“There were some business matters to handle.”
This trip had come up suddenly and disrupted Meng Qinghuai’s schedule.
He was used to maximizing his time, so since he had to go to Spain for this event, apart from necessary private matters, he planned to check in on every project of the European branch while there.
Before that, company affairs needed to be settled.
Guan Yingtang nodded, then suddenly thought of something. “Are they also flying on your plane?”
Meng Qinghuai paused, gazed at her for a few seconds, and gave a faint smile. “Miss Guan’s expression right now—do you want to be alone with me?”
Guan Yingtang opened her mouth. “I just…”
She wanted to explain that she just didn’t want to be on a plane with too many strangers, but as the words formed, she realized—
Wasn’t that just another way of saying she wanted to be alone with him?
Her words got stuck halfway, and as she was thinking of how to argue her way out, Meng Qinghuai had already taken her suitcase from her hand, speaking unhurriedly, “They’re not coming.”
“?”
Meng Qinghuai, you!!!
–
Guan Yingtang felt like she’d been played by this man yet again.
So much so that for the half-hour from getting in the car to boarding the plane, she didn’t want to say a single word to him.
At Guangzhou International Airport’s private apron, Meng Qinghuai’s business jet crew was already prepared.
When she returned from Hong Kong Island before, Guan Yingtang had met them once— the captain was a retired British Air Force pilot, cool and not talkative.
They left early in the morning. After takeoff, once the plane reached cruising altitude, the flight attendant brought them a breakfast that had been prepared in advance.
Guan Yingtang had been sitting by the window alone, but since breakfast was laid out on the table, she pursed her lips and, setting aside their earlier squabble, reluctantly went over to sit opposite Meng Qinghuai.
But as soon as she sat down and saw the food on the table, she froze—
Shrimp dumplings and siu mai, rice rolls and egg tarts, fried eggs with ham, silky chicken congee, goldfish dumplings, instant noodles… and even the soul of Cantonese breakfast— Putonghua tea.
It was basically a feast of Hong Kong-style breakfast.
Guan Yingtang swallowed and looked up. “Why is it all Hong Kong-style?”
This breakfast was obviously not a coincidence. She knew the answer, but still wanted to hear it from Meng Qinghuai.
Meng Qinghuai wiped his hands with a hot towel and said as she wished, “If I’m inviting Miss Guan as my companion, of course I have to show sincerity.”
Oh.
So that was an admission that the breakfast was specially prepared for her?
The corners of Guan Yingtang’s mouth involuntarily lifted, but she quickly pressed them back down, silently letting go of their earlier tiff.
Fine, Hong Kong girls are always open-minded.
For the sake of this breakfast, she wouldn’t hold it against him.
Guan Yingtang picked up her knife and fork and, without ceremony, began enjoying the meal Meng Qinghuai had prepared.
She was well-versed in social etiquette and valued reciprocity— if Meng Qinghuai treated her with respect, she’d certainly reciprocate.
So, between bites, Guan Yingtang asked, “Do you have any information on the Duke we’ll be meeting this time?”
Meng Qinghuai: “What kind of information?”
Back on Hong Kong Island, every time she attended an event, Ho Ling would prepare detailed profiles of the guests for Guan Yingtang, so she could find the right topics and show just how capable and knowledgeable the Number One Heiress of Hong Kong Island could be.
Over the years, Guan Yingtang had gotten used to this way of socializing.
“The other party’s identity, background, family members and connections, daily preferences and taboos, things like that.”
Meng Qinghuai looked up, paused, as if understanding her request. “Miss Guan, do you do background checks before every event?”
Guan Yingtang was momentarily stuck. She felt he didn’t appreciate her efforts— she was trying her best to help him at this banquet, and he was still teasing her.
“To be Meng Tai Tai, aren’t these basic requirements?”
After all, in the Hong Kong Island high society she’d known since childhood, every move and word of a woman represented the family’s image.
Not only did they have to behave themselves, but also be tactful and help their husbands’ reputations in society.
But Meng Qinghuai lowered his head and replied lightly, “It’s not necessary.”
Guan Yingtang frowned. “Why?”
“Don’t take these social events too seriously.” Meng Qinghuai said offhandedly, “I’m bringing you along, not to have you memorize boring profiles.”
“……”
What Ho Ling considered extremely important, Meng Qinghuai called boring?
For the first time, Guan Yingtang was confronted with this kind of thinking, and she was a little at a loss. “Then…why are you bringing me?”
Meng Qinghuai looked at her.
He seemed about to say something, but after two seconds, he changed tack. “If you really have to find a reason—”
He lowered his gaze again. “Miss Guan can just treat it as a honeymoon experience after marriage.”
“…??”
Guan Yingtang never would have imagined Meng Qinghuai would say something like that.
For a moment, she even thought she’d misheard. Given their current relationship, she didn’t feel like anything “sweet” could happen between them.
Or did Meng Qinghuai think just traveling abroad together counted as a honeymoon?
But in her mind, a honeymoon was for newlyweds to go somewhere new and keep… doing their thing.
Guan Yingtang took a deep breath and looked out the porthole—
So.
Was it that mainland men were too conservative, or Hong Kong girls too bold?
Jiang Peiming’s line about a generation gap was becoming more and more relevant.
–
After breakfast, the flight attendant, very tactful, cleaned up the table and left, giving them some privacy.
Guan Yingtang returned to her window seat. Meng Qinghuai sat to her right, with an aisle between them. @All the best stories are at Jinjiang Literature City
The plane flew smoothly. Morning sunlight streamed through the porthole, warm and lazy. Guan Yingtang picked up a magazine and didn’t notice what Meng Qinghuai was doing.
Until the flight attendant suddenly walked over with a blanket and said, “Miss Guan, could you please cover Mr. Meng with this?”
Guan Yingtang turned her head and saw that Meng Qinghuai was leaning back in the beige leather seat, eyes closed as if asleep.
She was puzzled by the request. “Can’t you do it?”
The foreign flight attendant gave her a knowing wink. “I think he’d prefer you to do it.”
Guan Yingtang: “……”
Well, from the crew’s point of view, she was probably Meng Qinghuai’s secret lover, and he’d even prepared a lavish breakfast for her.
She’d eaten so much, and now she was reluctant to cover him with a blanket?
Guan Yingtang glanced at Meng Qinghuai and quietly took the blanket.
The flight attendant smiled and left. “Have a great day!”
“……”
They were alone in the cabin again.
Guan Yingtang unfastened her seatbelt, blanket in hand, and walked over to Meng Qinghuai.
Meng Qinghuai was propped up on one elbow, eyes closed, his chest rising and falling almost imperceptibly.
His suit was immaculate— even asleep, his posture was perfect, still exuding a noble, aloof aura, full of cold distance.
But right now, he was so close to her.
So close that Guan Yingtang could clearly see the sharp bridge of his nose, his full lips, and the clean lines of his jaw.
Her gaze drifted down: shirt, tie, and under the light, the faint outline of his Adam’s apple—an air of restrained masculinity seemed to radiate from within.
Even though he was sitting upright and neat, there was an inexplicable sense that the air was thick with heat.
Guan Yingtang’s eyelashes trembled. Suddenly, as if possessed, she bent down, wanting to see him more clearly.
But no one could have expected that just as she leaned closer, the plane lurched violently. In her high heels, she lost her balance and simply sat down—right on him.
Meng Qinghuai opened his eyes.
Guan Yingtang: “……”
She’d never expected that a moment of weakness would be punished by fate—landing right in the lap of the “main character” was outrageous.
Given their current relationship, this was way too ambiguous.
Their eyes met, and Guan Yingtang’s heart raced. She opened her mouth guiltily and quickly picked up the blanket to explain, “…I was just here to cover you with the blanket.”
Meng Qinghuai glanced at the blanket in her hand, but before he could say anything, the captain’s announcement came over the intercom.
He rattled off something in a foreign language, roughly meaning the plane had hit turbulence and might be bumpy for a few minutes.
Passengers should stay seated and not move around to avoid injury.
With the static of the broadcast fading, Guan Yingtang seemed to snap out of it and quickly draped the blanket over Meng Qinghuai. “I really was just going to cover you, but then the plane shook and I lost my balance, so…”
She finished explaining and tried to get up, but Meng Qinghuai stopped her—
“Didn’t you hear what the captain just said, Miss Guan?”
Guan Yingtang blinked. “?”
“Don’t move around.” He repeated the words calmly, then, grabbing her arm, pressed her firmly down onto his lap.
With an air of command:
“Sit tight.”
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