The Yan family, from Yan Sui and Meng Ting down to the cleaning maid, were not affected by the news. Whatever their plans were for the holiday, they remained unchanged. He Wan had been waiting for Yan Sui to call her, but as dinner time approached, there was still no news.
Even the PR department of the Yan family showed no signs of activity, just letting things unfold as if they were completely unaware of the news.
The major newspapers and media outlets in Haicheng, aware of the Yan family’s power, dared not publish anything directly critical. However, they couldn’t resist publishing some veiled, insinuating articles. Meanwhile, smaller media outlets, with their vivid descriptions and dramatic storytelling were making it as exciting as serialized stories, and they earn quite a hefty boost in sales.
Not only that, He Wan’s crying complaint was also posted online, sparking a massive wave of condemnation and discussion. Naturally, Meng Ting was the one who got the most criticism, with all sorts of insults rapidly escalating. Even Yan Sui couldn’t escape the blame.
Meng Ting’s phone kept buzzing. He scrolled past the insults directed at himself without a care, but the comments attacking Yan Sui really made him angry. He stumbled through the account registration and then took on the crowd single-handedly.
“Our family’s Yan Sui is very good!”
“Our family’s Yan Sui is the best!”
“Our family’s Yan Sui is very nice!”
Meng Qing didn’t know how to curse at all, but his words still stood out among a pile of insults. A die-hard fan of Yan Sui, and a brain-dead one at that, but particularly poor with words, repeating the same thing over and over, “Why don’t you say something special for once!”
Meng Ting raised his head to look at Yan Sui, who was typing on the computer. He then lowered his head and typed this line.
“He is good-looking, the best-looking.”
After Meng Ting sent it out, it seemed like he didn’t think it was special enough, so he continued typing, “Hair looks good, eyes look good, nose looks good, mouth looks good… the whole body looks good.”
Meng Ting’s comments were truly too bizarre; many people almost forgot what they were there for and instinctively wanted to ask for photos to lick the screen[mfn]舔屏 (tiǎn píng): (neologism, slang) to “lick the screen” when a person sees something very interesting, moving, sweet, etc. on the computer screen, in the same way a dog licks to express affection; a popular term on the Internet. It means that when you see a picture you like or a loving picture on your computer, you can’t help but want to lick the screen with your tongue. It is also a way to express that you like something very much, making people want to lick it even through the screen.[/mfn].
When they reacted to it, someone had already posted a photo a few floors above[mfn]樓上 (lóu shàng): upstairs; (Internet slang) previous replier in a forum thread.[/mfn]. It was a slightly blurry side profile, but you could still tell it was a very handsome real-life version of a domineering CEO.
“You’re not that illegitimate child, Meng Ting, are you?”
Meng Ting’s comments have already reached a very high level; he almost immediately admitted it without hesitation, “I am Meng Ting.” As for whether he is an illegitimate child, Meng Ting himself doesn’t know, so he didn’t admit that.
The ID Meng Ting registered was called ‘IAmMengTing1111’, which clearly looks like an alternate account[mfn]小號 (xiǎo hào): (chiefly attributive) small size; (humble) our store; my store; (music) trumpet; (slang) alternate phone number; (Internet slang) alternate account; sock puppet (alternative pseudonymous online account, especially one used for abuse).[/mfn]. But there was no other choice; ‘MengTing’ had already been registered by someone else, ‘IAmMengTing’ had also been registered by someone else, and even adding numbers was already taken, leaving him with only four ‘1’s.
“Mother He[mfn]何媽媽 (Hé māmā): T/N: I actually hesitate between He Mother or Mother He. In the end, I think Mother He is more suitable, because if it’s a brother or sister, it’d be Brother/Sister [Name].[/mfn] did something that shouldn’t be forgiven, that’s why she was kicked out. Yan Sui is not wrong, and neither am I.”
Meng Ting’s last comment was this, Yan Sui waved his hand, and Meng Ting put down his phone and went over.
No one expect his comment to go viral, but it blew up, causing a huge uproar below. Some people have doubts about this, after all, there have been too many reversals and face-slapping[mfn]打臉 (dǎ liǎn): (neologism, transitive) to prove (a person or their opinion or prediction) wrong; a slap in the face; internet buzzword, which means to be proven wrong in front of someone, causing them to lose face. It refers to the situation in which the words used by the parties to refute rumors are debunked in various events.[/mfn] incidents lately, but most people still believe He Wan’s cry. There are also some who suspect that this account isn’t actually Meng Ting, just trying to use it for publicity.
“What are you busy with?” Yan Sui didn’t need to go online to know what kind of commotion it would cause, but seeing Meng Ting constantly looking at his phone still made him worry that his mood would be affected.
Meng Ting thought for a moment, then gently shook his head, “Nothing much, I just had an argument with someone.”
He said with a smile, originally he was a bit angry, but seeing Yan Sui, he couldn’t stay angry. He squeezed in next to Yan Sui, rested his head on his shoulder, and said, “Arguing is so tiring, my fingers are sore.”
Yan Sui gently held Meng Ting’s hand and rubbed it for him, saying, “Don’t look at it, and don’t get angry.”
“Okay,” Meng Ting nodded without hesitation. He raised his chin and kissed Yan Sui on the ear, “I’ll listen to you.”
Yan Sui also tilted his head to kiss Meng Ting back, then continued to look at the documents on the computer.
After a while, Meng Ting poked the soft flesh on his waist, “You didn’t even say I’m good.”
Yan Sui turned back helplessly, lifted Meng Ting’s chin, and bit his lip. As Meng Ting continued to stare blankly with his eyes open, Yan Sui gently surged in. His other hand also left the table, wrapping around Meng Ting’s waist to prevent him from falling off the chair.
Meng Ting’s eyes slowly narrowed, and he continued to hold onto the clothes at Yan Sui’s waist, responding to the kiss.
Three to five minutes later, Yan Sui released Meng Ting, lightly touched his slightly watery lips again, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Be good.”
Meng Ting pressed his lips together and gently nodded. There was a hint of moisture in his eyes, and he unconsciously exuded an alluring aura, yet his words were as gentle and pure as ever.
“I’m good.”
After he finished speaking, he leaned back against Yan Sui’s shoulder again. The whole person actually still not fully recovered from that kiss. Yan Sui turned back, continued looking at documents, and typing on the computer.
The person beside him gradually came to, his cheeks and the back of his ears turning red, although Meng Ting himself didn’t know why he was blushing.
Yan Sui looked at the computer for a while, then turned back to glance at Meng Ting. About half an hour later, Meng Ting’s eyelids gradually became heavy.
Yan Sui pushed the computer aside, directly letting Meng Ting lie down in his arms, and continued to pat him. Only after confirming that Meng Ting was sound asleep did he finally picked him up. Actually, he could have spent the entire day with Meng Ting today, but with He Wan causing trouble, he had other things to attend to again.
He carried the person out of the living room. Zhen Han came up from downstairs. He nodded to Yan Sui, then went to the study to wait for Yan Sui.
Meng Ting now sleeps more soundly in their own bed at home than anywhere else. He doesn’t need Yan Sui to watch over him all the time. After patting him to sleep, he returned to the study.
“What do you plan to do?” Zhen Han asked directly. Not to mention Yan Sui, even he had received quite a few calls. Of course, most of them were saying that they could contact them if they needed help, but some were also to fish for information.
But undoubtedly, everyone is waiting for Yan Sui’s stance—whether to compromise with He Wan, directly abandon Meng Ting, or completely sever ties.
“Let her wish come true. You should know, I’ve been waiting for this day too.” Yan Sui spoke with his usual demeanor, but his phoenix eyes held an indescribable coldness and sharpness. From the moment he allowed He Wan to meddle in his marriage, he had been waiting for this day.
He is not someone who is willing to be controlled by others, even if that person is his biological mother.
Zhen Han looked at Yan Sui for a long time before finally nodding. In fact, he just needed to make sure that Yan Sui had a plan.
“Don’t overwork yourself,” Zhen Han said, then stood up. He nodded to Yan Sui and left the study.
He knows that Yan Sui has grown up so quickly because he has endured more than others, and has been doing so since childhood. Moreover, Yan Sui is the kind of person who silently endure everything and keeps going[mfn]打落牙齒混血吞 (dǎ luò yá chǐ hùn xiě tūn): lit. knock out (the) teeth (and) mix (with) blood (, then) swallow (both teeth and blood mixed together); to silently endure all manner of insults and abuse. Swallow the blood and teeth that have been knocked out, which means that your teeth are knocked out, but you hold back your anger and swallow it and the blood. It is a metaphor for extreme and helpless tolerance. This expression does not have a derogatory meaning. It does not mean to swallow one’s anger or be filled with hatred. Instead, it refers to the patience, pride, perseverance, and iron will of a person in the face of a blow. In most cases, it is a commendatory word.[/mfn]. He always shows the strong and tireless side of himself.
But he’s also human, he gets tired too.
At this moment, Zhen Han suddenly felt it, but the person who felt it even earlier was Meng Ting. Ever since he and Yan Sui met, he had always felt heartache for Yan Sui. Yan Sui opened up Meng Ting’s world, and Meng Ting had also entered Yan Sui’s world.
***
The public opinion outside is still brewing, but Yan Sui remains silent. He is waiting, waiting for what he thinks is the right moment.
He Wan has always been unable to figure out Yan Sui, especially in this matter. She really couldn’t understand why he hadn’t come to find her yet. The next day, she accepted another interview. The content was roughly the same as what she had said on TV yesterday, just more detailed.
For example, how she painstakingly raised Yan Sui, how good their relationship was originally, how rude Meng Ting was to her, how he sowed discord between her and her son… People who hear it can’t help but exclaim that real life is even more melodramatic than stories.
He Wan didn’t cry, but her haggard appearance and emotional recounting only added fuel to the already heated public opinion.
Not long after, someone revealed Meng Ting’s background. In addition to being an illegitimate child, they also exposed details about his terrible living conditions before returning to the Meng family. His college entrance examination scores were even brought out for public ridicule.
In short, he is a person who is utterly uneducated and whose wickedness surpasses everyone’s imagination.
Although Li Yifei’s face was not visible, she spoke to He Wan with her status, “It is my Meng family’s lack of proper upbringing that has wronged you.”
Her words almost confirmed He Wan’s accusations. Coupled with Li Yifei’s identity as Meng Ting’s grandmother, public opinion both in reality and online was completely one-sided.
Yan Manjia’s heart and lungs were about to explode from anger, but the three men at the dining table at home remained calm and continued eating.
Especially Meng Ting, his appetite was not affected at all. He went to the lab again today, and the afternoon consumption was particularly high. Right now, he was really hungry. He ate three bowls of rice and shared a large platter of chicken wings with Zhen Han before stopping.
After he finished eating, Yan Sui took him to wash his hands and face, and then took him out for a walk. Meanwhile, Zhen Han sat on the sofa to comfort Yan Manjia.
“What’s there to be angry about? The more she jumps now, the harder she’ll fall later.”
Yan Manjia nodded; she naturally knew this truth, but she was still angry.
Yan Sui came back from a walk with Meng Ting and sat down on the sofa. He picked up the remote control and changed the channel.
Yan Manjia glanced over and thought this person looked a bit familiar, but as she slapped her thigh, her eyes immediately widened, “Uncle He…”
Old Master He hadn’t faced the media in years; his expression was somewhat dim, but he still looked relatively spirited.
“He Wan was driven out of the He family by me back then. She caused the deaths of Yan Sui’s father and her elder brother. She married into the Yan family to atone for her sins. If she hadn’t targeted Yan Sui or the Yan family, I wouldn’t have come out. But I have wronged an old friend once, and I can’t wrong him again.”
Old Master He hadn’t been in touch with Yan Sui for these years, but he had been paying attention to Yan Sui’s growth. He thought for a moment and then continued.
“Yan Sui was raised by his grandparents and has always lived in the old house. He Wan has her own place, and she returns to the old house about ten times a year when she visits frequently, and once or twice when she visits less often. Relying on her, Yan Sui is afraid he won’t grow up.”
“Yan Sui was raised by his grandparents and has always lived in the old house. He Wan has her own place, and she returns to the old house about ten times a year at most, and once or twice at least. If Yan Sui relies on her to raise him, he might not grow up.”
Among the reporters behind a bunch of microphones, someone asked something, and Old Master He answered again.
“Meng Ting, Yan Sui brought him here before; he’s a good kid.”
Separated by the screen, he could only hear Meng Ting’s voice, but he could feel his deep affection for Meng Ting.
“It’s fate that the two children can be together. As for He Wan, she brought this upon herself,” Old Master He paused again at this point, as if he could see He Wan’s terrified expression through the camera.
“I’ll state it again, He Wan is no longer a member of the He family. She has the surname He, but she is not a He from the Haicheng He clan.”
Old Master He’s words cannot be said to be anything but harsh, but if he doesn’t step forward and say something at this moment, he will really have to take that guilt to the grave.
And these words can really only come from Old Master He; he is, after all, He Wan’s biological father, the one most qualified person to say such things among the older generation.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 066.2″]
含沙射影 (hán shā shè yǐng): lit. to hold sand in the mouth and splash onto someone’s shadow; to attack someone by innuendo (idiom); to make oblique charges; to attack or slander by insinuation; Legend has it that a kind of mythological creature called 蜮 (yù) splash sands to people or those with their shadow, and then they will get serious diseases and die; Metaphor to attack or frame people in secret.繪聲繪色 (huì shēng huì sè): vivid and colorful (idiom); true to life; lively and realistic; vivid; lively; lifelike.
翻來覆去 (fān lái fù qù): toss and turn sleeplessly; repeatedly; again and again; move from side to side; time and again; to turn one’s body back and forth again and again.
含辛茹苦 (hán xīn rú kǔ): to suffer untold hardships (to bring up one’s child); to endure sufferings; to suffer every possible torment (idiom); bitter hardship; to bear one’s cross; go through trials and tribulations; bear suffering; persevere through difficulties; withstand adversity.
不學無術 (bù xué wú shù): without learning or skills (idiom); ignorant and incompetent; to be tactless due to the lack of knowledge; to be not keen on learning anything; be good for nothing.
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