Chapter 50 Untitled "Don't kiss me, it's so annoying."
The cold air outside dissipated somewhat, and the faint sunlight slowly broke through the layers of clouds, finally giving the sky some color and warmth.
The atmosphere inside the house, however, was not quite like that.
Tang Yi sat on the sofa, her black hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders, her hands resting gently on her knees.
To be honest, I was a little nervous.
But I have nothing to be ashamed of.
She never expected that her first meeting with Zhang Minglang's mother after starting a relationship would happen so quickly.
Zhang's mother rested one hand on her forehead, remaining silent, seemingly still processing the fact that her son was with Tang Yi.
Tang Yi's professional instincts kicked in. She subconsciously observed Zhang's mother's expression, trying to glean her thoughts from her actions and demeanor.
Regardless of whether she agrees or disagrees, she can understand and accept it.
But she will not give up again.
With this resolute look, Tang Yi raised her eyes to look at Zhang Minglang beside her.
As if he had eyes in the back of his head, he reached out with his left hand and precisely grasped Tang Yi's hand.
His warm palm pressed tightly against the skin of her hand. Tang Yi heard him say from above, "Mom, we only officially started dating last night, I..."
However, before he could finish speaking, Zhang's mother suddenly looked up and asked in surprise, "You just talked about it yesterday?"
Zhang Minglang, puzzled, replied, "Yes."
Mother Zhang shook her head repeatedly, pointing a finger at him, her tone full of disappointment: "Look at you, it's only the first day we've been together, and you're already ordering people around to wipe the table! You've forgotten everything I taught you!"
Tang Yi and Zhang Minglang slowly turned their heads and looked at each other, completely bewildered.
Mrs. Zhang was still nagging: "It's so cold today, and Yiyi is wearing such thin clothes, why didn't you say to prepare an extra coat for her! Zhang Minglang, you really are something else, I don't even know how to scold you properly!"
Tang Yi didn't have time to think about anything else and quickly explained, "Auntie, I wiped the table because he cooked the meal, so it's only right that I help wash the dishes. Besides, the temperature in the room is fine, and I don't feel cold."
Zhang's mother walked over from the other end of the sofa and hurried towards her. Seeing this, Tang Yi quickly pulled her hand away from Zhang Minglang's hand.
Zhang Minglang looked down, staring unhappily at his empty, outstretched palm.
Mrs. Zhang had already sat down next to Tang Yi. Without a word, she pulled Tang Yi's hands, which were resting on her knees, into her palms and said gently, "Are you telling the truth? This boy hasn't treated you badly?"
Tang Yi looked at her, flattered, and gently shook her head.
Mother Zhang: "That's good. I was just worried that he wouldn't know how to take care of people."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Minglang retorted, "Are you kidding me? How am I not good at taking care of people? I..."
Tang Yi turned her head and frowned at him when Zhang's mother couldn't see her, giving him a sharp look.
Like a balloon punctured by a knife, Zhang Minglang instantly went silent, his voice dropping several decibels: "Yes, I still have to learn."
Mrs. Zhang saw everything. She smiled and said, "I don't care about your affairs. Just support each other, learn from each other, and take it one step at a time."
The three chatted for a while longer, and when it was time for lunch, Zhang Minglang suggested going to a restaurant he had booked in advance, so the task of driving naturally fell to the birthday boy.
The reason Zhang's mother suddenly appeared was simply because she happened to be passing through City A and remembered that it was her son's birthday today, so she decided to stop by and see him.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Minglang hummed while keeping his hands on the steering wheel, "On the way? Then it's really troublesome for you, sir."
"Go away, go away! What kind of old lady are you? You don't know how to talk properly. How are you going to win over your mother-in-law in the future?"
Having won with a single move, Zhang Minglang remained lost in thought for the rest of the journey, not uttering another word.
Tang Yi caught a glimpse of his shifty gaze in the rearview mirror, as if she had suddenly noticed something interesting.
No matter how much this person usually bluffs and talks about "wife" or "madam" all the time, as long as you seriously engage in conversation with him, he immediately transforms from a cheetah into a cat, revealing his pure and innocent virgin nature.
If he were to take it any more seriously, he might even start planning the wedding location.
The car came to a smooth stop, and Tang Yi opened the door to help Zhang's mother out.
The restaurant is nestled within a secluded courtyard, surrounded by flowing water and lush greenery.
The three of them went inside and sat down in the private room that Zhang Minglang had reserved in advance.
Tang Yi was originally holding Zhang's mother's arm, so it would have been natural for her to sit next to her. But Zhang Minglang seemed to have realized this problem as soon as he entered the room.
He walked leisurely beside his mother, hands in his pockets, saying, "He still says he's not old, and he needs someone to help him walk."
Upon hearing this, Zhang's mother's eyes widened. Before she could say anything, Tang Yi, who was beside her, subtly reached out from behind her and patted her arm as a reminder.
Zhang Minglang looked up at her guiltily, and sure enough, she gave him a warning look again.
Zhang Minglang sighed inwardly.
Forget it, I'd better not make her angry.
He became much more well-behaved, but stared at Tang Yi, who wasn't sitting with him, with a hint of resentment in his eyes.
As Tang Yi poured tea for Zhang's mother, she mouthed to him: "Naive."
Zhang Minglang glared: "I am childish! Why can't I sit with you!"
Mrs. Zhang had seen everything. She turned to a page of the menu and said, "Yiyi."
Tang Yi quickly looked away from Zhang Minglang's face and responded.
Mother Zhang looked up, gestured towards the opposite side with her lips, and smiled kindly: "Go sit with Minglang."
Tang Yi exclaimed "Ah!" before she could react, and Zhang Minglang across from her stood up with a beaming smile, his suddenly towering figure resembling a thick wall.
So the wall got its wish and sat down side by side with Tang Yi.
Tang Yi had just settled down when Zhang Minglang's hand, like a vine, wrapped around a fence and entwined around her hand under the table where there was no light.
Explore, connect, skim across the back of her hand, squeeze between her fingers, and interlock with hers.
Tang Yi glanced at him, and Zhang Minglang rested his chin on one hand, raising an eyebrow at her smugly.
Let him do whatever he wants.
Zhang Minglang secretly twirled Tang Yi's fingertips under the table, occasionally tightening his fingers to press her knuckles, until the dishes were served, at which point he reluctantly let go of her hand.
Zhang Minglang sighed softly and said in a voice only Tang Yi could hear, "Why am I not left-handed?"
He glanced at his right hand, which he had to pull out to pick up the chopsticks, with a regretful expression.
Tang Yi turned her face toward the window, smiling as she looked at the bamboo leaves swaying in the wind outside.
Watching the two young people subtly exchanging pleasantries, and seeing Zhang Minglang's rarely seen smile constantly on his face, Zhang's mother felt a sense of comfort.
"Back then, when I asked you to come to dinner with me and meet Yiyi, you were really reluctant. Look at you two now, aren't you happy together?"
“We developed feelings for each other over time,” Zhang Minglang laughed. “She happens to be our secretary.”
Mother Zhang raised her eyebrows and exclaimed "Wow!" clearly delighted: "What a coincidence! I must have a good talk with Chen Lian about this another day!"
Upon hearing her mother's name, Tang Yi's eyes darkened.
Zhang Minglang could certainly sense her change in mood. He subtly changed the subject.
As lunch was drawing to a close, Zhang Minglang solemnly said to his mother, "Mom, thank you so much for coming all this way to celebrate my birthday."
Tang Yi suppressed the corners of her mouth that were turning up.
It seems he hasn't forgotten about going the same way.
"Tang Yi and I will be fine. But as you know, we have to keep our relationship a secret for the time being because of work. This is to ensure that Tang Yi is not hurt without cause."
Tang Yi looked at him, not expecting him to point this out to his mother so directly.
Zhang Minglang continued, "I don't care about those rumors, but she can't be hurt anymore. If you hadn't happened to run into us today, we probably would have had to keep it from you for a while."
As he spoke, his tone became more ethereal, making Zhang's mother laugh uncontrollably.
She waved her hand to interrupt him: "I know, you want things to be stable before going public, I understand. Don't worry, I'm tight-lipped, I don't even tell your dad, hmph!"
Upon receiving this confirmation, Tang Yi finally felt relieved.
Mrs. Zhang said she had to catch a flight and hurriedly called her driver to pick her up. After seeing Mrs. Zhang off, Tang Yi and Zhang Minglang didn't leave immediately.
The two of them finally had some free space to calm down after the tumultuous experience of the past few hours.
Zhang Minglang looked at Tang Yi, who had also relaxed, and deliberately leaned forward to ask, "You're not angry and embarrassed because my mom caught you staying at my house, are you? You're not going to regret being with me now?"
Tang Yi: "I'm considering it."
Zhang Minglang jerked backward, his side slamming into the table before he even felt the pain: "What are you thinking about? No thinking allowed!"
The cutlery on the table clattered and rattled, like a symphony.
Zhang Minglang seemed to realize the pain in his body, and as if he had developed rickets, he leaned against Tang Yi: "It's so annoying, I don't want to keep it a secret either."
Tang Yi ruthlessly pushed him away, telling him to be mindful of his public image.
Seeing his gloomy expression, her heart softened again. She reached out, hooked her little finger around his, and gave it a gentle shake: "It's your birthday today, where do you want to go?"
"I don't want to go anywhere, I just want to stay with you."
Tang Yi said, "I advise you to cherish this opportunity. I can spend the whole day with you today, but it will be difficult in the future."
Zhang Minglang asked, "Where do you usually go during your holidays?"
“I’m not going anywhere.” Tang Yi shook her head. “Like I said, my life is pretty boring. I basically just bury myself in work, and occasionally I go to Heaven…”
Zhang Minglang's eyes lit up: "Then let's go to Heaven! I want to drink your cocktail."
Tang Yi laughed: "Why don't I just make it for you at home? Why do you have to go to the store and give them money? I don't have the authority to give you a free meal."
But she couldn't persuade Zhang Minglang in the end, and had no choice but to agree.
Zhang Minglang drove her home, but they lingered downstairs, reluctant to let go of each other's hands.
He lowered his head, looking at their tightly clasped hands, and whispered, "Could you go back and video call me until we meet again tonight?"
Tang Yi found it amusing: "Is it really necessary? It's only three hours apart, not three months."
Zhang Minglang's mind raced, and he leaned forward to offer a suggestion: "How about this, you let me go upstairs and sit down. I promise I'll be quiet, I'll just sit next to you and watch you put on makeup, okay?"
Tang Yi raised an eyebrow and returned his words verbatim: "Don't you think we're moving too fast right now?"
Zhang Minglang insisted that this was different.
To elicit sympathy, he even pulled his coat tighter: "On my once-a-year birthday, I not only have to endure the pain of separation and the agony of longing, but also the freezing cold, sitting alone at home for three hours..."
Tang Yi turned her head away and smiled, her hair falling down and obscuring half of her face.
"Alright, come on up."
She said those words with a smile, then turned and went upstairs without looking back.
Zhang Minglang realized what was happening and hurriedly followed her, putting his arm around her waist and leaning in to kiss her, but she pushed his face away.
"Don't kiss me, it's so annoying."
"I'll kiss you, I'll kiss you. The more you try to stop me, the more I'll annoy you, Tang Xiaoyi."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com