"Ah... this..."
Meng Jingwei touched her head, thinking hard. She then explained, "You can't blame Qing Muye for this."
"If not him, then who?"
"If you must blame someone, then... then blame me." Meng Jingwei took all the responsibility onto herself, saying with great embarrassment, "Actually, it's not that he found it unsuitable. It's because after we spent some time together, I felt there was a generation gap, our values didn't align, our hobbies were different, and we had no common topics. We were really not compatible."
Although Qing Muye's situation with Yun Shasha disgusted her, in the end, Qing Muye had saved her many times before.
Even though Meng Jingwei still couldn't understand why Qing Muye had saved her back then, she was still grateful in her heart.
"Besides, I'm not really looking to date right now. I'm doing quite well at the company, and I'm working hard to build my career. I've just started to see some progress."
Meng Jingwei offered a reason, but even she felt it was too far-fetched after saying it.
"You..."
Old Mrs. Qing's brows furrowed, and she looked at Meng Jingwei with a half-believing gaze, seemingly unconvinced. "What kind of excuse is that? You can even say such a thing to fob off an old woman like me."
As if the old lady was truly angry, she gave Meng Jingwei a slap on the head. "Neither of you is telling the truth."
"Ouch!"
Meng Jingwei flinched after the slap and chuckled. "Grandma, aren't you angry anymore? You can't force feelings. A melon that's forced doesn't taste sweet. Besides, whether I'm with Qing Muye or not doesn't change the fact that I like you, Grandma. You won't dislike me because of this, will you?"
She reached out and put her arm around Old Mrs. Qing, leaning on her shoulder and acting spoiled.
"You... you... Alas, you two are going to anger me to death!" Old Mrs. Qing was so angry she patted her thighs.
Meng Jingwei looked up, resting her chin on Old Mrs. Qing's shoulder, tilting her head and saying playfully, "Grandma, please don't interfere with matters of the heart. Qing Muye and I are still friends even after breaking up."
The man in the driver's seat saw the warm scene behind him through the rearview mirror, but Meng Jingwei's words inexplicably made his heart feel heavy.
He nodded cooperatively, "Yes, we're still friends."
"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you two."
Seeing that the two of them were tight-lipped and she couldn't get any information, Old Mrs. Qing snorted and said nothing more.
However, she was plotting something in her mind.
Upon arriving at the old residence, lunch was already prepared in the kitchen.
During the meal, Qing Si Huai appeared.
"Oh, little girl, Muye, why have you returned?" Qing Si Huai was wearing a dark blue shirt, had his hair slicked back, and still sported a short beard. He looked as mature and sexy as ever, exuding a strong masculine charm.
It was a pity that beneath such a handsome facade lay a heart so filthy and ugly.
Meng Jingwei detested Qing Si Huai but had to maintain a polite demeanor, as he respectfully addressed Old Mrs. Qing as 'Mother.'
"Hello, Uncle Seven." Meng Jingwei stood up and greeted him.
Qing Muye merely glanced coldly at Qing Si Huai but said nothing.
"Why didn't you let us know you'd be back for lunch?" Old Mrs. Qing grumbled, then instructed the servant, "Get a pair of bowls and chopsticks."
Qing Si Huai sat down, directly opposite Old Mrs. Qing, with Qing Muye on his left and Meng Jingwei on his right.
"Little girl, how is Yao Yao... lately?" Qing Si Huai suddenly mentioned Shu Yao.
Perhaps it was a tacit understanding, but upon hearing him mention Shu Yao, Meng Jingwei instinctively looked at Qing Muye, who happened to glance at her as well.
Shu Yao's child was Qing Si Huai's son, and Qing Si Huai called Old Mrs. Qing 'Mother.'
If one were to talk about seniority, Shu Yao's child could be called 'younger brother' by Qing Muye and Meng Jingwei!
Qing Si Huai's mention of Shu Yao in front of Old Mrs. Qing at this moment was clearly not with good intentions.
"She went abroad and won't be back for a while," Meng Jingwei lied directly.
After all, Shu Yao would return to Country C with the child in a while, and the child would grow up in Country C from then on.
As long as they were not in the country, there wouldn't be too much of an impact.
Qing Si Huai gave Meng Jingwei a meaningful look. Meanwhile, a servant brought the bowls and chopsticks, which he took, saying, "Thank you."
"Come, everyone, let's eat," Old Mrs. Qing said, and the younger generation began to pick up their chopsticks.
Qing Si Huai was attentive, picked up a piece of fish, and offered it to Old Mrs. Qing's bowl. "Mother, eat more."
"Yes, you are filial, and it's not in vain that I dote on you daily," the old lady sighed.
Qing Si Huai gave a charming smile. "Yes, it's all thanks to Mother's constant care. But, Mother, I wonder if those words you said before still count?"
Meng Jingwei, who was eating, furrowed her brows. The hand holding her chopsticks tightened slightly. She had a feeling that what Qing Si Huai was about to say was definitely related to Shu Yao.
She looked up at Qing Muye, who was sitting opposite her. The man was eating unhurriedly, with elegant movements.
His calm demeanor made him seem detached from the world.
"I say a lot of things daily. Are you testing my old woman's memory?" Old Mrs. Qing said while eating.
"Heh heh."
Qing Si Huai chuckled. "Mother, you really know how to joke."
After speaking, he lowered his head, picked up a slice of meat, and chewed it slowly.
After a long while, he put down his chopsticks, interlaced his fingers on the table, and said very seriously, "It's about the Song Yu Group. Mother, you always said you thought highly of both Muye and me, and you also said that whoever among us had an heir would still be the one in charge of the Song Yu Group. Today, I have good news for you... Shu Yao she..."
Qing Si Huai deliberately lengthened his tone. As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Qing Muye. "Last night, she gave birth to a boy. He is my child."
The last sentence, 'my child,' seemed to be a declaration of ownership.
"What?"
Old Mrs. Qing was extremely surprised and looked up at Qing Si Huai. "Are you sure? Didn't you say you broke up with that girl Shu Yao before? How could she have your child?"
The news came too suddenly.
Meng Jingwei had always advised Shu Yao against having the child, urging her to try not to give birth.
But Shu Yao insisted on having the child, so Meng Jingwei stopped persuading her.
However, upon hearing Qing Si Huai's words just now, she finally understood the importance of Shu Yao's son and, more importantly, why Qing Si Huai had never interfered when Shu Yao was pregnant.
Clearly, he was after the position of power in the Song Yu Group.
Meng Jingwei bit her chopsticks, her brows tightly knitted. Her gaze was fixed on Qing Muye, but the man opposite her seemed not to have heard anything and continued to eat.
His refined movements and every gesture exuded nobility.
Meng Jingwei wondered in her heart. Qing Muye, being so shrewd and intelligent, should have known the implications of Shu Yao's child being born long ago, yet he... had never interfered with Shu Yao's affairs.
He had only asked once why Shu Yao insisted on having the child.
Meng Jingwei's answer was: Shu Yao said that a child is a life, and no one has the right to take its life.
After that, Qing Muye never asked again.