The voice made Meng Zongqi stop from scolding his daughter. They all turned and were stunned when they saw the person who arrived.
The newcomer gently smiled which just made his stunning appearance became more beautiful. "Hello, everyone. I am sorry for being the last to arrive. I am not late, am I?" He asked. "You didn't set a time when to come." He added and laughed.
The laughter was a music to the ears, like the crisp tinkling of the bells which made one's heart speed up.
"Second brother." Like earlier, it was Meng Linhe who was the first to speak. "No, you are not late." He answered.
Meng Wenci nodded in agreement. His second elder brother is right. Nobody set the time when they should arrive, so Meng Xing is technically not late.
Meanwhile, Meng Zixin, whose face turned red in embarrassment because she was dazed by Meng Ruyan's appearance earlier, is angry, too, due to what Meng Xing said earlier when he arrived. "You who have a poor attitude! We have a visitor, yet you dare to be slow!" she said and pointed at Meng Xing. "And what do you mean by what you said earlier?!" she added as she glared at him.
"Meng Zixin!" Meng Zongqi's voice rose as he glared at his daughter.
Meanwhile, Ji Suxin shook her head because of her daughter's ill temper. Meng Xing is right. If Meng Zixin continues like this, there will be no one who will take her as a bride.
Meng Xing looked at her and acted shocked. "Sister, the visitor himself didn't say anything to complain about me. I am technically not tardy." He said. "Also, you say I have a poor attitude… aren't you just a kettle calling the pot black (one person criticizes another for a fault the first person also has)?" he asked and brilliantly smiled.
"Pft!" the servants who were standing on the side can't help but laugh.
Meanwhile, the Huichen employees are better. Though, there is a smile in their eyes.
"You - !" Meng Zixing rose from her seat and couldn't hold her anger back anymore.
"Enough!" Meng Zongqi shouted as he glared daggers at his daughter. "Suxin, take her back!" he told his wife.
Ji Suxin couldn't agree more as she immediately pulled Meng Zixin who was still unwilling to leave.
"Lin Ze." Meng Zongqi called as he turned to look at Lin Ze, looking very embarrassed. "I made you see something embarrassing – " he said, but Lin Ze suddenly cut him off.
"You… are Meng Xi – " Lin Ze spoke as he rose from his seat, about to say 'Meng Xing', when Meng Xing cut him off, too.
"Second young master Lin." Meng Xing called as he turned to look at Lin Ze. "I believe this is the first time that we met?" he said as he looked Lin Ze in the eyes.
Lin Ze froze when he saw the similar eyes, but had a different gaze. This gaze before him is of indifference as well as coldness that could chill one to the bones. Completely the opposite of Meng Xing, who bore a similar face, but had a lively and warm gaze.
"Judging from your expression, did you mistake me for someone else?" Meng Xing asked as he stared at Lin Ze.
Lin Ze fell silent. Indeed, he mistook Meng Ruyan's face as Meng Xing's. "I apologize." He spoke. His voice is hoarse as he suppresses his emotions.
How can Meng Ruyan be Meng Xing? Meng Xing is a lively as well as carefree person, which is the exact opposite of Meng Ruyan who is indifferent and rigid. Not to mention that Meng Xing's face was veiled. Maybe, Meng Xing and Meng Ruyan only have similar eyes, but the lower half of their faces is different.
Lin Ze's mind is filled with confusion and he fell silent as he sat back on his seat.
"Oh." Meng Xing muttered and sat beside Meng Linhe.
Meng Linhe and Meng Zongqi looked at both Meng Xing and Lin Ze, feeling that there was something weird. But, how can that be? As 'Meng Ruyan' said, this is the first time that they met. They know this since Meng Ruyan rarely, to the point of never, came out of his room, much less the Meng residence. So only a handful of servants has seen his face. Thus, Lin Ze and Meng Ruyan should never have met before.
"Father, eldest brother." Meng Xing spoke, breaking the silence. "May I ask why I was called here?" he asked.
Meng Zongqi and Meng Linhe paused. That is right. If there was nothing important, Meng Ruyan wouldn't come out of his room.
Meng Wenci looked at their father and eldest brother who were silent, then to Lin Ze who was even more silent, before he gathered his courage to speak. "Second brother… second young master Lin came here to apologize for the matter of your engagement to him," he answered and timidly looked at Meng Xing.
Meng Xing looked at Meng Wenci, who shrank his neck even more. Meng Xing doesn't have any opinions on Meng Ruyan's brothers. The eldest brother, Meng Linhe, is a serious and hardworking person while Meng Wenci is a timid but cute and obedient one. Meng Xing only has an opinion on Meng Zixin, this bitchy younger sister. One of the reasons why Meng Zixin hates Meng Ruyan is because Meng Ruyan is even more beautiful than her. So, if Meng Zixin's so-called friends knew this, they would have another thing to mock her.
Thus, Meng Zixin should be thankful that Meng Ruyan didn't come out. Or else, Meng Ruyan's beauty would completely overshadow her, who is not that even beautiful. She just has a delicate appearance, but that's just it. Meng Wenci is even more good-looking than her.
"Oh. That's it?" Meng Xing's expression is blank as he looks at Lin Ze. "I heard my elder brother tell second young master Lin that this matter has already passed. So, let's just leave it as that." He told Lin Ze.
Lin Ze was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Meng Xing speak. He raised his head and looked at 'Meng Ruyan', who had a similar voice as Meng Xing's voice, but deeper and richer but filled with coldness and indifference. Unlike Meng Xing's youthful voice that is full of life.
"Is that so…?" Lin Ze muttered, looking completely lost.
The author has something to say:
Meng Xing: *wears Meng Ruyan’s vest
Lin Ze: … how many vests do you have?
Meng Xing: *begins to count. Well, the Huichen boss vest, then the ***, and the ***… hmm, maybe also a *** -
Lin Ze: ……