Chapter 81 Tears "Isn't this place quite welcoming to me?"...

The sky darkened, like a dark curtain suddenly being drawn down, letting in not a single ray of light.

Tang Yi's eyelashes trembled, and a crystal tear slid down her cheek, landing on Zhang Minglang's clothes and forming a small, dark circle.

She felt a tightness in her chest.

Not only because of the slap that wasn't intentional, but also because Zhang Minglang had been making wild guesses about his thoughts and decisions from beginning to end.

Break up, break up, break up.

She never intended to break up with him from beginning to end.

But Zhang Minglang, based on some inexplicable and baseless guesses, kissed her wildly and against her will, refusing to let go like a madman.

All the unspeakable frustration welled up in her heart, and Tang Yi's tears flowed more and more, seemingly endless, as if a dam had burst open and she could never wipe them away.

Zhang Minglang saw her crying.

His feverish mind instantly calmed down the moment he saw her tears. His heart felt like it was being torn into a ball of trash, tearing at his entire body.

Zhang Minglang propped himself up and reached out to wipe her tears, but Tang Yi shoved him away, saying, "Don't touch me!"

Zhang Minglang ignored her. He still went up to her, hugged her, pressed her head into his chest, and kept saying "I'm sorry".

Tang Yi had no strength left. After trying to push him but finding she couldn't, she slumped weakly into Zhang Minglang's arms, trying to calm her breathing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Don't make yourself angry. I shouldn't have done that, Tang Yi." Zhang Minglang leaned up a little so she could rest her chin on his shoulder for support. Like soothing a child, he wrapped one arm around Tang Yi's waist and clumsily stroked her back with the other.

Tang Yi remained silent, her shoulders shrugging.

Zhang Minglang sensed that her emotions had calmed down a bit and said softly, "Tang Yi, I'm sorry. I was just a little scared..."

Tang Yi's anger, which had just subsided, was reignited by his words.

She reached out and punched his shoulder hard, saying fiercely, "Coward! I didn't say I wanted to break up."

Zhang Minglang paused upon hearing this.

He gripped her shoulders, creating some distance between them, his eyes sparkling with surprise: "Really? You're not lying to me?"

Tang Yi guessed that her face must be covered in tears and her hair must be a mess.

She reached out somewhat embarrassedly to smooth her hair and wipe the tears from her face.

After she finished doing all this, she put her hand down, and Zhang Minglang still had his bright eyes open, waiting for her answer.

Tang Yi said, "You don't trust me at all? What did I do that makes you think I would break up with you over such trivial things?"

Zhang Minglang was getting impatient: "You sat down without saying a word as soon as you got back. I just spoke to you, but you pretended not to hear me..."

"When did I pretend I didn't hear you? Are you out of your mind, Zhang Minglang?" Tang Yi frowned. "I wasn't saying anything because I was thinking about how to handle it, whether to go public or not. I just signed the contract and booked my ticket. I'm exhausted now, and you still have to scrutinize my every move with a magnifying glass, and then you inexplicably say something about breaking up?"

Zhang Minglang lowered his eyelashes, feeling increasingly indebted the more he listened.

He whispered an apology.

Tang Yi was determined to clarify the matter.

She didn't let Zhang Minglang's apology be the end of the matter because she knew that simply brushing it off wouldn't solve their problems.

Tang Yi said, "Zhang Minglang, we can't go on like this. I'm very tired from work, and of course you are too. Relationships are a matter between two people. You can't assume my decisions based on your own guesses, and you can't always feel insecure and constantly demand emotional support from me. We need to communicate, and we should make things clear instead of brooding over them."

Zhang Minglang looked at her, reflecting on everything he had done.

Tang Yi rushed back by plane as soon as she finished her work. As soon as she landed, he inexplicably dragged her away. After returning home, she was once again unilaterally refused to communicate with him because of her avoidance behavior of being afraid that "if she tells him, he will break up with her."

Tang Yi was already exhausted, but he was still anxious and selfishly afraid of breaking up. He didn't trust that she would be willing to get through the difficulties with him and always caused her trouble.

Zhang Minglang lowered his head and said self-deprecatingly, "I'm such a bastard."

Tang Yi listened to him cursing her, looked away, and muttered, "He's really a jerk."

Not hearing the expected rebuttal, Tang Yi couldn't help but turn her head and glance at him. Zhang Minglang was bowing his head, looking genuinely as if he were sincerely repenting.

She didn't want to forgive this reckless man so quickly, even though her anger had already subsided considerably.

Tang Yi crossed her arms and turned her head to one side. The two sat facing each other in silence.

Tang Yi's mind suddenly drifted away, and that strange association resurfaced.

The way they're stuck like this feels like a dog, annoyed that its owner hasn't come home in a while, impulsively rushed up and started licking her face, finally pissing her off, and now she's deliberately giving it a stern look and scolding it...

Thinking of this, Tang Yi lowered her head and glanced at him again. Her fluffy hair was now hanging down on her forehead, neatly styled without any particular haircut, making her look like a large, well-groomed dog.

Tang Yi coughed lightly, stretched out her hand and hovered in mid-air, but finally lowered it and went forward to hug him.

She stroked the soft, short hair at the back of his head, her voice still a little awkward: "I was just kidding, you're not a jerk, you're just a little afraid I'll leave, right? I won't break up with you, I don't want to break up with you, I..."

She paused, her eyes trembling, and hugged him even tighter, whispering in his ear, "I... still love you quite a bit."

Tang Yi felt the person in her arms tremble after hearing those words.

She had never expressed her feelings so clearly and directly before, and belatedly felt a little ashamed.

Her long eyelashes fluttered as she tickled Zhang Minglang's neck. Tang Yi loosened her grip slightly, intending to get up.

However, Zhang Minglang was faster than her. He gently pressed her forward with his hand on her back, and Tang Yi fell back into his arms.

"I love you too, I love you even more, Tang Yi. Can I hug you again?" Zhang Minglang buried his face in Tang Yi's shoulder, his voice muffled and hard to hear through her clothes.

Tang Yi's heart softened. She curved her lips into a smile, reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist again, turning her face to the side so that a small patch of her skin touched his burning neck.

She said, "That's progress, that's great. From now on, you should say what you want to say, and if you want a hug, you should say so too. Don't keep it to yourself, otherwise I won't know."

Zhang Minglang's mind raced, and he pressed his advantage, saying, "Then can I kiss you now?"

Tang Yi paused, but still straightened up, cupped his cheek and gently kissed his lips, then hugged him back.

If there was such a benefit, you should have told us earlier.

Zhang Minglang raised the corners of his mouth, his voice carrying a light, pleasant tone: "Tang Yi, but I want a French kiss."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yi pinched him hard with the hand around his waist, causing him to shudder and let out a long, painful hiss.

Tang Yi distanced herself from him, squinted, and said, "Don't push your luck."

However, after she finished her harsh words, seeing his disheveled appearance as he grimaced and clutched his waist, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. Zhang Minglang had never seen Tang Yi laugh like that before, and he grinned foolishly along with her.

The two laughed haphazardly on the carpet in front of the sofa for a while, before gradually quieting down. Zhang Minglang's smile lingered on his lips, but his gaze uncontrollably drifted downwards, finally settling on Tang Yi's lips.

Tang Yi noticed. Following his gaze, she easily knew what he was thinking.

Oh well, let's just consider it a reward for him for quickly learning to express himself proactively.

Tang Yi reached over and picked up the handbag that was casually placed on the sofa. Under Zhang Minglang's intense gaze, she took out the box, opened it, and took out the navy blue tie that was lying quietly inside.

Her slender fingers deftly moved, taking out the tie and beckoning it to him.

Zhang Minglang obediently lowered his head.

Tang Yi wrapped the tie around the back of his neck, not bothering to tie a knot, and with a little force, pulled the tie off his neck.

She closed her eyes, lifted his face, and kissed him.

Zhang Minglang obediently offered her his lips and tongue, and one hand slowly stroked the back of her head.

She reflexively reached out and grabbed the restless hand that didn't belong to her through the thin fabric.

Zhang Minglang asked vaguely, "What?"

Tang Yi's shoulders heaved slightly as she looked at him, unsure of what to say.

Zhang Minglang, however, looked as if he had just realized something and said, "Sorry, I forgot."

Before Tang Yi could react to what he was about to say, the hand on her chest was pulled away. Two large hands gripped her waist, easily turning her around.

Tang Yi reached out to support herself on the edge of the sofa, almost leaning her entire upper body onto it.

She turned her head to ask a question, but a hot body pressed down on her from behind.

His arms were wrapped around her waist, one hand pointing upwards and the other downwards. Zhang Minglang breathed heavily in her ear and said in a hoarse voice, "Tang Yi, what I want now..."

Tang Yi turned her head away, but he had caught her red-handed. Her voice trembled, lacking any real threat: "Zhang Minglang, don't go too far..."

Zhang Minglang's fingers were making a mess, and Tang Yi sensitively tilted her head back, the rest of her words dissipating into the air.

Some unsettling sounds rang out, and Zhang Minglang leaned closer with a mischievous grin, saying, "Isn't this place... so welcoming of me?"

He rested his chin on her shoulder, turned his head to kiss the back of her neck, and whispered, "Tangyi, I'm thirsty. I want some water."

Tang Yi's voice was broken: "You...you go to the water dispenser yourself..."

Zhang Minglang stared into her eyes, his head moving down inch by inch until Tang Yi could only see the top of his head.

An hour later, Tang Yi and Zhang Minglang came out of the bathroom.

She was hungry. Zhang Minglang gently pushed her shoulder and led her to the dining table, only to remember that the steak he had fried before leaving the house had been sitting on the table and was now cold.

Zhang Minglang immediately tried to contact a restaurant outside to deliver food, but Tang Yi stopped him.

"No need to trouble yourself, there's food here. Just heat it up."

She stood up, but her side suddenly jerked, and she uncontrollably sat back down. Zhang Minglang watched her movements and laughed.

Tang Yi looked up and glared at him: "You still have the nerve to laugh? It's all because of you!"

Zhang Minglang shrugged, leaned over to pick up two plates of steak, and said nonchalantly, "It's an honor."

Just as Tang Yi was about to scold him, he turned around and disappeared into the kitchen.

Her deliberately tense expression relaxed a little, and she lowered her head to look at the phone lying face down on the table.

She hasn't dared to open it since she entered the house.

When Zhang Minglang was fooling around in front of the sofa, he even had the leisure to reach out and turn off her phone, slamming it face down on the table to prevent her from looking at it, and annoyingly using his actions to distract her from thinking about those things anymore.

Tang Yi looked up at the man in the kitchen who was frying steak with his back to her. After thinking for a moment, she reached for her phone and pressed and held it to turn it on.

Her face disappeared from the black screen, then the screen lit up. A moment of silence followed, and then a deluge of information flooded in. Such a small phone could display so many messages and so many missed calls.

Tang Yi stared quietly for a minute, until her eyes went unfocused, until the flashing of the messages finally slowed down.

She unlocked her phone, opened WeChat, and saw numerous voice messages and long paragraphs of text from Chen Lian. She glanced at them briefly; it was pretty much what she had expected.

Xu Xiaoxiao's messages were still flashing and popping up in real time. Fang Zhen had sent her a long message just half an hour ago. Tang Jiaxin's profile picture also had a small red dot in the upper right corner with a small "8" written on it.

Tang Yi lowered her eyelashes, feeling a tightness in her chest.

She was temporarily unwilling to read the distorted news that Zhang Minglang mentioned, nor did she want to spend time understanding how people in various work groups viewed her.

All she could see was that she had a group of good friends who were encouraging her in their own ways and showing her through their actions that they believed in her.

A drop of water suddenly fell onto the phone screen, smudged the text. It was a tear from the corner of her eye.

Tang Yi realized what she was doing and quickly reached out to press the corner of her eye, wiping away the tears that were still inside but hadn't yet flowed out.

The kitchen range hood was still running. She glanced up unintentionally and suddenly caught a glimpse of a black hem peeking out from behind the half-open kitchen door.

Tang Yi was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood what was going on. She silently laughed at his foolishness; how could he try to spy on her without even trying to hide it properly?

Tang Yi took a deep breath and raised her voice, asking, "Zhang Minglang, I'm hungry. When will the steak be ready?"

The black hem of clothing behind the door suddenly disappeared, as did the faint hissing sound of the range hood. Zhang Minglang's unusually positive and cheerful voice appeared: "You're here. Today, I must let you taste your boyfriend's cooking."

He appeared carrying a plate, with an ill-fitting apron around his neck, looking both comical and ridiculous.

Tang Yi smiled slightly, her gaze following him to the table. Zhang Minglang put down the plate, hissing as he cried out that he had burned his finger.

Tang Yi laughed out loud: "Pinch your earlobe, silly."

As if waking from a dream, Zhang Minglang quickly pinched his earlobe and said that Tang Yi was the smartest.

Tang Yiyang looked up at him, listening to him explain the entire process of making Zhang's Steak, and claiming that no one but him could make this flavor.

Zhang Minglang gestured wildly, while Tang Yi watched him quietly without saying a word, simply tilting her head back to look at him, her eyes bright and the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.

She didn't know how long he cooked the steak over high heat before turning it down to low, what kind of unique sauce he made, or how many eggs he said he wasted before finally frying a decent, perfectly runny egg.

Tang Yi only knew that Zhang Minglang was using all his energy to find every topic he could talk about, not daring to leave any gaps in his conversation.

All she knew was that he was trying his best to make her laugh in ways he wasn't very good at.

Tang Yi smiled, but then her lips started to sting, and her pursed lips suddenly twitched slightly downwards.

Almost the instant her expression changed, Zhang Minglang shut his mouth.

He put down what he was holding and slowly walked towards her. He pulled her into his arms, reached out and held her head, gently stroking her long hair.

Zhang Minglang looked down at the two small cowlicks on the top of her head and said softly, "Cry if you want to cry, I'm here, Tang Yi."

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt Tang Yi bury her face in the front of his clothes, her shoulders trembling slightly, but she clenched her teeth and didn't make a sound.

The only evidence that Tang Yi was crying was the gradually damp corner of his clothes.

Zhang Minglang gently stroked her head, a series of emotions welling up in his heart, including heartache, anger, and sadness, mixed together like the sauce he had personally prepared and poured over the steak, giving him a complex and mixed feeling.

He hates those who spread rumors and those who create rumors.

He felt sorry for Tang Yiming, who was standing on a bright stage, but instead of flowers, she was always met with rotten vegetable leaves called "framing" and "speculation".

He regretted it even more, thinking that he was so arrogant that he could protect her, but in the end he still couldn't avoid this.

Clearly, he should have been more cautious and mature the moment he decided to fall in love, instead of recklessly clinging to her all the time and shortsightedly enjoying a moment of peace that was destined to be short-lived.

Tang Yi rarely cries. The only two times he's seen her cry were once when he punished an employee for spreading rumors on the company rooftop, and the other time was today.

Is his best, most outstanding Tang Yi destined to suffer from those baseless rumors because of their relationship?

Those rumors and gossips that came crashing down based on just one candid photo.

Zhang Minglang silently reflected on everything he had done, and a seed of "maturity" and "responsibility" sprouted in his heart.

Tang Yi's breathing gradually calmed down, and very quickly, in less than ten minutes, she regained her composure.

She nudged him to sit down and eat, though her voice still had a slight nasal tone.

Zhang Minglang obediently pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. For a moment, the only sound in the restaurant was the crisp clinking of knives and forks.

Tang Yi kept her head down, carefully cutting the steak on her plate, as if she wasn't the one who had just grabbed his clothes and burst into tears.

Zhang Minglang felt uncomfortable.

Seeing that she was still struggling with her steak, he simply reached out to take her plate and place it in front of her.

“You’re a bit old, it’s normal that you can’t cut it. The two of us can cut it together. It’s not your problem,” Zhang Minglang said.

However, Tang Yi suddenly looked up, gripping the plate Zhang Minglang was holding, her fingers turning slightly white as she tightly squeezed the rim. She looked at him, her eyes and the tip of her nose red.

“I know we should work together,” she said, her voice unusually firm, “but I want to make the first cut myself.”

Zhang Minglang's hand, holding the plate, froze, hanging in mid-air.

“Let me do it myself,” Tang Yi repeated, seemingly referring to the steak or something else, “If I can’t, you can help me with the next one.”

Looking at the familiar, stubborn smile on Tang Yi's face, a complex mix of emotions surged through his chest once more.

He loved her independence and resilience, and the pride that always remained in her bones.

But he also longed to be needed by her, and for Tang Yi to be more willing to rely on him.

However, when he looked into her eyes, his fingers suddenly loosened, and he leaned back, leaving her more space.

He was even more afraid of himself becoming the culprit who silently hindered and erased her individuality.

“Okay,” Zhang Minglang released her hand and handed the plate to her. “You make the first cut, but I’ll make the next one. Tang Yi, this shouldn’t just be your responsibility; it involves both of us. While you’re putting in the effort, don’t exclude me, okay?”

Tang Yi took a deep breath and gripped the knife and fork tighter. She nodded vigorously.

After dinner, Tang Yi pushed away Zhang Minglang's hand that was blocking her and helped clear the table and tidy up the dishes. When she offered to help wash the dishes, Zhang Minglang refused outright.

“Last time my mom caught you wiping the table, she called me a million times afterwards scolding me for not being considerate. Anyway, there’s a dishwasher here, so let’s not argue with each other.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Yi readily opened the dish cabinet and busied herself putting the dishes and chopsticks inside. She said, "Then I'll help put the dishes and chopsticks in; that shouldn't be too much trouble, right?"

Just as Zhang Minglang was about to say something, the doorbell rang. He took the bowl from her hand as a matter of course and urged her to open the door.

Tang Yi muttered, "I didn't order takeout," and slipped on her slippers as she headed for the door. The door opened, and a bunch of fresh lilies appeared from behind it, their delicate fragrance wafting towards her nose.

"Hello, is this Ms. Tang? These are your flowers."

Tang Yi took the bouquet from the deliveryman in a daze and turned to look at Zhang Minglang. He had already come out of the kitchen, tossing a square sponge up and down in one hand, while his other hand rested on the dining table, tilting his head to look at her and smiling.

After the package was signed for, the door was closed. Tang Yi gently placed the flowers on the dining table.

My long-suppressed mood transformed from black and white to vibrant as a flower, like melted sugar, colorful and sticky, yet unable to mask its sweet taste.

"When did you buy it? What's the special occasion today?" Tang Yi asked knowingly.

Zhang Minglang caught the sponge he had tossed up in his hand and said with a smile, "It's time to celebrate the day that Lady Tang Yi is home from her business trip."

Tang Yi said he was wasting his time, but her body language betrayed her by moving the bouquet forward until it reached the center of the table.

A faint floral fragrance filled the room as Tang Yi nestled in Zhang Minglang's arms. The living room lights dimmed, with only the screen playing a movie casting a dim glow.

They tacitly wanted to turn this terrible day into a real anniversary. So, on the small coffee table next to the sofa, there was a wine glass, and the other was in Tang Yi's hand.

The white candles that had been prepared in advance also served their purpose, as Zhang Minglang moved them from the dining table to the living room table.

The dialogue between the male and female protagonists in the movie was like a gust of wind, causing the candlelight to drift to one side.

Tang Yi thought tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for her. But she didn't expect that, just halfway through the movie, her eyelids would become heavier and heavier.

After a whole day of physical and mental tension, the brief moment of peace they finally enjoyed felt like an invisible barrier had been placed over their heads, shutting out all the rumors from the outside world.

Zhang Minglang's shoulders slumped.

He turned his head and could only see Tang Yi's long, closed eyelashes.

He gently carried Tang Yi back to her bed. He tucked her in, looked at her peaceful sleeping face, and slowly leaned in, his lips lightly touching her brow.

When he turned to leave again, the gentleness in Zhang Minglang's eyes was completely gone, replaced by a resolute expression.

He sat down at the dining table, turned on his computer, and stared blankly for a long time, his mind filled with the image of Tang Yi's trembling shoulders as she shed tears.

Zhang Minglang's expression turned fierce, and the cold light from the screen shone on his face, lingering until late into the night.