Chapter 17 Private Island
Meanwhile, the plane carrying the group of guests landed smoothly on the island's private helipad.
The cabin door opened, and a salty sea breeze rushed in, revealing the jewel-like blue seawater.
Meng Xian squinted, enjoying the feeling of the sea breeze carrying moist air on her face. She began to regret why Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing had to take the day off, missing the opportunity to observe Ye Jinyan's private space that he had opened up to her.
Meng Xian couldn't help but secretly speculate that Gu Mingyan had sensed something in advance and deliberately asked for leave to avoid being outshone by her.
Just as I was pondering this, a middle-aged man dressed in an island management uniform approached with two assistants.
His attitude was polite but distant, and he said in a businesslike manner, "You are the program crew arranged by Young Master Ye to film here, right? Please follow me, pay attention to your footing and the signs along the way, and abide by the island's regulations."
Manager Chen's tone was neither warm nor cold; he did not show excessive enthusiasm just because they were sent by Ye Jinyan.
On their way to their accommodation, they passed an area naturally separated by lush greenery, with a simple sign at the entrance that read "Ecological Garden, Enter with Caution".
Ding Manni curiously peeked inside and saw what seemed to be an even more unique view. She then excitedly pulled Meng Xian along, wanting to go and explore.
"Ladies, please wait." Manager Chen immediately stopped them. "Many areas on the island are not open to ordinary guests. Please do not trespass to avoid accidents or losses."
Ding Manni and Meng Xian stopped awkwardly.
Ding Manni, feeling embarrassed, couldn't help but say, "Mr. Chen, our Meng Xian has a pass given to her by Young Master Ye! Can't she even go in for a look if she has a pass?"
Meng Xian held up the uniquely textured access card in her hand with a reserved air.
Manager Chen's gaze lingered on the card for a moment, and his attitude visibly became much more respectful: "Guests with high-level access privileges can move freely within any area."
"Hmph." Ding Manni immediately raised her eyebrows in triumph, crossing her arms and glancing at him sideways.
Manager Chen said apologetically, "I stopped you two just now for safety and regulations, please forgive me. Since you are distinguished guests of Young Master Ye, you naturally cannot stay in ordinary rooms. Please come with me, I will take you to the best 'Seaview Pavilion' on the island to settle in."
After saying that, he turned and led everyone toward another, more elegant path.
Seeing this, Ding Manni immediately leaned close to Meng Xian's ear and said, "Xianxian, it seems that the card Young Master Ye gave you really has high privileges! Look at the 180-degree change in the attitude of these managers!"
She pouted at Manager Chen's retreating figure with dissatisfaction.
Meng Xian simply smiled reservedly, without saying much, but her slightly raised chin revealed her enjoyment.
Located at the highest point of the island, the Ocean View Pavilion boasts unparalleled ocean views. Beyond the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows lie an infinity pool and soft white sand beaches, showcasing the owner's wealth and refined taste.
The live stream camera panned across various details inside the villa, leaving netizens astonished:
Look at the amenities of this private island resort, I admit I'm envious.
[Sure enough, I can't even imagine the happiness of the rich. Could you even buy a toilet on this island after a lifetime of hard work?]
[With this level of treatment, I wouldn't believe Ye Jinyan doesn't truly love Meng Xian.]
Even the experienced crew members and guests couldn't help but express their admiration.
Meng Xian enjoyed the envious glances from those around her, and her mood, which had been depressed for several days, began to improve.
Ding Manni said excitedly, "The view here is amazing! Xianxian, look over there! You can see the entire bay from here!"
Meng Xian nodded slightly, seemingly unintentionally revealing, "Yes, the view from here is excellent; we can just in time to watch the fireworks show that Jin Yan had prepared tonight."
"Young Master Ye is going to put on a fireworks show for you? That's so romantic!" Ding Manni exclaimed immediately.
Meng Xian explained with a smile, "Jin Yan heard that our crew was coming to the island to film, so he specially said he wanted to prepare a fireworks show to liven things up and add some atmosphere."
"This isn't to entertain everyone," Ding Manni said with a grin. "It's someone trying to make our Xianxian happy."
Meng Xian gave her a reproachful look, but did not refute it.
This fireworks show was actually something she had casually asked Ye Jinyan for during their phone call last night.
She thought that since she had come to Ye Jinyan's private island, how could she not make a grand entrance to show how much Ye Jinyan valued her?
Meng Xian had been with Ye Jinyan since high school. She enjoyed Ye Jinyan's care and his obedience, but gradually she found it boring.
Later, she broke up with him and went abroad to study, and the two gradually lost contact.
During the years she was abroad, she would occasionally see news about Ye Jinyan on social media. He seemed to have been quiet for a while, and then... he had a girlfriend.
That girlfriend was Gu Mingyan.
When Meng Xian first saw Gu Mingyan's photo, she was stunned.
It wasn't because of Gu Mingyan's prominent status as the daughter of the Gu family, but because of that face—the outline of that face was six or seven parts similar to her own.
However, Gu Mingyan's eyes were more intense and unrestrained, carrying a kind of carefree radiance that came from being pampered and raised in a delicate manner.
At that moment, Meng Xian admitted that she felt uncomfortable.
It's like something that originally belonged to you was taken by a woman who is better than you.
This subtle psychological imbalance led her to almost subconsciously re-contact Ye Jinyan after returning to China, subtly sending signals of reconciliation.
Under such intentional or unintentional flirting, Ye Jinyan successfully maintained a close relationship with her. Although neither of them dared to break the ice due to Gu Mingyan's presence, their occasional eye contact and private meals together were already an unspoken ambiguity.
However, Meng Xian never considered herself a mistress.
She hasn't officially reconciled with Ye Jinyan yet; they just chat and meet occasionally. There's not even a clear commitment. How can that be considered interfering in someone else's relationship?
Besides, she and Ye Jinyan started dating in high school. If anyone should be considered the third party, it should be Gu Mingyan.
The viewers in the live stream were still marveling at Ye Jinyan's act of preparing a fireworks show for Meng Xian:
[Ahhh, setting off fireworks for his sweetheart on a private island, that nightclub is so romantic!]
[What an amazing love story! It's confirmed, the couple I'm shipping is definitely real!]
[I'm so envious of Meng Xian! Being pampered by such a man is like living the life of an idol drama!]
[Given all this, shouldn't that Miss Gu have some self-awareness by now? Stop bothering us all the time.]
[Maybe it's just resentment, but you can't force feelings. Mr. Ye only has eyes for our Xianxian.]
[Hopefully, when Gu Mingyan sees the pass to the private island and the fireworks show specially prepared for Xianxian, she'll realize her mistake and back off, and stop bothering Mr. Ye.]
Ding Manni was still excited about the fireworks show that evening, and she shook Meng Xian's arm, saying, "Young Master Ye is so thoughtful to prepare fireworks just for you on a private island in the South Pacific. It's unbelievably beautiful."
Nan Xu, standing nearby, expressed concern and cautioned, "This island appears to have a unique and well-preserved ecological environment. Won't setting off fireworks on such a large scale in this ecologically sensitive area negatively impact the island's flora and fauna?"
Meng Xian was feeling quite cheerful when she heard Nan Xu's words, which slightly dampened her spirits.
However, Meng Xian did not show her displeasure on her face, but instead adopted a posture of listening attentively.
She still harbored some envy towards Nan Xu, her former top agent.
Regardless of any unpleasant contract disputes Nan Xu had with the artists under his management in the past, his ability to single-handedly cultivate two top-tier artists is undeniable.
Although Meng Xian was signed to Ye Jinyan's company and directly managed by him, without a dedicated agent, she knew how important it was to have a capable agent, and had long considered poaching Nan Xu to manage her career.
Therefore, although she felt slightly disappointed by Nan Xu's words, she still answered his question humbly: "Don't worry, Teacher Nan, this little bit of damage is nothing to Jin Yan. The important thing is that everyone can have a good time."
"Yes, Teacher Nan, this island belongs to Young Master Ye. He's happy to spend money to make Xianxian smile, so let's just enjoy his kindness! If the host doesn't mind, we guests shouldn't feel bad for him."
After hearing what the two said, Nan Xu also felt that he might have been worrying unnecessarily.
He chuckled self-deprecatingly and nodded: "You're right, I was overthinking it."
[kswlkswl! Ding Manni is so eloquent; her "spending money to win a smile from Xianxian" has really sweetened this old-school romance expert's heart.]
[I can already picture Ye Jinyan waving his hand dismissively, saying money isn't an issue, making Xianxian happy is the most important thing.]
[Wouldn't Gu Mingyan be furious to see this? Haha, her status as the main character is unshakeable.]
The frenzy in the live stream quickly spread to Weibo and other social media platforms.
Meng Xian's fans and the couple's CP fans celebrated like it was New Year's Day, with a collective frenzy. Screenshots from the live stream, GIFs, and edited videos flooded social media.
Marketing accounts naturally wouldn't miss this wave of traffic, and they all jumped in:
Breaking news! Ye Jinyan is spending lavishly for love, putting on an exclusive fireworks show on a private island just for Meng Xian!
"Unveiling Ye Jinyan's private island, rumored to be worth billions, where he now sets off exclusive fireworks to win a smile from his beloved!"
Soon, hashtags such as #YeJinyanMengXianStunningIslandFireworksShow#, #YeJinyan'sFinancialLimits#, and #MengXianPasscard# trended on the hot search list.
Discussions are raging under these trending topics:
[My God! I passed by this island by boat when I was traveling in Australia! Everyone on the boat was amazed by how beautiful it was, and we were guessing that it was the private property of some Middle Eastern prince or business tycoon. I never imagined it belonged to Ye Jinyan!]
[+1 to the comment above. This island is quite famous in the South Pacific. It's said to have excellent ecology and top-notch privacy. I never expected to see the inside in this way today.]
Ye Jinyan's wealth is truly unfathomable...
[The key point isn't just financial resources, but also the willingness to spend money and effort on her! Please, I'm totally shipping the Ye-Meng couple!]
So Meng Xian even has the highest-level access card! How is she any different from the mistress of the house?
[It's a pity Gu Gou took the day off and didn't participate in the variety show recording, otherwise I would be heartbroken hahaha]
...
In the vast castle, Yun Qingqing sighed for the 108th time in Gu Mingyan's ear: "So boring, so boring, so boring—Mingyan, are we really going to keep waiting here for the delivery?"
Gu Mingyan was engrossed in watching a romantic movie and didn't even look up: "If you're bored, play games, or I can have the kitchen make you something to eat?"
"I'm tired of playing games, and I can't eat anymore." Yun Qingqing continued her performance, drawing out her words, "I was hoping to go to an island to feel the sea breeze and see handsome men in bikinis... but instead I've been waiting in this castle all day, and all I got was a package that I don't even know if it's round or flat... Sigh, life is so lonely..."
She muttered to herself while secretly observing Gu Mingyan's reaction.
Gu Mingyan finally looked up from the screen, amused by her dejected appearance.
She picked up her phone and quickly tapped a few keys.
Ding-dong!
Yun Qingqing's phone rang with a crisp text message notification.
She glanced down and saw that the bank app's notification showed: +50,000.00 yuan.
Transfer note: [A small token of appreciation for your time waiting.]
Yun stared at the string of zeros on the screen and was instantly dumbfounded.
Although 50,000 yuan is a huge sum of money that makes one's heart race, but... this is not the result she wants for now!
What she wanted was for Gu Mingyan to give up waiting for that damn delivery and rush to the filming location of the show to cause trouble!
Yun Qingqing is now gradually understanding Gu Mingyan's personality. This young lady has been criticized online a lot because of her straightforward temper and the rumors of her interfering in Meng Xian's relationship. So she simply blocks most of her online information, out of sight, out of mind.
Unless something happens directly in front of Gu Mingyan, she will generally not know. Ye Jinyan took advantage of this, using the excuse that the recipient must sign for the package in person to keep Gu Mingyan at the castle.
Even if Gu Mingyan learned about the island incident afterward, it was practically a fait accompli. Ye Jinyan could easily buy her an expensive gift, say a few sweet words, and given Gu Mingyan's almost unconditional trust and soft heart, she would definitely be fooled.
Having been showered with money multiple times, Yun Qingqing had long since sided with her own little darling, the God of Wealth, and found everything about the original novel's male and female protagonists displeasing.
It's fine for you to show off your love, but to use Miss Gu's private property to flaunt it, do you have any shame at all?
She glanced at the tempting 50,000 yuan transfer, which strengthened her resolve to protect Gu Mingyan.
"Mingyan, look how boring it is for us to just wait here!" Yun Qingqing used her silver tongue, honed during her time as a corporate slave, to urge her on. "Anyway, you have a private jet. Go take a trip to the production crew and see what's going on. It'll be quick to get there and back. Maybe by the time we're done having fun and come back, your precious package still won't have arrived."
Gu Mingyan tilted her head and thought for a moment, feeling a little tempted.
To be honest, after spending the whole day in this castle, doing nothing but watching movies and eating, she was getting a little bored.
“That makes sense,” Gu Mingyan nodded. “Then let’s go take a look, we’re bored anyway.”
She is always efficient in her work; once she has made a decision, she immediately gets up and makes arrangements.
So, while Meng Xian was subtly showing off that Ye Jinyan would be preparing a fireworks show for her, Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing had already set off for the airport.
The convenience of owning a private jet was evident at this moment; the two of them flew directly to their destination with almost no waiting.
Yun Qingqing played games on the plane for a while, then took a comfortable nap. When Gu Mingyan gently woke her up, the plane was already preparing to land.
"Hmm...we've arrived?" Yun gently rubbed her eyes, still a little dazed, and looked out the window.
Due to the difference in longitude and time zone, they arrived at the South Pacific island just as evening was falling. A magnificent sunset painted the sky and tinted the sea a warm orange-pink hue.
As soon as she stepped off the gangway, Gu Mingyan frowned.
Yun pretended to look around, then said, "Huh? This place looks kind of familiar."
Gu Mingyan said expressionlessly, "It looks familiar, that's why. Because this is the private island that my mother gave me, the one I mentioned to you before."
"What?!" Yun Qingqing immediately feigned surprise. "Isn't this place not open to the public? Why would the production crew be filming here?"
Gu Mingyan pursed her red lips: "I'd also like to know the answer."
The commotion clearly alerted the people on the island. Soon, Manager Chen arrived with his assistant, wanting to see who had landed there without permission.
However, when he saw Gu Mingyan standing on the tarmac, his expression instantly became respectful: "Miss! Why did you suddenly come? You didn't even give us any advance notice so we could have made all the necessary preparations to receive you..."
"Manager Chen, I need an explanation," Gu Mingyan demanded, suppressing her anger. "Why did you allow the production crew to film on the island without my permission?"
Manager Chen's forehead was slightly sweaty: "Miss, the program was personally arranged by Young Master Ye. You previously stated that Young Master Ye's requirements are equivalent to your requirements, so we..."
Gu Mingyan's anger subsided slightly after hearing Manager Chen's explanation.
She thought about it again. After all, Ye Jinyan was a major investor in the program, and it was only to use her private island for the sake of the filming effect. The island's environment and privacy were top-notch, so borrowing it as a filming location seemed reasonable.
He was probably just too busy and forgot to tell me in advance.
Thinking this way, Gu Mingyan convinced herself.
Suddenly, Yun Qingqing pointed to the entrance of a passageway covered by transparent glass leading to the sea and asked in a curious and innocent tone, "Hey? Mingyan, look, the door to that underwater tunnel looks open! I remember you said the coral reefs inside were so beautiful, can we go and play there too?"
Gu Mingyan looked in the direction Yun Qingqing pointed and indeed saw that the entrance to the special passage connecting the main island and the underwater viewing tunnel was passable.
Her brow furrowed again: "This underwater tunnel requires authorization to enter, right? Did the crew just go in?"
"Yes, that Miss Meng had a pass card, so she was able to swipe it in directly," Manager Chen said.
"Meng Xian has a pass to my private island?" Gu Mingyan asked incredulously.
Seeing that her expression was off, Manager Chen quickly explained, "Yes, yes. Miss Meng has the highest level access card, and judging from her tone, she seems to be quite familiar with the island owner. I thought she was a mutual friend of yours and Young Master Ye..."
"Friend?" Gu Mingyan said without any attempt to hide it. "I hate her the most. How could I possibly give her a pass?"
Manager Chen immediately fell silent, realizing that things were getting serious.
Since this Miss Meng is not Gu Mingyan's friend, where did she get the pass card?
Just then, Gu Mingyan's phone rang; it was a video call request from the production team.
They informed the production team of their approximate arrival time before they set off, so the director specially arranged a phone call segment to create more buzz.
The video call connected, and Meng Xian's gentle, smiling face appeared on the screen.
"Mingyan, Qingqing, have you arrived yet?" Her voice was gentle. "We just finished visiting the underwater tunnel and were planning to go to the beach in the ecological reserve. You've arrived at just the right time. Would you like to come along?"
She turned to show the two of them the transparent, curved glass dome and the colorful fish, her tone unconsciously carrying a hint of hostessness.
The comments section was full of praise for her:
[Meng Xian has such a magnanimous attitude; she generously invited her love rival to her boyfriend's private island.]
[Just finished watching the underwater tunnel through the program's camera; it's so dreamlike!]
[If it weren't for Xianxian, I would never have had the chance to see an underwater landscape of this caliber in my entire life. I've learned so much from Xianxian!]
Gu Mingyan must be incredibly envious, right? It's a pity, the mistress of this island is now our Xianxian.
[If I were Gu Gou, I would hang up the video call right now. Why did you have to come here halfway through your leave when you had the time? It's just humiliating!]
Looking at Meng Xian's smiling face on the screen, Gu Mingyan felt a surge of anger rising to her head.
Meng Xian is showing off her authorized access card on her island. What kind of nonsense is this?
Just as she was about to lose control and start cursing in front of the live stream audience, Yun Qingqing brought her innocent face close to the camera, almost filling the entire frame.
She blinked and asked, "Wow! The underwater tunnel is so beautiful! Teacher Meng, are you going to play on the beach next?"
Meng Xian was taken aback by the sudden magnification of her face, and then said happily, "Yes, I heard that the scenery on that beach is especially beautiful at sunset. I would like to take everyone there to see it up close."
"Wow," Yun tilted her head slightly, "that sounds so interesting!"
Meng Xian smiled modestly: "If you would like to come and visit together, we can wait a little while."
"Mmm!" Yun nodded gently, then waved with a smile, "Let's settle in first, see you later!"
As soon as the call ended, Yun Qingqing seemed to belatedly remember something and turned to ask, "Mingyan, didn't you say that beach is one of the traditional nesting sites marked by leatherback turtles? Won't it disturb them if Teacher Meng brings so many people to visit it in such a grand manner?"
After a brief respite, Gu Mingyan's displeasure had subsided considerably, and she was even speechless to the point of wanting to laugh.
Reminded of this, she chuckled softly: "Don't worry, she can't get in."
Under Yun Qingqing's innocent and puzzled gaze, she turned her head and instructed Manager Chen: "Stop all permissions on the card in Meng Xian's hand."
Manager Chen asked solemnly, "Now?"
"Now."
"Yes, I'll take care of it right away."
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