Meng Ting sat on the sofa by himself, watching TV, not feeling bored at all. He had Dahuang and Maoqiu keeping him company. Soon after, Yan Sui returned with a large bowl of noodles—it looked very delicious.
“Yan Sui, you’re amazing!”
Meng Ting wrapped his arms around Yan Sui’s neck and planted a kiss on his cheek to express his admiration.
He felt one kiss wasn’t enough and kissed him several more times in succession. “You’re really amazing.” His Yan Sui could do anything well.
The corners of Yan Sui’s mouth curved slightly. He pulled Meng Ting to the dining table and sat him down, then served him a bowl. “Try it.”
“It’s delicious!” Meng Ting began praising before even taking a bite. Once he tasted it, his compliments grew even more enthusiastic. “So good! It’s the best noodles I’ve ever had.”
“Mm,” Yan Sui nodded. He had already tasted it in the kitchen first, and the taste was decent, so he brought it out. But seeing Meng Ting enjoy it gave him even more sense of accomplishment—no less than what he felt when succeeding in a company project.
As for the fact that he had startled Nanny Wang and the others by barging into the kitchen, there was no need to mention or dwell on that. Meng Ting’s reaction told him it was completely worth it to cook these noodles.
“You can’t eat spicy food these days. When you can, I’ll add a bit more for you.”
“Okay, you eat too.”
Meng Ting agreed, happily munching on his noodles while occasionally looking up at Yan Sui, his eyes curved in delight.
Yan Sui nodded and ate alongside him.
The two of them finished the large bowl of noodles. Meng Ting hugged his stomach, his face full of satisfaction. He looked at Yan Sui as if he were glowing. He felt that all the beautiful words in the world wouldn’t be enough to describe Yan Sui.
Yan Sui looked up and met Meng Ting’s gaze. Meng Ting blinked, his eyes curving again, and then told Yan Sui what he had been thinking on the sofa, “I love you the most, only you, so there’s no need to be jealous.”
In both lifetimes, the only person he had ever loved was Yan Sui, and there was no possibility of him loving anyone else in the future.
Yan Sui met Meng Ting’s gaze, leaned in slightly, and Meng Ting tilted forward. Their lips touched lightly before parting again.
Yan Manjia, who had assumed they would still be eating or had already finished—and that her presence wouldn’t be inconvenient—quietly floated back to the art studio. She felt it might be necessary for her to move into the side building like Yan Yu and the others.
Of course, she couldn’t possibly intrude on Yan Yu and He Yue’s space in the side building. She decided to ask Uncle Xiao to arrange for a two-story house to be built for her near the grove someday. Even if it was just used as an art studio, it would be fine.
***
After finishing their meal, Meng Ting and Yan Sui went for another walk before returning upstairs. Yan Sui had no plans to work today, so he also returned to their room to sleep with Meng Ting. The next day, he took Meng Ting to the lab and stayed there for half the day before heading to the company.
From then on, their days remained as sweet as this one, if not sweeter. Yan Sui not only tried his hand at dishes like noodles but he could even cook Meng Ting’s favorites—minced meat eggplant[mfn]肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zǐ): Minced Meat Eggplant. 
[/mfn] and braised chicken wings.
As for Nanny Wang and the others who were initially shocked, they gradually got used to it. Their patriarch washing his hands to cook soup[mfn]洗手作羹湯 (xǐ shǒu zuò gēng tāng): lit. washing hands, making the soup. From Three Poems of a Newly-married Bride poem collection by Wang Jian. 三日入廚下，洗手作羹湯。未諳姑食性，先遣小姑嘗。, Day three, she enters the kitchen, washing her hands, making the soup. Not knowing my mother-in-law and her habits, my sister-in-law shall first taste it. On day three, custom says the new wife should go to the kitchen and prepare a meal for her husband’s family. Ordinarily, respect suggests that the father-in-law and mother-in-law should get the first bowl. Instead, the first taste is offered to the sister-in-law. 
[/mfn] for his wife? It’s a very, very normal thing!
Of course, this statement should be taken with a grain of salt. If word got out, half of Haicheng would probably be stunned.
Meng Ting would occasionally post photos of Maoqiu and Dahuang on his Moments. One day, he also casually posted a picture of the braised chicken wings Yan Sui had cooked, as if it were a very ordinary occurrence.
“The chicken wings are so delicious, I ate too many. Taking a walk with Maoqiu and Dahuang.”
But Zhen Han’s comment was just a single [terrified] emoji[mfn]【驚恐】的表情 ([jīng kǒng] de biǎo qíng): 😱[/mfn], leaving Gu Lang and the others utterly confused.
However, no matter how they thought about it, they couldn’t possibly connect it to Yan Sui. That was just… too unbelievable.
Zhen Han, the only one sober amidst the drunken crowd[mfn]眾人皆醉我獨醒 (zhòng rén jiē zuì wǒ dú xǐng): lit. everyone is drunk and I am the only one sober; (figuratively) everyone is wrong while I am the only one correct; everyone is depraved while I am the only one virtuous. From Chu Chi: 屈原曰：「舉世皆濁我獨清，眾人皆醉我獨醒，是以見放。」, Qu Yuan replied, “The entire world is corrupt and I am clean alone; everyone is drunk while I am sober alone. Thus, I was exiled.”. T/N: Excerpt from Chu Chi: The Fisherman. The Chu Ci, variously translated as Verses of Chu, Songs of Chu, or Elegies of Chu, is an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry including works traditionally attributed mainly to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States period, as well as a large number of works composed during the Han dynasty several centuries later. More information: Link.[/mfn], watched as a flood of comments poured in from people wanting to drop by for a taste, feeling quite helpless. If they knew it was cooked by Yan Sui, probably not many people would dare to eat it.
Meng Ting ate too much for dinner, and everyone else ate at least half a bowl less. But Yan Sui still used his culinary skills to completely capture Meng Ting’s stomach.
***
While things were sweet and harmonious on their side, things were far from peaceful for the Yán family in Licheng. Yán Yunsheng stared at a series of financial reports, the corners of his eyes slightly twitching. “Yan Sui… how dare he!”
Online gaming was just the beginning. Yan Sui continuously used his company’s performance to suppress the Yán family’s ventures in the same industry. With his substantial capital, he successively acquired and merged smaller companies, turning them into subsidiaries under the Yan Corporation.
Using the same strategy repeatedly, he pushed the Yán family’s enterprises to the fringes. As one side weakened, the other grew stronger. If this continued, the Yán family would only have two options in these industries: continue hemorrhaging money or declare bankruptcy sooner rather than later.
Yan Sui was simply too impatient to engage in any conspiracies or tricks with the Yán family. He used a blatant strategy that left no room for argument. Those who had originally thought the Yán family had a chance to compete with the Yan family now deeply felt their faces being slapped. The unfathomable depth of the Yan Corporation and Yan Sui was only a tip of the iceberg they had glimpsed.
“Is that Su Siyu still in Licheng? Tell him I’m willing to meet him. Make the arrangements,” Yán Yunsheng said as he set down the report, addressing his butler.
***
The next day, while Yán Yunsheng was preparing to meet someone, Yan Sui and Meng Ting were also heading out for an engagement.
It was Ning Zhou’s birthday, and both Yan Sui and Meng Ting had every reason to attend the celebration in Beicheng, out of both affection and propriety. Their flight tickets had been booked long ago, but today, Meng Ting was a bit reluctant to get out of bed, clinging to Yan Sui and refusing to let him get up.
“Let’s cuddle for a while longer, I’m sleepy…”
Meng Ting wrapped his arms and legs around Yan Sui, his head moving gently, nuzzling him haphazardly.
Yan Sui’s heart softened from the nuzzling. He took out his phone, intending to ask Wang Feng to reschedule the plane tickets to noon.
“Then let’s sleep a little longer. I’ll change the flight to noon. Don’t forget—we’re going to Beicheng today.”
Meng Ting continued to nuzzle for a while before realizing, “Ah, I forgot…”
He had been so focused on his drowsiness that he nearly forgotten their plans for the day. His half-lidded eyes finally opened fully, and he ran a hand over Yan Sui’s chest, the familiar touch gradually bringing all his memories back.
Last night, Yan Sui had originally let him off, but he had been the one clinging to him again. Now, feeling exhausted, he had no one to blame but himself.
“Then don’t change it. We’ve already told Mom. She’ll be sad if we don’t arrive on time.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Yan Sui and automatically admitted his mistake, “It was my fault…” He always seemed to overestimate his own stamina.
“But why don’t you ever get tired?” Yan Sui had clearly exerted a lot of effort too, but the only one who was listless the next day was him. Yan Sui, on the other hand, looked completely refreshed. Could the difference in position really make that much of a difference?
The question was not only difficult to answer but also carried some danger. Meng Ting wasn’t curious about many things, but when it came to Yan Sui, his curiosity knew no bounds. Yan Sui turned his head and kissed Meng Ting deeply, using the heated exchange to fully rouse the still-sleepy man.
Once Meng Ting was fully awake, they washed up, ate breakfast, packed their luggage, and took a car to the airport. Two hours later, they landed in Beicheng.
Not only had Ning Zhou come to pick them up, but Xiao Huimin had also come along.
“Nuo Nuo, over here!” Ning Zhou spotted Meng Ting from afar and waved excitedly, arms slightly outstretched. As Meng Ting approached, he gave her a warm hug.
“Mom,” he called out softly, then offered his blessings, “Happy birthday, Mom. You look so beautiful today.”
His gaze then shifted to Xiao Huimin, and he immediately added with a sweet smile, “And Dad looks very handsome too.”
Yan Sui is the most handsome, he added in his heart, then turned back and smiled at Yan Sui. His thoughts were written all over his face—how could Xiao Huimin not see it? However, he had already given up competing with Yan Sui for anything. As long as Meng Ting could accept them, that was enough.
“Was the flight uncomfortable? Did you bring enough clothes? Beicheng is much colder than Haicheng.”
Ning Zhou asked Meng Ting while carefully studying his face—his complexion was rosy, showing no signs of discomfort.
Meng Ting obediently replied, “No discomfort. Yan Sui prepared a thick coat for me, so I’m not afraid of the cold.”
He had slept through most of the journey, basically making up for the sleep he had lost last night. Yan Sui had also taken care of their luggage for the trip. He knew better than even Nanny Wang what Meng Ting might need.
“That’s good,” Ning Zhou nodded, then looked at Yan Sui and thanked him very sincerely, “Thank you so much for taking such good care of Nuo Nuo.”
Ning Zhou had been very worried ever since she learned that Meng Ting couldn’t take medication. But apart from the incident caused by Xiao Zi, Yan Sui hadn’t let Meng Ting get sick again in the past six months, which was no easy feat.
“It’s my duty,” Yan Sui responded before taking Meng Ting’s hand again. They continued chatting as they walked out of the airport and boarded the Xiao family’s car, heading to the Xiao ancestral home in Beicheng.
Ning Zhou had kept a low profile these past few years, but this time, she didn’t intend to continue being so. She and Xiao Huimin had invited everyone they could—though Meng Ting’s name hadn’t yet been added to the family registry, he was their child, and it was time to properly introduce him to Beicheng’s elite circles openly and honestly.
Moreover, with Yan Sui’s recent actions, although Old Master Xiao didn’t say anything, had begun to waver in his stance. Yan Sui was far more outstanding than he had imagined. Even setting aside what the Xiao family owed Meng Ting, for Yan Sui’s sake alone, he shouldn’t make the couple feel uncomfortable.
“Does Grandpa know that Yan Sui and I are coming?” Meng Ting couldn’t help but ask again.
Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin’s expressions both paused at the same time, then Xiao Huimin spoke.
“He knows,” Xiao Huimin said, turning sideways. He touched Meng Ting’s hair and said very firmly, “Nuo Nuo, wherever your mom and I are, that’s also your home. Even if your grandpa doesn’t know, it doesn’t matter.”
“Mm,” Meng Ting didn’t avoid Xiao Huimin’s touch. After thinking for a moment, he nodded, then looked at Xiao Huimin and Ning Zhou. “I understand. Yan Sui and I are coming home.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Yan Sui. More than for himself, he was actually afraid that Yan Sui might be treated coldly.
Yan Sui gently stroked Meng Ting’s hand that he was holding, then nodded. “You’re right.”
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 082.2″]
此消彼長 (cǐ xiāo bǐ zhǎng): something declines while something else rises; wane and wax; trade-off; one man’s loss is another’s gain; refers to the decline of this and the rise of that; everything has two sides or many sides.深不可測 (shēn bù kě cè): deep and unmeasurable (idiom); unfathomable depths; incomprehensible; impossible to understand; enigmatic and impossible to predict; enigmatic; too deep to be measured, a metaphor for the elusiveness of the situation of things.
自作自受 (zì zuò zì shòu): to reap what one has sown (idiom); as one sows, so shall one reap; to reap what one sows; you’ve made your bed, now lie in it; to stew in one’s own juice; suffer from one’s own actions; fry in one’s own grease; be caught in one’s own trap; sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.
精神抖擻 (jīng shén dǒu sǒu): spirit trembling with excitement (idiom); in high spirits; fresh with energy; vigorous and energetic; glowing with health and vigor lively and full of enthusiasm; be in great form; con brio.
正大光明 (zhèng dà guāng míng): just and honorable; open/square and aboveboard; Synonym of 光明正大 (guāng míng zhèng dà), high-principled; open and aboveboard; just and honorable; frank and righteous; without artifice.
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