Qing Si Huai was as gentle and approachable as ever, as if nothing had happened before, maintaining his "good person" image in front of Shu Yao.
To avoid embarrassing Madam Qing by being caught in the middle, Meng Jing Wei returned a smile and said, "Oh really? What were you two talking about? Don't tell me you were speaking ill of me."
"Hahaha... Isn't that the truth? Mother was just saying that with the year-end approaching, she hadn't seen you, and thought you wouldn't come," Qing Si Huai joked with Meng Jing Wei.
Shu Yao, standing beside them, could only offer an awkward smile.
"Jing Wei girl, don't listen to Si Huai's nonsense," Madam Qing said, her face beaming with a smile.
Meng Jing Wei set down the gifts and walked over to Madam Qing, chatting about family matters with her. After a while, she changed the subject and directly asked Madam Qing, "Grandma, Shu Yao is pregnant. Do you know about this?"
"I know, I know. Si Huai told me," Madam Qing nodded.
Meng Jing Wei tilted her head, glanced at Qing Si Huai, her eyes flashing with a subtle glint, and then asked Madam Qing again, "Grandma, this is good news, it means good things are coming to the Qing family. When are you planning to hold the wedding for Shu Yao and Seventh Uncle?"
"Yao Yao said her parents are busy with business abroad, so they plan to discuss the marriage with the family after the New Year."
At this point, Madam Qing looked at Shu Yao and sighed, "The thoughts of young people nowadays are different from ours old folks. They make their own decisions. It's no use for an old woman like me to worry about it every day."
From Madam Qing's words, Meng Jing Wei made a simple analysis.
It was likely that Qing Si Huai had proactively confessed Shu Yao's pregnancy to Madam Qing, because even if he hadn't, Meng Jing Wei would have said something.
So, Qing Si Huai had informed Madam Qing first, and then found an excuse to delay mentioning the marriage, buying himself time.
Meng Jing Wei inwardly cursed Shu Yao for her foolishness but felt helpless.
They ate lunch together, and after the meal, Shu Yao and Meng Jing Wei took Madam Qing for a stroll in the back garden, with Aunt Chen accompanying them.
After a while, Madam Qing said she was tired, and Aunt Chen took her back to rest.
Shu Yao then seized the opportunity to grab Meng Jing Wei's hand, looking at her pitifully and choked out, "Are you still angry with me?"
Meng Jing Wei's face was as calm as still water. She lowered her gaze slightly, looking at Shu Yao's hand tightly gripping her wrist. As she gently pulled her hand away, she said lightly, "Why would I be angry? We, have a good relationship?"
That day, she had gone to great lengths to take Shu Yao away, and Shu Yao had ultimately chosen Qing Si Huai.
How could Meng Jing Wei not be disappointed?
"I... you..."
Shu Yao hadn't expected Meng Jing Wei to be so indifferent. She was so choked by Meng Jing Wei's words that she didn't know what to say.
A biting cold wind blew, making Shu Yao's bangs flutter messily around her forehead. She reached up to brush them away, pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then said to Meng Jing Wei again, "Ah Huai is not as bad as you think. I don't know what misunderstanding there is between you two, but at least Ah Huai is not Xiao Cheng. You can't lump them together."
"Mm, and then?"
Meng Jing Wei had her hands tucked into her coat pockets, her expression calm. She seemed to be listening to Shu Yao, but also as if she wasn't, her emotions completely unaffected.
"And, and then..."
Caught off guard by Meng Jing Wei's sudden question, Shu Yao blinked and then said, "I don't want Ah Huai to affect our relationship. Are we still friends?"
"Yes."
Though she said yes, her attitude was as cold as ice.
Shu Yao lightly bit her red lip, "Then can we have hot pot together tonight?"
She could feel that Meng Jing Wei was angry, and Shu Yao wanted to try and salvage their relationship bit by bit.
"Sorry, I have something else to do this afternoon."
Saying this, Meng Jing Wei took out her phone to check the time and said in a cold tone, "It's getting late, I have some things to attend to. You can entertain yourself."
With that, Meng Jing Wei turned and left without looking back.
Shu Yao stood there, looking at Meng Jing Wei's receding back with a pitiful and innocent expression. Her fists were clenched tightly, and she wanted to call out to Meng Jing Wei, but ultimately, she didn't utter her name.
She knew that Meng Jing Wei had completely distanced herself from her.
Shu Yao knew that Meng Jing Wei was doing it for her own good, but she firmly believed that Meng Jing Wei must have misunderstood Ah Huai.
One day, the truth would prove everything.
After leaving the back garden, Meng Jing Wei went to bid farewell to Madam Qing.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she reached the front courtyard, she ran into Qing Si Huai.
Upon seeing each other, they both stopped.
Qing Si Huai maintained his usual calm, composed, and gentlemanly smile, "Little girl is leaving already?"
Meng Jing Wei walked forward a few steps in her high heels, stopping only when she was two steps away from Qing Si Huai, her cold eyes fixed on him. "Seventh Uncle is quite capable. What kind of ability do you have that makes Shu Yao so infatuated with you?"
He frowned, pretending to ponder, and finally curved his lips into a smile. "Perhaps, charm."
"Heh."
Meng Jing Wei was truly amused by Qing Si Huai. "Yes, perhaps. But I'm more curious, is your shamelessness, Seventh Uncle, inherited?"
As her words fell, the smile on Qing Si Huai's face instantly stiffened, and the aura around him turned cold.
They stared at each other for a moment. The depths of his obscure pupils were filled with a terrifying, chilling aura, mixed with a trace of ferocity.
Then, he suddenly chuckled, "Don't say that. Mu Ye and I share the same ancestor."
"Seventh Uncle is right, and also not right."
Meng Jing Wei paused, then continued, "After all, we are both Qing family, but not from the same mother."
This statement was filled with blatant provocation.
As Meng Jing Wei's words fell, Qing Si Huai's sharp eyes narrowed. In that instant, Meng Jing Wei felt an intense murderous aura rush towards her.
He was angry.
"Is Seventh Uncle angry? Tsk tsk, it seems Seventh Uncle is not entirely a scumbag. At least you were genuinely sincere towards your mother."
Meng Jing Wei, showing no fear of Qing Si Huai, continued, "Pretending to say you like Shu Yao, I wonder how long you can keep up the pretense. If you have the guts, you'd better maintain it your whole life."
She had met despicable and shameless people before, but never a hypocritical and pretentious man like Qing Si Huai.
"Meng Jing Wei, don't think that just because Qing Mu Ye is backing you, you can do whatever you please."
Having dropped the pretense, Qing Si Huai no longer bothered to feign politeness with Meng Jing Wei.
"Excuse me, I'm sorry to disappoint Seventh Uncle. I am indeed relying on him, and I will do as I please. What do you want, Seventh Uncle?" Meng Jing Wei suddenly took a step back, raising her hand to cover her mouth. "Oh my, does Seventh Uncle have murderous intent? That's truly terrifying, it scares this baby to death."
"Meng Jing Wei, you... Hmph!"
Angered by Meng Jing Wei's continuous actions, Qing Si Huai's face turned from green to white. He truly couldn't maintain his facade any longer. He raised his finger and pointed at Meng Jing Wei, "If you walk by the river often, you're bound to get wet. Qing Mu Ye can protect you for a while, but not for a lifetime."
"Well said."
Meng Jing Wei raised her hand and applauded, "It's a shame you're not a multi-level marketing lecturer."
"You..."
Qing Si Huai was so choked that he was speechless. He glared at her coldly, then suddenly glanced past Meng Jing Wei behind her. His chilling expression was instantly replaced by a hint of gentle cordiality.