MTB - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Premeditated?

In the end, they were still late.

The gathering was at the same bar where they had first met. The private room wasn’t as noisy as the booths downstairs. Inside were six or seven men and women, most of whom Yun Yang found somewhat familiar; she had probably seen them with Tang Yuelou before. It was clear they were all good friends.

Including Ouyang Jun, she had now met all the founders of Dianqing. She finally saw Ye Ziqiu’s husband, the legendary “President Zhao” himself—his name was Zhao Lin. He had shoulder-length hair, a fair complexion, and was tall and thin, with a gentle, scholarly air. Standing next to Ye Ziqiu, who had an imposing presence, he seemed a bit delicate. Before getting married, he was a foreign national with a very poor relationship with his family. The story went that he had met Ouyang Zhou by chance on a trip back to the country after high school, and through Ouyang Zhou, he was integrated into this “little group” and fell in love with Ye Ziqiu at first sight… Looking at them now, the two seemed quite a good match.

“Where’s Ouyang?” Tang Yuelou asked, looking around.

“The restroom. Bomb! I win again, hahaha… Hey, hey, don’t go yet,” Ye Ziqiu, who was thoroughly enjoying a game of cards with a few others, suddenly remembered something and grabbed her sleeve. “We recently signed a few designers. I sent you their drafts, don’t forget to take a look. I think you’re way too idle these days. From now on, you can handle these design matters yourself. I’m not doing it.”

Zhao Lin chimed in from the side, “Let’s leave the public-facing stuff to Ouyang.”

The thought of it made Ye Ziqiu burst out laughing. “You have no idea. Today, Lao Zhao interviewed a guy who was dressed so flamboyantly, and he couldn’t go three sentences without mentioning Ouyang. Half the department was watching from the doorway. I nearly died laughing.”

Ouyang, a cigarette dangling from his lips, walked in from outside. His face was a little red, though it was hard to tell if it was from the lights or something else. “There you go, making stuff up about me again… Sis, I’m calling you Sis, I’m begging you, please spare me. A man fresh off the operating table can’t listen to this stuff.”

“Don’t deserve the honor, don’t deserve it. Where’d you go? A trip to the restroom took you half an hour. I thought you’d fallen in.”

“Quite a few people come to our company for Ouyang. Our company survives entirely on you selling your looks,” a woman said with a laugh, drawing an enthusiastic response.

With an average age of over thirty, this group acted more childish than the last when they got rowdy. It was obvious they were very close. The scene descended into chaos for a moment, and Yun Yang took the opportunity to reach for a wine bottle. Before she could touch it, Tang Yuelou intercepted her wrist mid-air. “What are you trying to do?”

“Haha, nothing. Just stretching my arms because I’m tired.” Yun Yang rubbed her nose, cleared her throat, and quietly changed the subject. “So Ouyang isn’t gay?”

Ouyang Zhou, who happened to be passing by, spat out a mouthful of his drink.

Ye Ziqiu collapsed in laughter. “Hahahahahaha…”

“That’s a common misunderstanding,” Zhao Lin said, suppressing a smile as he nodded.

Yun Yang was momentarily embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, uh…”

“It’s not your fault. I’ve had my doubts these past few years, too,” Ye Ziqiu said, patting her shoulder reassuringly. “It’s mainly because he’s handsome, has a good background, is in his thirties, and is still single. It’s easy for people to get suspicious.”

“This is what I don’t get. Then why has no one ever suspected Tang Yuelou?” Ouyang Zhou pointed at Tang Yuelou indignantly.

Tang Yuelou calmly poured juice into Yun Yang’s glass. “But I actually am gay.”

Ouyang Zhou: “…”

“And she’s not single,” someone added with a smile.

Yun Yang froze, glancing at Tang Yuelou amidst the teasing cheers.

Tang Yuelou was chatting with the person next to her, though she kept an eye on Yun Yang’s hand as it crept toward the wine glass. Yun Yang half-listened; they seemed to be talking about business, a jumble of professional terms she couldn’t understand. She smiled and said, “Teacher, how exactly do you introduce me to people?”

Tang Yuelou didn’t seem to hear clearly and leaned closer. “Hm?”

In the few short seconds she was being watched, Yun Yang turned the words over in her mind several times before swallowing them back down. “I was going to say, you’re involved in quite a few fields.”

“It’s a startup, after all. You have to know a little about everything,” Tang Yuelou said with a smile. “Ziqiu is more of an expert in this area. With her and Zhao Lin around, I can afford to be a hands-off boss.”

“Oh—” Yun Yang drew out the sound and yawned, resting her head on Tang Yuelou’s shoulder as a reminder. “You’re not allowed to drink. I can’t drive, and I don’t want to call a designated driver.”

Tang Yuelou’s eyes shimmered under the colorful lights. “I know.”

The lights and music enveloping the private room created an ambiguous illusion, as if the person before her had a thousand words hidden behind her silence. Tang Yuelou was quiet for two seconds, then asked with a smile, “Is there anything else you want to say?”

Yun Yang shook her head.

“Are they a bit loud? If you’re tired, we can leave early.” Tang Yuelou picked up an orange from the fruit platter. “I don’t have many friends, but you don’t have to be reserved around them.”

Her hands were well-proportioned and slender. As she peeled back the thin layer of orange skin, a bit of juice dotted her fingertips and slid down her finger. Yun Yang couldn’t help but swallow softly.

It wasn’t until Tang Yuelou held a separated orange segment to her lips that she realized she had been spacing out. She lowered her head and took the piece of fruit, the sourness making her whole face scrunch up.

Tang Yuelou asked, “What’s wrong? Is it very sour?”

Hearing her question, Yun Yang forced her expression to remain neutral, swallowed the orange she had almost spat out, and gave a thumbs-up. “Sweet, super sweet. Teacher, you’re so good at picking oranges. Quick, quick, try some.”

“Really? You always talk in that tone when you’re up to no good.” Dubious, Tang Yuelou tried a piece herself, then put it back down without a change in expression and reached for a glass of water to rinse her mouth.

Yun Yang clutched her stomach, bent over with laughter. The bit of anxiety she’d felt moments ago vanished without a trace.

“Xiao Jun just got back. The old man said if I don’t show up to the family dinner this time, he’ll break my legs.” Ouyang Zhou looked at his watch and stood up unsteadily. He had drunk a lot today, but even so, he managed to stay clear-headed, ever the gentleman as he passed a coat to the woman beside him to cover her legs. “You can have this, it’s a bit cold in here—but so I can see you in one piece next time, I have to leave first today.”

Zeroing in on the keyword “Xiao Jun,” Yun Yang glanced back.

“I’ll definitely treat next time, definitely… Oh right, Yun Yang,” he casually grabbed a strawberry from the fruit platter, clearly drunk. He sat down next to Yun Yang and slung an arm around her shoulders. After catching a sidelong glance from Tang Yuelou, he moved his hand to the back of the sofa behind her. “Have fun, we’re all friends here, no need to feel awkward. You have no idea, if it weren’t for Tang Yuelou wanting to meet you for a long time, last time I definitely would have… Mmph, mmph!”

Ye Ziqiu swiftly clapped a hand over his mouth.

The private room fell silent for a second. Yun Yang froze, as if her gears had rusted. A beat later, her gaze shifted to Tang Yuelou.

“You…”

“It’s nothing, nothing. This idiot is drunk, just spouting nonsense,” Ye Ziqiu quickly tried to smooth things over. “Haha, who’s going to see him out? Yuelou, you haven’t been drinking, right? You take him down, go, go, go…”

“I’m not drunk. What’s wrong?” Ouyang Zhou scratched his head, confused. “Who left this orange here? If no one’s eating it, I will.”

---

At eleven o’clock at night, Beicheng was ablaze with lights. The nightlife was just beginning, and the bar street was at its busiest. Yun Yang stood by a flowerbed outside the parking lot, idly kicking at the small pebbles at her feet as men and women passing by cast intentional or unintentional glances her way.

She remembered her first meeting with Tang Yuelou, almost two months ago, in this very bar. At the time, she’d thought Tang Yuelou looking at her was just a narcissistic, drunken delusion. But after hearing what Ouyang Zhou said, her mind went blank. Besides shock, she didn’t know whether to be pleasantly surprised or angry.

Tang Yuelou knew her? Since when?

She paced slowly outside the parking lot, and the more she thought, the more something felt wrong.

No wonder Tang Yuelou had no reaction when she went over to hit on her. Back then, she’d even suspected she’d misjudged her orientation. To think it was all premeditated.

A car behind her honked. Yun Yang met Tang Yuelou’s eyes, then pulled open the door and sat in the back seat without a word.

“Yang…”

“It’s roomier back here. I want to lie down for a bit,” she cut Tang Yuelou off.

Tang Yuelou looked at her thoughtfully, then finally nodded without saying anything.

The drive was silent. Yun Yang kept her head down in the back seat, feigning sleep, making her refusal to communicate clear. Someone as perceptive as Tang Yuelou could probably guess what she was thinking, but she didn’t apologize or break the silence. It wasn’t until they were back at the apartment that she emerged from the kitchen with two glasses of warm water and saw Yun Yang leaning against the bedroom doorframe, head down and silent.

“Have some water first. It’s cold outside, and you just got over your cold.”

Yun Yang took the two glasses, turned slowly, and placed them on the table.

“Yangyang, what’s wrong?” Tang Yuelou followed her, looking puzzled. The next second, she was pushed onto the bed by Yun Yang.

Caught off guard, the back of her knees hit the edge of the bed. Tang Yuelou frowned and tried to sit up, but Yun Yang climbed onto the bed herself and decisively pulled the drawstring from her hoodie, tying a knot around her wrists.

“Hiss—Baby, be gentle.” She hadn’t controlled her strength, and Tang Yuelou drew a sharp breath. She struggled to move her upper body, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “I didn’t realize you were into this sort of thing?”

“Cut the crap.” Yun Yang looked down at her from above. “I’m asking you now, Tang Yuelou, is there anything you want to tell me?”

Get instant access to all the chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next