Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 449 - 450: Hosts Meet Up

Chapter 449: Chapter 450: Hosts Meet Up

After the long holiday, everyone was back to work, immersed in their busy schedules. Miao Qingqing and Song Xiaoru had been ready to hit the ground running, just waiting for the holiday to end to make their mark at the company.

Song Xiaodong had also arrived at the office. Although he didn’t have any urgent matters to handle at the moment, it was only right for him to come in and lend a hand when he had nothing pressing on his schedule.

Su Yao had already prepared tea for him, and when she saw him enter, her eyes lit up immediately and she said, "Manager Song, good morning."

"Good morning!" Song Xiaodong answered with a smile and sat down behind the boss’s desk. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "The long holiday was good, wasn’t it?"

Su Yao smiled and said, "It was okay, I went out for a trip for three days, and spent the remaining four days at home. I thought about gathering some classmates, but considering how busy Manager Song must be, certainly staying home with Chairman Miao, I didn’t reach out to you."

"Oh, our group of classmates..." Song Xiaodong shook his head. Nowadays, everyone seemed a bit wary of him, which kind of took the fun out of class reunions.

Su Yao said, "I know you find their flattery dull, and honestly, I do too. But that’s human nature, isn’t it? People aim high and water flows low; everyone wants to connect with those stronger than themselves to gain help. We classmates are just starting out in society; they too hope for others’ help, thus they can’t be as comfortable around you."

Song Xiaodong nodded and said, "You’re right, I can’t expect others to be like me. Well, if there’s a get-together in the future, just call me along. It’s always nice to have a drink together."

"Alright." Su Yao gave a toothy smile, which was quite charming.

At that moment, Song Xiaodong’s phone rang. Seeing the number was completely unknown, he still answered, "Hello, who is this?"

A pleasant female voice came from the other end of the line, "Mr. Song, I’m Cheng Xiaoyue. I wonder if you remember me."

"Cheng Xiaoyue... Oh, you’re the host," Song Xiaodong finally recalled.

"Oh my, what a pleasant surprise, Mr. Song! I’m flattered that you still remember me," she exclaimed.

"Well, you are a prominent host after all. It would be ignorant of me not to remember."

"You’re jesting, Mr. Song! Host or not, it’s just a job. But you, you’ve achieved fame at such a young age and are definitely a leading figure among the younger generation in Tiannan City," she replied.

"You’re quite the speaker, as expected from a host. So, what made you think of calling me today?" Song Xiaodong shifted the conversation back to the matter at hand after exchanging pleasantries.

"Last time I made a video for your relative. I’ve almost finished editing it, so I was hoping you could take a look and let me know if there’s anything unsatisfactory before I make further edits," she explained.

"You could just handle that yourself; why go through all this trouble?"

"I know your time is precious, Mr. Song, but I genuinely wish to discuss it personally with you. How about we meet over lunch? That way, it wouldn’t disrupt your work time."

"Lunch, huh? Alright then, you pick the place and I’ll treat you to a meal while I take a look."

"Ok, then I won’t hold back."

After hanging up, Su Yao said with a playful grin, "Looks like you have a lunch date with a beauty."

"Yes, and she’s a host too."

Su Yao nodded, "I heard, Cheng Xiaoyue, she’s quite a celebrity in Tiannan, famous and with quite a following. Her hosting skills are indeed commendable."

Song Xiaodong said, "Really? I don’t watch much TV, so I haven’t actually seen her shows."

"They say Cheng Xiaoyue has quite the backbone. It’s not easy for just anyone to get her to dine with them. Now that she’s the one initiating this, it seems she’s got her sights on you. Be careful, don’t let her steal your heart away," Su Yao teased.

Song Xiaodong laughed heartily, "You said it yourself, she’s a person of integrity. Why would she trouble herself with me for no good reason, considering she has a valid reason today?"

"You can tell yourself that, but what valid reason does she have? She just wants to meet you. Artists like her mainly need a backer. Without solid support, they often have to flatter around and even degrade themselves by offering their company."

"You seem to know a lot about the entertainment industry?"

"I have a relative who was in showbiz, though not as an actor, just a handyman. He saw a lot of well-known celebrities facing indescribable grievances behind their glamorous appearances," she replied.

"Sounds like it’s not easy at all."

"Indeed, artists like her are always on someone’s radar; they don’t have the freedom we enjoy and definitely need a strong backer."

Song Xiaodong chuckled, "I’m not just anyone’s backer, that’s too troublesome."

Close to noon, Song Xiaodong received a message from Cheng Xiaoyue with a location. He replied, telling her he’d be there soon.

With a mischievous smile, Su Yao said, "Go ahead, I’ll cover for you. I won’t let Chairman Miao find out."

Song Xiaodong laughed heartily as he walked out of the office. Having such an understanding secretary indeed saved him a lot of hassle.

Half an hour later, Song Xiaodong and Cheng Xiaoyue was sitting in a private room at a restaurant.

Cheng Xiaoyue was dressed professionally in a business suit, a skirt that fell just shy of the knee tucked into a small blazer with a white blouse beneath. She looked not only beautiful but also very sharp—a true beauty indeed.

"Mr. Song, thank you for honoring me with your presence," Cheng Xiaoyue greeted him with a handshake before inviting him to sit down.

"With such a distinguished host inviting me, I’d have to be a fool to refuse."

Cheng Xiaoyue responded, "You really know how to make a joke. If it were anyone else complimenting me like this, I might actually feel flattered, but you’re someone even the Ding family wants to please. How could I possibly accept such praise from you?"

Song Xiaodong smiled and said, "Alright, then I’ll refrain from flattering you."

At his remark, Cheng Xiaoyue’s expression stiffened momentarily, then she burst out laughing again, "Mr. Song, you really are different from ordinary people. Today, I actually have a matter I’d like to discuss with Song Xiaodong."

"Oh? What’s that?" Song Xiaodong hadn’t expected Cheng Xiaoyue to be so direct.

Cheng Xiaoyue’s eyes narrowed slightly, then she said out of the blue, "Mr. Song, do you think I’m rather good-looking?"

Song Xiaodong’s eyes narrowed a bit too, as Cheng Xiaoyue’s sudden question seemed to carry a somewhat flirtatious hint.