Gao Mengting quietly listened to their casual conversation, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the two girls. Just then, Du Shaokai, who had finished paying, walked over with an excited look, carrying a white Chanel gift bag with black lettering. As he got closer, he noticed the man standing opposite the two girls.

Recognizing the familiar side profile, Du Shaokai's expression froze for a moment before he quickly walked over.

"Huihui, Yuying, I've got it," Du Shaokai greeted his two female colleagues before giving Tang Song a complex look, subconsciously standing a bit straighter.

Du Shaokai had always been considered a standout, but standing next to Tang Song, he was instantly overshadowed, looking somewhat unimpressive. Not only was he half a head shorter, but even his demeanor and appearance were completely outclassed.

Realizing this, Du Shaokai's eye twitched, and he took a step back.

Tang Song glanced at him and then directly ignored him. He knew full well that Du Shaokai had orchestrated his layoff, but now, with Smile Capital investing in Jinxiu Commerce, he would have plenty of opportunities to get back at him in the future.

Du Shaokai smirked, "Oh, isn't this our laid-off colleague Old Song? Looking pretty sharp now. I heard from Guo Peng that you started your own business. Is this part of the self-rebranding process?"

Hearing the word "entrepreneur," Du Yuying couldn't help but ask, "Brother Song, did you really start your own business?!"

Ignoring Du Shaokai, Tang Song nodded to the two girls, "Yes, I just started."

Liu Huihui and Du Yuying's eyes instantly lit up. Renting an office at Yunxi Tower, one of Yan City's most prestigious buildings, indicated significant financial backing. Considering Tang Song's current attire and demeanor, they couldn't help but be impressed.

Du Yuying smiled, "Brother Song, I wish you the best in your venture! Maybe if I get laid off one day, I can join your company as a receptionist."

"Pfft—" Du Shaokai laughed, "Yuying, you crack me up. Do you want to work for Song's company? He probably can't even sustain himself."

Du Yuying's face fell, and she was about to retort when a melodious female voice interrupted from behind Tang Song, "Miss, our company does need a receptionist. Would you like to consider switching jobs?"

Gao Mengting stood beside Tang Song, smiling faintly as she appraised Du Yuying, genuinely assessing her suitability for the role.

Du Shaokai's eyes lit up at the sight of the new girl. With a sexy figure and gentle, beautiful features, she was an absolute stunner. But seeing her standing so close to Tang Song, he felt a pang of jealousy.

Du Yuying's eyes flickered under Gao Mengting's scrutiny, and she felt a bit uncomfortable. Although the other woman was friendly, her intuition told her that Gao Mengting was asserting her presence. Biting her lip, she replied softly, "I'm not considering it for now. My current job is quite stable, and I recently rented a place near the company."

She had only intended to get closer to Tang Song and perhaps add him on WeChat without seriously contemplating a job change. With Jinxiu Commerce growing stronger thanks to capital investment, she knew better than to make a rash decision.

"Alright then, maybe some other time," Gao Mengting nodded, then pulled Tang Song's arm, "This WOC bag is really nice. I've always wanted one. Since President Tang offered, I'll shamelessly accept. Thank you."

Tang Song chuckled and turned to the sales associate, "We'll take this bag. Please wrap it up."

The sales associate's face lit up with enthusiasm, "Certainly, sir. Please follow me." This text is hosted at novel·fiɾe·net

Tang Song nodded to his former colleagues, "Enjoy your shopping. Goodbye."

Liu Huihui and Du Yuying were still in a daze, unable to respond before Tang Song and Gao Mengting walked away. They saw the couple sit on a sofa in the rest area, surrounded by two sales associates—one with a POS machine for payment and the other presenting the bag to ensure there were no defects.

Watching the beautiful WOC bag being carefully boxed, Liu Huihui and Du Yuying finally snapped out of their stupor. A 20,000-yuan bag, just like that? Their salaries weren't high, and a 20,000-yuan bag was something they could only dream of. Seeing Tang Song casually gift it away left them feeling a mix of complex emotions and regret. They hadn't realized they had such a hidden gem in their midst back at the company.

Du Shaokai's expression turned sour. From the moment he ran into Tang Song, he felt humiliated. Completely ignored, with a stunning girl by Tang Song's side and watching him effortlessly buy a 20,000-yuan luxury bag—Tang Song's appearance and demeanor outshone him completely. This ruined the good mood he had maintained for the past few days. To avoid affecting his performance with Tian Jing later, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

...

Walking out of the Chanel store, Tang Song felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Checking it, he saw two new friend requests on WeChat: Liu Huihui and Du Yuying.

He shook his head with a smile and accepted them.

These two colleagues had always been somewhat aloof and only communicated with him via the work app. It was surprising to see them taking the initiative now.

Gao Mengting, holding the exquisite shopping bag, noticed the envious glances from many women around her. She felt a mix of joy and apprehension. Most women loved luxury bags, and she was no exception. However, she had always curbed her spending and vanity. In a moment of impulse, she had accepted Tang Song's gift. She wondered if he would misunderstand her intentions.

Glancing at the well-dressed man beside her, she suddenly said, "When I can, I'll buy you a gift of equal value."

Tang Song was taken aback, then smiled, "No need. If you really want to thank me, how about a hug like last time?"

Gao Mengting's face turned crimson, and she was unsure how to respond. After a moment, she awkwardly changed the subject: "By the way, I noticed you don't have a mug at the office. Let's check out that store over there, and I'll get you one."

"Sure."

They wandered around the bustling Xingyue City mall for over an hour. Gao Mengting didn't just focus on her preferences but also accompanied Tang Song to check out some tech gadgets he was interested in. By the time they finished dinner and drove out of the mall, the sky had already darkened.

At Zhuxi Community, Gao Mengting looked at the Chanel bag in her hand and then at Tang Song in the night light. Taking a deep breath, she smiled, "My new roommate just moved in, and the place is a mess, so I won't invite you up. Thank you for the gift; I really like it."

She then boldly opened her arms and gave him a quick hug before swiftly turning and heading into her building.