When Yan Sui laid in the quilt, Meng Ting calmly rested his head on Yan Sui's neck and rested his left leg on Yan Sui's thigh.
Meng Teng really liked this kind of body contact. Once in a while, when Yan Sui wore trousers to sleep, Meng Ting would unconsciously rub and rub and rub his feet. This caused his trouser legs to eventually inch higher and higher; even more so for his clothes.
Yan Sui similarly did not reject such contacts. After he discovered Meng Ting's preference, he consciously let the both of them sleep naked.
The warm boy he held in his arms and the feeling of stability were fascinating. He felt like this and he thought Meng Ting felt the same.
After a good night's sleep, the two embraced each other until daybreak. Meng Ting recovered quickly and on the next day, he ran as usual. Yan Sui accompanied him and Rhubarb also followed them from behind.
An hour later, the two came back, went upstairs to take a bath, and changed their clothes. When they went downstairs, Nanny Wang brought servants to prepare the table as soon as possible. Both Chinese and Western dishes were served and the servings were even quite sufficient. Meng Ting alone could eat and fill himself to the point of bursting and it would be unlikely for them to have insufficient food to eat.
Meng Ting poured Yan Sui a glass of milk and placed it on his right-hand side. After that, he said, "You work very hard every day. You should drink milk, too."
While Yan Sui was not a picky eater, it doesnt hold true when it comes to dairy products. Before he was eighteen years old, he drank two glasses of milk every day without leaving a single drop. However, after confirming that his height was almost to the limit, he stopped drinking.
Meng Ting heard Nanny Wang reminisce about this once and so he kept it in his mind.
Although his Yan Sui does not need to grow taller, milk's nutritional value is still quite high. Yan Sui worked so hard every day. He certainly must eat well and only then could he perform well. Of course, if Yan Sui treats milk as Meng Ting treats western medicine, Meng Ting would never force him.
Yan Sui picked the glass of milk up and not the least bit of delight nor dismay was written on his face. After that, he took a sip, then drank it all.
Meng Ting looked at Yan Sui as he took the table napkin to wipe his mouth. He moved closer to Yan Sui's ear and whispered, "You're obedient."
Yan Sui immediately revealed a hint of a smile in his eyes. Yan Sui held Meng Ting's hand before Meng Ting could even withdraw it from his mouth and pecked it.
Meng Ting slowly withdrew his hand, then immersed himself in eating. After a while, his cheeks gradually turned red. This suddenly-long-suddenly-short response [1] was so cute.
([1] The author originally wrote 反射弧 which means reflex arc in biology. I think the author is pertaining to Meng Ting's reaction to what Yan Sui did and it's not really pertaining to the actual reflex arc which is a neural structure that performs reflex activities in the body.)
Yan Sui put his bowl down. He somewhat had the urge to take the boy with him to the company every morning. Right now, Meng Ting still stayed at home and would go back to school one month later. Maybe he should go to this school to snatch the boy away.
While Meng Ting was eating the half-bowl of porridge, the sound of high heels stepping on the marble floor came in the direction of the drawing room's door. Yan Sui sat still and did not stand up. Meng Ting glanced at Yan Sui, who still immersed himself in eating his porridge. He did not even look at the door.
Yan Manjia moved to the Yans' seaside villa the next day after they left the country for their honeymoon. She would come back for dinner every Saturday night. Otherwise, it was unlikely for her to come over. Even if she comes over, she would notify Uncle Xiao and Nanny Wang in advance. Zhen Han returned to his pet clinic ahead of her and besides, he would not wear high-heeled shoes.
In that case, to come over on a Monday, wearing high-heeled shoes—the only one who would tread on the floor with an imposing manner was none other than Yan Sui's mother—He Wan.
Meng Ting could guess who came here in such a short time, let alone Yan Sui. Not only did he know it was He Wan, he also knew why she came and why she was angry.
He Wan was wearing a light cyan cheong sam and was carrying a white handbag. Her hair was tied up and her makeup was exquisite and decent, which clearly manifested the "gentle" temperament she desired. However, none of this gentle facade was left when she threw her handbag to the large bowl of porridge on the dining table.
This was probably how women of prominent families would behave, but countryside girls would not do such a thing because they could not bear to waste food.
"Yan Sui, you're a really good person. You took him to go to my mother and angered her until she got sick!"
He Wan was trembling with anger. She pointed her thick forefinger at Yan Sui. She had little strength; otherwise, she would have probably hit the person with her handbag. Of course, she did not dare to hit Yan Sui. Since it was coming over from that direction, she obviously wanted to hit Meng Ting.
Meng Ting looked at the porridge, which was mostly covered by the handbag, with the bottom layer of the bowl untouched. He was too angry for the pork porridge, which he did not even have the time to ladle out.
"Mom!" Meng Ting grabbed Yan Sui's hand, then he raised his eyes to look at He Wan. His complexion and gaze were all cold.
"I'm not your mother!" Every time He Wan heard Meng Ting call her mother, she had to hold her pent-up anger back and should not show her anger no matter what.
"Oh, if you say so. It's great not to have to call you mother," Meng Ting voiced out the big truth in his heart, but he also deliberately wanted to get angry at He Wan. "When you came home last time, you won't talk about leftovers and now you're ruining food. Did Grandma and Grandpa teach you? If not, then it's because you yourself didn't learn from good examples."
Meng Ting could not figure out why He Wan had such a bad habit of spoiling food. She held the identity of an elder in the family after all. Meng Ting was panting with rage, though he already said enough to make his point. He held the bowl of porridge up together with the handbag, then placed them altogether on the ground.
"Rhubarb."
He shouted and Rhubarb, who was lying on the sofa, came over immediately after it heard him.
"Eat this. Let's not waste food."
Rhubarb was very obedient. After it licked three to five times with its long tongue, the porridge in the bowl and even the porridge grains on the handbag, were all gone.
This added to He Wan's fury, making her tremble with anger. She almost pointed at the wrong place when she pointed at Yan Sui.
"You've let him make me this angry?"
Yan Sui held Meng Ting's hand again, then he looked back at He Wan indifferently. "Did Meng Ting say anything wrong?"
Without waiting for He Wan's answer, Yan Sui answered it himself, "He's right."
Apart from her somewhat better birth, she was arrogant, conceited, and ill-bred. Where in the least bit was her upbringing? Where in the least bit was her act which conformed to the doings of a mother?
"As for…Grandmother," These words turned around in Yan Sui's throat with a hint of playfulness and sarcasm. "Did you see with your own two eyes that she was ill? Or did Second Uncle tell you…"
"You didn't go to the hospital first and didn't go to the Hes to inquire about her condition, but then you came here to interrogate us…you don't seem to care about Grandma, too." Meng Ting glanced at He Wan, then at Yan Sui who was talking. He felt that He Wan was getting even angrier, but he did not feel worried or sad.
If He Wan really cares about her mother's health, since the very beginning, shouldn't she not forget to go to the hospital and accompany her? Instead, He Wan chose to rush all the way here to look for trouble with them. It was really strange. Moreover, before they left yesterday, Old Madame He obviously looked fine. Even if she was ill, it had nothing to do with them.
Yan Sui looked at Meng Ting. He raised his other hand, rubbed Meng Ting's hair, and said, "You're right."
Meng Ting's eyes shone and his anger slightly faded away. He rubbed Yan Sui's hand and said softly, "Just be good and don't get angry."
"I won't," Yan Sui answered and his voice was a little softer as well. His hand moved down from Meng Ting's hair and stroked his cheek once again. "Don't get angry, too."
"Okay," Meng Ting nodded and slightly raised his chin. However, he did not look at He Wan anymore. He would not get angry if he did not look at her.
He Wan almost felt dizzy because of the guts that they have shown right before her eyes. She grabbed the things at hand, as if she wanted to launch another attack, but Yan Sui's voice came over once again.
"Send Miss He out. She won't be allowed to enter the old residence without my permission!"
"Wh… what!?" He Wan suddenly raised her voice. She just thought she was hearing things.
"What did you call me? A moment ago…you called me what?"
The first time Yan Sui started calling her mother, it felt, kind of, neither familiar nor distant. However, over the past twenty years, they were indifferent to each other. Yan Sui would call her "Mom" when he spoke to her. If he wanted to warn her, he would directly call her "Mother." Miss He…what kind of address was this!?
"I'm the wife whom your father married. I have my wedding room here. Are you forbidding me from going to the old residence?"
The color of He Wan's face turned blue and white simultaneously. Her expression changed radically and her delicate makeup got a little distorted. She had aged and her former appearance was almost impossible to keep.
"Married…are you talking about the marriage between you and a memorial tablet?"
If He Wan did not make a fuss before his eyes, he might have continued to put up with her for some time, but she insisted on having it this way…he did not want to wait for her to do something to Meng Ting and regret it later for not making a decision earlier.
Today was a bit sudden, but Yan Sui did not think it was inappropriate. This was just the right time.
"I never heard that dead people could get married, so…you and my father had a…ghost marriage?"
"Bang!" He Wan immediately smashed the lamp stand, which she was holding on to, to the floor. She took three steps back and her face was so ghastly that it made people feel that she was pitiful. However, whether it was Yan Sui or Meng Ting, both still asked the servants to take her away out of the drawing room. Uncle Xiao and Nanny Wang, who personally guarded the door, also did not have any urge to have pity on her.
She had broken a family apart. She made a pair of lovers into a dead affectionate couple. He Wan, He Wan…there was no need to feel sorry for her.
"You, you…"
"I know everything."
Yan Sui did not want to deny it. He did not know everything about the past in detail, but it did not mean that he did not know anything, especially after he had investigated on it. He just did not talk about it. "It was you who told me from the very beginning."
The two elders of the Yans and even Yan Manjia all consciously desired not to let themselves vent their anger on him, so it was natural that they would not tell him about those matters. However, He Wan was not like them. Although that one night did not terrify him anymore, he still had a deep impression of it.
When he was asleep, He Wan went into his room. A pair of cold hands lingered on his face and neck. She thought about strangling him.
"Why do you look so alike? Why do you look so alike? I hate it. I really hate it…"
At the time, Yan Sui was only seven years old. He did not understand it, but it was the time when he wanted to understand everything. His biological mother had intended to kill him. What a great shock it was for a child who was still yearning for love from his father and mother.
From then on, he began to be cautious of his family members' expressions, including his grandparents, Yan Manjia, and He Wan.
Meng Ting suddenly took a deep breath. He immediately stood up and went to Yan Sui's side. He wrapped both of his hands over Yan Sui's shoulders. He subconsciously wanted to protect Yan Sui with this kind of gesture and his anger was now indescribable.
"Yan Sui, don't call her mother. She doesn't deserve it."
If she thought of laying her hands on her seven-year-old son, how could He Wan deserve to be called a mother?
He also had a bad experience in his childhood, but he was born stupid and there was not much that he could feel. On the other hand, Yan Sui was not. Both of his EQ and IQ were higher than those of his peers; thus, making him way more sensitive and feel malice from the outside world even more. Moreover, that person was his biological mother.
Yan Sui grasped Meng Ting's hands, which were wrapped around his shoulders, and gently nodded. "Okay."
He Wan instinctively wanted to shake her head and deny it, but there was no way for her to do it. When she looked at that face, which was becoming more and more similar to Yan Yu's, she recalled the dullness and loneliness of being married to a memorial tablet for so many years, so she could not help but want to hate and destroy everything she could destroy.
"Show her the door!" Yan Sui turned around and his voice became slightly louder. Uncle Xiao came in with two servants and took He Wan, who stood up distracted and in a daze, to walk her out of the drawing room.
"Yan Sui, Yan Sui! You can't do this to me. You can't! I still have shares of the family…"
Her voice could not be heard that much because she was completely pulled out of iron gate of the Yans' residence.
Yan Sui looked up and gazed at Meng Ting with a slight worry in his gaze, then he stood up, and hugged the boy.
"Anyway, it's just a little earlier than what was originally planned."
"Okay," Meng Ting answered and patted Yan Sui's back. "I'll ask my teachers for leave today, then I'll take the exam papers with me to the company. I want to accompany you."
He could feel that Yan Sui's mood did not change a lot. He had given up on He Wan a long time ago, so he no longer had any signs of joy or anger. In today's scene, he was temporarily aroused, but it was not enough to affect his mood.
Yan Sui did not need anyone's concern nor did he need their pity. Meng Ting did not want to pity Yan Sui as well. He only wanted to accompany him.
"I want to accompany you all the time," Meng Ting said as he slightly raised his chin, then he firmly hugged and vigorously kissed Yan Sui.
Yan Sui slightly took a step back and responded to Meng Ting's attack, then they slowly retreated to the sofa.
Yan Sui sat down and Meng Ting stopped for a moment, then he pounced on him again. He crawled on Yan Sui with half of his body and rubbed his hands gently on Yan Sui's chest. Meng Ting gently stuck his tongue out, then he kissed him hard and sucked his lips hard, as if he wanted to suck out all of Yan Sui's sadness and misfortune.
It was not hard to sense such intention. Yan Sui was trapped with his back against the sofa as he indulged in Meng Ting's sudden enthusiasm. The unconscious coldness of his eyebrows gradually dissipated and turned into tenderness because of Meng Ting. He held the boy in his embrace as if he was holding a rare treasure.
No, it was not a mere 'as if'—Meng Ting was truly his treasure—his darling.
The kiss lasted for quite some time, so much that it had aroused each other's urges. The two men's foreheads pressed against one another. Their breaths slightly calmed down, along with the urge to get kissed, which was becoming more and more frequent.
"Yan Sui, I love you. I definitely love you."
Meng Ting still had his eyes closed, yet he still spoke quite earnestly. His forehead was slightly brushed and the tip of his nose rubbed against Yan Sui's, then he smiled and said, "We must always love each other."
This realization did not only come to light just now; it had always been there, but at this moment, it suddenly became clear and so he immediately wanted to let Yan Sui know.
After he finished speaking, his eyes fluttered open and his gaze fell into Yan Sui's infinitely tender gaze.
The corners of Meng Ting's eyebrows gradually curved, then he raised his face. Starting from Yan Sui's forehead, with smacking sounds, he kissed him going down. In a certain way, it was not enough to be kissed by him. After that, he was kissed again by Yan Sui's lips, which unexpectedly collided with his.
The lingering kiss made any person's heart feel terribly sweet. He seemed to have sunken in a mass of cotton. It was light and heavy. It made him feel uneasy, yet he seem to not be uneasy. Yan Sui whispered, "Say it again. I want to hear it."
Meng Ting inched closer to Yan Sui's ears, then he spoke earnestly and sweetly, "I love you, I love you, I love you…"
Since the first time Meng Ting met him, he liked Yan Sui and thought that he was nice. Now, after they have known each other for more than a month, he fell in love with Yan Sui. He did not know when it was; he just fell in love with Yan Sui.
"You're right. When I fall in love with you, I'd know what love is."
Meng Ting sat on Yan Sui's lap. He wanted to hold the man in his embrace as if he was holding a great treasure. He could see nothing but Yan Sui in his sight.
"What's love?" Yan Sui asked softly. Meng Ting's confession came so suddenly that it made him happy, yet he could not help but feel worried whether what Meng Ting had thought was right or not.
However, Meng Ting answered this question without any hesitation or irresoluteness. From the moment he determined that he fell in love with Yan Sui, he was certain with his answer.
"Love is you. You're my love. All my love is you."
Meng Ting did not know whether Yan Sui could understand what he meant; thus, he grabbed his hand and pressed it on his chest. "I want to give you everything that I could give to you. I want you to be happy and everything in your life to be good."
If one day he had to make a more favorable choice between himself and Yan Sui, he would definitely choose Yan Sui. He wanted Yan Sui to be in good health. He unconditionally just wanted Yan Sui to be well.
Yan Sui's heartbeat became unsteady because of Meng Ting. He moved forward slightly, then he kissed the part that affected his heartbeat just now, and embraced him again. For a long time, he could not say anything.
Meng Ting's confession caught him off guard, but it was also indistinguishably full of pleasant surprises. In love with each other…they were in love with each other.
After Uncle Xiao and Nanny Wang sent He Wan out, they went on their own ways to instruct the servants in the residence. Around twenty minutes later, they got back to the drawing room once again, only to find that the room was full of pink bubbles. Meng Ting shamelessly sat on Yan Sui's lap. Even when they came back, he was still unwilling to come down.
He buried his head on Yan Sui's neck out of embarrassment from seeing them, but he still clinged on Yan Sui and did not want to let go.
Yan Sui smiled. He raised his hand and asked Uncle Xiao and Nanny Wang to tidy up and leave soon. He was like Meng Ting. He did not want them to disturb his intimacy with Meng Ting.
However, after eight o'clock, they also need to go out.
After he was able to express his feelings to Yan Sui and was accepted, Meng Ting was in a very good mood and became more spontaneous and clingy to Yan Sui.
He was glued to Yan Sui while they sat on the car, with his feet slightly raised up on Yan Sui's legs. If they could not see them in the front seats, he would probably be as close as they were in the drawing room; that kind of closeness with Yan Sui wherein they were in each other's arms.
"By the time we arrive in the company, I won't bother you."
Meng Ting also thought that he was too clingy, but he still did not want to restrain himself for the time-being.
"You're not a bother. I'd be happy to." Yan Sui raised his hand and caressed Meng Ting's delicate face. After that, he pinched his earlobe again and laid Meng Ting's head on his shoulder. While in this position, he took out his phone and called Wang Feng.
"Send someone to keep an eye on He Wan and see who she's looking for in this period of time."
The five percent of their clan's shares was the only bargaining chip in He Wan's hands and the only one that others could exploit. He wanted to solve those annoying matters, so that he could spend more time with Meng Ting.
However, since Yan Sui got married, he had been spending a lot of time with Meng Ting. He had to leave work every day in advance. In the evening, there were some banquets that could be postponed and some that he could not. If it was appropriate, he would take Meng Ting along with him. If it was not appropriate, he would go and just show up, then go back right away.
On the twenty-ninth of August, the day before Meng Ting enrolled, Yan Sui took him to Gu Lang's house. It was Gu Lang's birthday.
"See how unlucky I am. In the past, I used to celebrate my birthday at this kind of time when we usually need to rush with our homework…"
Knowing that Meng Ting was going to school tomorrow, Gu Lang immediately recalled the tragic ten years from elementary school to high school. He said these words as he glanced at Yan Sui. Yan Sui himself, who was seated beside Meng Ting, must be the one who came up with this program.
"Yan Sui did it for your own good." It was definitely a wrong decision for Gu Lang to tell Meng Ting this about Yan Sui. If Meng Ting was now considered to be the second person to defend Yan Sui the most, then who would dare to speak of the first? Let alone Gu Lang was complaining jokingly, he naturally knew that Yan Sui did it for their own good.
"Little Sister-in-law's really good," Gu Lang could not help but heave a sigh. Yan Sui looked at him and so, Gu Lang decided to drop the topic. "I specially had people prepare delicious foods, so make yourself at home, Little Sister-in-law."
"Hmn," Meng Ting finally smiled at Gu Lang when he heard this. "I wish you a happy birthday. This is the gift that Yan Sui and I have prepared for you."
"Oh, thank you." Gu Lang took it with both of his hands and a smile bloomed on his face.
Making Yan Sui, a man who was busy with a myriad of affairs daily, personally pick a gift for him, was really not easy. Yan Sui was able to do this only because he was touched by Meng Ting's grace.
The guests in Gu Lang's birthday were his friends and some were his peers from other aristocratic families in Haicheng.
After nearly two months, Meng Ting was able to meet Meng Qi, Meng Xiao, and the others again at Gu Lang's party.
However, he just glanced over once and did not pay much attention to them anymore. After he found out that he was not a child of the Mengs, in his heart, the fetters between him and them were also gone. From now on, the Mengs were the Mengs and he was himself.
In Meng Ting's eyes, they were no different, but whether it was Meng Qi or Meng Xiao, they both felt the great changes in Meng Ting when they met him again after being separated for two months.
During the time that he did not go back to the Mengs' residence, his gloom completely vanished, it seemed he had grown taller, his face was rosy, and he looked very healthy and handsome. He seemed to be glowing that he made it hard for people to look away from him the moment they glanced at him.
In the past, Meng Qi felt that in terms of appearance, Su Siyu was slightly better than Meng Ting. After all, Su Siyu really knew how to showcase his strong points. However, that was not the case anymore after he saw Meng Ting again today. Meng Ting's bearing had improved. His appearance was beautiful, but Yan Sui was the one who developed his nobility.
Good-looking was good-looking, but no one would dare to cast greedy eyes in front of them.
Meng Ting had become different. He was getting better and better.
Meng Qi looked upon, and slightly raised his eyebrows. One thing he could be sure of was that Yan Sui was really good to Meng Ting. Even in the bustling hall, he did not let go of Meng Ting's hand and looked after him. Furthermore, he did not refrain himself in front of the others; therefore, everyone could see that they were deeply in love with each other in just a glance.
"Little Fox…" Meng Xiao sneered softly. The better Meng Ting's life was, the more he felt that he had lost a lot. In other words, he still thought that he should be the one married into the Yan family and not Meng Ting, who came back suddenly.
Of course, no matter how intense Meng Xiao felt, he could barely hold it back. On the other hand, Su Siyu really needed to spend even more effort to control it than him. After all, Meng Xiao was only jealous, while he was remorseful and angry.
Yan Sui was his—"was his"—he was once his! He wanted to kill that person. He wanted to kill Meng Ting!
"I'm sorry. My mother decided it all by herself and invited a bunch of rotten people for me." Gu Lang moved closer to Yan Sui and Meng Ting and whispered. If it was up to him, he would absolutely not invite the Mengs and Su Siyu, who clearly made Meng Ting unhappy.
"It doesn't matter. You should go and greet the others." Yan Sui nodded and expressed his understanding.
Gu Lang was a junior in their family. When he was a child, things were still okay. Even if they invite others, they would assign a place for Gu Lang's friends for him so he could have some fun. As he grew up, birthday parties like this had changed into an event for various families to meet up. Basically, as long as it was not a really hostile family, they would be invited to come. Naturally, he would have to mingle with the people who came.
Up until now, Meng Ting did not like this kind of banquet as well. Although there were a lot of delicious foods in the banquet, the situation in every banquets were all the same. He could feel a lot of greedy eyes on Yan Sui. There were also several gazes that were particularly intense. It made him want to hide Yan Sui.
"Yan Sui, say you love me. I want to hear it."
Meng Ting suddenly moved closer to Yan Sui's ear and said these words. His eyes were particularly persistent. Of course, he also knew that Yan Sui would agreed.
I love you. Ever since they said these words openly that day, they said it everyday. Whenever Meng Ting wanted to hear it, he would tell Yan Sui, asking him to say it. The same was true for Yan Sui, but he mostly chose to let Meng Ting say it at night.
"I love you." Yan Sui said as he gently took the boy into his arms. He looked into his eyes and said it very determinedly.
"Hmn," Meng Ting nodded and those uncontrollable insecurities dispersed a little. "I love you, too."
It was not Yan Sui's fault at all if he attracted people. It goes without saying that Yan Sui was handsome and deserved to be liked by many people; therefore, he could not blame Yan Sui, yet he still felt uneasy. It would not be a problem as long as he was sure that Yan Sui loves him.
Yan Sui lowered his eyes and held back the impulse to kiss Meng Ting. In the end, he just rubbed Meng Ting's cheek.
However, this in fact did not make any difference. He repetitively took the boy in his arms and repetitively caressed his face. There were other married couples and lovers who attended the banquet today, but none were as bold as they were.