“If you don’t want to meet the Meng Family’s young master yet…” Ho Ling rubbed her daughter’s head gently, “you don’t have to go. Mommy will figure something out.”
Guan Yingtang lowered her eyes and after a long pause said, “I don’t really mind.”
Ho Ling was speechless.
She couldn’t tell if her daughter’s words were sincere or just to appease.
After leaving the room, Ho Ling returned to the bedroom she shared with her husband, worry etched on her face. “Don’t you think Yingtang seems unhappy this time she’s back?”
Guan Zhiheng said, “She unhappy? She went away for months without a word. As her father, how could I not be unhappy?”
“If you hadn’t pressured her about marriage, she wouldn’t have run,” Ho Ling accused. “She was gone for months this time; next time it might be years, maybe never coming back. Would that make you happy?”
Guan Zhiheng had no reply for a while, then softened his tone somewhat, feeling wronged. “I never pressured her. This time, I just want to meet with her. If she really doesn’t like it, then forget it.”
He sighed—
“I’ll break off the engagement then.”
–
On the first day back, the news that Guan Yingtang had secretly returned to Hong Kong spread quickly among the circles of society ladies.
Because of the previous media exposure, Guan Yingtang had been the focus of gossip lately. Many socialites whispered behind her back about the arranged marriage.
The First Daughter of the Guan Family, the top heiress of Hong Kong Island, had apparently been rejected by one of Asia’s top tycoons.
In these circles, they said all the years Guan Zhiheng spent building her prestigious image were wasted.
He Zi forwarded some screenshots from a group chat of busybodies to Guan Yingtang:
“Last night she was seen leaving the airport alone late at night, looking forlorn.”
“Disappointed she didn’t get married? It’s been months, hasn’t she accepted it yet?”
“My media friend is sure that the young master from Beicheng already has a girlfriend. He doesn’t like her type.”
“No problem, Miss Guan is so virtuous. She’ll surely tolerate her husband’s affairs.”
“Ha ha ha ha ha.”
“Tomorrow is Guan Zhiheng’s Birthday Banquet. If the ‘future son-in-law’ doesn’t come, there’ll be quite the show.”
Guan Yingtang had held the title of First Daughter of the Guan Family for so long that many wealthy society ladies in Hong Kong longed for her position.
Yet she never made mistakes or suffered scandals— she perfectly embodied the traditional ideal of a noble lady.
Over time, some grew resentful and hoped to see her fall from grace.
A group waited quietly for her to stumble, but the person at the center of the gossip paid no mind.
At 6 p.m., in the living room of the Guan Family Mansion on Kadoorie Hill, seven or eight staff busied themselves around Guan Yingtang.
Tomorrow was Guan Zhiheng’s birthday. He valued it not because of getting older, but because his daughter had been out of sight for so long, and rumors circulated outside.
Guan Yingtang’s appearance at the banquet had to be flawless.
Marriage was secondary. Guan Zhiheng would never allow anyone to say his daughter looked forlorn because the wedding fell through— such things were baseless.
Therefore, Guan Yingtang’s personal styling team had started their preparations.
Meng Qinghuai was comparing colors, styles, and accessories on his own in the living room. Guan Yingtang watched him pace busily, then glanced at the row of clothes hanging on the rack.
She suddenly recalled the scene in Barcelona when Meng Qinghuai accompanied her to pick out a dress.
Her eyelashes blinked gently. Guan Yingtang lowered her gaze again and wondered if he would come to her father’s Birthday Banquet tomorrow.
The two parted unhappily yesterday. Although Meng Qinghuai arranged for someone to pick her up, he hadn’t contacted her since.
Maybe he hesitated, regretted, or backed down.
But Guan Yingtang knew these things had to be faced.
“Ah Tang?” Ho Ling suddenly called her daughter. “Which dress do you want to wear tomorrow?”
Guan Yingtang snapped out of her thoughts, replying without enthusiasm, “Whatever.”
All these clothes were similar in fabric and pattern, the same style as before— elegant, gentle. Wearing them gave off an aura of peace and prosperity.
Ho Ling picked a coral-pink cheongsam for her daughter and handed it to her. “Before you left, Mommy arranged an interview with Yali Magazine. Remember?”
Before going to Beicheng, Guan Yingtang had her assistant cancel all activities, and the assistant did so. But the Yali Magazine interview wasn’t canceled, just postponed.
It was the most widely read magazine among women; Ho Ling thought her daughter needed such a platform for exposure and expression.
Now that Guan Yingtang was back, the interview would resume.
Guan Yingtang still remembered the rigid questions from the magazine— preset answers trapped her in the mold of a “noble lady.”
She said nothing then, because there was no use. Back in Hong Kong, her life seemed to return to the old track.
She obediently took the cheongsam to change. “Mommy, you arrange the time. I’ll try this on first.”
As Guan Yingtang left, Ho Ling quietly sensed that her daughter was somewhat different, though she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly.
Not long after Guan Yingtang left, the butler came to inform Ho Ling that a guest had arrived with a birthday gift for Guan Zhiheng.
Gifts had been arriving constantly these days, so Ho Ling didn’t think much of it and casually asked who it was. The butler nodded slightly. “It’s from the Meng Family’s young master, Meng Qinghuai.”
Ho Ling was stunned, never expecting it to be Meng Qinghuai. She instinctively wanted to tell her daughter, but Guan Yingtang was still changing in her room.
Since Guan Zhiheng was not home, Ho Ling immediately asked the butler to invite Meng Qinghuai in, then quickly cleared the styling team out.
Soon, a sharply dressed figure entered the room.
Guan Yingtang, unaware of what was happening outside, gloomily finished changing into the cheongsam. She looked at herself in the mirror a few times.
Her makeup was exquisite, her attire proper, yet she looked like a bird locked back in its cage.
But this bird had tasted freedom, and the string inside her heart was increasingly taut, ready to snap at any moment.
She was exhausted and resentful of the noble lady’s burden. If possible, Guan Yingtang didn’t want to just be honest with Meng Qinghuai.
She wanted to tear off these bindings for the whole world, for everyone.
After sitting alone for a while, she finally calmed herself and opened the door.
As she stepped out, she heard her mother politely speaking to someone— there was a guest. She kept her head down and didn’t pay attention until she heard the familiar, calm, low voice say—
“Should be.”
Guan Yingtang’s spine stiffened instantly. She raised her head and her gaze locked with the man standing in the living room.
Meng Qinghuai was also looking at her.
–
Originally planning to go to Hong Kong on Tuesday, Meng Qinghuai had come early.
On Monday afternoon, Meng Songnian and Zhuang Jiayi received a call from Meng Qinghuai, saying the weather on Hong Kong Island would be bad on Tuesday, possibly a typhoon.
To avoid flight restrictions, it was better to go a day earlier to prepare.
Meng Songnian checked the forecast. There was indeed heavy rain. The last time they went to attend Fu Shengyun’s Birthday Banquet, similar weather caused them to be late.
So at 3 p.m. on Monday, the family boarded a plane to Hong Kong.
After landing at 6 p.m., the car came to pick them up, but Meng Qinghuai didn’t go with them— he was picked up by his own people separately.
After the quarrel, the couple stood together again within 24 hours.
Guan Yingtang was unprepared and hadn’t even considered if Meng Qinghuai might not come.
The next second, he was already standing in front of her. Her heart quickened slightly, and after locking eyes for a moment, she quickly lowered her gaze.
Unaware, Ho Ling took the initiative to speak, trying to bridge the gap between the two young people. “Ah Tang, Qinghuai came to bring a gift for your father.”
Guan Yingtang: “…”
She suddenly didn’t know what expression was appropriate.
Ho Ling thought her daughter was being distant and gave a nervous laugh, inviting Meng Qinghuai to sit. “Sorry, Ah Tang just got back last night. She might be a bit tired.”
Meng Qinghuai glanced a few times at Guan Yingtang and nodded politely. “That’s fine.”
Ho Ling had just asked the butler to prepare tea, but it had been a while with no sign.
Worried about neglecting the future son-in-law, she called toward the kitchen twice with no response, then stood up. “You stay here; I’ll see what’s taking so long.”
Guan Yingtang: “…”
She wanted to keep her mother, at least not leave her alone here, but before she could say so, Ho Ling hurried out.
The living room fell silent. The two stood face to face, neither sitting first.
Guan Yingtang opened her mouth but swallowed her words. She paused, then deliberately turned her head away from Meng Qinghuai.
She stood there rigidly.
Until a faint sigh came from beside her ear, followed by a warm hand holding hers.
“I’m here.”