"What's wrong?" Ji Lanfeng saw Meng Jingwei's serious expression. "Did something happen?"
Meng Jingwei glanced at Steve Arthur and explained, "I'm really sorry, something happened at home. My grandmother is missing. She has Alzheimer's disease."
She deliberately explained.
"Oh my goodness, do you want us to help you look?" Steve spread his hands. "Many hands make light work."
"It's fine, your filming is important. I have friends already helping me look. Let's keep in touch later."
After speaking, Meng Jingwei said to Ji Lanfeng, "I'll be going now. I can't delay any longer."
"Alright, drive carefully. Let me know if you find her."
"Got it."
Meng Jingwei hurried away from the set and drove back to the city center.
Upon arriving in the city center, Meng Jingwei contacted Aunt Chen and met her at the agreed location. Beside Aunt Chen was another person... Qing Muyue.
Meng Jingwei knew she couldn't avoid Qing Muyue when she came today, but fortunately, she was mentally prepared. She walked directly forward, not looking at Qing Muyue, and asked Aunt Chen, "Aunt Chen, is there any news about Grandma?"
"Alas, we just found her. She's in the car. Phew... a false alarm, a false alarm. It's my fault for being careless."
Aunt Chen slapped her thigh and said with a smile.
"You wicked girl, it's been so long since I've seen you. Why don't you ever come back to the old house to see me?"
Just as Meng Jingwei was talking to Aunt Chen, the window of a nearby car rolled down, and Old Mrs. Qing, sitting inside, complained to Meng Jingwei with displeasure.
Hearing this, Meng Jingwei turned her head and walked directly towards Old Mrs. Qing, "Grandma, you really scared me to death."
"Come, get in the car and sit." Old Mrs. Qing pushed open the car door and invited Meng Jingwei in.
Meng Jingwei knew the car belonged to Qing Muyue. For a moment, she felt a sense of repulsion, not wanting any further connection with Qing Muyue. However, seeing how much Old Mrs. Qing missed her, she had no choice but to brace herself and get into the car.
"Grandma, I miss you too, but I've been busy with work lately..." she explained.
On the roadside, Qing Muyue's gaze fell on the little woman sitting in the car, his eyes dark and unreadable.
For a moment, he seemed unsure how to interact with Meng Jingwei.
He raised his hand and tugged at his tie, then walked over to the car, opened the door, and got into the driver's seat. He turned back to Old Mrs. Qing and asked, "Grandma, you..."
"Jingwei, dear, since you're free today, come back to the old house and keep this old woman company." Old Mrs. Qing patted Qing Muyue again. "Drive, let's go back to the old house first."
"Ah?"
Meng Jingwei hadn't figured out how to face Qing Muyue or interact with him yet, when she suddenly heard Old Mrs. Qing's words, which made her feel a bit awkward.
Her mind raced, and she conjured up an excuse, "Grandma, my car is still parked over there. How about I drive my car?"
"Give me the car keys. Have Song Ci drive your car and take Aunt Chen with him."
Qing Muyue looked up, his gaze calm as he looked at Meng Jingwei through the rearview mirror.
After a three-month absence, they met again within two days. Regardless, Meng Jingwei felt awkward.
Just thinking that Qing Muyue liked Yun Shasha, and that Yun Shasha was a man before, made her feel inexplicably disgusted.
Her heart ached faintly.
But looking at Old Mrs. Qing's expectant gaze, she couldn't bear to disappoint her.
"Alright."
She took out her keys and handed them to Qing Muyue.
Qing Muyue threw the keys to Song Ci through the car window, "Drive back to the old house."
"Yes, boss." Song Ci responded. Qing Muyue then drove away.
Along the way, Old Mrs. Qing held Meng Jingwei's hand and chatted with her about everything under the sun.
Old Mrs. Qing had been a shrewd woman all her life. How could she not see the subtle things between them?
Today's so-called 'disappearance' was merely a ploy to get them both to come.
"Grandma, I have a hospital check-up this afternoon."
Meng Jingwei was worried about Old Mrs. Qing's condition, so she held her hand and reminded her.
Old Mrs. Qing leaned back in her seat, raised her hand, and brushed away a strand of silver hair from her temple. "An old woman like me, no one loves me, no one cares for me. What's there to check? It's fine if I don't."
Her words left Meng Jingwei speechless.
She pursed her lips and said, "I'll accompany you."
As she spoke, another voice chimed in, "I'm free this afternoon."
"Oh my, you two ungrateful children finally know to spare some time for this old woman?" Old Mrs. Qing nodded. "Good, then you'll both accompany me this afternoon."
Together?
Meng Jingwei felt a strong aversion.
She just wanted to keep her distance from Qing Muyue now. Only by doing so could she completely sever their ties.
"Grandma, since he's accompanying you, I'll..."
Just as she was about to say something, Old Mrs. Qing shot her a sharp glare.
Caught by her stern look, Meng Jingwei immediately fell silent and didn't speak.
"Still being so secretive. I may be old, but I'm not blind."
Old Mrs. Qing's demeanor suddenly became fierce. Adopting the air of the Qing family matriarch, she said sternly, "What's going on between you two? You were fine before, and now you're causing trouble. One doesn't come back to the old house, and the other doesn't either. When I ask you about things, you both mumble. What, do you have no regard for this old woman anymore?"
She suddenly became angry.
At this point, how could Qing Muyue and Meng Jingwei not see that Old Mrs. Qing had orchestrated this entire scene?
She had gone to great lengths to get them both here.
Faced with the sudden reprimand, Qing Muyue simply stared straight ahead, driving silently.
Meng Jingwei also let go of Old Mrs. Qing's hand, sat in her seat, turned her head to look out the window, and remained silent.
Seeing that neither of them spoke, Old Mrs. Qing's head began to ache. "Qing Muyue, you tell me, what's your situation with Jingwei?"
Qing Muyue tapped the steering wheel lightly with one hand, resting his elbow on the door frame with the other, his fingers covering his cheek as he pondered.
A long silence filled the car.
Finally, he spoke, "Ah Wei and I, we broke up."
"Broke up? Hmph, breaking up requires a reason." Old Mrs. Qing pressed.
A flicker of pain flashed in the man's ink-black eyes, and the emotion vanished instantly. "We spent some time together, and it wasn't suitable, so we broke up naturally."
"Not suitable? Hmph, you've known each other for over a year, and now you're telling me it wasn't suitable?"
Old Mrs. Qing was furious. Disregarding that Qing Muyue was driving, she leaned forward, raised her hand, and firmly smacked him on the head. "What nonsense are you talking!"
Seeing Qing Muyue being hit by Old Mrs. Qing, Meng Jingwei ignored it and didn't interject.
Because...
She truly didn't know what to say.
"You disreputable thing, what kind of mischief are you up to every day?" The old lady scolded, pointing at Qing Muyue with her finger, her emotions running high.
Meng Jingwei was genuinely worried that Old Mrs. Qing might get sick from anger, so she spoke to comfort her, "Grandma, please don't be angry."
"How can I not be angry? This little rascal has never given me a moment's peace since he was a child!"