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

The waiter handed over the beautifully prepared menu.

Shen Yao didn't pretend to be reserved and declined, but generously accepted it, but didn't order immediately.

She first tilted the menu slightly towards Fang Yunci, then asked in a playful and considerate tone:

"Mr. Fang, do you have any dietary restrictions or particular food preferences? Let us see what you like to eat first."

This gesture shows respect for the other person and cleverly creates an opportunity to learn about their personal habits.

Fang Yunci seemed a little surprised by her thoughtfulness, then smiled gently: "I don't have any dietary restrictions, and I prefer lighter flavors, so just order whatever you like."

"Light and simple is good, it's good for your health," Shen Yao agreed with a smile, before starting to look at the menu carefully.

She was very skillful in ordering food, combining meat and vegetables, including the restaurant's signature dishes, catering to Fang Yunci's taste preferences, and even ordering a dessert that looked exquisite and delicious.

She was poised and confident throughout the entire process, neither timid nor overly flamboyant.

After ordering, the waiter left, leaving only the two of them in the private room.

Fang Yunci picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and began the conversation with the tone of an elder concerned for a younger person: "How's school? Are you adjusting well?"

Shen Yao wondered to herself if he really treated her like a relative's child. But on the surface, she maintained the demeanor of a well-behaved student and answered earnestly, "It's great. My classmates are all very friendly, and the teachers' lectures are very interesting."

She paused, then added seemingly casually, with a hint of pride in her voice, "Last semester I even joined the school's radio station, and I hosted the year-end welcome party."

As she said this, she turned her head slightly to look at Fang Yunci.

This angle perfectly showcased her beautifully contoured profile and neck, fully exposed by her bun hairstyle, in front of him.

After a few months apart, this face, which is only eighteen years old, has shed its initial immaturity and gained an indescribable charm thanks to careful maintenance and dance training.

Her clear eyes sparkled with confidence as she spoke, and the small patch of fair skin revealed by her square-neck top shone with a luminous glow under the warm yellow light.

Fang Yunci listened quietly, his gaze fixed on her face, nodding slightly from time to time to show that he was listening attentively.

His face still held that gentle expression.

After sharing her "small achievements" at school, Shen Yao changed the subject, turning her curious gaze to Fang Yunci, her tone innocent yet filled with admiration:

"Mr. Fang, where did you go to university? It must have been a very prestigious school."

She has now figured out the trick: when you can't figure out how deep the other person is, maintaining an "innocent, naive, and pitiful" persona can often lower their guard and even arouse their protective instincts.

Fang Yunci picked up the serving chopsticks on the table and placed a small piece of appetizer in the bone dish in front of her, his movements natural and fluid, before replying calmly:

"I did my undergraduate studies at Yenching University, and later I went to Stanford for further studies for a period of time."

Shen Yao's eyes widened immediately, her face instantly filled with undisguised envy and admiration, her voice rising several decibels with genuine amazement:

"Wow, Yenching University and Stanford! Mr. Fang, you're amazing! No wonder you know so much!"

Fang Yunci looked at her exaggerated yet not unpleasant expression of admiration, and the corners of his mouth seemed to curve slightly. He handed her a glass of freshly poured hot water: "That's all in the past. Have some water."

Exquisite dishes were served one by one, each with its own unique color, aroma, and flavor, and presented with great care.

Shen Yao's dining etiquette is elegant; she takes small bites, neither appearing restrained nor losing her composure.

As she ate, she seemingly casually found a way to start a conversation. She tilted her head slightly, a perfectly timed look of curiosity, as if a sudden thought had occurred to her, and looked at Fang Yunci:

"Mr. Fang, at the summit last time... that Mr. Xie, it seemed like you two had a particularly good relationship. You even thanked me specifically for that, I was a little embarrassed."

She naturally steered the conversation toward Xie Yunzhou, a point of information she was very keen to know.

Fang Yunci wiped his mouth with a napkin, his movements unhurried. Hearing this, he smiled and said in a calm tone, "Yes, Yunzhou is my cousin."

"Cousin?" Shen Yao's eyes widened at the opportune moment, revealing genuine surprise. "Really? You two don't look alike."

Her words were half true and half false. She was genuinely surprised, but saying "it doesn't seem like it" was more of a prelude to what followed.

Fang Yunci seemed amused by her reaction, a slight smile playing on his lips as he said with a hint of self-deprecation, "Maybe it's because I look older."

"No, that's not true at all," Shen Yao retorted immediately, her tone sincere. She then looked up at Fang Yunci with a gaze that was a mixture of admiration and appreciation. "Mr. Fang, you don't look old at all, you have a very elegant demeanor, and you're very handsome!"

She spoke with unwavering conviction and clear eyes, as if stating a perfectly obvious fact, without the slightest hint of deliberate flattery.

This kind of straightforward praise, tinged with a touch of girlish shyness, is often more effective than indirect flattery.

Fang Yunci looked at her bright eyes and serious expression, paused for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head, not continuing the topic.

Thank God for giving her such a beautiful face, perfect for playing the innocent "white flower," and a calculating "green tea" heart.

She decided that in front of Fang Yunci, she would bring out the essence of a "green tea bitch" to the extreme.

However, it is necessary to carefully package it into the image of an innocent, kind-hearted, and adoring "white flower".

Just as Shen Yao was secretly pleased with herself for successfully finding out the relationship between Xie Yunzhou and Fang Yunci and solidifying her "innocent girl" persona, feeling that she had gotten a little closer to this unfathomable Mr. Fang, Fang Yunci casually threw out a new question.

He put down his silver chopsticks, then raised his eyes and looked calmly at Shen Yao:

"Ms. Shen, journalism and communication is a very broad major. Have you thought about what specific area of ​​work you'd like to pursue after graduation?"

Shen Yao felt uneasy.

This question seemed ordinary, a typical expression of concern from an elder to a younger generation. However, when Fang Yunci asked it, especially after he had just revealed his family's deep connections with the television station, it became particularly meaningful, even carrying a hint of a probing question.

How should I answer?

Perhaps in front of someone as shrewd as Fang Yunci, trying to be clever and roundabout might backfire.

It's better to be half-truthful and half-lie, and show sincerity to others; perhaps that will win you some goodwill.

She lowered her eyelashes slightly, a mixture of longing and earnestness, and shyness in front of her "senior," on her face, her voice soft:

"Mr. Fang, to be honest... I want to be a host."

After speaking, she raised her eyes and looked at Fang Yunci with a mix of trepidation and anticipation, like a student waiting for a teacher's feedback.

Fang Yunci listened without showing any surprise. He simply smiled faintly, looked at her with deep eyes, and softly uttered two words:

"Yeah?"

Then there is no more then.

He didn't say anything like "That's great, you have ambition" or "The host has high standards, keep up the good work" as most people would, nor did he hint at "maybe I can help".

He simply looked at her with those eyes that seemed to see through everything, said something ambiguous and unambiguous, and then left Shen Yao in silence.

The brief silence and those two light words made Shen Yao feel as if she had been stripped naked and placed under a spotlight, all her little thoughts exposed under the other person's knowing gaze.

A strong sense of regret and embarrassment welled up inside me.

She cursed herself inwardly for being so impulsive.