Originally, they planned to stay at the Rose Manor for five days and then spend two days in the capital of Country F. However, yesterday, Yan Sui received an invitation from his cousin, who suddenly acknowledged a son. The purpose of this banquet is to formally recognize him.
If Yan Sui were not in Country F, it would have been sufficient for his people here to send gifts for the banquet. But since he is in Country F, it’s a different story.
They got up at five o’clock, and it was still Yan Sui who packed things up. Meng Ting went for a walk in the flower field, and feeling a bit restless, he picked a bouquet of flowers to bring back.
“If only I could turn this into perfume…”
Meng Ting looked at the bouquet in his hand and suddenly expressed this sentiment; then he was momentarily taken aback by his own words.
Originally, he had decided that he would never touch anything related to perfume again in this lifetime, but upon seeing these flowers and sensing Yan Sui’s fondness for them, he unknowingly found himself drawn back in.
Yan Sui came out of the living room and searched around before finally spotting the person on the long wicker chair by the flowing water lakeside. Meng Ting was holding a bouquet of white roses in his arms, already lost in thought.
Yan Sui approached and squatted down in front of Meng Ting, gently ruffling his hair, his voice low and gentle. “What’s wrong? Can’t bear to leave?”
“From now on, we’ll come to live here every July. We can stay as long as you want.”
Hearing this, Meng Ting’s eyes gradually became focused. He slowly leaned in, looked into Yan Sui’s eyes, and asked earnestly, “Do you like the flowers I picked for you? Did you like their scent?”
When Yan Sui heard this, he lowered his head to smell them, took a moment to truly appreciate them, and replied, “I like it.”
The bouquet Meng Ting handled was very special; he couldn’t bring himself to say he didn’t like it. Although he had never received flowers from anyone before and had never used any perfume, he simply liked them.
Meng Ting looked down at the white roses and then smiled, “They are not suitable for you; I’ll give you something better in the future.”
Meng Ting, who spoke like this, was very charming. Although Yan Sui couldn’t quite put his finger on what made him so captivating, he was indeed enchanted. He slightly tilted his head, and Meng Ting understood, leaning in to kiss his cheek.
Slowly straightening his body, Meng Ting once again stuffed the bouquet into Yan Sui’s hands. Before Yan Sui could properly hold it, he leaned in again and kissed him directly on the lips. This kiss was earnest, more serious than any of the kisses he had given Yan Sui before.
Just a moment ago, while picking flowers, he had also tasted them, and his lips carried a hint of rose fragrance. It was a kiss full of fragrance, and this would be the sweetest memory they would take with them before leaving the Rose Manor.
***
This time, they took a private plane to the capital of Country F, and after just an hour, they arrived at the Yan family’s estate in Country F.
Yan Sui was holding Meng Ting’s hand as they got off the plane, and Yan Mu, Yan Sui’s cousin, was walking over from a distance.
“Why are you still so courteous with me? The Rose Manor is just a bit quieter; nowhere is as fun as the capital.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Meng Ting, thought for a moment, and immediately smiled, “Is this… Cousin’s Husband1弟夫 (dì fū): lit. Younger brother’s husband.?”
“He is my wife, Meng Ting; you can just call him by his name.” Yan Sui continued to walk forward, holding Meng Ting’s hand. Yan Mu is thirty-seven years old this year, nine years older than him, and they don’t usually hang out together. His relationship with Yan Mu couldn’t be described as particularly good, but it wasn’t bad either.
“That’s true; this way of addressing is quite strange. Then I’ll just call him by his name.” Yan Mu somewhat understood Yan Sui’s personality; the fact that he could bring Meng Ting along was already a sign of respect. “Meng Ting, welcome to Country F; to my home.”
“Thank you,” Meng Ting replied to him, not glancing around much. But from the scent he caught at the tip of his nose, he felt that the flowers here were not as abundant as those in the Rose Manor, nor did they bloom as beautifully. He thought the Rose Manor was better than this place.
Of course, since Yan Sui didn’t refute it, he didn’t say anything either.
While they were talking, a male servant approached and said, “Mr. Yan, the old gentleman would like to speak with you.”
“It’s my dad; he’s quite well informed,” Yan Mu replied, raising his eyebrows. “Never mind; you all go ahead and meet my dad first. I’ll introduce you to my son in a bit.”
Yan Sui nodded slightly with Meng Ting and then left with the male servant.
It was clear that Yan Mu and his father had not reached a consensus on recognizing this son who suddenly appeared, so Yan Mu was waiting here with the attitude of wanting to win over Yan Sui.
***
In a study room, Yan Sui and Meng Ting met the patriarch of the Yan family in Country F, who could be regarded as Yan Sui’s paternal uncle, Yan Zhengbo. He was in his sixties and appeared to be quite a serious person at first glance, but upon seeing Yan Sui and Meng Ting, his expression softened a bit.
“Please, Patriarch, have a seat and let’s talk.”
“Uncle, there’s no need to stand on ceremony,” Yan Sui said, pulling Meng Ting to sit down.
“Hello, Uncle,” Meng Ting followed Yan Sui’s lead and greeted him.
Yan Zhengbo was somewhat surprised to see Yan Sui come in with Meng Ting. However, Yan Sui was the patriarch of the entire Yan family. He was different from the usual younger generation he interacted with; his bringing someone in was a statement in itself.
Moreover, in recent years, Yan Sui had performed exceptionally well, surpassing everyone’s expectations. He has stabilized the Yan family without relying much on their side branches. He has already demonstrated his capabilities, which is enough to earn their respect.
“Patriarch came to Country F for leisure, so there’s no need to dampen the mood for Yan Mu.”
Hearing this, Yan Sui gently nodded. “Uncle, you don’t need to worry; I have a sense of proportion.”
Yan Zhengbo paused for a moment, then laughed out loud, “If Yan Mu had even a third of your qualities, I could rest easy.”
“Uncle is overpraising me,” Yan Sui brought Meng Ting here today mainly to give face to this uncle. Of course, aside from that, he also had other matters that he wanted to ask him personally.
“Eight years ago, my aunt was looking for someone in Country F; Uncle should know about it.”
Even though Yan Manjia said she didn’t alert anyone else, Yan Sui thought that Yan Zhengbo was not among these people. She wouldn’t be able to find the person by relying on the people in their estate; it was most likely that she sought help from Yan Zhengbo.
“Yes, I know.”
Yan Zhengbo nodded in acknowledgment, his smile fading into a serious expression. “All these years, I’ve been searching. As long as your father is still in Country F, or even in the neighboring countries, I will be able to find out as quickly as possible.”
He shook his head regretfully as he spoke. “But no, he hasn’t been here again.”
There was no trace of regret on Yan Sui’s face. Feeling Meng Ting gripping his hand tightly, he turned his head to look at him and offered a reassuring smile. Just as Meng Ting didn’t seem to care by the fact that he wasn’t a member of the Meng family. He held no particular attachment to his father either.
He wants to find an answer, simply wanting to put an end to some matters once and for all.
“Can Uncle tell me; why he will still appeared in Country F… or, do you know what he has been searching for all these years?”
Yan Zhengbo looked at Yan Sui, feeling quite surprised. His fingertips tapped on the table as he hesitated over whether to speak or not.
He turned his head and met Yan Sui’s gaze, his expression momentarily pausing. Suddenly, he realized that Yan Sui wasn’t completely unaware; he had come here just to seek confirmation from him.
“Your father lived in Country F for two years when he was young. I was relatively close to him, but the things I know are also limited.”
He looked at Yan Sui, let out a light sigh, and continued, “You’re already this grown up, so it’s indeed time for you to know.”
However, as he spoke, his gaze shifted to Meng Ting, hesitating over his position in Yan Sui’s heart.
“It doesn’t matter,” Yan Sui said, taking Meng Ting’s hand and placing it on his thigh.
Yan Zhengbo slowly leaned back against the chair, his expression becoming even more inexplicable. Years ago, Yan Yu also brought someone with him and said this to him, and it was also with the same attitude.
The members of their Yan family had always been very devoted. The only exception was his son, who had spent half his life wandering among clusters of flowers. He originally thought his son would continue living such a debauched life, but unexpectedly, he suddenly brought back a son——a son he had to recognize.
“Your father didn’t die, so it’s very likely… he hasn’t died either.”
This is Yan Zhengbo’s speculation, but it’s not entirely unfounded; otherwise, given Yan Yu’s personality, it would be quite strange for him not to fight He Wan to death.
“Who is he?”
Yan Sui asked, lowering his gaze to Meng Ting’s hands. His fingers were long and slender; they weren’t particularly beautiful, but they looked their best when holding flowers.
“He Yue; He Wan’s older brother who has previously gone missing.”
The He family may not be considered a major family in Haicheng, but they can be considered a prestigious family in recent decades. After their marriage alliance with the Yan family, the tide has risen even further, and they have now entered the ranks of the rich and powerful.
However, despite having connections with the Yan family, the relationship between the two families has become increasingly strained. Both of Yan Sui’s maternal grandparents were still alive, yet even when their own grandson Yan Sui got married, they only sent gifts, maintaining a very distant relationship.
Originally, Yan Sui thought it was because of He Wan, but now it seems to be because of He Yue, the eldest son of the He family, who was his father’s true lover.
Yan Manjia believes that He Wan is responsible for Yan Yu’s death, while the He family has always felt that the Yan family is to blame for He Yue’s demise. However, Yan Yu followed him through life and death. No matter how angry they were, they could express their anger. This has led to an even colder and more distant relationship between the two families, while He Wan, having dug her own grave, has long ceased to be a part of the He family.
List of Idiom in Chapter 041.3
有頭有臉 (yǒu tóu yǒu liǎn): lit. have head, have face; having fame and prestige; famous; respected; prestigious; command respect; have face; a prominent person.水漲船高 (shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo): lit. If water rises, a ship is elevated; the tide rises, the boat floats (idiom); fig. to change with the overall trend; to develop according to the situation; a thing grows as its foundation grows; when the river rises the boat goes up/floats higher—things improve with the improvement of the general situation.
作繭自縛 (zuò jiǎn zì fù): lit. to produce cocoon to trap oneself; like a silkworm spinning its own cocoon; to spin a cocoon around oneself (idiom); to act in a way that traps oneself or puts oneself in a difficult situation; enmeshed in a trap of one’s own devising; hoist by his own petard; entrap oneself; be caught in one’s own trap; tie oneself up in knots; create problems for oneself.
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