Chapter 66 Lingling, are you happy?
Jin Zhao always remembered what Si Tian said: In those years, Meng Yanxi often traveled abroad and loved to visit foreign universities. She was very ambitious and cultured.
Jin Zhao didn't know how "frequently" he did it, nor was it because she felt good about herself; it was just that the day Ms. Xu mentioned was a bit special.
July 20th, the day before her birthday.
Meng Yanxi remembered her birthday; the password to his house was her birthday.
She believed it wasn't Meng Yanxi who did it. Even if it were him, he wouldn't have chosen this day.
Zhuang Yu had always been in charge of Meng Yanxi's schedule, and he should have all the records of Meng Yanxi's travels, so Jin Zhao contacted Zhuang Yu immediately. Although Zhuang Yu hadn't arrived when Meng Yanxi turned eighteen, they could only give it a try.
Zhuang's six-figure monthly salary was indeed well-deserved; he was a competent worker. At the same time that the boarding pass was found, Meng Shixu also received the news.
Thinking about the public opinion that had been brewing for more than a week, Meng Shixu cursed under his breath: "Damn it!"
Now, many years have passed, and Meng Yanxi himself has forgotten about this trip, so he cannot respond. But back then, when this matter first came to light, Meng Shixu had asked Meng Yanxi if he was the one who did it.
It wasn't that he didn't trust his son; on the contrary, it was precisely because he understood Meng Yanxi that he knew Meng Yanxi was truly capable of such a thing.
Moreover, Meng Yanxi did disappear for a period of time at that time. He said he went abroad to escape the summer heat, but several people he often associated with were in China at that time.
So how did Meng Yanxi respond to him? The brat sat casually on the sofa, his expression unreadable, and said, "Guess?"
Meng Shixu took it as tacit agreement and was heartbroken.
The only time he ever hit Meng Yanxi was when he caused his sister to get sick. He didn't hit him this time because he was heartbroken.
His son is a good person; it's his incompetence as a father that led him astray and onto the wrong path.
Once crime is committed, it's easy for it to become increasingly brazen and lawless. Wu Guo is a prime example; his hands have been stained with blood over the years. Meng Shixu, fearing his son would be doomed and never be able to turn back, immediately pulled out his sterilization surgery form and handed it to him, saying with heartache, "There was no need, Yanxi. That wasn't my child at all. You shouldn't have dirtied your hands."
Meng Yanxi took the surgical consent form, stared at it with her dark eyes for a long time, said nothing, and went back to her room.
Meng Shixu always believed that Meng Yanxi was responsible, and he did everything he could to suppress the matter, and no one mentioned it again.
He himself has become much more cautious since then, restraining himself while keeping a close eye on Meng Yanxi, taking a two-pronged approach from the source and the process to prevent his son from continuing to "commit crimes".
Unexpectedly, the events of that year were brought up again due to the misfortune of the Wu family. Meng Shixu was very upset because he had always believed that it was Meng Yanxi who did it.
The surgical consent form was genuine, but so was his guilty conscience. Only he knew that Meng Yanxi was completely unaware of the surgery. He couldn't produce any concrete evidence, or rather, he was more afraid that someone would find it.
The public relations efforts were weak and ineffective.
The appearance of the boarding pass drastically changed Meng Shixu's style.
He immediately rushed back to the Meng family home and kicked open Meng Yanxi's door without any politeness.
Meng Yanxi had been living away from home since he turned twenty, and the rooms in his house were filled with his old belongings. Meng Shixu would never enter his room without permission before, but today was an exception. Meng Shixu personally rummaged through Meng Yanxi's closet and found his old passport.
Meng Yanxi travels abroad frequently and has gone through many passports, each filled with entry and exit records. He found one of them and quickly flipped to his exit records from years ago, following the timeline.
Meng Yanxi left the country on July 19th of that year; the document bears the customs stamp, date, and port name.
Meng Yanxi did not return to China until August 6th, and her passport still bears the entry stamp, date, and port name.
That evening, Yun Sheng's public relations team released scanned copies of Meng Yanxi's boarding pass and two passport pages. The customs stamps on them clearly showed that Meng Yanxi was not in China at all between July 19 and August 6. At the same time, the Ministry of Justice formally filed a lawsuit against Ms. Xu for defamation.
Defamation will result in criminal penalties.
The Meng family's public relations and legal departments acted simultaneously, and Ms. Xu's social media accounts were banned by the authorities within half an hour.
The tide turned, and many accounts that had previously criticized Meng Yanxi the most were deleted overnight, while the remaining people silently turned back to continue denouncing Wu Guo.
If all goes well, Ms. Xu may be able to enter prison as fellow inmates with Mr. Wu.
Ms. Xu went to find Meng Shixu, but he didn't see her. Later, she waited outside Yunsheng Building all night until Meng Shixu finally appeared. She rushed up to him and begged, "I was wrong, I really know I was wrong... Could you please forgive me for the sake of our past relationship?"
Meng Shixu said expressionlessly, "You don't know you're wrong, you're just scared. When you weren't scared, you didn't let my son off the hook."
"I just hate him for deliberately breaking us up back then..."
Meng Shixu: "Really? Then my son is quite good at judging people. Otherwise, with your ruthlessness, if you really gained power, I'm afraid it wouldn't just be a matter of spreading rumors and slander. He might even break my two children's bones."
Meng Shixu quickly got into the car, but his assistant stopped him from behind.
The car door slowly closed, and Ms. Xu was stopped. She shouted loudly at the back of the Rolls-Royce: "I'm not lying, Meng Yanxi really did follow me, and he even went to the hospital to check my medical records!"
The car was already far away.
Meng Shixu's assistant, surnamed Zhou, had been with Meng Shixu for thirty years. He turned around and said with a smile, "Ms. Xu, remember to bring your medical records when you go to court."
*
Jin Zhao gave an academic report last year on the evening of March 11th. After the public opinion subsided, Jin Zhao's mood improved considerably.
Academic reports differ from lectures; they are only aimed at faculty and students in the relevant field, and the discussions focus solely on professional issues, unlike lectures which can cover a wide range of topics. Naturally, they are not as lively as Meng Yanxi's lectures. The lecture hall can only accommodate about two hundred people, but Wang Shi'an, the dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Sui University, personally attended to host the event for Jin Zhao.
During the one-hour academic presentation, Jin Zhao shared his research on stage.
Before half the time had passed, the back door of the lecture hall opened, and a handsome and upright figure entered from outside and sat down in an empty corner in the back row.
Jin Zhao is a little nearsighted and doesn't like wearing glasses. The lights in the back row weren't very bright, but in just a moment when she looked up, her heart skipped a beat.
The men in the back row were also looking at her.
Although her features were obscured, the gaze fixed upon her was undeniable.
Jin Zhao quickly regained his composure, turned his gaze away, and continued speaking.
The teachers in the front row actively spoke and discussed professional issues with her. Among them, Dean Wang Shi'an was the most interested in her research and frequently brought up the topic. In the end, the lecture, which was originally scheduled for one hour, was extended to one and a half hours.
Wang Shi'an wanted to apply for a project and compile another professional textbook in this field. After the project was completed, he talked a lot with Jin Zhao.
However, academic achievements inevitably involve the institution of communication, that is, the university where one works in the common sense. Working at another university isn't impossible, but working at the same university would be better. Wang Shi'an asked Jin Zhao with a half-smile if he was interested in switching jobs from the neighboring university to Sui Da.
Jin Zhao was flattered and overwhelmed by the honor.
She was 28 years old, but she couldn't get into the university she took the college entrance exam back then.
Although she didn't go to No. 9 Middle School later, she went to No. 1 Middle School in a neighboring city. Perhaps that incident distracted her, and she lost her momentum in Class A of the affiliated middle school. Later, she only got into a mediocre 985 university in the college entrance examination.
Jin Zhao smiled and said, "Thank you, Dean Wang. However, I have seen the recruitment requirements for the university, and my current qualifications do not meet them."
Wang Shi'an hesitated for a moment, then asked, "When will you be promoted to associate professor?"
Jin Zhao: "Two years."
Wang Shi'an: "Does your school not offer any special promotions for academic titles?"
“Yes,” Jin Zhao said a little embarrassed, “but I don’t meet the criteria for an exception.”
Wang Shi'an thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "Perhaps you could apply to be a visiting scholar at a prestigious university abroad."
Jin Zhao was taken aback.
She had never considered this path before.
Wang Shi'an analyzed the situation for her clearly and logically: "You have published an SSCI paper in less than a year since you returned to China, and now you have also applied for a National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Youth Project. This is an outstanding research ability. You are fully capable of applying to top universities like Cambridge and Oxford as a visiting scholar, and when you come back, you will not only be able to advance your professional title, but also be able to move up the ranks at the university you are employed at. If needed, I can be your external recommender."
Wang Shi'an's tone was very confident, and Jin Zhao was very interested and eager to try.
The two chatted as they left the lecture hall. Meng Yanxi didn't go up to them, but followed them from a distance.
The parking lot is right across from the lecture hall. Wang Shi'an, who doesn't live on campus, politely asked Jin Zhao where he was going.
Jin Zhao smiled and said, "My boyfriend came to pick me up."
When I turned around, Meng Yanxi was standing in the distance.
Outside the grand lecture hall stood a golden acacia tree, which was in full bloom, its vibrant golden color emitting a delicate fragrance. Meng Yanxi stood beneath the tree.
From a distance, and with Meng Yanxi standing in the shadows, Wang Shi'an couldn't see his face clearly. He could only vaguely make out a handsome young man with his hands in his pockets, his dark eyes fixed on their direction. When they met Meng Yanxi's gaze as he turned to look at them, Wang Shi'an gave him a slight nod.
Wang Shih-an nodded politely in response, then turned to Jin Zhao and joked, "Your boyfriend is so lucky, he was born ten years too late."
Jin Zhao: "What?"
Wang Shi'an: "Ten years ago, if I introduced my son to you, he wouldn't be involved anymore."
Jin Zhao chuckled to himself.
Wang Shi'an drove away, passing Jin Zhao and Meng Yanxi. He rolled down his window and greeted them. Jin Zhao smiled and said goodbye to Dean Wang, but Meng Yanxi ignored him.
Jin Zhao suspected that Meng Yanxi had heard it; at this quiet time, the sound could travel a long distance.
She took her boyfriend's hand and explained, "He was just joking. You know, humanities professors always like to tell jokes."
Meng Yanxi grasped her hand and asked in surprise, "What? Wasn't he talking about his son? You're saying his son is a joke?"
Jin Zhao: "..."
Even though they're practically strangers, you still managed to attack them.
As expected of Meng Yanxi's mouth!
Sui Da is close to Shanshui City, just outside the school gate. Meng Yanxi didn't drive over, so Jin Zhao accompanied him back to Shanshui City to stay that night.
Since that online incident, the two hadn't seen each other for more than ten days, and Jin Zhao didn't know what he was thinking during this time. Although they video chatted every day and he seemed to be acting normally, Jin Zhao still sensed the change in his emotions.
Especially when he stood alone under the acacia tree, in the shadows, not only did Wang Shi'an not recognize him, but even Jin Zhao sensed a different aura about him. A little cold, a little melancholy.
She didn't understand why.
Meng Yanxi is not the type to be affected by these things, especially since he didn't do it.
Perhaps it's because absence makes the heart grow fonder, but Meng Yanxi was especially energetic tonight.
Before they could even get to the main point, the sheets beneath Jin Zhao were already soaked with sweat from all the various creative attempts to please him.
She stared blankly at the ceiling. Under the light, large expanses of her snow-white skin shone dazzlingly, and her breath was rapid and disordered.
Meng Yanxi pressed her back against him, water stains still clinging to her chin, and kissed her.
Jin Zhao turned her head away, but he grabbed her chin again and kissed her passionately. Just like before, his tongue explored deep inside her.
"Lingling, are you happy?"
During a moment of rest, Meng Yanxi asked in a hoarse voice, his dark eyes fixed intently on her.
Jin Zhao, her face flushed and panting, remained silent.
She was too embarrassed to say she was ecstatic.
It started raining outside sometime earlier.
Spring rains are always plentiful, sometimes lasting all night long.
The rain that night was exceptionally heavy, the raindrops violently pounding against the mimosa tree, tearing apart its blossoms and crushing its stamens.
Jin Zhao instinctively hugged the man's shoulders, feeling his body muscles tighten and relax again and again, exerting force and relaxing.
At first it was thunderous and powerful, but it gradually became gentle, like spring rain, mild and lingering.
Do you believe me?
He picked her up and held her in his lap, his dark, almond-shaped eyes staring straight at her.
Jin Zhao looked up at the chandelier on the ceiling, her neck stretching into a snow-white arc.
Perhaps the lights were too bright, because tears welled up in her eyes.
At these times, she was always too busy to think about anything, and it took her a while to realize what he was asking.
Her brows furrowed slightly, a look that seemed to be a mixture of pain and joy: "I believe you, I believe you."
He persistently asked, "Why do you believe me?"
Jin Zhao thought about it seriously for a full half minute, then took the initiative to hug his neck, turned her head to kiss his lips, and whispered, "Meng Yanxi, because you are the most amazing person I have ever met in my life."
So no matter what you did or didn't do, I will believe you.
I will always stand by your side without hesitation.
Meng Yanxi remained silent.
Silently exerting force, silently watching her current state, silently watching her lose focus time and time again.
Fireworks exploded in my mind, one after another, each one faster than the last.
Jin Zhao felt as if she were floating on clouds. In a daze, she heard a man's voice muffled in the rain, low and hoarse with unclear emotions.
"But Lingling, I was really prepared to take action."
*
Meng Yanxi never considered himself kind. In fact, he was very self-aware; he was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
He doesn't care about the process as long as he can achieve his goal.
If he had even a shred of kindness, he wouldn't have caused such childhood trauma to little Meng Zhuxi.
He got his driver's license on time at eighteen, and by the time he took the college entrance exam, he could drive on the road very skillfully. His car was parked on the side of the road as he watched Meng Shixu's girlfriend come out of the villa. As she walked, her dress billowed in the wind, clinging to her pregnant belly.
He stared at the belly, his face expressionless.
He checked and found that the other party was not a kind-hearted person either.
For families like theirs, once interests are involved, it's never a small-scale affair. The Wu family's situation was relatively mild; Wu Nian only fell into the abyss, at least he's still alive. Don't tell me even tigers don't eat their cubs; he's seen entire bloodlines wiped out.
He was still young and inexperienced, and Meng Zhuxi was so small and innocent.
The woman was driving a Maserati, a gift from Meng Shixu. She drove out of the garage not far from the traffic lights and stopped the car behind the zebra crossing.
Meng Yanxi gripped the steering wheel and pressed the accelerator.
Luxury cars have effective safety features, so a minor rear-end collision is unlikely to result in death, but it can prevent future problems.
Meng Yanxi drove toward the car that was stopped at the red light.
The red light will soon be over; it will start changing from 10 seconds.
Meng Yanxi glanced at the bright red numbers jumping on the screen. When it reached 7, as if possessed, the image of Jin Zhao dancing on stage in a red dress suddenly appeared in his mind.
The long silk dress adorned with feathers was the color of red jade tempered by fire, like the shattered glow of the sunset. The sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl was like a gardenia bud about to bloom, pure and innocent, untouched by any worldly dust.
The lights that night were so bright, yet they paled in comparison to her. She herself was like fire and light, like a true goddess, her serene face radiating a compassionate divinity.
He suddenly remembered that day when Ji Haoxuan's mother publicly humiliated her. Yet when Ji Haoxuan came to bother her again, asking if she liked him, she acted as if he could immediately sever his relationship with his self-righteous mother if she nodded.
But the spotless feather simply walked away indifferently, leaving behind the words: "You're overthinking it."
He watched from the sidelines, sneering inwardly, mocking her foolishness and useless kindness. She could have easily retaliated, endlessly tormented those who had hurt her, all she had to do was nod.
But just as his car was about to crash into her, in that instant, he seemed to suddenly understand her unparalleled purity.
She was completely pure and innocent; if she wanted to improve, she simply improved; if she wanted to gain something, she simply gained it. There was never a trace of sharpness, aggression, or filth mixed in.
He was out of reach, yet I couldn't help but yearn for him.
A man like him may never be redeemed in his lifetime, but that doesn't stop him from longing for her.
The villa was in the suburbs, and there were very few cars around. The woman in the Maserati was looking down at her phone, unaware that the red light had turned on, and even less aware that his car was approaching.
Just as his car was about to crash, he suddenly turned the steering wheel.
The red light turned green, and he sped past her car.
It also opened up from the abyss of eternal damnation.
*
Finally, after it was all over, Meng Yanxi carried Jin Zhao out of the bathroom.
Although Jin Zhao was lost in thought at the time, she had vaguely heard what he said. She didn't say anything, but just hugged him tightly, as if she wanted to warm his once cold heart with her own flesh and blood, or as if she wanted to become one with him.
That night, she unusually didn't fall asleep immediately, even though she was more tired than ever before.
Meng Yanxi felt as if a fire was burning within her heart, previously hidden beneath an iceberg. Tonight, as the snow melted, she truly felt the boiling passion deep within his heart.
She quietly hugged his waist and nestled in his arms.
Meng Yanxi also remained silent, which was unusual for her.
He used to talk a lot at this time, and he always liked this moment very much.
Meng Yanxi pressed the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness.
When he hugged her again, he heard the person in his arms call his name: "Meng Yanxi".
"Hmm?" he responded very softly.
Jin Zhao looked up at him in the dim light: "Judging by actions, not intentions."
You did nothing wrong.
Even if you were tempted, not doing it doesn't mean you did anything wrong.
Who is a saint in this world?
Who hasn't had bad thoughts?
None of this concerns you.
Meng Yanxi remained silent for a long time.
In the end, I simply hugged her tightly and gently kissed the top of her head.
"Lingling, it's my birthday next week. Have you thought about what gift to give me?" he suddenly asked.
Jin Zhao was somewhat speechless.
For some reason, I had a feeling that she was just indulging in self-pity and was ultimately pointless.
It turns out her boyfriend just wanted a gift from her.
Jin Zhao coldly replied, "No."
Meng Yanxi: "Then give me a cat."
Jin Zhao: "Cat?"
Meng Yanxi: "Hmm, I want to raise a cat with you."
Jin Zhao's heart suddenly softened.
Raising a cat together sounds like a good idea.
"What kind?" she asked.
Meng Yanxi kissed her forehead: "Like you."
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