Volume One, Chapter Fifteen: Taking Her Home as His Wife

Shu Wan was momentarily stunned by his gaze.

It was the New Year after all, so she couldn’t afford to dampen the mood. She walked over and looked up, forcing a sweet smile. "I was wondering if you might have forgotten to give me my New Year’s money."

“You’re so impatient,” the man said flatly, shooting her a sideways glance. “Come downstairs to eat.”

The girl slipped under his outstretched arm holding the door, looked back at him, and waited until someone followed before continuing forward.

“Shu Wan.”

Suddenly, Meng Huaijin called her to a stop and said, “You came here to celebrate the New Year with me, not to seek anyone’s approval or try to fit into any circle.”

“If you happen to meet peers here you can get along with, then chat; if not, don’t worry about it. As for what the adults say, pay no mind. Just be yourself, understand?”

Beneath the dazzling corridor lights, Meng Huaijin stood in the shadows, dressed in a navy suit and white shirt, his features refined and strong-willed. Yet his eyes were calm and serene, like the moon, like the stars, like the towering mountains and lakes that always stood behind her.

He always found the right words to speak at the most crucial moments, words that struck straight to the heart.

Perhaps the overhead light was too bright, making Shu Wan’s eyes spin in a daze.

She felt as if a fierce tide was crashing within her soul, wave after wave, as if it would soon push her restless heart outward.

“Hmm?” The man’s quiet voice broke the silence as he checked if she was listening.

Only then did Shu Wan realize she should reply. She lifted the corner of her mouth into a sincere, confident smile. “I understand, Uncle.”

When she reached the grand living room, she realized the Meng family was exceptionally large, and Meng Huaijin also had an elder brother named Meng Tingzhou, whom she had never met before.

Besides them, there were numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces. Altogether, on New Year’s Eve, there were at least fifty or sixty people gathered, with three or four tables set for the feast.

Naturally, while Shu Wan was overwhelmed by the crowd and dazzling lights, many eyes turned toward her—some curious, some appraising, some politely smiling, others indifferent.

“Little Shu Wan.” Meng Chuan moved the chair next to him, inviting her to sit beside him.

Shu Wan raised an eyebrow with a smile, then went over to greet the elder who had been watching her from the main seat.

“Grandfather, Happy New Year,” she said politely.

Meng Zhenting was over sixty, his hair half white, yet it was easy to see the grace and charisma of his youth. His presence commanded respect without anger. After Shu Wan greeted him, his expression softened into kindness.

His eyes seemed to hold countless stories, but he finally said simply, “Happy New Year, Shu Wan. Your Uncle Huaijin hasn’t bullied you, has he?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Shu Wan noticed Madame Meng—her grandmother—looking displeased with her face downcast.

She didn’t understand why this grandmother bore such hostility toward her, or perhaps it was toward her mother. Under so many watchful eyes, she chose to ignore it entirely and earnestly replied, “Uncle treats me very well.”

The old man smiled and handed her a red envelope—a traditional New Year’s money gift.

Shu Wan was stunned and hesitant to accept it. Like a child, she immediately turned to Meng Huaijin behind her for confirmation.

The man lifted his chin, signaling her to take it, so she accepted it, which drew teasing remarks from others.

“Still afraid of your uncle, huh? Huaijin, do you usually manage her too strictly?”

Meng Huaijin pulled out his chair and sat down, leaving a space between him and Shu Wan. He casually replied, “Miss Shu would be worse off if she didn’t have me.”

Hmm? He had never addressed her in such a tone before.

The way he called her “Miss Shu” was not only casual but carried a hint of gentlemanly charm, unlike his usual cold way of saying “Shu Wan.”

He actually said “Miss Shu” to her…

Her heart felt as if it had been gently brushed by a feather—ticklish, tingling, and wildly fluttering like a startled fawn. She stood rooted to the spot for several seconds, unable to recover.

It wasn’t until Meng Chuan called her that she happily took her seat.

Meng Huaijin maintained his usual calm demeanor, chatting with others as if nothing unusual had been said.

The girl quietly savored the moment, chewing thoughtfully, and absentmindedly touched the red envelope from her grandfather, suddenly pausing.

Inside, it didn’t look like money but rather a bank card.

Why would he give her a card? Giving a card meant there was definitely a substantial sum inside.

Shu Wan raised her eyes to the elder at the main seat. He met her gaze and gave a faint smile but didn’t explain further.

Since the elder had started, other elders also took out red envelopes they had prepared in advance.

As the granddaughter who had returned to the Meng family for only the second time in many years, Shu Wan went home that night with her hands full, the New Year’s money coming in abundance.

During the meal, Shu Wan sat between Meng Chuan and Meng Huaijin, quietly eating and occasionally listening to their family chat.

As the conversation flowed, it took a turn. Meng Chuan’s mother casually asked, “Huaijin, you’ve been seeing the daughter of Director Jiang all these years. When are you going to marry her?”

“That’s right, Huaijin. Now that you’ve been transferred back to Beicheng and your job is stable, shouldn’t you put the matter with Jiang Jie on the agenda? So your mother can stop worrying about her future daughter-in-law,” another lady added.

Shu Wan chewed slowly, hearing the grandfather at the main seat speak gravely: “Since it’s a matter of when, not if, why not take advantage of the New Year and arrange for the two families to meet for a simple meal?”

Meng Chuan’s mother picked up the thread: “Big brother is right. Sister-in-law, why don’t we invite Mrs. Jiang to our home tomorrow for cards and discuss the engagement date for the two children?”

Madam Meng was naturally delighted, unable to hide her smile. “Good, good, it’s decided. Let’s follow sister-in-law’s suggestion and invite Mrs. Jiang over tomorrow. Not only that, but my future daughter-in-law must come too.”

Meng Chuan’s mother finished speaking and glanced at the silent Meng Huaijin, quickly covering her smile and asking, “Huaijin, what do you think?”

The room suddenly fell into a heavy silence.

Shu Wan mechanically turned her gaze to the man involved, watching his every move.

Meng Huaijin remained expressionless, resting his chopsticks on the bowl, silently fiddling with the button at his cuff several times before finally saying flatly, “Arrange it as you wish.”