Chapter 50 "You didn't do it with him?"...
Tang Ci looked pale and stared blankly at him.
This was her usual tactic; she raised her pale, narrow face, her round eyes gleaming with a clear, cold light.
It was as if they had suffered a tremendous injustice.
Sheng Yu suddenly remembered Beishan at night. Tang Ci had been like that too, wearing a white dress soaked by the rain, standing quietly in the noisy crowd, insisting on making a bet with him.
He was probably fooled by her pitiful appearance at the time, but he never expected that the deception would still be in tacit understanding.
A sudden fire ignited in Sheng Yu's heart. He tightened his grip on Tang Ci's palm and saw her wince in pain, but the fire only burned brighter: "I gave you a chance. You didn't have to come. Since you came, you should have expected this outcome."
Tang Ci gasped softly, her eyelashes fluttering wildly: "Then how long will it take you to find someone you like?"
"Don't worry," Sheng Yu's deep voice carried a hint of coldness, "I won't keep you waiting too long."
Tang Cin said "okay" hesitantly, then paused for two seconds and repeated, "I'll leave once you find someone you like."
Sheng Yu let go of her hand: "Give the address to Xiang Wen, he'll help you pack your luggage this weekend."
"Why are you packing..." Tang Ci realized what she was saying before she could finish her sentence and asked softly, "Do I have to live with you?"
Sheng Yu raised his hand to loosen his tie and asked indifferently, "Is it inconvenient?"
Tang Ci swallowed hard: "No."
Sheng Yu tossed his loosened tie onto the sofa, took off his suit jacket, and went to the dressing room: "Contact Xiang Wen directly regarding the design collaboration."
Tang Ci got out of bed and followed him, her voice choked with emotion, "You don't have to do this."
"What?" Sheng Yu reached up to hang up his coat without turning his head.
"Work and our affairs should not be confused."
Sheng Yu turned around, his face full of sarcasm: "You think this project is your reward?"
Tang Ci pursed her lips and remained silent.
Sheng Yu twitched the corner of her mouth, but there was no smile in her eyes as she looked at her: "You were hired because your design fits Yunqi's style."
"As for our matter," Sheng Yu's face darkened completely, and he patted her shoulder, saying, "it's not something that can be discussed openly, and it certainly can't be mixed up with work."
Tang Ci felt as if she had inhaled a mouthful of air mixed with shards of glass, and her respiratory tract and chest cavity ached.
She hid her numb hands behind her back, looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar man in front of her, forced a smile, and said in a feignedly relaxed tone, "That's good."
Even though she acted so sensibly, Sheng Yu still frowned in dissatisfaction and looked down at her coldly.
Tang Ci could no longer keep up the pretense and fled towards the gate.
/
The next day, as soon as Tang Ci arrived at the company, she was called to He Xiao's office.
"You went to see President Sheng last night, didn't you?" He Xiao asked, sipping his tea. "Are you confident you can secure this project?"
"We only discussed the design style," Tang Ci said fabricatedly. "We still need to communicate with President Sheng's assistant later."
“That’s right,” He Xiao gave her a satisfied look. “A wise person knows when to yield. If you seize this opportunity, you’ll have a chance to get promoted in the future.”
With things having come to this point, Tang Ci nodded vaguely.
He Xiao chatted with her for a few more minutes about project issues before letting her go downstairs to work.
As soon as I sat down at my workstation, everyone in the team gathered around: "Team leader, we've all heard that President Sheng from Yunqi specifically requested you to do the design!"
Since the project hadn't been contracted yet, Tang Ci was afraid that something might go wrong and upset everyone, but she didn't want to dampen their morale. After a couple of seconds of hesitation, she said gently, "We're currently in negotiations, and I'll do my best to secure this project."
Hearing this, Xiao Jing excitedly let out a shout, hugged Tang Ci's shoulders, and kissed her on the cheek: "Sister Xiao Ci, I'm really falling in love with you!!"
The exaggerated commotion drew sidelong glances from a group of members, one of whom rolled his eyes: "So excited already? What if it turns out to be all for nothing..."
Xiao Jing retorted with a face: "Even if you end up with nothing, it's better than not having a chance at all."
The group of people, who were used to being arrogant because of Zidane's backing, immediately slammed their fists on the table and shouted when they saw that Xiao Jing, a newcomer, had overshadowed them: "What right do you, an intern, have to speak?"
Xiao Jing got anxious upon hearing this: "Interns are employees too, why don't they have the right to speak? Are only people like you who rely on your power entitled to speak?!"
Tang Ci's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly stood up and pulled Xiao Jing behind her.
Before she could think of anything to ease the tension, Qi Zu's low, angry voice rang out from outside the department: "Jing Yan, you've only been here five months and you already have so much resentment towards the company? Are you unhappy with your job?"
She was about to be officially promoted in a month. Xiao Jing sensed the threat in Qi Zu's words and her face turned pale instantly: "That's not what I meant."
Zidane snorted coldly: "I think that's exactly what you mean."
Tang Ci shook Xiao Jing's hand and said to Qi Zu, "Manager Qi, Xiao Jing was just joking. I'll talk to her properly in private."
Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant, while Qi Zu, with a gloomy face and a half-smile, said, "You dare to interrupt when the leader is speaking, Tang Ci, you've really grown up."
Qi Zu strolled over to Tang Ci's table, looking at her with disdain: "You think you can handle a project that I can't? I've handled more projects than you've eaten meals. With your meager abilities, how could President Sheng possibly be interested?"
"I advise you not to be delusional," Zidane said confidently before leaving, his belly protruding. "You have no chance with the Yunqi project."
After Zidane left, Xiao Jing apologized to Tang Ci with red eyes: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spoken so rashly."
Their project was often sabotaged by Zidane. It's no wonder that Xiao Jing lost control when she encountered this kind of workplace environment right after graduation.
Tang Ci handed her a few sheets of paper: "No need to apologize, it was their fault to begin with."
Xiao Jing wiped away her tears and said in a choked voice, "Why does Zidane question your ability? Just because he's not good enough, does that mean everyone else is bad enough?"
“That’s precisely because he’s not good enough.” Tang Ci smiled faintly. “So we need to work even harder to win this project and show him who’s capable.”
Xiao Jing was moved by her gentle yet firm voice, and clenched her fists with excitement: "I'm going to be able to walk sideways in the company!"
Tang Ci laughed and said, "It's okay to walk while lying down."
Xiao Jing finally stopped crying and started smiling.
/
Tang Ci got up early as usual on the weekend, went downstairs to have breakfast, and then went back to her rented room to watch TV for a while.
Xiang Wen didn't call until the sun was high in the sky.
Tang Ci never had many things, so she simply packed them up herself.
I had just folded the blanket and put it in the vacuum bag when there was a knock on the door.
The lease expires next month, and Tang Ci has already told the landlord that she will not renew it for now. The landlord told her that he might bring the tenant to visit the place in the next few days.
Thinking it was the landlord bringing people over, Tang Ci responded and slipped on her flip-flops to open the door.
She froze as soon as the door opened.
Sheng Yu, wearing a black shirt, stood outside the door: "Packing up?"
Tang Ci paused, then stepped aside to let him in: "Didn't you say Xiang Wen was coming?"
"He's busy."
It's a weekend, the president is free, but the assistant is busy.
Tang Ci didn't quite understand Yunqi's work structure, so she didn't ask and could only reply with an "oh".
The room is a one-bedroom apartment, about ten square meters, with old and worn-out decor and cracked walls.
Sheng Yu glanced at it and asked coldly, "Jian Chuan isn't paying you?"
Tang Ci made an "uh" sound, trying to save face in a simple-minded way: "This house looks shabby, but it's quite comfortable to live in."
Sheng Yu didn't want to comment on the dilapidated room anymore and asked directly, "Where else hasn't been cleaned up?"
Tang Ci stood on tiptoe and pointed to the suitcase on the wardrobe: "Could you please help me take my suitcase down?" Last time, the landlord helped her carry it up.
Sheng Yu glanced at it; it was still the same suitcase she had in high school, the wheels worn smooth. He took the suitcase off with a sullen face, and a wooden board that had been pressing down on it fell off as well.
Tang Ci stared blankly at the wooden plank hurtling down on her head. Then she heard a loud bang as Sheng Yu raised his arm to block the plank.
The wooden plank hit the ground again, making a dull thud.
Sheng Yu squinted and asked in a deep voice, "Is it a good place to stay?"
Tang Ci ignored his sarcasm, her brow furrowed, and went to check his arm. Her fingertips had barely touched his skin when she quickly withdrew them, looking at him anxiously and saying, "I'm sorry."
I don't know if I'm sorry for causing him to be hit by the wooden plank, or sorry for accidentally bumping into him.
Sheng Yu's eyes were dark and expressionless as he bent down and placed the wooden plank against the wall.
Tang Ci took half a step towards him and asked softly, "Did it hurt you? Are you injured?"
Sheng Yu pushed the suitcase in front of her again and asked accusingly, "Do you care?"
Tang Ci fell silent again.
After she packed everything, she only had one suitcase and two duffel bags.
Seeing Sheng Yu carrying her suitcase out the door, Tang Ci opened a drawer, took out a tin box, and quickly stuffed it into her tote bag.
Suddenly, Sheng Yu's voice came from behind: "What are you hiding?"
Tang Ci gripped the shoulder strap of her tote bag, turned to him, and said, "It's nothing." Her voice involuntarily tightened.
Sheng Yu expressionlessly looked away from the tin box: "It's open."
Tang Ci's heart skipped a beat. She looked down and saw that the clasp on the tin box had come undone at some point, and the photos hidden inside the box were now in the light.
That was a class photo taken during the school anniversary celebration in the first year of high school. She and Song Ke, as class officers, stood in the front row. At that time, Sheng Yu and she were two rows apart, not disturbing each other.
That was the only photo she could find, a photo of her and Sheng Yu that wasn't exactly a group photo.
Thinking that he probably couldn't see what was inside the box, Tang Ci slowed her breathing, closed the box, and went out with Sheng Yu.
Sheng Yu didn't say a word the whole way, and the icy atmosphere in the car continued all the way to Zizhuyuan.
When the car entered the residential area, Tang Ci was still a little stunned. She thought that with Sheng Yu's current net worth, he should live in a more luxurious residential area.
Upon entering the room, Sheng Yu went straight to the master bedroom.
Tang Ci glanced at the closed door of the second bedroom, then stood still.
Given her current status, she didn't know if she had the right to open that door at will.
A moment later, the door to the master bedroom opened, and Sheng Yu came out wearing a silk robe. Seeing that she was still standing in the living room, she raised her eyebrows and walked towards her.
"What are you standing there for?"
Tang Ci was caught off guard and met his chest through his open collar. Her ears turned red and she instinctively tried to back away, only stopping when her lower back hit the edge of the table.
"Which room do I sleep in..." Tang Ci asked, head down.
A sudden chill ran down Tang Ci's neck, her throat tightened, and she instinctively looked up to meet Sheng Yu's dark pupils.
"What do you think?" Sheng Yu's fingertips traced down her neck, unbuttoning her dress one button at a time.
Tang Ci's palms felt hot, but when she saw the mockery in his eyes, she felt a chill run through her body. Ice and fire clashed within her, and she began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Why are you trembling?" Sheng Yu's eyes were cold as he asked her, each word distinct and clear: "You didn't sleep with him?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
