When the Heartthrob Meets the Cold-Hearted Ex - Chapter 16

Miss Tang, ever dedicated and passionate about her work, was among the last to board the bus.

When the employees on the bus caught sight of her, their initial surprise quickly gave way to immense joy and enthusiasm.

In just one week, Tang Yeran had built a solid rapport with everyone at Qianhe, from top to bottom. After all, no one could resist a beautiful, professional, and good-natured young woman.

With over a dozen seats to spare, the moment Tang Yeran stepped onto the bus, at least five people were already vying to sit next to her.

The enthusiasm was overwhelming, making it difficult for Tang Yeran to choose a seat. She could only walk down the aisle, greeting everyone along the way.

At this point, nearly everyone’s attention was fixed on Tang Yeran, so when Su Yang boarded the bus, she did so with remarkable discretion almost invisibly.

Su Yang always made a point of appearing last during group activities precisely to avoid drawing too much attention from the employees.

First, she wasn’t used to it, and second, she didn’t want to dampen anyone’s mood.

But for the first time ever, she found herself walking unnoticed among her own employees.

None of the concerns she had anticipated overly eager greetings, polite small talk materialized.

The dozens of people on the bus were all abuzz, with Tang Yeran at the center of the lively chatter.

Su Yang had always felt uncomfortable under too much scrutiny, but now that not a single employee acknowledged her presence, she felt even more out of place.

She made her way unimpeded to the periphery of the crowd, where Tang Yeran stood in the middle of the aisle, distributing sour plum candies to everyone.

The journey to their destination would take nearly four hours, and though there would be a stop along the way, motion sickness was still a likely concern for some.

These candies, which Tang Yeran had specially bought at the supermarket after work the day before, were inexpensive but intensely tangy perfect for long trips.

For many employees who rarely traveled and had come unprepared, this was nothing short of a godsend.

Tang Yeran had brought plenty, handing out a few to each person, whether they were prone to motion sickness or not.

Everyone was delighted to receive a gift from the lovely young woman.

Just as the candies in Tang Yeran’s bag were nearly depleted, a cool voice interjected:

“Do I get any?”

The question instantly hushed the lively chatter, and heads turned in unison.

How intriguing, the usually reticent CEO Su was actually asking for candy.

Tang Yeran weighed the bag in her hand and thought, You don’t even get carsick.

But this was Su Yang’s turf, and in front of so many employees, she had to save face for her. So she placed the entire bag of candies into Su Yang’s hand.

“I’ve already shared them with everyone. If you’d like some, CEO Su, the rest are all yours.”

Su Yang took the bag and glanced around, confirming that everyone indeed had a few candies in hand. Satisfied, she unapologetically pocketed the remaining sweets.

Tang Yeran had only intended to go through the motions, but since Su Yang had taken her up on it so unabashedly, there was no way to ask for them back now.

She could only offer a polite smile before turning to find a seat.

With Su Yang present, the few young women who had been vying for Tang Yeran’s attention earlier now hesitated to be too overt. They resorted to silently signaling her with their eyes.

In such a situation, choosing any one of them would risk offending the others. So Tang Yeran opted for an empty seat further inside, leaving the spot beside her open for whoever wished to take it.

Seeing Tang Yeran take a seat by the window in the second-to-last row, a few young women had just half-risen to switch seats when a flash of white drifted past through the carriage. In the next second, Su Yang was firmly seated in that highly coveted spot.

Tang Yeran: ?

Everyone else in the bus: ?

What just happened? That movement was it some kind of qinggong?

Everyone had known that CEO Su had long legs, but this was the first time they’d seen her move with such agility.

Now that Su Yang had claimed the seat, everyone abandoned their hopes and settled into their own spots.

The bus began its steady departure.

Tang Yeran glanced at the trees rapidly receding outside the window, then at the ice-cold Su Yang beside her, sighing inwardly.

Four hours. She had originally planned to chat casually with someone.

Up front, some employees were playing cards, others gossiping, but with Su Yang acting as a natural barrier beside Tang Yeran, things were noticeably quieter.

Tang Yeran was now regretting choosing such an out-of-the-way seat. Watching the lively scene up front, she wanted to join them for a game of cards.

But one look at Su Yang, sitting rigidly like a meditating statue, and she silently buried the thought.

Fifteen minutes into the bus ride, they had passed exactly 87 trees and 17 buildings outside.

The worst thing to do on a bus like this was to start scrolling on your phone dizziness would set in, and there’d be nowhere to throw up if needed.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Yeran weighed the options between suffocating herself in silence or striking up a conversation with Su Yang and decided on the latter.

“Hey,” she nudged Su Yang’s arm lightly with her elbow. “What activities are planned for this team-building trip? Have you been to the place before?”

Su Yang blinked, her expression unreadable. “No idea. Never been.”

Great. Succinct. Very Su Yang.

Tang Yeran pressed on. “Aren’t you the boss? Don’t you know anything about the company’s plans in advance?”

Su Yang shifted slightly, settling into a more comfortable position against the seatback. “The admin team handled all the details. I just signed off on it at the end.”

Tang Yeran: …

So you just sign things without asking for details?

Fine. New topic.

“It’s only March, why organize a team-building now? Most companies do it at year-end, along with handing out bonuses.”

Su Yang exhaled softly, silent for a few seconds before replying. “Originally planned for last year. Didn’t have time then. Moved it to now.”

People who spoke concisely were great for work reports, they saved everyone’s time.

But they were terrible for casual conversation. Like now, Su Yang had a knack for ending discussions in one sentence.

If she had just mentioned what had kept her busy last year, they could’ve expanded on that.

But a simple “didn’t have time” implied she had no interest in revisiting the past or being disturbed now.

In the past, Tang Yeran wouldn’t have minded. Even if Su Yang stayed silent for over ten minutes, she could’ve carried on with a one-woman comedy act.

But times had changed. Now, she had learned to read the room and pick her battles.

Better to suffocate in silence than keep embarrassing herself.

The last time she’d been this bored was well, the last time.

Closing her eyes, Tang Yeran began counting sheep in her head.

The coach entered the highway, maintaining a steady speed without much jostling.

Tang Yeran had no idea when she drifted off into a hazy sleep.

The chatter from the front of the vehicle continued without pause, transforming into a rhythmic lullaby.

The little sparrow beside her, who had been chirping away, finally fell silent. Su Yang opened her eyes, her gaze wandering over that fair, delicate face.

With her eyes closed, Tang Yeran wasn’t as radiant and full of life as usual, but there was a rare, quiet sweetness about her.

Her face, small enough to fit in one’s palm, long curled lashes, and the faint dimple that appeared when she pursed her lips, she looked just like a porcelain doll.

Only when she was peacefully by her side did Su Yang feel the most fulfilled.

As if, in this very moment, she belonged to her alone.

But in everyday life, that dazzling, sociable version of her belonged to so many others.

The coach took a turn, jostling slightly.

Tang Yeran’s head, resting against the seatback, swayed twice before tilting at an awkward angle and settling there.

Even like this, she could still sleep.

Su Yang was both impressed and amused, staring at her posture for several seconds.

Confirming that there were no signs of her waking up, she quietly shifted halfway into the seat, reaching out to guide that dangling head onto her shoulder.

After doing so, she glanced furtively toward the front of the coach like a thief.

Good everyone was chatting, and no one had noticed.

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