Mindful of the debt she owed for her life being saved and currently recovering at the Pei residence, Jing Meng readily agreed when Pei Shiyi asked her to accompany him home to deal with his elders.
However, her plan to sit with Pei Cheng fell through the moment they stepped out the door. The little fellow, his dark eyes darting around, stubbornly wedged himself right next to Pei Shiyi.
Though his eyes were full of reluctance to leave her side, his movements were quick and decisive. His intentions were as clear as day the little guy was playing matchmaker.
Jing Meng had only recently had her cast removed, and her movements were still somewhat stiff. Leaning against the back seat, she tried to reach behind her to untangle a snagged zipper on her dress, but she simply couldn't reach it.
She stole a glance at the man beside her. He was resting with his eyes closed. Starting from his forehead, her gaze traced down his brow bone, the bridge of his nose, to the very tip. His features possessed the perfect, artistic lines of a master's sculpture. After hesitating for a long moment, she withdrew her thoughts.
"Do you need help?"
Pei Shiyi's voice was pleasant, carrying the unique magnetism of a mature man with a texture like clashing metal.
"From the moment we got in until now, you've been squirming for eight minutes."
Jing Meng felt an immediate wave of embarrassment. "Did I disturb you? I'm sorry, I..."
"You didn't." Pei Shiyi was concise, his finger tapping the armrest between the seats. "It's my problem. I can't help but look at you."
Those light, airy words suddenly felt like they carried a weight of ten thousand tons, pressing down on Jing Meng. Her eyes widened, nearly unable to believe her own ears.
Why are you looking at me for no reason! How can this man talk so flippantly!
Jing Meng decided to ignore this baffling man, turning away and leaning against the seat to play deaf.
"Does the zipper on your clothes really not need handling?"
Pei Shiyi's voice held a hint of amusement. "...Mengmeng."
Her attempt to play dumb had officially failed. Jing Meng covered her ears with both hands, physically resisting the teasing coming from behind her.
A smile played at the corners of Pei Shiyi's mouth. He reached a hand into his suit pocket, where that Snowdrop Stud Earring was vibrating faintly.
With a flick of his long fingers, he caught the earring between his fingertips.
The Pei Family Ancestral Mansion was an ancient, garden-style estate with courtyard houses, pavilions, and towers. Upon entering the main gate, one was greeted by artificial mountains and flowing water, with winding corridors on both sides catching the breeze.
The main residence faced south, followed by several neatly prepared guest rooms. In the outskirts of the provincial capital, where land was worth its weight in gold, they had practically created a scenic attraction.
Jing Meng had been holding it in the whole way. As soon as the car stopped, she wanted to open the door and bolt. But just as she moved, her elbow was pinched. Those warm fingertips felt as if they had struck an acupoint, sending a numbing sensation through her.
"What are you trying to do now? Chengcheng is waiting for me. Don't delay our game of Aeroplane Chess!"
"Don't move!"
Helpless, Pei Shiyi used one hand to clasp her wrist, restraining her movements, while the other untangled the two snagged straps from the zipper. Then, he smoothly pulled the zipper back up for her.
The person behind her moved gently, his warm fingers occasionally brushing against her skin. The scent of Silver Mountain Water enveloped her with a crisp, cold intensity, nearly making the hair on Jing Meng's arms stand on end.
She held her breath. Though it was only a matter of seconds, her five senses followed the movement of those fingertips. The moment her arm was released, Jing Meng charged out like an arrow.
Pei Shiyi's dark pupils watched her receding back. After a long while, he opened his hand. An exquisite stud earring lay in his broad palm, its flashing signal gradually slowing as it weakened.
So, it was on her neck.
Pei Shiyi carried Pei Cheng in one arm and led Jing Meng with the other as they slowly entered the great mansion.
"Little Six is here too!"
The third brother of the Pei family was extremely slick. His sharp eyes caught Pei Shiyi approaching from a distance, and he immediately called out a greeting, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
"Dad, Mom, Brother this is my girlfriend, Chengcheng's new mother."
Jing Meng snapped her head around. Girlfriend is one thing, but "new mother" is a bit much...
"Mengmeng, greet them."
Pei Shiyi turned to her, a hint of a smile hidden in his eyes, making his handsome features appear even more striking.
Who is your "Mengmeng"?
Jing Meng ground her teeth. There were too many people here; she would really have to have a talk with this man later. He needed to stop acting so familiar!
She curled her lips into a smile. Her already vivid features became even more radiant under the light of her grin. "Uncle, Aunt, Brother, hello. I am Jing Meng."
Pei Gong stood to one side, his face turning as black as the bottom of a pot. He knew that Pei Shiyi had always been indifferent toward women, especially those who were fickle and threw themselves at men.
He had asked his grandfather to call his great-grandfather specifically because he hoped Pei Shiyi would realize this woman was nothing but a burden and throw her out for the sake of the family's reputation.
How could he bring her straight home to meet the parents!
Xu Minru also felt a tightness in her chest, but she didn't show it on her face. Her peripheral vision caught the Matriarch's darkened expression, and a plan immediately formed in her mind.
"Little Meng, you... how did you end up with Sixth Uncle? Back then, you dumped Xiao Gong for another man. How do you have the face to come back and continue entangling yourself with the men of the Pei family?"
Her voice was neither high nor low, just enough to ensure the entire room heard her clearly.
Aside from the immediate family, Pei Chuxiong and his wife had invited a group of relatives to the ancestral home today. They had originally intended to deal with this matter after dinner, but Xu Minru's single sentence caused the entire room to erupt into chaos.
"Holy crap, first the grandson, then the grandfather? This relationship is a mess!"
"Hey, why does the name Jing Meng sound so familiar? Isn't she that engineer who was backstabbed before?"
"I heard she was messing around with men and even had a bastard child, bringing bad luck to her whole family!"
"Really? Then isn't Sixth Master just... picking up damaged goods..."
The surrounding whispers grew increasingly unbearable. The Matriarch felt a breath catch in her chest, unable to cough it up or swallow it down, looking as if she might keel over.
Xu Minru remained aggressive, refusing to let it go. "Xiao Gong was so devoted to you. How could you have the face to cheat on him? He didn't hold it against you back then, yet here you are again, harming others and clinging to Sixth Uncle. You malicious woman, do you have even a shred of shame? What sin did the Pei family commit to be tainted by a shameless wench like you!"
The more she spoke, the more agitated she became. Thinking of the grievances and suffering her son had endured, her entire face flushed red with anger. She glared at the silent Jing Meng, assuming she was mute with guilt and unable to argue back, which only made Xu Minru more arrogant.
Hearing everyone's slander against Jing Meng, Pei Gong hypocritically helped Xu Minru catch her breath. "It's fine, Mom. It's all in the past. It doesn't matter if I suffered a little. I just can't let Sixth Grandpa be deceived by a woman like this. She's malicious; who knows what wicked schemes she's cooking up to hurt people!"
Pei Shiyi knit his brows, his expression darkening. The freezing aura radiating from him made even Jing Meng shiver. Just as he was about to speak up and rebuked them, a pair of soft, delicate hands suddenly squeezed his arm.
Jing Meng's sweet-scented breath reached his ear. "Cover Chengcheng's ears."
He started slightly and looked at the smiling woman beside him. Her natural arrogance and confidence gave him an unexplainable sense of peace.
"Mr. Pei Gong," Jing Meng said, her voice clear. "If you talk any more of this bullshit, I will play the video of you and your girlfriend getting intimate on a loop at New York Times Square for an entire year."
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