MTL - 1

More Than Just Like You

By Mo Yanchuan

March 7, 2019

Tang Yu is heartbroken, and I played no small part in it.

He must be hurting right now. I’m planning to make my move.

— From the Diary of a Little Rich Girl

________________________________________

Mid-March in Beijing. The city had just turned off its central heating, but the air was still chilly.

Tang Xin and You Huan were sitting in the café downstairs from their office building. A few exquisite afternoon tea snacks adorned the table as both girls relaxed, engrossed in their phones.

Suddenly, You Huan looked up and said, “Check out the top trending topic on Weibo.”

“Anything interesting?”

Tang Xin eagerly opened the trending topics page on Weibo and immediately spotted the top post:

#The Most Heartbreaking Thing Done by Someone You Love#

Her expression shifted slightly. She had so much to say about this topic. After all, she’d endured a year of heartbreak because of the person she loved, only recently breaking free—or rather, entering a new phase.

The man she loved was now single. She finally had her chance!

Before she could even click to read the comments, You Huan began reading aloud from her phone, enunciating each word:

“The guy I liked asked for my WeChat ID. I thought he was into me, so I was so excited that night I couldn’t sleep. Every day, I waited for him to contact me, constantly overthinking what to post on my Moments. Turns out, he added me just to get closer to my best friend. What’s worse, I stooped so low as to become his teammate, helping him pursue my bestie. Now they’re getting married, and I played a huge role in making it happen.”

With every sentence, Tang Xin’s face changed subtly.

This was practically her life story!

Well, except for the ending.

Tang Yu was her boss—the CEO of Shiguang Film & Media. Shiguang covered the entire film industry chain, including production, distribution, and theater investments. Tang Xin, on the other hand, was just a small-time screenwriter at the company. She had fallen for him at first sight during their initial meeting. Unfortunately, Tang Yu didn’t reciprocate her feelings. Instead, he was smitten with Ming Zhu, a famous beauty in their circle and also Tang Xin’s best friend since high school.

To pursue Ming Zhu, Tang Yu had added Tang Xin on WeChat and recruited her as an ally.

You Huan looked at her and asked, “Does this hit too close to home?”

Tang Xin pressed a hand to her chest. “Hit? It killed me.”

You Huan glanced at her sympathetically, then thought of Tang Yu. He had the looks and physique of a male lead but somehow fell for Ming Zhu. You Huan and Ming Zhu had been friends since childhood, meeting Tang Xin in high school. The three of them were inseparable.

When Tang Yu pursued Ming Zhu, Shiguang Films was producing a military-themed movie called Anti-Terror . During their research trip to a military base, the officer who greeted them happened to be Lu Zhuofeng, someone Ming Zhu had once liked.

After that, Tang Yu’s role in Ming Zhu’s life became secondary. As his supposed teammate, Tang Xin did everything but support him. In fact, she actively worked against him and successfully eliminated him from the competition.

In other words, Tang Yu’s heartbreak was largely thanks to her efforts.

Did that make her a bad person?

You Huan set down her phone, popped a piece of cake into her mouth, and asked, “So what are you going to do now? Ming Zhu is already with Captain Lu, and they might get married soon. Your President Tang won’t have a chance to recover.”

“Me?” Tang Xin switched to her alternate account and exchanged messages with some netizens. With renewed determination, she declared, “He’s probably still hurting, right? I’m going to seize the opportunity!”

“…”

You Huan gave her a look of admiration, impressed by how quickly she’d bounced back. Curious, she asked, “Are you really okay with the fact that he pursued Ming Zhu?”

Tang Xin lowered her gaze. “Of course I care. But I still like him.” Besides, Ming Zhu knew about her feelings for Tang Yu. They’d been friends for so long—was it awkward? Not really. Ming Zhu was beautiful, kind, and naturally attracted men.

“If you’ve thought it through, then I’m relieved. I need to head back,” You Huan said as she stood up. She had stopped by Shiguang’s building on a whim and invited Tang Xin for coffee. Before leaving, she patted Tang Xin on the shoulder. “Good luck. Take your time, but don’t wait too long to win over President Tang.”

Tang Xin: “….”

She wished it were that simple. Tang Yu would have to give her a chance first!

________________________________________

When Tang Xin returned to the office upstairs, she heard Han Xiaoxiao exclaim, “Holy crap! Zhou Jialu just skyrocketed to the top of the trending list! Is it true that something’s going on between her and President Tang?”

As Tang Xin walked into the office, she pulled out her phone and saw that the top trending topic had changed to “Zhou Jialu + Shiguang Films + Tang Yu.” She paused, surprised.

It had only been a few minutes since she left the café, and the top trending topic had already changed. Clearly, this was a sudden surge.

She chuckled. “It’s definitely fake.”

“How do you know it’s fake? There are photos!”

Because…

Tang Yu had just gone through a breakup. How could he have the energy to date another woman?

Tang Xin figured the trending topic was likely bought by Zhou Jialu’s team. Over the past two years, Zhou Jialu’s popularity had risen sharply. Shiguang Films’ movies had consistently performed well at the box office and received critical acclaim. Even though Zhou Jialu was a rising starlet, it was the production team that chose actors, not the other way around.

There were plenty of women in the entertainment industry who wanted to get close to Tang Yu. After all, he was incredibly handsome—she herself had fallen for him at first sight. If these women were looking for a powerful backer, why not choose someone like Tang Yu? With his looks and charisma, he could easily seduce anyone.

Tang Xin bit her lip and scrolled through the photos. They seemed to have been taken last night and were blurry, making it hard to make out facial features. However, the man in the picture wore a black suit, tall and imposing, exuding an air of elegance. The two were walking close together, heading toward a hotel entrance. No wonder Han Xiaoxiao suspected it was real.

Could Tang Yu, hurt and frustrated, have started indulging himself?

Tang Xin’s mood, which had been improving, suddenly plummeted. Still, she said, “Shiguang is preparing a TV drama this year. Not only is the lead female role coveted, but so are the supporting roles. Many actresses want a piece of it.”

Which meant there would be more drama.

Shiguang Films had always focused on movies, with fewer TV projects. However, over the past two years, they had gradually expanded into television. Tang Yu had high standards for projects, emphasizing quality over quantity. Although the exact theme hadn’t been decided yet, news hadn’t been officially released either. Still, agents in the industry were quick to catch wind of things and start炒作 (hype).

Han Xiaoxiao realized, “That’s true. This isn’t the first time President Tang has trended.” She paused and looked at Tang Xin. “Wait, how do you know the company is preparing a script?”

Since the project hadn’t been finalized, Tang Xin couldn’t say much. She simply blinked.

Han Xiaoxiao suddenly understood. Tang Xin would be involved in writing the script for this project…

________________________________________

At that moment, the protagonist of the trending topic, Tang Yu, was getting into his car with a dark expression. He loosened his tie and glanced at his assistant, frowning. “Contact Zhou Jialu’s team and tell them to clarify this themselves. Don’t force me to embarrass them.”

Zhou Jialu was a rising star under Jiayi Media, and Jiayi’s boss had previously collaborated with Tang Yu. Tang Yu hadn’t immediately denied the rumors out of respect for Jiayi. Gao Heng quickly replied, “Got it. I’ll contact them right away.”

Within twenty minutes, Zhou Jialu’s team issued a statement clarifying it was all a misunderstanding.

Unaware of the clarification, Tang Xin headed to the elevator at 2:50 PM, notebook in hand. She pressed the button to go up and absentmindedly tapped a pen against her notebook. When the elevator doors opened, she immediately spotted Tang Yu and Assistant Gao inside.

Tang Yu had one hand casually tucked into his suit pants pocket while adjusting his tie with the other. His jawline was sharp and tense, his Adam’s apple prominent. Despite his restrained appearance, his demeanor was relaxed. When he noticed her, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Hmm, somewhat alluring.

Tang Xin froze for a moment, then smiled. A dimple appeared faintly on her right cheek as she stepped into the elevator lightly. “President Tang.”

“Mm,” Tang Yu responded with a glance downward.

Standing beside him, Tang Xin glanced at Gao Heng behind him and subtly moved closer. She discreetly sniffed the air near him.

Tang Yu noticed her odd movement and hesitated for a few seconds. “What are you sniffing for?”

Caught off guard, Tang Xin felt embarrassed but honestly replied, “I’m checking if you smell like women’s perfume.”

Tang Yu: “….”

He recalled the morning’s trending topic and frowned almost imperceptibly, letting out a soft laugh. “And? Did you find anything?”

No.

He smelled clean and refreshing, crisp and pleasant.

Tang Xin looked up at him and smiled brightly. “I figure you’re still recovering from your breakup and probably not in the mood for anything. I assumed it was just fake news.”

Tang Yu: “….”

His brow twitched slightly. Talk about hitting a sore spot.

Tightening his lips, Tang Yu said sternly, “Tang Xin.”

“Huh?”

“Shut up.”

“…”

Fine, she’d shut up. Tang Xin huffed softly.

Behind them, Gao Heng’s expression grew complex. As Tang Yu’s assistant, he knew all about Tang Yu’s pursuit of Ming Zhu and Tang Xin’s role as his so-called teammate. Tang Xin wasn’t exactly innocent—she had actively sabotaged Tang Yu’s chances. During the month-long research trip to the borderlands, she hadn’t told Tang Yu a single thing. By the time he had the chance to visit, Ming Zhu had already reconciled with Captain Lu.

Tang Yu had wasted over a year chasing after someone unattainable.

Yet Tang Xin had the audacity to justify her actions: “Even if you couldn’t get her, I helped you realize the truth!”

Only she dared to speak to Tang Yu like that.

When the elevator doors opened, Tang Xin stepped aside and gestured for him to go first. “President Tang, please.”

Tang Yu glanced at her, withdrew his hand from his pocket, and strode out confidently, leaving behind a single word:

“Meeting.”

________________________________________

In the conference room, the screenwriting team was gathered. Tang Yu stood at the door and instructed, “Discuss and come up with a few backup ideas.” With that, he turned and returned to his office, leaving the planning team to host the meeting.

Each screenwriter had their own ideas. The company owned many copyrights, some of which had been shelved. They considered adapting existing works but found them unsatisfactory. Someone suggested remaking a classic drama.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xin rolled her eyes dramatically. “Not that I don’t trust the company, but remakes are rarely well-received. Those clichés are outdated—so tacky! Are you saying you can’t write something new? If you can’t, I can!”

Lin Ziyu frowned. “I never said I couldn’t write something new.”

Tang Xin shot back, “Then why suggest a remake? How many remakes haven’t been criticized?”

Lin Ziyu: “….”

Lin Ziyu didn’t want to argue with her. No one could win an argument with Tang Xin—she always came out on top.

After three hours of discussion, everyone was exhausted. A few backup ideas were submitted for market research.

After the meeting, Tang Xin glanced outside. The door to the opposite office was still closed. While others packed up to leave, she leisurely went to pour herself a glass of water and browsed her WeChat Moments in the pantry.

Gao Heng passed by and glanced at her.

He entered the office, placed the backup ideas on the desk, and Tang Yu looked up from his work. “Is the meeting over?”

Gao Heng replied, “Tang Xin hasn’t left yet.”

Tang Yu picked up the document, skimmed through it, and set it aside. Leaning back in his chair, he said, “These are all stale ideas. Tell them to think of something better.” He picked up his phone and checked WeChat. To his surprise, the latest post in his feed was from Tang Xin. His gaze sharpened slightly.

He had been friends with Tang Xin on WeChat for over a year, and her Moments were the most entertaining in his contacts list. Whenever he was stressed from work, scrolling through her witty captions and pictures always brought a slight smile to his face.

That is, as long as she didn’t keep bringing up Ming Zhu to stab at his heart.

Regarding his breakup, this was Tang Yu’s first time pursuing a woman so earnestly—and failing so miserably. But he wasn’t the type to poach someone else’s partner, especially since Ming Zhu and Lu Zhuofeng were in a military marriage.

Lately, Tang Xin’s Moments had taken on a different tone. Each post reeked of exaggerated poverty, ironic given her username, “Little Rich Girl.” Tang Yu couldn’t help but wonder if finance was withholding her payments.

Just earlier, Tang Xin had posted a picture with the caption: I just want to be a decadent rich girl obsessed with male beauty.

He clicked his tongue, stood up, and grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair. “Let’s call it a day.”

Gao Heng opened the door, and Tang Yu stepped out, only to see Tang Xin exiting the conference room with her notebook. Neither of them spoke. As she walked beside him, the secretary bowed slightly. “Have a good evening, President Tang.”

The three of them waited for the elevator. Tang Yu glanced at her and said casually, “Didn’t expect you to have such big ambitions—to be a rich girl obsessed with male beauty.”

Tang Xin: “….”

Her ambition was indeed big. She wanted to be his girlfriend.

Her expression shifted slightly, and her tone rose. “Yeah, is that a problem?”

Tang Yu frowned slightly and looked down at her. “You think you can handle playing around like that? Can you afford the consequences?”

In his eyes, Tang Xin was just a naive girl. Sure, she had a sharp tongue, but when it came to real-life relationships, could she really hold her own against men? In these matters, women always ended up on the losing side.

Moreover, he had a hunch that Tang Xin might like him.

But it was only a guess. Tang Xin hadn’t made her feelings obvious, likely because of Ming Zhu. Tang Yu knew that most women would feel uneasy about a man liking their best friend. After all, he had pursued Ming Zhu and enlisted Tang Xin as his teammate.

Given that, even if Tang Xin had feelings for him, it would be hard for her to take the next step.

Tang Xin realized he had misunderstood her. She looked up at him, feeling frustrated. “Can’t being obsessed with male beauty mean being obsessed with one man?”

Thinking it over, she realized her intentions were too clear.

She muttered quietly, “Of course, that man has to be worth it.”

Tang Yu: “….”

He was momentarily speechless. He remembered her saying similarly shameless things back when they were at the military base. He had never met someone so bold and shameless. Looking at her, he couldn’t help but mutter, “Do you have any shame left?”

________________________________________

Author’s Note: A new story begins! Dual-sugar CP, sweet and fun storytelling. Tang Yu is a refreshingly unique type of domineering CEO.

Expect light-hearted humor and a fast-paced plot. Mark my words, the “true fragrance” and “chasing-wife cremation ground” tropes aren’t far off.

P.S.: For those who’ve read Only I Understand His Tenderness, note that aside from character settings and a few classic lines, this is essentially a new plot. Treat this version as the definitive storyline. Hope it doesn’t disappoint!

New readers who haven’t read Tenderness can jump in without worry—this is a brand-new story, so feel free to dive in!

Also, a heads-up: The male lead did pursue the female lead’s best friend, but the best friend had someone else she liked. The female lead never broke anyone apart—really, she didn’t. Both the synopsis and Chapter 1 clarify this.

Lastly, today marks my fifth anniversary on Jinjiang Literature City. “Mo Yanchuan” is five years old! Let’s celebrate. Later, I’ll host a giveaway on Weibo. Thank you all for supporting this new story. Mwah!