Chapter 50: I Want to Be the Mistress

Ning Wu had argued with his family, been slapped, and run off.

“Ai.” On the second-floor balcony of the hotel, Ning Wu specifically found an unoccupied, dark corner. Facing the stream of traffic in the city, he lit a cigarette.

He thought the place he found was very hidden and that no one would come disturb him, so his body and mind relaxed, his thoughts drifting away along with the white smoke.

A hand gently patted his shoulder. The person came silently, like a ghost, and spoke from extremely close behind Ning Wu. “What are you doing here?”

Ning Wu was so frightened that his body trembled. The cigarette between his fingers nearly slipped from his grasp. Trembling, he turned his head.

Meng Weiyu stood behind him expressionlessly.

“You almost scared me to death.” He patted his chest, trying to stop his heart from racing too fast in that instant.

“If you haven’t done anything guilty, what’s there to be afraid of?” Meng Weiyu teased him.

“That’s wrong.” Ning Wu said with conviction, “As a lawyer, how could I not have done dozens of guilty things?”

“You becoming a lawyer is the second-biggest shock I’ve had after losing my memory.” Meng Weiyu came to his side and leaned against the railing with him.

Ning Wu gave a bitter laugh, then deliberately showed a bright smile and knowingly asked, “What’s the first shock?”

“Hm? Of course, the fact that Shen Zhoudu and I got married.” Meng Weiyu casually said something both of them should already know.

“Actually, if you had your university memories, you would discover that the two of you ending up married isn’t that unbelievable.” Ning Wu had known Meng Weiyu since childhood and knew that although he was warm to everyone, in reality, he did not let many people enter his heart.

Ning Wu had already been the best friend in a very long stage of his life, but Shen Zhoudu was still different.

Too different.

Meng Weiyu would get jealous because of Shen Zhoudu. He would go crazy because of arguing with him. Even his possessiveness toward Shen Zhoudu surpassed this person’s usual habits.

Meng Weiyu thought of how there had been several times when his heart had pounded wildly because of Shen Zhoudu, but because he had no concept of love, he had classified all of it as being moved. He had to admit Ning Wu was right.

“Then, am I really that unsuitable for being a lawyer?” Ning Wu looked at the starry sky gloomily, thinking of the argument he had just had with his father.

Meng Weiyu looked at him and asked, “Did you secretly study law because you wanted to pursue Xiao Jialu?”

“Half of it, I guess.” Ning Wu did not deny that this was part of the reason.

Meng Weiyu bumped his arm and laughed. “Couldn’t tell you were such a love saint.”

“Haha, not really.” Ning Wu became shy for a moment, then pursed his lips. Facing Meng Weiyu, he could say anything without worrying about being mocked or questioned. “But later, I really came to like this major and this job. My personality isn’t suited to inheriting the family business. Although my professional ability is still average, I really have worked hard.”

Hearing this, Meng Weiyu stretched out his hand, placed it on Ning Wu’s shoulder, and nodded seriously, showing that he understood.

“You… why are you nodding?” Contrary to his frivolous appearance, when Meng Weiyu seriously wanted to do something, he would succeed. For example, he had managed the company very well.

“I’m nodding to show that no matter what you do, I’ll support you. Forget being a lawyer, even if you suddenly decide to go to a tropical forest to become a monkey, I’ll fly over and bring you bananas… ow.”

Ning Wu smiled without warmth and reached out to pinch Meng Weiyu’s mouth, preventing him from continuing.

Having such a friend truly made him thank the heavens.

Meng Weiyu did not indulge him. He reached out and pulled Ning Wu’s hand away.

“All right. You’ve never regretted the road you chose. You only argued with Uncle, so you’re unhappy.” Meng Weiyu exposed his current dilemma.

“It’s not the first time anyway.” Ning Wu sighed. He had long known what kind of personalities his parents had, but even after mentally preparing himself countless times, when he was truly questioned, he still could not let it go. “I just don’t understand why he’s so dissatisfied with me. Dissatisfied with me as a person, dissatisfied with the work I chose, dissatisfied with the person I like. In his eyes, do I not have a single good point?”

Meng Weiyu smiled and told him, “It seems like many parents are like that.”

He said “seems like” because his parents were not like that. They had never managed him, so Meng Weiyu simply could not understand this feeling of parents placing expectations on their child.

Ning Wu glanced at him, thought of his family situation, and muttered, “This is really fucked up.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Meng Weiyu stretched out his hand and patted his back, doing his best to comfort him.

What Ning Wu was sighing about was Meng Weiyu’s family situation.

“If you could choose, between the following two types of people, which would you choose?” Ning Wu suddenly had an idea and wanted Meng Weiyu to answer a deadly multiple-choice question. “Our parents are suppressive maniacs, and Shen Zhoudu’s family are control freaks.”

“Mm.” Meng Weiyu felt this was an interesting question. The interesting part was that he suddenly realized how fortunate it was to have no one controlling him. “If I could choose…”

Every time he deliberately dragged out the end of his sentence, Ning Wu knew he wanted to pull some little trick. Moreover, Meng Weiyu’s eyes were now frighteningly bright. At one glance, it was clear he had no intention of honestly answering the question.

“If I could choose, I’d choose someone like Ning Wu to be my dad.” Meng Weiyu smiled and stretched out a finger, repeatedly pointing between the two of them.

Ning Wu froze.

“Good-tempered, tolerant toward children, respectful of other people’s ideas, and very patient. If someone like Ning Wu became a dad, life should be very happy. As for earning money, just leave that to Xiao Jialu,” Meng Weiyu teased.

Ning Wu froze. Meng Weiyu’s answer had exceeded his imagination. He pursed his lips. After thinking deeply for several minutes, he suddenly figured it out. He laughed loudly and promised Meng Weiyu, “If one day I have a child, I promise I’ll be a good dad, just like your ideal father.”

“Isn’t that great?” Meng Weiyu felt proud of him.

Ning Wu seriously said, “If you get lonely, you can also directly treat me as your dad.”

“Do you want to die? I’m your dad!” Meng Weiyu pressed down on the back of his head with all his strength.

“Hahahahaha.” Ning Wu was amused.

Friendship between men was just that simple.

Ning Wu put out the cigarette. He no longer needed that thing.

“Xiao Jialu is anxiously looking for you.” Meng Weiyu told him this news.

“Ah, now? I don’t want to see her. It’s too embarrassing.” Ning Wu’s heart, which had just settled down, rose again. He showed an awkward expression. “I told her several times that I would handle things with my parents, but every time, I failed. I have no face to see her anymore.”

“Up to you. But she’s downstairs, anxiously going in circles.” Meng Weiyu only told him the information he knew.

“All right, I know what you mean. Give me five more minutes to cheer myself up.” Ning Wu did not want Xiao Jialu to see his current dejected appearance.

“You can’t cheer yourself up like this, because when you’re in a bad mood, you shouldn’t smoke. You should eat something sweet.” Meng Weiyu had his own successful method of emotional management. He quickly picked up the chocolate cake he had brought up from a nearby table and handed it to Ning Wu.

“I’m not…” Ning Wu smiled, while his hands honestly accepted the cake. “Only children want sweets when they’re unhappy.”

“Sir, may I ask your noble age?” Meng Weiyu sincerely asked him.

“The same as you, hahaha.” Ning Wu felt that what he said really was a little stupid.

Meng Weiyu laughed along with him.

As Ning Wu ate the cake, he asked curiously, “How did you know I was here?”

“The smoking area is only here.” Meng Weiyu did not know that Shen Zhoudu had a smoking habit, but he knew Ning Wu did. Moreover, it had reached the level of addiction. “Most importantly, this place looks hard to find. It looks like a place you would stay.”

Ning Wu always appeared cheerful, half genuine and half pretend. Whenever he had dark thoughts, he was used to hiding himself in a corner, careful not to let others discover his dispirited appearance.

Meng Weiyu was too familiar with him.

“As expected of my friend from age five until now.” Ning Wu ate the cake with satisfaction. Being found by Meng Weiyu was what made him happiest.

Seeing that he had once again revealed a sincere smile, Meng Weiyu immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ning Wu!” An anxious voice came.

Meng Weiyu saw obvious anxiety and worry on Xiao Jialu’s face. Her steps were unsteady in high heels as she quickly ran in this direction.

In Meng Weiyu’s mind, Xiao Jialu’s image could be described as that of a perfect, emotionless robot—wholeheartedly focused on winning against others, then silently living a happy life, not caring at all whether other people lived or died.

Now, the sight of her running over recklessly was somewhat disheveled, but unusually vivid.

“You…” When Xiao Jialu ran over, she stretched out a finger and pointed at Ning Wu. Judging from her appearance, she wanted to scold him, but the lawyer, who had not exercised for a long time, could not even speak smoothly right now.

Meng Weiyu tactfully pointed toward the doorway and said, “There are still a lot of people downstairs I need to greet, so I’ll leave. You two take your time talking.”

Even while gasping for breath, Xiao Jialu still gratefully nodded at Meng Weiyu.

Meng Weiyu turned and left. Because he was afraid the two of them would argue, he secretly turned his head while turning away.

Fortunately, the two behind him showed no sign of arguing. From Meng Weiyu’s angle, he could only see Xiao Jialu’s back and half of Ning Wu’s face.

Xiao Jialu raised her hand and gently touched his face. Ning Wu lowered his head and revealed a fragile expression.

Seeing this, Meng Weiyu nodded in satisfaction and followed the stairs back to the banquet hall on the first floor.

Perhaps because of some law of attraction, after Meng Weiyu went downstairs, he did not find Shen Zhoudu. Instead, he saw Ning Wu’s father.

Smiling, Meng Weiyu took the initiative to step forward and greet him. “Uncle Ning, long time no see.”

“Xiao Yu.” Ning Nian greeted him.

Meng Weiyu had a smile on his face. After blinking once, he still decided to say something to him. “Don’t be too harsh on Ning Wu.”

“This isn’t harshness. It’s advice.” Ning Nian belonged to the stubborn and unchanging type. “That child always chooses things that make him happy for a moment. He doesn’t know how to plan for the future at all.”

“If Uncle thinks he’s only acting on impulse, then give him some time. When he gets tired of it, wouldn’t that be fine?” Meng Weiyu put on an innocent and ignorant appearance, hiding his intent to attack. “Or perhaps Ning Wu has more perseverance than I imagined and can take responsibility for all the decisions he makes himself.”

Ning Nian narrowed his eyes and sternly asked, “Are you questioning me?”

“No. Just simple chatting.” Meng Weiyu chuckled and did not take his intimidating display to heart. “Uncle is the person in charge of a company, and so am I. Our two companies have quite a lot of business dealings. Isn’t it good for the people in charge to communicate more?”

He was emphasizing that between the two of them, while they were of different generations, they were also equals.

“Oh.” Ning Nian looked at him meaningfully. “Do you now think you’re sitting securely in the position of heir to the Meng and Yan families?”

“Mm. It’s hard to say that kind of thing.” Meng Weiyu was low-key and humble. “But the Meng family only has one grandson, and the Yan family only has one grandson from their daughter. I’m very helpless. Why didn’t my grandparents and maternal grandparents have more children?”

“Meng Yichuan and Yan Xiangxiang’s sides really did only have one child.” Ning Nian, who had learned a certain piece of news, looked at the arrogant Meng Weiyu and had no choice but to remind him, “But your father and mother don’t only have one child.”

The smile on Meng Weiyu’s face did not change, like a mask.

“I heard Meng Qinggu’s company collapsed. Right now, he should be short of money. Last week, he called me to borrow money.” Ning Nian picked up a glass of wine from the table and looked at the young man in front of him with schadenfreude. “I lent him some. After all, he was an old friend. But apparently, it was only a drop in the bucket. Xiao Yu, ah, Xiao Yu. On your father’s side, you at least have one younger brother and one younger sister.”

“How many children Father has is his business.” Meng Weiyu arrogantly raised his head. “But the Meng and Yan families only have one heir.”

“That depends on whether Old Master Meng is truly that cold-blooded and heartless. I don’t believe there’s a father that cruel.” If Meng Yichuan softened toward Meng Qinggu, that would be the beginning of Meng Weiyu’s position collapsing. If Meng Qinggu returned to the Meng family and directly brought his wife and two children with him, then when the time came, what place would Meng Weiyu have left?

“If fathers aren’t that cruel to their children.” Meng Weiyu no longer wanted to continue talking to him. “Then give Ning Wu less of this meaningless pressure. Uncle, a child like me can be very cruel to heartless parents. You should get along well with him.”

After leaving Ning Nian, Meng Weiyu quickened his steps. Compared with the beginning, he wanted even more to return to Shen Zhoudu’s side.

However, he basically walked around the entire banquet hall and still did not see Shen Zhoudu.

One person after another whom he did not want to see, though, was being encountered by him in turns.

“Xiao Yu!” The moment Xie Wenxuan saw Meng Weiyu, he immediately pushed away the person in front of him and walked before Meng Weiyu. “I knew you would come today. I was just preparing to go greet you.”

“Okay. I’ve received your greeting. Take your time having fun, eat well and drink well. If you need anything, call a server.” Meng Weiyu patted his shoulder and planned to leave.

Xie Wenxuan froze, then turned and chased after him.

“Please let me go. I’m already married.” Meng Weiyu raised his left hand and displayed his ring.

“Did Shen Zhoudu hold a gun and force you to wear it?” Xie Wenxuan thought he still only had his seventeen-year-old memories.

“Even if he pointed a cannon at me, it has nothing to do with you.” Meng Weiyu waved at him, his footsteps showing no intention of stopping.

Xie Wenxuan could not help walking forward quickly and finally succeeded in walking shoulder to shoulder with Meng Weiyu.

At this moment, Meng Weiyu stopped in time, turned to face the dining table, picked up a glass of wine, and took a sip.

He had to cool down, otherwise he would not be able to resist dragging Xie Wenxuan out and throwing him away. What was going on with this banquet? Not a single thing he had encountered all night had made him feel happy.

“Xiao Yu.” Xie Wenxuan spoke earnestly. “I won’t harm you. I’m your good friend.”

“If you treat me as a friend, you shouldn’t say those things.” Meng Weiyu nearly could not resist rolling his eyes. Did he know that after suddenly being confessed to by him, Meng Weiyu had been so depressed he nearly could not eat dinner?

“That’s unfair.” Xie Wenxuan put away the ingratiating tone. “What Shen Zhoudu and I did are the same.”

Meng Weiyu was lifting the glass to drink. His cold black eyes looked at Xie Wenxuan through the rim of the glass.

If it were all the same, would he need to marry that guy?

To this day, Xie Wenxuan still thought this way. “It’s because Shen Zhoudu used little tricks.”

In front of someone as shrewd as Meng Weiyu, exactly how many schemes did Shen Zhoudu have to possess to make him jump into a trap without noticing?

“Not only does Shen Zhoudu like making small moves behind the scenes, but he’s also obsessive and frightening.” Xie Wenxuan placed his hand on the dining table and scraped the tablecloth with his fingers. “Xiao Yu should live more freely. Living with someone like me, who can let you do whatever you want, would make you happier.”

“I advise you not to.” A calm voice came. One hand landed on Meng Weiyu’s shoulder and invisibly wrapped around him. “Since you want to say I’m very good at using tricks, aren’t you afraid that if Xiao Yu really gets together with someone else, I’ll secretly become his mistress?”

Meng Weiyu was glad he had already swallowed the final mouthful of wine. Otherwise, he really would have sprayed it out. He reached out and patted Shen Zhoudu’s arm, the meaning very clear: get lost.

“You should be happier.” Shen Zhoudu stretched out his left hand wearing the ring and adjusted his glasses. “I still have some dignity as the official wife. If you make me the mistress, I’m afraid you’ll cry at home until you can’t find a single new tissue.”

Seeing Shen Zhoudu, Xie Wenxuan gnashed his teeth.

What Shen Zhoudu said contained an element of joking, but just as he had said, precisely because he had won, he currently had the qualifications to maintain a calm and composed attitude while speaking with him.

“Why don’t you two handle this privately?” Meng Weiyu was simply a heartless little cat.

“It’s already been handled.” Shen Zhoudu said to Meng Weiyu, “Grandpa and the others plan to leave early. They want to greet you before they go.”

Meng Weiyu nodded at Xie Wenxuan, polite and distant.

Shen Zhoudu led Meng Weiyu away.

Meng Weiyu did not take the matter of encountering Xie Wenxuan to heart. But after walking for a while, he heard Shen Zhoudu grinding his teeth beside him.

Xie Wenxuan was not wrong. Shen Zhoudu really was petty and gloomy.

“We didn’t talk about anything.” Meng Weiyu quickly explained.

“You talked all the way to changing husbands, and that counts as not talking about anything?” Shen Zhoudu laughed from anger.

Meng Weiyu: “…”

How long exactly had he been behind him?

“It’s fine. I won’t change.” Meng Weiyu had not expected such a logicless and ridiculous sentence to come from his own mouth.

“What about a mistress?”

“I won’t find one.”

After receiving Meng Weiyu’s promise, Shen Zhoudu moved closer to him, directly leaning his head on Meng Weiyu’s shoulder and pressing his body weight onto him.

“You really are heavy…”

Meng Yichuan and Fang Yingyao were together, looking at the two not far away, and revealed gratified smiles.

Then Meng Yichuan called Meng Weiyu.

“Hello.” Meng Weiyu’s relaxed and cheerful voice came through.

“Unfilial grandson, we’re all leaving. Hurry over.” Meng Yichuan was used to speaking to Meng Weiyu in an angry tone.

“I’m looking for you, but there are too many people.”

“At the entrance!”

“Oh.”

Meng Weiyu’s arm was held by Shen Zhoudu, and the two walked toward the entrance.

Meng Yichuan and Fang Yingyao were preparing to leave.

When Meng Weiyu went over to say goodbye, his grandparents’ attitudes were as usual. His grandfather was still as easily irritable as ever, and his grandmother was still as good-tempered as ever. This caused Meng Weiyu to be unable to grasp the current situation for a moment.

Had his father contacted his grandparents?

For an instant, he even really wanted to ask them: if one day, Dad brought back even more outstanding children, would you choose me, or would you choose that other complete family?

His thoughts turned over and over. In the end, he calmly watched the two elderly people leave without showing anything.

“What are you thinking about?” Shen Zhoudu noticed that Meng Weiyu’s expression was not right.

“I’m thinking that the more you fear something, the more easily it happens.” With things developing to this point, Meng Weiyu instead began to have an attitude of watching a show. This time, what kind of good show would his father bring him?

“Murphy’s Law,” Shen Zhoudu summarized.

“Yes.”

“Then I hope the thing I’m worried about will never happen.” Shen Zhoudu seemed thoughtful.

“Didn’t you say it? The more you don’t want it to happen, the more easily it happens.” Meng Weiyu smiled wickedly.

Shen Zhoudu: “…”

Had he been mocked, or was he simply overthinking?

After sending Meng Yichuan and Fang Yingyao off, Shen Zhoudu continued bringing Meng Weiyu to greet others.

During this process, Shen Zhoudu discovered that his previous worries were unnecessary. Meng Weiyu himself was familiar with the people in this circle. He could basically recognize them. Even if he met people he did not know, he could directly start chatting with them, talking about anything and everything. When he truly did not know what to say, Meng Weiyu would perfunctorily get through it with a smile.

Time passed minute by minute.

The two of them found a chance to rest on the sofa for a moment. Meng Weiyu closed his eyes and leaned against the soft cushion, finally agreeing with what Shen Zhoudu had said before they left.

“I should have brought a jacket out.” The air conditioning here was too strong. It was so cold.

Just after Meng Weiyu complained, a jacket covered him.

He opened his eyes and looked to the side.

After taking off his jacket, Shen Zhoudu naturally adjusted the short-sleeved inner shirt underneath.

Meng Weiyu asked, “Aren’t you cold?”

Shen Zhoudu, who had been judged by Xie Wenxuan as someone who liked using little tricks, glanced at him and calmly said, “We walked for too long just now. I’m a little hot.”

Meng Weiyu smiled and put on the jacket. Then he lowered his head, smelled it, and said in delight, “It smells nice, but it isn’t the scent of my bottle of perfume.”

“Probably the smell of laundry detergent,” Shen Zhoudu found it funny.

Meng Weiyu shifted his butt little by little and leaned his face beside Shen Zhoudu’s neck, repeatedly sniffing his scent.

Shen Zhoudu did not stop him, but his face turned to the other side, revealing an expression of restraint.

“Shen Zhoudu has a nice scent on him.” Meng Weiyu teased him with the most innocent tone.

“Hooligan.” Shen Zhoudu would not think he was innocent.

“Haha.”

At this moment, Liang Qiu, the rich young master who was the first to receive Meng Weiyu’s divorce message, passed by with his friend.

Seeing this, his friend immediately said to Liang Qiu, “I told you. That couple shows off their love without any shame.”