–
Elsewhere.
Meng Qinghuai delivered two bottles of rare Finnish vintage wine, gifts from an old friend, to Meng Songnian at Meng Yuan, and casually mentioned some next-quarter cooperation details discussed with Carlos Duke.
Meng Songnian didn’t seem very interested in work matters, or perhaps he simply trusted Meng Qinghuai too much.
Anything Meng Qinghuai handled was always done cleanly and efficiently.
On the day of the banquet, Meng Songnian spoke with the Duke on the phone. Although the Duke wasn’t present to offer blessings in person, he still learned of some things he hadn’t known.
For example, Meng Qinghuai had brought a female companion to the banquet.
Of course, this was perfectly normal in social circles. It didn’t necessarily mean they had a special relationship— it was sometimes just for appearances.
But singled out, for the usually solitary Meng Qinghuai, it was indeed unusual.
After lunch, the father and sons sat on the sofa chatting.
Meng Songnian casually asked Meng Qinghuai, “I heard from Carlos that you brought a female companion?”
Meng Fanchuan, who had arrived in the northern city a few hours after Meng Qinghuai and had just woken, smirked meaningfully from the sofa, as if watching a show.
His eldest brother remained calm and unruffled: “Yes.”
“You didn’t seem to have this habit before.”
“I hadn’t attended an 18-year-old young lady’s coming-of-age ceremony before.”
“…”
Meng Songnian thought it over and realized that his son usually attended business dinners, and for such young women’s birthday banquets, bringing a female companion to facilitate communication among women was a strategy.
He let it go; after all, Meng Qinghuai always acted with propriety.
“Don’t say I, as your father, made you run all this way.” Meng Songnian changed the topic, pulling out a document. “During your trip, I had someone collect this information for you. Take it and have a good look.”
Meng Qinghuai thought it was work-related files, but when he took it, he saw:
“Detailed Dossier on Miss Guan”
Meng Qinghuai: “…?”
Meng Fanchuan sitting beside him glanced over and snorted, “You’d be wasted if you didn’t become a spy.”
Meng Songnian glared at him, “None of your business!”
Turning his gaze back to his eldest son, he spoke kindly, “This contains detailed information about Miss Guan’s usual likes and habits. Get familiar with it in advance— know yourself and your opponent. When she returns from her trip, you’ll be ready for anything.”
Meng Qinghuai sighed deeply.
How strange.
What war was he fighting? What victory was he seeking?
He found his father’s strange behavior inexplicable but didn’t want to argue. He stood up to leave. “I have company matters to attend to.”
Meng Songnian reminded him, “If you have nothing to do, at least take a look.”
“…”
As Meng Qinghuai left, when the car reached the door, Meng Fanchuan followed and called out, “Brother, if you don’t like this marriage, tell Old Meng early. Look how eager he is.”
The alliance with the Guan family was known throughout the Meng family.
Meng Fanchuan was reminding his brother that he was betrothed to Miss Guan, and Meng Songnian valued this very much.
If his heart wasn’t in it, better to come clean early to avoid a bad ending.
Meng Qinghuai paused a moment, then replied before getting in the car, “I know what I’m doing.”
Meng Fanchuan shook his head silently. No one could have imagined that his eldest brother, at 26, was already playing the field.
The car pulled out of Meng Yuan. It was just past 1:30 in the afternoon. Meng Qinghuai planned to go straight to the company.
The dossier Meng Songnian gave him was tossed aside, but after a while, he frowned and, out of some strange impulse, picked it up again.
The first page was standard: name, age, height, weight.
Next was educational background and major.
Miss Guan liked reading and literature.
Miss Guan liked minimalist, elegant clothing.
Miss Guan liked refined artistic performances.
Miss Guan liked quietness and disliked noise.
……
The accuracy of Meng Songnian’s background check left much to be desired.
Meng Qinghuai was about to close the file when his eyes caught a line:
“Relationships”
Closest female friend: He Zi (Second daughter of Hong Kong Island He Clan)
Suspected estranged: Li Wan’er (Only daughter of Hong Kong socialite Li Linze)
Closest male friend: Jiang Peiming (Only son of Hongrui Group, childhood friend, former tentative betrothal)
Meng Qinghuai’s gaze lingered on the note in parentheses.
Jiang Peiming?
The name vaguely rang a bell. He took out his phone and searched online. Sure enough—
The young master of Huárui Jítuán, with front-page news filled with gossip photos of him with actresses.
Meng Qinghuai skimmed the webpage coldly. Just as he was about to exit, a news article from last year caught his eye.
It covered a charity gala held on Hong Kong Island by a certain bank.
Jiang Peiming had spent five million to purchase a pink diamond ring, causing headlines and speculation that it was for a marriage proposal.
Meng Qinghuai wasn’t concerned with what Jiang Peiming did, but in the photo, he clearly saw Guan Yingtang sitting beside him.
At a grand banquet full of guests, they leaned close, apparently chatting. Guan Yingtang’s lips curled in a slight smile, listening attentively.
Meng Qinghuai shut his phone and glanced again at the dossier:
—Childhood friend, former tentative betrothal.
His expression paused, and he called He Yongzhi. “Has Yi Jie gone back yet?”
He Yongzhi, who was waiting for Guan Yingtang in the parking lot below Jiang Peiming’s law firm, honestly replied, “I’m waiting for her in the parking lot.”
After a moment of silence, Meng Qinghuai closed the file. “Understood.”
–
Guan Yingtang went to see Jiang Peiming at noon.
She happened to arrive during the law firm’s lunch break, and they had a brief meeting.
“Don’t say I went out to play and didn’t think of you.” In the break room, Guan Yingtang handed over a large bag of nougat. “I picked every flavor. They’re really tasty.”
Jiang Peiming clicked her tongue and smiled brightly as she accepted it. “Why, are you already handing out wedding favors?”
She was grinning with mischief, and Guan Yingtang pretended to take back the candy. Jiang Peiming stifled her laughter. “Okay okay okay, I’m not teasing.”
Just as she had the candy in her hands, Jiang Peiming couldn’t resist teasing again, “How was your honeymoon? Did you count moles?”
Guan Yingtang was speechless. After a pause, she grabbed Jiang Peiming’s clothes and said, “You’re so nosy, I should count how many moles you have.”
“Oh, no no no!”
Two young women’s playful voices drifted from the tea room, laughter continuing for a while before quieting.
After the noise died down, Guan Yingtang thoughtfully said, “I think Meng Qinghuai is different from what I imagined.”
She admitted that in Barcelona, there were several moments when Meng Qinghuai gave her a different feeling.
He wouldn’t make her study the guest list before the banquet.
He praised the backless dress she wore.
He accompanied her to lively parties that night.
He sent her flowers on the day the whole city was in love…
All this made Guan Yingtang feel that there might be some affection between them.
Otherwise, why on Valentine’s night, when he leaned against the table looking at her, was his gaze so intense?
So intense that when she innocently met his eyes, on the plane with the kiss and the embrace at home, he was so calm, treating everything as if it were nothing— polite, considerate care.
As if completely unmoved emotionally, all just formal courtesy.
“What do you think he really feels?”
“Don’t ask me. Besides arguing cases, I only know how to talk.” Jiang Peiming propped her chin, thinking, then her eyes brightened. “Why don’t you ask Chu Laotai? She has experience!”
“…Ah?”
Just then, Jiang Peiming’s phone rang; her supervisor wanted her to deliver some documents. She hurried off. “It’s settled. I’ll come find you later.”
With her gossip buddy gone, Guan Yingtang sat there for a while longer, then got up and went downstairs.
In the elevator, a young man followed her in.
When the doors closed, Guan Yingtang didn’t pay attention to the ads in the elevator. The man suddenly spoke, “Hi, are you Peiming’s friend?”
Guan Yingtang turned around. She didn’t know the man but nodded out of politeness.
“I’m Peiming’s colleague. I’m Du Cheng.”
Guan Yingtang didn’t like talking to strangers but, being alone with him in the elevator, had to reply, “I’m Du Cheng.”
This assistant lawyer, Du Cheng, had been watching Guan Yingtang for some time outside the break room.
After lunch, he passed by, glanced casually, and then didn’t move.
He spent the whole break thinking about how to start a conversation until Guan Yingtang left, and he finally mustered the courage to get into the elevator.
But the elevator was only five floors. The doors opened quickly.
Guan Yingtang stepped out without even saying goodbye. The man hesitated a moment, then followed and asked, “Can I be your friend? Exchange WeChat?”
Guan Yingtang stopped and looked back.
She felt unreal, and seeing her hesitant gaze nearly drained all his courage.
He nervously and expectantly waited for an answer, but the beautiful woman casually raised her eyebrow and said,
“Sorry, I’m married.”
“…”
Without looking back, Guan Yingtang walked away.
Meng Qinghuai’s Maybach was eye-catching— one of only a hundred limited editions worldwide, each numbered.
Not far away, Uncle Zhi saw her coming and had already opened the car door early. Guan Yingtang got in without any guard, only to be startled when she saw who was inside.
“You… how did you get here?” She stared at Meng Qinghuai in wide-eyed surprise.
Meng Qinghuai withdrew his gaze from the man not far away and didn’t answer her question. Instead, he asked, “Is the friend you’re giving the gift to a male friend?”
Guan Yingtang was stunned for a moment before realizing that Meng Qinghuai must have seen the man who had just tried to approach her.
“My friend, she…” Guan Yingtang wanted to explain that the friend was actually Jiang Peiming, whom they had met once before at Gōngtǐ.
But when she caught Meng Qinghuai’s deep, dark gaze, a different thought suddenly crossed her mind.
“What’s wrong with a male friend?” Guan Yingtang said boldly, sitting up straight and pursing her lips as she stole a glance at him.
“Are you jealous?”
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