Author: Jianjia Nizi
Translator: , Renkun27
Proofreader:
Usagi notes: Minna ~~ we will go on hiatus for two weeks due to my health condition and since majority of us will be busy for the mean time. We will still continue updating Crescent Love since I"m the one writing it. Please bear with us. We will be back soon... (*"-")
After Meng Qi got into the car, he immediately muttered. He recalled that Meng Ting was still sitting beside himself. 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 Yan Family"s patriarch, Yan Sui, there"s 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 Meng Family, 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 a "heng" and 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 Yan Family and the Zhong Family of Haicheng, the Xu Family of Licheng, and the Xiao Family of Beicheng are Xia"s [1] top four wealthiest and most influential families. Now we are going to go to Zhong family, 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 Yan Family, and the other n.o.bles from Haicheng were undoubtedly dependent on or wanted to attach themselves to these two families [2]. Those particular n.o.bles 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 Meng Family was on the same side as with the Zhong Family, they did not get special prestige. it was not strange if Meng Laoyezi changed his mind. The Zhong Family and the Yan Family 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 Xu Family 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 Zhong"s 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 Yan Family"s 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 Zhong Family"s 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 Zhong Family"s 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 Zhong Family"s patriarch"s study room all along. When he came out from the study room, 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 n.o.ble 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?"
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