He stood before her, scrutinizing her from head to toe, his gaze lingering on her delicate, fair face, as exquisite as fine jade. He was momentarily stunned, "So this is your true self."
Fang Ze Wu Jia, Qian Hua Fu Yu—these words perfectly described a girl like Meng Jingwei.
After ‘shedding’ her blemishes and dark complexion, she revealed her original appearance. Her pure, breathtaking beauty made Xiao Cheng’s heart race, and he found himself staring, captivated.
"Mhm, you won't have to disguise yourself anymore," Meng Jingwei said with a smile.
Xiao Cheng nodded slightly, "It's good you don't have to be ugly. You look much more pleasing to the eye now. A girl should be refined and beautiful."
"Right? Haha."
"You look like you’ve lost quite a bit of weight. Come on, young master will take you to eat something good and help you gain it back."
With that, Xiao Cheng grabbed her hand and led her towards Yipinju.
Although Yipinju was a chain restaurant, its prices were extremely high, operating on a membership system. Most people, even if they could get in, couldn't secure a reservation.
The two went up to the second floor and sat at a table by the window. Xiao Cheng took the menu and ordered five or six dishes.
Meng Jingwei merely glanced at the prices on the menu and couldn't help but clutch the bank card in her pocket, thinking, *My heavens, a bowl of Emerald Cabbage Soup costs 252 yuan? Is it just soup made from cabbage hearts?*
*Forget 252, just make it 250 a dish, that would be more fitting!*
However, this Emerald Cabbage Soup was the cheapest dish on the menu.
Dishes like Dongpo Pork Knuckle and Mushroom Pigeon Soup started at over six hundred yuan.
As they ordered, the waiter printed out the bill and placed it on the table. Meng Jingwei’s eyes flickered over it; the meal, with six dishes, came to three thousand five hundred and sixty yuan.
"Xiao Weiwei, who exactly kidnapped you? Do you know?"
After ordering, Xiao Cheng finally asked Meng Jingwei about the kidnapping.
She shook her head, "I'm not sure, but it was all an accident. It’s in the past now. Thank you so much for everything regarding my parents."
Meng Jingwei felt she owed too many favors and had no way to repay Xiao Cheng.
"We don't need to be polite between us," Xiao Cheng replied.
He disliked it when Meng Jingwei was courteous, as it created an unspoken distance.
They then chatted about recent events. Meng Jingwei briefly explained the situation with the Li family. Xiao Cheng was furious but also felt a degree of self-reproach, believing he hadn't handled many things well.
"Oh, Jingwei? What a coincidence, why are you two here?"
Just as Meng Jingwei and Xiao Cheng were talking, a voice suddenly sounded from nearby.
They turned to look and saw Qing Muye and Li Yun'er standing there. Li Yun'er was linked arm-in-arm with him. They were a handsome couple, looking very compatible, yet it inexplicably felt somewhat jarring.
As Meng Jingwei looked over, her gaze accidentally met Qing Muye's. His eyes were deep, and his expression carried a sense of "catching red-handed," as if Meng Jingwei had done something illicit behind his back.
"Jingwei, Mu Ye and I are also here to dine. Since we've met, why don't we… join you?"
Li Yun'er tilted her head, glanced at Qing Muye beside her, her mind churning with thoughts. She then asked Xiao Cheng, "Young Master Xiao, is that okay?"
She made the suggestion herself, without consulting Qing Muye at all.
"You..."
Just as Meng Jingwei was about to say something, she heard Xiao Cheng say, "No problem, but we won't be paying for this meal."
"Jingwei is my sister, and also Mu Ye Ge's god-sister. You've helped Jingwei a lot usually, so this meal is naturally on us," Li Yun'er said.
Every word Li Yun'er spoke was a veiled reminder, though it was unclear who she was addressing besides herself.
After speaking, she looked at Qing Muye, "Mu Ye Ge, you don't mind, do you?"
Qing Muye's expression was indifferent, "Alright."
With that, he sat down directly next to Xiao Cheng. Li Yun'er then sat next to Meng Jingwei and called a waiter to add two dishes and two sets of cutlery.
And so, the four of them found themselves sitting together.
Li Yun'er, who usually appeared gentle and reserved, was quite lively now. "Young Master Xiao, last time at my engagement banquet, you and your father had an unpleasant argument because of Jingwei. How is it now?"
She was stirring up trouble, asking about something sensitive.
"Is there any lingering animosity between father and son? Miss Li, please think before you speak," Xiao Cheng said, giving Li Yun'er a cold glance. His words were quite impolite.
Being directly rebuffed, Li Yun'er's face turned somewhat awkward. She pursed her lips and immediately put on a pitiable expression, "I... I just thought you liked Jingwei and worried your father wouldn't accept her."
Meng Jingwei sat beside Li Yun'er. The twin sisters looked almost identical. Both had fair skin and delicate faces. However, Meng Jingwei had black, chin-length hair and wore a white shirt, light blue jeans, and canvas shoes—a simple, casual ensemble, making her look as adorable as a girl next door.
Li Yun'er, on the other hand, had waist-length chestnut curly hair and wore an off-the-shoulder, sweetheart-neckline, empire-waist gown. Her necklace and earrings were the latest designer luxury items. Her bean-paste colored fingernails completed her perfectly poised, ladylike style.
As Xiao Cheng observed the sisters opposite him, Qing Muye also looked at them. He increasingly noticed that compared to Li Yun'er, Meng Jingwei—apart from a mole on her nose adding a touch of sexiness—had larger, more expressive eyes and a better lip shape, naturally making her more attractive.
Notably, Meng Jingwei had a small, fingernail-sized light red birthmark behind her ear, which Li Yun'er did not have.
"The woman I, Xiao Cheng, love—it doesn't matter if my father approves or not, nothing will change," Xiao Cheng said, picking up the tea on the table and taking a sip leisurely.
"That depends on whether I agree," Qing Muye said abruptly after a moment of silence.
The atmosphere instantly became tense and heavy, filled with a sense of impending conflict.
Meng Jingwei's lips twitched. She didn't like Xiao Cheng. At the engagement banquet, Xiao Cheng had merely protected her, saying those things intentionally. How did it turn into this misunderstanding now?
When Qing Muye finished speaking, Xiao Cheng's face immediately turned displeased, "What business is it of yours regarding what happens between me and Jingwei?"
Xiao Cheng knew too well what Qing Muye had done to Meng Jingwei before, and he harbored a degree of resentment towards Qing Muye. Hearing his words now, he felt extremely resistant.
Seeing the situation turn sour, Meng Jingwei became instantly annoyed. She slammed the table with a bang, "Are we here to eat or to argue?"
She berated them sternly, her voice so loud that all the surrounding customers looked over. Dozens of eyes stared intently at Meng Jingwei, making her cheeks burn with embarrassment.
With an awkward smile, she said to them, "Excuse me, sorry for disturbing you."
Afterward, she glared at Li Yun'er, "If you don't have anything good to say, no one will think you're mute."
Her outburst silenced all three of them. Xiao Cheng, worried about upsetting Meng Jingwei, dared not speak. Qing Muye simply glanced at Meng Jingwei. Seeing her anger, his gaze deepened, and he remained silent. Li Yun'er's heart seethed with jealousy and resentment, but she dared not say another word.