After hearing this, Yan Mingya fell silent for a while. Only then did he raise his head to look at Yan Sui and say, “Thank you.”
He shifted his gaze slightly and looked at Meng Ting again, saying, “And also Little Aunt.”
“I was born in January, so I should be older than you; I’m not little anymore.”
According to the information Yan Sui gave him, he was born in January. Although the exact date is uncertain, it is unlikely that Yan Mingya is older than him.
However, Yan Mingya suddenly smiled and said, “I was born on New Year’s Day.”
Meng Ting was taken aback and said, “Ah, then you might really be older than me.”
“Little Aunt, just call me Little Aunt then.” Zhen Han, Gu Lang, and the others often called him little sister-in-law.
Meng Ting accepted the score exceptionally quickly, which made Yan Sui and Yan Mingya unable to help but chuckle. Yan Sui picked up a piece of cut fruit and brought it to Meng Ting’s mouth. He glanced at it and took a bite, then turned his head to smile at Yan Sui.
Yan Mingya raised an eyebrow at their interaction, and his smile towards Yan Sui carried a bit more envy and blessing.
He is even more familiar with Yan Sui than Yan Mu; to be more precise, he grew up listening to stories about Yan Sui, and even now, Yan Sui remains his goal to strive for. When he was a child, he even followed Zhen Han back to the country and lived in Haicheng.
Yan Sui is a spiritual idol to him, someone he deeply admires. Therefore, some things that others say to him may not be effective, but when Yan Sui speaks to him, it’s entirely different.
“Little Aunt, what do you think of this place?” After seeing Meng Ting swallow the fruit, Yan Mingya asked again.
After hearing this, Meng Ting looked around, briefly glanced at Yan Sui, and then turned his gaze back to Yan Mingya. He replied earnestly, “The food is delicious, but as for the people, that’s hard to say; they only talk about things that are hard to understand.”
Hearing this, Yan Mingya listened closely. Xia Country’s language is spoken, but more of the talk was in the language of Country F. However, those topics always revolved around certain gossip. Regardless of whether Meng Ting speaks F country’s language or not, he wouldn’t understand it; that much is true.
However, Yan Mingya still felt that Meng Ting’s words carried a hint of ‘while the world is muddied, I alone am clear1舉世皆濁我獨清 (jǔ shì jiē zhuó wǒ dú qīng): From Chu Chi: 屈原曰：「舉世皆濁我獨清，眾人皆醉我獨醒，是以見放。」, Qu Yuan replied, “The entire world is corrupt and I am clean alone; everyone is drunk while I am sober alone. Thus, I was exiled.”. T/N: Excerpt from Chu Chi: The Fisherman. The Chu Ci, variously translated as Verses of Chu, Songs of Chu, or Elegies of Chu, is an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry including works traditionally attributed mainly to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States period, as well as a large number of works composed during the Han dynasty several centuries later. More information: Link.‘. Sure enough, someone who could be liked by Yan Sui was quite exceptional; perhaps a man of great wisdom appeared slow-witted.
Meng Ting didn’t expect that his straightforward comment would elevate Yan Mingya’s fondness for him to nearly the same level as Yan Sui’s. Meanwhile, Yan Sui watched the expressions of the two and couldn’t help but chuckle.
The three of them casually chatted and nibbled on snacks, and time seemed to pass quickly.
***
The guests had basically all arrived, and Yan Shua had met quite a few people, finally gaining some free time. He glanced around and finally spotted three people chatting and laughing in the corner. However, a classmate who had just arrived at the dinner party called him before he could walk over.
He paused for a moment and then walked towards those classmates. Surrounded by them, he found that those classmates who had once looked down on him and tried to exclude him were now praising him enthusiastically. This feeling was quite intoxicating, easily leading one to become enamored with it.
Suddenly, the group of people who had gathered around Yan Shuya began to walk towards Yan Sui and Meng Ting.
“What are you all chatting about? Why aren’t you dancing?” Yan Shuya leaned gently against the edge of the sofa, his gaze sweeping over Meng Ting and the other two before finally landing on Yan Mingya. “Why doesn’t Big Brother invite Auntie to dance? Our family’s ball is quite interesting.”
When Yan Shuya came over, Meng Ting instinctively moved a little closer to Yan Sui. He could sense that this Yan Shuya had been trying to catch Yan Sui’s attention, even if he couldn’t quite tell how much he liked Yan Sui.
Hearing this, Yan Mingya’s expression turned cold. Even though there was a difference in their seniority, he and Meng Ting were of similar age and should avoid any misunderstandings. How could he possibly do something that would displease Yan Sui?
However, Yan Shuya’s demeanor was quite sincere; he genuinely seemed to think that inviting Meng Ting to dance was perfectly fine.
Hmm… This cousin of his is young, but he’s quite skilled at pretending to be innocent.
Yan Mingya clearly had no intention of paying attention to Yan Shuya’s words, but at that moment, a Caucasian student in a burgundy suit suddenly stepped out from the crowd surrounding Yan Shuya. He took a couple of steps forward, slightly bowed, and said, “Beautiful boy, may I ask you to dance?”
As he spoke, he raised his eyes and threw a dazzling flirtatious glance at Meng Ting. His face was fairly good-looking, but his expression was somewhat off-putting.
“No…”
Before Meng Ting could finish his sentence, the Caucasian man was pushed from behind and lunged directly at Meng Ting, his smile widening as if he wanted to steal a kiss this way.
Meng Ting’s leg had just slightly lifted when it was retracted, as Yan Sui beside him had already moved his hand… no, he had moved his foot.
Yan Sui’s shoe sole landed squarely on the man’s face, leaving not just a dark blue footprint but also sending him tumbling backwards, causing several people behind him to suffer as well. A passing waiter, carrying a tray with eight glasses of red wine, was knocked away along with the wine.
Although Yan Shuya was not implicated and knocked to the ground, his white suit was splattered with wine, completely ruined.
Shouts and curses piled up, and the scene was getting a bit out of control. However, on the sofa in front of this chaotic scene, three people remained unmoved, coldly observing.
Yan Sui wrapped his arm around Meng Ting’s waist, his expression dark. That Caucasian man had clearly intended to take advantage of Meng Ting, and as for Yan Shuya, who was also responsible for this, he was looking at the flustered waiter in an angry manner, completely oblivious to the expressions on Yan Sui and Yan Mingya’s faces.
The red wine spilled onto the white shirt, and that piece of clothing was practically ruined. What was worse was that this scene and the outcome were incredibly embarrassing.
“Ah Mu, go down and let Uncle Chen bring people over.”
Yan Mingya stood up, raising his hand to send the panicked waiter away.
Chen Mu nodded, no longer looking at Yan Shuya, and turned to leave. Soon, Uncle Chen, who had already noticed the commotion, brought several people over.
“Everyone who comes here is a guest. Once you arrive at the Yan family, you are a guest of the Yan family. But if a guest lacks decorum, this is not a place for you to stay!” When Yan Mingya said this, his gaze was fixed solely on Uncle Chen, completely ignoring Yan Shuya’s anger and frustration.
He is indeed very much like Yan Sui in this regard—cold and indifferent—but theirs was an indifference with a sense of superiority that came from having capital, which was entirely different from that kind of arrogant and self-important disregard.
“Uncle Chen, please escort them out. From now on, they are not allowed to enter this house.”
“Yan Mingya, how dare you! They are my guests!” Yan Shuya couldn’t care less about the fact that his formal attire was stained anymore. Yan Mingya wasn’t looking at him, so he stepped in front of him. His expression was dark, but the previous warmth was gone.
However, Yan Mingya still wouldn’t look at him; his gaze swept past and returned to Yan Sui and Meng Ting.
“Little Aunt, did you get scared?” If Meng Ting was frightened, it wouldn’t be as simple as just asking them to leave!
Meng Ting shook his head and then turned to Yan Sui, “This place isn’t fun anymore; let’s leave early.” Although he wasn’t frightened, he was a bit disgusted.
“Alright,” Yan Sui nodded at Meng Ting, then turned to Yan Mingya, giving a gentle nod before wrapping his arm around the person and preparing to leave.
Yan Mingya hurriedly followed to see them off. “Today’s mood was destroyed; Mingya is also at fault. “Please don’t let this make you dislike Country F, Little Aunt.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Ting turned back to look at him and shook his head. “I like Rose Manor. Next time, when Yan Sui and I come, we will invite you to be our guest.”
Yan Mingya paused, a slight smile appearing on his face, and his worries eased a little. “All right, I’ll remember what Little Aunt said. Even if you don’t invite me then, I’ll come on my own.”
While they were talking, Uncle Chen had already brought the bodyguards to escort Yan Shuya’s classmates out. Some of them were unwilling to leave; even when their mouths were blocked, they resisted outright. Yan Shuya’s voice was quite loud in his protest, but Uncle Chen only listened to Yan Mingya’s instructions.
The commotion naturally attracted the attention of Yan Zhengbo and Yan Mu, who approached. Before Uncle Chen could speak, Yan Shuya spoke up first.
“Big brother is really rude. My classmate accidentally hurt his foot and caused a bit of an accident, but he directly had people kicked them out.” Yan Shuya said this with a layer of mist in his eyes, as if he were on the verge of tears. “How am I supposed to get along with them at school in the future?”
Yan Shuya’s demeanor is indeed quite deceptive, especially to the older generation, who tend to feel pity for the younger generation. At least Yan Mu noticed something off in Yan Mingya’s expression, while Linda gently patted Yan Shuya, her protective stance needing no further explanation.
“Mingya, what do you say?”
Yan Zhengbo inquired, his expression difficult to read, but upon hearing it, one might get the impression that he was also defending Yan Shuya.
“Shuya’s classmates tried to harass me, and it was Mingya who drove them away.”
Meng Ting and Yan Sui halted their steps upon hearing Yan Shuya’s words. This newly returned nephew of the Yan family has a somewhat terrifying scheming nature. Minya had good abilities, but he couldn’t afford to be embroiled in such long-term, unclear slander and false accusations.
“I am Mingya’s little aunt, and he protects me. Is that wrong?” Meng Ting asked Yan Zhengbo, his eyes bright and clear, genuinely pure from the heart. Compared to Shuya, it was evident that Meng Ting’s words were more convincing.
Moreover, if it weren’t for this fact, Mingya might have been misunderstood by them. With Meng Ting’s identity, he wouldn’t want to mention that he almost faced harassment.
“Jack didn’t mean it…” Yan Shuya quietly defended.
Meng Ting’s gaze finally landed on him. “Elders are speaking; where do you have the right to interrupt!”
He understood this principle, so why did Yan Shuya appear completely oblivious, still needing him to remind him?
“And you’re not him; how would you know?” Meng Ting’s tone was still mild, but the content of his words was difficult to counter, especially since Yan Sui was clearly on his side. When he reprimanded someone, he had quite the presence.
“Are you defending him because you weren’t the one being harassed, or do you want to see him harass me?” Even if he were a man, that Caucasian guy wanting to kiss him would still count as harassment, not to mention he was already married to Yan Sui. The more Meng Ting thought about it, the more disgusted he felt.
In front of Meng Ting’s overly blunt words, Yan Shuya’s pitiful facade began to crack. That moment of stunned silence truly revealed his thoughts. As Meng Ting said, he just wanted to see Meng Ting make a fool of himself, and he wanted Yan Sui to see Meng Ting make a fool of himself.
After all, he was just an illegitimate child. It was only by clinging to Yan Sui that he gained his current status; otherwise, in front of the Yan family, he was nothing.
“Shuya, kneel!” Yan Zhenbo suddenly spoke up. Both Yan Shuya and Yan Mu felt a chill run down their spines. However, the people gathered in this living room, watching the spectacle, are all prominent figures from the capital of F country. If he kneels down now, what face will he have left in F country in the future?
“Dad, Shuya is still young and ignorant. He will remember this.”
After Linda spoke to Yan Zhengbo, she turned to Meng Ting and said, “I apologize on his behalf.”
She was a year younger than Yan Mu, having given birth to Yan Shuya at nineteen, and now, at thirty-six, she still looked quite well-maintained——she wouldn’t look out of place even standing next to freshly graduated college students.
But at that moment, her expression was not very pleasant; she clearly hadn’t expected Yan Zhengbo to care so much about Meng Ting’s words, even to the point of demanding Yan Shuya kneel.
Meng Ting did not respond; he was led by Yan Sui, turning to the side and unable to see the crowd. He then raised his eyes to look at Yan Sui.
He doesn’t know how to speak; after talking for so long, the issue still isn’t resolved. Yet, with just a few words from Yan Sui, it’s all sorted out.
“There’s no need for an apology; however, you should manage Shuya’s temperament. A mistake is a mistake, and shifting the blame to Mingya… My Yan family does not engage in such petty behavior.”
As Yan Sui spoke, his gaze fell on Linda. Regarding Shuya’s actions, Linda should bear the main responsibility, but his scrutiny of her was not solely about that.
“Patriarch, please don’t be angry. I will discipline him properly.” Yan Zhengbo slightly bent his waist and bowed, his posture extremely low, which stunned everyone present, including Yan Mu. But this was the rule of the Yan family; the authority of the main family’s patriarch was not as simple as it appeared on the surface.
“Uncle, you’re too polite.” Yan Sui’s expression remained indifferent, and he didn’t even offer to help him up. He nodded slightly, then wrapped his arm around Meng Ting’s waist and turned to walk out.
Yan Zhengbo gave Yan Mingya a look, and he hurriedly followed to see them off.
They didn’t return to the Yan family’s guest room but went straight out the front door, where a car was waiting for them.
Yan Sui and Meng Ting got into the car, and the window rolled down again, revealing Meng Ting’s face. Yan Mingya halted in his tracks.
“He’s a bit bad and doesn’t tell the truth. If you’re being bullied, don’t just endure it. If you can fight back, do it; if you can’t, tell Yan Sui. He’ll help you teach them a lesson.”
As soon as Meng Ting finished speaking, he was pulled back by Yan Sui, whose voice followed.
“Your little aunt isn’t wrong. If you need anything, just call me or Zhen Han.”
A smile appeared on Yan Mingya’s overly serious face as he bowed slightly. “Thank you, Uncle; thank you, Little Aunt.”
He took a step back, the car started, and disappeared at the intersection.
If it weren’t for Yan Sui and Meng Ting today, he might have really ended up with a reputation for bullying his younger brother’s classmates.
What saddened him wasn’t the incident itself, but Yan Mu’s reaction. This was the uncle who once liked him so much, the uncle who was so good to him… It really was different when it wasn’t one’s own child.
Perhaps the only one who truly hadn’t adjusted his mindset was himself.
Looking at the now quiet street, he slowly turned around. Fortunately, Yan Sui hadn’t changed, and there was also a straightforward and lovely little aunt now. He still had his parents and grandfather, so there was no reason for him to be overshadowed by Yan Shuya.
***
Inside the car, Meng Ting leaned against Yan Sui’s shoulder, no longer thinking about the events at the banquet. “Where are we going now?”
“To the hotel,” Yan Sui replied, tilting his head to kiss Meng Ting’s forehead. “I’ll take you out to have fun tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Meng Ting responded, taking Yan Sui’s hand and brushing it against his lips, then continuing to hold it in his embrace to keep it warm.
Yan Sui’s hand moved slightly, then he began to rub Meng Ting’s small belly. Meng Ting looked up and saw a contemplative expression in Yan Sui’s eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to endure the ticklish sensation caused by Yan Sui’s touch.
The Yan family in Country F could certainly accommodate Yan Sui and Meng Ting; Yan Sui himself had places to go in the capital of Country F. However, before the dinner party, he received a call from a friend here. He was returning to Country F tomorrow and invited him and Meng Ting to dinner; he even arranged a hotel suite for them.
The hotel was conveniently located near various attractions, and he had also arranged for a dedicated driver for their transportation, so Yan Sui didn’t feel the need to be polite with him.
By the time they arrived at the hotel, it was already ten o’clock at night, and soon it would be Meng Ting’s usual bedtime. He yawned, grabbed the clothes and towel that Yan Ting had prepared for him, and headed to the bathroom.
When he came out, Yan Sui was sitting with his back to him, looking at the computer. To be more precise, the computer was turned on, but he was gazing out the window, lost in thought. Since the banquet began, it seemed like Yan Sui had something on his mind, and at this moment, it was unclear whether he had finished his contemplation.
Meng Ting lightened his footsteps, walked up behind him, and suddenly wrapped his arms around his neck.
Yan Sui had already seen Meng Ting in the reflection of the window when he approached. Before his hand could touch Meng Ting’s face, Meng Ting’s lips had already pressed against his cheek, making a tiny sound, ‘chu chu’, that tickled the heart.
After he had kissed enough, he murmured, “What are you looking at?”
Meng Ting glanced over, and it was still the email that Yan Sui had shown him that day, but not the text part——rather, it was a photo.
“Is she Yu Meixuan?”
Yu Meixuan had stopped attending school in her second year, and the photo on Yan Sui’s computer was from when she enrolled, dressed simply, looking delicate and youthful.
But why was Yan Sui so lost in thought while looking at her photo?
“Mm,” Yan Sui replied, holding Meng Ting’s hand that was wrapped around his neck. “Don’t you think this photo looks familiar?”
Hearing this, Meng Ting also stared intently at the photo. After a while, he asked doubtfully, “Yan Shuya’s mother?”
If it weren’t for Yan Sui’s reminder, Meng Ting wouldn’t have connected the two people; indeed, the changes are too significant when looking at the photos, both in appearance and demeanor.
“Then, Yan Shuya he…”
Yan Sui nodded. “There can’t be such a coincidence; the ages match perfectly. I’ll have someone investigate further.” But it can basically be confirmed.
Yan Shuya is the illegitimate child that the Meng family has been searching for; he didn’t die but was taken abroad by Yu Meixuan, who is now Linda. Back then, she was in a passionate romance with Meng Yide, causing quite a stir, but in the end, she became pregnant with Yan Mu’s child. There was also the matter of abandoning and then taking the child back.
The records say the child died two months after birth; that child, Yan Shuya, is very much alive today. Perhaps it’s just a case of mistaken memory after so long, or maybe Yu Meixuan intentionally let people believe that.
Meng Ting looked at the photo, feeling a slight discomfort in his heart. “His luck is really good; he has a loving mother, as well as a father and other family members.”
Yan Shuyua might not have thought his past days were particularly good, but compared to Meng Ting, he was definitely fortunate.
He hadn’t been so hungry that he had to eat medicine in place of food; he hadn’t been denied and belittled since childhood; he hadn’t been sent to a closed-off high school, crying out to the heavens and the earth in vain2叫天天不應，叫地地不靈 (jiào tiān tiān bù yìng, jiào dì dì bù líng): lit. Cry out to the heavens, but the heavens don’t respond. Cry out to the earth, but the earth is impervious; to be up the creek without a paddle; to be without any aid. A proverb, means to describe being in a difficult situation, with no one to appeal for grievances, no one to speak out when you are right, and no one to help you when you are in trouble.; he hadn’t been controlled by the Meng family, living a life that wasn’t his own.
But if one were to blame them, it seems there really isn’t much to blame. At that time, Yan Shuya was also just a child, and Yu Meixuan was nothing in front of the Meng family. The true instigator of the evil was still Wu Fengjiao, along with some members of the Meng family.
“My luck has also changed for the better; I have you.” Thinking this way, it didn’t seem so sad anymore.
Yan Sui turned to the side, pulling Meng Ting a little closer, then kissed his lips. Their breaths intertwined, with slightly different temperatures merging together. Yan Sui’s tongue lingered between Meng Ting’s lips and teeth, gentle yet carrying a soothing power.
At the end of the kiss, their foreheads were pressed against each other, and their breathing was only slightly unstable.
Yan Sui closed the laptop, stood up, walked over, and took Meng Ting’s hand, leading him toward the bed.
Before they even reached the edge of the bed, they kissed again——not the comforting kind of kiss from the sofa, but one that burned like fire, passionately igniting both themselves and each other.
The two people kissed while stumbling backwards, eventually falling onto the bed together. Their kisses were unending.
Yan Sui’s hand wove through Meng Ting’s soft hair, and that feeling of heartache surged once more. He rarely felt this way for anyone; he had long since grown numb, even to his own experiences. But when it came to Meng Ting, he simply couldn’t help but feel this uncontrollable heartache.
“What are you thinking about?”
Meng Ting asked, his chest still rising and falling without any sign of slowing down. He lifted his face to nuzzle against Yan Sui. “You need to focus.”
Kissing requires focus; making love also demands concentration.
“Okay, I’ll focus.”
Yan Sui’s lips descended once again, starting from Meng Ting’s forehead and moving down, kissing every inch of skin until they met his lips. The two of them kissed passionately once more.
The start of the next chapter is ambiguous and kinda nsfw… should I add a warning?
On a side note, my cat is fine now, she just had to take some medication for about a week.
List of Idiom in Chapter 043
有說有笑 (yǒu shuō yǒu xiào): to talk and laugh; talking and laughing; to jest; cheerful and lively; in high spirits; chatting and laughing; talking and laughing at the same time. It is used to describe being very happy.氣急敗壞 (qì jí bài huài): furious and exasperated; utterly discomfited; be flustered and exasperated; Describes very ridiculous or angry.
驚慌失措 (jīng huāng shī cuò): to lose one’s head over fear; to panic; to be thrown into a panic; to be frightened out of one’s wits; to be in a state of panic; be thrown into panic; be seized with panic; be panic-stricken; be caught/freeze like a deer in the headlights; be caught like a rabbit in the headlights; be at a loss of what to do due to panic.
滿城風雨 (mǎn chéng fēng yǔ): lit. wind and rain through the town (idiom); fig. a big scandal; an uproar; (usu of a bad thing) become the talk of the town; make a great commotion; create quite a stir/sensation; (of news, rumour) spread all over the city; It’s windy and rainy everywhere in the city; Originally described the rain scene before the Double Ninth Festival, later become a metaphor for a certain event that spread widely, and there was a lot of discussion everywhere.
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