Meng Ting didn’t stop calling out until after countless repetitions, but his grip around Yan Sui remained firm. He tilted his head to glance at Yan Sui, then pursed his lips in thought for a moment before deciding it was time to settle accounts.
“Don’t ever do that again.”
As Meng Ting spoke, his eyes widened slightly. His attempt at holding Yan Sui accountable lacked any real force, or perhaps he simply couldn’t bring himself to be truly angry with Yan Sui. “I’ll forgive you this time, but if there’s a next time, I’ll be angry… and I won’t talk to you for many days.”
“It won’t happen again,” Yan Sui replied immediately.
If he had known it would cause Meng Ting such distress, Yan Sui would never have agreed to participate in the plan. He wouldn’t do it again in the future. Even if Meng Ting knew the plan. Seeing him ‘injured’ would likely still make Meng Ting feel distressed.
Yan Sui understood this clearly. He had avoided bringing it up again, fearing it would only upset Meng Ting further. Earlier today, when Meng Ting mentioned knowing about the plan, Yan Sui instinctively chose not to say more, but he never expected such a misunderstanding.
“How come I remember Little Sister-in-Law being there during those few days when we were discussing the plan?” After observing for a while, Zhen Han finally found the root of the problem, but it only deepened his confusion. These past few days, after dinner, they would talk about the plan’s details while watching TV on the sofa.
He clearly remembered that Meng Ting wasn’t asleep at that time. Although they didn’t explain every detail, with so many discussions back and forth, Meng Ting couldn’t possibly have remained completely unaware.
Meng Ting turned to look at Zhen Han, his eyes filled with genuine bewilderment. For the past few days, he had been completely focused on saving his perfume. Apart from Yan Sui, who occasionally helped him sense the outside world, Meng Ting had automatically shut out everyone and everything else. He looked no different from usual, but in reality, he had no recollection of anything that had happened in the house or any conversations he hadn’t been specifically included in.
“But, I didn’t hear anything…” Meng Ting’s voice carried a hint of grievance and anger. If he had known Yan Sui was involved in the plan, even if it was Yan Sui’s trusted Deng Yu, Meng Ting would not have agreed. It was a gun—a real gun!
“Don’t ever do this again. I won’t allow it. Do you understand?”
“Mm, I understand,” Yan Sui murmured, pulling Meng Ting back into his arms. His voice was soft but earnest. “It won’t happen again.”
Meng Ting nodded. He shifted his body, not wanting to remain sitting on the chair any longer. With a slight pull from Yan Sui, he climbed onto the surgical bed and soon nestled into Yan Sui’s embrace. They lay together on the operating bed. Meng Ting held Yan Sui tightly, not speaking, but also not falling asleep.
***
The operating room lights remained on. An hour later, Yan Yu, He Yue, Yan Manjia, and others arrived outside the operating room, keeping vigil. Since they were putting on a show, they had to commit fully. It wasn’t until five in the morning that the operating room doors finally open, and Yan Sui was transferred to intensive care unit.
In reality, Yan Sui still held Meng Ting, who had only recently fallen asleep, in his arms during the transfer. Meng Ting’s brow furrowed slightly, clearly not sleeping soundly. Yan Sui didn’t wake him, instead he simply wrapped Meng snugly in a blanket and had Zhen Han push them to the ICU.
From last night until now, the Yan family hadn’t released any news about Yan Sui. Whether it was good or bad, leaving everyone to speculate wildly. Zhen Han’s phone had been switched off long ago; he knew without a doubt that many people would try to get information from him.
When he turned it back on, over twenty unread message notifications for missed calls came in—Gu Lang and the others had called, as well as some long-uncontacted classmates and relatives. Zhen Han casually scrolled through them, but before he could finish, another call came through.
“Han Zi, how is Yan Sui? How could something like this happen?”
Gu Lang hadn’t slept all night either. If it weren’t for the swarm of media reporters waiting outside the hospital, he would have rushed over immediately himself. But his grandfather had confirmed that Yan Sui had indeed been shot—right in the chest, a potentially fatal wound.
“Someone’s been cornered and lashed out. Cousin is already in the ICU now, with Sister-in-law by his side. You don’t need to rush over; you won’t be able to see him anyway. We just have to wait…” Zhen Han’s naturally cold tone needed no acting, and it sent a chill through Gu Lang’s heart.
“Tell everyone else too—no need to rush to the hospital…”
Zhen Han exchanged a few more words with Gu Lang, hung up, and promptly turned off his phone.
Gu Lang knew that if he told his father and his family’s Old Master Xiao, it would essentially mean half of Haicheng’s elite circles would know.
***
Meng Ting woke up with a start from Yan Sui’s embrace around eight in the morning.
“Ting Ting, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” Yan Sui had noticed Meng Ting’s restlessness long before, but neither gentle pats nor soothing strokes had eased the furrow in his brow. He was hesitating about whether to wake him when Meng Ting suddenly jolted awake on his own.
Meng Ting stared blankly at Yan Sui for a moment before clinging to him tightly. He didn’t say anything, but his expression betrayed his unease and discomfort.
Yan Sui sighed softly in his heart. He lowered his head and kissed Meng Ting’s forehead and lips, then resumed gently stroking Meng Ting’s back.
He deliberated for a while before speaking, “I heard what you said yesterday.”
“What?” Meng Ting responded, his limbs still wrapped tightly around Yan Sui. Even as he held him close, he feared losing him. His mind felt foggy, and he couldn’t recall anything he had said the previous day.
“‘Whether in life or death, you’ll be with me’,” Yan Sui said, a gentle, contented smile spreading across his face. He kissed Meng Ting’s lips again, then stated with even greater solemnity, “Me too. Whether in life or death, I’ll be with you.”
This was likely a vow of eternal devotion. In less than a year, he was willing to pledge his life to Meng Ting, and he had found someone willing to do the same for him. How fortunate, how blessed he was.
Therefore, Yan Sui felt no fear of death, knowing that regardless of what came, someone would always follow him, always stay by his side.
“So, don’t be afraid. Neither of us should be afraid.”
Hearing this, Meng Ting looked up at Yan Sui. After a long moment, he nodded. “Mm, I’ll listen to you.”
A moment later, he added, “But let’s still try to live a long life. I want to live with you.”
With Yan Sui by his side, he could face death without fear, but compared to the unknowable void of death, he preferred to live well and happily with Yan Sui.
“Okay,” Yan Sui nodded, pressing two more light kisses to Meng Ting’s lips.
Meng Ting slowly closed his eyes, and Yan Sui understood. His kisses lingered on Meng Ting’s lips before drifting to his nose, eyes, and forehead, showering him with all the tenderness he could muster.
“Ahem…”
Zhen Han, who had brought in breakfast, cleared his throat softly. Meng Ting didn’t open his eyes, nor did Yan Sui stop his gentle kisses. They acted as if no one else was present. Zhen Han set down the breakfast, then consciously stepped out of the hospital room, stationing himself at the door, preventing others from entering.
An hour later, he knocked on the door again. At Yan Sui’s ‘Come in’, he, Yan Yu, and He Yue re-entered the room.
Yan Sui and Meng Ting had already washed up and finished the breakfast Zhen Han had brought. Instead of staying in the hospital bed, they were sitting on the sofa in front of it, Meng Ting pressed close to Yan Sui. He looked up at the others, his ears perked, listening intently.
Having learned from experience, Meng Ting was determined to pay close attention this time, determined not to miss a single detail about Yan Sui.
Yan Sui gently ruffled Meng Ting’s hair and took his hand, a flicker of heartache and self-blame in his eyes. This incident was clearly his fault, yet Meng Ting was already searching for reasons within himself. Unable to bear blaming Yan Sui, he turned the blame inward.
“We’ll proceed as planned. Ting Ting and I will remain out of sight for the time being.”
Yan Sui suppressed his emotions and addressed Yan Yu. He wasn’t one to shift blame onto others, and there was no point in venting his anger on Yan Yu or He Yue.
Yan Yu, however, hesitated. He glanced at Meng Ting, a hint of helplessness in his voice. “I’m afraid Ting Ting won’t be able to stay out of it.”
Last night, Meng Ting had unexpectedly taken over Yan Yu’s role, and it would be more logical for him to make further appearances.
“What do you need me to do?” Meng Ting spoke before Yan Sui could. He then turned to Yan Sui. “I can help you too.”
After a moment’s contemplation, Yan Sui nodded. “Alright.”
***
Soon after, a piece of news spread through the various departments of the Yan Corporation: Yan Sui had been critically injured and was in a coma, and his wife, Meng Ting, would become the acting CEO.
“Isn’t this just ridiculous? Even if it is to help Yan Sui, this isn’t the way to do it…”
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of Meng Ting probably thought the same upon hearing this news.
Before the Yan Corporation employees could voice their opinions, some members of the Yan family’s collateral branches expressed their dissatisfaction. These were the same individuals who had opposed Yan Sui when he became the family patriarch years ago.
“The Yan Corporation belongs to the Yan family. How can it fall into the hands of an outsider? He’s the youngest son of the Xiao family, after all!”
If the Yan Corporation fell into Meng Ting’s hands, there was no telling if he might secretly help the Xiao family swallow up the Yan Corporation. At that point, the Yan Corporation’s position as a top-tier aristocratic family might not be secure.
Two days later, Meng Ting attended a high-level meeting at the Yan Corporation. As he approached the Yan Corporation building, he found a crowd of reporters still blocking the entrance.
“The Yan Corporation belongs to Yan Sui! No one is allowed to touch it until he wakes up!”
Meng Ting had heard Wang Feng’s report on the way over, and the words of these people infuriated him. When they needed Yan Sui’s help, they hadn’t shown such faces. Now that Yan Sui was merely ‘unconscious’, they dared to speak such words.
***
“Heaven is helping my Yán family! Hahaha…” In Licheng, Yán Yunsheng watched the news on television and burst into laughter. He didn’t doubt Meng Ting’s affection for Yan Sui in the slightest, but managing a corporate empire wasn’t something that could be achieved with just affection and determination.
“Congratulations, Grandpa Yán. Haicheng’s Yan family will soon be yours.” Su Siyu smiled as he watched the television. What good was Meng Ting marrying into the Yan family if Yan Sui was destroyed? If Su Siyu couldn’t have it, no one else could either.
Yán Yunsheng put away his smile as he nodded in agreement, acknowledging Su Siyu’s words. Without avoiding Su Siyu, he made several phone calls, instructing his people to proceed according to plan.
Most of these plans were based on the so-called ‘secrets’ that Su Siyu had provided. Yán Yunsheng had already verified some of it and found it accurate. Now that the critical moment had arrived, he saw no reason to hesitate further.
Opportunity knocks but once[mfn]機不可失，失不再來 (jī bù kě shī , shī bù zài lái): (Proverb) opportunity seldom knocks twice; opportunity knocks but once; it’s now or never; opportunity is rare, time will never come again; opportunities are rare and must be seized.[/mfn]; they had to push everything to a point of no return before Yan Sui regained consciousness.
“Old Master Xiao and Madam of the Xiao Family have left… They’re not fools.”
As Yán Yunsheng informed Su Siyu, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared the Xiao Family would involve themselves regardless of the consequences due to Meng Ting. However, family interests ultimately held precedence. With Yan Sui’s injuries seemingly worsening, their involvement would only further undermine Meng Ting’s authority within the Yan family.
However, it was Meng Ting who had asked them to leave. He didn’t meet with Old Master Xiao or Ning Zhou, only answering their calls to inform them that he needed to stay by Yan Sui’s side and protect the Yan Corporation. He had no time to entertain them nor needing their presence in Haicheng.
Old Master Xiao and Ning Zhou stayed in Haicheng for two days but were consistently unable to see Yan Sui or Meng Ting. Although they were filled with worry, they could only comply with Meng Ting’s wishes and depart from Haicheng for now.
As long as the Xiao family existed, the Yan family members wouldn’t dare to overstep their bounds with Meng Ting. This was something Old Master Xiao and Ning Zhou were certain of.
As for Yan Sui, both Old Master Xiao and Ning Zhou felt it was a tremendous loss—such a wonderful and exceptional young man. What concerned them even more was Meng Ting’s deep attachment to Yan Sui. If anything truly happened to Yan Sui, Meng Ting would likely be half-dead from grief himself.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 095″]
秋後算賬 (qiū hòu suàn zhàng): lit. settling accounts after the autumn harvest; to wait until the time is ripe to settle accounts, to bide time for revenge; to get revenge after a matter is over; settle scores at an opportune moment (idiom); settle/square accounts after the autumn harvest―wait until sth is over to settle accounts with sb; bide one’s time to clear the scores with sb; bide one’s time to take revenge; to wait until things develop to the final stage before judging who is right and wrong, or to wait for the opportunity to retaliate afterwards.無所畏懼 (wú suǒ wèi jù): fearless; dauntless; undaunted; have iron nerves; have nerves of steel; rise above fear; unafraid of anything; have nothing to fear.
旁若無人 (páng ruò wú rén): lit. as if no one is by one’s side; to selfishly do what one wants without regard to other people’s wishes; to act as though there were nobody else present; unselfconscious; without regard for others; act as if no one else was nearby—be self-important and unmindful of others; have no regard of people around; doing one’s own thing and not being influenced by others. It can also be described as arrogant.
吃一塹，長一智 (chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì): one failure brings one wisdom; a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit; wisdom grows out of experience; fall into the moat and you’ll be wiser next time (idiom); one only learns from one’s mistakes; once bitten, twice shy; every failure is a learning experience. Originally means that when a stonemason was grinding a millstone, a tooth would grow on the stone. It means that every failure brings a lesson and increases wisdom. It is the truth that lessons can be learned through failure.
唱反調 (chàng fǎn diào): (figurative, idiomatic) to sing a different tune; to raise an opposing opinion or take an opposing action; to express a different view; to take a different position; act contrary to; take a contrary position; oppose; contradict; dissent; be at odds; go against the grain; referring to the behavior of taking an opposing stance in words or actions.
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