Chapter 12 - "I wait for you."

Meng Ting was emotionally straightforward so that he made Yan Sui feel somewhat helpless. Through the phone, he could feel that Meng Ting was determined. He was just like a moth flying into a flame — his determination was out of strong fondness.

"I must've troubled you…"

Yan Sui did not say anything for a long time and this made Meng Ting gloomy. He was really holding this phone call in all sincerity, so he asked once again, "In that case, you can't like others before you decide that you don't like me, can you?"

Meng Ting was very concerned about that Su Siyu, who suddenly appeared and confessed to Yan Sui. He made a noise so that it was made known to the entire city. He had not heard this name before, but he knew it now.

"Be good." In fact, when Yan Sui was asked this question by Meng Ting, he was thinking about it. However, all of the emotions brought about by Meng Ting's question were fermented in his heart. For a moment, he forgot to answer.

"Yeah," Meng Ting nodded gently. This was all right. Being too greedy would be annoying and for the moment, he was fighting for a chance for himself and Yan Sui — waiting for a chance for them to like each other.

"Why do you want to ask these?"

After making sure that Meng Ting had no more questions, Yan Sui also had time to ask this question he should have asked earlier.

Meng Ting did not hesitate for a moment and sold Meng Qi out. He repeated Meng Qi's words to Yan Sui, but he did not panic when he heard it. Compared with Meng Qi's words, he would rather believe what Yan Sui told him.

"Yan Sui, you didn't accept his confession, right?" If he accepted it, then Yan Sui would surely be able to tell him that he has someone that he liked.

"I don't like him."

Yan Sui wanted to give clearer words to Meng Ting. He did not have any feelings for Su Siyu, nor was there any possibility of developing any feelings for him.

Su Siyu's realm of affection was too rich. What Su Siyu wanted was not what Yan Sui wanted. Not only did they have two parallel lines of life, but they also did not have the same concept of affection. Meng Ting saw that he and Su Siyu were not much different, but they were actually not the same. At least Yan Sui's feelings toward Meng Ting were totally different from his feelings toward Su Siyu. As for how far they could go, Yan Sui was also unable to ensure it for now.

"I'll bear that in mind," said Meng Ting, who was thoroughly relieved. All of the worries in his voice had disappeared.

Yan Sui heaved a sigh of relief. He lowered his tone, then continued to talk to Meng Ting, "I also want it to be like this time in the future. If you have any doubts, call me directly."

If he was able to let Meng Ting know, he would tell him directly. If he could not say it, then he would also say that he could not tell him. Without having any third person involved to deliver the message, there would be fewer misunderstandings between them.

"Okay," Meng Ting replied. He also felt that this way was good. "You, too. If you want to ask me about anything, I'll also tell you."

Meng Ting said those words particularly slow, as if he was in slight deliberation and late awareness. He was thinking about himself being reborn. He could tell him about other things except for this one — he should never say it. He did not want to be regarded as a monster. He especially did not want Yan Sui to look at him like that. However, Yan Sui regarded this slow reaction as a sign that he was earnest. His face eased up and his tone was the same, "As for the Zhongs' banquet, if you'll go there, I'll come over."

"Okay," Meng Ting nodded, then he pondered over it before he said, "I'll wait for you."

Yan Sui paused for a moment before he responded to him with an "Okay." This waiting also included waiting for him to like Meng Ting.

"It will not be too long."

"I don't mind. I can wait." Even if Yan Sui was busy and he could not come, it did not matter for Meng Ting, since they would be married soon. There was still thirteen days left. Meng Ting could wait.

Their brainwaves suddenly changed the subject and they continued to talk for a bit. Meng Ting switched the phone off, ate dinner, and chose a black suit in the closet to put on. He went downstairs at around seven o'clock in the evening.

On the first floor, there was not only Meng Qi in the living room. Meng Xiao was also there. As for Meng Jiang and Meng Bo, they had something to do and left in the morning. Meng Qin also had her own date. She did not leave until five o'clock in the afternoon. They would come back next time. There should also be an event next Saturday night. Meng Xiao had his twentieth birthday in March. He was a full three years older than Meng Ting. He was obviously not as good as the other men in the Meng Family. He was even slightly shorter than Meng Ting. He relied on clothes, so he used a well-known brand, making him appear to be a handsome youth.

Meng Xiao walked beside Meng Qi and Meng Ting, and this made him completely reduced to a foil. Meng Qi's presence as the Eldest Young Master of the Mengs was there. This kind of extravagance was something that he could not bring to his family in a few years. Meng Ting was born with a good face. Black was befitting to his temperament more than white and that kind of gloom made him look mysterious and even more outstanding.

This kind of contrast was too obvious that Meng Ting himself felt it, too.

Out of the gate, Meng Qi took Meng Ting to sit in his car, but it was to let Meng Xiao drive by himself. His face was even worse. He gave Meng Ting a wink, but it was a pity that Meng Ting completely ignored him.

With his previous experience, Meng Ting did not want to sit with Meng Qi, nor did he want to have anything to do with Meng Qi. However, Meng Qi had decided, so Meng Ting made his way into the car.

"It isn't good to take him with us. He never gave me face and doesn't consider his own status."

After Meng Qi got into the car, he immediately muttered. He recalled that Meng Ting was still sitting beside him. He continued saying to remedy the situation: "You're different from him. You're my senior family branch's person and my dear younger brother."

He never said anything like this to any of his other brothers in the Meng Family before. Meng Ting, who was being told to in this manner, did not even bother to glance at him. However, contrary to expectation, the other's beauty was picturesque — Meng Qi actually wanted to be angry, yet he could not. When he recalled Meng Zhong and Uncle Wen's neglect of duty, he gave a few more words to Meng Ting: "Since you're going to be married to the Yans' patriarch, Yan Sui, there're a few things that you ought to know."

Meng Ting originally did not plan to pay attention to Meng Qi, but as soon as he heard the two words 'Yan Sui,' he began to listen carefully. Meng Qi noticed that he was treated differently this time. Because of this, he felt like his tooth was aching, but he still continued to speak: "There's a lot of rich people in Haicheng, but not all of them can be really counted as wealthy aristocrats. We, the Mengs, are considered as one. There's also the Gu Family wherein you went to last time, our Third Aunt's Han Family, then the Su Family, the Lin Family and so on. The old and new ones would add up to twenty or thirty families."

Meng Qi took another glance at Meng Ting. He saw his uncaring expression and there was not even a bit of reaction. Last night, he could sense that he was not interested, but now, he knew that his beautiful younger brother was still digesting this information, and that he needed to wait for him to respond at least after ten minutes.

In any case, it was senseless, but he could wait.

Thirteen minutes later, Meng Ting slightly grimaced, glanced at Meng Qi, and let out an "Oh."

Meng Qi held his breath and almost suffocated himself to death, waiting for such a long time for this response. This was the so-called 'the bigger the expectation, the greater the disappointment.'

He lightly groaned, then he said, "Did you not hear? Just now, I didn't mention the Yan Family. The Yan Family is different from these old or new wealthy aristocrats. The Yans and the Zhongs of Haicheng, the Xus of Licheng, and the Xiaos of Beicheng are Xia's [1] top four wealthiest and most influential families. Now we are going to go to the Zhongs, one of the top four wealthy families."

([1] The fictional country created by the author for this story.)

They were in the same level as the Yans, and the other nobles from Haicheng were undoubtedly dependent on or wanted to attach themselves to these two families [2]. Those particular nobles also have obvious factions amongst themselves.

([2] The Yan and Zhong Families.)

The Meng Family was originally in the same faction as the Zhong Family. Now, because of Meng Ting, they were considered to be changing factions into the Yan family's side. There was nothing wrong with this because when the Mengs was on the same side as with the Zhongs, they did not get special prestige. it was not strange if Old Master Meng changed his mind. The Zhongs and the Yans were not enemies who totally isolated themselves from each other. The connections between the four great wealthy and powerful families was much more complicated than what could be seen by the outsiders. Yan Sui's paternal grandmother was the younger sister of the current patriarch of the Xus from Licheng. When she married into Haicheng, that ostentation and extravagance still made others dwell upon with great relish until this day. There was also a lot of marriage between extended family members.

"Oh," Meng Ting responded quite fast to Meng Qi this time. When he noticed that Meng Qi had nothing else to say, he nodded and said: "Thank you."

He did not know about these things and he really should be aware of these. Meng Qi told him about these things so he had to thank him.

After Meng Qi got his thanks, his heart was a little bit eased. At long last, he was not some "white-eyed wolf [3]." He turned to look outside the window, then said: "Our senior family branch is different from the second family branch. If you get really close to that side, you'll know how terrible they are."

([3]「白眼狼」literally translates to this. It means an "ingrate" or "thankless wretch.")

They would just squeeze Meng Ting for all his worth. They might not let him go. Meng Ting still agreed with this statement. His previous life experiences was exactly a proof for this. He worked like he was "squeezed" into a useless "waste."

Meng Qi saw Meng Ting obediently nodding from his reflection in the car window. Meng Qi's claws were a bit itchy, but he remembered the pain in his abdomen that had not disappeared yet. Because of this, he silently restrained himself from his desire to make a move.

This time, the party venue was closer than the last one. In about half an hour, they would get out of the car.

When they got out of the car, Meng Xiao also arrived and he did not make them wait. The three entered the Zhongs' residence together. After a short walk, Meng Qi suddenly turned around. Meng Xiao's eyes were filled with schemes. Meng Ting, who was immersed in following Meng Qi walk, was quite surprised seeing that he stopped. Meng Qi took a glimpse at Meng Ting, then he looked at Meng Xiao. He then said: "You can go play by yourself. This is Meng Ting's first time to come here. I'll show him around."

"Okay," said Meng Xiao. Although he was unwilling to do so, being able to come in here was his biggest gain today. He did not have to follow Meng Qi anyway.

"To take the position as the wife of the Yans' patriarch, you'd have to learn a lot more things."

He Wan's intentions could be personally seen and she could not be dissatisfied with Meng Ting. He was an orphan and harshly treated by his grandmother and was isolated for three years in senior high school. Even a normal person would become different if they experienced what he had been through, not to mention Meng Ting clearly suffered from congenital deficiencies.

Letting such person sit in the position of the patriarch's wife — how could that be good for Yan Sui? How could it be beneficial? Meng Ting could not let Yan Sui be a joke because of himself — even if he had to overcome his limitations.

As Meng Qi had said, if he really wanted to be a good "wife," there were so many things that he had to learn. Meng Ting followed Meng Qi walk around. Those previously heated emotions were cooled out by a basin of cold water called "reality," seeping coldness through his mind.

Meng Qi looked down at him. Meng Ting was obviously feeling an utmost sense of loss — yet this was the reality. Not only did he and Yan Sui have a gap in their status, but they also had a gap in their education and ability. For ordinary people, this distance was said to be like the wide gap between heaven and earth �� it was difficult to stride across, not to mention Meng Ting.

It was Meng Qi's first time to have this rare "good intention," and he also did not want to use too much force.

"Follow me to the garden. The Zhongs' garden was remodeled on the ruins of the old palace."

Meng Ting still has not nodded yet when the noisy hall suddenly became very quiet. This was usually the moment when the Zhongs' patriarch would come out, but instead, it was Yan Sui who came.

In fact, he has been here for a while, but he was in the Zhongs' patriarch's study all along. When he came out from the study, he would stop from time to time to exchange greetings with many people while he was on his way, otherwise, Meng Ting should have seen him sooner.

In this hall, there were a lot of pampered sons of wealthy families and noble young ladies who were talking. Everyone were dressed in their best clothes as they raised their hands and lifted their feet with elegance, but the only exception was Meng Ting.

Yan Sui and the person on his side gently bowed then he walked toward Meng Ting. The crowd consciously separated to make way for him. He stopped in front of Meng Ting. Yan Sui raised his hand and finally placed it on top of Meng Ting's head.

"What's up? Did you wait long?"