Chapter 87: Is This a Proposal?
Zhang Minglang and the Li Group are in the final stages of negotiations. The other party is particularly difficult to deal with, and because Zhang Minglang is very fast and urgent, everything is very tight, leaving him busy and breathless.
Tang Yi took everything into consideration.
But apart from trying her best to arrange all of Junmao's work and teaching Fangzhen as many work skills as possible, there was nothing else she could do for him.
That day, after finishing her work and preparing to go home, she subconsciously thought of knocking on the CEO's office door.
However, she had just gotten up when she remembered that Zhang Minglang had gone out to a meeting before leaving get off work, and before he left he specifically told her not to wait for him and to go home by herself.
Tang Yi packed her things and drove home.
Opening the door, Tang Yi found herself in complete darkness, as expected; Zhang Minglang must not have returned yet. Just as she reached for the light switch, she suddenly smelled a strong odor of alcohol.
She frowned, looked down at the carpet, and noticed that Zhang Minglang's leather shoes were neatly placed on it.
Tang Yi didn't even have time to turn on the lights or change her shoes before tiptoeing into the living room. In the corner, on a beanbag chair, lay a motionless dark figure; only the shimmering moonlight and the swaying wine glass could be seen.
Tang Yi's heart skipped a beat, and she asked softly, "Zhang Minglang?"
The black image also startled me.
She saw him flinch at first, then put the wine glass away from his hand before finally turning around slowly to look at her.
By the moonlight, she recognized Zhang Minglang's face.
Tang Yi quickly walked to his side. She reached out to feel his forehead, her voice slightly anxious: "Do you have a fever? Is anything bothering you?"
Zhang Minglang gently shook his head.
Tang Yi noticed the weariness in his eyes. She stood silently for a while, then lifted her leg and straddled him.
The rich fragrance and cool touch suddenly enveloped him, and Zhang Minglang froze, but still subconsciously reached out to put his arm around her waist and gently pulled her into his embrace.
"So proactive," Zhang Minglang said, somewhat flattered when he realized Tang Yi was hugging him. He couldn't help but tease her, "Are you trying to scold me for drinking behind your back? Sorry, I'll definitely invite you next time I want to drink."
Tang Yi shook her head without answering, but instead reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, gently pressing her cheek against his side. After a long while, she finally uttered, "Working at the company must be tiring, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Minglang raised an eyebrow. He gently stroked her smooth, long hair that cascaded down her back, his chest trembling slightly with laughter: "Your husband is very capable. Just one kiss from you and I won't feel tired anymore."
The expected "improper" thing didn't happen. Instead, Tang Yi sat up, leaned down, gently touched his lips, and then pulled away.
"Don't push yourself so hard. Some things can't be done in a rush. You need to..."
Tang Yi didn't get to finish her sentence because Zhang Minglang swallowed it all.
He could easily lift her chin with just a few fingers. He closed his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering, and his lips lingered on hers. Tang Yi opened her mouth cooperatively, letting his tongue penetrate deep into her mouth and conquer her.
Their lips met, and Tang Yi could taste the strong flavor of alcohol in his mouth.
After the kiss, Zhang Minglang slowly released her, his eyes somewhat glazed, still tinged with lingering desire.
He said in a hoarse voice, "This is how you comfort someone."
Tang Yi pursed her slightly numb lips.
Zhang Minglang reached out to stroke her hair, and the two sat back down in the corner of the sofa, their figures overlapping and reflected on the glass door of the balcony.
He said, "If I had known about this benefit earlier, I would have had something to look forward to no matter how busy I was at work."
Tang Yi laughed at him for being silly, how could he curse himself to be busy with work?
"Are you hungry? Shall we go out to eat?" Zhang Minglang turned his head, buried his nose in her fragrant hair, took a deep breath, and asked softly.
Tang Yiying is fine.
She loosened her arms and straightened up again, but because she had been kneeling for too long, her feet and legs were tingling and numb, which affected her whole body, and she accidentally fell forward.
She heard a heavy breathing, and the man beneath her immediately became erect.
In a panic, she instinctively tried to lower her head, but Zhang Minglang reached out and pulled her back into his arms.
Their bodies pressed even closer, and her thighs felt a little uncomfortable from the pressure. Tang Yi asked cautiously, "It was just a hug! How could you... so easily..."
Zhang Minglang chuckled and sighed a few times in her ear: "There's nothing I can do. You should be the one reflecting on why."
Tang Yi's cheeks flushed instantly, and she asked in a low, buzzing voice, "Can I... do something?"
Zhang Minglang, who was in her arms, paused again.
His voice was only slightly hoarse, barely perceptible: "Just let me hug you."
The two hugged quietly for a while, chatting softly about their recent work and life. When Zhang Minglang picked her up, he regained his usual cheerful demeanor.
Tang Yi was somewhat relieved.
Instead of driving, they chose to walk hand in hand and randomly find a restaurant to eat at.
Neither of them are picky people. Zhang Minglang doesn't want to go to fancy restaurants or hire a chef to cook for them every time they go on a date. They are both very busy with work, so they cherish the time they spend together during breaks.
Those moments that don't require expertise or attention to detail, where you can slowly experience what "life" truly means.
December in City A is already like a traditional winter, with very low temperatures, and woolen coats are perfectly adequate.
Tang Yi wore a red scarf and a long black coat, and the blush and lipstick on her cheeks made her face look even whiter.
Zhang Minglang is a master of imitation; he insists on wearing matching outfits even when there aren't any.
After sneaking a peek at Tang Yi changing into a black coat, he decisively took off his trench coat and pulled out a long, black wool coat from his wardrobe.
The two stood in front of the mirror adjusting their collars, and Tang Yi laughed at him for imitating her from the mirror.
Zhang Minglang, seemingly unconcerned, raised the corners of his lips and gestured with his chin towards her reflection in the mirror, leaving her speechless.
After dawdling for a while, the two finally went out the door.
It was cold; the air felt icy on her face. Tang Yi buried her face in her scarf, cupped her hands, and breathed on them to warm them.
Seeing this, Zhang Minglang, who was standing next to her, put her hand into his large woolen pocket and moved closer to her.
Despite the same low temperature, Zhang Minglang's palms were always burning hot, like they were in a furnace.
"Aren't you cold?" Tang Yi knew her hands were like ice and was afraid of freezing him, so she tried to pull away, but Zhang Minglang gripped her even tighter.
"Aren't boyfriends just for use?" he chuckled, leaning in to gently bump her shoulder.
The two snuggled together and casually ate dinner at a restaurant, then aimlessly walked towards the more crowded area.
I don’t know what day it is today. The square is crowded with people, and many couples are slowly walking towards the center of the square. Zhang Minglang was afraid that she would get lost, so he had to let go of Tang Yi’s hand in his pocket, put his arm around her shoulder, and pull her into his arms.
Tang Yi hadn't seen such a crowded and lively square in a long time. She looked up, squinted at him, and smiled: "It's so lively. What's going on here?"
Zhang Minglang glanced down at her. The square was filled with streetlights of varying heights, their warm yellow light illuminating her face and complementing her vivid expressions.
He coughed softly and suddenly felt a little thirsty.
Tang Yi was still smiling at him with her head up, but Zhang Minglang turned his head to the side, tightened his grip on her shoulder, and said in a serious tone, "Stop looking at me, watch where you're going."
Tang Yi raised her eyebrows and turned to look at the road carefully.
Zhang Minglang asked the passersby and found out that there would be a fireworks display tonight.
The crowd was dense. After asking the passersby for directions and thanking them, Zhang Minglang turned to share with Tang Yi, but suddenly found himself in complete emptiness.
He remembered the red scarf Tang Yi was wearing.
Suddenly, a noisy commotion erupted around him, and everyone immediately raised their phones, pointing them at the sky. He heard the countdown, and his steps quickened, his eyes darting around even faster.
"one!"
The once dark night sky instantly brightened as millions of dazzling fireworks soared into the sky, their colors reflected in everyone's eyes.
In that instant, he saw that splash of red.
He saw that Tang Yi had her hands in her pockets, and the colorful scarf around her neck only made her look more aloof.
The fireworks were deafening, but Zhang Minglang could only hear his own heartbeat.
My heart pounded, one beat after another.
As if sensing his gaze, Tang Yi turned her head. After seeing that it was him, the corners of her mouth, which had been flat, curved into a gentle smile.
Amidst the bustling crowd, they gazed at each other silently. The colors of the fireworks illuminated their eyes, and the same emotion slowly surfaced in each other's eyes.
That was love.
Zhang Minglang raised his foot, as if two magnets were destined to be attracted to each other, as if an invisible red thread was tied to their fingers.
A fateful pull.
Their meeting, getting to know each other, falling in love, and growing closer to each other were all preordained.
Zhang Minglang finally stopped in front of her, his back bathed in the dazzling light of fireworks. He stretched out his arm and waved to her.
Tang Yi smiled and threw herself into his arms.
Many couples choose to embrace tightly in such a romantic setting; their figures overlap, yet it doesn't seem abrupt or strange.
Zhang Minglang lowered his head, and his cheek finally touched the red scarf around Tang Yi's neck.
Carrying her body heat and her fragrance, he greedily inhaled deeply, as if trying to use his limited senses to remember this moment destined for endless memories.
Tang Yi patted his back, her voice muffled but tinged with amusement: "What are you doing, trying to drain my life force?"
Zhang Minglang did not answer her, and tightened his arms around her waist.
She heard him say, "Tangyi, next year, the year after, the year after that, for a lifetime. Let's come here together, okay?"
Tang Yi paused for a moment, then asked softly, "Are you proposing?"
Zhang Minglang was clearly taken aback by her direct question. He slightly distanced himself from her, looking flustered: "I didn't... but I didn't prepare a ring... or maybe I..."
Tang Yi wanted to tease him on purpose: "You want to propose without a ring? I won't say yes."
"Marry him! Marry him!"
A few abrupt sounds rang out, followed by a chorus of agreement and synchronized applause. They were both startled and simultaneously stopped their conversation, turning to look.
A crowd gathered not far away, all watching the spectacle as a couple, laughing and joking around.
The girl covered her face and yelled, "Get up! You want to propose without even a ring? Are you even serious about proposing?!"
Zhang Minglang was still peering in with his mouth agape, when Tang Yi turned her head, pointed behind her with her thumb, and said, "Watch closely, this is what happens when you propose without a ring. I'll refuse."
Tang Yi chuckled twice and walked past him.
Zhang Minglang realized she was gone, so he quickly turned around and followed her, bending down to look for her hand, and contentedly put her hand in his pocket.
"Do you like this kind of proposal?"
"I don't like it, it's too tacky."
"I understand. Shall we go pick out a ring tomorrow?"
"...When did I agree to marry you?"
"You! You just proposed to me! Tang Xiaoyi, I think you're the one who's more eager to get married than I am."
"......"
"Silence means consent, I knew it!"
The two were wearing similar styles of black coats, and their figures looked remarkably well-matched from behind.
They walked hand in hand, their bickering growing fainter and fainter until it drifted away in the air and was carried off by the evening breeze.
That evening, photos of what appeared to be the two of them watching fireworks circulated online.
Zhang Minglang lay sprawled in the corner of the sofa, very satisfied with the photos of the two of them taken by netizens, saving one after another.
Tang Yi took off her coat to hang it up, urging Zhang Minglang, who was still lounging on the sofa, "Stop playing around, take off your clothes."
Upon hearing this request, Zhang Minglang sprang up from the sofa, forgetting all about taking photos, and eagerly began to take off his clothes.
After hanging up her coat, Tang Yi turned around and saw Zhang Minglang reaching out to take off his sweater.
Her voice rose slightly: "What are you doing! Why are you taking off your sweater in this cold weather?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Minglang seemed somewhat troubled, lowering his raised arm and glancing down at his pants: "But we can't just take them off..."
Tang Yi followed his gaze to his pants and suddenly realized that his brain was full of rubbish that wouldn't pass censorship.
She grabbed a soft pillow from in front of her and threw it at his face, somewhat exasperated: "What are you thinking! I meant I was taking off my coat to hang it up so it wouldn't get wrinkled..."
Zhang Minglang opened his mouth slowly in surprise, then felt embarrassed. He reached up and scratched the back of his head, then slowly picked up his coat and moved it next to her, saying with a disappointed tone, "I thought you had finally come to your senses and started taking the initiative."
Tang Yi reached out to take his clothes, but he held the other end tightly, preventing her from pulling them away. She swayed and fell into his arms.
The plan succeeded.
A thick coat separated them. Tang Yi steadied herself and looked up, her gaze meeting his smug eyes.
He suggested in a low voice, "Since that's the case, why not just go with the flow?"
Zhang Minglang slowly lowered his head, his eyes slowly closed, and his lips were pursed to the point of being two miles apart.
Tang Yijing stared at him for a few seconds, and when he was only a little distance away from her, she suddenly raised her hand, lifted the coats they were holding, and covered his head completely.
Zhang Minglang: "???"
The warm lips he expected didn't touch him. As Zhang Minglang struggled to pull the clothes off his head, Tang Yi had already taken her clothes and gone into the bathroom.
She reached out and grabbed the doorframe, smiled at him, and said, "I'll go first. You can take your time and make your own way."
Zhang Minglang responded with an "Ah," but the only reply was the sound of the door closing.
He stood there stunned for a few seconds, then looked down at the coat in his hand, and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Two childish devils, a match made in heaven.
As Zhang Minglang's work was nearing completion, he slowed down his pace.
The reason is simple: he wanted to spend one last little bit of time with Tang Yi at the company.
The resignation submitted to the board of directors has entered the final stage of approval.
Zhang Minglang still remembered the complex expression on the old man's face when he received the resignation letter he had personally handed him. He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant: "Did you really have to go this far?"
“Absolutely, there’s no turning back,” Zhang Minglang replied.
Chairman Zhang remained silent for a long, long time, then suddenly raised his voice, almost questioning him: "You are so young and reckless! Tang Yi was out of her mind and helped you mess around! I had everything laid out for you at Junmao, but you insisted on taking a risky path. I really have nothing nice to say to you!"
Zhang Minglang was completely unaffected by the old man's words. He even had the leisure to smile and bow slightly to him, saying, "Thank you for recognizing Tang Yi's support. This is a great encouragement to our relationship."
"You! You're shameless!" Chairman Zhang pointed at him and cursed him with exasperation.
Zhang Minglang reached out and pushed away the finger that was pointing directly at him, acknowledging his insult: "I really am shameless, otherwise how could I have shamelessly started dating Tang Yi, right? Old man, do you dare to say that you didn't shamelessly pursue my grandma back then? With your looks, tsk tsk, you couldn't have won over my grandma without some sweet talk. I know that quite well."
Chairman Zhang was so angry at his nonsensical words that he walked around his desk to grab him and give him a couple of punches.
Seeing this, Zhang Minglang quickly and nimbly dodged, ran to the door of the board office, and felt around the door, ready to slip away at any moment.
Mr. Zhang stopped abruptly, waving his hand irritably at him: "Get out!"
Zhang Minglang gave an OK sign, opened the door to leave, but Chairman Zhang behind him spoke up again: "Wait."
Zhang Minglang poked his head out from the doorway again.
Mr. Zhang shifted his gaze to the glass window and said in a low voice, "When are you planning to bring Tang Yi home? You're so immature! At least let your grandma meet her, so she won't nag me every day."
Zhang Minglang picked up Qiao Lai and said, "Then I need to think about it, and Tang Yi needs to think about it too. We'll let you know when we've made up our minds."
Thinking of this, Zhang Minglang's rapidly spinning pen fell onto the table with a crisp "clatter".
Tang Yi's smile instantly vanished. She slammed her tablet down on the edge of the table, the thud bringing Zhang Minglang back to his senses. He looked at her, bewildered.
Tang Yi: "Zhang Minglang, you're daydreaming again."
He pursed his lips, trying to elongate his philtrum to get away with it, but Tang Yi was not affected by his reaction at all, and still said in a businesslike manner: "You're just doing your job, don't think you can take advantage of the situation just because you're leaving now. As long as you're not leaving, you're still the president of Junmao."
Zhang Minglang nodded repeatedly, humbly agreeing.
Seeing that he was sincere in admitting his mistake, and considering that what he had just reported wasn't very important, Tang Yi paused and asked casually, "Go on, what were you thinking about just now?"
I didn't expect this ideological education session to last so short a time. Zhang Minglang looked up at her, flattered.
"If you don't want to talk, I'll leave now."
Tang Yi made a move to turn around and walk away, and Zhang Minglang, as expected, couldn't hold back. He braced himself on the table with one hand and reached out with the other to grab her hand that was hanging by her hip.
He pulled her to the table and blurted out, "Mr. Zhang, my grandfather asked me when I'm going to take you back to meet my parents and grandmother."
Tang Yi's previously calm expression instantly rippled. She opened her mouth, as if to say something, then closed it again, quickly blinked, and lowered her voice slightly: "I don't care... isn't it mainly about your schedule?"
"You don't care?" Zhang Minglang perked up, jumping up from his chair as if he couldn't wait a moment longer. "Then let's go after get off work today!"
"Why are you in such a hurry? You should give me some time to prepare a gift or something, right?"
Zhang Minglang waved his hand and said, "You don't need to worry about those things at all. I'll have Assistant Zhou contact someone to send them over. Just consider it a gift from you."
Tang Yi still felt something was amiss, but Zhang Minglang grabbed her shoulder and said, "What's mine is yours, why bother with these things? There is something that we should both go there in person for."
So after get off work in the afternoon, Tang Yi and Zhang Minglang stood together at the entrance of the jewelry store.
Tang Yi looked up at him: "What you're talking about isn't...."
"We're wearing matching rings, is there a problem?" Zhang Minglang held up their intertwined hands and waved them in front of her, clearly in a good mood.
The two entered the dazzling jewelry store. Tang Yi bent down to look at the jewelry designs through the glass, while Zhang Minglang followed behind her, swinging her handbag in his arm, and chattering away:
"I'm leaving Junmao soon, and I'm sure a lot of ordinary guys will try to pick you up. I've already thought of a plan: when someone hands you their business card, just flash the ring and say you're married. Don't do what happened at the launch ceremony last time, where everyone handed you their business card..."
He got carried away with his words and suddenly realized he'd let slip about the business card. Zhang Minglang quickly shut his mouth.
I didn't want Tang Yi to know how much I cared back then, that I still remember those few small business cards to this day.
That's so embarrassing.
However, who is Tang Yi?
She heard his voice grow softer and then abruptly stop. Her eyes shifted from the jeweled glass to his face, and she squinted as she asked, "What did you say? What business card?"
Zhang Minglang originally wanted to keep it a secret for a while longer, to preserve what little male dignity he had left.
However, looking into her all-knowing eyes, he simply threw up his hands and said, "I'm telling the truth. When you launched the ceremony, how many of your business cards did you hand out outside that door? Count them yourself."
Before Tang Yi could react, Zhang Minglang preemptively said, "See, you can't argue with that, can you? That's why I said we have to choose these wedding rings carefully today, a big, shiny one, so that everyone knows you're mine..."
When he looked back at Tang Yi, she was already smiling and leaning gently against the glass, pointing to the bag in his arm.
Zhang Minglang, not understanding why, pushed the handbag off his arm and handed it to her.
Tang Yi smiled as she unzipped the side zipper, pulled out a small stack of business cards, and handed them to him for him to see.
Zhang Minglang took it, and the business card clearly read "Zhang Minglang, President of Junmao Group".
Tang Yi stretched out her hand, tapped her fingernails on the small card, and said, "This is what I gave them last time."
Zhang Minglang was still holding those cards, staring blankly at her.
Tang Yi reached out and tugged at his hand, laughing as she said, "Are you stupid? What kind of person am I? I was your secretary back then. How could I openly hand out my business card in public? Wouldn't that make it obvious that I was going to run away? I'm not stupid."
Thinking of something, she deliberately said, "If I really wanted to keep my options open while looking for something better, I would have made clear private contacts long ago. Why would I bother with those little tricks that you could see? You're so stupid."
Zhang Minglang thought about what she said and it seemed to make sense.
Was his brain stolen at that time?
She couldn't even understand such a simple principle, and she silently sulked for a long time because of the business card and that resignation letter.
The next second, he heard Tang Yi ask, "Back then, you didn't really give me the cold shoulder for so long because of this, did you?"
Zhang Minglang immediately bristled and denied it repeatedly.
After the two of them joked around for a while, Tang Yi first noticed that the shop assistants at the counter had noticed them long ago and were all crowding together watching them play around. She belatedly felt a little embarrassed.
She reached out and nudged Zhang Minglang: "Stop playing around, hurry up and watch carefully."
Zhang Minglang was still holding those business cards in his hand. Upon hearing this, he bent his arm and gestured to Tang Yi.
Tang Yi glanced at him, lowered her head, and smiled as she took his arm.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
