Chapter 41
If one were to compare the styles of these two women to drinks, then Tang Yilin would be a glass of strong liquor—making one crave to drain it in a single draught, to experience both pain and pleasure, indulging in the reckless abandon of body and soul. Tang Shihan, on the other hand, was like a cup of fragrant tea, requiring slow and careful savoring to truly appreciate its depth and charm.
Yet in this restless age, people would rather spend a night downing a glass of spirits than devote a lifetime to tasting a cup of tea.
Upon reaching the office, they were received by a bespectacled man in a suit. The moment Tang Yilin entered, his gaze never left her. The subordinate tasked with pouring water was so distracted that he forgot what he was doing, eyes glued to Tang Yilin even as the water overflowed and spilled onto his superior’s trousers.
“Hey, what are you doing?” the man scolded.
The subordinate snapped back to himself and hurriedly wiped at the damp spot.
“Get out!” the man barked.
The subordinate slunk away, but not before sneaking one last look at Tang Yilin’s curvaceous figure. That shapely figure was simply irresistible.
“You two are the representatives sent from the Tang family, I presume?” Though the bespectacled man was addressing them both, his eyes remained fixed on Tang Yilin.
Tang Yilin knew men all too well. When a man pressed, she would yield; when he retreated, she would entice. In this back-and-forth dance, no man could escape her grasp.
She lowered her head, feigning shyness, then stole a glance up at the man, her cheeks tinged with a delicate blush, the picture of feminine modesty.
The bespectacled man was instantly bewitched, so much so that he hadn’t heard a word Tang Shihan was saying.
“Sir? Sir?” Tang Shihan had to call out several times to bring him back.
“Huh? Ah, yes, this proposal is excellent, very well explained,” the man nodded.
“But I haven’t even started presenting it yet,” Tang Shihan replied, frowning.
The bespectacled man, however, only gazed at Tang Yilin with a smile, reaching out tentatively to touch her hand. Tang Yilin drew back, and the man frowned in disappointment.
With a coy smile, Tang Yilin placed her hand back on the table, her fingers inching shyly closer to the man’s, her nails brushing gently against his palm.
The man, delighted, grasped her hand. Tang Yilin tried to withdraw, but he held on tight; she pretended to be too weak to resist, lowering her flushed face and allowing him to caress her delicate hand.
He believed he had conquered her with his charm, never realizing that he was already dancing to Tang Yilin’s tune.
“Sir, this is the full proposal. What do you think?” Tang Shihan placed the document down with a polite smile.
But the man didn’t hear her.
Tang Yilin spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice, “Sir, the proposal…”
Snapped out of his daze, the man quickly released her hand, adjusted his glasses, and sat up straight.
“Yes, very good. It’s settled then. For this collaboration, this young lady will serve as the project lead, and the other will assist her as an aide,” he announced, smiling at Tang Yilin.
“Oh, but I have no experience,” Tang Yilin replied with feigned embarrassment.
“It’s your first time, isn’t it? No worries, everyone’s first time is like that,” the man said, attempting a joke.
Tang Yilin smiled demurely on the surface, but inwardly she rolled her eyes.
Tang Shihan was stunned. She had poured her heart into crafting this proposal, staying up late to perfect her presentation, all in hopes of showing their partner her utmost professionalism.
And yet, all her efforts amounted to nothing more than an assistant’s role? Despite her exhaustive explanations, she had lost out to Tang Yilin, who had simply sat there and done nothing?
A deep sense of injustice welled up inside her. Seeing the triumphant look on Tang Yilin’s face and her mocking gaze only made the feeling more overwhelming—frustration and sorrow mingled, and her eyes grew red with suppressed tears.