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

Two days later, in the afternoon, Shen Yao was studying in the library when her phone screen lit up. It was an unfamiliar number from Beijing.

She immediately picked up her phone, walked quickly to the quiet stairwell, took a deep breath, and then pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" Her voice remained calm.

"Miss Shen, it's me, Fang Yunci." A familiar, warm, and steady male voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Hello, Mr. Fang." Shen Yao's voice was filled with surprise.

"Did I disturb you? Do you have time at 5 pm tomorrow?" Fang Yunci's tone was very polite, with a tone of negotiation.

Shen Yao quickly went through her schedule in her mind. Tomorrow was Saturday, and she had no other plans besides studying. "Yes, I have time, Mr. Fang."

"Okay. How about 5 pm tomorrow at 'Cloud Top Pavilion'?" Fang Yunci said, giving out a restaurant name.

"Of course," Shen Yao readily agreed, her voice filled with anticipation.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Fang."

The time has come to avenge our defeat!

The next day was Saturday, and Shen Yao, unusually, didn't sleep in and got up at 7:00 AM sharp.

She had a whole day to meticulously prepare this crucial "dinner".

First, there's the choice of clothes. She opened her wardrobe, which was filled with all sorts of clothes that Xiang Yuchuan had bought for her or that she had bought herself.

The outer down jacket isn't important; the key is what you wear underneath after taking off your coat indoors.

She wore a high-quality off-white cashmere knit top with a square neck. The square neck design perfectly revealed her beautiful collarbone and a small patch of fair skin, ensuring a touch of skin exposure in winter without appearing frivolous.

She wore a pair of dark gray high-waisted wool straight-leg trousers, which perfectly elongated her leg lines.

The entire outfit features sophisticated colors and a well-fitting cut, exuding elegance without being overly contrived.

Next up is the makeup. Given the "painful lesson" of going "bare-faced" last time, Shen Yao decided to abandon light makeup and directly unleash her long-practiced and most lethal fake-no-makeup makeup.

The focus of the entire makeup look is on the illusion of natural beauty and the innocent and pure feeling of "Oh, I'm not wearing any makeup, I'm just naturally pretty."

Finally, there's her hairstyle. Her thick, well-maintained, jet-black hair is a huge asset.

This time, she didn't choose the glamorous big waves or the pure and innocent long black straight hair.

To match the relatively formal occasion of this "thank you banquet" without appearing too stiff, she carefully styled her hair into a full, fluffy bun with every stray strand perfectly placed.

This bun hairstyle is the result of countless practice sessions in front of the mirror. It had to be round and full from every angle to perfectly accentuate her superior skull and slender neck.

Before leaving the house, she stood in front of the full-length mirror again and carefully checked herself from head to toe.

Excellent, in perfect condition.

She didn't want him to know the specifics of her relationship with Xiang Yuchuan yet. She walked to the entrance of the residential complex and hailed a taxi.

"Master, go to 'Cloud Top Pavilion' on the Bund."

The taxi stopped in front of the "Cloud Top Pavilion". Shen Yao paid the fare, calmly pushed open the door and got out, walking into the magnificent lobby.

"Hello, my surname is Shen. I have a reservation. Mr. Fang made the reservation." Her voice was clear and pleasant, and she was very polite.

The receptionist was a young woman. The moment she looked up and saw Shen Yao, a hint of amazement flashed in her eyes. Immediately, her smile became even warmer and sweeter, and her voice unconsciously softened.

"Hello, Miss Shen! Mr. Fang has arrived and is in the 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion' private room. I'll take you there."

"Thank you." Shen Yao nodded slightly and followed the receptionist through the elegant and private corridor.

Upon arriving at the "Listening to the Rain Pavilion" private room, the receptionist gently knocked on the door and then pushed open the heavy solid wood door for her.

Fang Yunci had indeed arrived in the private room.

He was standing with his back to the door, making a phone call in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window, the dazzling night view of the Huangpu River, with its shimmering lights, made his tall and straight figure appear even more profound.

Hearing the door open, Fang Yunci turned around.

He was wearing a black turtleneck sweater today, which made him look even more gentle and refined.

Upon seeing Shen Yao, he said "Wait a moment" into the phone, then gave her a gentle smile and gestured for her to sit down.

Shen Yao returned a polite yet slightly shy smile, without disturbing him, and tiptoed to the dining table, where she gracefully sat down opposite Fang Yunci.

The private room was very warm. She took off her heavy white down jacket, revealing a carefully matched beige square-neck knit sweater and pearl earrings underneath.

She sat seemingly quietly, but her ears were keenly listening to every word Fang Yunci said on the phone.

"...Yes, I've reviewed the station's proposal... We still need to refine the details... Yes, mainly the issue of guidance..."

Television station. Shen Yao immediately thought of the background she had seen last time about Fang Yunci's grandfather—the former director of CCTV.

Not long after, Fang Yunci ended the call, put his phone aside, turned and walked to the dining table, his face apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Shen, I had some work to attend to. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"It's alright, Mr. Fang, you're too kind." Shen Yao quickly waved her hand, her smile gentle.

Fang Yunci sat down opposite her, his gaze lingering on her subtly for a moment, seemingly quite appreciative of her outfit today.

He picked up the teapot on the table and poured her a cup of hot tea himself, his movements natural and fluid.

"We were just talking about things at the station," Fang Yunci put down the teapot, speaking casually as if chatting about family matters, "My family still has some connections at the TV station, and they occasionally help out with some things."

He paused, then looked at Shen Yao with gentle eyes, as if it were just a casual remark, "I remember Miss Shen studied journalism and communication, right?"

His question was asked very naturally, and his expression was as gentle as ever, showing no hint of probing. But Shen Yao's heart, which had just warmed up from the heating, instantly turned cold.

Television station...family relationships...journalism and communication major...

These keywords, when strung together, instantly raised Shen Yao's vigilance to its highest level!

Was it a coincidence? Or a test?

Shen Yao's brain was working at lightning speed.

She originally planned to show some maturity and insight during this dinner to change the impression of her being "naive" last time.

But Fang Yunci's sudden, seemingly casual question, which directly addressed her core "needs," made her immediately change her strategy.

In situations where you can't figure out the other party's intentions, playing dumb, naive, or innocent is always the safest and most effective way to lower their guard!

A shy and curious look, typical of a student, immediately appeared on her face. She nodded vigorously: "Yes, Mr. Fang! I'm only a freshman, just starting to learn basic courses, and I find them quite interesting."

Fang Yunci smiled at her expression, didn't press the matter further, and instead picked up the menu:

"Let's order first, see what you'd like to eat."