The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

The call was abruptly ended, leaving only a busy tone on the receiver.

Shen Yao slowly put down her phone, her arm trembling slightly. She lowered her head, her long hair obscuring her face, making it impossible to see her expression.

Although Liu Xingyang, who was standing to the side, did not hear the specific content of the phone call, Shen Daqiang's furious roar, which could be felt even through the phone, and Shen Yao's devastated appearance, said it all.

His face was filled with sympathy and helplessness. He rubbed his hands together and awkwardly offered words of comfort:

"Yaoyao, don't take it to heart. Your dad... that's just his temper; he talks nonsense when he's drunk."

When Shen Yao looked up again, her face was now wearing a forced smile.

She handed the phone back to Liu Xingyang: "Uncle Liu, thank you for the phone. I'm fine. You can go on with your work now, don't be late with your deliveries."

Seeing her feigned strength, Liu Xingyang felt even worse. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more to comfort her, but seeing Shen Yao's obvious reluctance to talk about it anymore, he ultimately just sighed.

"Hey, take good care of yourself, Yao Yao. Call your uncle if anything happens."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Liu. I will." Shen Yao forced a smile, nodded, then turned and quickly walked across the street.

Her silhouette stretched long in the setting sun, slender and upright, yet her steps were hurried.

Liu Xingyang watched her figure disappear into the crowd, shook his head helplessly, and got on his electric bike.

Fang Yunci's office is located on the top floor of the CCTV building, with a wide view. The decoration style is just like the feeling he gives people - gentle and polite, but with an invisible sense of distance.

At this moment, he was sitting behind his large desk, listening to his subordinate Sun Shaoping's work report.

Sun Shao-ping is one of Fang Yun-ci's confidants, responsible for handling some behind-the-scenes matters. He is cautious and highly capable.

He gave a clear and organized report on the budget, investment attraction, and content planning of several key projects for the next quarter. Fang Yunci would occasionally interrupt, asking one or two precise questions or giving instructions. His voice was calm and revealed no emotion.

"...Regarding the expansion of guest resources for the new program, we plan..." Sun Shao-ping was getting to the crucial point.

Fang Yunci nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

Sun Shao-ping paused, then naturally changed the subject, his tone still respectful, but the content jumped from official business to a seemingly unrelated topic:

"Also, Director, regarding Ms. Shen Yao, whom you asked me to keep an eye on... there hasn't been anything unusual these past two days. She's mainly been traveling between Yenching University and the TV station, attending classes and doing her internship on time, and getting along normally with her colleagues. However..."

He paused slightly, seemingly considering his words:

"This afternoon, she stood and chatted with a middle-aged man who looked like he was working in Beijing from out of town for about seven or eight minutes. Judging from their expressions, they seemed to be... old acquaintances."

Sun Shao-ping did not add any subjective speculation, but simply stated the facts objectively. He also did not investigate the man's specific identity unless Fang Yun-ci gave further instructions.

Fang Yunci raised his eyes and looked calmly at Sun Shaoping, his face still bearing that gentle expression.

He didn't ask about the man's identity, nor did he show any surprise or curiosity: "Look at her."

Sun Shao-ping felt a slight chill run down his spine and immediately lowered his head in response:

"Yes, Director, I understand."

He dared not ask any more questions, nor did he dare to show any unusual behavior.

"Okay, let's continue." Fang Yunci seemed to refocus his attention on the documents on the table, gesturing for Sun Shaoping to continue the work report that had been interrupted earlier.

Sun Shaoping composed himself and continued to report on the project details, but deep down, a great deal of doubt and confusion surged within him.

Has the station director been paying a little too much attention to this Yenching University student lately?

Sun Shao-ping had followed Fang Yun-ci for many years and knew the methods and temperament of this newly appointed station director well. Fang Yun-ci always acted with clear goals, was gentle and restrained, and never did anything meaningless.

His attitude towards women is notoriously distant; he has never been seen showing any particular interest in any woman, let alone using resources to "keep an eye on" their daily activities.

During this time, Fang Yunci had repeatedly asked him to "keep an eye on" the exchange student who had just arrived at Yenching University. This level of attention far exceeded the scope of ordinary care and was more like a form of covert surveillance.

A cycad blooming?

The moment the idea popped into his head, Sun Shao-ping dismissed it.

impossible.

The station director is definitely not the kind of person who would be blinded by beauty.

Moreover, if he really had romantic feelings for Shen Yao, given his status and circumstances, he could have pursued her openly and honestly. Why resort to such a surveillance-like method?

The more Sun Shao-ping thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Strange...

Shen Daqiang stood in the shade of the old locust tree opposite the school gate, wearing a wrinkled old jacket and with greasy, messy hair.

His eyes scanned the students entering and leaving the school gate, and when his gaze locked onto Shen Yao, a mixture of anger, greed, and the excitement of finding prey flashed in his cloudy eyes.

Shen Yao's steps didn't falter in the slightest, nor did her heartbeat change. She looked at that familiar yet repulsive figure, a cold calm settling over her.

They arrived as expected.

It was a little faster than she had expected.

Given Shen Daqiang's shameless nature, once he learns of her whereabouts and "promising future" over the phone, he will definitely pounce on her like a hyena smelling blood.

She even... vaguely anticipated his arrival.

Shen Daqiang's face was contorted with rage, and he opened his mouth to unleash a torrent of curses, his spittle almost spitting out.

Before he could speak, Shen Yao quickened her pace and walked up to him.

She gave him no chance to react, her face quickly contorting into a mixture of fear, pleading, and helplessness. Her voice, low and trembling with tears, she spoke first:

"Dad! You, why did you really come? There are too many people here! Please, can we talk somewhere else? Not here..."

As she spoke, she timidly glanced around with her large, misty, pitiful eyes, as if afraid of being seen by her classmates and teachers.

Shen Daqiang was taken aback by her sudden weakness and pleading, and the curse that was already on the tip of his tongue was abruptly cut off.

He stared at Shen Yao, his gaze sweeping over her face, which was even more exquisite and beautiful than a year ago, and now made her even more pitiful with tears in her eyes. His throat bobbed involuntarily.

After all, she was his own daughter, and she had grown up to be so beautiful...