Guan Yingtang stood frozen in place, unable to believe what she was seeing, thinking it might be a hallucination brought on by her overwhelming resentment.
The flowers on the table looked so real—
So intense, so vibrant, wrapped layer upon layer in ribbons, stirring her heart.
Guan Yingtang slowly stepped forward, cupped the bouquet and inhaled its fragrance.
Suddenly, like a little girl whose wish had just come true, she bit her lip and smiled softly.
Thankfully, Valentine’s Day in Barcelona wasn’t over yet, and she hadn’t been the unlucky one in this city who didn’t receive flowers.
Just as she was happily holding the flowers in her hands, a sound of the bedroom door twisting made her hurriedly place the bouquet back where it had been.
Unable to move away in time, she leaned against the edge of the table and pretended to be admiring the scenery outside.
Meng Qinghuai returned after a phone call and looked at her, “Aren’t you tired?”
Guan Yingtang suppressed the upward twitch at the corner of her mouth. “Not really.”
Meng Qinghuai didn’t press further. He took off his coat, removed his watch, then walked over to the bar to pour himself a glass of water.
Guan Yingtang hesitated, then couldn’t resist asking, “These flowers…”
Meng Qinghuai turned around.
Their gazes met, and he glanced briefly toward the flowers but didn’t immediately speak.
That made Guan Yingtang’s heart tighten suddenly. Could it be that the flowers weren’t from him?
Could it be a hotel service?
In such a high-end hotel, it was possible they’d prepare a bouquet for guests on special holidays.
Shit… Why hadn’t she considered that possibility just now?
Guan Yingtang inwardly scolded herself, thinking she had been overthinking again.
She was already running through all sorts of responses in her mind when Meng Qinghuai suddenly walked over, drinking water.
“Hm.” He said calmly, “I ordered them. Do you like them, Miss Guan?”
Guan Yingtang was stunned, her emotions swinging wildly like a rollercoaster.
“You ordered them?” It took her a few seconds to confirm this, and the small waves in her heart rippled again, but she still feigned ignorance, “Why suddenly send me flowers?”
Meng Qinghuai gently set down his glass and leaned on the table, looking down at her.
His gaze rested on her without compromise— Faint, yet Strong— soft yet intense, making her heart flutter.
“Just wanted to.” He said.
Simple words, low and husky, made Guan Yingtang’s heart race uncontrollably.
In truth, both of them clearly understood the reason, but it was too ambiguous to speak aloud.
He spent a memorable Valentine’s Day in Barcelona; after a candlelight dinner, he prepared a beautiful bouquet for her.
Every word sounded like a couple deeply in love.
Yet, he was not.
Still, Guan Yingtang’s cheeks slowly flushed.
The sea breeze blowing by her ear made her heartbeat sound especially loud and clear.
“Don’t keep me up. Get some rest early.” Meng Qinghuai picked up his glass and headed to the next room.
“Wait.” Guan Yingtang suddenly called after him.
Meng Qinghuai turned back.
The words on the tip of her tongue suddenly seemed hard to say, or—
She wasn’t sure if the thing in her bag was appropriate to take out and give to him at this moment.
After a long pause, Guan Yingtang suppressed the impulse and pursed her lips to ask, “What time are we leaving tomorrow?”
“When you wake up.”
“…”
–
Guan Yingtang couldn’t sleep at all.
After Meng Qinghuai left, she took countless photos of the rose bouquet, holding it in her hands and placing it on the bed, capturing every angle and light, like a little girl receiving flowers for the first time, carefully commemorating the moment.
Still not satisfied, she sent the pictures to Jiang Wei.
It was past two in the morning in Guangzhou, but luckily Jiang Wei was a night owl. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she perked up upon seeing Guan Yingtang’s message.
“Did Meng Qinghuai send you those?”
Guan Yingtang lay on her stomach with the flowers beside her, breathing in the rich scent. Happily, she replied, “Yes.”
Jiang Wei had spent four years abroad with Guan Yingtang and knew perfectly well how many suitors she’d had and how many flowers she’d received before.
Yet, taking photos just for herself over one bouquet was unusual.
She teased, “It’s just a bouquet of flowers. Back in college, lots of people sent you flowers.”
“Not the same.”
“What’s different?”
Guan Yingtang couldn’t quite explain.
Perhaps many things were about timing—
The right time, the right person, the right event.
She had received many flowers before, but none like today, appearing in the city’s passionate atmosphere of love, amid her immense excitement and anticipation.
Everything was just right, and even the person who sent the flowers felt different.
Suddenly thinking of Meng Qinghuai, Guan Yingtang bit her lip and sent a “hehe” emoji.
Jiang Wei could read her mood perfectly from that emoji and teased, “At this point, didn’t you two kiss?”
Guan Yingtang’s smile froze. Her fingers paused, and she honestly replied, “No.”
“Tsk, change partners.”
“…”
“I’m sleepy, going to bed now.”
Because of the time difference, she had to sleep early.
Guan Yingtang carefully put the flowers away, pausing for a moment.
Earlier at the mall, maybe in honor of the holiday, the author’s book signing featured a fittingly titled book called Dear Beloved.
Many people had lined up, and ZOE had brought her over to buy a copy first, then asked if she wanted to buy one.
She wasn’t sure why, but just glancing at the beautifully bound cover, she had absentmindedly picked it up.
“Men give flowers to women, and if the woman likes the man back, she should return the favor with a book.”
Looking at the book now and the flowers Meng Qinghuai sent not far away, she felt some hesitation and uncertainty.
…What was it like to like someone?
She would leave for Guangzhou tomorrow. She still remembered when she first came to Barcelona, asking Meng Qinghuai on the plane what he had brought her here for. He told her to treat this trip like a honeymoon.
At the time, Guan Yingtang thought it ridiculous, believing there was no way anything sweet could happen between them.
But now, it seemed that not all relationships developed as she had expected.
Guan Yingtang closed her eyes and suddenly recalled Jiang Wei’s question. She found herself curiously wondering—
What would it feel like to kiss Meng Qinghuai?
–
The next day.
Although Meng Qinghuai said he’d wait until Guan Yingtang woke up to leave, she didn’t feel comfortable truly taking her time and was ready to depart by 8:30 a.m.
Before leaving, she wanted to buy some gifts for Jiang Wei and Mrs. Chu. Luckily, souvenirs were sold everywhere in the airport, and Meng Qinghuai accompanied her to a store selling nougat.
Spanish nougat was famous, with many flavors— almond, hazelnut, chocolate— that dazzled Guan Yingtang.
As she selected, Meng Qinghuai quietly watched her from nearby.
She called over the clerk to explain the differences in flavors.
Wearing the same cheongsam from the first day, her long hair softly draped down her back, she listened attentively, looking serene.
Meng Qinghuai had never harbored any romantic fantasies about marriage.
Long ago, Meng Songyuan had arranged for him to marry a girl of equal status.
She had to be born into a reputable family, elegant and intelligent, capable of supporting the reputation of the future Meng Family matron.
Just as when he was a teenager, Meng Songyuan told him, “Someday, you will carry the entire Asia Bay.”
“How you carry it, how you carry it,” was the phrase Meng Qinghuai had heard most often since childhood.
As the eldest son bearing heavy expectations, he often had no choice.
He wasn’t born calm and composed either. Otherwise, Meng Songyuan wouldn’t have sent him to study under Fu Shengyun at sixteen to temper his spirit.
All that composure and grace was forged by repeated trials and habit.
He accepted the arrangements and the alliance, thinking everything would proceed according to plan, but he hadn’t expected to one day reexamine this marriage.
It seemed far more interesting than he had imagined.
“Meng Qinghuai, try this,” Guan Yingtang suddenly came over and handed him half a piece of nougat.
After the bouquet, their relationship naturally transitioned to a new stage.
She called him by name like this now— softly, a little coquettish, and very charming.
Meng Qinghuai didn’t like sweets. He disliked sticky, cloying tastes, especially sugar, which released too much dopamine and made people lose self-control.
But he just glanced at it, popped the piece into his mouth, chewed thoughtfully, then gave his opinion, “Not bad.”
Guan Yingtang blinked, “I don’t think it tastes good.”
“?”
“Forget it.” She walked away thoughtfully, “I’ll buy the hazelnut flavor.”
“…”
Although she was an ineffective “tool,” Meng Qinghuai wasn’t annoyed.
Perhaps this was why he now viewed their marriage differently.
He could never predict what his wife would do next.
His life was already too monotonous; these unexpected moments added a sense of realness and vitality.
Leaving the nougat store, they headed to the tarmac where the private jet was parked.
Their luggage had already been sent ahead, including the bouquet Meng Qinghuai gave her last night, now quietly placed inside the cabin with a flight attendant watering the flower foam.
Passing the terminal, an LED screen displayed a local news broadcast about an F1 exhibition race held in the town of Montmelo near Barcelona a few days ago, mentioning the teams involved.
Meng Qinghuai glanced at the screen, then suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He clearly saw the name of the racing team his younger brother Meng Fanchuan was part of.
Just a few days ago when he messaged Meng Fanchuan, his brother had claimed to still be in Monaco.
“What’s wrong?” Guan Yingtang asked when she noticed him stop abruptly and turn around.
“Nothing.”
Meng Qinghuai quietly resumed walking, guessing perhaps it was another group from the team, but Monaco and Barcelona were so close, and knowing his brother, his rebellious tendencies meant anything could be possible.
Fortunately, his trip was almost over; the plane would take off for Guangzhou in twenty minutes, so even if there was something, he likely wouldn’t run into it.
With that thought, they boarded smoothly. As soon as they sat down, Guan Yingtang checked on the flowers again.
The captain quietly approached Meng Qinghuai and said, “Lewis just came by. His plane is parked next to ours.”
“…”
Lewis was the English name of Meng Fanchuan.
The news came too suddenly. Meng Qinghuai frowned. Although he had been mentally prepared, he still hadn’t figured out how to deal with it.
His phone vibrated.
“Why aren’t you here yet? I’ve been waiting forever.”
“My plane is under maintenance. Not sure if it can fly today.”
“I’ll take your flight back.”
Meng Qinghuai’s fingers typed quickly: “No, it’s inconvenient.”
Just after sending the message, he caught sight of a figure boarding the stairs.
Meng Fanchuan: “Inconvenient? Who’s there?”
Too late.
Guan Yingtang was sitting less than five meters from the entrance, at an empty table. There was no time or place to hide.
As Meng Fanchuan took the last few steps toward the cabin, Meng Qinghuai quickly reached Guan Yingtang, pulled her up, and stood in front of her to block the way.
Guan Yingtang, startled while fiddling with the flowers, widened her eyes. “What—”
“Don’t say anything.” Meng Qinghuai whispered, “My brother is here. He knows you.”
Guan Yingtang’s breath caught. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked toward the door and saw a figure already at the entrance.
She grew nervous and glanced at Meng Qinghuai with a look that silently asked— Why did your brother suddenly show up?
Meng Qinghuai didn’t know either why his brother Meng Fanchuan, who claimed to be in Monaco, was suddenly in Barcelona.
Everyone in Guangzhou’s wealthy circles knew that Meng Songyuan had two sons— one steady and self-controlled, a model heir among aristocrats; the other famously reckless, the thorn in Meng Songyuan’s side.
The second son, Meng Fanchuan, did as he pleased, wildly rebellious, refusing the smooth path laid before him, instead pursuing what he liked— either skiing or racing, both extremely dangerous, constantly setting off his father’s fury.
Though Meng Qinghuai didn’t know why Meng Fanchuan was in Barcelona, he understood him too well.
Right now, with no place for Guan Yingtang to hide, if he wanted to keep his brother from getting any closer, he had to do something ridiculous himself.
And indeed, just as Meng Qinghuai thought—
As Meng Fanchuan entered the cabin, he saw a woman next to his brother but couldn’t clearly see her face because Meng Qinghuai was blocking the view.
He assumed they were talking and kept walking further in.
Guan Yingtang caught sight of Meng Fanchuan approaching in her peripheral vision. She looked anxiously at Meng Qinghuai and met his deep dark eyes.
Their eyes locked.
Suddenly—
Meng Qinghuai’s hand slid to Guan Yingtang’s waist and pulled her tightly into an embrace.
Caught off guard, Guan Yingtang stumbled into his arms, her body pressed almost flush against his chest.
The masculine scent near her face made her heart pound wildly.
Just as she was about to ask what he was doing, Meng Qinghuai bent down suddenly.
……
Guan Yingtang’s mind went blank, and she instinctively closed her eyes.
She could feel a heavy strength pressing down, her nose filled with his cool breath, cold yet strangely setting her cheeks ablaze as if boiling water had spilled over.
Those lips hovered inches away but never truly kissed.
The whole world went silent.
A few seconds later—
Meng Fanchuan seemed to realize what Meng Qinghuai meant by “inconvenient” in his message.
He stopped moving forward, then turned around in disbelief.
As he quietly walked out of the cabin, only one thought ran through his mind—
This is unbelievable.
Under the clear blue sky, his usually serious and proper older brother was actually flirting and kissing a woman on a plane.
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