Tang Yang tossed and turned all night.
The next morning, when she woke up and saw the terrifying dark circles under her eyes in the mirror, all her thoughts instantly vanished.
Time was an old witch, excessively lenient towards villains like Yan Gou, but cruel beyond measure to little darlings like herself.
Later, as she browsed Weibo and came across a certain someone’s updates, this conclusion became even more firmly entrenched.
Jiang Shiyan said he couldn’t sleep all night, so he got up early to make breakfast for the whole family. He then posted a photo of the kitchen counter and a half-face selfie. Below, various celebrities commented, with several starlets fawning over him, saying “The boss is still handsome” and “Begging for skincare secrets”…
Jiang Shiyan didn’t reply to any of them.
Tang Yang couldn’t help but frown, gently poking his face through the screen.
Hmph.
Over the next few days of New Year celebrations and visiting relatives, Tang Yang transitioned from full makeup to bare-faced, swapped her stilettos for low heels, and shed her shrewd and capable Huishang persona for a docile and endearing one.
Many of the relatives’ children had borrowed Zhou Jingyu’s name during their studies, so when they saw Tang Yang, they couldn’t help but praise her while secretly wanting to nitpick.
“Working at a bank? That’s wonderful for a girl.”
“Deputy Director? Tang Yang has always been outstanding, never giving her parents cause for worry.”
“Still single? No rush, no rush. The best is yet to come.”
The relatives eagerly searched their networks for top-tier candidates, enthusiastically saying: “There’s a new Deputy Director at our unit, only thirty, with a PhD from Renmin University, also single!”
“Our Deputy Pilot must earn a million a year, and people say he looks like Wu Yanzu. Tang Yang, are you interested?”
“Flying here and there, long-distance relationships are difficult,” another relative objected. “The Director at our company, about 34, is from a wealthy family with a listed company… Other girls are passively left over, but our Tang Yang is too outstanding, a golden saint.”
Tang Yang’s lips twitched as she smiled and nodded perfunctorily.
In previous years, Tang Yang was particularly afraid of unruly children. Last year, several of Jiang Shiyan’s collaborative mobile games became huge hits. Give a child a phone, and they’d be quiet for an entire afternoon.
Tang Yang had intended to send a WeChat message praising Yan Gou, but an aunt dragged her to the mahjong table, and in the hustle and bustle, she forgot.
Time flew by, and soon it was the fifth day of the New Year.
On the night of the fourth, Tang Yang played mahjong all night and hadn’t woken up by eleven the next morning.
Tang Yang’s mother came to knock on her door: “Weren’t you supposed to go to Jiang Shiyan’s place? Look at the time now! Do you think their dishwater tastes better than their food?”
Tang Yang covered her head with the blanket, mumbling: “They’re having relatives over for lunch. I’ll go over in the evening.”
Tang Yang’s mother tugged at her blanket: “You need to get up and prepare for the evening too. Don’t you need to pick out clothes and do your makeup?”
Tang Yang pressed her legs on the blanket, whining in defense: “It’s not like I’m going to a boyfriend’s house, it’s just Yan Gou’s place. Besides, I’m as beautiful as a heavenly fairy…”
Unable to win against her mother, Tang Yang was on the verge of tears: “Mom! Let me sleep for two more minutes! Just two minutes, Teacher Zhou is begging you, please…”
“Oh, you.” Tang Yang’s mother poked her forehead, too exasperated to say more.
Tang Yang’s “two minutes” turned into quite a long nap. By the time she got up, ate, and got ready, it was almost four o’clock.
She struggled with her outfit choice: “I want to wear pink, but it seems too youthful and doesn’t match my mature and steady personality. Black is too somber.”
Tang Yang’s mother sat nearby, cracking sunflower seeds, raising an eyebrow to mimic her: “It’s not like you’re meeting a boyfriend’s parents. Just wear your pajamas, that’s trendy!”
Tang Yang nervously wiped away imaginary sweat: “It’s a matter of courtesy.”
In the end, Tang Yang chose a camel-colored velvet dress paired with a striped coat. She curled her shoulder-length black hair into the small pear blossom style that the elders liked, carried a classic handbag, and even swapped her car for her father’s Volvo.
When she arrived, she knocked on the door.
Mrs. Jiang saw Tang Yang from the balcony and quickly pushed away from the mahjong table to open the door, with Jiang Shiyan and Jiang Yanan following behind.
“Happy New Year, everyone” “Happy New Year, Tang Tang” rang out cheerfully.
Tang Yang’s eyes curved into crescents as she handed over the gifts she had brought: “This box of tea is for Grandfather.” It was Da Hong Pao from Wuyi Mountain, and the old man’s face lit up with joy as he opened it and smelled the aroma.
“This is ginseng wine, brewed by my father and his friends. The alcohol content isn’t high, so Uncle Jiang can drink it.” It was wild ginseng from Changbai Mountain, with over twenty spiral grooves. Mr. Jiang accepted it happily.
Then a cashmere shawl for Mrs. Jiang, soft to the touch.
A big red envelope for Jiang Yanan’s son, little Feng Yuancheng.
Even the vegetables got a new butterfly knot.
Jiang Yanan, holding her son, asked, “What should you say?”
Cheng Cheng reached out for Tang Yang to hold him: “Auntie Tang Tang, may all your wishes come true, and may you get younger and younger!”
Tang Yang let out an “Oh my!” as she took the little treasure, teasing, “Everyone says I look young, so why still call me auntie? Call me Sister Tang Tang.”
Cheng Cheng’s big eyes rolled around, then he furrowed his little brows and said in a crisp voice: “But Auntie Tang Tang calls Grandpa ‘Uncle Jiang’, and calls Uncle ‘Jiang Shiyan’. If I call Auntie Tang Tang ‘Sister Tang Tang’, does that mean Tang Tang should call Grandpa ‘Grandpa Jiang’ and call Uncle ‘Uncle Jiang’?”
Jiang Shiyan raised his hand: “I’m willing! I’m willing! I’m willing!”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“Go away,” Tang Yang laughed. She initially wanted to punch Jiang Shiyan, but in front of so many elders, it turned into a gentle pat on his back.
There wasn’t much force behind it, but Jiang Shiyan felt a ticklish sensation and his body swayed slightly.
In the evening, they sat at two tables, with the other relatives at one table and Tang Yang seated next to Jiang Shiyan at the main table.
Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan had been close friends for years, and she was also acquainted with his relatives. After exchanging greetings, the dinner gradually livened up.
Mrs. Jiang brought up their high school days, starting to reveal her son’s old stories: “If only you had slimmed down earlier, you might have kids old enough to run errands by now.”
Tang Yang laughed: “He’s been talking about losing weight for quite a few years, but he was quite nice when he was chubby too.”
Mrs. Jiang: “The first time he had a crush was on someone in your class, the one you were close with.”
Tang Yang: “Chang Xinyi.”
Jiang Shiyan tried to stop them: “Mom!”
Mrs. Jiang completely ignored him: “Yes, yes, Chang Xinyi. He couldn’t lose weight when he had a crush on Chang Xinyi, but he managed to slim down when he went to Taiwan for a relationship. It shows that love can have a big impact on him, so why is he acting like some… carefree, desire-free Buddhist youth now?”
A crush counts as a relationship too, so Yan Gou has had two relationships, tsk.
Tang Yang picked up some cold dishes with her chopsticks. Too much vinegar had been added, and her expression tightened slightly.
Mrs. Jiang asked: “Tang Tang, are you still in good contact with Chang Xinyi? I remember seeing her once when I was bringing you both soup. She was quite a petite beauty.”
Jiang Shiyan called out to his mother again.
Oh, is he protecting his first love now?
Tang Yang took a sip of water, but the sour taste still lingered: “We’re on good terms, but with the time difference in Seattle, we don’t call much. She’s quite thoughtful though. Last time when her son turned one, I was in Houston, and she specially drove over to pick me up and let me stay for two nights.”
Tang Yang’s lips twitched, and for some inexplicable reason, she didn’t mention that Chang Xinyi might be coming back in a few days.
Mrs. Jiang was about to say something else, but Jiang Shiyan called out “Mom” once more. This time, Mrs. Jiang changed the subject, talking about her repeatedly failed attempts at making Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Mrs. Jiang had a humorous way of speaking, and everyone at the table roared with laughter.
They were all close, so there was no sense of wariness.
Tang Yang took a sip of red wine, trying to suppress the surge of thoughts about Chang Xinyi, while Jiang Shiyan drank a glass of baijiu, attempting to dispel the awkwardness of his mother’s inexplicable mention of Chang Xinyi.
Both had their little concerns.
After several rounds of drinks, Tang Yang had one sip left in her glass, slightly tipsy.
Jiang Shiyan was half drunk, his eyes reddened. After a round of finger-guessing with Feng Weiran, he suddenly asked: “Is this the wine Tang Yang brought last time?”
Mrs. Jiang: “Yes, it is.”
Jiang Shiyan grumbled: “How come I didn’t get a single sip, and you’ve already finished it all?”
Tang Yang joked: “I still have one sip left here.”
She swirled her glass, the crimson liquid swaying along with the flush on her cheeks.
Jiang Shiyan took her glass and drained it in one go.
Mrs. Jiang, worried that the relatives might misunderstand Tang Yang, scolded Jiang Shiyan: “Snatching Tang Tang’s drink, have you no consideration?”
Tang Yang smiled: “It’s fine, I’m used to it.”
“Exactly, I’m drinking her leftovers, not making her drink mine,” Jiang Shiyan argued.
Mrs. Jiang laughed as she came over to swat at Jiang Shiyan, whispering something in his ear.
Jiang Shiyan nodded and lightly tapped Tang Yang’s shoulder. Tang Yang didn’t know what was going on, but instinctively left the table.
Jiang Shiyan led Tang Yang to the second-floor study, closed the door, and went to open the safe: “My mom ordered a pearl necklace for you. She’s afraid she might forget later, so she asked me to give it to you now.”
The Jiang family’s study had three floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, packed with books. Aside from a few novels, the rest looked untouched.
There was a tall lamp outside the window, and Jiang Shiyan was slightly hunched over.
The light coming in from the window perfectly outlined his broad shoulders, long arms, and slender waist from behind.
With a “click,” the lock opened.
Jiang Shiyan took out the gift box and handed it to Tang Yang: “Also, my parents are planning to go to the Biishui Bay hot spring resort for a vacation in early spring. They’re wondering if you’d like to join, it’s in March.”
“I probably can’t,” Tang Yang opened the gift box, admiring the lustrous and translucent pearls. She explained, “The Credit Review Department is busy at the start of the year, and there’s a major elite conference with Puxi Bank. Plus, I’ve agreed to two blind dates.”
Jiang Shiyan leaned against the desk. Hearing the last part, his expression changed: “You’re going on blind dates again?”
Tang Yang stood by the bookshelf, half a meter away from him: “I told you before, after the New Year.”
Jiang Shiyan spoke unkindly: “In such a hurry to get married?”
Tang Yang reasoned: “There is pressure to get married.”
Jiang Shiyan scoffed: “So you’re throwing yourself into a heap of scum because of pressure?”
“What do you mean by ‘heap of scum’? Is that discrimination?” Tang Yang, feeling sour and bitter after the meal, suddenly lost her temper too. “How are you any different from those relatives of mine who call me a golden saint?”
“Well, look at the first person you matched with, and those marketing account submissions. Wasn’t all that messy stuff enough to scare you?” Jiang Shiyan lit a cigarette, trying to cool down, but ended up more breathless with each puff.
Tang Yang took a deep breath: “Then are you in a heap of scum because you’re single?”
Jiang Shiyan: “I’m single because I want to be. There’s a sea of people who like me—”
“But no one likes me!”
Tang Yang thought of those flirtatious D-list starlets commenting on his Weibo posts earlier. Her hands trembled with anger, but a smile appeared on her face. “Mr. Jiang, you’ve got girls all around you, here and there, ready to end your single life. But honestly, I work nine-to-five and drive the same route every day. If I don’t go on blind dates, will good men just deliver themselves to my doorstep?”
“So you’re willing to lower your standards to meet those beasts in human clothing?” Jiang Shiyan sneered, “What if they want you to do laundry, wash dishes, and do all the housework? What if they want you to buy a house for their family? What if they want the property deed in their mother’s name—”
The more Jiang Shiyan angered Tang Yang, the more she smiled at him: “What if I meet someone normal and suitable? What if he’s tall and handsome, gentle, considerate, and self-disciplined? Maybe we’ll get our marriage certificate the next day, and have our wedding the following week.”
Jiang Shiyan: “Maybe he’ll want you to bind your feet, cut your hair, and wear a veil when you go out—”
“Maybe he’ll indulge me in everything,” Tang Yang smiled even more brightly, enunciating each word to Jiang Shiyan, “In that case, shouldn’t I go pick out my wedding dress tomorrow? Remember when I told you how much I love that Su embroidery style? I need to contact them at least a month in advance.” Tang Yang bit out each word, “Let me tell you, that train is long. I guess when we walk down the red carpet, he’ll have to slow down to take care of me…”
Jiang Shiyan had mixed different types of alcohol and was drunk.
He had seen that wedding dress before. As Tang Yang spoke, he could vividly imagine her in the wedding dress, arm in arm with another man. The ceremony venue with ribbons, and balloons, and the lawn was covered with her favorite champagne roses.
Tang Yang said: “No, what if he prefers the traditional Chinese style…”
Jiang Shiyan closed his eyes, then opened them. The study came back into focus, with Tang Yang standing before him, her cheeks flushed.
Tang Yang said: “The traditional style is nice too, I can accept that.”
Jiang Shiyan’s mind was buzzing, unable to hear a single word. With one sense diminished, the cigarette in his hand felt unusually hot, his gaze unusually deep. He stared directly at every detail of her moving lips, his throat bobbing…
Tang Yang, feeling triumphant at having rendered him speechless, continued: “Remember to bring a wedding gift. Even though there’s no vow in the traditional ceremony, the wedding night…”
The cigarette butt was suddenly pressed against the wall.
Jiang Shiyan, his eyes red with intoxication, unable to think or restrain himself any longer, lowered his head and covered her lips with his own.