Su Siyu escaped, and Meng Xiao didn’t have the guts or anyone willing to help him out. Or it could be said that the second house of the Meng family no longer had the thought or energy to do so. Recently, Li Yifei’s two sons, Meng Yigui and Meng Yide, have been having continuous problems.
Although Meng Yigui was not interested in women, he was fond of gambling. When he followed someone to Macau to play, he lost tens of millions. However, he told Old Master Meng that he used that money for investment. It is said that he even made some money back, but the truth is that he embezzled public funds to cover this amount of gambling capital.
As for Li Yifei’s youngest son, Meng Yide, his affairs with several mistresses have once again made headlines in Haicheng. Following that, it was revealed that one of the mistresses is actually a married woman with a son and daughter. Her husband, along with their children, directly blocked the entrance of Meng Yide’s office building, creating quite a scene.
But this is not the end of the story. Observant reporters on the scene noticed that the son bore a striking resemblance to Meng Yide. Not only did he cuckold someone, but he also had someone else raise his son. This man garnered a lot of sympathy from passersby, which in turn affected the reputation of the Meng family business.
The shareholders within the company are all demanding that Meng Yigui and Meng Yide be suspended to restore some of their reputation. Old Master Meng was originally in a semi-retired state, but with so many issues suddenly coming to light, he had no choice but to return to the company to take charge again.
So many things have been exposed one after another, and Li Yifei doesn’t believe that there is no mastermind behind it. The first people she suspects are Feng Zejiao from the main house and her son Meng Yihang.
Her abilities were enough to placate Old Master Meng’s anger, but they couldn’t make the exposed issues disappear as if they never happened. Shareholders and employees remained dissatisfied, and external public opinion pressure grew increasingly intense. It was inevitable that Meng Yide and Meng Yigui would be dismissed.
But to make Li Yifei give up like this is absolutely impossible. She still has three outstanding grandsons to rely on, and those positions could never just fall into the hands of the main branch like that.
“Grandmother, please calm down. This is not the time to argue about these things.”
Meng Qi calmed Feng Zejiao down and then asked her to calm down Meng Yihang and his mother, Gu. Feng Zejiao also noticed that Meng Qi had become much more stable and mature during this period. She had been fighting with Li Yifei for so many years but never won. Now, instead of fighting, she ended up watching a joke.
She didn’t trust Old Master Meng, but she did trust Meng Qi. The main house was quiet, with no movement at all. Old Master Meng was satisfied, but Li Yifei felt more and more uneasy.
***
On the Monday of the new week, Yan Sui and Meng Ting got into the car, and he drove Meng Ting to his laboratory.
The laboratory is not far from the Yan family old residence; this was a requirement when Yan Sui chose the location. The experimental base and the perfume production are separate. Meng Ting is responsible for the perfume formulation and occasionally goes to the perfume factory to check things out. The main responsibilities over there are still handled by Yan Mingya.
The perfume factory is still under construction and the site is near Lijia Village. They have hired Li Lan’s grandfather as a flower farmer consultant.
A while ago, the doctor who provided free medical consultations also came to Lijia Village. Li Lan’s grandfather went to see the doctor; it was just a minor illness, but because he couldn’t bear to spend money on treatment, it was delayed and turned into a serious illness.
He still needs to rest, but he has no problem serving as a consultant, answering a few questions, and helping Mingya negotiate with the local villagers.
After Li Lan’s grandfather recovered from his illness, Li Lan no longer had any worries. He continued attending the local middle school. Although he looked small, he was actually in the third year of junior high. His foundation wasn’t bad, and he was willing to work hard, so catching up and getting into an ordinary high school was not a problem.
Of course, this is his promise to Meng Ting. As for the specifics, it all depends on his performance.
From the outside, the laboratory looks like a slightly larger villa. The security around it and the alarms on the walls are very well-equipped. People entering and leaving the laboratory have to undergo fingerprint checks every day, and the further inside you go, the more checks are required.
The three floors of the villa is actually considered the living area—for reading, eating, entertainment, and exercise. The real laboratory is built underground. Currently, only Meng Ting’s laboratory has been completed, and he is the only one who can be considered a perfumer. The few assistants he has brought in do not yet have the qualifications to have their own independent laboratories.
But they are all still highly paid professionals brought back by Yan Mingya. Their experience is a bit shallow, but they are not without potential for development.
They saw Meng Ting and Yan Sui walk in, and instinctively their gaze fell on Yan Sui. In their opinion, Yan Sui looked more like a perfumer than Meng Ting. However, when they went into the changing room and came out, it was Meng Ting who emerged wearing a white robe.
He and Yan Sui came out, and Yan Mingya also arrived at the lab. Meng Ting and Yan Sui nodded, and he went into the perfumery room to prepare two perfumes to show them first. The formulas he had organized and the specific market positioning were still being worked on by Yan Mingya.
Yan Mingya originally wanted to chat with Yan Sui for a bit, but Yan Sui’s eyes were always focused on Meng Ting through the glass window, so he couldn’t open his mouth either. Once his gaze followed Yan Sui’s, it became difficult to look away.
Meng Ting’s hair was neither long nor short, and even with a mask covering most of his face, he still looked so youthful that he seemed to be bursting with freshness.
But after he focused on perfumery, his entire demeanor underwent a tremendous change. His movements flowed like water, looking quite pleasing to the eye. The few assistants who thought he lacked style now saw him completely embody it.
Their eyes were almost popping out; this was the kind of master perfumer’s demeanor their teacher had once told them about, but they had never had the chance to see it themselves.
What surprised them even more was that a faint, fragrant aroma wafted from the glass vessel in Meng Ting’s hand. The itchy feeling in their hearts was simply unbearable.
Meng Ting was not affected by their emotional fluctuations; his movements remained casual. He shook the glass test tube, glanced around, and one of the dazed assistants stepped forward. Meng Ting handed it to her to continue pouring into the appropriate container, and he began preparing the fragrance of another formula.
Two perfumes with very complex ingredients, Meng Ting finished them all in less than half an hour. When he came out of the perfume room, one of the female assistants carried a tray, which held the results of Meng Ting’s perfume making. Each was in a transparent crystal bottle, one showing a faint red color and the other a faint blue, clear and transparent, pleasing to the eye.
“You can all feel it too,” Meng Ting said as he sat next to Yan Sui, addressing his four assistants.
It’s obvious that these blue and red colors are specifically tailored for men and women, respectively.
“It’s a very pleasant fragrance, I really like it.”
One of the two female assistants, Li Shishi, immediately said that when she was filling the crystal bottle just now, she felt a flutter in her heart. After thinking for a moment, she added, “It doesn’t smell like a chemical perfume; it feels like I’m really holding a rose in my hand.”
This natural feeling was as if it had been given life. She didn’t know if what she said was an exaggeration, but that was how she felt. She looked at Meng Ting with bright eyes, and the doubts from half an hour ago had completely vanished.
Yan Mingya and Yan Sui also tried the blue bottle. Compared to the red bottle’s fragrance, it was lighter and had a cooler feel, but even though they didn’t use perfume, they all thought it was good.
“Blue Ice… I’ve made some improvements. I’ll write the recipe for you later,” Meng Ting didn’t show much excitement at the crowd’s reaction, as if he was used to such scenes. He pointed to the blue bottle, “It’s called Blue Ice.”
This was the name Meng Ting had once given it. After thinking for a moment, he added, “If you think it’s not suitable, you can change it.”
“No, it fits perfectly.” No one can capture its essence better than the creator, Meng Ting.
A smile appeared on Yan Mingya’s face. Originally, he was only seventy percent sure they would succeed, but now he was one hundred percent certain. The perfume Meng Ting concocted had an indescribable charm, not only domestically but also likely to shake the fashion elite abroad.
“What is it called?” another assistant, Ye Zilan, who had tried it, also asked, referring to the red crystal bottle perfume that both she and Li Shishi liked very much.
Meng Ting thought for a moment before saying, “Let’s call it Rose Vine[mfn]蔓薇 (Màn Wēi): 蔓 (màn) from 晏蔓嘉 (Yàn Mànjiā), meaning creeper; to spread; 薇 (wēi) means Osmunda regalis, a species of fern. However, I think it’s 薇 (wēi) from 野薔薇 (yě qiáng wēi), meaning wild rose; multiflora rose. T/N: Should I leave it as Manwei? But it feels strange because the blue perfume name is translated to English.[/mfn].” ‘Vine [Man]’ is from Yan Manjia’s name. Meng Ting planned to prepare a bottle of it for Yan Manjia to take home today. He thinks she will be happier if he uses the characters in her name.
As soon as Yan Sui heard this, he knew what the ‘Vine [Man]’ was about. He raised his hand and ruffled Meng Ting’s hair. Meng Ting turned around, smiled back at him. The close relationship between the two of them could be seen at a glance.
As for Yan Mingya and the other four assistants, stimulated by the perfume, they suddenly became full of energy. While some analyzed the data, Yan Mingya also left the experimental base and returned to the perfume company to organize a meeting.
***
Meng Ting accompanied Yan Sui to stroll around the upper part of the building for a bit. After they had lunch together, Yan Sui left the experimental base and headed to the Yan Corporation Building.
After Yan Sui left, Meng Ting returned to the laboratory to continue blending perfumes, practicing his technique, and also conducting some experiments. There were still a few issues with his most satisfying creation that he hadn’t been able to resolve. Relying on thinking and calculations alone was not feasible; it required continuous and repeated experimentation.
Meng Ting was very focused. When Yan Sui came to pick him up to go home, he didn’t even notice the passage of time. He only felt that he had just seen Yan Sui off, and now he was seeing him again. Of course, he was still very happy to see Yan Sui.
He took off his mask, leaned slightly forward, kissed Yan Sui’s cheek, and then said, “Wait for me for another ten minutes.” He still hadn’t had the chance to prepare the perfume he was going to give to Yan Manjia.
“Okay,” Yan Sui replied, but before he could return the kiss, Meng Ting had already stepped back.
Yan Sui, feeling helpless, could only sit on the sofa outside the perfumery room and wait for Meng Ting.
“What is your relationship with our master?”
Although Li Shishi had roughly guessed some things, she couldn’t help but ask Yan Sui a question. As for the four assistants—herself, Ye Zilan, Ma Jili, and Cheng Guang—they all recognized Meng Ting’s abilities, so calling him ‘Master’ was also out of respect.
Even if they are calling him that, it’s just a term of respect; they are still quite far from being able to take Meng Ting as their master.
“Husband and wife relationship.”
Yan Sui responded, but his gaze were still on Meng Ting. Li Shishi, feeling a bit disappointed, nodded and was about to continue walking away. When Yan Sui’s gaze swept over, it made her scalp tingle and her heels feel numb. Any thoughts she might have had were gone, and besides, she was mostly just admiring him anyway.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 064.2″]
接二連三 (jiē èr lián sān): one after another (idiom); in quick succession; continuously; successively; in a row; back-to-back.愈演愈烈 (yù yǎn yù liè): to become more and more intense and serious; ever more critical; problems get more and more intense; go from bad to worse; intensify; escalate; worsen; aggravate; become increasingly severe; become more intense; things or situations are becoming increasingly worse and serious.
在所難免 (zài suǒ nán miǎn): to be unavoidable (idiom); can hardly be avoided; be inevitable; something that is difficult to avoid due to some restrictions.
如坐針氈 (rú zuò zhēn zhān): lit. as if sitting on pins and needles; to feel very anxious and uneasy; to be in an uncomfortable situation; on tenterhooks; extremely anxious; extremely uncomfortable; like a cat on hot bricks; feel as if sitting on a bed of nails; an idiom that comes from a historical story. The original meaning is like sitting on a felt mat with needles stuck in it; it describes being restless and fidgety.
奮起直追 (fèn qǐ zhí zhuī): to catch up vigorously; to set off in hot pursuit; exert oneself to catch up; do all one can to catch up; to pull yourself together and catch up.
行雲流水 (xíng yún liú shuǐ): lit. moving clouds and flowing water (idiom); (of calligraphy, writing, etc.) very smooth and natural; natural and unforced style; very natural and flowing style of calligraphy, writing, etc; flowing like clouds and water; smooth and elegant; effortless and fluid; spontaneous and graceful.
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