Chapter 54 "She's the boss in our family."...
Tang Ci unconsciously held her breath, her round eyes fixed on him.
His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if he were considering a rather serious question.
Sheng Yu clearly had no patience to wait, and pulled her in front of him by her wrist.
The wrinkles in the nightgown had been smoothed out, and it hung gracefully on the girl's body, its curves accentuated by her slender frame.
Sheng Yu pressed his fingers on one spot, his fingertips tightening, and the soft fabric was grasped in his palm.
Tang Ci suddenly snapped out of her daze, raised her hands that had been hanging down, and pushed his shoulder: "You can't take your clothes off..."
Sheng Yu lowered his gaze slightly, watching her loosen her grip inch by inch.
...
Tang Ci still had his hands on his shoulders, but his legs were a little unsteady and his breathing was heavier than usual.
Sheng Yu put one arm around her waist and touched her burning cheek with the other: "You have to know how to ask for things when you're in a relationship, understand?"
Tang Ci opened her mouth in a hoarse voice and mumbled a vague "uh".
The phone on the bed vibrated twice. Tang Ci looked up and saw it was her phone.
Sheng Yu still held her in his arms: "Shall I get it for you?"
Tang Ci nodded.
Sheng Yu reached out and took her phone, but before she could hand it back, the phone vibrated again and the screen lit up.
The letter was written by Song Ke.
Sheng Yu lowered his eyelashes heavily, loosened his grip on her waist, and handed her the phone.
"He's looking for you."
The phone's metal frame was cold, but it was quickly warmed by the heat of her palm.
Sheng Yu got up and went to the bathroom with a tired expression. As soon as the door closed, the sound of water started again. Tang Ci looked at the frosted glass door for a while before turning on her phone.
Song Ke sent her a promotional message for a teacher appreciation event at the school and asked if she wanted to go, and if so, she could go with him.
After closing his chat window, Tang Ci realized that Jiang Chan had sent her the same message at some point.
The event was scheduled for a Saturday in the middle of next month. Tang Ci thought she would be free at that time, so she agreed to go with the two of them.
To make it easier to stay in touch, Tang Ci also created a small group chat.
It was already quite late, and the three of them chatted for a few more minutes in the group chat before saying goodnight to each other.
The sound of water in the bathroom had not stopped.
Tang Ci put her phone on the bedside table, snuggled under the covers, and after a few seconds sat up abruptly. Blushing, she got out of bed, rummaged through her bag for her underwear, ran to another bathroom to change, and then lay back down on the bed.
After all that fuss, Tang Ci was overcome by sleepiness and soon fell asleep.
She slept soundly, only vaguely feeling something around her waist that had been holding her for half the night in her dream, and she could almost hear a steady heartbeat in her ear.
But when she woke up in the morning, she still obediently slept on the edge of the bed.
Sheng Yu had already gotten up. Judging from the marks left by the quilt, Tang Ci could tell that they had slept at least two people apart last night, making it impossible for them to be close.
Tang Ci paused for two seconds before getting up, annoyed by her unrealistic dream.
/
After numerous revisions, the design was finally finalized. As soon as the renovation began, construction started on two hotels in Changning District and Binzhou District simultaneously. Tang Ci had to frequently visit the sites in her spare time.
When Tang Ci arrived at the site that day, she saw a group of people gathered at the gate. Upon closer inspection, she found that the construction team and the owner of the nearby shop were arguing over the renovation.
Changning District is an old urban area. Although the central area is bustling, the buildings are densely packed and the street layout is chaotic.
The land that Yunqi bought was once a famous club, but it has been abandoned for a long time. The shopping street next to it, however, is thriving.
This shop is separated from Yunqi's courtyard wall by a wall. It has two floors, with the first floor used for business and the second floor used for living. It was built irregularly, with the second floor being longer than the first floor, and this extra section just happens to squeeze into Yunqi's territory.
Now that Yunqi is under construction, this extra section of the building must be demolished, but this demolition will leave the shopkeepers and even their homes without a place to live.
The owner looked to be around sixty or seventy years old, with gray hair, but he spoke clearly and logically. He didn't ask to keep the house; he just wanted to plead with them to postpone the demolition for another month.
The construction foreman, hands on his hips and frowning, said in a rough voice, "Old man, our construction team has no right to extend the construction period. It's no use you telling us."
The shop owner pushed up his reading glasses and asked anxiously, "Then who should I go to?"
The team leader, not wanting to get involved, gestured towards the Yunqi sign in the courtyard: "Why don't you go ask them where their office is?"
The owner glanced at the signboard and immediately sighed, "I went to look for it, but they said you can't go up without an appointment."
The captain shrugged: "Then think of another way."
The boss's cloudy eyes looked a little red. He cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Please help me, please help me. Just one month. Can you demolish it after we find a place to live?"
The captain sighed with a heavy heart, looking troubled: "I also have a wife and children to support, and I can't afford to offend the boss. I really can't help you."
Perhaps truly desperate, the elderly boss, disregarding the many people watching, took off his glasses and wiped his red-rimmed eyes.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavy, and for a moment no one spoke; the only sound in the air was the boss's choked sobs.
Tang Ci hesitated for a moment, then handed a pack of tissues to the shopkeeper: "Don't worry, I'll try to ask around and see if there are any other solutions."
The shopkeeper took the tissue, looked at her young face, and although he was pleased, he hesitated in his voice: "Thank you, young lady, but isn't this too much trouble for you?"
"No." Tang Ci gave him a reassuring look, but still said, "I'll go ask first."
After spending some time together, the team leader and Tang Ci had become familiar with each other. As soon as the boss left, he asked in bewilderment, "Teacher Tang, why did you take on such a thankless task?!"
He bent down and whispered in her ear, "I've heard that President Sheng of Yunqi is a cold person, so you shouldn't go looking for trouble."
Tang Ci paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's not that scary, is it?"
/
When Tang Ci arrived at the conference room on the top floor of Binzhou Prefecture, Xiang Wenzheng was carrying documents out when he saw her and smiled in surprise.
"Ms. Tang, are you looking for Mr. Sheng?"
Tang Ci nodded and glanced sideways towards the door: "Is he busy?"
"President Sheng is currently discussing work with a business partner."
Tang Ci said "Oh," and turned around as if to go downstairs with him: "Then I'll wait for him in the lobby."
Xiang Wen gave a soft "hmm" and gently blocked her way with his arm: "You can go straight in. President Sheng is in his office, so you won't be disturbed."
Tang Ci hesitated: "That's not a good idea."
Xiang Wen looked at her with an expression that said, "You can trust me." He said, "There's nothing wrong with it. You can go."
Seeing that he repeatedly insisted that he was fine, Tang Ci had no choice but to push open the door and enter the conference room.
The conference room in Binzhou Prefecture was built similarly to that of an ordinary company, except that it was much larger. Some people were working in the office area of the lobby, while the offices inside were closed, presumably Sheng Yu was inside.
Tang Ci sat down in the rest area by the gate. Not knowing how long Sheng Yu would talk, she simply took out her laptop from her bag to work.
About half an hour later, the office door opened, and a middle-aged man's voice rang out amidst the orderly footsteps.
"Do you remember my daughter? I met her at the charity gala last time."
Sheng Yu gave a lukewarm "hmm".
"We graduated from the same school as you, and I said I often heard your name mentioned back in school," the middle-aged man said with a smile. "Isn't that quite a coincidence?"
Sheng Yu chuckled lightly: "Uncle Lin, just say what you have to say."
The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Let me introduce you. My daughter is very fond of you."
As they spoke, the two arrived at the gate and naturally saw Tang Ci sitting in the rest area.
Sheng Yu seemed surprised by her arrival, paused for a moment, and then twitched the corner of his mouth.
The middle-aged man pointed at Tang Ci: "You have other guests?"
Before Sheng Yu could speak, Tang Ci stood up first and stated her purpose: "President Sheng, I've come to talk to you about the renovation in Changning."
Sheng Yu's lips curled into a smile: "Speak."
Tang Ci briefly recounted the demolition of the store, and finally asked softly, "Can't the demolition date really be postponed any further?"
Sheng Yu narrowed his eyes: "The project has a fixed construction period, you know that."
“I know,” Tang Ci swallowed, “I just wanted to confirm it again.”
Before Sheng Yu could speak, the middle-aged man sneered, "What's wrong with employees these days? They have to bother the boss personally over such trivial matters."
Tang Ci tightened her grip on the laptop bag: "Sorry to bother you."
"stop."
Sheng Yu's expression was very unpleasant, probably because she had come to plead for her on her own.
Tang Ci stopped in her tracks: "Is there anything else?"
“It’s about to rain,” Sheng Yu said, taking the bag from her hand without further ado. “Let’s go home together.”
The middle-aged man's eyes widened instantly, and he laughed awkwardly: "Mr. Sheng, this isn't your girlfriend, is she?"
Sheng Yu glanced at him noncommittally: "Uncle Lin, please go ahead."
The elevator slowly descended, and outside the glass curtain wall, the sky darkened, with thin, dark clouds covering the horizon.
The atmosphere inside the elevator was as stuffy and oppressive as before a downpour.
Neither of them spoke.
Tang Ci looked at the neon lights outside.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sheng Yu replying to a message on her phone.
For him, what just happened was just an insignificant interlude.
Tang Ci suddenly remembered the night in high school when Sheng Yu rode his bike to take her home.
She helped the elderly flower seller who had fallen to the ground. Sheng Yu scolded her for meddling, but in the end, he was the one who helped her get her cart back up, and he was also the one who secretly slipped money into the old woman's bag.
Such a small thing.
He's probably long forgotten.
Tang Ci was lost in thought and didn't notice Sheng Yu's stopped footsteps when she got out of the elevator, so she bumped into him.
"Are you angry with me?" Sheng Yu blocked her in the narrow passageway outside the elevator and asked with his eyes lowered.
Tang Ci knew she wasn't qualified, so she lowered her head and said, "No."
Sheng Yu pinched her chin, forcing her to look up: "You know I'm not wrong."
Tang Ci looked into his unfathomable pupils, her breath catching slightly: "I just... feel that you've changed."
Sheng Yu's face was grim. He released her and walked into the night: "Perhaps you've never truly understood me."
/
Tang Ci made an appointment to go to the hospital for a routine check-up this weekend, and also to take the medicine she had finished taking.
Before leaving home in the morning, she bumped into Sheng Yu in the living room. Sheng Yu had been working overtime a lot lately and had almost no free time every weekend.
"Where to?" Sheng Yu asked.
Three days have passed since their brief argument, and she has become inexplicably polite to Sheng Yu, as if there is a thin film between them.
"Going to the hospital for a follow-up check-up," Tang Ci said, putting the cup full of water into her bag.
"What kind of check-up?" Sheng Yu stopped buttoning his shirt.
Tang Ci gripped the shoulder strap of her tote bag and said, "Routine check-up." She pursed her lips, her tone softening, "It's nothing."
Sheng Yu nodded noncommittally: "For you?"
Afraid of interfering with his work, Tang Ci took out her phone: "I'll just take a taxi."
Sheng Yu didn't answer. He took his suit jacket off the hanger, pushed open the door, and walked out first.
Tang Ci followed, her throat choked with emotion.
Outside the main gate, Sheng Yu had already put on his coat and pressed the down button for the elevator.
"It's impossible to get a taxi at this hour..." Tang Ci muttered as she closed the door, put her phone back in her bag, and said, "How about you take me?"
The elevator doors opened, and Sheng Yu stepped inside: "There's a subway line right at the entrance of our complex."
"..."
Tang Ci followed her in with her head down, saying, "Oh right, I almost forgot."
Sheng Yu was holding his phone and working by the elevator door, and didn't move aside when the elevator stopped on the first floor.
The elevator continued downwards, reaching the parking lot.
He then put away his phone and stepped outside.
Tang Ci walked anxiously behind him, her fingertips tucked into her pocket.
Upon reaching the car, Sheng Yu first opened the passenger door before walking around the engine room and getting inside.
Tang Ci secretly twitched the corner of her mouth as she got into the car, holding the door open.
The car stopped in front of the west gate of the affiliated hospital. Tang Ci got out of the car carrying her bag, and Sheng Yu asked from inside the car, "What time will the examination be finished?"
"Around twelve o'clock." Tang Ci closed the car door, turned around and said to him obediently, "If you come, it's still at the West Gate."
Sheng Yu raised an eyebrow and reached out from the window to gently touch the corner of her mouth.
Tang Ci's eyes widened: "?"
Sheng Yu said leisurely, "You have toothpaste on your face." After saying that, he lightly pressed the accelerator, and the car drove away from the hospital gate.
Liu Tangci stood on the bustling street and rubbed the spot he had touched vigorously.
As usual, Tang Ci finished checking all the data, took the medicine, and walked towards the main gate. When she passed the flower bed in the outpatient building, she was suddenly stopped by a familiar yet unfamiliar voice.
She turned her head and saw a short, thin middle-aged woman in the glaring sunlight.
Tang Ci paused for a few seconds before recognizing Qin Ling. The reason she didn't recognize her immediately was because the woman in front of her looked emaciated, completely different from her former plump and bright-eyed appearance.
"Xiao Ci." Qin Ling called her again, carrying a file bag containing examination reports, and quickly walked up to her.
Tang Ci saw through her deliberate fawning smile and, remembering her past actions, felt a wave of nausea rise in her throat: "What is it?"
"I came for a check-up today and was shocked to see you. You're even more beautiful than before," Qin Ling said, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort. "Before your father abandoned you, I tried to persuade him for so long, but he wouldn't listen to me at all..."
As she spoke, she actually managed to squeeze out a few tears.
Tang Ci frowned: "I'll be going now if there's nothing else."
Qin Ling immediately clung tightly to her arm with both hands: "Xiao Ci, you can't leave! For the sake of our family ties over the years, you have to help me!"
“I have no family ties with you, and I have no obligation to help you with anything,” Tang Ci said, shaking off her hand as she felt disgusted. “Instead of crying in front of me, you should go and beg Tang Jianwei.”
Qin Ling's face changed instantly, and she said through gritted teeth, "Your father is a bastard! His business failed and he's drowning in debt. He took all the money I worked so hard to save, and now he's vanished without a trace. He even killed Xiao Bao!!"
As she spoke, her jaw began to chatter, her fingers kept fidgeting with the file folder, and her eyes were fixed on Tang Ci.
Tang Ci felt a tightness in her chest as she stared at her, and gripped the shoulder strap of her tote bag tightly: "You knew he was a bastard all along, but you insisted on being with him."
Qin Ling chuckled, her tone icy: "I know you look down on my relationship with your father, but aren't you just like me, relying on men for a living?"
Tang Ci didn't want to listen to her nonsense anymore, so she pursed her lips and left.
Qin Ling persisted, shouting, "I saw a luxury car bring you to the hospital this morning. Was it the eldest son of the Sheng family?"
Tang Ci stopped abruptly, turned around with rapid breathing and glared at her: "What do you mean?"
"Everyone knows you were dating him in high school." Qin Ling's eyes flashed with disdain as she shrugged and said, "After your dad and I left, you moved into his house right away, didn't you?"
“To be honest, your relationship is even dirtier than mine and your dad’s, but the ending is the same,” Qin Ling approached her step by step: “When he gets tired of you, you’re destined to be kicked out.”
Despite the blazing sun, Tang Ci felt a chill run through her body. She moved her lips, wanting to refute, but couldn't find any evidence.
A piercing buzzing sound filled the air, and suddenly a deep, cold voice rang out behind him: "Tang Ci."
Tang Ci turned her head hesitantly.
Sheng Yu strode towards her, and as he drew closer, he pulled her into his arms with his large hands.
Qin Ling froze completely, her distorted features trembling as she looked at the newcomer.
Sheng Yu squinted at Qin Ling as if she were some dirty, unsavory thing: "She's really different from you."
“She’s the boss in our family, so if someone’s going to kick me out—” he said, emphasizing each word: “then she’ll be the one kicking me out.”
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