Chapter 64 Promise He felt like he loved Tang Yi a little more...
Zhang Minglang drew closer, his footsteps growing clearer. Finally, Chairman Zhang noticed Tang Yi's gaze and slowly turned his head, predictably seeing his adopted grandson.
What a loser! Does he think he can just eat Tang Yi? He's just following along like a little puppy!
Chairman Zhang was furious, his beard bristling and eyes bulging. He glanced at Zhang Minglang with annoyance, but he himself was not affected at all. He even calmly walked around the single sofa where Chairman Zhang was sitting, walked to Tang Yi's side, sat down, put his arm on the back of the sofa, and looked at him provocatively.
Chairman Zhang sneered, but instead turned his attention to Tang Yi: "Didn't I tell Secretary Wang to tell you not to call him over?"
Tang Yi was taken aback, and was about to say something when Zhang Minglang beside her spoke casually: "Why didn't you let me come? Are you isolating me?"
"You!" Chairman Zhang pointed at him, his voice trembling and unable to speak.
Seeing this, Tang Yi quickly nudged his leather shoes under the table with her high heels. Zhang Minglang felt it, turned to look at her, and sure enough, received a warning look.
So Zhang Minglang shut up. He raised an eyebrow and leaned back lazily: "I'll just sit here. You can talk about whatever you want. Just pretend I don't exist."
Chairman Zhang lowered his arm, took a few deep breaths, and then said, "Secretary Tang and I are discussing your spouse's situation."
He seemed to be emphasizing the word "spouse" on purpose.
Zhang Minglang instantly lost his composure. He glanced at the back of Tang Yi's head, his eyes darting around, then relaxed again: "What's there to hide from me?"
Chairman Zhang chuckled: "You're not getting any younger, it's time to pay attention to this important matter of your life. I've already spoken with the Li family, they have a daughter who's coming back to China in a few days, you should go and meet her."
Zhang Minglang glanced at Tang Yi, who remained unmoved, his heart filled with complex emotions. He straightened up, his tone still nonchalant: "Seriously, old man, are you going to give me that arranged marriage thing?"
Upon hearing this, Chairman Zhang didn't know whether to be angry at the "old man" he mentioned or at the latter part of his sentence.
"How is this an arranged marriage! That's so harsh! You two are well-matched in terms of social standing. Would it cost you anything to just meet and get to know each other?"
Zhang Minglang glanced at Tang Yi beside him again. She sat quietly, but no one could say she wasn't listening attentively. She was very serious, very polite, and very calm, perfectly fitting the persona of a secretary who "has no personal feelings for her boss."
But Zhang Minglang simply didn't want to see her like that anymore.
He couldn't bear to see her always so calm and composed, forced to hide and conceal their relationship just because they were dating, as if it were something truly shameful.
Even though Old Master Zhang's words were blatantly provocative and oppressive, she still managed to sit there with a smile, as if she were listening to something that had nothing to do with her.
So Zhang Minglang made up his mind. He suddenly shifted his gaze from the back of Tang Yi's head to Zhang Dong's face and said, word by word, "I won't go, and I can't go. Because I already have a girlfriend."
When Tang Yi heard his blunt words, the heavy stone that had been hanging in her heart seemed to break free of its rope and plummet down, hitting her hard and leaving her unable to recover, making her mind almost stop working.
Chairman Zhang seemed surprised that he had spoken so bluntly, and for a moment he didn't know how to react.
The scene froze briefly and eerily.
After what seemed like an eternity, Chairman Zhang finally raised his eyes slowly. He glanced at Tang Yi, whose head was bowed and eyelashes fluttering, and then at Zhang Minglang, who was staring intently at Tang Yi. What could he not know?
The sunlight outside the window was still dazzlingly bright. A gentle breeze billowed the thin gauze curtains, which then slowly deflated like receding waves.
The two people sitting side by side by the window, one with broad shoulders casting a small shadow; the other with a slender figure, a few strands of long hair fluttering in the wind and falling onto his dark suit.
Even though Mr. Zhang wasn't enthusiastic about their relationship, he still had to admit that his grandson and Tang Yi were a very good match in terms of appearance.
However, he put aside these thoughts that betrayed his original intentions and said seriously, "I do not agree to you two being together."
Tang Yi's eyes flickered for a second.
If I remember correctly, Zhang Minglang didn't say that his girlfriend was herself, right?
What about Chairman Zhang...?
She looked up at Chairman Zhang in front of her.
The old man noticed her sudden change in expression, and his feelings became even more complicated. He glanced at Zhang Minglang beside him, utterly unable to understand how she could have fallen for his stubborn grandson.
The stubborn one finally spoke up: "Grandpa, what you're saying is really pointless. We're already together, are you suggesting we break up over something like this?"
As Zhang Minglang spoke, he glanced confidently at Tang Yi beside him. However, Tang Yi was already immersed in waves of astonishment and had no time to respond to his gaze.
Chairman Zhang seemed to be mocking him. He sneered, "Your word alone doesn't count in your business."
Tang Yi knew their affair was no longer a secret. She looked up and gazed intently into Chairman Zhang's eyes, her tone firm: "Chairman Zhang, Zhang Minglang and I are indeed in a relationship. But we are very clear about each other's roles and responsibilities. This relationship is a serious and mutual decision made by two adults. If you disagree, we understand your concerns, but we cannot give up easily just because of your opposition."
Tang Yi finished speaking her heartfelt words in one breath, her hands clasped tightly together on her knees, but her expression showed no sign of backing down.
Zhang Minglang, who was standing to the side, had not expected that she would actually speak so frankly. He listened quietly to her words, his heart filled with warmth.
After a moment of silence, Chairman Zhang slowly spoke: "Who else knows about your relationship besides me?"
Zhang Minglang said, "My mom knows."
"What?" Chairman Zhang stopped fiddling with his prayer beads. "You little brat, you told her but not me?"
Zhang Minglang spread his hands at him: "As it turns out, if I told you, you would break up the couple, so it would have been better not to tell you."
Mr. Zhang was rarely put on the defensive. He lowered his voice, as if inquiring, "What does your mother think?"
"I completely agree, I absolutely agree! I wish I could throw us a wedding right now. Unlike you..."
Tang Yi couldn't stand his fabricated stories any longer, so she reached out and tugged at his sleeve.
Chairman Zhang glared at him and said, "What nonsense are you spouting!"
He paused, then said earnestly, "Even if I agree, can you suppress the rumors circulating throughout the company? A president and a secretary—it's hard to hide the gossip if word gets out!"
Zhang Minglang replied, "As long as you publicly support me, I will naturally find a way to stop those unfounded rumors. Even if you don't support me, I will still find a way."
Listening to the conversation between the grandfather and granddaughter, Tang Yi hesitated for a long time before finally speaking up: "Chairman Zhang, if my personal feelings would affect my professional judgment or harm Junmao's interests..."
She paused for a few seconds, glanced at the man beside her, and said in a calm voice that didn't sound like she was talking about her own affairs: "I can resign immediately to take responsibility."
"What did you say, Tang Yi?!" Zhang Minglang reacted strongly as expected. Upon hearing the word "resign," his brows furrowed instantly, and he reached out to pull her arm, but she pushed him away.
Chairman Zhang seemed surprised that Tang Yi would say such a thing. He gestured for her to continue, showing interest.
"As myself, I am first and foremost myself, secondly an employee of the company, and lastly Zhang Minglang's girlfriend. I am standing here because of my professional abilities and contributions to the company, not because of my relationship with him."
“I can’t promise anything else, but I can only assure you that at work, I will still be the same conscientious and error-free secretary. If I fail to do so, then from a professional standpoint, my lack of professional skills is detrimental to the company’s interests, and I should resign; from a personal standpoint, I haven’t handled my romantic relationship with my boss well, and I may ultimately have to rely on him to save face and stay, so I should resign even more.”
After Tang Yi finished speaking clearly and logically, Zhang Minglang slowly withdrew his outstretched hand. He remembered their conversation through the car window in the underground parking lot that day.
Tang Yi said, "Let's talk when we're both ready."
He understood in an instant what she was preparing.
While he was already deeply immersed in the sweetness of love and unable to extricate himself, Tang Yi remained rational and restrained throughout. She was independent and dignified, willing to pay the price for her promises and decisions.
Zhang Minglang wasn't upset that she prioritized work over his own. On the contrary, he felt as if he loved Tang Yi a little more.
He knew perfectly well that everything Tang Yi said was the result of careful consideration, a pledge she made before authority for the sake of their relationship.
Ignoring Chairman Zhang's expression, Zhang Minglang reached out and tightly grasped Tang Yi's hands, which were resting on her knees. Perhaps due to nervousness, Tang Yi's hands felt as cold as if they had been immersed in ice water.
Zhang Minglang tried his best to transfer the warmth of his palm to her. He looked up at his grandfather, his expression more serious than ever before: "Tang Yi's words represent my stance. We will use the next quarter's performance to prove that our relationship is healthy and will never affect the company in any way."
Chairman Zhang didn't say anything more, he just waved them out.
Tang Yi gently closed the door, turned around, raised her head, and her gaze met Zhang Minglang's deep, gentle eyes.
"Were you scared?" Zhang Minglang walked alongside her, his voice very soft.
"It was bound to happen sooner or later, and I have nothing to be ashamed of, so there's nothing to be afraid of," Tang Yi shook her head, then suddenly remembered something, looked up and asked, "You weren't angry about what I just said, were you?"
Zhang Minglang laughed: "Why would I be angry?"
“I thought you’d think I only care about work and not about you,” Tang Yi looked up at him. “Shouldn’t you know that the economic base determines the superstructure?”
Zhang Minglang found the question a little funny, but he still nodded.
Stepping into the elevator, Tang Yi gazed at the changing floor numbers and spoke softly, as if sorting out her thoughts: "I need to have a stable livelihood before I can pursue a pure relationship. If I can't have a job to support me, I believe the relationship won't last."
Zhang Minglang did not respond immediately. He simply reached out his hand silently, his gaze quickly sweeping across the surveillance camera at the top corner of the elevator, and then precisely located her hand hanging at her side, firmly enveloping it with his palm.
The warmth from his fingertips startled Tang Yi slightly, and she turned her head to look at him.
"The surveillance cameras didn't capture it," he explained in a low voice, his tone reassuringly calm.
He turned to meet her gaze, his eyes filled with an indescribable tenderness. Tang Yi saw no doubt in his eyes, only complete acceptance and understanding.
“You’re right,” he said gently. “I support all your decisions. Let’s both work hard for each other, okay?”
She looked up, a slight smile curving her lips, grasped his hand in return, and nodded firmly.
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