Chapter 33 Heart Fluttering Because she seemed to be a little heart fluttering.

Zhang Minglang's casual remark, like a lost little ghost, unconsciously echoed in Tang Yi's mind, lingering there for a long time.

This person is becoming increasingly outspoken. Tang Yi thought helplessly.

However, he also became smarter and knew that speaking bluntly would invite Tang Yi's "warnings," so he began to use some work-related, irrefutable words to subtly express his feelings.

In fact, Tang Yi could have easily brought it up again, just like she did at the parking lot entrance after he sprained his ankle last time, and told him not to do that at work again.

But she had already prepared herself to say it many times, yet she could never bring herself to say it.

Why? She didn't know.

If a colleague does something inappropriate at work, she will point it out directly without any hesitation or reservation. Over time, her colleagues have become accustomed to her straightforward personality.

But what about Zhang Minglang?

Why is she so concerned about his reaction and feelings?

Although she didn't want to admit it, Tang Yi knew perfectly well that the reason "he's my boss" was absolutely untenable. Otherwise, she would have treated him with utmost care from the beginning, never arguing or clashing with him. But that was completely out of character for her.

The tickets haven't been booked yet, and she had previously rejected the invitation from the organizer, so she has to send another email to express her change of heart.

Tang Yi once again habitually crammed work into her mind to replace those endless recollections and thoughts.

The next morning, Tang Yi and Zhang Minglang arrived at the company entrance on time and got into the car driven by Assistant Zhou.

Ever since Tang Yi sent him a message yesterday asking him to arrange a car to the airport, Assistant Zhou has been in a rather dejected state.

He gripped the steering wheel with an air of superiority, but his heart was already ice-cold.

What happened to President Zhang? In the past, when President Zhang went on business trips and needed someone to accompany him, he always made sure to go himself.

Since Secretary Tang appeared, President Zhang seemed to have forgotten about him. The only job he was required to follow from beginning to end was investigating Zhao Linrui and Liu Zhang, and as far as he knew, this matter was related to Secretary Tang.

It seems that President Zhang is under Secretary Tang's spell; he can no longer avoid her in his work and life.

Assistant Zhou couldn't help but glance at the back seat through the rearview mirror. Zhang Minglang, who seemed to be "possessed," was looking at his phone with a serious and focused expression.

Assistant Zhou breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, President Zhang hadn't completely lost his fighting spirit, nor was he solely infatuated with Secretary Tang's beauty; he was still diligently working.

Soaking in hot springs, watching movies, holding hands while watching fireworks...

What kind of nonsense is this?

Zhang Minglang glanced at the search bar on his phone again. He was right; he had searched for things to do when traveling on business with someone he liked!

Are colleagues this open these days? Holding hands and going to hot springs before even confirming a relationship?!

Zhang Minglang couldn't even imagine what it would be like inside the steamy hot spring pool...

He quickly shook his head, clearing his mind of the jumbled images, and began diligently searching for travel guides for City B.

It was a rare opportunity to go on a business trip with Tang Yi, but it was a trip with just the two of them the entire time.

Zhang Minglang secretly regretted what he had been doing for the two years he worked at the B City branch. How come he didn't even know a single suitable tourist attraction?

Tang Yi, sitting in the front row, caught Zhang Minglang shaking his head out of the corner of her eye. Thinking he was carsick, she turned to him and asked, "Mr. Zhang, I just saw you shaking your head. If you're carsick or feeling unwell, I have motion sickness medicine and patches here."

Feeling guilty, Zhang Minglang pressed his phone against his lap, glanced at Tang Yi in the front row, and blurted out without thinking, "You care about me that much?"

Upon hearing this, all three people in the car fell silent.

Zhang Minglang wanted to slap himself. How could he have spoken so frivolously, the words even slipping out of his mouth unconsciously?

Assistant Zhou was still looking at the road, but his eyes were wide open, as if he had heard some incredible secret.

Tang Yi remained frozen in her seat, her body still half-turned. When she finally came to her senses, she was speechless.

You can't communicate normally anymore, huh? You keep saying things like this.

She sighed almost imperceptibly and simply went along with what he said: "Yes, I am concerned."

This time, it was Zhang Minglang's turn to be stunned.

“That’s what I should do as a secretary,” Tang Yi added.

But Zhang Minglang's ears had already activated their automatic filtering function, and he could no longer hear what she said.

He took the motion sickness patch that Tang Yi handed him from the front row in a daze, got off the car in a daze, and boarded the plane in a daze.

It wasn't until Tang Yi reminded him to fasten his seatbelt that Zhang Minglang finally responded with a soft "hmm".

Tang Yi glanced at him, who seemed out of sorts, and pondered the situation carefully.

She seemed to have realized how to control him.

The two arrived in City B at 11:00 AM. Tang Yi had already arranged a driver in advance, and they went straight to the hotel after getting off the plane. The whole process was arranged very smoothly and comfortably by Tang Yi.

In the car, Tang Yi asked, "Mr. Zhang, I don't have any work scheduled for this afternoon. Would you prefer to go to the hotel restaurant for lunch, or have some casual dining nearby?"

"A hotel, I'm too lazy to go."

Tang Yi nodded. Zhang Minglang's decision was the same as hers. She had been traveling all morning and didn't have the energy or desire to go out for a meal.

At exactly twelve o'clock, Tang Yi helped him pack his luggage, and the two sat down at the hotel restaurant for a meal on time.

While cutting the steak on her plate, Tang Yi discussed the afternoon's itinerary with Zhang Minglang.

When she mentioned the afternoon, Zhang Minglang tentatively asked, "Where did you go when you and President Lin were on business trips and had nothing to do?"

"Me?" Tang Yi glanced at him, her hands still cutting the steak. "I'm staying at the hotel."

Zhang Minglang didn't believe it: "You've been staying in the hotel the whole time? Don't you ever go out for a walk?"

Tang Yiyi said firmly, "I'm here on a business trip, not for tourism. Besides, General Manager Lin needs me for work from time to time, and it would be inconvenient if I left."

Zhang Minglang was silent for a few seconds, then said seriously, "Don't worry, I definitely won't work this afternoon. You can go out and have fun, or, if you don't mind having another person with you..."

Tang Yi also said seriously, "Thank you so much, but I won't play."

The two men spoke in such a serious tone that it was as if they were discussing some serious work-related matter.

Tang Yi's steak was a bit tough, and she couldn't cut it with her knife. She got up to get a new plate, but Zhang Minglang across from her seemed to have seized the opportunity and finally made his move. He suddenly reached out and took Tang Yi's plate, switching it with his own plate of steak, which he had already cut into pieces.

Tang Yi's steps faltered, and due to inertia, a strand of hair hanging in front of her chest flew forward and then fell back down.

He had noticed long ago that the steak in her hand was too tough to cut, and despite their long back-and-forth conversation, she still had the same whole piece on her plate.

Zhang Minglang looked up at her, who was standing there, unsure whether to move forward or backward, and found it amusing: "Why are you looking at me? Go ahead and eat."

To prevent her from going back on her word, he nonchalantly forked the whole steak he had exchanged with her and took a bite.

He looked up again, his eyes crinkling with laughter: "You can't back out now, unless you're willing to eat what I've bitten."

Tang Yi didn't say anything, sat back down, looked into his eyes, and felt a strange feeling welling up inside her.

His eyes remind me of his pet cat.

Seeing that Tang Yi hadn't said a word for a while, Zhang Minglang panicked a little. He leaned forward and asked softly, "You're not angry, are you?"

"Huh? No." Tang Yi snapped out of her thoughts, looked up, and saw Zhang Minglang's face suddenly looming closer.

Startled, she jerked back, causing the water in the glass on the table to shake violently and spill in her direction.

Tang Yi quickly reached out to help, but Zhang Minglang, who was even faster, beat her to it.

So her outstretched hand grasped not the cold glass, but his warm, broad hand.

The two of them held hands tightly and simultaneously looked up.

Their pupils reflected each other's equally wide-open eyes, filled with shock.

Zhang Minglang was the first to react. He looked down with interest at Tang Yi's hand, which was still touching his skin, and teased, "You're so eager to touch me?"

Before he could finish speaking, Tang Yi quickly withdrew her hand. She tried her best to make her voice sound less flustered: "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhang."

But she didn't know that Zhang Minglang, who seemed calm and collected, had already pulled a large wrinkle out of the tablecloth with his other hand under the table.

Because of this little incident, Tang Yi felt a bit drowsy all afternoon.

What's wrong with her?

Tang Yi even speculated that it was because she was not used to the local environment and was about to catch a cold, which was why she was feeling strange.

She specially prepared a packet of powder for this purpose.

An afternoon passed, and Zhang Minglang kept his word and really didn't contact her.

The sky outside the hotel window gradually darkened. Around five or six o'clock, a large expanse of deep blue appeared in the sky, an incredibly gentle and serene color, with a hint of the white of the approaching day at the edges.

Tang Yi suddenly felt like going out for a walk.

With that thought in mind, she immediately changed into a linen dress. The beige skirt draped loosely over her ankles, and she stepped out of the hotel with a relaxed air.

She hadn't gone out for a stroll during rush hour in a long time. She walked aimlessly along the side of the road.

Not far from the hotel is a lake, and the pedestrian boardwalk along the lake is very wide. Many food stalls and carts are crowded together, and small lights are scattered along the lake like fallen starlight. It is a long stretch that can not be seen from the end.

She walked forward with her hands in her pockets, relaxed. The air by the lake seemed to be filled with moisture, and it felt wonderful to breathe in. Tang Yi strolled slowly around the lake, and when she got tired, she sat down on a bench and looked up at the sky.

She felt someone sit down next to her, but she didn't pay attention. After all, there were many passersby strolling around, and it wouldn't hurt for them to sit down and rest because they were tired from walking.

But the man remained still for a long time without moving. After a few minutes, he suddenly leaned back and put his arm on the back of the chair behind her.

She sensed it, frowned, and turned to look at him, only to see a face that was all too familiar.

During a blues moment, on a bench by the calm lake, away from the noisy stalls, Tang Yi and Zhang Minglang looked at each other.

A gentle breeze blew by, suddenly lifting the stray hairs from his forehead, which fluttered in the air. Tang Yi's long, flowing hair, draped over her shoulders, also flew in the wind, and she could see his bright, expressive eyes clearly in the dim sky.

"You sat here for so long before you recognized me?"

Zhang Minglang's light and cheerful voice rang out, each word like a falling raindrop, striking Tang Yi's heart.

Her mind went blank, but she suddenly realized why she had been out of sorts all afternoon.

Because she seemed to be a little interested.