Chapter 24

Just went upstairs.

The young man's voice came from behind again, cold and low:

"Then may I invite you with the utmost gratitude?"

"Showing Off Affection"

An hour and a half later, Tang Mingxi finally got his wish and sat at a window table at Riverside Abode. The Cang River flowed quietly beyond the dazzling, decadent lights of Financial Avenue.

It only took fifteen minutes to get from Mingxi No. 1 to Riverside Abode. Tang Mingxi had spent the remaining hour and fifteen minutes indulging his procrastination at home.

Several new dishes at Riverside Abode suited Tang Mingxi's tastes perfectly, and their presentation was exquisite.

The moment the waiter served them, Tang Mingxi's eyes flickered slightly.

After the lengthy introduction to the dishes ended, the waiter blushed faintly and lowered his voice, speaking in a magnetic tone. "Sir, is there anything else I can do for you?"

Tang Mingxi thought, Does this guy have something stuck in his throat? Why is he forcing his voice so low?

The waiter reluctantly withdrew. Tang Mingxi gave a restrained cough.

Then he took out his phone and snapped a photo of the food.

When you ate good food, you had to photograph it and post it on Moments!

Ye Heng looked up at him, seemingly puzzled.

But Tang Mingxi was completely absorbed in taking pictures and did not notice him at all.

After editing the colors on four exquisite food photos, Tang Mingxi decisively posted them on Moments.

His fake friends from all corners of his social circle immediately liked the post and began commenting.

Young Master Chen from Huaben Real Estate: [Second Young Master, where are you off having fun again?]

Dani from Wanbao Communications: [It looks so delicious TT I want some too!]

Third Young Master from Tayi Dairy: [Free?]

In just one minute, Tang Mingxi's Moments post had received dozens of likes and more than ten comments.

These rich second-generation heirs all had interconnected social circles. Those who hung around Tang Mingxi were mostly playboys without inheritance rights who loved clubbing and throwing parties, and they soon began chatting among themselves in his comments.

With a ding, Wang Min liked his post too and replied: [You have betrayed the revolutionary class.]

Tang Mingxi: [?]

Wang Min's private message arrived at once: [Some people publicly curse their husbands with their girlfriends, then secretly go off to enjoy a sweet little world for two with their husbands. (I have no worldly desires jpg)]

Tang Mingxi: [Who's your sister? Watch how you talk, or I'm blocking you :)]

Wang Min: [Zoom in on the picture jpg]

Wang Min: [Who is this dog of a man? Who is eating at the same table as our noble princess! (Rage)]

Wang Min had screenshotted the fourth photo Tang Mingxi had just posted to Moments.

He had accidentally captured Ye Heng's wrist in it.

Tang Mingxi: [...]

Tang Mingxi: [Did you inspect the picture with a microscope? :)]

Tang Mingxi: [If you have this much time, why not apply to the FBI in the United States? (Smile)]

Wang Min: [Hehe, you're feeling guilty.]

Wang Min: [Does secretly showing off your affection make you this happy? (I don't blame you, I'm secretly sad jpg)]

Tang Mingxi had not felt guilty to begin with, but Wang Min made it sound as if he really had been secretly showing off his affection.

He looked up at Ye Heng. The other man's expression was cool and detached as he focused on the food before him.

Sensing Tang Mingxi's gaze, Ye Heng paused, a trace of wariness entering his eyes.

Tang Mingxi was no stranger to that look.

Although he and Ye Heng had more or less lived in peace over the past six months, that did not mean Ye Heng had forgotten the suffering the original owner had inflicted on him.

Having read the original novel, Tang Mingxi knew that the male lead excelled at hiding knives behind smiles, boiling frogs in warm water, and pretending to be weak while concealing his strength.

I should be thanking heaven and earth if he doesn't kill me. Showing off affection? Showing off underworld affection, more like :)

Remembering his miserable fate, Tang Mingxi suddenly felt a pang in his chest. He absentmindedly stuffed down a few bites, then could not eat anymore.

He switched from the WeChat chat window back to Moments, where more than a dozen new replies had appeared on the homepage.

He froze for a moment, then opened the comments.

It turned out Wang Min had spotted Ye Heng in the fourth photo and stirred things up in the comments, leaving the comment: Does secretly showing off your affection make you this happy?

?

The others then noticed Ye Heng in the photo as well and immediately followed with seven or eight identical comments.

[Does secretly showing off your affection make you this happy?]

[Does secretly showing off your affection make you this happy?]

Expressionlessly, Tang Mingxi blocked every one of them.

He was so angry that he did not even eat the final dessert.

On Monday afternoon, all Tang Group senior executives held their regular meeting.

At the meeting, they openly and covertly fought over whether the Azure Luo Bay development project should be handed to an outsider like Ye Heng. They argued fiercely for a full hour.

Mingheng's deputy director and Director Yang from the finance department nearly came to blows in the meeting room.

It was not until Tang Yun made the final decision and handed the Azure Luo Bay development to Ye Heng that Director Yang sat down, his face alternating between green and white. Yet the hatred in his gaze toward Ye Heng had not diminished.

Ye Heng did not even raise his head, merely turning the pen in his hand.

The meeting lasted four hours. By the time the holographic projector at the center of the long table had begun to heat up slightly, Tang Yun finally announced the end of the meeting.

After the meeting, Tang Yun kept Ye Heng behind alone.

After dismissing more than ten assistants, only Tang Yun and Ye Heng remained in the office.

"How have things been between you and Xiao Xi lately?"

"Not bad."

Tang Yun sat in the president's office chair, looking at Ye Heng with little emotion in his eyes. "Little Xi is my younger brother. I know his personality very well. If he has offended you in any way, you should first reflect on whether the problem lies with you."

Ye Heng lowered his lashes and said nothing.

"If Grandfather's last wish had not been for you and Xiao Xi to marry, I would never have let him be with you." Tang Yun frowned slightly, already deeply dissatisfied with Ye Heng. "Since I cannot change that fact, I can only give you a few warnings."

"I don't care whether you have someone you love outside. Once you enter the Tang Family, cut things off completely. And I don't care what you went through before. Little Xi has one year left before marrying you, and Mingheng and Huanyu are now in your hands. I will only give you one year. A year from now, I do not want to hear people saying behind my back that my younger brother married a pathetic good-for-nothing."

Tang Yun exhaled. "Rest assured, the Azure Luo Bay project will definitely be yours. You need not worry about Tang Youwei's moves. I'll handle them for you."

There was not a trace of emotion in Ye Heng's eyes as he tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Thank you."

A suffocating tension silently spread through the meeting room.

Tang Yun disliked Ye Heng from the bottom of his heart. With his many years of experience judging people, Ye Heng was absolutely not a suitable match for Tang Mingxi.

"One more thing." Tang Yun said, "Since you are going to marry, make an effort to build your relationship. Last time, I heard Xiao Xi say that he doesn't even have your contact information? Remember to add him on WeChat and talk to him more. Even if Xiao Xi treated you poorly before, it was because he was young. That is simply his temper. You should be more accommodating toward him."

"I will."

"Mm." Tang Yun continued, "Also, add more of his friends so you can understand what he likes and dislikes. I'll have my assistant send updates on his social circle to your email. Aside from work, your most important task is making Xiao Xi happy. Understand?"

Ye Heng's fist tightened slightly, then loosened again.

"Understood."

He Wenfang worked quickly. He packaged up Tang Mingxi's WeChat account along with his entire social circle and sent it to Ye Heng.

As he walked, Ye Heng pressed the elevator button. He casually glanced through it, then put it away without much interest.

Who knew that he would unexpectedly run into someone in the elevator.