Chapter 9: Singing Karaoke – Please kiss the most handsome person in the room.
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The pastry exhibition continued until 4pm in the afternoon. Tang Mi and her colleagues did exceptionally well, with not a single cake left unsold.
Lu Yu was packing up everything to one side and woefully said, "I originally planned to bring some back for my boyfriend. "
Tang Mi paused mid-pack."Bring back for your boyfriend? You weren't single?"
Lu Yu. " …"
She seemed to have been pushed aside by yet another single lady.
After packing everything, Tang Mi followed Lu Yu into the company car which first took her to Sweet Dream before heading to the company office.
Seeing Tang Mi return, Superviser Yu was the first to welcome her back. "Did you meet my brother?"
Her expression was rather fierce, as if someone had discovered some dark secret of hers. Tang Mi recalled her meeting with the high school kid and couldn't resist smiling. "Ah, you mean Yu Xi Xi?"
"Don't say that name!" Supervisor Yu's expression changed completely. She pulled Tang Mi over to the side and whispered fiercely, "You're not allowed to utter my brothers name!"
Tang Mi pushed the items she held into Supervisor Yu's chest and patted down her hands. "Then help me return these back to the pastry kitchen."
Supervisor Yu: "…"
She undertook the task despite the criticism.
Tang Mi entered the restaurant manager's office to give a report on the day. After she heard the report, the restaurant manager said, "Everyone has worked hard recently so we'll close up a bit earlier tonight. I'll be treating everyone to karaoke."
Closing up early was great news to Tang Mi. She was almost emotional as she stared at the restaurant manager. "Really?"
"Mn. I've already notified everyone else. Since you have a day off tomorrow, let's go all out tonight."
"Thank you, restaurant manager!" Tang Mi was so ecstatic she almost flew. She could finally sleep in for a whole day tomorrow!
The whole restaurant buzzed with excitement as closing time approached. By the time Tang Mi went to the cloak roam to change clothes, Supervisor Yu had already swapped into casual clothes and was applying her lipstick.
Tang Mi glanced at her red lipstick, She blinked and asked, "Are you going for a date?"
Supervisor Yu rolled her eyes at her. "Didn't you know that our restaurant manager also invited CEO Yu to karaoke?"
Tang Mi's eyes widened slightly. "CEO Yu is coming?"
"Not sure, he's always so busy. Although, don't you think we should still prepare just in case?" Supervisor Yu finished applying lipstick and puckered her lips while facing the mirror. "My lashes aren't curled enough, need to brush through it more."
Tang Mi changed her clothes in a daze. CEO Yu didn't show up at our exhibition today. Would he come karaoke with us?
No, she couldn't imagine CEO Yu singing karaoke.
By the time she dawdled her way out of the restaurant, everyone had already organised the three cars' seating arrangements. Only the restaurant manager, manager Zhang and the head chef had driven. It would be a tight fit to accommodate everyone. Since Tang Mi came out last, there wasn't even enough space to squeeze her in.
The restaurant manager was planning to let another colleague drive her car so that she and Tang Mi could just catch a taxi to the karaoke place until she caught sight of a Bentley driving towards them in the distance.
pIt was Yu Yi's car.
Everyone at Sweet Dream recognised this car. A small commotion rose amongst them.
Luo Hao emerged from the passenger seat and saw Tang Mi and the restaurant manager. "What's wrong?"
The restaurant manager shrugged her shoulders. "There's not enough space."
Luo Hao said a few words towards the person in the back seat then turned to Tang Mi and smiled. "Tang Mi, get in the car."
All the female employees squeezed inside the car had intestines green with regret. If they had known CEO Yu would be coming, they would have played their spirit of humility until the end!
Tang Mi was also slightly shocked. Get in the car? In CEO Yu's car?
Luo Hao saw her motionless self and chuckled as he said, "what, don't want to come?"
The restaurant manager patted Tang Mi on the back. Tang Mi walked a few steps up to the side of the car and Luo Hao opened the door for her. Yu Yi was sitting inside, his head tilted slightly towards her.
As always, his pair of deep black eyes showed no emotion. Tang Mi forced her lips into a smile, gathered her courage and stepped into the car.
The car started up in the midst of silence. Tang Mi felt overly conscientious. The last time she had sat in Yu Xin's car was definitely not like this!
She subtly tilted her head to glance at Yu Yi, thinking of the way he smiled and how his dimples showed.
"What is it?"
Yu Yi suddenly turned his head, surprising Tang Mi into quickly avert her gaze. "Nothing."
After their short conversation, the car became quiet again. A short while later, Yu Yi suddenly asked, "Have you become accustomed to the job?"
Tang Mi paused for a moment, then nodded. "Mn. It's okay."
"Do you have any other thoughts about it?"
Tang Mi didn't quite understand. "What other thoughts?"
Yu Yi's lips twitched. "I heard from Qi Xuan that your work performance is exemplary. I will inform the HR department to let you transfer permanently earlier."
Tang Mi was stunned. When did the restaurant manager tell CEO Yu?
Sitting in the front, the Luo Hao that was eavesdropping on their conversation couldn't help but let out a muffled laugh. It hasn't even been a month and you're already giving permanent transfers. Are you scared she'll run off?
Tang Mi finally came to her senses and quickly thanked Yu Yi. He made a sound in response and returned to silence.
The restaurant manager had reserved the karaoke room early on and had even ordered a variety of snacks and beer. At first everyone was a little on edge due to Yu Yi's presence, but once the restaurant manager sang the first song, the tension disappeared and the atmosphere started to heat up.
Tang Mi wasn't one to take the spotlight, and in this room of fierce performers, she had a much harder time getting a turn so she just sat in the midst of everyone and listened to them sing.
Luo Hao, Manager Zhang and the head chef were playing with dice. Yu Yi sat to the side, watching them.
Not knowing who had chosen the song 《long shot》, but even after the instrumentals passed, nobody sang it. Supervisor Yu acted up and said,"if no one is going to sing, then I'll skip it!"
The restaurant manager spoke up. "It might've been Tong Tong who chose it. She went out just then." She looked at Tang Mi and asked, "You haven't sung a single song yet, right? Do you know this one?"
Tang Mi nodded. "I do but…"
"OK, then you can sing it."
Seeing her hand over the microphone, Tang Mi took it in the end. Half the song had already played so she started singing from the chorus.
"Longshot, there weren't much tears in the photos we had taken, only cool sea breezes and sand dunes. Until the next time we meet, you'll only casually reopen my old wounds. Our story’s end, there's no need to find."
Tang Mi's voice was pure and light; it was very pleasant to listen to.
As she kept singing, she felt that these lyrics felt very familiar to her experiences. Wasn't Lin Che the same as this? Acting like nothing had happened after they had met; talking like they were old friends, and not mentioning anything that had happened that year.
After the song finished, she handed the mic back to Supervisor Yu and returned to her seat.
Tong Tong just happened to walk back into the room with a box in her hands. Supervisor Yu looked over at her and asked, "Where did you just go? We've already sung your song."
Tong Tong wasn't bothered by it and placed the box onto the table. She grinned as she said, "I just went out to borrow this. There's truth or dare questions inside, and it also has a spinning disk. Let's play Truth or Dare!"
Majority of the room was in favour of this idea. Tang Mi was opposed to it, but since she hadn't sung much, she was peer pressured into playing it.
Naturally, no one dared to force Yu Yi—the big OSS—to participate even though all the ladies were dying to ask him for his sizes.
"The person that the disk lands on has to choose. You can reject the given question, but your penalty is to drink." Tong Tong declared the rules like a referee. "Of course, you can pick a person to take the shot for you. They just need to agree beforehand."
Tang Mi timidly raised her hand. "Can I still go pick some songs?"
"NO!"
Tang Mi could only remain silent in the face of such harsh rejection. It's just drinking anyway, who's scared of who!
And then the disk landed on her in the first round.
Tang Mi: "…"
"Choose one." Tong Tong placed the box in front of her, watching her eagerly. Tang Mi shut her eyes and prayed. Father, please make sure the question I choose is a normal one!
Tong Tong grabbed her card and read it out. "Please kiss the most handsome person in this room."
Tang Mi: "…"
Everyone's eyes fell onto Yu Yi,and the room suddenly erupted into chaos. Manager Zhang even whistled.
Yi Yi had absolutely no expression at all, while Tang Mi's face was red up to her ears. Fortunately for her, it was hard to tell from the bad lighting in the room.
She was too embarrassed to look at Yu Yi and could only softly mutter, "I'll drink instead."
The whole room was filled with disappointment. Tong Tong saw Tang Mi grab a pint of beer and quickly grabbed her hand while saying, "who told you to drink this?"
She raised her brows, grabbed an empty cup and mixed all the alcohol on the table into that glass.
Tang Mi: "…"
Fuck, this was different from what we agreed on!
Tong Tong grinned evilly. "If you don't want to drink, you still have a chance to kiss CEO Yu."
Tang Mi contemplated for a moment. No matter how she thought about it, she felt that her fate after kissing CEO Yu would still be much worse, so she picked up the glass like a warrior and said, "Cheers to the end of this roaring river!"
Everyone started applauding loudly. As Tang Mi's lips touched the glass, her repressed tears almost fell. At least Tong Tong still had a conscience and had given her a small glass.
After she downed the whole glass, Tang Mi decided she would never go karaoke with them again.
Tang Mi relaxed during the second round, almost certain that the spinner wouldn't fall on her twice in a row. Then life gave her an amazing maths lesson.
It was not an impossible chance for the spinner to fall on her twice, but a 0.2% chance.
Tong Tong lifted the little dark box towards Tang Mi and with a pious heart, she randomly shuffled a card out. This time it was Truth.
"Please announce your three sizes."
Tang Mi: "…"
Fuck, she wanted to flip the table! She knew it, this game and her were not compatible!
"If you don't say it then you'll have to drink two this time!"
Tang Mi pressed her lips together. With all her male collages around, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"I'll drink for her."
Yu Yi's cold voice pierced through the karaoke room. The entire room went silent. Before anyone could even react, Yu Yi had already finished the two shots.
Tong Tong stared at the two empty shot glasses, before taking the lead to applaud, "CEO Yu is a true man!"
Yu Yi ignored the cheers from the crowd and stood up from the sofa. "I'm going home first. Enjoy the rest of the night."
Luo Hao followed behind him as he walked out of the room. Tang Mi paused momentarily before getting up and grabbing her bag from the sofa. "Sorry everyone, I'm really tired today so I'm also going to leave. Have fun tonight!"
She rushed out right after. By the time she got outside, Yu Yi was just about to step into his car.
"CEO Yu!"
Yu Yi stopped when she called out. He turned his head towards her. "What is it?"
"Um…" Tang Mi pressed her lips together. She hadn't meant to chase after him, as for what she wanted to say…
"Thank you for drinking for me."
Yu Yi glanced at her. "No problem."
Tang Mi clutched her bag and stood there. Yu Yi stepped into his car and rolled down the window. "I'll take you home."
She hesitated for a moment, then quickly got in the car.
The car was just as quiet as before. Tang Mi couldn't find any words to say. It was Yu Yi who broke the silence. "When you were singing that song, who did you think of?"
Tang Mi would never have dreamed that he would ask this question. Stunned, she fumbled out the words, "Nobody."
He didn't continue to ask. Once he sent her to her apartment, his chauffeur drove him away.
Fu Xin was still awake by the time Tang Mi returned home. "What's wrong?" she asked, seeing her dejected expression.
Tang Mi sank into the sofa. After a moment of pondering, she said, "I bumped into Lin Che today."
Fu Xin was shocked. She straightened and asked, "At the bakery exhibition?"
"Mm, He Si Qi was also there. Seems like those two have opened a cake shop together."
Fu Xin's expression changed slightly. She had already known this from the magazine she threw away. She hadn't imagined that Tang Mi would still find out in the end. Fu Xin patted her on the shoulder and raised her chin. "So what? Her Lin Che is only the prince of bakery, but right now you're hugging CEO Yu's thigh! Even when this prince meets the king, wouldn't he still have to call him father?!"
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The author has something to say:
The second release _(:з」∠)_
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