Sweet Heart in Honeyed Desire Chapter 18

Chapter 18 — This is Tang Mi's creation.

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Seeing that Yu Yi's astonishment had already completely disappeared when he posed this question, Tang Mi now racked her brain, trying to recall the labor contract to the best of her ability. It had not mentioned any stipulations on how employees could not hold concurrent jobs.

Luo Hao had been walking behind Yu Yi. When he saw Tang Mi, an astonished look also crossed his face. This storyline development was truly unexpected.

Seemingly sensing the mood become somewhat tense within the house, Bai Xiao giggled and explained to Yu Yi, "Oh, I asked her to come over and teach me how to make cakes."

Yu Yi did not react. Bai Xiao looked at his expressionless face and probingly inquired, "Or did you say your restaurant forbid employees from holding concurrent jobs?"

"It does not."

Just as Yu Yi said this, Bai Ce walked downstairs. "Yu Yi, when did you arrive?"

Yu Yi seized the opportunity to look at Bai Ce instead. "Just now."

Bai Ce entered the living room, casually glancing into the kitchen. He somewhat helplessly asked Bai Xiao, "What are you trying and failing to make this time?"

"Cake; I previously told you that I was planning to learn how to make cakes." Bai Xiao tugged Tang Mi over as she spoke. "This is Yu Yi's pastry chef from his restaurant, who I stole to teach me."

Tang Mi was somewhat in a daze. Yu Yi had shown up at the Bai residence, and the Bai family all called Yu Yi by his name so naturally. It seemed that their relationship was, as expected, really good.

Bai Ce sized up Tang Mi before turning to the cakes they made. "You made Mont Blanc? I always felt that thing looked like buckwheat noodles."

Bai Xiao: "…"

She ignored Bai Ce's teasing and headed to the kitchen to fetch the Mont Blanc. She animatedly exclaimed, "Since you are both conveniently here, you can taste our handicraft. Can you guess which one I made?"

Bai Ce chortled. "Is there any use in guessing? The one that's unpalatable is definitely yours."

Bai Xiao: "…"

This was precisely her elder brother, of her own flesh and blood.

Bai Ce pushed both Mont Blanc cakes to Yu Yi and said, "Since your tongue is so famous, you taste them."

Yu Yi looked down at the Mont Blancs on the table. There was not a large difference in appearance between the two. He tasted each one before pushing the cake to the right forward. "This is Tang Mi's creation."

Bai Xiao's eyes flashed, but she still nodded and said, "Correct."

Bai Ce threw stones at someone who fell down a well and queried further, "How unpalatable is the one Xiao Xiao made?"

Yu Yi revealed, "It can't be considered to be very unpalatable."

Bai Ce heard Yu Yi's evaluation and leaned against the sofa as he exaggeratedly burst into laughter.

Bai Xiao: "…"

Tang Mi stood to the side watching before whispering to Bai Xiao, "Since the cakes are done, and because you have other matters to attend to, I'll take my leave."

Bai Xiao nodded and said, "Okay, I'll send the money to your bank account in a little while."

"Thanks." Tang Mi smiled at her before glancing at Yu Yi. "Goodbye, CEO Yu."

Yu Yi contemplated for a moment before saying to her, "Where are you going? I can have Luo Hao drive you there."

Tang Mi was simply overwhelmed by the favor from her superior. "No need, no need, I'm just taking the bus home."

Luo Hao stood up from the sofa and smiled at her. "Still, I'll drive you back. In any case, I have nothing important to do."

Tang Mi shot a look at Yu Yi, and after seeing his intent remaining unchanged, she was forced to nod in agreement. "Then I'll trouble you."

After Tang Mi left with Luo Hao, Bai Ce turned to stare at Yu Yi, bantering with a laugh, "I couldn't tell you were the sort to be so compassionate with an underling."

Yu Yi did not react to his words and merely asked Bai Xiao, "What made you think of having Tang Mi teach you how to make cakes?"

Bai Xiao beamed and answered, "A few days ago, I went to eat your new pastry at Sweet Dream, and it was extremely delicious. So, I wanted to steal your chef. Mn, she works very earnestly and is also a very patient teacher. I can learn a lot of things from her."

Yu Yi appeared to be thinking something, but he did not voice it. Bai Ce stood up from the sofa with a chuckle and said to him, "Shall we talk about our business now?"

Yu Yi nodded and followed him into the study. As he ascended the stairs, Bai Ce carelessly glanced at Bai Xiao, who was left behind in the living room.

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Tang Mi sat in Yu Yi's Bentley, still slightly dizzy from the situation. Although Yu Yi instructed Luo Hao to send her home, it was still ultimately the chauffeur driving the car. Luo Hao could be considered to be accompanying her at most.

Luo Hao sat in the front passenger seat, as habit, and turned toward the back seat to ask Tang Mi, "Why are you teaching Bai Xiao how to make cakes?"

Tang Mi said, "She previously came to eat at the restaurant and asked me. I could not refuse; plus, I am earning tuition fees, as agreed upon."

Luo Hao blinked. "You're very short on money?" According to what he knew, CEO Yu was already giving her very impressive wages.

"Oh, I'm simply saving up money. If possible, I want to open up my own dessert shop in the future."

Luo Hao hummed in slight understanding. "If you open a dessert shop, I will definitely visit."

Tang Mi giggled. "Thank you. When that comes, I'll give you a super-VIP card."

Luo Hao also laughed.

Once Tang Mi was dropped off at her house, the car began heading back in the direction it came. Before Tang Mi exited the vehicle, however, Luo Hao mentioned in a seemingly careless manner, "CEO Yu came over to talk to Bai Ce to discuss purchasing a new variety of vegetables."

Tang Mi's eyes flickered to the side. Why was Assistant Luo Hao explaining CEO Yu's business to her? She exited the Bentley and watched as it disappeared around the street corner before turning around to enter her home.

Because today was not the weekend, Fu Xin was still at work. Tang Mi took a bath and then changed into pajamas before heading to her bedroom to sleep.

Only, it was unfortunate that her brain was entirely focused on Yu Yi and Bai Xiao.

Although she had not interacted with Bai Xiao for very long, she felt that Bai Xiao was a pretty good person. If it was her, she might be able to accept CEO Yu's split personality.

Tang Mi wrapped herself into a cocoon of blankets and gradually fell asleep. In her dream, she was making Yu Yi a wedding cake, but she could not clearly see the bride standing by his side for some reason.

She woke up when Fu Xin returned from work, grumbling about how Tang Mi had not made dinner despite being home. Tang Mi thinned her lips, only to realize her phone had received a notice about money being sent over. She invited Fu Xin to go out and eat malatang.1

With that, Fu Xin no longer had anything to complain about.

Halfway through eating malatang, Fu Xin suddenly recalled something and asked, "Oh, that's right. Tang Tang, when is your next day off?"

Tang Mi thought for a moment before saying, "It should be Saturday next week."

"That's perfect. I saw that our university is having an alumni reunion next Saturday. Do you want to go?"

"Alumni reunion?" Tang Mi raised her head to stare at Fu Xin. "What will they be doing?"

Fu Xin shrugged. "What is there to do—probably just eating and drinking, flaunting wealth, public displays of affection, the like."

The corners of Tang Mi's lips downturned. "Then I don't want to go."

"But I do!" Fu Xin somewhat excitedly grabbed Tang Mi's hand. "This time, Gu Kai Ran will definitely be going. Although he rejected my love confession during university, I have decided to try again!"

Tang Mi: "…"

Fu Xin began tugging her hand, acting like a spoiled child. "Tang Tang, come with me."

Tang Mi: "…"

She pulled her hand back and wiped it on her clothes. "How disgusting."

Fu Xin: "…"

When you were in bed, you clearly weren't like this!

In the end, Fu Xin dragged Tang Mi to the alumni reunion. Tang Mi normally wore a chef uniform to work, and when she had a day off, she spent nearly the entire time relaxing at home. It had been a very long time since she bought clothes. Fu Xin had rummaged through Tang Mi's wardrobe for quite a while, trying to help Tang Mi choose an outfit, but she could not find any clothes to make up an outfit to her liking.

From her seat beside Fu Xin, Tang Mi helplessly said, "Anyways, I'm the one wearing it, not you. Why are you so picky?"

Fu Xin turned her head to glare at her. "Of course I'm picky. You are accompanying me; how can I let others form a low opinion of us!"

Tang Mi: "…"

That was why she said she should not go!

In the end, Fu Xin disgruntledly chose a passable dress and gave it to Tang Mi to wear, pairing it with her own small, sleeveless waistcoat. At long last, she was satisfied.

Despite the alumni reunion simply being an excuse to eat, drink, and boast, it was still being held symbolically at the university. When Tang Mi and Fu Xin stood at the entrance of the university, they couldn't help but sigh with sorrow.

"Tang Tang, let's take picture!" Fu Xin fished out her phone and tugged Tang Mi close to her side, using the university entrance as the photo backdrop.

"A University, I, Hu Han San, have returned again!"2 Fu Xin cried out this line after she took the photo and dashed into the campus.

Tang Mi stared after her strange friend and immediately wanted to turn around and go home.

As it was the weekend, there were no classes going on. All throughout campus, students were scattered about. Tang Mi had previously heard a saying, 'On this earth, the most depressing occupation is being a teacher because you grow older year after year, whereas your students will forever be young.'

Tang Mi now unexpectedly felt this feeling and once more wanted to leave the campus. She had not been that youth for a very long time, but those classmates were still the same as ever.

School was indeed a place that easily evoked memories.

When they arrived at the corner of the street, a lot of people were already there. Because it was simply an alumni reunion, not a lot of people recognized Tang Mi. At the core of the crowd of alumnis, however, was definitely the former seniors who rebuked Heaven and Earth.

"It's Gu Kai Ran!" Fu Xin suddenly grabbed Tang Mi's hand and pointed at the center of the crowded people. "I heard he now works as an IT and makes a killing. These people surely want to seize the opportunity to hold onto his thigh!"

Fu Xin stood far away and watched before she couldn't help but dash forward to join the crowd. Tang Mi stood alone to the side, somewhat idling her time away, when a genial voice suddenly called out from behind her. "I didn't expect you to also come to the alumni reunion."

Tang Mi's brows rose as she turned around and, sure enough, saw Lin Che's face.

She indifferently withdrew her gaze and turned back around. "I am accompanying Fu Xin."

Lin Che moved forward to also look at the crowd of people. He then chuckled. "Did she come to see Gu Kai Ran? That year, she publicly confessed her love to Gu Kai Ran quite loud and strongly."

Tang Mi frowned minutely. Mn, and strongly rejected.

Lin Che wanted to say something else to her, but very quickly, people discovered his presence. As a result, he was also surrounded by all kinds of shrieking voices, becoming the center of another crowd.

Tang Mi retreated to the side, shifting her gaze away. Lin Che had come, so He Si Qi had no reasons to not come.

Last time at the restaurant, He Si Qi had flew into a rage, probably because Lin Che had spoken with her. Tang Mi curled her lips; she didn't want to think about this.

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Author's Note:

Second chapter up~

The stems of the buckwheat noodles were provided by the friendship between the South and little angel Xun Xiao

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A Chinese street food that is essentially 'hot spicy soup,' aka spicy hotpot. ↩ From the film, 《 The Glittering Red Stars 闪闪的红星》,  Hu Han San is the antagonist, played by Liu Jiang. An evil landholding tyrant, he ruled the protagonist Pan Dong Zi's hometown, the small town of Liu Xi. At the start of the film, the small town of Liu Xi established a revolutionary regime, and Hu Han San ran away with his tail between his legs, but later due to all kinds of reasons, the revolutionary army had been forced to withdraw from their central base of operations. Hu Han San returned again and killed burned Liu Xi to the ground without the slightest scruple. He domineered over all others and took revenge on those who previously participated in his defeat. The people of Liu Xi was trapped in a White Terror. Hu Han San's most classic line was "I, Hu Han San, have returned again, to take back what has been taken from me, to spit on those who have defeated me." ↩