MTL - 56

Tang Yu has no shame.

— From The Diary of a Little Tyrant

“… What’s wrong?”

“Last night, I went to see him. I stood by the roadside and asked him one last time if he would be with me.” Tang Dingding lowered her head, tears on the verge of spilling. She tilted her face up and blinked forcefully. “He told me to listen to my brother and stop bothering him—it wasn’t worth it.”

Tang Xin paused for a moment and said, “That bastard.”

Tang Dingding whispered softly, “Yeah, that bastard. I wanted to follow your example, but then I saw a woman in his car. Suddenly, I thought, what if I kissed him and later that night he kissed another woman? I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.” She rubbed her eyes, holding back tears. “So, I won’t think about him anymore. I’ll focus on being your lead actress and making movies instead.”

Tang Xin let out a sigh of relief. Feeling a deep sense of empathy, she said gently, “Sweetie, if you’re feeling down, go find Huan Jie.”

Tang Dingding thought for a moment, then laughed weakly, “Alright.”

She added, “But every time I go, I can’t seem to con anyone.”

Tang Xin scolded her impatiently, “Next time, I’ll take you.”

Tang Dingding: “Okay!”

After hanging up, Tang Xin stood there lost in thought.

Had she bitten him too hard last night? Why hadn’t Tang Yu tried to cover it up?

Thankfully, Tang Dingding hadn’t followed her example. Otherwise, both her and Huo Chendong would have ended up with broken legs.

“What are you standing here pondering? Did you come up with some interesting plot twist?”

A lazy voice came from behind her.

Tang Xin turned around to see Lu Zhixing leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her with interest. Feeling a bit flustered, she quickly explained, “No, I just finished talking to Dingding. I’m going back to write now.”

Lu Zhixing raised an eyebrow. “It was her birthday yesterday, right?”

He had only seen it late last night while scrolling through his social media feed—it was already past midnight, so her birthday had technically passed. He had simply liked her post.

“Mm, yes, it was our lead actress’s birthday.”

Tang Xin gave an awkward smile, suddenly remembering that she had forgotten to remind Tang Dingding. She should have invited Lu Zhixing yesterday since they were about to collaborate. As the director of her first movie, his presence held special significance.

Little did she know, Tang Dingding had deliberately not invited Lu Zhixing.

Tang Dingding still harbored resentment over the photo Shen Fei had sent earlier. She firmly believed Lu Zhixing was pursuing Tang Xin and couldn’t possibly invite him to upset her brother. She had already planned to treat the crew to dinner several times after starting work on the film.

As for the bite mark Tang Xin had left on Tang Yu’s hand, it had become the hottest and spiciest gossip within Time Shadow Entertainment.

Employees were speculating who had the guts to bite Boss Tang.

Only Gao Heng, Tang Dingding, and Huo Chendong knew the truth.

That evening, Tang Yu had a dinner appointment.

After getting into the car, Gao Heng hesitated before speaking again. Tang Yu shot him a cold glance. “Speak.”

Gao Heng adjusted his glasses and said earnestly, “Boss Tang, for the sake of the company’s image, I think it’d be better if you bandaged your hand…”

Tang Yu: “...”

He lounged in the backseat, legs crossed, and glanced at the bite mark on the base of his right thumb. The girl’s two front teeth were slightly bucked, though not noticeably so—they were white and cute, and her smile was sweet. Those two tooth marks were particularly prominent.

“No need.”

Gao Heng mustered his courage and said, “But… I’m afraid others might say you—”

Tang Yu narrowed his eyes. “Say what?”

Gao Heng lowered his head and forced himself to continue, “Say you’re henpecked.”

Tang Yu: “...”

He sneered. “Shut up. Say another word, and I’ll dock your bonus.”

Gao Heng immediately fell silent, turning away without another sound.

At the dinner, sure enough, someone stared at his hand, and even someone kindly asked, “Boss Tang, did you run into some crazy fan or something?”

After all, the CEO of Time Shadow Entertainment was more eye-catching than any popular male star, and he did have quite a few fans.

Tang Yu set down his wine glass and chuckled lightly. “No, it was my girlfriend who bit me.”

Everyone was stunned.

The person who had initially asked—the director of a program—had only been concerned. Now, feeling awkward, he coughed and said, “Ah,情趣 (amorous play), right? Young people have strong bodies—they can handle it…”

Tang Yu relaxed in his chair, leisurely cradling his wine glass. A faint smile played on his lips, and for once, a hint of rakish charm flickered in his eyes, as if tacitly confirming that the bite mark was the result of playful antics with his girlfriend.

The men present exchanged knowing glances, a few of them revealing traces of lewdness.

“Never expected Boss Tang to be so open to such things.”

“But you can’t let women get too spoiled. Look how far she went biting you like this…”

“You really shouldn’t spoil women too much. Once they bite you once, they’ll do it again.”

Tang Yu slowly retracted his smile and turned to Director Xu. “Isn’t your show missing a female guest for the next season? Let me recommend someone for you.”

Director Xu smiled. “Your girlfriend?”

Others assumed the same—it must be her.

Tang Yu: “My sister.”

The screenplay for A Dream for You was based on Tang Xin’s first draft, significantly reducing both the workload and adaptation time. The script was expected to be completed by the end of December, with funding and resources already in place, allowing filming to begin ahead of schedule.

Previously, Zhou Jialu had failed to secure the lead role after terminating her contract and now wanted to return to Time Shadow Entertainment as the supporting actress—but there was no way she’d get such an easy deal.

This matter would inevitably leak eventually, and when it did, Tang Dingding’s identity as the lead actress would be impossible to conceal. The show was highly successful, and securing a spot was fiercely competitive. Filming for the next season was scheduled for next summer, right after the movie wrapped. It would be perfect timing for her to make an appearance.

As for other endorsements and advertisements, her agent would handle those arrangements—if needed, he would step in.

Since Tang Dingding was stepping into this path, Tang Yu naturally intended to pave the best road for her.

After the business dinner concluded, Tang Yu and Gao Heng exited the club. Gao Heng smiled and said, “Congratulations, Boss Tang, on successfully winning over Miss Tang.”

Tang Yu paused, half-closing his eyes as he looked at his assistant. “Who said I succeeded?”

Gao Heng was momentarily stunned, his expression puzzled. “Didn’t you just say it was your girlfriend who bit you?”

Tang Yu shot him a cold glare, leaving him to figure it out on his own, then turned and got into the car.

Gao Heng: “...”

Could he really not see that Boss Tang had lied to save face? How incompetent of him!

Exiting the elevator, Tang Yu glanced at the row of red, swollen bite marks on his hand, then walked over to knock on the opposite door.

Tang Xin had just finished applying a face mask and opened the door wearing a pink cat-eared headband, her face bare and pristine. She cast a quick glance at him before turning to walk inside. Tang Yu thought to himself that his skin had indeed thickened considerably. Nearly thirty years old, he was chasing after a girl with relentless persistence.

Sometimes, when he thought about it, it felt almost unbelievable.

With his hands tucked into his pockets, he walked in, a faint tug at the corner of his lips.

Tang Xin knelt on the carpet, a large sheet of paper spread out on the coffee table—a character relationship chart. She had never been good at drawing, and the connections between characters were crooked and messy. Tang Yu lazily leaned against the sofa, unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt, and watched her indifferently.

Huajuan, who had been curled up by her leg, suddenly jumped onto the sofa, flopped onto his lap, exposed its belly, and pawed at his arm insistently, signaling for him to scratch it. Tang Yu glanced down at the cat, his lips twitching slightly. His long fingers lazily scratched it a couple of times.

Huajuan purred contentedly. @Endless great content, exclusively on Jinjiang Literature City

Tang Xin instinctively turned her head, her gaze falling on the swollen bite mark on the base of his thumb. She quietly asked, “Did you get a tetanus shot?”

Tang Yu smirked at her. “Worried about me?”

Tang Xin: “...”

Worried about your sister.

“I got it, don’t worry.”

Earlier that afternoon, Tang Dingding had come upstairs specifically to inspect the bite mark on his hand. After examining it, she muttered, frowning, “It’s already broken skin. Sugarheart is truly ruthless.” Then she called the family doctor over to give him a tetanus shot.

Just as Tang Xin was about to speak, her phone rang on the table.

She glanced back—it was Zhong Yan calling. After answering, Zhong Yan greeted her with “Cousin,” then hesitated before saying, “Can you lend me some money? I’ll definitely pay you back after the New Year.”

Tang Xin asked, “How much do you need?”

The two were about the same age and had always been close. Zhong Yan had grown up pampered and had never lacked money. At most, she would ask Tang Xin to buy her clothes or a bag, but she had never borrowed money from her before.

There was a brief silence on the other end before she said softly, “500,000 yuan.”

Tang Xin frowned. “How much?”

Zhong Yan spoke even softer. “500,000… I’ll definitely pay you back after the New Year.”

“It’s not about paying it back or not,” Tang Xin said firmly as she sat cross-legged on the carpet, beginning her interrogation. “Your parents give you tens of thousands of yuan in living expenses every month. As a senior in college, why do you need 500,000? Is your boyfriend asking you for it?”

Zhong Yan panicked. “No!”

Tang Xin’s voice turned cold. “Don’t lie to me. My dad already said he didn’t seem like a good person. I told you to think carefully. If he’s no good, break up with him. Don’t let him use you and then take your money too.”

Tang Yu, still leaning against the sofa, overheard everything.

After a moment of silence, Zhong Yan spoke softly. “A while ago, I almost got drugged and dragged away when I went out with classmates. He saved me. Now he’s in trouble, so I want to help him…”

“Are you stupid?” Tang Xin scolded, frowning. “Even if he saved you, does that mean you owe him your body? You should take a closer look at what kind of person he is.”

“I’m only helping him this one time. I’m not giving him the money for free—I’m lending it to him, and he’s written an IOU. Once I’ve done my part, I’ll break up with him immediately,” Zhong Yan pleaded. “I can’t tell my parents about this. Please help me, Cousin…”

Tang Xin was so frustrated with Zhong Yan that she didn’t want to say anything. Her face was flushed with anger.

Zhong Yan begged again. “Cousin…”

She repeated it several times.

Tang Xin, irritated by her persistence, frowned and said, “I don’t have much money left after buying a house. Send me your bank account number, and I’ll transfer it to you tomorrow.”

After hanging up, she bit her lip and checked her savings. She really didn’t have much left after buying the house and had been living off her book royalties. Taking out 500,000 yuan would leave her strapped for cash.

Tang Yu tossed Huajuan aside, tugged at the cat ears on her headband, and asked softly, “Short on money?”

Tang Xin turned to look at him, pouting. “What’s it to you?”

Tang Yu chuckled nonchalantly and tugged at her cat ears again, reminding her, “You still have that 30-million-yuan contract. Once you sign it, you’ll be a little rich girl.”

Tang Xin: “...”

She had almost forgotten about that.

“No need. I can still manage 500,000,” she said. As soon as she finished speaking, her cat ears were tugged again. Exasperated, she looked at him, pulled off the headband, and tossed it into his lap. “Since you like playing with it so much, here, have fun with it tonight.”

“...” Tang Yu glanced at her. “How am I supposed to play with it while sleeping?”

“...”

Their conversation took on an unintentionally suggestive tone.

Tang Yu paused for a moment and looked at her. “Your dad has a good eye for people, right?”

Tang Xin gave a small hum and glanced at him. “He has a very bad impression of you. Negative points.”

Tang Yu: “...”

Seeing him flustered brought Tang Xin satisfaction. Smiling smugly, she glanced at the time and prompted him, “You should go now.”

“I have a film festival in Xiamen these next few days. I’ll be back in four days, just in time for the weekend,” Tang Yu said, looking at her. “Let’s have dinner when I return?”

There were several film festivals throughout the year, not including international ones. Tang Xin tilted her head and asked casually, “What kind of dinner?”

Tang Yu’s lips curved slightly. “A date.”

Tang Xin stared at him blankly. He had been pursuing her for so long, yet this was the first time he had mentioned the word “date.” For some reason, it was only at this moment that she felt the sense of being courted.

“Are you willing?” Tang Yu gazed deeply into her eyes, a faint smile on his lips. “Go on a date with me.”

“What if I’m not willing?” she asked.

“...”

Tang Yu fell silent, frowning. “Why wouldn’t you be willing?”

Tang Xin smiled sweetly. “Someone else has asked me out too.”

Tang Yu fixed his gaze on her dimple and reached out to pinch her right cheek. Tang Xin’s smile froze, and she immediately swatted his hand away, rubbing her face and glaring at him. “Violent brute, stop pinching my face!” Furious, she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. “Hurry up and leave. I’m going to sleep.”

Tang Yu caught the pillow, stood up, and loomed over her. “Who else asked you out? Lin something?”

“His name is Lin Zhengxu!”

“You’re going to eat and watch movies with him?” Tang Yu tossed the pillow onto the sofa and stared at her intently. “If you have to choose between me and a guy you barely know from a blind date, isn’t my advantage obvious?”

Tang Xin muttered under her breath, “That guy is handsome and rich too, you know.”

“I’m handsomer and much richer than him,” Tang Yu said, taking a deep breath. With a sly smile, he added, “And... we’ve kissed and hugged. Isn’t that enough?”

“...”

Tang Xin’s heart raced. Tang Yu was shamelessly flirting again.

Suddenly, it occurred to her—all their kisses and hugs had been forced. The first time, she had initiated it; the next two times, he had forced it on her.

Thinking about it, she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.

“Hmm? Isn’t our relationship more suited to becoming boyfriend and girlfriend?” Tang Yu leaned down, staring into her eyes. “I don’t believe you feel nothing for me now. You still like me.”

Her heart skipped another beat.

Tang Xin felt as though her secret had been uncovered, her armor torn away. Flustered, she quickly lowered her head.

But just as quickly, she raised her head and smiled at him. “So what if we’ve kissed and hugged? Even if I slept with you, if I don’t agree, I’m still not your girlfriend.”

@Endless great content, exclusively on Jinjiang Literature City

Tang Yu: “...”

He froze, frowning, his gaze heavy as he stared at her.

Tang Xin’s heart was pounding wildly. She swallowed discreetly and smirked mischievously. “Tang Yu, do you want to sleep with me?”

In the past, there had been plenty of gossip about the two of them in the company—friends with benefits, lovers, all sorts of rumors.

Tang Yu didn’t pay much attention to these things. It was only later that Gao Heng and Huo Chendong mentioned them to him. He had always been strict with himself and disapproved of Huo Chendong’s chaotic relationships with women. As for sex, he didn’t consider himself someone driven by desire. Occasionally, he might feel impulses, but that was just a normal physiological response and need.

He valued a sense of ceremony in romantic relationships but wasn’t rigid about it. In a way, his views aligned with Tang Dingding’s “ten-point rule”—but only within the context of a proper relationship. Only when emotions ran deep and things naturally progressed would intimacy occur.

Thus, the idea of casual sex held no appeal for him.

When Tang Xin made that remark, he was momentarily stunned. A flicker of fire ignited in his dark eyes, but it quickly died out. Frowning, he stared at her intensely, making Tang Xin’s spine tingle with nervousness. She suddenly felt... she had gone too far.

She immediately regretted asking such a question. Perhaps she had acted too rashly.

Tang Yu’s brows furrowed deeply, suppressing his anger as he asked, “Tang Xin, I really want to crack open your head and see what’s inside. Refusing to go on a date with me, refusing to be my girlfriend, yet asking if I want to sleep with you—are you trying to turn our relationship into a friends-with-benefits situation or make us lovers?”

What the hell kind of logic was that?

What kind of values did she have?