A Love Letter from Lhasa 33

Chapter 32: Tang Mengying’s Understanding

01
The second arrow fired by Su Limin, ten days later, also met with “calm waters, no ripples.” Faced with the unusually quiet behavior of the couple, Tang Huaimin and Annie, and the ever-watchful Mr. Hall, Su Limin was not only puzzled but increasingly impatient. She decided to confront Annie directly, threatening her over the phone to force compliance. Unfortunately, Su Limin had no idea that Annie not only knew her identity but had also discovered that she no longer had any leverage.

In her assistant’s office, Annie was breastfeeding little Jiacuo when her phone rang. She placed the baby on her lap.

“Miss Annie? Ten days have passed, and you still haven’t answered me!”

Annie, recognizing the voice changer, played dumb: “Who is this? What am I supposed to answer you?”

“Leave Tang Huaimin, or I will destroy him!”

Annie’s tone remained calm: “If he truly betrayed you and abandoned you after using you, then by all means, destroy him—I will have no complaints.”

“Good for you! I’ll ruin his reputation so he won’t survive in the company. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Annie remained composed: “What would I regret? The consequences of his actions are his alone to face.”

“You’re ruthless! Annie, pay attention to the newspapers and news in Shanghai and California these past few days.”

“Of course I have. Some female hacker tried to blackmail me and, failing that, threatened to sell my husband and me honeymoon photos to the press and TV stations.”

“What?” The other party suddenly went silent. Annie quietly imagined Su Limin’s flustered expression at that moment.

“Your honeymoon photos with your husband? You really dare to identify yourself, you shameless woman!”

“It’s not me who dares—its you who hides your face, unwilling to show yourself. You’re the shameless one! If you dared to seduce my husband into a one-night affair, show your face!” The two women traded barbs across the line, but it was more farcical than fiery.

“We’ll see about that!” the other party said fiercely, then hung up.

Little Jiacuo, eyes half-closed, continued nursing peacefully.

02
Su Limin felt thoroughly frustrated. She gradually realized that as long as her targets remained unmoved, she was powerless—her game had run its course.

She wrote an email to Mengying to express her feelings:

Sister,
This time I’ve really hit a wall! It feels like Tang Huaimin and his wife, along with Mr. Hall, have united against me. I have no leverage left! From now on, you’ll have to deal with Annie yourself. Be cautious under her watchful eyes—she’s a cunning sorceress! If you’re not confident you can defeat Annie, it’s better to leave Shanghai now.
Feeling powerless,Limin Receiving the email, Mengying felt disheartened: “If even my sister can’t handle Annie, what can I do?” Sitting at her desk, she stared at the bright moon outside, feeling an unprecedented helplessness and sorrow. She whispered to herself:

“Huaimin, why did childhood friends like us end up in this situation? If past lives exist, what did I owe you in that life that requires me, Tang Mengying, to suffer like this in this life to repay your debt…”

Two tears slid down her cheeks. She did not wipe them away, letting them hang freely.

03
In the animation department training room, a group of newly recruited animators was undergoing a series of training courses.

“Today’s four lessons cover character modeling and design—these are foundational courses…” On the podium, Emily, their examiner and head of the animation department, lectured. Tang Mengying sat in the audience, attentive and taking notes, with a small recorder on the desk. Emily occasionally let her eyes linger briefly on Mengying.

“The character sheets provide guidelines for modeling the main and supporting characters. To accurately capture the look and personality, one must thoroughly study the script and the final screenplay. As far as I know, General Manager Tang and Assistant Annie are true masters in this area…”

Annie stood outside the back door, observing the trainees through the glass.

04
Emily walked down the animation office corridor, handing out folders to the trainees. The last folder was given to Tang Mengying.

Emily smiled and praised her: “Your work is excellent—expressions are lively and natural, the style is personal. Among the trainees, your performance is the best. The General Manager certainly has an eye for talent. Keep it up, Tang.”

Mengying stood and bowed: “Thank you for your encouragement, Director.”

“Tang, I’ll treat you to afternoon tea later! I’ll wait at the little café,” Emily winked and turned away.

“Manager really does have an eye for talent…” Mengying thought repeatedly about Emily’s words, recalling that on the interview day, Tang Huaimin had been expressionless, almost robotic. She whispered to herself: “Huaimin, I know you’re not heartless.”

05
At the small café, Emily and Tang Mengying sat across from each other on high stools, drinking coffee and eating pastries.

Emily asked: “Mengying, will you tell me what your relationship with the General Manager is?”

Mengying stirred her iced coffee with a small spoon, smiling but silent.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry into your privacy.”

Mengying calmly replied: “Director, even if there was a relationship, it’s in the past now.”

Emily asked curiously: “Oh? Did he betray you?”

Mengying nodded, a faint bitter smile on her face.

“You weren’t satisfied, so you followed him from Paris to Shanghai and even got into the company?”

“At first, yes, but later I gradually understood some things.”

“Oh? Like what?”

“Now, every day I see him striving and working hard, I feel calm and at peace.”

Emily sighed: “Ah! In China there’s a poem: what is this thing called love, that lovers must suffer between life and death…”

Mengying listened and understood: it was the line: ‘Ask the world what love is, it makes people pledge life and death.’ She smiled knowingly: “I understand you, Director.”

“Actually, I’ll tell you a little secret! When the General Manager first joined, I was immediately captivated by him,” Emily said, with a gentle, mature warmth. “No man had ever attracted me so quickly—Tang was the first.”

“Oh?” Mengying asked with interest. “What about Tang attracted you?”

“He exudes a unique artistic romantic aura—kind, pure, scholarly,” Emily recalled.

Mengying agreed: “Yes, that’s exactly how Tang is.”

“But I was clear-minded; he had a family. I admired him, even secretly loved him, but I knew he was timid, so we remained friends, never troubling him,” Emily added.

“If Tang were Greek, I might have tried to seduce him to become his mistress,” Emily joked.

Mengying chuckled: “I had a similar thought, but not as a mistress—more like a second wife. But I knew he lacked such courage, even if Annie is generous.”

Emily laughed: “Tang, our situations are surprisingly similar. Let me guess, Tang was your ex-boyfriend?”

Mengying softly: “Not ex-boyfriend—he was my fiancé.”

Emily was shocked: “Fiancé? You were engaged to Tang?”

“Yes! We grew up together, bathed together as children, shared the same blanket.”

“Ah, that explains why during the interview, he seemed guilty facing you. Did you sleep with Tang?”

Mengying laughed lightly: “Sleep? That never happened! We were from Catholic families.”

Emily: “Oh! If you can’t be lovers, you can still be good friends.”

Mengying smiled: “I know, I’m working on adjusting my feelings.”

“Let’s be Tang’s good friends, shall we? Tang, Mengying, is my Chinese pronunciation correct?”

“Yes!” Mengying replied.

The two women shared a knowing smile.

Emily asked: “Do you want to move in and live with me?”

“Sure!” Mengying agreed happily.

“I’ll tell you another little secret!” Emily said. “My bathroom faces Tang’s study.”

Mengying puzzled: “Oh? That is…”

Emily leaned in: “Whenever Tang is alone in the study, reading or on his computer, I purposely open the curtain and take a shower for him to see.”

Mengying laughed: “Is this sweet revenge, or playful seduction?”

Their laughter drew some glances; the two women quickly looked down, giggling quietly.

06
Tang Huaimin chaired a meeting with senior supervisors, presenting the “Greater China A4 Project.” He invited Sales Director Eisenhower and Animation Director Emily.

“Eisen, Emi, you are my most trusted partners. I want to discuss how we can root the branch office locally and gradually localize.”

Eisenhower asked: “Chairman, is Mr. Hall aware of this plan?”

“Not yet. Once we reach internal consensus, Annie and I will draft a proposal to take back to California HQ for Hall’s support. The Shanghai branch exists to serve as a base in China to expand the Greater Chinese animation market,” Huaimin explained.

“The market is vast. If we deliberately and strategically build the branch with Eastern characteristics, it’s enough for our ‘dragon’ to soar,” he added.

Eisenhower: “The idea is feasible, but we must overcome challenges: funding, local partnerships, staff training across Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Southeast Asia, selecting commercially viable topics…”

Huaimin: “Excellent analysis, Eisen. Emi, what’s your take?”

Emily: “Eastern cultures, especially Chinese, differ greatly from Western norms. If we aim to root ourselves here, we must center on Eastern social values.”

Huaimin: “Be more specific.”

Emily: “The dragon symbolizes Chinese collective spirit. The Great Wall represents defense against northern invaders. Ghost and fox legends reflect imagination and creativity. Approaching topics from an Eastern perspective establishes a strong foothold.”

Huaimin praised: “Your insight is impressive. Your understanding of Eastern culture exceeds my expectations.”

Annie added: “Emily’s words inspired me. There’s a book called Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio—have you heard of it?”

Emily: “Yes! I read it in college. Stories between humans, ghosts, and fox spirits—very interesting and touching.”

Annie: “Exactly! This could be our signature project. We can collaborate with local investors and media companies.”

Emily immediately supported the idea: “Great! I believe it has strong market appeal.”

Huaimin: “Eisen, plan funding and market expansion; Emi, train Chinese animators; Annie and I handle business and media partnerships. We’ll also convene a management meeting to brainstorm concrete plans for funding, talent, and marketing.”

07
On a sunny holiday, Huaimin worked at his desk on the “Greater China A4 Project” draft. Across from him, the neighbor’s bathroom came into view. He noticed a girl looking at him—it was Tang Mengying. She waved, causing a ripple in his calm.

“When did Mengying move in with Emily?” he wondered, waving back before resuming work.

Emily came in and stood behind Mengying: “The GM is a workaholic. On holidays, he spends most of his time at the desk.”

Mengying recalled: “He wasn’t always a workaholic. He loved travel, photography, and sketching.”

Emily: “People change with their environment. A man passionate about work is very attractive.”

Mengying: “Emily, did you really open the curtain when showering?”

Emily smiled: “Just joking! Once I forgot, and Tang happened to be at his desk. He was working, not peeping.”

Mengying relaxed: “I thought Tang might…”

Emily: “He’s a gentleman, not lecherous. If he were, I would’ve seduced him already.”