Tang Yang closed the door, and Jiang Shiyan closed the door.
Separated by a single wall, Jiang Shiyan leaned against the entryway. In his mind’s eye, he could picture his darling Tang Yang’s blushing, charming face. Imitating her, he bit the corner of his lip and smiled silently.
Saying goodnight in person wasn’t enough for Jiang Shiyan; he messaged Tang Yang again on WeChat. She replied, and the two chatted sweetly for quite a while. After coaxing her to sleep, Jiang Shiyan finally returned to the main WeChat interface.
There was a WeChat group of about 200 middle and upper-level employees from Yixiu Media. Yixiu was a company known for its serious work ethic but relaxed private atmosphere.
When Jiang Shiyan opened the group chat, someone was sharing jokes, another was singing, and then the topic shifted from celebrities to goddesses.
Someone said, “Being pretty with a nice voice is nothing special. Yesterday or the day before, I went to Huishang to follow up on the progress of a co-branded credit card. The deputy director from Huishang who attended the meeting with us seems to be Jiang’s high school classmate – the one who had that viral moment recently.”
The person continued, “When I saw her on Weibo, I didn’t think much of it, but seeing her in person, she’s really attractive. She’s not tall, has a small face, and looks completely harmless, but she’s incredibly organized and decisive when speaking and working. Last year when we did a co-branded credit card with Puxi, the meeting lasted a whole day. This time, with Director Tang leading, it was wrapped up in three hours.”
A wave of “666” (meaning “awesome”) flooded the chat. Someone else chimed in, “I think I’ve seen Director Tang bringing things to Jiang when he was working overtime before. I remember thinking her smile was both gentle and determined, like a silent nurturer.”
“She’s someone who can accomplish great things.”
“…”
While his colleagues were praising Tang Yang, Jiang Shiyan read their messages with delight.
Just as the conversation was heating up, an avatar with a jumbled username posted a red envelope labeled “ZSWJYY.”
The CEO, who had been silently lurking due to illness for nearly half a month, had appeared. Naturally, the subordinates’ first reaction was to… grab the red envelope!
Twenty thousand yuan, split into a hundred shares???
The quick-fingered were dumbfounded, and before the slow-handed could complain, Jiang Shiyan sent another identical red envelope.
One, then another, and another…
Everyone was afraid to type and miss out on the red envelopes, so they refrained from interrupting the stream.
As a result, “ZSWJYY” appeared in a perfectly obsessive-compulsive pattern, filling an entire screen just below the previous conversation about Tang Yang.
Jiang Shiyan’s card had no limit; he sent a total of 520,000 yuan.
Then, he remained exceptionally aloof.
[t$efvbhu&: That’s all.]
Below, there was a moment of silence.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Confirming there truly were no more, someone timidly spoke up, “Boss… what do those letters mean?”
Jiang Shiyan continued to be aloof.
[t$efvbhu&: Just random keystrokes.]
One shouldn’t try to guess the thoughts of a boss. Only then did everyone remember that Jiang Shiyan was still recovering from illness, and they cheered, urging the boss to take care of his health.
Jiang Shiyan responded with a few “mhm”s and “oh”s before falling silent.
Not publicly announcing their relationship, there was nothing wrong with him sending red envelopes to show appreciation for his subordinates.
Jiang Shiyan’s assistant, witnessing the whole thing, wanted to facepalm—Boss, wait a minute, there’s still one dog here who knows the truth.
ZSWJYY.
This is my Tang Yang.
Yours, yours, I know this is your Tang Yang.
The single assistant shed tears like noodles.
The great Jiang and Director Tang, sleeping on opposite sides of a wall, rolled over in their beds with perfect synchronicity. Thinking of each other, they both curled their lips into slight smiles as they drifted off to sleep.
As praised by the Yixiu employees, Tang Yang was indeed a person with strong executive ability.
Since this date was meant to make up for her anger towards Jiang Shiyan, naturally, she would be the one to plan it.
In Tang Yang’s schedule, she was to wake up at 6:30 AM, leave by 7:00 AM to queue for soup dumplings at an old, famous restaurant, and return home around 8:00 AM. She’d plate the food nicely and call Jiang Shiyan over to eat.
What next? Tang Yang weighed the options between shopping, watching a movie, or going to an amusement park. Remembering her mother saying that all men are just grown-up children, she considerately wrote down “go to the amusement park” in her notes.
While they were at the amusement park, she’d order groceries through a food delivery app to be sent to their doorstep. After finishing at the park in the afternoon, when he’d ask where to eat, she’d suggest going home. Once home, when he’d ask what takeout she wanted, she’d push him into the living room, give him a game console, and tell him to wait. Then she’d go to the kitchen and first cook his favorite tomato and egg stir-fry, then kung pao chicken, followed by a simmered pork rib soup, steamed fish, and stir-fried seasonal vegetables. It would be perfect.
While she cooked, she’d make sure he couldn’t see into the kitchen, closing the door. Just when he was about to get impatient, she’d go to the living room, blindfold him, and lead him to a table full of delicious, aromatic dishes. She’d remove the blindfold with a “ta-da!”
Although Tang Yang had little cooking experience, and her attempts had all ended in failure, she attributed those to mere accidents. Plus, Lin Lang had recently recommended a food blogger to her, and Tang Yang found the blogger’s cooking videos quick and simple. So, she figured if she followed the videos, she’d succeed.
Oh, and she’d remember to bring the camera to the amusement park to capture his handsome moments.
However, many things are easier said than done—
The next morning, Tang Yang turned off the 6:30 alarm, then the 6:35 one, and finally the 6:37 one.
By the time she jolted from drowsiness to full awareness, it was already 7:30.
The sky was gray and hazy, with a thin layer of morning mist veiling the community’s greenery like a gauze.
Tang Yang, without makeup and wearing casual home clothes, sprinted to the dumpling shop. As she turned the corner, a “Holy crap!” escaped her lips. Didn’t anyone sleep at night?
The thick queue already stretched from the shop’s entrance onto the street, and Tang Yang couldn’t see the end even after jumping several times.
She scratched her head and quickly activated her contingency plan…
At 9:00 AM.
Jiang Shiyan rarely slept in, and the moment he woke up, he received a message from Tang Yang asking him to come over.
It was too late to buy her breakfast now, so he’d take her out to eat later.
Jiang Shiyan quickly tidied himself up and knocked on Tang Yang’s door. She opened it and led him to the dining area.
On the dining table, at two opposite place settings, there was a glass of milk and a domed cover. Tang Yang brought him to one side and lifted the cover for him.
A small, steaming steak, a ham panini, a small portion of pasta, and next to it, vibrant steamed broccoli.
“Did you make this yourself?” Jiang Shiyan asked, delighted yet disbelieving.
Tang Yang walked to the other side, sat down, and with a complex yet honest expression, squeezed out two words: “I bought it.”
“But you chose it,” Jiang Shiyan moved the food next to her and sat beside her, particularly matter-of-factly saying, “It shows that Tang Yang woke up early, is domestic, virtuous, and has good taste. Look how cleverly the broccoli is arranged, see how well the panini is placed, look how evenly the black pepper sauce is drizzled, every crevice is covered equally…”
“Jiang Shiyan…”
Tang Yang was initially quite embarrassed, but Jiang Shiyan’s praise made her both annoyed and amused. “Why don’t you praise yourself?”
Jiang Shiyan thought for a moment: “I like you.”
Tang Yang blushed and gently pushed him: “Why are you suddenly confessing? I told you to praise yourself.”
Jiang Shiyan said with a smile: “I have good taste.”
Tang Yang let out a “pfft,” verbally chiding him for “talking nonsense,” but as she lowered her head, her ear tips were red, and her heart bloomed with joy.
After breakfast, Jiang Shiyan went downstairs to get the car, while Tang Yang curled her shoulder-length hair into a small pear blossom style and changed into a color-block T-shirt and light blue overalls.
Hmm… their outfits were in matching colors.
When Tang Yang slipped into the passenger seat, she was visibly shy. She put her bag on her lap and fumbled to pull the seatbelt.
Jiang Shiyan’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he traced from her slightly reddened ear tips to her neck, then slowly leaned over, his hand covering hers to pull the seatbelt.
“It looks good,” he said softly, his voice gentle like praising a child, as he pulled the seatbelt.
With a crisp “click,” the seatbelt fastened.
Tang Yang mumbled a “thank you,” her face blushing furiously.
A City had two large amusement parks: Guose Tianxiang and Happy Valley.
Happy Valley was having a member’s day with all consumptions at half price, so Tang Yang set the navigation to Guose Tianxiang, thinking there would be fewer people and less time spent queuing.
Jiang Shiyan thought Tang Yang’s consideration was very thoughtful.
They arrived at their destination in twenty minutes, parked, and got out of the car at the entrance.
Tang Yang took out the all-access passes she had bought in advance and handed them to Jiang Shiyan. While adjusting the camera hanging around her neck, she said seriously, “My heart is quite strong, so feel free to play whatever you want without being shy. I can handle any ride.”
So she thought he liked these things?
“Alright,” Jiang Shiyan raised an eyebrow and cooperatively made a “V” sign towards her camera.
“Click, click,” two quick shutter sounds.
Tang Yang eagerly checked the photos, only to see a partially captured handsome guy. Her smile froze.
Jiang Shiyan leaned over to look. The composition, cutting off at the knees as if photographing a disabled person, was indeed hard to praise. Seeing the little girl’s dejected expression, he pinched her soft earlobe and said, “Give it to me, I’ll take photos for you.”
Tang Yang handed over the camera while feeling upset: “I remember I used to be good at taking photos in college…”
Jiang Shiyan held back his laughter and reached out his hand to her.
Tang Yang let out an “aw” sound, her spirits slightly dampened but still obediently placed her hand in his.
Jiang Shiyan’s hand was large and warm, with slight calluses on his palm.
Wrapped in this warmth, Tang Yang quietly thought to herself that since she had failed at taking photos for him, she would make sure to accompany him well once they got inside.
“What are you mumbling about?” Jiang Shiyan tilted his head to ask the little girl.
Tang Yang’s ears reddened: “Nothing, nothing.”
Guose Tianxiang was under construction when Tang Yang was in high school. It was only completed after she went to B City for her master’s degree. Jiang Shiyan was too busy with Yixiu’s startup to find time, so this was the first visit for both of them.
The amusement park was nestled against mountains and water, with spring scenery in full bloom and large amusement facilities scattered throughout.
Last week, there was a special “3.7 Girls’ Day” activity. In the amusement park, the Ferris wheel was pink, the carousel was pink, the roadside railings were pink, and even the pirate ship had a huge pink bow tied to it.
Tang Yang, who loved black and white in her late teens, now had no resistance to these soft, pink things as she approached thirty.
The person who had seemed like an adult bringing a child when entering the park instantly transformed into a bird released from its cage. She looked here and there, her small hand pulling Jiang Shiyan’s as she ran inside like an unbridled horse: “Jiang Shiyan, take a photo of that Hello Kitty flower pot, it’s so pretty, I want to buy one just like it.”
“Jiang Shiyan, I want to drive that pink bumper car.”
“Jiang Shiyan, I bet you want to ride the carousel.”
“…”
Most girls in the amusement park couldn’t resist all this pink, and Tang Yang was just one of them.
Tang Yang’s DSLR camera wasn’t large. Jiang Shiyan held her hand with one hand and single-handedly lifted the camera to take photos of what she wanted with the other. The media tycoon’s photography skills always satisfied Director Tang.
Coming out from one spot, Tang Yang quickly spotted another. She walked in front, pulling Jiang Shiyan forward, unable to contain her excitement: “Oh my god, even the skull sign for the haunted house is pink, how can they be so ruthlessly cute…”
Jiang Shiyan controlled his strength, allowing her to lead him.
“There’s a bump ahead,” he reminded her, with a smile of helpless indulgence, “Darling, slow down a bit…”