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

As soon as she left the VIP lounge, Shen Yao immediately found a quiet corner, quickly took out her phone, and typed "Fang Yunci" into the search bar.

The results on the screen were surprisingly few.

There is no detailed Wikipedia-style resume, nor a photo. His name is only mentioned in a few unrelated financial news briefs, but the details are vague and his specific identity remains unclear.

This low-key approach made Shen Yao's heart beat even faster.

The less information can be found, the deeper the background often is.

Undeterred, she tried various keyword combinations and finally, in a nearly forgotten corner of an old news article about a cultural forum, she found an inconspicuous line of text: "...attendees included Fang Yunci, the eldest grandson of the late former CCTV director Fang Mingyuan..."

The former director of CCTV, the eldest grandson!

Shen Yao's breath hitched, and her blood seemed to heat up in that instant!

She knew all too well the weight these words carried together. It was a social circle she had only ever looked up to on television, a circle she felt was unattainable.

No wonder Fang Yunci has such a calm and gentle demeanor; it is the profound knowledge and refinement that comes from being a true scion of a prominent family, nurtured from a young age in the core circle of power and culture.

What about Xie Yunzhou, who has a close relationship with Fang Yunci and is even called "Yunzhou" by Fang Yunci, clearly showing concern?

She immediately switched to searching for "Xie Yunzhou".

The results were even fewer, almost entirely blank, as if all public traces had been deliberately erased. This level of cleanliness speaks volumes.

Shen Yao tried her best to calm her excited emotions.

She recalled Fang Yunci's seemingly gentle yet always insightful eyes, and the meaningful smile he gave her when he praised her as a "smart and outstanding girl."

Did he see through her all along?

How could a man of such illustrious background and rich experience not see through her little scheme of trying to impress others?

Her major is journalism and communication, while Fang Yunci represents the top resources and power center in this field.

The coincidence was so striking it almost seemed like fate, and so dangerous it was chilling.

If he had already seen through her deliberate attempt to curry favor, was his gentleness and approval merely polite politeness, or a condescending scrutiny and amusement?

For the first time, Shen Yao felt a real sense of danger when facing a man.

It wasn't a physical threat, but rather a sense of intellectual and class-based crushing.

Her little tricks that worked so well against Xiang Yuchuan were probably as childish as playing house in the eyes of someone of Fang Yunci's caliber.

This danger did not deter her; instead, it fueled her even stronger desire to conquer and her competitive spirit.

The tougher the bone, the more flavorful it is when you finally get it.

So what if we're seen through?

If she proves to be useful and interesting enough, she might just win a place with him.

The second half of the summit ended without any major incidents.

Shen Yao completed all the finishing work responsibly, maintaining a polite smile throughout.

She didn't deliberately try to find Fang Yunci or Xie Yunzhou anymore; she understood the principle of moderation. Today's results had already far exceeded her expectations, and forcibly creating a chance encounter would seem contrived and beneath her dignity.

She turned her attention to other people who seemed worth befriending: several seemingly amiable senior media professionals and female managers who demonstrated efficiency and competence in their work.

Her humble attitude and polite speech, subtly offering her contact information, won her considerable goodwill. Building a network requires casting a wide net, not just focusing on the highest target.

After all the guests and staff had left and the huge conference center gradually quieted down, Shen Yao felt a deep weariness seeping from her bones.

She slowly walked out of the conference center in the high heels she had worn all day to match her suit, which now felt like torture devices. It was already dark, and a cold wind made her shiver.

She stood by the roadside, watching the cars come and go, feeling somewhat lost.

The journey back to school wasn't short, and taking a taxi would be a considerable expense. She simply didn't have the energy to squeeze onto the subway now. She certainly couldn't message Xiang Yuchuan. That young master might come if he was in a good mood, but asking him to pick up his exhausted girlfriend after get off work? She wasn't that presumptuous.

She needed to learn to drive as soon as possible. This solidified her resolve.

Just as she was rubbing her sore ankle, a sleek black sedan with an understated yet expensive appearance silently pulled up in front of her and stopped.

The rear window slowly rolled down.

Shen Yao subconsciously looked up and met a pair of deep, smiling eyes.

It was Fang Yunci.

He sat in the back seat, relaxed, with Xie Yunzhou sitting next to him, still expressionless but with a hint of less direct disdain in his eyes than before.

Fang Yunci's gaze swept over her slightly tired face, then landed on the high heels on her feet that were clearly no longer comfortable: "Miss Shen? Are you done with your work? Are you going back to school?"

Shen Yao quickly composed herself with an expression of surprise and flattery: "Mr. Fang? Mr. Xie? You haven't left yet?" She hadn't expected them to notice her, much less that they would stop the car on their own initiative.

"I just finished taking care of something." Fang Yunci smiled, his gaze still fixed on her, as if appreciating the vulnerability she inadvertently revealed at this moment, so different from her professional image during the day. "It's hard to get a taxi at this time, and Miss Shen is wearing high heels. We're going the same way, so let us give you a ride."

His invitation was so natural and polite, as if it were just a casual act of kindness out of gentlemanly manners, that it was hard to refuse.

Shen Yao's mind raced. Accept? Or refuse?

She hesitated for only a second before making her decision.

A grateful yet slightly embarrassed smile bloomed on her face as she bowed slightly: "Then I'll have to trouble Mr. Fang and Mr. Xie. Thank you so much."

"It's no trouble at all." Fang Yunci gestured for the driver to open the door.

Shen Yao opened the car door and sat in the spacious and comfortable back seat, sitting side by side with two men of very different temperaments but equally outstanding.

The car drove smoothly, and there was no awkward silence inside the car as Shen Yao had expected.

Fang Yunci and Xie Yunzhou had obviously known each other for many years, and their conversation was naturally familiar.

Fang Yunci spoke in a gentle tone and at a steady pace, while Xie Yunzhou occasionally responded with a few words in a cool voice. The two went back and forth, discussing some current affairs and financial topics that Shen Yao seemed to understand but not quite.

Shen Yao sat quietly to the side, outwardly appearing as a well-behaved listener, but inwardly she was furiously complaining: Even a simple chat is so profound.

Despite her complaints, her brain was working at high speed, desperately absorbing information and perspectives that she would never normally encounter. Even if she could only understand 30% or 40%, she felt she had benefited greatly.

She noticed that although Xie Yunzhou was a man of few words, every time he spoke, he hit the nail on the head, and his logic was frighteningly clear. Fang Yunci, on the other hand, was more like a guide and a summarizer, always able to steer the conversation to a deeper or broader level.

Just as she was pondering this, Fang Yunci seemed to casually steer the conversation towards a relatively basic case. He briefly explained it, then suddenly turned to Shen Yao with a gentle gaze and asked:

"Ms. Shen studied journalism and communication, so she may not have much experience with this type of issue. However, from your personal perspective, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this policy?"

coming!

Shen Yao's heart skipped a beat, followed by an overwhelming surge of excitement. Finally, it's my turn!

Heaven knows how much time she squeezed out each day to study those dry economics and sociology books like she was preparing for the college entrance exam, and to keep up with all kinds of financial news, just so that one day when she faced these people, she wouldn't be like a vase that only knows how to smile foolishly, making people regret that she was a wooden beauty.

Her boyfriend, Xiang Yuchuan? He spends all his time eating, drinking, and having fun. Her vast knowledge has nowhere to be put to use; it's like casting pearls before swine!

At this moment, the opportunity finally arrived.

Her face timely showed the shyness and nervousness of being suddenly asked a question. She lowered her eyelashes slightly, thought for a few seconds, and then raised her head, her eyes showing a hint of uncertainty.

"Mr. Fang, I don't know much; I've just read some things on my own. I think..."

She speaks slowly and uses simple words, avoiding overly technical jargon, but her points capture several core contradictions.

After saying that, she smiled a little embarrassedly: "I was just saying it casually, maybe I was oversimplifying things."

Fang Yunci listened quietly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.

He was just asking casually, not expecting an 18-year-old freshman majoring in humanities to say anything insightful; at most, he was just offering encouragement.

Although Shen Yao's answer was naive, she grasped the right angle, clearly showing that she was not completely indifferent to current affairs and had her own thoughts.

He smiled and said, "No, very well said. It seems that Miss Shen is not only outstanding in appearance, but also a thoughtful young woman."

Even Xie Yunzhou, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slightly opened his eyelids and glanced at Shen Yao. Although he didn't say anything, he had obviously heard her answer.

Shen Yao was overjoyed, thinking to herself that Fang was indeed beautiful and intelligent. She lowered her head modestly and said, "Mr. Fang, you flatter me. I still have much to learn."