The car suddenly fell into complete silence, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Uncle Zhi obediently drove the car out of the parking lot, pretending he hadn’t heard anything just now.
A few days ago, when Meng Qinghuai was on a business trip, he went back to Meng Yuan to help deliver Zhuang Jiayi, and accidentally overheard the news that Young Master Meng was about to marry a miss from a prominent Guangdong Aristocratic Family.
And now…
Young Master Meng is really walking on a tightrope, hiding his beloved in a golden house.
The back seat remained quiet.
After a moment, Meng Qinghuai let out a faint smile, so subtle it was almost unnoticeable, as if silently mocking Guan Yingtang’s childish question.
In fact, a few seconds after Guan Yingtang asked, she regretted it.
Because honestly, with their current relationship, there was no way Meng Qinghuai would get jealous over an ordinary male friend.
Asking that was a little self-defeating.
The lady’s momentary slip of the tongue earned her a full minute of silence.
Guan Yingtang closed her eyes and took the initiative to find herself an escape, “So, why did you come?”
“To get jealous.”
“?”
Guan Yingtang widened her eyes and stared at Meng Qinghuai, whose tone was light and indifferent, seeming casual enough that it was hard to tell if he was serious or just playing along with her teasing.
They locked eyes for a moment before Guan Yingtang turned to look out the window.
Forget it, this round’s mine to lose.
By now, the car had reached the main road. Seeing she didn’t say anything, Meng Qinghuai asked again, “Want me to take you home?”
“Not going home.”
“Then where?”
Guan Yingtang had planned to stroll through the hutongs in Guangzhou in the afternoon, but mid-sentence, she suddenly changed her mind and smiled lightly at Meng Qinghuai, “Can I go to your company instead?”
Meng Qinghuai looked at her leisurely, “To the company?”
“I’ll just hang around, won’t disturb you.”
They exchanged looks for a moment before Guan Yingtang leaned back a little, blinking sincerely, “Is it because Meng General Manager has some pretty secretary, and I’m not supposed to come?”
— “Meng General Manager.”
Miss Guan’s mouth was not only beautiful, but sharp-tongued, able to tease her own husband with a double meaning.
Meng Qinghuai withdrew his gaze, and after a few seconds, lifted the corners of his lips in a faint smile, playing along, “Fine, then we’ll go to the company.”
Originally, she expected Meng Qinghuai to find all sorts of excuses to refuse, but unexpectedly he agreed.
That’s no fun at all.
Guan Yingtang’s expression shifted instantly, “Forget it, I won’t disturb your work.”
The Asia Bay headquarters, with its dozens of floors and hundreds of eyes watching, was no place for stunts if she wanted to keep her good days intact.
Meng Qinghuai didn’t let her off easily, “Not coming to see my pretty secretary?”
Guan Yingtang took a breath and curved her lips into a smirk, “Next time.”
Meng Qinghuai obviously knew she was just joking, but since it was amusing, he humored her with a few more words.
Fifteen minutes later, the Maybach stopped at the entrance of Asia Bay headquarters.
After Meng Qinghuai got out, Uncle Zhi slowly drove the car out and looked back to ask Guan Yingtang:
“Miss Yi, where would you like to go?”
Guan Yingtang was still replaying her conversation with Meng Qinghuai, feeling that her last sentence was weak.
She thought she should have just agreed to go with Meng Qinghuai to the company — he’s not afraid, so what is there to fear?
Seeing her silent, Uncle Zhi assumed the young lady was upset and, after a moment’s thought, volunteered to explain on Meng Qinghuai’s behalf: “Miss Yi, Young Master Meng only has one female secretary in his office, she’s about forty years old and her children are already in middle school.”
“…?”
Guan Yingtang was caught off guard by Uncle Zhi’s sudden explanation and burst into laughter, “I was joking with him.”
This driver is really adorable.
Uncle Zhi nodded.
Good thing he didn’t misunderstand their Young Master.
“Is he here to see you about something?” Guan Yingtang suddenly remembered. Maybe Meng Qinghuai came looking for He Yongzhi and it has nothing to do with her.
Uncle Zhi quickly shook his head, “Young Master came to see you.”
“Why see me?”
Indeed, Uncle Zhi didn’t quite understand either. Meng Qinghuai had spent the past ten minutes in his car without doing much.
He seemed to have done nothing at all.
Just met Miss Yi and exchanged a few words.
“I don’t know,” He Yongzhi honestly said. “Maybe just to see you.”
“…”
Guan Yingtang crossed her arms, muttering in her heart, What’s the point?
No kisses, no hugs, just some bickering and then jealousy.
Is he really that bored?
“Miss Yi, where would you like to go?” Uncle Zhi asked again, bringing Guan Yingtang back to reality. She gave an address of a hutong attraction.
“Take me there to stroll around.”
“Alright.”
–
“Eating at a street stall once” was one of Guan Yingtang’s bucket list wishes.
For ordinary people, it was a simple thing, but in Guan Yingtang’s upbringing, it was absolutely forbidden.
An elegant lady must not only maintain proper manners and a cultured interior but also always be careful with her conduct.
Eating street food would be seen as a loss of dignity.
When Guan Yingtang was in elementary school, Jian Xiang Wen was all the rage and even made the newspapers.
Back then, many celebrities had gone there to check in, and classmates around her rushed to try it out.
Guan Yingtang was curious; the food looked delicious.
But whenever she mentioned it, Guan Zhiheng insisted it was too down-to-earth and would damage the family’s image.
Occasionally, after school, Guan Yingtang would pass by that street, seeing long queues, she would quietly roll down the car window and watch, thinking that once she was grown up, she would definitely come and eat here.
But before she grew up, the fishball cart was gone.
All that deliciousness was lost.
……
Following Guan Yingtang’s request, Uncle Zhi drove to the famous Nanbei Hutong in Guangzhou.
Cars were not allowed inside, so he parked at the lot at the entrance as usual, and said, “I’ll wait in the car.”
But Guan Yingtang changed her mind today, “No, I want you to come with me.”
Uncle Zhi: “Ah?”
Guan Yingtang didn’t know anyone else in Guangzhou besides He Yongzhi. He seemed to have a good impression, a decent chat partner to replace Jiang Kewei.
A few minutes later, the two appeared side by side in the bustling Nanbei Hutong.
The place was full of old Guangzhou’s lively atmosphere — rows of small shops selling food and trinkets, with old-fashioned tricycles for experience.
Crowds bustled by, and occasionally, an elderly man walking a birdcage would casually strike up a chat with passersby.
Guan Yingtang wandered around with fresh eyes, asking Uncle Zhi, “How long have you been driving Meng Qinghuai?”
Uncle Zhi walked beside her, replying, “Three years.”
“Then you must know him very well?”
Uncle Zhi glanced at her, unsure of what she wanted to hear, and said politely, “Young Master Meng treats family and subordinates very well.”
Guan Yingtang looked thoughtful but said nothing.
Uncle Zhi looked inward, paused briefly, then added, “He treats Miss Yi very well.”
Guan Yingtang raised an eyebrow and looked at him, “Does he?”
Uncle Zhi was conflicted.
Having been the Meng family’s driver for many years, he wanted everything to be well with the family.
Now knowing that Meng Qinghuai was about to marry a lady from a prestigious Guangdong Aristocratic Family, and still helping him win over another woman’s favor, felt somewhat wrong.
But he couldn’t lie.
In the years he’d followed Meng Qinghuai, he’d never seen him be so attentive to any woman outside his family.
“Of course,” Uncle Zhi said after thinking it over.
Guan Yingtang: “Like what?”
“For example, the first day you came, he waited in the car for you two hours. Later I heard you went to Gōngtǐ… Miss Yi, Young Master Meng never goes to such lively places before.”
“He’s willing to spend time on you and pays a lot of attention to your feelings. Yesterday when returning from the airport, he specifically asked me to detour around the roadwork to avoid waking you.”
Guan Yingtang hadn’t known these details. She slowed her steps, unable to explain the sudden joy flashing in her heart but still suppressing the smile tugging at her lips, pretending to be reserved, “Really?”
But the restraint was barely feigned; seconds later, she blinked and asked Uncle Zhi, “Any more? Tell me more.”
He Yongzhi: “…”
Uncle Zhi, after ten years as a Meng family driver, was now unexpectedly a confidant.
–
Near five in the afternoon, Meng Qinghuai finally took a break from his busy schedule.
He had just returned from Spain, with piles of work waiting for him, but even so, he went to find Guan Yingtang before heading home.
Meng Qinghuai couldn’t explain why.
Sitting in his office chair, rubbing his forehead, he called He Yongzhi and learned that the two had gone to Nanbei Hutong.