Sweat rolled down Yan Sui’s forehead, and his gaze fell on Meng Ting. With a mix of patience and a hint of helplessness, he reached out and rubbed the hair on Meng Ting’s forehead, which was damp with sweat. “Tired?”
Meng Ting honestly nodded, “My legs are weak, I need to rest a bit more.” Before starting, he had overestimated himself, but quitting halfway wouldn’t be good for Yan Sui either. Meng Ting planned to rest a bit and then continue.
“Be good, just hold on a little longer…” Meng Ting spoke softly to comfort Yan Sui, but his soothing words had little effect. With the situation being so uncertain, how could Yan Sui possibly endure it?
Yan Sui tried to sit up, but Meng Ting softly called out to him twice from his arms. Then, with a bit of force, he pressed Yan Sui back down. “You’re not better yet, are you? Don’t move around, I’ll continue.”
The little strength he had managed to regain was almost completely lost again when Yan Sui moved around in a flurry.
Moreover, he had promised that he would do it himself, so he couldn’t give up halfway. Meng Ting took a deep breath, mustered his energy, and didn’t slack off or ask for a break until Yan Sui finished.
But now he really had no strength left at all. He lay back on Yan Sui, his eyes vacant, and he truly didn’t want to move a single finger.
His face and neck were kissed repeatedly, but he didn’t react much. Even when Yan Sui carried him back, he still wore that dazed expression. Compared to Yan Sui finally finding relief, Meng Ting’s reaction seemed to be even more pronounced.
However, Yan Sui’s kiss still hadn’t ended, or rather, his patience hadn’t been relieved much. By the time Meng Ting’s mind was once again jolted back to the present, they had already entered another round of rising and falling in the crimson world.
Yan Sui still seemed tireless, but Meng Ting was truly exhausted. However, he didn’t refuse; he just felt too lazy to move, and his body reacted instinctively. He didn’t quite remember when he finally fell asleep, only that he felt very, very tired, and then he fell asleep.
As the night deepened, Yan Sui exhausted the last bit of his strength on Meng Ting. After a quick clean-up, he haphazardly embraced the person and they fell asleep in a tangle of limbs. Both of them were very tired and slept deeply.
***
The aftereffects of last night’s exhaustion lingered until dawn. When Meng Ting woke up, there was hardly any improvement. The redness on his cheeks hadn’t faded, and the soreness in his legs was hard to shake off. He exuded a sense of lethargy from head to toe.
Yan Sui carried him to the bathroom and then carried him back to bed. Other than brushing his teeth himself, Yan Sui even put on his socks for him.
Yan Sui’s kiss landed on Meng Ting’s forehead, then he ruffled Meng Ting’s hair, “Are you hungry?”
He lost control again last night; even when Meng Ting fell asleep from exhaustion, he couldn’t stop. But the one who provoked him so much was still Meng Ting himself. Yan Sui was satisfied, so naturally he had to be more attentive when taking care of the person now.
Meng Ting nodded, “I’m hungry, but I still don’t want to move.” This should be the aftereffects of being drained.
“I can’t just try things casually in the future…” This is definitely a moment that Meng Ting needs to remember as a lesson learned the hard way. He overestimated himself and underestimated Yan Sui, and he still hasn’t recovered from it.
The corners of Yan Sui’s lips curled up slowly upon hearing this, and he couldn’t control the smile in his eyes. He lowered his head and captured Meng Ting’s lips. While Meng Ting was still in a daze, he gently slid in, exchanging a wet and sweet kiss with him.
“It’s okay, you’re tired, I’ll keep going,” Meng Ting’s stubborn and serious demeanor seemed cute to him, and his current reaction was also very endearing. Meng Ting had a naturally sweet disposition, making it feel like he lived in a honey jar every day.
Meng Ting looked at Yan Sui, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded, “Then it’s settled. I was really exhausted yesterday…”
Yan Sui stood up and then picked up Meng Ting, but the person in his arms hadn’t finished speaking yet.
“And you too…”
“What?” Yan Sui lowered his gaze to look at Meng Ting, as if he had forgotten how excessive he had been last night.
“Can’t you be a bit faster?”
Meng Ting’s cheeks puffed up slightly as he spoke. The harder he tried, the bigger Yan Sui’s reaction became, which was really disheartening.
Yan Sui, hearing this, kissed Meng Ting’s forehead again, “Ting Ting is too sweet, can’t be quick…”
Meng Ting’s expression paused, the frustration in his eyes turning into confusion, “Is it because I ate too many sweets?”
Could desserts really have an aphrodisiac effect? Some bizarre foreign research results flashed through Meng Ting’s mind; but it seemed like this one hadn’t been studied yet? Or maybe he just hadn’t seen it?
While Meng Ting was deep in thought, he was still being carried out of the room by Yan Sui, who then carried him down the stairs.
Yan Manjia and Zhen Han were originally a bit worried, but upon seeing Meng Ting’s flushed cheeks, they silently retracted their concerns. These two clearly looked like they had indulged too much.
Yan Sui first placed Meng Ting on the sofa, then took a cushion and put it on the dining chair, and only then did he come back to carry Meng Ting over.
“I’ll feed you.”
Meng Ting looked at Yan Sui, nodded slightly, and then his gaze suddenly swept out again. Yan Manjia and Zhen Han had also started eating. He explained as if he were trying to cover up, “I was too weak from hunger, so Yan Sui fed me.”
Yan Manjia and Zhen Han paused their actions of picking up food upon hearing this, both wanting to roll their eyes, but considering that rolling their eyes was too uncouth, they both held back.
“Eat slowly,” Yan Sui said with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. He brought a spoonful of congee to Meng Ting’s mouth and then reminded him again.
Meng Ting nodded, then focused on eating. Yan Sui fed him, and he ate.
***
When he had almost regained enough strength to eat by himself, he started eating by himself. After he finished eating, he continued to wait for Yan Sui to finish eating, and then he was carried back to the sofa.
“Auntie, have you had the hangover tea[mfn]醒酒茶 (xǐng jiǔ chá): Hangover Tea. 
[/mfn]?” Meng Ting held Maoqiu in his arms, and then asked Yan Manjia, who was also watching TV on the sofa. She didn’t look particularly well when she got up either.
Yan Manjia, upon hearing the words, glanced at Zhen Han talking with Yan Sui by the window, and with a pitiful look, nodded, “It’s bitter to death.”
“Auntie, don’t drink so much in the future, it’s bad for your health,” Meng Ting thought and reminded her again.
The pitiful look on Yan Manjia’s face instantly disappeared when she heard this. She tilted her head towards Meng Ting and said, “Got it, Ting Ting baby.”
“I heard from Han Han, humph, that Su or something, really deserves a beating. Tingting, don’t be soft-hearted when you meet someone like him in the future!”
Yan Manjia was not surprised at all that Meng Ting might be coveted by someone. Such a beautiful and well-behaved child is bound to attract attention. But to dare to provoke Meng Ting at their family’s banquet, one must truly have the guts of a bear and the courage of a leopard.
She heard that Su Yang had only been back to the Su family for a few days, and he was acting so rudely and impolitely. He’s not someone who can achieve great things.
Meng Ting nodded upon hearing this, “I won’t go easy.”
The beating he and Yan Sui gave to him yesterday was enough to cause Su Yang pain for ten days or half a month. As he spoke, his expression suddenly paused, and he found that the discomfort he felt in his heart from last night had completely disappeared. He glanced at Yan Sui standing by the window, and a slight smile appeared on his face.
“And there’s Yan Sui, he will help me fight too, he’s the best, he treats me the best.”
Yan Manjia turned her head away with a toothache, Meng Ting didn’t need her comfort at all; Yan Sui had already soothed Meng Ting well enough.
***
However, the incident yesterday where Su Yang was beaten by Yan Sui and then thrown out of the Yan residence had already spread quite a bit by this morning.
The Old Master of the Su family was not present yesterday, but after Su Siyu and then Su Yang, his old face was completely disgraced. Not only is there no friendship left between the Su family and the Yan family, but the relationship is even worse than that between the Su family and other families that have average friendship with the Yan family.
Because of Yan Sui’s words, the Su family had lost countless opportunities to socialize. Once or twice might not be a big deal, but over time, the impact on the accumulation of personal connections would be quite terrifying. If Old Master Su cannot handle it properly, the Su family’s status in Haicheng will likely plummet.
But just today, Su Siyu received the news and hurriedly returned to the Su family’s old residence. As soon as he got out of the car, he was taken away by the police who had just arrived. The verdict regarding the case involving him and Meng Xiao drugging Meng Ting has also been issued.
Meng Xiao was sentenced to five years in prison, and although Su Siyu’s situation wasn’t as severe, he was still sentenced to one year and seven months.
Su Siyu was completely stunned when he saw the judgment. One year and seven months, even just two or three months would have a huge impact on him. After a year and a half, where would there be any place for him to stand in Haicheng and the Su family?
Right now, it’s obvious that Su Yang has made a mistake, and his opportunity has come, but he ended up in jail.
His lawyer even assured him the day before yesterday that he could get him acquitted, and now, just one day later, he’s about to be locked up.
Su Siyu sat in the police car for a long time, his entire expression dazed. But after a moment, his mind became clearer than ever before. His father could no longer help him; he had already been abandoned Old Master Su. As for Yan Sui, who had helped him in his previous life, in this life, he was the one who sent him to prison.
That terrifying person, Su Yang, is going to compete with him for the family fortune. With Su Yang’s character, it’s possible he could find someone to kill him directly in prison. How could he end up like this after coming back to life?
***
Around noon, Yan Sui and the Su family received news that Su Siyu had attacked a police officer and escaped when the police car stopped at a pedestrian street with a large flow of people. The police have already set up a perimeter, but before they could inform them, he was still missing.
While listening to Wang Feng’s report, Yan Sui merely raised his eyebrows slightly, seemingly unfazed.
Wang Feng left the office, and Yan Sui made another call, “When he is truly at his wits’ end, your people should take action. Keep an eye on Su Yang, and make sure he doesn’t discover you.”
The person on the other end of the phone seemed to have some doubts about this, so Yan Sui explained again, “Maybe he knows you are my people. Be serious, he’s still useful for the time being.”
Yan Sui put down the phone, his expression showing no signs of anything unusual. His gaze swept over the photo of him hugging Meng Ting on his desk, and his demeanor softened slightly. He stared at the photo for a moment longer before resuming his work.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 064.1″]
半途而廢 (bàn tú ér fèi): to give up halfway through a task; to not finish what one has started; to give up halfway (idiom); leave sth unfinished; stop halfway. The original meaning is to stop halfway, which is a metaphor for not being able to stick to something to the end. From the Doctrine of the Mean (《中庸》) in the Book of Rites: 子曰：「素隱行怪，後世有述焉，吾弗為之矣。君子遵道而行，半涂而廢，吾弗能已矣。……, The Master said, “To live in obscurity, and yet practice wonders, in order to be mentioned with honor in future ages: this is what I do not do. The good man tries to proceed according to the right path, but when he has gone halfway, he abandons it: I am not able so to stop. […].不上不下 (bù shàng bù xià): lit. not up, not down; between a rock and a hard place; in a bind; in a pickle; describes an awkward situation where one does not know what to do; inappropriate; suspended in midair; be in a dilemma; in a fix; not know what to do; in an awkward situation; neither here nor there; in a predicament; in limbo; stuck in the middle; to be caught in a dilemma, unable to move forward or backward.
一鼓作氣 (yī gǔ zuò qì): (literary) to accomplish in one vigorous effort; in a spurt of energy; press on to complete something without interruption; make a concerted effort; go all out; give it one’s all in one go; accomplish in one vigorous effort; push through in one go. The original meaning is that morale is at its highest when the first drumbeat is sounded during a battle. It is a metaphor for taking advantage of the moment when one is most motivated to complete a task in one go. From Zuo Zhuan, regrading Cao Gui’s (曹劌) tactics in the Battle of Changshao (《左傳·莊公十年》): 公與之乘。戰於長勺。公將鼓之。劌曰：『未可。』齊人三鼓，劌曰：『可矣。』齊師敗績。……既克，公問其故。對曰：『夫戰，勇氣也，一鼓作氣，再而衰，三而竭。彼竭我盈，故克之。……, The duke took him with him in his chariot. The battle was fought in Changshao. The duke was about to order the drums to beat an advance, when Gui said, “Not yet;” and after the men of Qi had advanced three times with their drums beating, he said, “Now is the time.” The army of Qi received a severe defeat; … When the victoiy had been secured, the duke asked Gui the reasons of what he had done. “In fighting,” was the reply, “all depends on the courageous spirit. When the drums first beat, that excites the spirit. A second advance occasions a diminution of the spirit; and with a third, it is exhausted. With our spirit at the highest pitch we fell on them with their spirit exhausted; and so we conquered them. […].
此地無銀三百兩 (cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng): lit. There are no 300 taels of silver (buried) here (idiom); fig. to reveal what one intends to hide; a clumsy denial resulting in self-exposure; a very poor lie which reveals the truth; protest one’s innocence too much; the lady doth protest too much; A part of a longer sentence: 此地無銀三百兩，隔壁王二不曾偷, literally “There are no 300 taels of silver (buried) here, the next-door Wang Er did not steal (the silver).”. It is said to come from a story about a man named Zhang San (張三). According to the story, he buried 300 taels of silver in the ground with the banner “There are no 300 taels of silver (buried) here” so that no one would steal them. But his neighbor Wang Er (王二) saw through the lie and dug up the money, leaving the banner “The next-door Wang Er did not steal (the silver)”. More info: Link.
吃熊心豹子膽 (chī xióng xīn bào zi dǎn): lit. to eat bear’s heart and leopard’s gall; to brace up; summon up one’s courage; bold; audacious; foolhardy; to pluck up some courage.
一落千丈 (yī luò qiān zhàng): lit. to drop a thousand zhang in one fall (idiom); (figurative) to suffer a devastating decline; to decline drastically; (of business, popularity etc) to suffer a sudden, devastating decline; to take a dive; plummet; drop drastically; take a nosedive; decline sharply; fall steeply; deteriorate rapidly; collapse; sink rapidly; originally used to describe the sudden change of the sound of a musical instrument from high to low; now used to describe a sharp decline in reputation, status or economic status.
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