MTL - 15

Tang Yu, even if you were a piece of Tang Monk’s flesh, I’ve already tasted it.

— From the Diary of a Little Rich Girl

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The office lighting wasn’t particularly bright; the work lamp hadn’t been turned on yet. The neon lights from outside cast a soft glow on Tang Xin’s smiling face, highlighting the shallow dimple on her right cheek. Her eyes sparkled faintly, as though she hadn’t been startled by his words at all.

In fact, it almost seemed like she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Tang Yu stared at her sweet smile, momentarily stunned. Then, the girl slowly retracted her grin and looked up at him. “You already know, so why are you asking?”

She took a step forward, turning to face him fully.

Tang Yu lowered his gaze to scrutinize her. His expression remained calm, but the slight furrow in his brow betrayed his emotions. He remained leaning against the edge of the desk, his voice low as he asked, “Since when?”

Tang Xin let out a small gasp, then smiled. “You’re asking since when I started liking you?”

Tang Yu gave a faint hum, his tone devoid of emotion.

He wanted to know how long she had liked him.

If it was only recent, perhaps he could cut his losses?

Tang Xin suddenly felt a lump in her throat, but she forced a smile. Lowering her head, she lied, “I don’t know… maybe just these past few months?” Before he could respond, she looked up at him, staring directly into his eyes. “Don’t ask me why I like you—it’s simple. You’re handsome, worth billions, and not a playboy… So, isn’t it easy to fall for you?”

Handsome, wealthy, and faithful.

These were the reasons every woman who liked him gave. Tang Yu frowned, a flicker of irritation crossing his mind. In a low voice, he asked, “That’s it?”

Of course, it wasn’t just that…

Tang Xin would never tell him that she had fallen for him the first time she met him when she came to Shiguang Films to sign her contract.

Love at first sight didn’t suit most people—but it suited Tang Yu perfectly.

Tang Xin bit her lip, looking at him cautiously. She hesitated before asking softly, “Tang Yu, do you think I’m pretty?”

Tang Yu froze: “….”

He couldn’t keep up with her train of thought. Why had she suddenly brought this up? Back when the main creative team discussed it, everyone agreed that Tang Xin and Ming Zhu were the two most beautiful female screenwriters in the company. He didn’t deny it, but they weren’t the same type.

As the weather warmed, Tang Xin was wearing a white sweater and a light-colored plaid skirt with an irregular hem. Her overall appearance was soft and delicate. Tang Yu glanced at her fair, youthful face. Her large, clear eyes and tiny features made her look especially lively. When she smiled, the shallow dimple on her right cheek appeared, even faintly visible when she spoke. Every movement of hers exuded charm.

He gave a barely perceptible nod and emitted a low hum.

Tang Xin’s eyes brightened, and her lips curled upward despite herself. She looked at him expectantly. “Then, wouldn’t it be good if I became your girlfriend? You just said I’m pretty enough, and I think you’re handsome too…”

“Stop.” Tang Yu frowned, looking at her incredulously. “Who told you I only care about looks when choosing a girlfriend?”

“Isn’t that true?” Tang Xin argued boldly. “Ming Zhu is beautiful, and all your previous girlfriends or crushes were definitely beautiful too. Don’t all men like beautiful women? I’m not wrong, am I?”

Tang Yu: “….”

What kind of messed-up logic was this?

He shifted his posture slightly, standing a little straighter while still resting his right hand on the edge of the desk. Looking down at her with a colder gaze, he sneered, “If I really only liked beautiful women, I’d have a truckload of girlfriends by now.”

Tang Xin: “….”

Yes, there were plenty of beauties in the entertainment industry who liked him.

But Tang Yu… did he not understand? These were just excuses.

She clenched her fists tightly, raising her head to look at him with a reckless determination. “Then answer me. I want to be your girlfriend…” She paused, her voice softening and lowering. “Do you want me or not?”

Tang Yu looked at the stubborn yet bold girl in front of him. He struggled to find the right words. If it were anyone else, he could have coldly rejected them without hesitation. But Tang Xin… he had indulged her too much, and now he didn’t know how to handle this.

Once certain words were spoken, what would happen afterward?

Tang Yu pressed his lips together, falling silent.

Tang Xin’s heart sank completely. She stood frozen, forcing a bitter laugh as she lowered her head.

…So, he still doesn’t like me.

If he really liked her, why would she have to chase after him? It wasn’t as if he didn’t know how to pursue a woman…

And it wasn’t as if he hadn’t pursued anyone before.

She had even helped him chase someone.

“Tang Xin, we’re not suited for each other,” the man’s voice was low, devoid of emotion. After a brief pause, he added, “Besides, I once pursued Ming Zhu. You two are good friends. Isn’t this relationship awkward? Don’t you think so?”

She knew it was awkward. She also knew how others in the company gossiped about them, saying unkind things.

But she had already thrown caution to the wind and didn’t care about any of that. All she cared about was whether he liked her.

Tang Xin didn’t know how much effort it took to hold back her tears. She softly uttered an “Oh,” raised her head to look at him, and forced a smile. “Tang Yu, you might as well just say you don’t like me. Saying we’re ‘not suited’ sounds so distant.”

For a fleeting moment, Tang Yu’s expression froze. His gaze toward her changed subtly, tinged with hesitation. He called her name softly, “Tang Xin, I…”

“You don’t need to say anything.” Tang Xin took a deep breath and turned around. “I’m leaving. I won’t disturb you while you’re busy.”

Without giving him a chance to react or speak, she walked toward the door.

Her teeth were clenched tightly, her eyes slightly red as she forcefully pulled the door open.

Tang Yu frowned as he watched her slender figure retreat, carrying a sense of fleeing defeat. A strange sense of irritation welled up within him.

Tang Xin kept her head down, walking quickly out of the office without paying attention to where she was going. She collided head-on with Gao Heng, who was carrying a stack of documents. Papers scattered everywhere, fluttering to the ground. She paused briefly, clutching her shoulder where it had been bumped, and hurried away without a glance.

Gao Heng stood frozen, watching her until she turned the corner and disappeared into the corridor. He looked down at the scattered papers, then up at Tang Yu, who stood by the desk with an unreadable expression.

Not daring to ask what had happened to Miss Tang, Gao Heng quickly bent down to gather the scattered documents.

Just as he was halfway through collecting them, hurried footsteps approached. Tang Xin returned unexpectedly.

Like a little warrior, she strode back to the doorway and stood there, glaring at Tang Yu with an icy, indignant look.

This was the first time Tang Yu had seen Tang Xin like this. Most of the time, she was smiling, with a faint dimple.

Tang Xin stared straight at him, letting out a cold laugh. “Tang Yu, there’s something I’ve always wanted to say to you. I like you, and you don’t like me—that’s your choice and your freedom. There’s nothing I can blame you for. But now, thinking about it, I realize it’s not that simple. Do you know how stupid it is for a man to ask a woman to help him pursue someone, especially when that person is her best friend? What were you thinking?”

“If you wanted to pursue her, you should have done it yourself. Why drag me into it? If you hadn’t involved me, none of this would have happened.”

“I must have been out of my mind to go along with this for so long.”

Tang Yu stood motionless, his tall, imposing figure silhouetted against the floor-to-ceiling window. His handsome profile was bathed in light as he gazed at her with a calm, collected expression. That calmness suddenly ignited Tang Xin’s anger. She bit her lip and muttered, “You’re really kind of a jerk!”

Tang Yu’s brow furrowed deeply, his eyes filled with restrained coldness. He turned his face slightly, his voice low and controlled. “Tang Xin.”

Her eyes flickered, and she bit her lip again, no longer wanting to engage with him. Turning around, she came face-to-face with Gao Heng, who had just finished gathering the documents and was standing up.

This time, Gao Heng didn’t remain composed. His eyes reflected astonishment and complexity, likely because he hadn’t expected her to scold Tang Yu.

She glared at him, snorting. “What are you looking at? Haven’t you ever seen your boss get scolded? Or have you never seen him reject a woman?”

Gao Heng: “….”

Rejecting women, yes, he had seen that.

But being scolded? Never…

Who dared to scold President Tang? And call him a jerk to his face? Gao Heng couldn’t help but feel sorry for Tang Yu.

An awkward silence fell over the three of them.

Tang Xin lowered her head, suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of humiliation. She had never felt so humiliated in front of Gao Heng—or anyone else. She had never felt so low. Unrequited love truly wasn’t meant for humans—it brought no happiness at all.

Tang Yu was truly detestable.

Jerk.

Idiot.

Gao Heng silently gathered the documents and turned away, pretending he hadn’t seen or heard anything. Almost simultaneously, Tang Xin turned as well, taking one step before abruptly spinning back. She strode into the office, her steps so quick that her skirt fluttered behind her.

Gao Heng couldn’t help but glance back.

Tang Yu watched her approach him, his dark, inscrutable eyes fixed firmly on her, tinged with confusion and restrained calm.

Even a second before it happened, he would never have guessed what Tang Xin was about to do.

She stopped in front of him. Just as Tang Yu began to suspect she might slap him to vent her frustration, she suddenly rose onto her tiptoes, hooked her arms around his neck, and pressed her entire body against his. With pinpoint accuracy, she kissed him on the lips.

It happened so suddenly that Tang Yu was utterly shocked. He instinctively stepped back slightly, his right hand steadying himself against the desk. He turned his face slightly and murmured, “Tang Xin, you…” Tang Xin acted as if she hadn’t heard him, leaning in again and biting him lightly.

Tang Yu’s heart skipped a beat. His brow tightened, his eyes unfocused as they landed on her long lashes. The girl closed her eyes, clumsily nibbling and licking his lips with her soft mouth.

Tang Yu’s throat tightened, his body stiffening as he reached out to grab her arms, trying to pull her off. But the girl clung to his neck like glue. Not wanting to use force, he tugged twice, unsuccessfully. Finally, he gave up, leaning back against the desk and allowing her to have her way, letting her kiss him recklessly and indulgently.

Much like how he had allowed her to gradually invade his personal space, indulging her cunning little schemes.

Gao Heng watched in shock for three seconds, thinking that Miss Tang was truly one of a kind. Then, he quietly turned away.

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Tang Xin acted purely on impulse. When her lips finally touched his, her heart softened and trembled.

After a long while, she pulled away, breathing heavily but still staying close. Her lashes fluttered slightly as she opened her eyes and tilted her face up. Her bright, watery gaze met his complex eyes, and she whispered softly, almost to herself, “Now that I’ve had a taste, I won’t dwell on it anymore.”

Tang Yu’s heart jolted violently, clenching tightly. He narrowed his eyes and looked down at her, unable to speak.

Tang Xin finally released him, lowering her hands to touch her lips. She gave him a faint smile, this time truly turning around and walking away without looking back.

At the doorway, she saw Gao Heng standing against the wall. Smiling faintly, she said, “Gao Assistant, you actually look pretty good in glasses. You should stop wearing contacts.”

Gao Heng’s face was a mix of emotions: “…Thank you.”

Tang Xin pouted slightly, then turned and left without another word.

Tang Yu slumped onto the desk, his head bowed as he licked his lips lightly. He closed his eyes for a moment, rubbing his temples with one hand, letting out a low hiss—a sound of extreme frustration and helplessness.

After a while, he straightened up, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt. Walking back to the desk, he opened a drawer and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

Gao Heng heard the click of the lighter and glanced inside. There was Tang Yu, leaning back in his chair, lighting a cigarette. A moment later, he exhaled a puff of smoke, his brow furrowed deeply, looking unusually agitated.

It was rare to see Tang Yu smoke unless he was exceptionally busy and needed a boost or when his mood was particularly foul.

Now, it seemed he was both extremely busy and in a terrible mood…

That was it—Gao Heng had never seen Tang Yu like this before.

After finishing one cigarette, Tang Yu stubbed it out and tossed the butt into the trash can. Looking at the still-open door, he called out impatiently, “Come in.”

Gao Heng immediately entered, placing the documents on the desk. He cautiously looked at Tang Yu. “President Tang, all the documents are here.”

Tang Yu had no intention of working at the moment. Forcing himself to focus, he picked up the papers and began reviewing them, his brow deeply furrowed. When signing, his pen strokes were unusually forceful, almost piercing through the paper.

Gao Heng watched nervously.

Half an hour passed.

Finally unable to hold back, Tang Yu looked up at Gao Heng and frowned. “Call Tang Xin.”

Without needing further explanation, Gao Heng understood that Tang Yu was worried about Tang Xin’s safety on the road. He quickly replied, “Yes.”

He called Tang Xin in front of Tang Yu. Before he could say anything, Tang Xin’s cold voice came through the line. “Why are you calling me? Afraid I’ll do something reckless? Tell President Tang that I’ve already tasted his ‘Tang Monk flesh.’ It’s just so-so—not worth getting worked up over.”

With that, she hung up.

Gao Heng: “….”

Tang Yu leaned back in his chair, glaring at his assistant’s stunned expression, and asked coldly, “What did she say?”

Gao Heng hesitated but ultimately decided to tell the truth. Meeting Tang Yu’s icy gaze, he stammered, “She said she’s home and won’t do anything reckless… And also, that she’s already tasted your… Tang Monk flesh. It’s just so-so, not worth obsessing over…”

Tang Yu’s face darkened instantly.

Tang Monk flesh?

So-so? If it was so-so, why had she kissed him for so long?

Gao Heng didn’t dare look at his boss’s face, standing there trembling nervously.

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At 11:30 PM, Tang Yu finished his overtime work. Picking up his suit jacket from the sofa, he draped it over his arm and walked to the door. Turning to glance at Gao Heng, he said coldly, “If even half a word about tonight leaks out, your year-end bonus and overtime pay are gone.”

Gao Heng stood tall, his face serious. “Understood.”

Tang Yu knew his assistant’s character well enough not to elaborate further. With that, he turned and left.

Gao Heng followed behind silently, finally exhaling in relief. After four years as an assistant, this was the first time he’d faced such a scene. He couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning. Miss Tang… she really had guts.

At midnight, Tang Yu returned home. Without turning on the lights, he tossed his jacket aside and dropped his phone onto the coffee table. Unbuttoning his shirt with one hand, he headed toward the bathroom.

Just as he reached the doorway, he paused, then turned back. Picking up his phone from the coffee table, he scrolled through Tang Xin’s social media. Her last post was still from earlier that evening—

Little Rich Girl: I’m about to do something big! [Nervous.jpg]

Tang Yu’s finger froze. His gaze slowly moved downward, landing on her replies.

Little Rich Girl responded to the Anti-Terrorism deputy director: If I succeed, you’ll know soon enough. If I don’t, just pretend I never said anything. [Cute emoji]

Below, someone asked: Did you do it?

The deputy director added, concerned: Does this mean it didn’t work? If there’s anything we can do to help, let us know!

She hadn’t replied to anyone after that.

Tang Yu stared at the image for a while, his brows furrowing slightly before he finally tossed the phone aside and stepped into the bathroom.

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Tang Xin…

The “big thing” she wanted to do was confessing to him.

And then, he rejected her.

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Author’s Note:

Little Rich Girl: Tang Yu, you’re dead.

Little Boss Tang: …