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

Back home, Shen Yao was all alone in the vast space.

Xiang Yuchuan seemed to have other engagements tonight and didn't come over.

Shen Yao removed her exquisite makeup, took a hot shower, and washed away her fatigue and the scents of different men that had lingered in the teahouse.

She changed into a comfortable silk nightgown, dried her half-dry hair, and sat down on the soft sofa in the bedroom.

The main lights weren't on; only a dim, yellow floor lamp was left on, its soft light enveloping her.

Shen Yao picked up her phone, opened the browser, and skillfully used various compound words.

Zhou Jingyan.

She needed to know who this man who had left such a deep impression on her tonight was.

The search page instantly displayed a large number of related results.

Shen Yao clicked on the top encyclopedia entry and began to read it carefully.

Zhou Jingyan is the general manager and largest shareholder of Xinke Group.

The information in the entry is concise and powerful.

Upon seeing the words "Newtech Group," Shen Yao's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped her phone.

Newtech Group? Of course she knew about it.

Her roommates, including the latest smartphone she uses, are all from a brand under the ST Group.

This is a global business giant that holds a leading position in technology, the Internet, and smart hardware, making it a true industry behemoth.

In today's internet and technology-driven era, Zhou Jingyan, who controls the vast resources of the Newtech Group, certainly possesses abilities and status that ordinary second-generation rich kids cannot match.

He wields real power and resources that can influence the industry landscape and even social development.

She continued scrolling down to read Zhou Jingyan's personal information.

There are no photos of him online.

However, almost all the reports and evaluations about him are positive.

Young and promising, innovative and socially responsible...

Shen Yao clicked on all the people related to him, not wanting to miss a single one.

Zhou Jingyan's mother was once a very popular star, with unparalleled beauty and charm.

However, the image pieced together from those overwhelming reports and gossip always carries a lingering sense of fragility.

Shen Yao made sure to write this down in her notebook.

His father was the founder of Shinco Group.

Back then, this female celebrity in her early twenties married into a wealthy family in a glamorous way, seemingly rising to the top overnight. However, her married life was portrayed as bleak by the media.

Zhou Jingyan's father's scandals never stopped, one after another, so many that Shen Yao felt dizzy even scrolling through the screen.

In the early years, Hong Kong and Taiwanese media used the most cutting and scathing language, with every word hitting the nail on the head.

Shen Yao read a report that said, "Mrs. Zhou has been repeatedly subjected to demonstrations in her home, rendering her position as the legal wife virtually meaningless."

The report, in just a few words, vividly portrayed the woman's humiliation and embarrassment.

After Zhou Jingyan's father passed away, his mother rarely appeared in the public eye again.

Rumors circulated that she had developed serious mental problems, and Zhou Jingyan placed her in a top-tier private sanatorium.

The media praised him for his filial piety, saying that no matter how busy he was, he would always visit his mother without fail.

Shen Yao then clicked on several more reports about his participation in charity activities.

Long-term financial support for welfare homes in remote areas, establishment of special funds to help impoverished children access medical care and education, and donations of huge sums to cancer research centers...

Each and every incident testifies to the impression he left on Shen Yao tonight.

He was a "gentleman" who, despite having an unhappy childhood and holding a high position, still maintained a kind heart and acted with integrity.

A truly good person.

A virtuous and upright person with immense power and a good reputation.

Looking at the cold words on the screen, Shen Yao felt a complex mix of emotions.

There is admiration, there is longing, but more than anything, there is a sense of distress.

Such a person is from a completely different world than her.

His world was bright and upright, full of order and ideals.

Her world, struggling to emerge from the mud, is filled with scheming, transactions, and desires hidden from the light.

She closed Zhou Jingyan's page and then searched for "Qin Fang" and "Xiao Weilin" in turn.

Information about Qin Fang is much easier to find.

This guy is indeed a womanizer; he's got plenty of scandals.

The latest gossip is that a moderately famous internet celebrity and model complained on social media that "a certain young master surnamed Qin" had disappeared, and a lot of people in the comments section guessed that it was Qin Fang.

The report mentioned that Qin Fang founded "QY Entertainment," which is very wealthy and has now become the largest film and entertainment empire in China.

His mother comes from a century-old aristocratic family and is the chairperson of an important European art foundation; his father runs a multinational corporation with operations all over the world.

Shen Yao recalled Qin Fang's well-defined face, his exceptionally deep lines, and his rare amber eyes; now she had the answer.

It turns out they are of mixed race.

His illustrious parents showered him with love and affection.

English tabloids once enthusiastically listed the various ways in which this wealthy couple "spoiled" their only son, to an extent far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

Type "Xiao Weilin" into the search box and press Enter.

Like Xie Yunzhou and the others, the result was a blank.

There is no publicly available information, no photos, and no background information.

This person is like a shadow, completely disappearing from public view.

Can't find it again?

Shen Yao paused for a moment, then decisively shifted her focus to her brother, Xiao Weichen.

She mobilized all resources to piece together fragmented information.

Finally, the outline of a powerful family gradually emerged.

The Xiao family ancestors started their business with a pharmacy during the Ming and Qing dynasties and quickly accumulated wealth.

After undergoing changes over time and continuous transformation following the reform and opening up, it eventually became a biotechnology giant – Sinnovation.

Today, Sannovine's drugs have permeated every aspect of ordinary people's lives.

News reports frequently feature its new drug development under the advocacy and support of the state, claiming that it has saved countless lives.

When it comes to birth, aging, illness, and death, there is no doubt that this is a behemoth that no one wants to offend.

Wait a moment?

Shen Yao scrolled through the screen, her gaze suddenly stopping on a news headline from many years ago.

Accident or Murder? Mr. and Mrs. Xiao tragically died in a car accident, but their son, Xiao Weichen, survived.

So, Xiao Weilin and Xiao Weichen's parents are already dead?

After integrating all the information that was available for the time being, some true and some false, Shen Yao decided to stop worrying unnecessarily.

Last night's experience was thrilling, but the result was not bad. Not only did I get Zhou Jingyan's contact information, but I also glimpsed a crack leading to a higher social circle.

Just consider it as meeting a kind person, and you'll be in a good mood.

She said to herself.

If Qin Fang and Xiao Weilin know what's good for them and stop bothering her, she might consider letting them go.

but……

What if they don't know what's good for them?

Shen Yao picked up the plain white business card on the bedside table and gently traced the three characters "Zhou Jingyan" with her fingertips.

With a secret anticipation in her heart, Shen Yao slept soundly through the night.

She woke up the next day feeling refreshed.

She carefully selected a light purple floral print sundress, paired with a beige knitted cardigan, and braided her long, black hair into a loose side braid. She looked fresh and gentle, with a touch of French pastoral romance.

She listened attentively to the morning classes and gave her all in the afternoon dance class.

The feeling of sweating profusely made her feel fulfilled and happy.

After class, she took a shower, picked up her phone, and saw a message from Xiang Yuchuan:

【Yaoyao, don't wait for me tonight. Some old friends have invited me to get together, so I might be quite busy for the next few days. Enjoy your meal by yourself.】

Shen Yao stared at the message and fell into deep thought.

Old friends?

This statement is somewhat vague.

She knows Xiang Yuchuan's circle of friends very well.

Most of them in Shanghai are local spoiled brats, of little value, and they themselves don't care.

Xiang Yuchuan rarely uses the term "former friend".

Moreover, he specifically emphasized that "the next few days may be quite busy."

A thought flashed through her mind like lightning.

Could it be Qin Fang and Xiao Weilin?

It's not impossible.

Shen Yao's guess was confirmed a few days later.

Xiang Yuchuan sent her a message:

【Yaoyao, want to go to karaoke with me tonight? Some of my friends are visiting Shanghai, and I'd like to introduce you to them. You don't have to come if you don't want to.】

Shen Yao looked at her phone screen, a playful smile slowly curving her lips.

That's interesting, so very interesting.

Instead of feeling nervous, she felt a surge of excitement and anticipation.

This kind of face-to-face interaction is exactly the kind of stage she excels at.

How could she miss it?

Shen Yao carefully selected a royal blue off-shoulder long dress with a trailing hem that accentuated her snow-white skin.

She got into the car and drove to a top-tier private club near the Bund.

As soon as I got off the bus, the dazzling night view of the Bund and the bustling crowds came into view.

Shen Yao's bright and dazzling outfit instantly attracted countless admiring and curious glances from those around her.

Without glancing to the side, she walked straight to the entrance of the club, gave the name Xiang Yuchuan, and was respectfully led by a waiter to a luxurious private room.

Pushing open the heavy door of the private room, a wave of heat mixed with tobacco, alcohol, perfume, and deafening music instantly engulfed her.