After that, it was a silent journey all the way to Haicheng, and then from the downtown area to the Meng family on the outskirts on the other side of Haicheng.
“We’ve arrived,” the driver wearing sunglasses turned around to remind them after parking the car in front of a huge iron gate.
Meng Ting’s mind was wandering the whole time, but at least he was still awake. On the other hand, Meng Zhong was so bored that he fell asleep halfway through, even though he was originally prepared to be annoyed to death, and being asked relentlessly.
This Young Master Meng Ting is a bit special, both Meng Zhong and the driver Lao Wang think so.
As for Meng Ting himself, he didn’t know or care what they thought of him. He subconsciously touched the bridge of his nose, but he couldn’t find the metal glasses that made him look smarter in his previous life. He put his hand down, clenched it into a fist, and then released it again.
After getting out of the car, it was still Meng Zhong who led Meng Ting into this European-style manor. There was a huge fountain upon entering the entrance, and as far as the eye could see, there were flower beds and groves. After walking around the fountain, they faced a huge five-story building, which was also the Meng family’s old house.
Even in the outskirts of Haicheng, the fact that the Meng family can monopolize such a large estate shows their status in Haicheng.
Meng Ting glanced around and then withdrew his gaze. This was the second time he came to the main branch of the Meng family, but even the first time he came here, his curiosity about external things did not last more than three seconds. His composure made Meng Zhong somewhat helpless. When Uncle Wen brought him to the Meng family to work for the first time, it took him almost half a month to calm down slightly. However, this true ‘country bumpkin’ Meng Ting took just one glance and was done.
Tsk, silly boy! When Meng Zhong didn’t look at Meng Ting’s appearance, he cursed like this again.
Meanwhile, Uncle Wen, who had contacted Meng Ting before, received a notification from the security guard at the entrance of Meng’s residence when their car arrived.
He walked from the side path of the flowerbed and stopped three steps in front of Meng Ting. Meng Zhong originally wanted to take Meng Ting to find him.
Meng Zhong glanced at Meng Ting again. Only then did he look at Uncle Wen, “This is Young Master Meng Ting.”
When Uncle Wen heard this, his eyes swept over Meng Ting’s face, but he showed no emotion. He nodded slightly, and Meng Zhong bowed and left, displaying a kind of extraordinary respect for Uncle Wen.
When Uncle Wen was looking at Meng Ting, Meng Ting was also looking at him. His age is less than forty or fifty, he looked a little serious, or at least that was what he observed. This was an observation he specifically told himself to make, otherwise, he would probably treat Uncle Wen the same way he treated Meng Zhong, that is, by ignoring him.
However, it is useless even if he observes it. He indeed has a clear understanding of his own characteristics. What’s the use of seeing his age and a little bit of obvious temperament? Meng Ting pondered over it for a while and also felt that it was useless.
“This way, please,” when Uncle Wen spoke to Meng Ting, the seriousness he faced with Meng Zhong suddenly disappeared and he became gentle and considerate, “Seventh Young Master and Eldest Young Master are the same, just call me Uncle Wen.”
“Oh,” Meng Ting responded in a low voice but withdrew his scrutinizing gaze. He felt that this Uncle Wen was also very strange. In less than two seconds, he actually changed his temperament.
Meng Ting thought he was a serious person before, but at the moment, he is feeling vaguely frustrated. He once again labeled himself as someone who can’t read people just by looking at them. Therefore, he should just wait patiently to be married off.
Uncle Wen didn’t show any emotion towards Meng Ting’s indifference. He continued to lead Meng Ting towards the main residence. In fact, he wanted to take Meng Ting to see Old Master Meng, who had just woken up from his nap.
As an illegitimate child, when he was taken home, the first person he had to meet was naturally Old Master Meng. This can be regarded as recognition of his identity, if he could win his favor, his treatment in the Meng family would definitely be different.
In his previous life, he was the only person Meng Ting saw when he came to the Meng family’s old house. Since then, he never saw anyone from the Meng family. He has always been trapped in the Meng family’s private experimental base. Or maybe he had seen them before in the base or at the university, but he didn’t know anyone and didn’t recognize them.
But there’s no need to be concerned about this. He had already made the decision to follow the route of a ‘waste’ and be used to form a marriage alliance.
He wasn’t nervous, nor did he ask questions. Instead, this made Uncle Wen look at him favorably. Regardless of whether he was a well-educated person or not, this little bit of self-cultivation was still worth appreciating.
They enter through a side door, no need to go upstairs. He led Meng Ting through the hall, only to come out through a small door. Then he saw an old-fashioned house located behind a European-style mansion. Once inside, he was led to a study room filled with the aroma of tea.
However, it was different from the luxurious and dignified study where Meng Ting met Old Master Meng in his previous life. This place should only be a place for Old Master Meng to simply read and relax. From this, it could be seen that his attitude and treatment towards Meng Ting in his two lifetimes were completely different.
The Meng Ting in the previous life could be considered to have some usefulness, however, the current Meng Ting is just a beautiful flower vase whose appearance is the only thing that can make a distinction. There is nothing strange about such a difference.
After Meng Ting entered the study, he was silent for a long time. The reason was very simple, Old Master Meng had his eyes closed. Meng Ting couldn’t tell whether he was really asleep, or just pretending to sleep to leave him out to dry.
As for Uncle Wen, he stopped at the door of the study and only let Meng Ting enter.
His eyes swept over the old but vigorous Old Master Meng, and then he withdrew his gaze in a polite manner. There are no people in the Meng family’s old house that he can judge with just a few glances, so it’s better for him not to be too preconceived.
It took a full twenty minutes for Old Master Meng to open his eyes. His eyes swept over Meng Ting’s clothes and appearance. Just as unfathomable, it is difficult to distinguish between joy and anger.
“You’re Meng Ting?”
Meng Ting raised his head when he heard this and then nodded. There is no hesitation or resentment. So calm that Old Master Meng had to look at him one more time, however, after Meng Ting nodded, he lowered his head again.
Old Master Meng didn’t intend to talk to Meng Ting, and Meng Ting didn’t know what he could say to Old Master Meng. Apart from nodding, he actually didn’t say a word in the half an hour he was in the study and left again.
Uncle Wen did not have the slightest intention of probing into what Meng Ting was saying or doing in the study with Old Master Meng. He led Meng Ting back to the mansion in front, to the westernmost room on the third floor, and then said, “This is your room.”
Meng Ting pushed the door open. This is a spacious and bright suite, with a separate bathroom, and even a dressing room and a game room. Of all the places where Meng Ting has lived, his grandmother’s house, which was barely decent, was not even one percent as good as here.
Meng Ting walked in and touched the bed, but he felt a little disgusted, “It’s too soft, can I have the bed exchanged with something harder?”
Meng Ting ignored everything else, he was only a little obsessed with the bed. He was eager to be married off, he also wanted to put his mind at ease. Trying to see if he could get a good night’s sleep in his lifetime.
Uncle Wen accepted any reaction from Meng Ting well. He nodded, “Yes.”
However, even after he brought Meng Ting here, he still had no intention of leaving. He continued, “This is the old house. The masters, mesdames, young misses, and young masters don’t live here. They usually only go back to the old house on weekends. I will take you to see them again in three days.”
“The two old mesdames are not here either. They will probably come back later in the evening. If you want to see them, I can make arrangements for you.”
Meng Ting hesitated for a moment but still shook his head. Just like in his previous life, he didn’t want to have too much interaction with the Meng family. Or rather, his temperament inherently rejects too much communication with other people. It was just more serious for the Meng family, letting even himself notice it.
“When can I start the lessons?”
Uncle Wen paused for a rare moment before he understood the meaning of Meng Ting’s words.
“If you want to, you can start tomorrow.”
Seeing that Meng Ting was really about to nod, Uncle Wen sighed softly, but Meng Ting couldn’t understand what he was sighing about. He only heard him continue, “You just came back, there’s no need to be in such a hurry. Rest for a few days, and start the lessons next Monday.”
Meng Ting nodded, and then Uncle Wen bowed slightly and left.
But not long after, several people came over and changed Meng Ting’s bed. Before he could sit down on his new bed, he was grabbed by stylists and tailors who came one after another, who then trimmed his hair and fitted his clothes, all dedicated to turning him into a real flower vase.
After grooming him from beginning to end, even watching him bloom his beauty with their own eyes, several servants and masters were still shocked.
The appearance of the Meng family members cannot considered to be inferior, but they are not as refined as Meng Ting. With peach blossom eyes, the somewhat seductive feeling is enhanced by the stylist’s deliberate retouching.
He doesn’t need to say anything, just standing like this, he already looks like an exquisite painting, a beautiful sight that makes people reluctant to take their eyes away.
Meng Ting also looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was a little messy, but his clothes were clean and tidy. As for the rest, he couldn’t really tell.
He didn’t feel much about everyone’s silence and surprise either. Not to mention that he was not familiar with these people, even those classmates who had been with Meng Ting for three years were more silent when facing Meng Ting.
Everyone pulls themselves back. The stylist and the tailor left, and the maid tidied up the room, peace and quiet finally returned to Meng Ting.
***
While he is being manhandled by these people, Feng Zejiao, one of the old mesdames who was not at home, is meeting the Old Madam of the Yan family, He Wan, in a flower arrangement room. She was said to be an Old Madam, but she was actually a generation later than Feng Zejiao. However, her eldest son took over the family earlier, and she was promoted from madam to old madam.
He Wan lowered her head to check the information that Feng Zejiao had brought to her. There were several photos in it, but judging from the facial features, it was that of Meng Ting. One of them was a photo of him when he entered high school. He had exquisite facial features but an inexplicable dullness in his eyes. He really met her standards for a daughter-in-law, which couldn’t be too ugly and couldn’t be too smart either.
Moreover, Meng Ting meets these two requirements perfectly, good-looking and silly.
“A bit young,” He Wan whispered. Indeed, Meng Ting’s birthday is in May. There is still a full year before he reaches eighteen, which is the legal marriage age.
When Feng Zejiao saw what He Wan said, she knew that this matter was going to work out. She whispered, “He’s only just returned to the Meng family and hasn’t settled down yet. He should be settled when he is eighteen.”
Meng Ting only had a household registration with his maternal grandmother. Now that he has been taken back to the Meng family, the household registration naturally needs to be opened. Instead of moving back, it would be better to apply for a new household registration for an unregistered household, and then age will just be a matter of changing the number.
He Wan nodded gently when she heard this, “Is there a newer photo? I’ll bring it back and show them to Sui’er. If he doesn’t have a problem with it, the matter will be settled.”
Feng Zejiao smiled and sent a text message to Uncle Wen. Soon a new photo of Meng Ting was sent to her mobile phone.
This photo was taken the moment Meng Ting suddenly raised his eyes in surprise. That excessively beautiful feeling became even stronger by two points. Without looking at the information, it would be hard to tell that he was such a dull-witted person.
However, after reading about Meng Ting’s experience from childhood to adulthood, He Wan can also understand that this kind of dull-wittedness is due to his limited talent, there is no remedy.
The author has something to say:
In the modern era, marriage between men has been accepted by law.
In addition, the male protagonist can’t wait to be married off, the reason is that he wants to get away from the Meng family and have a good night’s sleep.
Yan Sui: I can satisfy all of that for you.
Meng Ting: …
List of Idiom in Chapter 002
名副其實 (míngfùqíshí): live up to one’s reputation; not just in name only, but also in reality (idiom), carries a connotation of praise and accomplishment, like saying ‘to be worthy to be called’.顯而易見 (xiǎn ér yì jiàn): clearly and easy to see (idiom); obvious; clear; obviously; clearly; it goes without saying; evidently; apparently.
老當益壯 (lǎo dāng yì zhuàng): old but vigorous (idiom); hale and hearty despite the years; to have one’s ambition or resolve growing stronger even though he or she is old; be aged but full of sap; be old in age, but young in spirit; there’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle; as you get older, your ambition should be stronger; it is a metaphor for getting older, but your physical and mental strength will be stronger or you will be more energetic. From a quote of Ma Yuan in the Book of the Later Han by 范曄 (Fan Ye): 丈夫為志，窮當益堅，老當益壯。, When a real man shows resolve, he becomes stronger when in distress, and more ambitious when he ages.
先入為主 (xiān rù wéi zhǔ): lit. first impression is strongest; to be prejudiced by a first impression; to have a preconception (because of one’s first impression).
高深莫測 (gāo shēn mò cè): too profound to be understood; enigmatic; unfathomable; profound mystery; shut-in; too high and deep to be measured; as deep as a well; The original meaning is that mountains and rivers are high and deep and cannot be measured, later it is extended to mean that people or things are unfathomable and difficult to understand.
一絲一毫 (yī sī yī háo): lit. one thread, one hair (idiom); a tiny bit; an iota; a trace; a little bit, very small or very little.
有生之年 (yǒu shēng zhī nián): one’s remaining years; the rest of one’s life.
If you like my translation you can buy me coffee here. Thank you~
