MTL - 65

Tang Yu, when you get serious, you understand everything. I’m afraid I can’t outwit you.

— The Diary of Little Tangxin

It was already 1 AM. Tang Yu had rushed to catch a flight the previous night and had been busy all day, leaving him utterly exhausted. He lounged on the bed with one leg propped up, his eyes half-closed as he scrolled through the comments below Tang Xin’s post—

Little Tycoon replied to Tang Dingding: “Do you want it? You already have one—I’m not giving it to you.”

Little Tycoon replied: “Too busy to take care of it.”

He furrowed his brows slightly. Though the cat’s origins… weren’t ideal, they had raised it for over half a year. Even if he hadn’t liked cats before, because of her, he had grown somewhat attached to Hua Juan. He thought it was nice that they could raise a cat together.

He sent her a direct message: “Don’t give it away.”

It was already late at night, so Tang Xin didn’t see it until the next morning. Her heart ached slightly, and she deliberately ignored his message.

…She wanted to block him!

Even back when their rejection had left their relationship at an icy stalemate, she had never considered blocking him, thinking it would be too petty. But before she could act, the doorbell rang.

Who could it be this early in the morning?

Tang Xin walked to the door, puzzled. Through the monitor, she saw Tang Dingding standing downstairs. She snorted—definitely sent by Tang Yu.

She opened the door.

Two minutes later, Tang Dingding cautiously walked in. Tang Xin, holding Hua Juan, smiled faintly. “My brother sent you, right?”

Tang Dingding gave a placating smile. “Don’t give Hua Juan away. If you’re unhappy with it, I’ll take it back for now. You’ve raised it for eight or nine months—I’m afraid you’ll regret it later…” As she spoke, she glanced at Hua Juan, who had just eaten and was now curled up on the couch licking its tail. Suddenly, she dashed over, scooped up Hua Juan, and sprinted toward the door. Turning back briefly, she said, “I’m leaving! Wait for my brother to come back and talk to you.”

The door slammed shut with a bang.

“…”

Tang Xin stared at the closed door, dumbfounded and finding it hard to believe.

Tang Yu, you big jerk!

She was absolutely livid!

To think he’d sent Tang Dingding to snatch the cat—was it really that precious to him?

Tang Xin spent the entire morning feeling gloomy. At noon, she received a call from Tang Yu. Standing in the corridor with her head bowed, they were silent for a few seconds before Tang Yu finally spoke. “I’ll be delayed by a day. I need to make a quick trip to Hong Kong to see Director Jiang.”

Director Jiang was a renowned director from Hong Kong who had collaborated with Shiguang Pictures once before. They were preparing a new project and had originally planned for Director Jiang to come to Beijing to discuss the collaboration. However, Director Jiang had recently undergone surgery due to health issues and wasn’t fit to travel.

Tang Yu had to go in person, partly to visit him.

Tang Xin responded indifferently, “Then go ahead.”

Tang Yu paused for a moment, then sighed helplessly. “Hua Juan has always been yours from the start. You’ve raised it for over half a year—it’s your cat. If you really give it away, you’ll definitely regret it.” His voice softened. “And to be honest, I didn’t like cats before. I only grew fond of Hua Juan because of you. It means something different to us.”

“Oh.”

Her coldness remained unshaken.

Tang Yu’s voice dropped even lower, tinged with a coaxing tone. “Let me explain when I get back, okay?”

Tang Xin looked down at her toes, her mind tangled with emotions she couldn’t quite articulate. Truthfully, she had already regretted posting that Weibo rant impulsively last night when she woke up this morning and fed Hua Juan its cat food.

Regret aside, the thought of Hua Juan’s origins left a bitter lump in her throat that she couldn’t swallow.

Tang Xin knew Tang Yu had dated before and understood that their breakups were likely due to incompatibility. She had even mentally prepared herself for the possibility of breaking up while pursuing this relationship. Suddenly, she let out a silent laugh. “Alright.”

After hanging up, she took a deep breath.

What was so great about ex-girlfriends? They were all in the past.

That’s how she consoled herself.

But it seemed fate was determined to prevent her from having a smooth romance. By evening, Lu Zhuning trended on social media again. At that moment, Tang Xin was walking out of her office with her car keys, heading home. While waiting for the elevator, she overheard two young women from the publicity department gossiping:

“Do you think Lu Zhuning really dated Tang Yu?”

“I think so. Didn’t she mention it in an interview? Plus, there was that Weibo trending topic a while back. I think there must have been something between them.”

“I’m so curious!”

Tang Xin froze, pulling out her phone. Sure enough, she saw “Lu Zhuning Talks About Breakup” trending at number one.

Biting her lip, she clicked on it. It was a recent interview clip.

When the elevator doors opened, she stuffed her phone back into her coat pocket.

Once in her car, she played the video. In it, Lu Zhuning sat gracefully on the couch, her demeanor gentle and captivating.

Host: “Everyone is very curious about your personal life. You’ve been in the industry for so long, and though there have been rumors, you’ve never confirmed any relationships. People are wondering if you’ve ever been in love.”

Lu Zhuning smiled. “Of course I’ve been in love. I dated in high school and college—it was a more innocent time back then.”

…

After scrolling through the video for a few minutes.

Lu Zhuning smiled gently. “The most unforgettable relationship was when we broke up in a fit of anger, and he agreed to it. Back then, I had just entered the industry, and both of us were extremely busy. We were young and didn’t understand how to be considerate. The long-distance relationship made it unbearable not being able to see each other often, so I threw a tantrum and brought up the breakup, saying some hurtful things.”

Host: “Was he also in the entertainment industry?”

Lu Zhuning paused briefly before smiling. “You could say he was half in the industry.”

...

“Half in the industry” encompassed a wide range—directors, producers, film company executives, and more. But netizens, with their Sherlock Holmes-like abilities, quickly dug up Tang Yu. Photos of him and Lu Zhuning leaving the same building were once again pushed to the top of the trending topics.

Tang Xin sat in her car, opening the comments section with a quick glance—

“I think the ‘half-industry person’ must be Tang Yu. Does anyone have solid proof? Solve the case!”

“It hasn’t been confirmed yet, everyone. Stop spreading rumors, okay? Tang Yu is mine! Little Boss Tang is mine!!”

“If it’s true, I hope they reconcile! They’re a perfect match!”

“Lu Zhuning has been trending a lot lately. That was four or five years ago when she first entered the industry—it’s been such a long time. Isn’t it awkward to bring this up now for publicity? Even if it’s true, they’ve already broken up. If they both have current partners, wouldn’t that make things awkward for them? I suddenly lost respect for Lu Zhuning.”

...

With an indifferent expression, Tang Xin exited Weibo, tossing her phone into the center console and driving home.

Awkward?

A little, perhaps. But mostly, it left her feeling uncomfortable.

By the time she returned home, the posts on Weibo had already been scrubbed clean.

Without Hua Juan, the house felt eerily cold and empty all evening. Tang Xin kept her computer on but couldn’t focus on work. She sat on the carpet, listlessly chatting with You Huan on WeChat. You Huan consoled her: “Don’t dwell on it too much. Your Tang Yu is already 28. It’s normal for him to have dated before. It just so happens that the person was Lu Zhuning—a big name who naturally garners more attention from the media and fans.”

Little Tycoon: “I knew he had dated before, but I never imagined it would be Lu Zhuning.”

Little Joyful You: “So what if it’s her? Now he’s yours. What are you afraid of? Others can only fantasize about him on Weibo, reminisce about the past, and regret biting their pillows.”

Little Tycoon: “I’m not afraid—I’m just a little down. We just got together.”

Little Joyful You: “Oh, well, why don’t you sleep with him? If one round doesn’t satisfy you, go for two or three. After that, you’ll definitely feel better.”

Little Tycoon: “….”

Sister Huan, as blunt and direct as ever.

At 11 PM, Tang Xin shut down her computer and sat on the carpet, staring at WeChat on her phone. Tang Yu hadn’t sent her a single message today—not even a red envelope… Hmph, he really didn’t care enough! Fuming, she stood up.

Just as she reached the doorway to her room, her phone buzzed.

She glanced down—a new WeChat message had come in.

Tang Yu: “Open the door.”

She froze. Didn’t he say he’d return tomorrow night? Another message popped up: “Should I use the password to get in?”

Get in your dreams!

Did I give you permission?!

Angrily, she rushed to the door and flung it open with great force. But the moment she opened it, she froze.

There stood the man, towering and clad in a black coat. The chill of the night still clung to him, and he looked a bit travel-worn. Yet cradled in his arms was a tiny kitten, another Jinju La breed, its round blue eyes glowing softly as it nestled obediently against him, incredibly docile.

It looked almost identical to Hua Juan when it was younger.

Her mouth agape, she stared blankly at him and the kitten, momentarily at a loss for words.

Tang Yu’s dark eyes locked onto hers. He leaned down, deeply gazing at her, then reached out to remove her hand blocking the threshold, clasping it tightly in his palm. Sidestepping inside, he kicked the door shut with his foot.

Warmth enveloped the room. Still carrying traces of the cold, he placed the tiny kitten into her arms. Leaning down, he wrapped his arms around her and murmured softly, “Hua Juan is staying with the Tang family. This one is the one I picked out. From now on, we’ll raise it together, alright?”

In truth, he had returned earlier that afternoon but spent several hours picking out a cat, unable to find one that caught his eye until 10 PM, when he spotted this one at a pet shop about to close.

Tang Xin stiffened. The little kitten stirred in her arms, its tiny paw patting her arm gently.

Tang Yu straightened up, lowering his gaze to hers. His deep, intense eyes awaited her response.

Tang Xin pushed him away, holding the kitten as she walked further inside. Turning her back to him, she said, “I thought you were going to Hong Kong. Why did you come back?”

She wore an oversized pink loungewear top, her bare calves exposed beneath striped knee-high socks. Cradling the kitten, she sat down on the couch, her slim and delicate figure exuding softness. Tang Yu took off his coat, tossing it casually over the back of the couch. Underneath, he wore a fitted black sweater, revealing his long, toned neck. He sat beside her, gazing at the top of her head. “I postponed it because I was worried you’d be upset.”

Tang Xin: “….”

She was upset—what woman wouldn’t be upset in this situation?

She shifted slightly, turning her back to him.

“Are you ignoring me?”

“…”

Tang Yu pressed his lips together tightly, staring at the back of her head. Suddenly, he leaned forward, hooking his arm under her knees and lifting her entirely into his arms. Tang Xin let out a startled yelp, and in the next second, she found herself straddling his lap, her skirt riding up to mid-thigh, face-to-face with him.

Her heart raced, and in her embarrassment, she lashed out, pounding lightly on his chest with her fists. “What are you doing?!”

Tang Yu let her hit him, his hands resting firmly on her slender waist. A wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips, tinged with indulgence. “Since you refused to look at me, I had no choice. It’s more comfortable to talk face-to-face.”

Comfortable my foot!

How could she stay mad when they were so close, face-to-face with his handsome features?

Frustrated, she struggled to climb off him, but he tightened his grip on her waist, fully enforcing his dominance.

With the kitten in her arms, Tang Xin couldn’t move freely. In a fit of irritation, she tossed the kitten aside. Tang Yu didn’t dare exert too much force, treating it like a playful game. Suddenly, the person in his arms leaned down and bit his shoulder.

Just like last time, she didn’t hold back. Tang Yu furrowed his brow, and in the brief moment of his loosened grip, Tang Xin scrambled to climb over him. Her knee slipped, pressing down forcefully on his firm abdomen for just a second.

The man let out a muffled groan.

His expression changed instantly.

Tang Xin scrambled off to the side, crawling away on all fours. When she saw his dark, stormy expression, realization dawned on her about where she had just pressed down. She froze, guilt and nervousness washing over her as she looked at him.

The man’s face was livid, his jaw clenched tight, and his ears slightly red. He turned his head, his gaze icy and sharp, glaring at her through gritted teeth. “Tang Xin, are you trying to kill me?”

“…”

Seeing sweat bead on his forehead, Tang Xin’s heart sank. Did she break him?

She hadn’t even used him yet…

Swallowing hard, she nervously asked, “Are… are you okay?”

Tang Yu took a deep breath, grinding out through clenched teeth, “What do you think?”

Tang Xin knelt on the couch, her hair slightly disheveled, her hands nervously clasped together. With trepidation, she asked, “Tang Yu, did I… break you?”