Meng Ting paced outside the kitchen while Yan Sui skillfully cooked the noodles inside. Half an hour later, Yan Sui emerged carrying two large bowls of noodles.
“So fragrant!” Meng Ting kept a slight distance, glancing between the noodles and Yan Sui before cautiously shuffling closer. He leaned in to press another kiss to Yan Sui’s cheek. “Yan Sui, you’re amazing!”
Yan Sui turned his head, and Meng Ting automatically tilted his cheek forward, offering it for a kiss. After a light peck, Yan Sui said, “Let’s eat in the living room.”
“Okay,” Meng Ting agreed.
The two walked side by side. As soon as Yan Sui placed the noodles on the table, Meng Ting immediately wrapped his arms around him for another hug and kiss.
“Ahem…” Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin, who had been waiting for their return before going to bed, cleared their throats softly. Yan Sui at least gave them a nod, but Meng Ting, who had walked in without noticing them, hadn’t seen them at all.
Hearing the cough now, Meng Ting was quite puzzled. After a moment of hesitation, he finally pulled away from Yan Sui’s embrace.
When he turned and saw Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin, he immediately buried himself back into Yan Sui’s arms. The sudden movement made Yan Sui step back slightly as he steadied Meng Ting in his embrace. Then, Meng Ting’s muffled voice followed, “Dad, Mom, why aren’t you asleep yet?”
Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin exchanged glances, unsure whether Meng Ting was embarrassed or something else. But now that Meng Ting and Yan Sui were back, they could rest easy. Ning Zhou spoke up, “We’re going to bed now. Nuo Nuo and Yan Sui should rest early too.”
“Okay,” Meng Ting responded immediately, yet he still didn’t move from Yan Sui’s embrace. He pinched the flesh at Yan Sui’s waist—Yan Sui must have seen Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin earlier, but he hadn’t told him, almost making him face them head-on.
“Goodnight, Mom and Dad. Ting Ting and I will go to bed after we finish eating.”
Yan Sui’s face was stiff as he endured Meng Ting’s mischief at his waist while speaking to Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin.
Meng Ting still refused to turn around, so Ning Zhou could only assume he was genuinely shy. But it’s not like they never caught him and Yan Sui being affectionate before—why was he so bashful today? With these thoughts lingering, Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin returned to their room in the Yan residence.
“They’re gone,” Yan Sui murmured, rubbing Meng Ting’s back before pressing a kiss to his hair. “Let’s eat first, or the food will get soggy.”
“Oh, right. Soggy food isn’t good.” Meng Ting finally stopped dwelling on unnecessary thoughts at those words. He released Yan Sui’s waist, grabbed his hand instead, and the two sat down together.
***
By the time they finished eating, it was almost midnight. Warm all over from the meal, Meng Ting finally felt drowsy. Yan Sui pulled him back to their room, where they washed up, got ready for bed, and then fell asleep in each other’s arms. Meng Ting didn’t wake until past seven the next morning.
Yan Sui was already up, though he hadn’t gone to his study. Instead, he was on the small balcony of their bedroom, making a phone call. By the time he finished and came back inside, Meng Ting had already dressed himself.
“It’s still early. You can sleep a little longer,” Yan Sui said, stepping closer and tilting Meng Ting’s chin to examine the injury on his temple. It didn’t look as severe as yesterday, but it was still quite noticeable.
Meng Ting wrapped his arms around Yan Sui and shook his head. “I’ve slept enough. I need to go to the lab today—I’m going to kick someone out.”
His voice was soft and groggy from sleep, lacking any real force, but his decision had been firm ever since he saw the surveillance footage.
‘Yan Ting BestLove‘ wasn’t just Meng Ting’s most perfect creation to date—it also embodied another part of him, the part that loved Yan Sui wholeheartedly. Whether it was Cheng Guang or Ma Jili, they had crossed a line he couldn’t forgive.
“I’ll go with you,” Yan Sui said, gently rubbing the back of Meng Ting’s neck. He knew Meng Ting’s anger wouldn’t subside quickly; he’d probably get angry again just thinking about it.
Meng Ting hesitated in Yan Sui’s arms for a long moment before shaking his head again. “No need. You go ahead with your work. I can handle the lab situation myself.”
Yan Sui had met with Deng Yu yesterday, which meant he’d be very busy for at least the next week. Though Yan Sui hadn’t mentioned it, Meng Ting was aware. Meng Ting thought for a moment and added, “Call me if you miss me.”
Yan Sui thought for a moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll pick you up from the lab tonight.”
“Mm.” Meng Ting nodded, nuzzling Yan Sui’s cheek before finally stepping out of his arms, which still carried a faint chill, and heading to the bathroom to freshen up.
As soon as they came downstairs, Ning Zhou noticed the injury on Meng Ting’s temple. Meng Ting had wanted to hide it, but it was completely futile.
He expression was a bit bewildered—he’d only remembered last night that he shouldn’t let Ning Zhou see it when they got home in the evening. It hadn’t occurred to him that coming downstairs in the morning would also mean facing Ning Zhou and the others.
Although Yan Sui still felt heartache over Meng Ting’s injuries, seeing his confused and bewildered expression, he couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile. However, he was immediately glared at by Yan Manjia and Ning Zhou.
It took quite a while to explain the situation to Ning Zhou and the others, but it was still no use. As soon as Ning Zhou saw Meng Ting’s injury, she felt heartbroken, and she looked at Yan Sui with a hint of reproach. Although it was all a misunderstanding, the Deng Yu who had hurt Meng Ting was Yan Sui’s friend.
Ning Zhou, who was originally planning to return to Beicheng today, decided to stay. She would only go back after Meng Ting’s injury healed. Xiao Huimin couldn’t stay in Haicheng any longer, so he could only pull Ning Zhou aside, repeatedly giving her reminders before finally leaving.
Meng Ting took a car to the laboratory, but Yan Sui didn’t accompany him. After seeing Meng Ting off, he returned to the side building to find Yan Yu. He relayed what Deng Yu had told him to Yan Yu, and the two discussed some matters further before Yan Sui finally left the Yan residence.
***
By this time, Meng Ting had already arrived at the laboratory. When he got there, all four assistants were already present. After their usual greetings, they were about to start work when Meng Ting stopped them.
“Wait a moment.”
As soon as Meng Ting spoke, all four of them froze, then turned to look at him.
“Follow me.” Meng Ting didn’t intend to confront them in his perfumery room. He casually picked up a vial of perfume and headed to the reception area on the first floor. Li Shishi and the others were somewhat puzzled, their minds filled with various guesses, but none of them spoke up to ask.
Meng Ting sat down, removed the stopper from the vial, and waved it slightly. He intensely disliked this scent but didn’t frown as he had the night before. He looked at Cheng Guang and asked calmly, “Does this smell familiar?”
Cheng Guang had followed Meng Ting up from the basement, thinking all along that Meng Ting was going to teach them some key points about perfumery. But the moment the stopper was removed, his expectations were doused like a bucket of ice water poured over him from head to toe in winter, chilling him to the core.
His face instantly turned deathly pale. Naturally, Ma Jili also looked somewhat uneasy, but Meng Ting didn’t glance at him, allowing a sliver of hope to remain in his heart.
“Master…”
“Don’t call me master anymore. From now on, you’re no longer part of my lab.” Meng Ting had no intention of wasting too much time here—he still needed to salvage his ruined perfumes.
“I, I really like ‘Yan Ting’,” he said, liking it so much that he wanted to completely possess it. For an ordinary person, possession meant owning the perfume, but for a perfumer, it meant mastering its formula. “I didn’t mean to do anything, I just wanted to create it myself…”
He saw Meng Ting shake the perfume in his hand again, and his words halted, instantly shifting from anxiousness to anger!
But when Meng Ting’s gaze met his, he couldn’t utter another word. Meng Ting was the true creator of ‘Yan Ting’; he had no right to be angry.
Besides, had Meng Ting truly hidden anything from them? Deep down, he knew the answer was no.
In fact, Meng Ting had been far more generous and candid than other perfumers. It was just that too much of his achievement stemmed from extraordinary talent—something they were simply not born with.
He understood that mastery required time and accumulation of knowledge, but unconsciously, he became jealous of Meng Ting’s talent. He had always fantasized that he was the creator of ‘Yan Ting’, but reality always slapped him in the face. Compared to the perfume Meng Ting blended, his own ‘Yan Ting’ was practically toxic fumes.
“Take him out!” Meng Ting waved his hand, and the security guards waiting by the door immediately entered and grabbed him.
“Master, I was wrong. Please let me stay. Please let me…”
Meng Ting stood up, looked at Cheng Guang, then shook his head very decisively. “Impossible!”
Perhaps the anger in his heart was reignited, and Meng Ting’s expression grew colder. “Perhaps one day you’ll create a perfume with a similar scent, but it still won’t be my ‘Yan Ting’.”
The scent of ‘Yan Ting’ changes over time, it’s not simply a matter of fading in intensity. Cheng Guang had only captured the concentrated fragrance that lingered in the perfumery room. He hadn’t been able to calm himself to truly experience its nuances in other settings. From the very beginning, his approach had been fundamentally flawed.
That’s why Meng Ting had never worried that they would figure out his perfume formula just by observing a few times. A hair’s breadth of difference could lead to a world of error.
“Leave. Don’t make me tell you to get lost.”
Cheng Guang was ultimately guilty. He stopped struggling and allowed the security guards to restrain him. At that moment, Yan Mingya also arrived with the police. They stepped forward, and Cheng Guang’s eyes widened in panic. He thought the police were there to arrest him, but they bypassed him and walked toward Ma Jili.
“You are suspected of stealing perfume and selling it for profit. You’ll have to come to the police station for questioning…”
Ma Jili nearly collapsed onto the chair when he heard this. Cheng Guang couldn’t go home either; he was taken along to assist with the questioning. After all, Ma Jili had used Cheng Guang’s perfume, so whether Cheng Guang was involved needed further investigation.
As they were led out of the reception room, Meng Ting’s expression showed little change. After all, he’d already vented his anger the previous day. He turned and headed back to the basement—he had more important matters to attend to.
Before entering the analysis room, he glanced back at Li Shishi and Ye Zilan. “If either of you also wants to leave, just let me know.”
Li Shishi and Ye Zilan paused, then shook their heads vigorously.
“Master, please don’t drive us away! We would never do such a thing!”
Meng Ting wasn’t just a gifted perfumer; his foundational knowledge was just as solid as theirs, despite their formal training. For at least the next ten years, he would undeniably remain their master. And in another ten years, his growth would be enough for him to be their master for a lifetime.
Meng Ting said nothing more. After a moment’s hesitation, Li Shishi and Ye Zilan followed him into the analysis room.
***
After that, they became busy with their own affairs. Meng Ting only listened briefly about Cheng Guang’s whereabouts and the length of Majili’s sentence and didn’t pay any further attention. No matter how harshly they were punished, it wouldn’t erase the fact that they had damaged his perfume.
It took a full eight days for Meng Ting to find a solution, and the final result was completely unexpected.
“Ma… Master…” Ye Zilan’s voice trembled. She was so excited that she almost cried.
Those eight days hadn’t passed easily. Each day, they faced the grim reality of the increasingly damaged perfume while simultaneously conducting various meticulous and complex experiments. They endured countless failures, and even seemingly successful attempts still revealed flaws.
But this time, she was certain—they had truly succeeded!
“Mm, it’s improved…” Meng Ting gazed at the clear liquid in the test tube, a smile curving his lips. “This is… the upgraded version of ‘Yan Ting,’ isn’t it?”
Compared to the original, the upgraded ‘Yan Ting’ possessed subtle variations, exuding an even more mysterious and profound scent.
But what truly made Meng Ting happy was that he could once again give Yan Sui a truly unique perfume. He turned to Li Shishi and Ye Zilan, who had been working tirelessly with him for the past eight days. “You can leave early today. Go home and get some rest. You don’t need to come in tomorrow either.”
“Okay,” Li Shishi replied, pulling Ye Zilan, whose eyes were brimming with tears, away. These past few days, they had indeed been utterly swamped with work. Even after returning home, their minds were still buzzing with various data. They truly desperately needed some rest.
Meng Ting remained in the lab, staring at his new perfume in a daze. After a full half hour, he finally resumed the blending process he’d started earlier, preparing a large batch of the blended liquid. He went into the storage room and transformed all the damaged perfumes into their enhanced versions.
Only then did Meng Ting contentedly head to the changing room to change his clothes. He planned to leave work early today to find Yan Sui.
But as soon as he stepped out of the lab, Yan Sui’s car arrived to pick him up.
Meng Ting climbed into the car and threw himself into Yan Sui’s arms. “Why are you here so early today? I was just about to come find you!”
Yan Sui couldn’t help but smile at Meng Ting’s radiant expression. He held him close, nuzzling Meng Ting’s cheek before replying, “Everything’s settled, so I came as soon as I could.”
Meng Ting had been busy these past few days, and Yan Sui had been busy too. They hadn’t had much time to truly talk, even though they were always near each other. Yan Sui simply couldn’t suppress this inexplicable longing, and as soon as he finished his work, he rushed over to Meng Ting.
“Me too! I saved the perfume!” Meng Ting said, snuggling closer into Yan Sui’s embrace. Perhaps his thick winter clothes were interfering with the feeling of holding him properly. He leaned in close to Yan Sui’s ear and said earnestly, “I can give you a unique perfume again.”
“Smell me. Do you like it?” Meng Ting had deliberately sprayed some perfume on himself before coming over. He tilted his chin up, inviting Yan Sui to take a whiff.
Yan Sui leaned in to smell Meng Ting’s neck, his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably. Meng Ting only thought he was simply letting Yan Sui smell the perfume, unaware of how alluring he looked, especially since Yan Sui had no resistance to him whatsoever.
As Yan Sui continued to inhale, he gently kissed Meng Ting’s neck, soft and tender, yet restrained with forced control.
Meng Ting’s body stiffened, and his eyes blinked. He was displeased with Yan Sui’s sudden distraction. He pinched Yan Sui’s earlobe. “Don’t get distracted. Smell carefully. If you think it’s not good, I should still be able to adjust it.”
This was Meng Ting’s first attempt to ‘save’ a perfume, a process that also marked his own journey of learning and growth. His understanding of ‘Yan Ting’ was deeper than ever before. When he said he could adjust it, he meant it—he wasn’t just trying to make Yan Sui happy.
Yan Sui tightened his embrace before finally lifting his lips from Meng Ting’s neck. After a moment of contemplation, he gave Meng Ting the answer he wanted: “It feels a bit too cold for winter, but it would be perfect for summer.”
This ‘coldness’ wasn’t about temperature, but rather the overall sensation it evoked.
Hearing this, Meng Ting couldn’t help but give Yan Sui a loud ‘smack’ on the lips. The sound was a bit loud, but he was completely oblivious. “Yan Sui, you’re absolutely right!”
“I’ll make a four-season version next!” Separating it into just winter and summer wasn’t enough; he wanted to create a fragrance suitable for Yan Sui in spring, summer, autumn, and winter!
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 092″]
春夏秋冬 (chūn xià qiū dōng): spring, summer, autumn and winter—four seasons; one year; all year round. Refers to the four seasons of the earth in a year, which is the result of the earth’s movement around the sun.
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