfast, Gao Mengting started cleaning the kitchen, while Cheng Qiuqiu went into the bedroom to change her clothes.

They then rode together in Mercedes-Benz E-Class- Class to work.

Yunxi Building, Songmei Clothing.

After greeting her colleagues, Cheng Qiuqiu sat upright at her workstation, her gaze occasionally drifting towards the President's Office.

She pursed her lips slightly, her fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table, as if waiting for something.

9:30 a. m.

A notification was sent in the work group: All employees at the team leader level and above, please gather in the main conference room.

Cheng Qiuqiu took a deep breath, tidied her hair and collar in front of the small mirror next to her, and got up to follow her colleague toward the conference room.

She is the head of the brand visual team and the only employee, so she is naturally qualified to attend the meeting.

As they approached the main conference room, the atmosphere quickly became lively.

The employees gathered in small groups, talking quietly, their faces beaming with excitement and anticipation.

Just then, a commotion arose ahead.

He was greeted warmly by his colleagues, "Mr. Tang!" and "Good morning, Mr. Tang!"

Cheng Qiuqiu quickly raised her head and looked straight in the direction from which the sound came.

Half a month later, Tang Song's figure once again appeared clearly in her sight.

For a moment, she felt a dreamlike, dazed feeling.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray business suit with a light blue shirt underneath, and no tie, which made him look casual yet dignified.

A few wisps of hair on his forehead gleamed in the morning light, making him look handsome, confident, and dashing.

"Wow! Mr. Tang is getting more and more handsome!"

"Yeah, every meeting feels like watching an idol drama."

Several female employees around them exchanged glances and couldn't help but whisper among themselves. In Cheng Qiuqiu's eyes, Tang Song seemed to be shining at this moment.

An unprecedented sense of security, warmth, and attachment welled up inside her, making her eyes slightly moist.

"Thank you for your hard work, everyone has done a fantastic job lately!"

Tang Song wore a bright smile, and his voice was clear and magnetic.

His gaze swept across the crowd, landing on each person.

Their eyes met, and Cheng Qiuqiu took a step, instinctively wanting to walk towards him.

But then he noticed Gao Mengting standing next to him.

Because she came with her Senior Schoolmate, she noticed that her Senior Schoolmate had changed the color of her lipstick.

This indicates that she and Mr. Tang kissed during the time before the meeting, and it must have been quite intense.

While she was in a daze, several female anchors, including He Yiyi and Li Qingya, squeezed in.

He Yiyi even hugged Tang Song, appearing exceptionally close.

A strange emotion welled up in her heart: jealousy, loss, and urgency. Cheng Qiuqiu could hardly suppress the impulse in her heart.

He took a few steps forward and stood in front of Tang Song. "Good morning, Mr. Tang."

Although her expression remained indifferent, her voice trembled slightly.

"Good morning." Tang Song Wei Xiao and nodded, then asked, "Where's Ling Ling? I haven't seen her."

Cheng Qiuqiu lowered her head and replied, "Ling Ling had a meeting at Huashang Apparel this morning, saying that they were going to start designing the first version of the clothing."

"Okay, fine." Tang Song didn't say anything more and stepped into the conference room.

Looking at his back, Cheng Qiuqiu felt a tightness in her chest, a sense of grievance and loss.

They chatted well on WeChat, but when they met in person, she didn't seem special to him; she was just like an ordinary employee.

Even his first question was one of concern for Ling Ling.

It seems he doesn't really care about himself.

Her hands gripped the laptop tightly, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.

Above my head, the Dream Flower Seed swayed gently, stretching its branches, and seemed brighter than ever before.

The spacious and bright conference room was quickly filled with more than 20 people.

Tang Song stood next to the projector, holding the remote control in his hand.

He looked around and slowly began, "Everyone, thank you for your hard work during this time. First of all, congratulations to us! During the entire National Day holiday, our store's sales exceeded 20 million, and our single-day sales broke records!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers and applause erupted instantly.

The meeting then officially began.

During this period, although Tang Song was traveling around, he did not neglect his work.

He even worked with Gao Mengting to refine the next development plan.

During this period after the holiday.

Songmei Clothing will fully operate accounts such as "He Yiyi Life Account" and "Beauty Account" to form a traffic matrix.

The monthly budget has been increased to 2 million.

By partnering with Huashang Apparel to establish a flexible supply chain, we can achieve a minimum order of 50 pieces and a 7-day fast response time, reducing inventory risk and supporting rapid replenishment of popular items.

It is expected that within a month, the proportion of self-owned brand HEYISTUDI0 designs will increase to 30%, thereby increasing the average order value and fan loyalty through differentiated design.

The team has expanded to over 120 people to support branding and product selection optimization.

Build an intelligent warehouse management system to dynamically monitor the ratio of best-selling items to slow-moving items.

His voice was steady and powerful, carrying a strong infectious quality, gradually pushing the atmosphere to a climax.

More than an hour later.

The meeting has officially ended.

Tang Song closed his laptop, stood up, and chatted and laughed with his colleagues.

His gaze swept over them unintentionally, lingering briefly on Cheng Qiuqiu.

She was looking down at the computer screen, her expression focused and quiet, appearing somewhat indifferent, as if everything around her was irrelevant to her.

Tang Song raised his eyebrows, said nothing more, and turned to walk outside.

Cheng Qiuqiu raised her head, her gaze following the direction Tang Song had left in, but her mind was churning like a lake being stirred. Her colleagues gradually dispersed, leaving only the sound of a few people packing up their things in the conference room.

She remained seated in her chair, silent, her hands resting on the keyboard, her fingertips pressing firmly on the keycaps.

Then, lines of meaningless letters appeared on the screen.

Suddenly, all sorts of negative emotions came rushing in.

Self-doubt, depression, bitterness, pain...

These emotions overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

She even had an extreme idea: to provoke him by resigning, to get his attention, to make him care about her, and to make him want her to stay.

This thought is as absurd and ridiculous as a rebellious child deliberately provoking their parents, yet it grows uncontrollably in one's heart.

"Buzz buzz buzz—" The Mobile Phone on the table vibrated, interrupting her thoughts.

Cheng Qiuqiu turned her head stiffly, her gaze falling on the Mobile Phone screen, and she froze instantly.

[Tang Song: "Qiu Qiu, come to my office (#smiley face)."]

Despite the brief message, Cheng Qiuqiu read it repeatedly, each word seeming to ignite a certain longing within her heart.

The sound of my heartbeat grew louder in my ears, and even my fingertips trembled slightly.

Cheng Qiuqiu slowly stood up and walked quickly towards the President's Office.

"Knock knock knock—" A knocking sound rang out on the door.

"Enter."

Cheng Qiuqiu took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the President's Office.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the entire room. Tang Song stood by his desk, reviewing a document.

Hearing the door open, he looked up and gave her a gentle and affectionate smile, "Qiu Qiu, you're here?"

Qiu Qiu's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she said, "Mr. Tang, you wanted to see me?"

Tang Song put down the documents in his hand, glanced at her appreciatively, and smiled approvingly, "This outfit suits you very well today, you look beautiful."

Qiu Qiu was clearly dressed up carefully today. Her hair was styled meticulously, and her makeup was light and delicate, which highlighted her cool and elegant temperament.

A white shirt paired with light blue jeans is simple yet stylish and sexy.

It perfectly showcased her figure.

Her Comic Bra, slender waist, rounded hips, long legs, and butterfly back—every curve of her figure is like a meticulously sculpted work of art.

With her refined, aloof, and mature face, she exudes an irresistible charm.

In terms of body proportions alone, she has a standard comic book figure, with a nine-head-tall golden ratio, which is perfect.

She even bears some resemblance to Su Yu.

This is also the main reason why she is considered "like Su Yu" by others.

Looking at her now, Tang Song couldn't help but recall the girl Qiu Qiu from his dream.

Her gaze softened.

Noticing Tang Song's gaze, Cheng Qiuqiu bit her lip, feeling inexplicably flustered.

"This outfit is one of the main items promoted in our live stream. The operations team asked me to be a model, took some photos, and then gave me the outfit."

She didn't know why, but today she subconsciously wanted to dress more attractively, and even deliberately left two buttons undone on her collar.

"Oh?" Tang Song raised his eyebrows and walked up to Qiu Qiu.

His gaze lingered on the top of her head for a moment.

After some time apart, the Dream Flower Seedling has grown a lot. The light shines on her, as if she is coated with a layer of radiance, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Then, his gaze moved down, and he began to carefully examine her outfit, becoming more and more satisfied.

The "Self-Cultivation of a Warm Guy" task posted by Little Umbrella has two challenges.

The first one is "First Kiss Initiated by a Beauty";

The second one is "Date with Comedic Girlfriends", and all three are required to wear matching outfits.

Choosing the right matching outfits for three girlfriends with different body types in a short period of time is indeed a bit tricky.

Fortunately, Songmei Clothing is in this industry.

Take Qiu Qiu's outfit as an example. The warehouse has all sizes available, so you can just take it and use it directly, saving a lot of trouble.

Thinking of the first challenge, Tang Song's gaze involuntarily fell on the face of that aloof and mature woman, and his heart began to beat faster.

It seems that having a designer friend would also be a good choice.

[Dream Flower Seed] not only enhance comprehension, but also increase charm.

Its growth rate and the number of flowers depend on the energy provided by the "grower" and Qiu Qiu's desire to repay him.

He has now connected with Qiu Qiu twice in Dream Connection, and their relationship in the dreams is extremely intimate.

In real life, is it really necessary to have appropriate intimate contact?

After finding a plausible excuse for himself, Tang Song turned around and went behind his desk.

He took a delicate kraft paper envelope from the drawer and gently placed it in front of Qiu Qiu.

"This is—" Qiu Qiu paused, her gaze falling on the envelope in front of her, her voice carrying a hint of doubt and anticipation.

Tang Song smiled gently and said softly, "I went to Magic City during the holidays, and this is a gift for you."

"My gift?" Qiu Qiu's full breasts heaved, and her fair cheeks quickly flushed red.

Those cold, beautiful eyes gleamed with an undisguised mix of surprise and unease.

"Hmm." Tang Song handed it forward. "Open it and see if you like it. This is a surprise I specially prepared for you. I went to great lengths to make it."

That's true. He worked exceptionally hard to meet Miss Su Yu's requirements.

Qiu Qiu instinctively reached out and took it. When her fingertips touched the smooth leather surface, she was so overwhelmed with happiness that she stammered, "Thank you—thank you—you've gone to so much trouble—"

Gifts from the Tang Song?!

A gift from the Tang Song?

A surprise specially prepared for me?!

Overwhelmed with joy, her eyelashes trembled.

I took a deep breath and carefully opened the envelope, my fingers touching a thick, smooth sheet of paper.

After being slowly pulled out, a beautiful photograph came into view.

"Su Yu!"

Qiu Qiu gasped in surprise, her eyes widening in disbelief, her expression completely out of control.

In the photo, Su Yu is dressed in ancient costume, with an ethereal and fairy-like temperament, so beautiful that she seems unreal, like a fairy who has stepped out of a dream.

Her features are delicate and three-dimensional, and her eyes exude an otherworldly charm, like the mist that falls on flower petals at dawn, hazy and dreamlike.

Cheng Qiuqiu, a die-hard fan, immediately recognized that this must be a scene from one of Su Yu's upcoming movies, which will be released at the end of the year.

However, she can confirm that this still image is not available online.

Otherwise, it would definitely have become a trending topic.

More importantly, below the photo are two bold and elegant characters Yi Yi Su Yu.

A genuine Autographed photo!

It was something she had always dreamed of.

Just then, the [Dream Flower Seed] above their heads suddenly began to shake violently.

The emerald green light grew brighter, and the branches and leaves quickly unfurled, as if responding to her inner excitement and joy.

"So, do you like it?"

Qiu Qiu's body stiffened, and her voice trembled as she said, "I like it, thank you, Tang Song."

She was so excited that she even called him by his name.

"There's more surprise in store." Tang Song smiled mysteriously, his gaze softening even more.

Qiu Qiu confirmed it, but didn't understand what it meant.

Tang Song pointed at the Autographed photo and prompted, "Turn it over and take a look."

Qiu Qiu obediently flipped the photo.

Immediately afterwards, two lines of elegant and graceful handwriting came into view.

[Qiu Qiu be like a camellia, blooming brightly even in winter.]

[Love you, Su Yu ~_]

The office instantly became eerily quiet, with only Qiu Qiu's rapid breathing as the sound of her breathing.

She held the Autographed photo, looking at the "Su Yu's Message" on the back, her mind blank.

Tears welled up in her eyes without her even realizing it.

This sentence meant a great deal to her.

In this world, there is only one person who often says this to her —Yi Yi her mother-in-law.

When her mother-in-law was sick and hospitalized, she held Qiu's hand countless times and told her in a weak voice, "Qiu Girl, you must be like a camellia, blooming brightly even in winter."

That was her mother-in-law's expectation of her, and also the softest memory deep in her heart.

And now, this sentence has actually appeared in the pen of her idol Su Yu, and has been delivered to her through Tang Song.

It was like a coincidence and a gift from fate.

She could no longer suppress her inner impulse and hugged him tightly.

A sobbing sound rang out.

Just like in a dream, Tang Song reached out and gently patted her back, "It's okay, Qiu Qiu."

After a long while, Qiu Qiu finally stopped.

She looked up, staring blankly at Tang Song's "familiar" figure, breathing in his "familiar" scent, and feeling his "familiar" comfort.

She seemed to see a kind of preordained cause and effect.

Their eyes met.

Tang Song gently pressed his hand against her thin back and moved closer to her.

They could hear each other breathing.

Ten seconds later.

Qiu Qiu's gaze gradually drifted off. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she saw encouragement and expectation in Tang Song's eyes.

An indescribable impulse surged into her heart, and as if possessed, she stood on tiptoe and suddenly kissed him.

Above her head, the Dream Flower Seed swayed even more violently, its emerald light transforming into streaks of shimmering light that showered upon Qiu Qiu.

In just a few seconds, a pure white camellia quietly bloomed in the halo of light, its petals crystal clear and radiating a soft glow.

"Ding! Congratulations player, the first flower of the [Dream Flower Seed] has successfully bloomed!"

Immediately afterwards, the camellia on Qiu Qiu's head transformed into a starlight and entered his body.

Tang Song's mind cleared up.

[Comprehension +1]