The red marks he saw at the company during the day left Meng Songnian restless all afternoon.
It was Meng Songnian who had arranged the marriage between the Guan family and theirs.
Although Miss Guan was currently traveling abroad, the two families had already agreed on a wedding date this year.
If Meng Qinghuai really had someone else, Meng Songnian wouldn’t be able to explain it to his future in-laws.
Moreover, the Meng family had a strict code of conduct; in matters of love, they were always loyal and never tolerated any frivolity.
Guan Yingtang was personally chosen by Meng Songnian to be his daughter-in-law.
If he didn’t get to the bottom of the red marks, he would feel like he was betraying the girl.
So, at dusk, Meng Songnian returned to the company from Meng Yuan, originally planning to wait for Meng Qinghuai to finish work so they could have a proper talk.
But as soon as he arrived at the parking lot, he saw a scene that stunned him.
Absurd!
Ridiculous!
A prospective decision-maker of the company, openly kissing a woman in the parking lot — what kind of propriety was that?!
The facts were right in front of him, so Meng Songnian didn’t even need to ask.
He calmed himself for a few seconds and then made a phone call.
……
Meanwhile, Meng Qinghuai and Guan Yingtang’s car slowly drove onto the ground.
Their hands were still clasped tightly; even after getting into the car, they didn’t let go.
Out of the last bit of respect for the refined woman persona, Guan Yingtang held back the impulse to immediately sit on Meng Qinghuai’s lap.
Setting aside the fact that last night’s intense moments had their fingers entwined, this was truly their first meaningful hand-holding.
Guan Yingtang looked down at their hands with a mixture of freshness and curiosity.
Meng Qinghuai’s hand was much larger than hers, with well-defined knuckles, and the veins on the back of his hand slightly protruded.
When they held hands, his fingers slipped through hers, completely enveloping hers, giving a strong sense of security.
Guan Yingtang looked and looked, then suddenly recalled how last night’s wet, tangled fingers had similarly imprisoned her through the gaps.
His fingers were long and clean, cultivated in luxury; even when doing something like this, he was neither eager nor rushed— calm and unhurried— yet somehow capable of making her dizzy and dazed.
In broad daylight, Guan Yingtang inexplicably felt her palm heat up just from holding hands.
Fortunately, Meng Qinghuai didn’t notice her strange reaction and asked, “Did Uncle Zhi bring you in?”
No one else could have led her into the inner parking lot of Asia Bay.
Guan Yingtang nodded, then suddenly grew alert. “Are you going to dock his pay? It was my idea— don’t blame him.”
Meng Qinghuai chuckled and turned to look at her. “Do I look that heartless?”
Guan Yingtang recalled Uncle Zhi saying that Meng Qinghuai treated employees and subordinates very well.
She shook her head again.
“Can you move a little closer?” The man’s voice carried a gentle, intoxicating warmth.
Guan Yingtang was already itching to move closer, but she glanced at the driver in front, swallowed, and slowly shifted two centimeters.
Meng Qinghuai: “…”
Sometimes, he found Guan Yingtang’s feigned modesty inexplicably adorable.
He said nothing but pressed the work mode button on the central armrest screen.
The divider between the front and rear cabins slowly descended.
This was Meng Qinghuai’s preferred mode when he held meetings or read documents in the car; he needed absolute quiet and no disturbances.
But at this moment, activating work mode had a bit of a selfish motivation.
“How about now?” Meng Qinghuai looked over.
Guan Yingtang met his gaze; suddenly, as if understanding each other silently, she smiled slightly, stood up, and sat on his lap.
The light weight settled solidly, and Meng Qinghuai’s arms instinctively tightened around her, tightening again, savoring the reality of her presence in his embrace.
“Tomorrow, I’ll bring you to Meng Yuan to meet my parents. How about that?”
Meng Qinghuai thought that since they already understood each other and the wedding date was near, bringing Guan Yingtang home was just a matter of time.
Besides, now that Meng Songnian was suspicious, there was no reason to hide her anymore.
Guan Yingtang hesitated. “Meet your parents?”
“Don’t want to?”
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but…
Meng Qinghuai was Meng Qinghuai, and the Meng family was the Meng family.
Meng Songnian and Zhuang Jiayi chose her for this alliance not only because she was the Number One Heiress of Hong Kong Island with talent and charm, but also because they hoped she could carry the demeanor of a Guangdong Aristocratic Family Miss and maintain the family’s reputation on both sides of the strait.
But if they knew this so-called ‘Miss Guan’ who was supposedly traveling abroad had actually been living with their son all along—
Guan Yingtang wasn’t ready to face her future in-laws yet.
“Let’s meet formally at the wedding,” Guan Yingtang tentatively said. “During this time, can we just be in our own world?”
Meng Qinghuai didn’t reply but nodded. “Okay.”
He clearly knew Guan Yingtang’s claim of coming to Beicheng to experience married life was an excuse.
Whatever her real reason was, she didn’t want to say, and he wouldn’t press.
They still had a long future together, and he would eventually understand.
Guan Yingtang had prepared a bunch of reasons in her mind, but Meng Qinghuai agreed without asking a single question.
She was momentarily stunned, then suddenly smiled and looked down.
Guan Yingtang hadn’t expected their relationship to progress so smoothly, but now that it had, she felt everything was the best choice.
She had originally not wanted to live a conventional life, marrying Meng Qinghuai in secret against the world, indulging in last night’s passion, and now conditionally responding to her own desires.
She felt free.
Guan Yingtang changed position, kneeling on Meng Qinghuai’s lap.
She whispered softly, “Ten minutes.”
Her voice low, “What should we do for these ten minutes?”
Their eyes locked, and just from the gaze alone, some dark currents of desire seemed to pull them together.
After a few seconds, Meng Qinghuai’s arm around her waist suddenly moved, pulling her close to him for a deep kiss.
The spacious rear cabin, set to work mode, had both windows automatically draw down the sunshades, and the divider’s screen displayed the last document Meng Qinghuai had viewed.
In this quiet setting, their necks intertwined in a kiss.
Meng Qinghuai’s kiss was far from gentle; he pressed into her back deeply with every movement.
Guan Yingtang parted her lips slightly, her soft tongue teased repeatedly, she tilted her head back, struggling to breathe, and her body weakened in waves.
The ten-minute kiss they agreed on ended just as the car stopped at Jinghua Mansion’s entrance.
The people inside hadn’t come out yet.
The driver dared neither urge nor ask, instead stepping out to find a place to wait.
He wouldn’t know what was happening inside.
Guan Yingtang’s upper garment hung messy on her forearm, her chest covered with wet love bites.
Meng Qinghuai’s shirt was also rumpled.
Yet no one called a halt.
Until a sudden ringtone broke the silence—
Guan Yingtang, breathing heavily, pushed Meng Qinghuai, “Phone… the phone…”
Meng Qinghuai reluctantly pulled back some composure, exhaled, and took the call.
It was Meng Songnian.
As soon as he answered, he heard the cold voice, “You, come back to Meng Yuan right now.”
Recalling the earlier warning from his brother, Meng Qinghuai guessed Meng Songnian must know something; otherwise, he wouldn’t be so forceful.
Not wanting to scare Guan Yingtang, Meng Qinghuai calmly said, “I’ll come back later.”
“No later!” Meng Songnian yelled on the other end, “Now, immediately, right away!”
Meng Qinghuai hung up.
Guan Yingtang sensed something was wrong and looked up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Meng Qinghuai said calmly, helping her put on her clothes. “You go back first. I have some urgent matters at the company.”
“…”
Though it was ridiculous to come back just to return to the company, Guan Yingtang understood.
Being in Meng Qinghuai’s position wasn’t easy.
With supreme power came immense responsibility and pressure.
She nodded and got out of the car, unaware—
Meng Qinghuai’s car headed straight back to Meng Yuan.
……
Within ten minutes, Meng Songnian had investigated the mysterious woman in the parking lot and gathered solid clues before calling Meng Qinghuai home.
Except for his sister Meng Wennao, who was at school, the rest of the family already knew.
A family meeting, heavily guarded against Meng Qinghuai, was fully prepared.
When Meng Qinghuai arrived home, his parents and brother were all present.
Meng Fanchuan sat on the sofa, shooting him a look that said, “You’ve really messed up, huh?”
Meng Qinghuai remained calm and unyielding as he faced Meng Songnian.
“Dad, why did you call me back?”
Meng Songnian’s face darkened, then he sneered with sarcasm, “Didn’t bring your girlfriend back?”
“I was planning to.” Meng Qinghuai took a breath, completely unruffled. “But I thought better of it.”
“Oh.” Meng Songnian’s voice shot up a few octaves in disbelief. “You really wanted to bring her back? Should I go ahead and book a few banquet tables for your wedding?”