Maxing Out Charisma, Inheriting Game Assets Chapter 790: Good News

January 4, 2023, Thursday.

Shen City, Qianhai.

6:20 a.m.

Inside a standard suite at a high-end business hotel.

The phone on the pillow buzzed once, and a slender fair hand quickly silenced it, as if afraid of waking the person in the next bed.

Zhang Yan gently pushed back the covers and stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet.

She glanced at Lulu in the adjacent bed, who was still sleeping soundly and making little puckering noises, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

She sat up carefully, not turning on the main light, relying only on the faint glow from the corridor to slip into her slippers and walk to the bathroom.

She closed the door, turned on the soft mirror light, and began to wash up.

Her mother’s treatment plan had all been implemented, and with access to high-end medical resources her condition had stabilized and returned to normal.

She believed that with advances in medical technology there would be hope for a full recovery in the future.

Her life had finally, with work, settled onto a steady path and undergone earth-shaking change.

From that precarious copywriter, she had transformed into “Manager Zhang,” now responsible for publicity coordination.

No longer writing cheap marketing blurbs every day, she now evaluated partners’ content quality, reviewed press releases from dozens of media outlets, and even dealt directly with partners like Xuanji Optical World.

Busy, but overwhelmingly fulfilling.

She soaked up workplace and professional experience like a sponge.

She also worked hard to push projects forward, even if it meant frequent overtime.

What comforted her was that everything was going well.

On one hand, Nebula International itself was the industry’s media leader with a mature system that could provide huge platform support.

On the other hand, after getting hands-on experience she was surprised to find these supposedly high-level management tasks were not as impossibly difficult as she had imagined.

That made the ambitions and self-doubts inside her finally feel grounded.

She hadn’t let down Sister Wen Ruan’s recommendation, and she certainly hadn’t embarrassed Tang Song.

Zhang Yan spat out her mouthwash and looked at herself in the mirror.

Almond-shaped clear eyes, a gentle expression.

She couldn’t help but smile at her reflection.

Sometimes only after truly crossing a hurdle can a person look back and see that the things which once terrified them weren’t that big after all.

From this vantage point, the world really did look different.

After finishing her wash-up, she carefully picked up the slightly half-full makeup bag on the counter, took out an eyebrow pencil and foundation,

and began to apply them before the mirror, a little clumsily at first.

Before, she only used lip balm and a tinted moisturizer at most.

As a copywriter, she’d been behind the scenes; no one cared about her face.

Now it was different—she often had to appear in front of executives and external teams. For the company’s image and to look more professional, she tried to present a more spirited appearance.

Of course…

Besides work reasons, girls like to look pretty.

Especially… when they have someone.

At the thought of her “someone,” Zhang Yan’s hand paused in the middle of shaping her brows, a faint but very sweet blush appearing on her fair face.

After discovering that Tang Song not only had ties with Liu Qingning but also had Wen Ruan, Xu Qing and other female friends around him,

subtle changes had begun to take root in her heart.

Especially after the last visit to Xuanji Optical World and meeting Liu Qingning in person.

She had begun to face this relationship and her feelings more honestly.

For her, just being able to stay by his side was the greatest happiness.

She finished a light, proper workplace makeup look.

Zhang Yan slipped out of the bathroom quietly.

She didn’t wake Lulu directly, instead pouring a cup of warm water and sitting at the bedside.

It was deep winter in Shen City, dawn arriving a bit later.

Outside the window the sky was a hazy gray-blue; on the Qianhai Bay’s surface in the distance, a few navigation lights flickered faintly.

She picked up her phone, opened her email, and used the rare quiet morning to check the work emails sent last night.

She listed today’s to-do items in her memo.

This habit of planning ahead helped her stay composed amid the busy workload.

About twenty minutes passed.

The sky outside brightened little by little, morning light penetrating the clouds and spilling onto the hotel curtains.

Seeing it was nearly 7:20, Zhang Yan put down her phone, turned on the lights, and called softly, “Lulu, time to get up. Otherwise the buffet’s good stuff will be gone.”

Lulu on the bed mumbled and opened her eyes.

Seeing Zhang Yan with full, delicate makeup, she sat bolt upright and made an exaggerated expression of astonishment:

“Wow! Am I still asleep? I almost thought I saw a fairy descend from heaven!”

“Yan-yan! This is the first time I’ve seen you with full makeup! You look so beautiful! That gentle professional elite vibe just popped out!”

Zhang Yan’s face flushed deeply, her ears red.

“Stop it… get up and get ready.” Her voice softened, tinged with bashful embarrassment from the sudden praise. “Today we’re going to Xuanji Optical World to meet a senior executive. Wang said to pay attention to our image.”

Seeing her shy expression, Lulu laughed and stopped teasing her, then turned and sat up neatly.

“Okay, okay, I’m up! I won’t waste our fairy’s precious time, and I want my shrimp dumplings!”

While Lulu went to the bathroom to freshen up, Zhang Yan opened the wardrobe and took out the suit she’d hung neatly.

It was a cream wool blazer paired with a matching fitted knit top and dark slacks.

She’d bought it at the mall last weekend; it wasn’t cheap, but the cut was excellent and suited her current temperament.

Today wasn’t just a meeting—she would also have a one-on-one with a senior from the president’s office to discuss subsequent publicity, a highly important occasion.

...

8:00 a.m.

The hotel’s second-floor buffet.

A variety of aromas filled the air.

Zhang Yan and Lulu grabbed breakfast and found a window seat to begin eating.

“Morning, Manager Zhang, Lulu.”

“Morning.”

“Good morning, everyone.”

Several figures carrying trays approached—core members of the project team traveling together.

Leading them was Wang Chen, a marketing supervisor from the Imperial Capital headquarters.

These people, aside from Shen City colleagues, were elite staff seconded directly from Nebula International’s Imperial Capital HQ.

After all, the Xuanji Optical World project was extremely important.

As the company’s number-one annual strategic project, just the initial branding and publicity budget reportedly reached into the hundreds of millions, with separate multimillion-yuan public relations allocations.

Such scale required the most professional team to safeguard it.

Zhang Yan and Lulu stood and greeted them hurriedly.

After two weeks of intense collaboration—overtime and constant meetings—everyone had become somewhat familiar.

But since they were drawn from different branches, personal ties weren’t deep.

The group soon took their seats.

About a dozen people gathered at two long tables pushed together.

They ate and discussed upcoming work arrangements.

“To be honest, living in hotels all the time isn’t great,” a female media placement colleague complained, rubbing her shoulders. “Even though the hotel’s nice, staying long-term feels rootless, and it’s inconvenient to do laundry.”

“Yeah,” a planner agreed. “I heard once Xuanji Optical World’s headquarters building is up and running, there’ll be a flurry of activities: the global launch of a new holographic device, city roadshows, and coordination with Tang Yi Precision’s tech summit… We’ll probably be based in Shen City long-term. We can’t keep living in hotels, right?”

At the complaints, Wang Chen took a sip of hot soybean milk, set down his cup, and smiled, “Don’t worry. I had a briefing with HQ admin yesterday. Leadership hinted that since Xuanji Optical World will soon move into the new Shen City Bay super-headquarters building, the company encourages staff to rent nearby for long-term deployment.”

“And there will be a special long-term housing allowance, quite generous—enough to cover Shen City rents.”

“What?! Really?”

“Great! That’ll save a lot of hassle with reimbursement approvals.”

Colleagues chattered excitedly.

Wang Chen suggested, “If no one objects, we could discuss renting a decent apartment together near Shen City Bay or the tech park. Co-renting would let us watch out for each other and split costs. What do you think?”

“Good idea!”

Lulu’s eyes lit up; she nearly swallowed the half-eaten shaomai and eagerly turned to Zhang Yan.

“Yan-yan! Amazing! Let’s rent a nice two-bedroom! Then you can bring Juzi from Yangcheng, and we won’t have to run back and forth every week.”

Zhang Yan’s movement stalled slightly.

She pressed her lips together, a little embarrassed, “Um… Lulu… I probably can’t co-rent with you.”

“Huh? Why?” Lulu blinked in confusion. “Do you have other plans? Want to live alone?”

Zhang Yan blushed, looked at the colleagues chatting nearby, and leaned toward Lulu, whispering, “Director Wen asked me to move in with her.”

In fact, Wen Ruan had urged her several times to move over and stay.

She felt awkward living alone in Shen City far from others, but once Wen Ruan came to Shen City again, she would have no way out—this had all been arranged in advance.

Lulu’s pupils nearly trembled.

Her chopsticks almost fell; her mouth opened and she suddenly felt parched.

“Oh… oh… I get it, I get it! No problem! I’ll rent a nice studio nearby then! Haha!”

“Director Wen” naturally referred to the new chairwoman Wen Ruan.

Lulu knew Zhang Yan had entered the company through Wen Ruan’s channels and that they were on good terms,

but she never imagined the relationship would be this close—inviting a subordinate to live in her home!

And judging by the tone, it wasn’t a temporary stay but potentially months-long cohabitation.

This wasn’t a superior-subordinate relationship; it felt like being treated as a younger sister or family!

Looking at her shy friend sipping porridge, Lulu felt increasingly envious.

Her soft-looking friend’s luck was simply unparalleled.

...

3:10 p.m.

Qianhai Innovation Center, Xuanji Optical World headquarters, 18th-floor multifunction meeting room.

The intense cross-department briefing finally reached its final coordination phase.

In the bright, spacious meeting room, keyboard sounds rose and fell.

Zhang Yan and Lulu sat by the window, thick documents spread on the table, expressions concentrated.

At that moment,

“Yu—” the phone placed nearby suddenly lit up.

Lulu picked up her phone at once.

The next second, her eyes lit up and the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably.

She nudged Zhang Yan with her shoulder and whispered excitement while suppressing it, “Payroll’s out! Awesome! So punctual!”

Zhang Yan’s typing hand paused.

Payroll?

Last month had been her second calendar month at Nebula International and the first full month she’d been fully involved in the project, traveling frequently between Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Her heart quickened; she set aside the mouse, took her phone from her bag, and lit the screen.

A message popped up.

[China Merchants Bank] Account ending 6978 received salary of RMB 36,450.00 on 01/04 15:32. Nebula International (Yangcheng) Technology Co., Ltd.

Seeing the long string of numbers, Zhang Yan’s face inexplicably heated.

Her job level was P6, with a base monthly salary of 25,000 yuan (pre-tax).

But this payment included travel allowances, project bonuses and overtime pay.

After five social insurances and housing fund and individual tax, the net amount was still over thirty-six thousand.

This was a huge shock.

She had only saved slightly over twenty thousand after three years of previous work.

Now a single month’s income exceeded her past savings.

Although she’d gotten the position through connections, this was the first time she truly felt that hard work could yield a large return.

A complex mix of achievement, security and a little shopping temptation rose within her.

As a woman in her twenties she wanted better cosmetics and a few decent outfits.

As for her old insistence on repaying the more-than-one-million yuan medical debt to Tang Song—

that thought had quietly faded.

Not because she wanted to dodge responsibility,

but because she gradually understood that beyond that million, Tang Song had given her resources, care, opportunities, and even her mother’s rebirth—things no money could measure.

Now her body and heart were wholly tied to him; she would never leave him in this life.

Feigning independence to haggle over that “debt” would feel affected.

—

While her emotions churned, the phone vibrated again.

[Mom]

Zhang Yan sprang up, gave Lulu a quick whispered nod, and walked briskly out into the quiet corridor to answer.

“Hello, Mom?” Her voice softened unconsciously.

“Ah Yan, are you busy?” Her mother Zhou Hui’s voice came through the receiver, unusually buoyant and happy. “I’ve got huge good news for you!”

“Really? What good news?”

“My job’s settled! The street office arranged it!” Her mother’s voice brimmed with joy.

“Job?” Zhang Yan paused, then worried, “Didn’t I tell you to rest since you just recovered? Don’t think about work, just recuperate.”

“Oh, listen, it’s not heavy! It’s a community co-construction project the street office and a nearby company are doing!” Zhou Hui hurriedly explained:

The company sponsors a civility post in the community with a formal social service contract. Hours are flexible—main tasks include library opening and event assistance, very light; no long standing required, rest anytime. The street director said it’s a standard contract, nine-to-five, two-hour lunch break to return home, weekends off, social insurance, and a monthly net income of over three thousand…

As she spoke, her mother’s voice choked with emotion.

Tears filled Zhang Yan’s eyes too.

She knew what this job meant to her mother.

Though Zhou Hui had moved out of the Chen family and lived alone in the small rental, she always feared being a burden and worried about her youngest, Chen Shuangshuang, wanting some pocket money.

She lacked education and had poor health; previously she could only do assembly line or housekeeping work, which she couldn’t manage anymore.

This job solved everything: a dignified income, social circle, sense of worth, not overexerting her body, plus stable future security.

For a mother who’d just survived a major illness and teetered on the edge of her marriage, this was salvation.

After hanging up, Zhang Yan wiped her damp eyes and exhaled slowly.

When she raised her head, her clear almond eyes sparkled with new vigor.

She felt infused with fresh energy; days of fatigue and underlying worry seemed to vanish.

She turned and walked back into the meeting room with light, determined steps to continue working.

Ten minutes later,

“Knock knock—” came a knock at the door.

A staff member wearing an ID badge entered, “Sorry to interrupt. I’m Li Tong from Xuanji Optical World’s admin. The president’s office meeting with Director Jiang just ended; there’s now a gap. I’ll take you up to the 25th floor for direct liaison.”

“Okay, understood.”

“Okay.”

Zhang Yan and the other project leads stood and began packing up.

Her other core mission today was to meet the head of Xuanji Optical World’s university cooperation and technology transfer office.

Director Jiang’s position was significant—she reported directly to Xuanji’s CEO as a senior director of technical strategy, a genuine core executive.

They left the bustling 18th floor and followed Li Tong into the elevator.

“Ding—”

The elevator stopped at the 25th floor and the doors opened.

A completely different atmosphere hit them.

This floor’s layout was unlike downstairs.

Wide corridors with thick noise-dampening dark-gray carpet.

Artfully soft lighting and a faint scent in the air.

This was the president’s office and core executive area.

Passersby were impeccably dressed, moving with calm steps and speaking softly.

Whether a secretary clutching files or a tech executive talking quietly, everyone exuded the aloof, high-end vibe of an elite tech company.

By contrast, the Nebula International project team felt an invisible pressure.

Lulu immediately quieted, and Wang Chen straightened his tie unconsciously.

They hugged the wall, heads down.

At that moment,

From around the corner came crisp, measured footsteps.

“Clack, clack, clack—”

Several figures emerged.

In the center walked an elegant mature woman.

She wore a perfectly tailored black cashmere coat over a dark silk blouse.

Her thick black hair was swept up elegantly, revealing a graceful neck and pearl earrings at her earlobes.

Her expression was calm and her pace unhurried.

Though she said nothing, the aura of someone long accustomed to high rank swept down the corridor.

Passing employees stopped and bowed respectfully.

“Chairwoman.”

“Good morning, Chairwoman.”

Hearing those titles and seeing the imposing figure, everyone from Nebula International’s group flushed with shock and nervousness.

Ouyang Xianyue!

They recognized the name immediately but had never expected to bump into her so closely here.

The pressure made Wang Chen and others feel goosebumps.

Zha