Maxing Out Charisma, Inheriting Game Assets Chapter 357: A Glance Back

Jiang Yourong took several deep breaths, trying to calm the excitement in her heart.

She had officially resigned from in May 2017.

As a computer science master's graduate, she had been one of Director Jin’s six assistants, primarily assisting with strategic planning for internet investment projects, as well as project screening and evaluation.

Back then, this was a key sector for , making the job both demanding and exhausting.

At the same time, it gave her more opportunities to interact with the people around Director Jin—

Including Liu Jiayi, the sharp-witted, cool-headed woman from Northeast China, a national martial arts champion.

Of course, the reason Liu Jiayi remained so memorable wasn’t just because of her competence.

She wasn’t a traditional beauty, but her striking androgynous looks appealed strongly to many women.

Jiang Yourong licked her slightly dry lips and stepped forward.

Sensing someone approaching, her keen, piercing eyes flicked over immediately.

Their eyes met.

Liu Jiayi’s face remained unreadable—calm, distant.

But Jiang Yourong’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

After more than six years, she was crossing paths with again.

Except… Liu Jiayi didn’t seem to remember her at all.

Her footsteps came to a stop.

Jiang Yourong hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Jiayi, long time no see. Haha, I never expected to run into you in Quancheng. But… you probably don’t remember my name anymore, do you?"

Liu Jiayi took her hands out of her pockets and said evenly, "Long time no see, ."

Jiang Yourong sucked in a sharp breath, goosebumps rising all over her body.

She… she still her?!

Who would this feeling?!

Who would understand the sheer weight behind the words ?!

Jiang Yourong took another step forward, looking up at her, eyes sparkling.

"Haha, I can’t believe you still remember me, Jiayi. I’m honestly a little flattered."

"My memory is excellent." Liu Jiayi’s lips curved slightly. "Besides, you were Director Jin’s assistant. Even with non-compete and confidentiality agreements, former assistants are still closely monitored for a few years after leaving, to prevent corporate leaks."

Jiang Yourong felt a twinge of awkwardness.

"Uh… I see. Haha, haha..."

The conversation stalled, and silence settled between them.

Liu Jiayi said nothing further, simply watching her with a natural but undeniable air of authority.

After all, in her years as Director Jin’s driver, she had encountered countless high-profile figures—some even in the political sphere.

She had long since learned to maintain an unshakable composure.

Jiang Yourong tentatively asked, "Are you in Quancheng for business? I have some friends here. Do you need any help?"

"No."

Jiang Yourong’s mouth twitched. As expected, she wasn’t going to get much out of her.

"Um… how is Director Jin doing?" she asked cautiously. "She used to work insane hours, pulling all-nighters all the time. Is her health okay?"

She quickly added, "I mean, I was her assistant for quite a while. I still care about her well-being."

At those words, Liu Jiayi’s icy expression softened slightly, losing some of its previous sharpness.

She nodded. "Director Jin is in excellent health. The group has stabilized now, and there’s much less work that requires her personal attention."

"That’s wonderful," Jiang Yourong murmured, her emotions stirring.

"I still dream about my days at a lot. I’m really grateful for everything Director Jin taught me."

Reminiscing about the past, Jiang Yourong became a little sentimental.

She gently took hold of Liu Jiayi’s forearm and started chatting about her experiences at —funny stories from work, her impressions of the other assistants…

—

Meanwhile, in the Parking Lot

A white Mercedes-Benz C200L slowly pulled into the lot.

A young man and woman stepped out, both in their mid-twenties.

The woman wore a chiffon dress, her makeup delicate and refined, exuding a demure, ladylike charm.

The man sported an oversized T-shirt, ripped jeans, and a baseball cap worn backward. His hair was streaked with blonde highlights—trendy, fashionable.

"Shasha, Zhang Lei didn’t tell you who the old classmate is? I just want to know if it’s a guy or a girl, haha," Zhang Yunpeng said as he locked the car.

Liu Shasha smoothed her bangs. "Come on, Yunpeng. In our class, was the school beauty. What other girl are you thinking about?"

Zhang Yunpeng rolled his eyes. "Can we rewrite history? If you were talking about Zhang Yan, I’d believe it."

"Haha, well, if you like her, why didn’t you go after her?"

"That was all back in school. Now, I’m a full-fledged local influencer with a great life—plenty of girls are into me." Zhang Yunpeng smirked smugly. "Honestly, among our old classmates, not many are doing better than me."

Back in school, he had been a lousy student, never able to focus. He used to tease the girls he liked just to get their attention—looking back, it was pretty .

Liu Shasha nudged him playfully. "Hey, weren’t you gonna do a live ? Start the stream already! I want to learn from you—maybe I’ll give it a shot myself."

She had arranged for Zhang Lei to meet her at partly because Zhang Yunpeng had taken a to review the place.

These days, Zhang Yunpeng was a well-known local influencer in Quancheng, with the nickname and a following of 450,000 fans—many of them locals.

He frequently landed paid promotions for bars and restaurants, making money.

Now he drove a Mercedes and had an apartment in the city center.

Liu Shasha, confident in her own looks, wanted to see if she could break into the industry and make some quick cash.

"Alright, I’ll start streaming. Help me film some clips later."

Taking out his phone, Zhang Yunpeng clipped on a mic, adjusted the camera, and began his livestream.

While waiting for viewers to join, he chatted animatedly, sharing urban stories and making exaggerated facial expressions for entertainment.

"Shoutout to for the two hot air balloons! Thanks, gorgeous!"

"Thanks to for the three sunglasses gifts!"

He was a naturally energetic talker, and since he had never been great at academics, diving into short videos and livestreaming turned his weaknesses into strengths.

He thrived in this industry.

His looks were decent, too, and with Douyin’s powerful beauty filters, he barely passed as a "handsome streamer."

A few of his big-spending female fans—like and —frequently sent him gifts.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something gleaming.

He squinted and turned his head in surprise.

Not far away, parked under the streetlights, was an awe-inspiring black luxury car.

It gleamed under the lights, radiating an air of mystery and prestige.

"Holy sh*t! A Rolls-Royce Phantom!" Zhang Yunpeng’s face lit up.

"Guys, I just stumbled upon my —a Rolls-Royce Phantom! This is insane! Let’s go check it out!"

While he was genuinely excited, he also knew this was .

A Phantom in the middle of Quancheng? That was a guaranteed way to draw attention and boost engagement.

Sure enough, as soon as he said it, his chat exploded with comments.

Switching to his rear camera, he zoomed in on the Rolls-Royce and began spouting facts about it as he walked toward it—

But then, someone stepped into frame, blocking the camera.

Zhang Yunpeng looked up and met a chilling gaze.

Sharp, ice-cold eyes.

Tall, imposing posture.

A powerfully built figure dressed in a sleek, fitted suit.

The tiny livestream chat erupted.

Feeling an inexplicable pressure, Zhang Yunpeng instinctively stepped back.

Beside him, Liu Shasha tugged at his sleeve.

A calm but firm voice sounded.

"Please refrain from filming or livestreaming in this area. Thank you."

Jiang Yourong walked over and waved a hand dismissively.

Zhang Yunpeng sneaked a glance at her—a poised, sophisticated beauty.

"Sorry, my bad! We’ll leave right away," he stammered, hastily cutting the stream and backing away.

That scene just now— cinematic.

The perfect kind of viral moment.

In fact, his livestream’s viewer count had just broken past 200—a lucky turn of events despite the earlier scare.

【Yoyo: "That woman looked like an ! So cool, I love her! Yunpeng, can you film her again?"】

Before long, other female viewers started chiming in with gifts and messages.

Still, Zhang Yunpeng sneakily panned his camera toward the Rolls-Royce one last time.

Pushing open the glass doors, he stepped inside.

Warm, cozy lighting greeted him, paired with a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.

Right on cue, the bartender he had coordinated with earlier walked over, giving a brief introduction to the bar and its promotions.

Adjusting his camera angle, Zhang Yunpeng grinned.

His were excellent.

Smooth-talking narration, exaggerated but entertaining expressions, decent looks—all of it kept the audience engaged.

His top female fans immediately jumped in to tease him.

【Yoyo: "Could it be your middle school crush? Is this the start of a new storyline?"】

【Breeze Is Not Yun: "If you find a girlfriend, you’ll lose us!"】

Turning to Liu Shasha, he asked, "Shasha, which booth is Zhang Lei at?"

Liu Shasha, who had been quietly observing his streaming techniques, quickly pointed. "W21, in the northwest corner."

Zhang Yunpeng switched his camera view, pointing it toward the bar’s interior.

【"Yunpeng, there’s a good-looking guy to your left—zoom in on him!"】

【"Yeah! He’s got that 'salt-bro' vibe!"】

As he bantered with the chat, he kept moving forward.

Meanwhile, Liu Shasha’s gaze drifted toward W21.

From afar, she spotted two men clinking their glasses.

One of them was unmistakably Zhang Lei.

Liu Shasha giggled. "Yunpeng, you’re gonna be disappointed. It’s a guy."

Zhang Yunpeng exaggerated his reaction.

With all eyes in the livestream now locked in, he steadied his camera and quickly walked over.

Zhang Yunpeng greeted as he zoomed in on the booth.

Under the soft glow of a vintage chandelier, a man lifted his glass, taking a slow sip of his drink.

Then, he set the glass down and looked up.

A sharp, chiseled face was revealed beneath the dim lighting.

Dark, slightly tousled hair shifted with his movements, brushing against his deep, intense eyes.

He leaned back casually against the plush sofa, long legs effortlessly crossed, exuding a natural elegance.

His silk dress shirt shimmered faintly under the light, the slightly unbuttoned collar revealing a glimpse of his toned physique.

The minimalist yet refined outfit, paired with his relaxed posture, emanated a subtle yet undeniable aura of wealth and class.

It was as if an invisible barrier surrounded him, separating him from the noise and chaos of the bar.

Both Zhang Yunpeng and Liu Shasha froze on the spot.

A name from the depths of their memory surfaced—

Tang Song?!

The features were unmistakable.

But his aura—this —was like he had transformed into an entirely different person.

Especially in the dim, moody atmosphere of the bar, he looked like a leading man straight out of a novel.

—

Meanwhile, in the livestream chat:

【"Ahhh!!!"】

【"HOLY SH*T!!"】

【"HE’S SO HOT!!"】

—

Zhang Lei chuckled and waved them over.

Liu Shasha snapped out of it, her face instantly flushing red.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she nervously pinched the hem of her dress and softly murmured,

"Tang… Tang Song, long time no see. I’m Liu Shasha—do you remember me? You’ve changed so much. If I saw you outside, I don’t think I’d even recognize you."

Tang Song set his glass down and smiled faintly.

"Of course, I remember. Hello, Shasha. It’s been almost ten years, hasn’t it?"

"Yeah… ever since middle school, we pretty much lost touch," Liu Shasha took a deep breath and gathered her courage, sliding into the booth beside him.

Zhang Yunpeng hesitated for a moment, then forced a grin.

"Tang Song, long time no see."

"Long time no see." Tang Song nodded with a friendly smile before turning back to Liu Shasha.

"Zhang Lei and I have been drinking beer. Feel free to order whatever you’d like."

His voice was smooth, clear, and magnetic.

—

Zhang Yunpeng discreetly glanced at his phone—the viewer count had just broken 500.

Unprecedented!

In all his streaming career, the highest he had ever hit was 300 viewers.

As his camera panned away from Tang Song, the chat exploded.

【"Turn the camera back! We want to see him!"】

【"Yunpeng, don’t be ! We need more of the god-tier hottie!"】

【"Streamer, hurry up! I NEED to see more!!"】

Zhang Yunpeng felt a headache coming on.

Just as he was about to say something, the screen was flooded with bright, dazzling gift effects—

Carnival, Douyin One…

His jaw .

His top two donors—always reliable, always supporting him.

Receiving such high-value gifts was rare.

But then… his expression stiffened.

【Yoyo: "Streamer, go get his WeChat for me! If you succeed, I’ll send another !"】

【Breeze Is Not Yun: "Me too! If you get it, I’ll send one as well! Hurry up!"】

—

Now they weren’t even calling him Yunpeng?!

Just "Streamer"?!

!

A Hua Zi meant a 3,000 yuan gift—just for a WeChat contact?!

What was this—some kind of escort gig?!

—

Zhang Yunpeng glanced at Tang Song again, his mind buzzing.

Damn.

This guy did look like a movie star.

—

Zhang Lei chuckled and nudged him. "Come on, let’s drink first."

"Yeah, yeah." Zhang Yunpeng nodded, adjusting his camera angle before clinking his bottle of Wusu beer with them.

As he set his bottle down, he glanced at his chat again—

And his eyelid twitches violently.

【"Holy crap, now that we’re closer, I just realized—he’s wearing a Vacheron Constantin Overseas 4300V! That’s a 700,000 yuan watch! Is it real?!"】

【"No wonder he has such a high-class aura—he’s a top-tier rich and handsome man!"】

【"I know watches. Yunpeng, you’re at Snail Bar in downtown Quancheng, right? I’m coming over to check for myself!"】

ck! You guys—"

Looking at the flood of messages, Zhang Yunpeng suddenly felt a deep sense of crisis.

—

This was his livestream!

His carefully cultivated fanbase!

And now, they were about to switch sides?!

"Zhang Yan?"

Liu Shasha froze for a moment, staring at Tang Song’s strikingly handsome face at such close range. She hesitated before answering nervously,

"I haven’t been in touch with her much… actually, none of our high school classmates really kept in touch with her. She was always quiet, a total study fanatic. It was like she vanished after getting into university."

"But I did hear from a former dorm mate that after she graduated from Agricultural University, she worked in Beijing for about half a year. She was living in a semi-basement apartment in Tiantongyuan."

"Then, I think she got laid off and couldn’t find a good job, so she moved south. She’s probably in Yang City now."

Liu Shasha’s scattered recollections made Tang Song pause, his fingers tightening slightly around his glass.

That name was far too f