When love was expressed so openly, it felt as if a warm breeze had swept through Tang Yang’s heart. Her ears flushed, and she unconsciously slowed her breathing.
———
That evening, there was a moderately sized gathering at the Huishang company, primarily involving personnel related to Tan Xintong—executives, the credit review department, and the risk control department, among others.
Before leaving, Tang Yang called Jiang Shiyan. “Although they all didn’t bring their families if it were you,” she said softly, “I would be willing to take you with me.”
Tang Yang didn’t like standing out like this, but she couldn’t bear the thought of Jiang Shiyan going home alone to face an empty house.
Jiang Shiyan wanted to attend as a family member, but he knew it wasn’t appropriate for him to be at such an occasion.
“Enjoy your meal,” he said gently. “I’m working late too. Call me when you’re done, and I’ll come pick you up.”
And then, with a faint smile, he added, “I miss you too.”
Tang Yang replied softly, “I know.”
It wasn’t until she hung up that she realized… had she ever said she missed him?
However, considering how understanding he was, she scratched her slightly warm ear and thought it wouldn’t hurt to miss him just a little.
Just a little; not too much.
———
Just a second before the end of the workday, the list of personnel for the first pilot issuance of Tan Xintong was officially released.
Qin Yue was appointed as the team leader, with Fan Linlang and two heads from the risk control department as deputy leaders, along with team members for each phase.
The dinner was booked at a new restaurant called You Ran Ju, conveniently close to Huishang.
On the way to the dinner, Fan Linlang intentionally walked alongside Tang Yang, the “fallen” leader, and Tang Yang didn’t refuse. She linked her arm with Qin Yue’s, occasionally turning her head to respond to Fan Linlang’s comments, her expression consistently warm.
Upon arriving at the private room, three large round tables were placed side by side.
Zhou Zixing’s secretary gestured for them to take their seats, and Zhou Zixing naturally sat at the main seat of the first table, with his secretary on his left and the head of the risk control department on his left.
Logically, Tang Yang held the same rank as the head of the risk control department, making her the highest ranking among the others. She should have sat to Zhou Zixing’s right, followed by Qin Yue and Fan Linlang.
Whether it was an accident or coincidence, Fan Linlang was talking to Tang Yang as she entered. While speaking, she casually pulled out the chair to Zhou Zixing’s right and sat down.
Tang Yang calmly pulled out the chair next to Fan Linlang.
The conversations around them gradually quieted as everyone turned to look.
Those who hadn’t noticed anything unusual also glanced over.
Fan Linlang met everyone’s gaze, looked at her sides, and only then realized what had happened. She quickly stood up, flustered, and said, “Tang Chu, I’m sorry…”
“It’s fine,” Tang Yang said, gently pressing Fan Linlang back into her seat. “This isn’t a work setting; just relax.”
Zhou Zixing smiled at Tang Yang.
Tang Yang nodded in return.
Could someone like Fan Linlang, who spent so much time in the office, really sit in the wrong place?
Tang Yang secretly scoffed; she didn’t quite believe it.
———
Perhaps because Tang Yang was present, the dishes at You Ran Ju were served unusually quickly.
As the wine flowed, the initial awkwardness faded into a gradually relaxed atmosphere.
Everyone discussed work and personal matters.
Later, when the white fungus soup was served, Tang Yang stood up and began serving soup to everyone, starting with Zhou Zixing. Since she was familiar with Qin Yue, she served Fan Linlang first before serving Qin Yue. Qin Yue accepted the soup, thanked her, and with a slightly tipsy face, asked about a detail in the Tan Xintong public model regarding the Sharpe ratio.
Tang Yang paused for a second.
Fan Linlang chimed in, “I think I saw that question before.”
Tang Yang nodded at Fan Linlang, then set down her spoon and spoke a long passage in fluent English to Qin Yue.
Qin Yue rested her chin on her hand, listening and nodding, then replied in fluent English.
Tang Yang continued speaking in English, her once awkward professional terms flowing smoothly and melodiously like a broadcast.
A colleague from the risk control department also asked a question in English, and Tang Yang and Qin Yue discussed it in English, creating a barrier of language.
Those within the barrier, including Zhou Zixing and the risk control personnel, nodded in agreement. Outside the barrier, Fan Linlang and a few older employees listened and smiled.
However, the older employees didn’t interrupt at the beginning, nor were they as awkward as Fan Linlang.
After a lengthy discussion, Tang Yang’s face glowed with excitement from the exchange.
Catching a glimpse of Fan Linlang’s confused expression, Tang Yang clasped her hands together and said, “I learned this from the original textbooks, and the teacher taught entirely in English. I’m not sure how to translate it into Chinese, which is a bit awkward,” she said, forcing a smile and apologizing, “Sorry about that.”
The truly awkward one, Fan Linlang, laughed awkwardly, “English is very important.”
A colleague at the opposite table shouted, “Tang Chu, you shouldn’t torture us when you can score an 8 on the IELTS!”
Zhou Zixing raised an eyebrow, “Tang Chu, you scored an 8 on the IELTS before?”
Tang Yang blushed, “I think so.”
Everyone chimed in, calling her “amazing” and “the management trainee is impressive.”
Tang Yang waved her hand, “A hero doesn’t speak of past glories; don’t embarrass me.”
Everyone continued chatting and laughing.
However, such brilliance occasionally revealed in a gathering with various bosses, left everyone uncertain about its impact.
Throughout, Tang Yang maintained a light tone, reflecting her inherent indifference.
Or perhaps, superiority.
Fan Linlang laughed along with everyone, but as she did, her hands at her sides quietly clenched and then relaxed, her half-closed eyes concealing her emotions.
Tang Yang discreetly glanced at Fan Linlang, then returned her gaze without any expression.
———
Meanwhile, Tang Yang took various food photos and posted them on her social media, captioning, “Happy gathering at You Ran Ju.”
On the other side, at the top floor of Yixiu, Jiang Shiyan had said he wouldn’t go, but upon seeing Yang Yang’s post, he didn’t mind making her feel a bit guilty.
Thinking this, Jiang Shiyan quickly picked out the generous bacon, shrimp, and crab meat from his instant noodles, leaving only a half-bowl of bland broth for the camera, adding a gray filter for effect, and captioning, “Office life, just like this, working late.”
The two social media posts contrasted sharply.
Other friends laughed and liked the posts, commenting.
Cheng Siran was taken aback.
Everyone knew Jiang Shiyan’s reputation for being reckless and carefree.
But only Cheng Siran knew that just a few days ago, this unruly little tyrant had been crying like a dog while holding his phone.
After all, he was still his brother, and Cheng Siran couldn’t help but worry.
Cheng Siran stared at the screen for a few seconds, losing his appetite for dinner. He put down his chopsticks and walked to the balcony.
When he received Cheng Siran’s call, Jiang Shiyan was somewhat surprised. Did this guy want to treat him to dinner?
On the phone, Cheng Siran spoke casually, “Did you eat dinner, Dog Yan?”
Jiang Shiyan replied, “I’m eating now.”
Cheng Siran, knowing the answer, asked, “What are you eating?”
“Instant noodles.”
In Cheng Siran’s impression, Jiang Shiyan was a hedonist; words like “instant noodles” and “working late” were rarely associated with him.
Perhaps the worse his mood, the more normal his tone.
Cheng Siran sighed and continued, “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Not bad,” Jiang Shiyan replied.
Cheng Siran paused, finally asking, “How are things with your family member?” He cleared his throat, “What’s the situation now?”
Silence ensued for a few seconds.
Jiang Shiyan chuckled lightly, his tone filled with a ripple of joy, “I broke up with Yang Yang.”
Cheng Siran was taken aback.
So why was he still calling her “Yang Yang” after breaking up? Why did Jiang Shiyan seem so… cheerful about the breakup??
“It’s not the kind of breakup you’re imagining; it’s a different kind,” Jiang Shiyan said, unable to hide his laughter. “I’ve liked her for a long time, and I finally realized she’s liked me for a long time too. But by the time I figured it out, I was foolish enough to suggest breaking up. Yang Yang reluctantly agreed, and now I’m thinking of pursuing her again.”
Without waiting for Cheng Siran to respond, Jiang Shiyan couldn’t help but sigh, “It doesn’t have to be in this form; it’s just that when I was with her before, everything was so hasty—time, place, and reasons were all rushed. I just want to treat her better, to make up for it.”
Jiang Shiyan continued, “When I give her gifts, she’s happy. When I take her to work, she’s happy. When I cook for her, she’s also happy. Her happiness makes me happy. This morning, I prepared a small surprise for her, and when she received it, she couldn’t help but call me… Ah, forget it,” Jiang Shiyan wanted to savor the moment himself, quickly adding, “She just posted on social media, and I haven’t liked it yet. I need to hurry; I want her to know I’ve been thinking about her for a long time.”
Jiang Shiyan rambled on, not giving Cheng Siran a chance to respond, and abruptly hung up the phone.
Cheng Siran was left listening to the busy tone, his eyes reflecting the search page on his tablet: “What to do if your buddy is not normal after a breakup,” “How to comfort someone who has broken up,” “What are some healing music recommendations”…
The night breeze was cool, and Cheng Siran looked bewildered.
———
In the following days, Jiang Shiyan’s overtime frequency increased, and the credit review department was particularly busy.
The specific plan for the first pilot issuance of Tan Xintong had been finalized, with Fan Linlang responsible for the review and promotion, appearing to carry a heavy responsibility.
Qin Yue brought the plan to Tang Yang for review, explaining, “The review means there’s nothing to do. For the promotion, she mainly needs to check the deadline for submitting the types of financial products under Tan Xintong on the intranet and submit the products. The content of the products is being handled by the risk control side, and I’m overseeing it,” Qin Yue joked, “So it’s like giving her the task of a class representative to submit homework; it’s not very useful.” It was akin to wielding a scepter made of air.
Tang Yang laughed and nudged Qin Yue, “You don’t care about being discreet, do you?”
“If it’s not discreet, then it’s not; she can hit me,” Qin Yue scoffed, “I’m fed up with this greasy old woman who spends all day in the office, full of convoluted thoughts, sitting next to Zhou Zixing. Why doesn’t she just sit on his lap?”
Tang Yang couldn’t help but laugh again.
She saved the documents Qin Yue had brought and greeted Ao Si, then grabbed her car keys and headed downstairs with Qin Yue.
“Are you driving, or should I?” Tang Yang asked.
“You drive,” Qin Yue replied.
The elevator only contained the two of them.
As they descended, the rhythmic sound of Qin Yue’s high heels echoed on the floor. Suddenly, she said, “You should drive; you have a boyfriend, so your driving skills must be good.”
This…
Tang Yang felt a sudden rush of embarrassment and playfully nudged her, “Speak properly.”
Qin Yue retorted seriously, “Who is ‘proper’?”
This made Tang Yang unable to resist poking her again.
Indeed, Tang Yang and Qin Yue had been frequently meeting and going out during work hours.
Recently, Tang Yang shifted her focus from Tan Xintong to the Jiujiang project.
During her final review, she discovered a significant financial discrepancy—
The financial report from Jiujiang showed that over the past few years, they had made substantial charitable expenditures annually, primarily directed toward Hope Primary Schools, hospitals, and welfare homes.
A long time ago, when Jiang Shiyan was on a business trip to Beijing, Jiujiang had received an award for charity at the same venue. Tang Yang had asked about it, noting that it contradicted Jiujiang’s corporate culture. At that time, Jiang Shiyan had meaningfully said, “The more charity is promoted, the more it often seeks to cover something up.”
Logically, since Jiujiang had received charity awards, Tang Yang shouldn’t have doubted it. However, not long ago, the credit review department happened to visit the welfare home in Linjiang City for a team-building event, where the person in charge informed them that the welfare home was initially funded by Jiujiang, but Jiujiang had stopped providing operational funds many years ago. The operational funds for the welfare home came from an individual donation under the pseudonym “ZX.”
During her final review, Tang Yang discovered that the Linjiang City welfare home and many other charitable organizations were still listed as sponsors by Jiujiang.
The financial report from Jiujiang indicated that they were still providing financial support to these charitable organizations annually, but these organizations, at least the Linjiang City welfare home, had not received any related funds.
So where did the money go?
Tang Yang wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence, but Qin Yue also discovered this issue simultaneously.
The two secretly visited other charitable organizations listed on Jiujiang’s funding list, receiving the same answer—Jiujiang had funded them but had stopped allocating funds many years ago. Some of these charitable organizations had long since closed down, leaving behind dilapidated buildings, while others, like the Linjiang City welfare home, had received anonymous donations from “ZX,” and some had been taken over by the local government.
Tang Yang and Qin Yue visited about twenty organizations in a day, rushing in and out.
With each recording, they exchanged glances, growing increasingly anxious.
These charitable organizations resembled a burlap sack marked “charity,” with a large hole at the bottom.
The substantial funds that Jiujiang claimed to be donating to charity seemed to flow into these sacks, but as the money flowed in, it leaked out through the hole, heading to an unknown destination.
Tang Yang couldn’t explain all this to Jiang Shiyan in detail. She returned home exhausted every day, only vaguely mentioning that she was busy with research.
Jiang Shiyan didn’t press her for details, instead running a foot bath for her.
One day, after dinner, they both took early showers, changed into loose bathrobes, and nestled on the sofa.
The twilight was dim, and the distant sky outside the window resembled an endless oil painting.
Tang Yang leaned against her plush bear, while Jiang Shiyan sat cross-legged beside her.
Tang Yang lazily rested her legs on Jiang Shiyan’s thighs, and he gently massaged her calves.
Having learned from videos a few times, Jiang Shiyan’s technique had become increasingly professional.
His warm palms glided over Tang Yang’s slightly cool skin, scraping, patting, kneading, and tapping. The soreness in her calf muscles seemed to dissolve under his touch, radiating warmth from the point of contact, spreading a tingling sensation throughout her limbs.
Tang Yang wore one earphone, typing on her keyboard to organize the recordings she had collected with Qin Yue in the afternoon.
As she paused her typing, Jiang Shiyan, fearing his voice might startle her, stopped his hands and softly said, “Cheng Siran has a private dinner on Friday night. Can you manage? Do you want to go?” Jiang Shiyan added, “If you go, I’ll go. If you don’t, I’ll stay home with you.”
Jiang Shiyan realized that suggesting he massage Yang Yang’s calves after a shower wasn’t a good idea.
If he had suggested it before the shower, Yang Yang would have been uncomfortable in her suit, but he could have pretended they were in a public setting, keeping his thoughts in check.
However, after the shower, the scent of the body wash mingled with his own. Her calves were smooth and fair, and she wasn’t wearing leggings or a bra at home; beneath her loose nightgown was only a tight lace piece, accentuating her waistline, with her beautiful curves subtly visible.
Tang Yang had recently developed a habit of letting Jiang Shiyan arrange her daily routine.
Hearing his question, Tang Yang pondered, “You decide; whatever you do is fine… whatever you do is right…”
Jiang Shiyan felt a pang of frustration at her distracted demeanor, but he maintained a calm expression as he held her ankle and gently pulled her closer.
Tang Yang widened her eyes slightly.
Jiang Shiyan gazed at her steadily, then decisively lifted her skirt!