MTL - 81

The air grew eerily silent.

Tang Yu, careful not to crush her, rolled to one side while loosely wrapping his arm around her.

Tang Xin cautiously peeked up at the man’s darkened expression. She recalled the last time in the bathroom when, despite her efforts leaving her hands sore and trembling, she hadn’t managed to finish him off, and he had ended up taking care of it himself. This time though… was it because too much had happened tonight? Or was he just too tired recently?

It must be that.

Though their first round had ended abruptly, they had spent a long time beforehand, and with the room’s heating on full blast, both were drenched in sweat—especially him. His heated body served as a vivid reminder of what had just transpired.

Her cheek pressed against his firm chest, her eyes trailing over the defined ridges of his abs. It all felt surreal. Was this man really hers now? She looked up at him, her eyes still red from crying earlier, and said, pouting pitifully: “Tang Yu, after men and women are done in bed, shouldn’t they say ‘I love you’? You didn’t say it, and you even got mad at me…”

Tang Yu: “….”

If it weren’t for her ill-timed remark, he would have said it.

Now, the mood was completely ruined.

He sat up, leaning against the headboard, and glanced down at her with an expression that slowly shifted from cold to heated. Under his gaze, Tang Xin’s heartbeat quickened, instinctively sensing something else was about to happen. Panicking, she tried to bury herself under the covers.

But he firmly held her down, pinning her hands above her head. He leaned in close, his warm breath teasing her ear as he coaxed: “Let’s start over, and I’ll say it to you.”

Tang Xin trembled, her heart skipping a beat.

Faced with the choice between another round or hearing those three words, it was clear which she wanted more. After all, she was still sore, and given what she’d just said, she feared another go might end disastrously. In a small voice, she negotiated: “Can we save it for next time?”

“No.”

Tang Yu hovered over her, his techniques far more practiced than before. Her breathing grew ragged as he worked her up. She wanted to beg for mercy, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Still refusing?” His voice was hoarse.

Tang Xin tightly shut her eyes, trembling as she clung to his tense back, on the verge of tears: “Fine… I want…”

Sure enough, men could hold grudges in certain situations.

The second time around, Tang Yu moved as if he intended to consume her whole, rocking her with relentless intensity. It was madness at its peak. Gasping and sobbing, Tang Xin pleaded: “Can I take back what I said?”

He kissed her eyes, tenderly replying: “Too late.”

Tang Xin: “Wuuu…”

The air grew thick with heat and moisture. When it ended, he rasped in her ear: “Was that satisfying?”

“…”

She was utterly spent, unable to muster even a single word.

He chuckled softly, then murmured lowly: “I love you, Little Tangxin.”

Tang Xin froze for a moment, then burst into tears.

Tang Yu was taken aback, propping himself up to look down at her. Softly, he asked: “Why are you crying? Do you think I bullied you?”

No, it wasn’t that. It was because you love me.

You’ve made my wish come true.

With red-rimmed eyes, Tang Xin tilted her head up and bit his shoulder lightly, inhaling deeply as she declared: “Let me leave another mark—you’re mine now. From now on, I’ll take responsibility for you.”

Tang Yu remained atop her, silently laughing: “Alright.”

His gaze flickered toward his wristwatch.

It was already 6:50 AM.

Looking back at her, he saw her eyelids drooping heavily, nearly asleep. He carried her to the bathroom. Too exhausted to resist, she let him clean her up. Once back in bed, she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

Tang Yu only managed half an hour of rest before his phone rang.

He picked it up immediately, glancing down to see her still sleeping peacefully.

Taking the phone out of the bedroom, he quietly closed the door behind him before speaking into the receiver: “What’s going on?”

Early that morning, news of last night’s events had been exposed online. Various marketing accounts began posting updates—after the annual meeting of Time Light Entertainment concluded, its CEO Tang Yu and girlfriend Tangxin were allegedly involved in a drug case. Reports claimed Tang Yu tested positive for drugs, and the house where the incident occurred belonged to Tangxin. A large quantity of narcotics had been found there, leading to suspicions of drug trafficking…

The post was lengthy and convincing, and once released, the hashtag #TangYuTangXinDrugScandal quickly shot to number one on Weibo’s trending topics, marked with an explosive tag.

Many people woke up to the news.

There was no time to delete it—even deleted posts had already been screenshotted.

Reactions flooded the comments section, mostly negative without any understanding of the truth:

“Holy crap! Are you serious? Time Light produced several anti-drug films—this is so ironic! Never watching Anti-Terror again!”

“Drug use is unforgivable, especially if they’re also trafficking! I’m boycotting anything by Time Light Entertainment from now on. Poor actors who worked hard on those films.”

“Guess A Dream For You is dead. Might as well cancel production—who’s gonna watch it now?”

“The house belongs to Tangxin, so was Tang Yu dragged into this? He probably invested in it just to promote his girlfriend, and now both their reputations are ruined. Time Light’s stock price has plummeted—it’s all Tangxin’s fault! They deserve to fail together.”

…

Soon after, other trending hashtags appeared—

Anti-Terror Pre-Sales

Time Light Entertainment Stock Price

Boycott Drug Use; Zero Tolerance for Drugs

These filled nearly half of the top ten trending topics. Gao Heng called Tang Yu specifically about this issue—almost the entire internet was turning against them, undoubtedly orchestrated by someone behind the scenes. Pre-sales for Anti-Terror had already begun, with box office pre-sales far exceeding expectations.

Gao Heng said: “People are starting to request refunds, and the online backlash is growing louder.”

Tang Yu went to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, and downed it. Feeling significantly calmer, he instructed: “Prepare legal notices against the rumor-mongers. Have PR remove the trending hashtags and release an official statement. Contact the police to assist with clarifications and reposts. Inform the main creative team and lead actors about the truth, and increase promotional efforts for Anti-Terror .”

After hanging up, it wasn’t long before the trending hashtags disappeared.

Time Light Entertainment issued legal notices, holding the rumormongers accountable. Additionally, the Public Security Bureau’s official account reposted statements refuting the claims of drug use. However, since the house was registered under Tang Xin’s name and rented by her cousin Zhong Yan, public distrust persisted. Even after Zhong Yan was cleared of suspicion, conspiracy theories continued to circulate, some targeting Tang Yu.

At 2 PM, Tang Xin’s phone powered on automatically, and almost instantly, a call came through.

After staying awake all night and enduring two rounds, she was physically drained. Waking up to the ringing phone filled her with irritation, ready to lash out. But seeing it was Zhong Wenbin calling, she cleared her throat before answering: “Uncle.”

Her voice was still hoarse.

Zhong Wenbin didn’t notice, speaking urgently: “Thank goodness you turned your phone on. I called earlier, and Tang Yu—your boyfriend—answered.” He sighed heavily. “He has connections and influence. I thought he could help get Zhong Yan released…”

Thinking of Zhong Yan reignited her anger; memories of last night’s terror were still fresh.

Sitting up, she frowned: “Uncle, you can’t indulge her in this. Follow proper procedures. If she truly didn’t know anything, she’ll be fine.”

Last night, Zhong Yan had claimed she only touched it once, likely tricked by Zhou Yang. If she truly didn’t know anything, then it was fine; if she did, she’d be considered an accomplice.

After the combined beating from her and Tang Yu, Zhou Yang was barely alive when sent to the hospital. The police were now waiting for him to regain consciousness to assist with the investigation.

Tang Yu’s family had a strict moral code, with relatives even serving in the military. Time Light Entertainment had produced several anti-drug-themed films, largely out of Tang Yu’s personal preference. He would never condone such illegal activities.

If he interfered now, it would slap the face of the entire Tang family, Time Light Entertainment, and everyone involved in those films.

Tang Xin couldn’t possibly request his intervention.

Zhong Yan had brought this upon herself.

Minutes after hanging up, Zhong Lijun called: “This morning, I called, and Tang Yu answered. Were you two sleeping together?”

Tang Xin: “….”

Blushing slightly, she calmly replied: “Don’t worry, we used protection.”

“That’s good,” Zhong Lijun said with relief. “Your uncle just called me about….”

“Mom, don’t get involved in this. Dad either. I don’t want to meddle either. Hasn’t Zhong Yan learned her lesson from last time?”

She recounted last night’s events to Zhong Lijun, scaring her half to death. After hanging up, Zhong Lijun told Tang Dawei. After hearing the story, Tang Dawei fell silent for a few seconds before grunting: “That brat has some backbone, knows how to protect a woman.”

Zhong Lijun decided not to interfere further—there wasn’t much she could do anyway.

Tang Xin lay on the bed scrolling through missed calls and WeChat messages. Only then did she realize that while she slept, a massive online battle had unfolded on Weibo. She had emerged unscathed.

Tang Yu had turned off her phone and set it to power on automatically at 2 PM, ensuring she got enough rest.

It wasn’t until she checked WeChat that she realized the extent of it. As soon as she stood up, her legs nearly gave way, forcing her to steady herself against the wardrobe door. Eyes closed, she adjusted to the lingering soreness. Leaning against the wardrobe, she sent Tang Yu a message.

Little Rich Girl: “Tang Yu, while I was asleep, did you… do something beastly to me?”

During a brief break, Tang Yu tried calling her twice, but both times the line was busy. Just as he was about to call again, he saw her message. His lips twitched slightly, and he dialed her number: “I ordered food for you—it should arrive soon.” Then he added, “Don’t worry about what’s happening on Weibo. Everything is under control. If you want to respond, just repost the Public Security Bureau’s statement. Nothing else matters. Don’t go out these next couple of days.”

Hearing his voice, Tang Xin shyly acknowledged him with a soft “Oh.” Memories of their intimacy flooded her mind, and she couldn’t stop her lips from curling into a smile. Inside, she screamed wildly: Ahhhhhh, Tang Yu is mine!

“Still sore?”

…Mr. Tang, are you alone right now?

Tang Xin walked into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Marks left by him adorned her collarbone and neck. She touched them lightly, smiling: “Pain and pleasure.”

The other end of the line went silent for a moment.

The man chuckled lazily: “In that case, let’s continue tonight.”

Tang Xin: “….”

Wait, wait, wait—

That’s not what she meant! But the call had already been disconnected.

Staring at her darkened phone screen, Tang Xin felt her legs weaken.

After eating, she logged onto Weibo and reposted the Public Security Bureau’s statement, asserting her innocence in any criminal activity. As for her cousin’s situation, the police would handle it.

She exited Weibo and stopped worrying about the matter altogether.

However, they weren’t able to continue that night due to a series of unforeseen events triggered by the scandal. Tang Yu was swamped with work and didn’t even have time for dinner. When he returned home late at night, Tang Xin was already asleep.

The next morning, Tang Yu went to Shanghai.

When Zhou Yang regained consciousness in the hospital, he shockingly accused them of framing him, insisting the drugs had been planted in Tang Xin’s house all along. Wasn’t this blatant slander? Tang Xin was furious: “Why didn’t I smash a bottle over his head when I had the chance!”

Though Zhou Yang admitted to drug use, there was no evidence proving he had hidden the drugs in the house.

Because of this incident, Tang Xin had to visit the police station a few more times. She hadn’t lived in that apartment for three years, so as long as she cooperated with the police to provide proof of her whereabouts, her innocence would be established. Tang Yu couldn’t always accompany her, so he arranged for a driver and bodyguards to stay by her side.

Three days later, Zhou Yang suddenly came to his senses and confessed to the police. Tang Xin was completely cleared of suspicion.

It turned out Zhou Yang had resorted to seducing and deceiving young girls because of mounting debts from drug addiction. Zhong Yan had unfortunately caught his eye—and unluckily for her, she was too naive and easily manipulated.

Fortunately, Zhou Yang hadn’t entirely lost his humanity. The first substance he made her try wasn’t addictive, and thanks to Tang Xin’s timely intervention, that night might have otherwise become a wild party between Zhou Yang and Zhong Yan, ruining her life forever.

On the day Zhong Yan was released from detention, Zhong Wenbin slapped her several times, his eyes bloodshot with rage: “You’re done with school! Come back home with me, and don’t ever think about leaving again. One moment without supervision, and you fall prey to such deceit. Do you have any brains? How dare you touch that stuff? Haven’t you seen the ads? ‘One person addicted, the whole family destroyed.’ Your mother and I have pampered you since childhood, and this is how you repay us?”

Zhong Yan’s face was swollen from the beating. Crouched outside the police station, she wailed loudly: “I’m sorry! I’ll never make such a stupid mistake again…”

Tang Xin watched silently, unable to say anything.

That afternoon, after returning home from the police station, snowflakes began drifting down outside her window. She sat on the balcony lounge chair, petting her cat while watching the falling snow. She snapped a photo and sent it to Tang Yu: “It’s snowing. Have you landed yet?”

Tang Yu had just gotten into the car. After reading her earlier message summarizing the situation, he exhaled in relief.

Leaning back in his seat, he replied: “I’ll stop by the company first. I’ll be home by 7 PM.”

Upon arriving at the company, Tang Yu coincidentally ran into Tang Dingding, who had come with her agent to sign a contract. Seeing him, she immediately tried to flee, but Tang Yu grabbed her by the collar: “Come with me.”

Inside the office.

Tang Yu reclined lazily in his chair, his cold gaze fixed on Tang Dingding: “Talk. What did you tell Tang Xin about me?”

Tang Dingding couldn’t help but marvel at her brother’s sharp intuition—it seemed nothing could fool him. Like a child caught red-handed, she stood awkwardly in front of the desk and stammered: “Well… Huo Ge once mentioned a certain phrase that suited you perfectly, so I… used it on you.”

By the time she finished, Tang Yu’s face had darkened.

He swiveled his chair to face the floor-to-ceiling window, tilting his head back and closing his eyes as he slowly recalled.

“Tang Yu, do you want to sleep with me?”

—Tang Yu, do you like me eight-tenths?

He sang The Moon Represents My Heart to her, and she would always casually ask, “How many tenths?”

How many tenths…

Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…

Did she think this was some kind of exam?

Was she trying desperately to score full marks with him?

What a fool.

Tang Yu swallowed the indescribable emotions welling up inside, opened his eyes, and glanced at the flustered Tang Dingding. Rising from his seat, he picked up his suit jacket, walked over, and flicked her forehead without expression. Tang Dingding yelped in pain, tears welling up as she looked at him: “Big Brother…”

Tang Yu ignored her, smirking coldly: “From now on, I’m revoking your supplementary credit cards. No more pocket money.”

Tang Dingding: “!!!”

Was this really how you treated your own sister?! At least I helped you secure funding for the project!

The man strode away with long steps. She clutched her forehead, stomping her feet and trailing behind him like a little shadow, attempting to explain: “Big Brother, listen to me…”

Without looking back, Tang Yu simply walked away.

Tang Dingding was about to chase after him when she was stopped by Huo Chendong, who had just emerged from the office. Seeing her flustered state, he couldn’t help but ask: “What’s wrong?”

Tang Dingding rubbed her forehead and, upon seeing Huo Chendong, suddenly remembered—she had a job now! Even without her brother’s allowance, she could support herself.

With that thought, Tang Dingding instantly perked up. Looking up at him, she explained: “It’s nothing. That ‘ten-tenths’ phrase you once taught me—I accidentally used it on my brother… and ended up making him suffer through a lot.”

Huo Chendong paused for a moment, recalling what she meant.

Tang Dingding looked at him, then suddenly lowered her head and chuckled: “Now that I think about it, that was probably just an excuse to get rid of me, wasn’t it?”

Why hadn’t she realized it back then?

Huo Chendong would never reach “ten-tenths” for her…

________________________________________

Meanwhile, Tang Xin, feeling inspired, decided to cook a meal for Tang Yu. She spent half the day clattering around in the kitchen, pots and pans clanging noisily. Just listening to the racket gave one a vivid image of the chaos inside.

Tang Yu stood at the doorway, glancing into the kitchen. Suddenly, a small woman wearing an apron dashed out, beaming as she greeted him: “Mr. Tang, you’re back!”

He remained standing in the entryway, his gaze dark and intense as he stared at the woman before him, his eyes like deep pools.

Feeling unnerved under his gaze, Tang Xin nervously tugged at her apron and cautiously asked: “What’s wrong?”

The man didn’t respond, instead smirking faintly as he unbuttoned his suit jacket and walked toward her. “So this is how you want to confirm my affection for you,” he said, tossing his jacket onto a dining chair.

His long, elegant fingers moved slowly and deftly, undoing the buttons of his shirt.

One.

Two.

Three.

No—surely not? Was he really planning to start again so soon after coming home?

She wasn’t mentally prepared at all!

Tang Xin swallowed hard, her heart pounding wildly against her chest as if it might burst out. Instinctively, she took a step back and stammered: “Y-you… don’t do anything rash.”

By the time he reached the third button, he had cornered her against the kitchen counter. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he paused, leaned forward, and braced himself on either side of her body, effectively trapping her. Gazing down at her, he smirked slightly: “I almost forgot—you’re obsessed with suits. Should I keep them on?”

“…”