Chapter 52 Teach Me

Aunt Chen didn't want this person to come in, and kept the door closed, saying, "You're not welcome here."

The woman pleaded, "I came to thank him and just want to say a few words to him. I also brought some things as gifts for you."

Aunt Chen scolded, "We're short of these things! Didn't you say you didn't have enough money? Why did you buy these things?"

"Never mind, Aunt Chen," Yu Xin interrupted, "Come with me."

The doorway fell silent, save for the sound of hurried footsteps. From Shen Mengqing's perspective, she caught a glimpse of Yu Xin and the backs of a woman in a well-tailored suit for a few seconds.

Aunt Chen appeared after them, walking in the opposite direction towards Shen Mengqing.

She sat down next to Shen Mengqing and sighed deeply.

Shen Mengqing didn't dare to ask, keeping her eyes down and focusing on her own thoughts. She pushed the warm water next to her to Aunt Chen and said, "Aunt Chen, have some water. I've never had this before."

Aunt Chen didn't refuse. She picked up the cup and drank it all in a few gulps, guessing that she was too hot-tempered and had a dry mouth.

Her gaze was unfocused, as if she were lost in thought, but she kept muttering, "That person just now was Yu Xin's mother, Liang Meilin."

Shen Mengqing was taken aback. Several fragments of memories that had made her aware of the name flashed through her mind, and they connected one after another.

She asked cautiously, "Do Yu Xin and... Aunt Liang not get along?"

Aunt Chen didn't know where to begin, so she just said whatever came to mind: "His mother divorced and left home when he was young, and she hasn't cared about Yu Xin once in all these years. Not long ago, she even came to ask him for money for someone else."

Shen Mengqing had heard Yu Xin say that his parents had separated a long time ago. Seeing that Aunt Chen was both angry and aggrieved for Yu Xin, he guessed it was because of what Aunt Liang had done with the money.

She couldn't interfere in other people's family matters, so she could only advise Aunt Chen, "Yu Xin will know what she's doing, so don't worry too much."

Aunt Chen shook her head and said, "He's confident in his work at the company, but he's actually very soft-hearted. His parents treated him badly before, and I'm worried that now that things are finally a little better, he'll have to keep taking care of his mother."

“If he really makes that choice, then there’s nothing we can do. After all, they are mother and son, and they will still feel grateful for the birth of her child to some extent,” Shen Mengqing said softly.

Even the most indifferent person will still yearn for the warmth of family.

The two remained silent for a moment, and there was not a sound in the study with the door tightly closed. Aunt Chen glanced at the time; she should go prepare lunch.

Aunt Chen patted Shen Mengqing on the back, telling her to sit on the sofa for a while.

After an unknown amount of time, the study door was opened. Shen Mengqing looked up and saw Liang Meilin walking out alone.

Her expression seemed relieved, and her steps were much lighter than when she came in. Liang Meilin's eyes met Shen Mengqing's in the living room. She paused, staring blankly at Shen Mengqing for a long time, hesitant to speak. In the end, she hurriedly left.

After a while, Yu Xin finally came out. He didn't seem to have any emotion, but he was a bit colder than usual. The atmosphere around him was extremely low, and his eyes were shrouded in a haze, revealing a deep weariness.

It seems that this conversation with Liang Meilin was not pleasant for him.

Yu Xin walked straight to the living room, her gaze sweeping over Shen Mengqing, their eyes meeting as she scrutinized her.

Shen Mengqing saw a rare vulnerability and stubbornness in his eyes.

Yu Xin sat down on the sofa next to her, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, leaned forward slightly, and took a sip of water.

His slender, fair fingers held the cup loosely, and his gaze shifted from the gently rippling water to Shen Mengqing's face.

He didn't speak, just stared silently at Shen Mengqing, his fingertips tracing the outside of the cup.

Shen Mengqing glanced at him a few times, then said leisurely, "I'm leaving now."

His voice was a little hoarse as he said, "Sit with me a little longer."

The things Liang Meilin talked about with him weren't bad news, they were even good news, but when he saw the expression on her face that he had never seen before, that feeling of love and happiness for her child, his world gradually darkened.

It wasn't until he saw Shen Mengqing that he felt like he had found a bright white lamp in the pitch black surroundings.

“That was my…Mom.” He wasn’t used to calling Liang Meilin that; after all, he hadn’t called her that since he could remember.

Yu Xin smiled self-deprecatingly and said lightly, "She had a new family not long after divorcing my father, and she's living a very happy life."

Shen Mengqing heard his voice was light and airy, as if he were caught in a vortex of memories. She thought he was going to tell her story with Liang Meilin, but she didn't expect him to stop there.

Following up on his story, she asked, "Has she not come to see you all these years?"

Yu Xin said, "No, I don't know if she didn't come on her own or if my dad wouldn't let her see me. But that doesn't matter anymore, she probably won't come looking for me again."

Yu Xin's tone wasn't exactly disappointed, but it sounded like he wasn't quite at ease. His lowered eyebrows and tightly pursed lips conveyed a sense of suppressed emotions.

Shen Mengqing had never experienced what he went through, so she couldn't fully empathize with him, but she imagined what it would be like if her parents were distant from her, and her heart felt like it had been stabbed.

She opened her mouth, about to say something to comfort him, when the doorbell rang again.

Yu Xin was clearly also somewhat stunned. He hadn't been able to shake off the emotions he had just been experiencing, and he didn't know if Liang Meilin had returned or if there were other guests.

In short, he was somewhat exhausted.

This time, it was Yu Xin who opened the door. Zhu Shaoming, who was standing outside, couldn't wait to squeeze in as soon as the door was opened just wide enough for a person to pass through.

He punched Yu Xin with his fist and said, "You're taking so long to greet me. Young Master Yu, you're really putting on airs."

Li Qinghe was following behind Zhu Shaoming. Li Qinghe shrugged and explained, "He suddenly wanted to eat Aunt Chen's cooking, so he dragged me from my house like a madman."

This isn't surprising for Zhu Shaoming; he always has sudden ideas and is very determined to achieve them, otherwise he can talk about it for ten days or half a month.

After Yu Xin and the other two changed their shoes, Zhu Shaoming, with his sharp eyes, spotted a pair of fashionable women's boots, nudged Yu Xin's shoulder with a mischievous grin, and whispered, "Keeping a mistress in a golden cage, huh? May I come in?"

Yu Xin glanced at him sideways: "Is it inconvenient for you to get lost now?"

"That won't do." Zhu Shaoming walked faster than anyone else. "Even if it's inconvenient, I have to see every single hair on this delicate lady's head."

The three of them entered the living room one after the other. When Shen Mengqing saw the two of them, he stood up and greeted them.

Zhu Shaoming spoke warmly, and walked over to her and sat down: "Oh, what a coincidence, Secretary Shen is here too."

He deliberately took that spot, leaving the two men in a panic.

"Isn't it the weekend? Your Chairman Yu is so ruthless, why are you making me work overtime on the weekend?" Zhu Shaoming glanced at Yu Xin and clicked his tongue twice.

Yu Xin seemed unconcerned, leaning casually against the pillar and watching quietly.

Shen Mengqing smiled and said, "No, it's just that I have some documents I need to give him urgently."

Zhu Shaoming nodded: "Our Secretary Shen is really hardworking and reliable. Hey Lao Li, what's your little secretary's name again, Tang Si?"

Li Qinghe sat down on the sofa and replied, "Yes, what's wrong?"

"Secretary Tang is lovely, but she's a bit too young. She's not as reliable as Secretary Shen in handling matters. Chairman Yu is so lucky to have found such a good secretary. Don't you think so, Chairman Yu?"

Yu Xin stared at Shen Mengqing and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Secretary Shen is very good. I'm lucky."

This was the first time he had ever taken his friend's joke so seriously. Zhu Shaoming was both touched by his friend's affectionate manner and disgusted by the cheesy sentimentality, feeling like he was about to have a mental breakdown.

Shen Mengqing quite liked Tang Si and spoke up for her: "Secretary Tang is also very good. She's already quite good for someone who just graduated."

“I think so too,” Li Qinghe agreed.

Shen Mengqing glanced at the time. It was really time to leave. She had finally found some free time, so she invited Hao Qisi to have a meal in the city center and planned to give him a good lesson on information protection.

She said, "I'll go say goodbye to Aunt Chen. I'm leaving now. You two have a good chat."

Yu Xin stood up straight leisurely: "I'll take you to see her."

Li Qinghe then asked, "Where are you going later?"

Shen Mengqing replied, "I made plans to go out to dinner with my brother."

“Then I’ll take you there. I have something to do in the city center too.” Li Qinghe said, standing up as well. Yu Xin glanced at him indifferently.

Shen Mengqing did not refuse: "Okay, wait for me."

She and Yu Xin took a few steps. The kitchen was very close to the living room, but Yu Xin walked very slowly, as if he were strolling around. Shen Mengqing would occasionally overtake him by half a step, and it was unclear who was leading whom.

"If you're walking this slowly, you should go back first," Shen Mengqing suddenly said.

Yu Xin said in a muffled voice, "I'm just testing whether you remember the way."

Shen Mengqing said speechlessly, "I'm not stupid. I have a good sense of direction. I just got too engrossed in chatting with Aunt Chen last time."

“She will be very sad if you don’t stay for dinner,” Yu Xin said in a low voice.

Shen Mengqing glanced at him sideways but didn't say anything.

Suddenly, he said, "You can't tell that Li Qinghe is pursuing you, can you?"

"So what?" Shen Mengqing snorted.

Yu Xin quickened his pace, turned around, and blocked Shen Mengqing's path. His face was close to hers, and his tall figure loomed over her.

When they were so close, Shen Mengqing unconsciously felt her fingertips touching his cheek and hair; the physical memory was terrifyingly vivid.

Yu Xin looked down at her, a hint of resentment in his eyes: "He's clearly pursuing you, so why are you so nice to him and always obliging to his requests?"

“He is my friend,” Shen Mengqing said.

Yu Xin: "Am I not?"

Shen Mengqing made the boundaries clear: "You are my boss."

Yu Xin paused, then said, "Shouldn't superiors be even more courteous and responsive to requests?"

"That's called flattery."

Shen Mengqing crossed her arms, exuding an aura that suggested she would gain the upper hand the more they argued.

Yu Xin didn't want to see her so calm, so after thinking for a few seconds, she said awkwardly but earnestly, "Shen Mengqing, teach me."

"How did you come to me in the first place? Now it's my turn. Try to accept me as I am now, okay?"

After saying that, he stubbornly added, "You might as well choose me instead of Li Qinghe."

He was acting like a completely different person, so childish that Shen Mengqing almost laughed: "Why?"

“My family background is simpler than his; I’m all alone.”

"Anything else?"

"I'm more handsome than him, richer than him, and have a better physique than him."

"vulgar."

Yu Xin raised an eyebrow: "I have more experience than him..."

"Shut up, Yu Xin!"

Shen Mengqing stomped on his foot hard.

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Author's Note: Xinzi: Interview Script: I Have More Experience Than Him

Aqing: Trying to use the back door? Pass!