While Madam Jiang had a good temper, she was once a formidable figure in her youth. With just a raised eyebrow and an imposing aura, the secretaries on the top floor didn’t dare to breathe.
Jiang Shiyan wasn’t afraid. He took another sip of coffee.
“Mom,” he called calmly, “I have a girlfriend.”
Madam Jiang walked to his side: “An inflatable one?”
“Pfft—!” One of the secretaries lost composure, and Jiang Shiyan nearly choked on his coffee.
Madam Jiang walked past him towards the inner office: “Come in with me for a moment.”
Jiang Shiyan grabbed a tissue, wiping and coughing: “Mom, I’m serious. My girlfriend is beautiful, cute, intelligent, and graceful. She meets all your aesthetic standards. This morning, I even sent Yang Yang, I mean Tang Yang, to work…”
“Isn’t sending Tang Tang to work something you should do? Do you want praise for that?” Madam Jiang had long known her son liked Tang Yang, but she also knew the relationship between them, and that her son was too timid. How could they get together so easily? She sighed inwardly and got to the point, “Your uncles are coming to see your grandfather this afternoon. Grandfather wants me to call you over for dinner.”
Madam Jiang said: “Stay at the old house this weekend. You were in the hospital recently, and you were busy last week. Think about how long it’s been since you’ve been back.”
Jiang Shiyan not going back was one thing, but caring about his grandfather was another. After dropping Tang Yang off at Huishang the other morning, he had even accompanied his grandfather for a stroll at New Light Plaza.
It was precisely because Jiang Shiyan had a good relationship with his grandfather that those uncles would occasionally return to the old house under the pretext of filial piety, fearing that the old man might accidentally leave all his property to Jiang Shiyan.
Jiang Shiyan wasn’t fond of these dinners disguised as family gatherings: “I’m busy this weekend. I need to accompany my girlfriend.”
Should I bring her for you to see?
Madam Jiang was happy to play along with her son’s act: “Love is about the long-term, not just a moment,” Madam Jiang thought of something, “Oh right, remember that pearl necklace I gave to Tang Tang for the New Year that broke in the study? I ordered another one for her. The old house just said it’s been delivered. You can pick it up when you go back.”
Jiang Shiyan no longer hesitated: “Alright.”
Madam Jiang almost laughed out loud. What happened to being busy on the weekend? What happened to accompanying his girlfriend? What was all that about having a girlfriend?
Jiang Shiyan poured a cup of tea for his mother and then went outside to chat with the secretaries.
Madam Jiang quietly watched her son show off, thinking about maybe asking Yanan to invite Tang Tang for a hair and nail appointment someday. After all, he was her son, and she should help if she could. Otherwise, who knew how long it would be before she could hold a granddaughter…
As Madam Jiang thought about this, she let out an “Ah,” feeling the universal concern of parents.
Madam Jiang stayed in Jiang Shiyan’s office until 5:30 PM, said goodbye to the secretaries, and went downstairs with Jiang Shiyan.
Jiang Shiyan messaged Tang Yang to report his schedule.
[Husband: Several uncles have gone to the old house. Grandfather asked me to go back for dinner. I’ll probably be back tomorrow afternoon. Are you busy? Want to come with me?]
Tang Yang called him directly: “I have something I can’t get away from here. Drive safely, there’s probably traffic on Yixiu Road to the old house right now.”
Hearing Tang Yang’s rapid speech, Jiang Shiyan reminded her to remember to eat dinner.
After hanging up, Tang Yang’s expression wasn’t good.
She did have something to deal with.
Just an hour ago, she had been complaining to Jiang Shiyan about how annoyed she was with Gan Yiming, and thinking about what to do with Jiang Shiyan on the weekend. She had even planned to take turns sending him to work next week.
But as they were about to finish work, Fan Linlang brought her this document.
Tang Yang’s gaze fell on her name, her lowered eyelashes hiding the look in her eyes.
After a while, she composed herself, took the document, and went up to knock on Zhou Zisheng’s office door.
“Knock knock knock.”
“Come in.”
“President Zhou.”
“Little Tang? Have a seat,” Zhou Zisheng, who was also working overtime, greeted her kindly, “What’s the matter?”
Tang Yang chose her words carefully: “About the head office’s ‘New Thunder’ management training program…”
“Didn’t Fan Linlang tell you earlier?” Zhou Zisheng already knew why Tang Yang had come up.
“She mentioned it to me on Monday, and I applied as a formality,” Tang Yang smiled awkwardly, “When Director Gan wasn’t back, I thought I should go. Now that Director Gan is back, I assumed he would go. I hadn’t heard any news about it before, so it’s quite sudden…”
The second phase of Huishang’s management training program “New Thunder” was to be held at the B City branch, starting next Monday and lasting for forty days.
And today was Friday.
It was indeed unexpected.
Zhou Zisheng sat on the sofa opposite Tang Yang, poured her a cup of tea, and pushed it towards her: “Originally, the higher-ups had arranged for Gan Yiming to go, and by rights, it should have been him. But Gan Yiming voluntarily gave up this opportunity and recommended you to us.”
“On one hand, Deputy Director Tang is young and capable. If you go, you can learn more and bring fresh elements to our branch. On the other hand, he said he’s still in the recovery period and truly doesn’t have the energy, despite his willingness.”
“What’s the matter?” Zhou Zisheng asked, “Is it inconvenient for Deputy Director Tang?”
“No, it’s not that,” Tang Yang’s throat tightened for a moment, but then she spoke in her usual tone, “It’s just that I still have the Jiujiang case half-finished…”
“That’s not a conflict,” Zhou Zisheng waved his hand, “The land acquisition part of the Jiujiang project also needs to go through procedures. The case just needs to be completed before June. Even if Deputy Director Tang goes to B City for training, there’s ample time.”
Tang Yang remained silent.
Zhou Zisheng asked, “Any other issues?”
Tang Yang forced a smile: “No.”
Zhou Zisheng’s office was decorated in an antique style, spacious and serious.
Tang Yang wore a beige spring dress, sitting with her legs together, posture graceful. She was thin and petite with gentle features. Surprisingly, she seemed to hold her own against the atmosphere of the office.
If Zhou Zisheng’s initial decision to make Tang Yang the acting director and give her the Jiujiang case was out of consideration for his nephew Zhou Mo and Jiang Shiyan, then afterward, he had taken note of everything Tang Yang said and did.
Zhou Zisheng intentionally tried to get closer to Tang Yang, and they chatted quite a bit.
At the end, Zhou Zisheng lightly tapped the coffee table with his finger.
Accompanied by the “click, click” sound, he said: “Before Deputy Tang came up, I also had a chat with Gan Yiming. He, like you, was a management trainee who rotated through departments before settling in the credit review department. I asked him what he thought of your performance as acting director. He said he learned from you, that you observe things meticulously and manage the credit review department with a human touch. For example, Zhang Zhilan’s ‘Lost Pearl,’ the Nanjin Street fire, and Chen Zhanggang’s loan of a few thousand yuan were all approved, right?”
Tang Yang’s interaction with Chen Qiang was her private matter.
She followed proper procedures and conducted a compliant review for Chen Zhanggang’s loan, just like the thousands of other cases she handled. Even after it was approved, Tang Yang hadn’t given it a second glance.
Hearing Zhou Zisheng suddenly mentions it, Tang Yang’s eyelids twitched, but her face remained impassive: “Yes, it was approved. It was a special case, so I remember it.”
“Hmm,” Zhou Zisheng acknowledged, “It’s 6 PM now, quitting time. Let me say something off-topic.”
Zhou Zisheng glanced at the wall clock, then looked at Tang Yang with a hint of deeper meaning: “Whether Gan Yiming was kept in the credit review department due to limitations in his abilities, you and I don’t know for sure. But Tang Yang, your capabilities are not in question.”
Tang Yang remained silent, unable to speak.
Zhou Zisheng continued: “You didn’t come in through regular recruitment to be a teller or department manager. You’re a PhD management trainee. You’re young, have good performance, and even your appearance is a plus,” Zhou Zisheng said, “You’re a high-level reserve that Huishang has invested heavily in, meant to sit on the top floor in the future, maybe even on this chair I’m sitting in now.”
Tang Yang’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she called out softly: “President Zhou…”
Zhou Zisheng looked at Tang Yang, his speech gradually slowing: “Being detail-oriented and showing a human touch is good, especially after you’ve tasted the occasional sweetness of it. But Tang Yang, you need to understand,” Zhou Zisheng paused for a few seconds, “The higher you climb, the more dangerous it becomes to be involved in these things. Countless eyes are watching you, just waiting for you to make a mistake or slip up so they can pull you down.”
Tang Yang pressed her lips together: “I understand, President Zhou.”
“…”
They talked for a while longer.
Tang Yang stood up to take her leave.
Zhou Zisheng walked her to the door: “You might think this management program is unnecessary right now, but you can meet a lot of people. It’s not a bad thing to build up some connections while you’re young.”
Tang Yang: “Thank you, President Zhou.”
“No need for thanks,” Zhou Zisheng smiled, “You and my nephew are schoolmates. If you don’t mind, you can come to my house as a guest in the future. You can even call me Uncle Zhou in private.”
Tang Yang laughed softly: “I’m bothering you, President Zhou.”
As they spoke, the elevator arrived.
Zhou Zisheng watched Tang Yang enter the elevator.
The elevator doors slowly closed, and Tang Yang let out a sigh, her back damp with a thin layer of sweat.
It was nearly 7 PM when she reached the Credit Review Department. Only two lights were on in the gloomy office floor – Qin Yue, who was often away on business trips, had returned.
At Chen Siran’s previous gathering, Jiang Shiyan had introduced Tang Yang to Qin Yue’s sister, Qin Jiao. Qin Jiao had added her and Qin Yue to a discussion group, where they occasionally chatted about cosmetics and gossip. They had grown quite familiar through these interactions.
Qin Yue came out after washing her cup and noticed the documents in Tang Yang’s hand. She blurted out, “Wow! Isn’t this new Thunder training for those non-professional managers from unconventional backgrounds? Teaching them some basics about markets and models? Forty days is just a waste of time. Anyway, each department only needs to send one person symbolically. Why don’t you ask Zhou Xing to replace you with Gan Yiming? It’s like in elementary school broadcasts when they call for the class monitor to collect books and study. If the class monitor is available, why would the deputy go?”
This had been Tang Yang’s purpose for going upstairs earlier.
But what happened?
Tang Yang briefly explained to Qin Yue, spreading her hands in slight dejection: “Zhou Xing said Director Gan said he’s in a recovery period, so he recommended me to the higher-ups.”
“Gan Yiming just can’t handle it himself, and now he’s feeling threatened, so he’s sending you away for a while to reestablish his presence. Oh, right,” Qin Yue remembered something, “There’s also the quarterly excellence evaluation in April. You’re almost certainly going to win it for the Credit Review Department, but if you’re away for training, anything could happen. He’s calculating everything down to the last detail, and he’ll even get a reputation for being modest and nurturing new talent. If it were me, I’d… I’d…”
Qin Yue couldn’t finish her “I’d.”
“Put a sack over his head and give him a good beating?” Tang Yang joked.
Qin Yue said, “It’s okay to lay low sometimes, but…” Tang Yang was in a period of career growth, and no one could predict how these small details might impact her future.
Tang Yang sighed resignedly, “Let’s just go with the flow.”
Qin Yue stroked Tang Yang’s head sympathetically: “Want to go? Big sis will take you to a nightclub for a couple of drinks, change your mood?”
He was probably spending time with his family, Tang Yang hesitated for a moment: “Okay.”
Qin Yue waited for her to gather her things.
“Why does everyone like to pat my head?” Tang Yang asked.
Qin Yue: “Does Jiang Shiyan like to pat your head too?”
Tang Yang’s ears grew hot, and she responded softly, “Mm-hmm.”
“I don’t know why. I don’t usually like touching others, but when I see you tilting your little head looking all gloomy, I just can’t help but want to ruffle it, hahaha.”
Qin Yue laughed heartily, putting an arm around Tang Yang as they left.
The pressure of city life was like a net, woven neatly and properly during the day, but at night, the mesh couldn’t contain the clamor.
Bright lights, flowing alcohol, men and women, chance encounters and conversations.
The heavy metal music and loud shouting seemed to make people forget all their troubles.
Qin Yue was a regular at nightclubs.
Tang Yang had been a few times before, always accompanied by Jiang Shiyan.
After entering the club, Qin Yue asked Tang Yang what she wanted to drink. Knowing her low alcohol tolerance, Tang Yang said, “I’ll have tea.”
Qin Yue scoffed, “Should I order you a bowl of nutritious millet porridge too?”
Tang Yang rubbed her stomach: “I am hungry…”
Qin Yue pulled Tang Yang: “Don’t be like this, cheer up…”
Tang Yang’s eyes curved into a smile: “I’m already happy just having you with me.”
A friend who didn’t often gather but always stood by her side cared for her and had a compatible personality.
In the dim, dazzling lights of the nightclub, Tang Yang’s smile was clean and clear.
Qin Yue, despite her extensive experience in matters of the heart, found herself disarmed by this single display of vulnerability.
“Damn that Gan Yiming!” Qin Yue cursed, sitting down to keep Tang Yang company.
Tang Yang was unfamiliar with the scene, and some handsome guys came over to chat her up, but she ignored them. She sat quietly in the corner, drinking porridge and tea, relaxing her nerves amidst the strong rhythms.
Around 8 PM, Tang Yang wanted to go home.
Qin Yue escorted Tang Yang to the building entrance, and Tang Yang thanked her.
Qin Yue was concerned about her: “Are you okay? If not, why don’t you call Jiang Shiyan to come back and keep you company? Anyone suddenly faced with this situation would feel upset.”
Tang Yang energetically struck a Popeye pose, flexing her biceps: “Do I look like such a fragile little girl?”
She lifted her foot slightly: “Have you ever seen a fragile girl wearing 8cm stilettos?”
“Go upstairs and get some rest early.” Qin Yue was amused, laughing as she gave her a gentle push.
Tang Yang smiled as she went upstairs, opened the door, closed it, and faced a room of darkness and silence. It seemed she could no longer… smile.
Tang Yang turned on the lights, illuminating the space.
She changed her shoes slowly, then gradually moved her tired body to the sofa and flopped down.
Tang Yang’s gaze wandered unfocused around the large space, stopping here, looking there.
Jiang Shiyan wasn’t here, yet it felt like he was.
Although Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan weren’t officially living together, they lived right across from each other. Usually, they would either curl up at Tang Yang’s place or at Jiang Shiyan’s, which was practically the same as living together.
The bouquet of pink roses on the dining table was placed there by him just this morning. The e-sports magazine on the coffee table was his. The half-empty bottle of red wine on the wine rack was from their playful drinking session. And on the balcony, he had forgotten to buy clothes hangers and had hung his clothes next to hers.
Jiang Shiyan’s dress shirts and jackets were taken to the dry cleaners by his assistant, but he washed his most intimate clothing, his boxer shorts, himself. He had brazenly hung them right next to her small pink items, and when he was hanging them, he had deliberately moved them closer to her clothes.
Tang Yang had blushed and called him shameless.
Jiang Shiyan had looked at her innocently: “Everyone has to wear them, unless…” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, “Yangyang doesn’t wear any?”
Tang Yang’s face had immediately turned bright red, and she had raised her hands to scratch him.
“Oh my, getting angry out of embarrassment.” Jiang Shiyan had taken advantage of his height, shamelessly kissing her hand. “I just love it when Yangyang gets all flustered. Look at these little hands, so white, so soft. Come on, scratch wherever you want, big brother will let you.”
Tang Yang had been utterly mortified at the time.
But as time went on, she had gotten used to it…
Also, he had probably come back around noon today; there was a different suit jacket on the sofa.
It was that black one he liked to wear, with dark blue and gold patterns. He always seemed to be like this, hiding a bit of flamboyance beneath his serious exterior.
Tang Yang struggled to pull her lips into a smile, slowly lying down on that suit jacket. As she lay there, something dug into her back. Tang Yang reached around and pulled out his mouse, the corners of her mouth gradually freezing in place.
The back that the mouse was digging into seemed to be a focal point, from which an ache spread to her feet in high heels, then to her spine, and finally permeating her entire body…
The soreness was uncomfortable, really uncomfortable.
But he wasn’t here.
Tang Yang knew he was probably watching TV with Mama Jiang, or talking with the old man, but she still couldn’t help picking up her phone and dialing his number.
“Ring, ring.”
It rang twice before connecting.
A noisy background came through from the other end, then a slightly quieter environment, and then Jiang Shiyan’s low, gentle voice filled with a smile: “Yangyang.”
Tang Yang felt like a drowning person who had just grabbed onto a straw.
She moved her lips, trying hard to sound as calm as usual: “Jiang Shiyan, what are you doing?”
“I’m upstairs building blocks with Chengcheng,” Jiang Shiyan said, holding the phone in front of Chengcheng, “Say hello.”
Chengcheng called sweetly: “Auntie Tangtang.”
Jiang Shiyan corrected: “Call her Aunt.”
Chengcheng’s eyes widened: “Isn’t Yangyang Auntie Tangtang?”
Jiang Shiyan nodded: “Yes, that’s why you call her Aunt.”
Tangtang Auntie is Uncle’s good friend, so why is she suddenly Aunt? Can a good friend be an aunt? Chengcheng was confused. Jiang Shiyan took out a one-yuan bill from his wallet and waved it in front of Chengcheng.
Chengcheng called out crisply: “Aunt.”
“Mm…” Tang Yang responded softly on the other end of the phone.
“Good girl, go play by yourself.” Jiang Shiyan smiled and patted Chengcheng, then got up and went to the quieter balcony.
Tang Yang asked him: “What did you eat for dinner?”
“We haven’t changed housekeepers, still those nine dishes,” Jiang Shiyan listed them one by one, “There were sweet and sour pork ribs that you like, I ate two extra pieces.”
“Well, thank you then.”
Tang Yang asked who else was there, what they talked about, what they did, and what they planned to do.
Jiang Shiyan answered each question seriously and patiently.
Just as he was about to ask her something, Tang Yang said: “Well, you should go wash up then. You still need to play cards with them later. I’m about to go to sleep too.”
Jiang Shiyan stopped but reminded her: “Close the doors and windows properly. If you feel cold, turn on the air conditioning for a while. Remember to put a cup of water in the air-conditioned room…”
“…”
They said goodnight to each other, and Tang Yang hung up first.
Returning to complete silence, Tang Yang lowered her phone and gently licked her lips.
She hadn’t told him… How should she tell him? Tell him what?
Should she say she wasn’t paying attention and got outmaneuvered? If she had known in advance, she could have arranged a bunch of work that couldn’t be put off, and she wouldn’t have had to go.
Should she say she was going on a pointless 40-day business trip?
Especially since the “New Thunder” training location was at the B City branch, and the B City branch manager had wanted to keep her there before. She had just managed to transfer back. These kinds of medium to long-term, large-scale training sessions often came with personnel transfers. What if she got transferred back to B City…
The more Tang Yang tried not to think about it, the more this possibility magnified in her mind.
She couldn’t help but overthink, and it just so happened that he was busy, that he wasn’t here.
Tang Yang thought she should be used to these things by now. Even if there was a transfer, she should be used to it. Wasn’t it said that loving someone was like having armor? Why was it that now that she had Jiang Shiyan, she became so hesitant and sensitive… not at all carefree?
Tang Yang covered her face with an “Ah,” then grabbed his jacket and covered the upper half of her body with it.
Time ticked by, and after lying there for a while longer, Tang Yang got up to take a shower.
After coming out, she took off the rubber band tying her hair, and went to the door to lock it.
As Tang Yang’s hand touched the doorknob, she heard the sound of a key turning in the lock.
Only her parents and Jiang Shiyan had spare keys to her home. Tang Yang froze for a moment, then let go of the handle.
The door was pulled open from the outside, and a person who shouldn’t have been there stood in front of Tang Yang.
He was wearing a down jacket, probably having left in a hurry. The zipper of his jacket wasn’t properly done up, vaguely revealing the outline of his pajamas underneath.
Tang Yang’s mind went blank for a moment. She blinked her eyes.
The man smiled, tilting his head to look at Tang Yang, and blinked along with her.
“You,” Tang Yang still couldn’t believe it, her tongue stumbling, “You, weren’t you supposed to be playing cards with the others?”
“You, you, you,” Jiang Shiyan imitated her soft tone, “Didn’t you miss me?”
Tang Yang’s face heated up at being mimicked, but she couldn’t recall, “Did I say I missed you?”
Even though she had missed him very, very much.
But knowing it wasn’t convenient for him to come back, she hadn’t said a single word about missing him.
Jiang Shiyan let out an “Oh,” and started repeating from her first words on the phone call: “Jiang Shiyan, what are you doing? Chengcheng is so well-behaved. Mm, Jiang Shiyan, what did you eat for dinner? Well, thank you then…”
He repeated every sentence of hers, not missing a single word or intonation.
Tang Yang doubted what she was hearing, biting her lip and rubbing her ears, turning the soft, delicate white of her ear lobes red.
“I thought every word you said meant you missed me,” Jiang Shiyan saw her lips slightly parted but not speaking, and teased her, “Since you don’t miss me, I guess I’ll go back…”
As he spoke, Jiang Shiyan pretended to take a step back toward the door.
Tang Yang suddenly reached out and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
Jiang Shiyan had sensed something was off in her tone on the phone, but he didn’t realize her emotions were so intense. He steadied himself from the slight backward sway and placed his hands on her back in a comforting gesture.
He still didn’t ask what was wrong, but gently tightened his arms, silently pulling her closer into his embrace, and then, softly held her tight…
“Yangyang…”
His heart ached for her.