Mr. Meng is here.
The moment those four words were uttered, even Song Tao was taken aback, let alone Ning Zhen. Which Mr. Meng could it be? But then again, as far as she knew, there was really only one Mr. Meng she was acquainted with.
Uncle Meng was semi-retired, and even when he wasn't, people on the street would address him as Chairman Meng. As for Meng Jiaran... she didn't think it was anything surprising for him to show up at Hongxin. He was clearly a familiar face and regular visitor; there was no way he'd cause Song Tao's executive assistant to be this startled.
How many other families named Meng were there in Beicheng, anyway?
Ning Zhen's mind went blank for a moment, too muddled to function properly. She had a vague inkling of who might be coming, but she really didn't dare to confirm it.
At breakfast this morning, she hadn't heard him mention anything about coming to Hongxin. Besides, he was so busy these days that getting off work by seven was already considered early, and right now it was only around four in the afternoon...
Song Tao quickly snapped back to his senses, his expression returning to composure. "Alright, please show him to my office."
His assistant nodded in acknowledgment, took a few steps back, then turned and hurried toward the elevator hall to go downstairs and receive the guest. The Meng and Song families had numerous project collaborations, but Meng Xianwen rarely came in person. Every time he did, it was a matter of great importance. What could it be this time?
The office fell into a brief silence.
Song Tao unconsciously gripped the pen on his desk, his thoughts racing in a thousand directions.
He cast a subtle glance at Ning Zhen, who was still in a slight daze, and felt a complex knot in his chest. The incident from a while back — his wife had already told him about it, with barely concealed anger in her voice.
He didn't think it was a big deal.
Kids grow up and have their own minds. As long as they didn't go too far, everything was normal. He neither approved nor opposed what his nephew had done.
After all, some underhanded deeds and unsavory words had to be carried out and spoken by someone.
His only dissatisfaction was that his nephew had chosen the wrong target.
If he'd had the guts to take a jab at Meng Jiaran or Meng Xianwen, that would have shown some brains and grit.
He'd thought the matter would end there, but who would have expected that at this very juncture, Meng Xianwen would rush over without even giving him a heads-up first. The implication behind such a move didn't need to be spelled out.
The team from Shengdu wasn't dull-witted either. Seeing the situation, they knew it was time to make themselves scarce. The chief editor, Fang Li, caught on immediately and said with a smile, "Chairman Song, you've been quite understanding with us over this period. Thanks to you, everything has gone smoothly. We'll take our leave for now and won't disturb you any further. We'll visit again when the opportunity arises."
Song Tao was equally gracious, dispensing pleasantries that put everyone at ease. He summoned his secretary and instructed her to see the group all the way to the parking garage.
Ning Zhen clutched her laptop bag, her gaze unconsciously drifting here and there as she followed her boss out of that solemn office. Her thoughts were scattered, and her eyes kept searching for a familiar figure.
The group was led by the secretary to the elevator hall.
This floor was mostly meeting rooms and executive offices, so quiet that the only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioning overhead. Ning Zhen was hesitating over whether to send Meng Xianwen a message when the elevator doors directly in front of her slid open slowly.
And just like that, the man she'd been thinking of appeared before her without any warning.
Three people stood in the elevator car, with Meng Xianwen in the center, his head slightly bowed as his gaze settled on his wristwatch. He was wearing the shirt she'd bought for him while shopping a few days ago — a more casual style compared to his usual immaculate taste, with the top button undone for a more relaxed look.
As if sensing the familiar gaze upon him, he glanced over with a languid air, then stepped out with steady strides, an intangible aura radiating around him.
Ning Zhen's colleagues had never met him in person, but they'd seen photos of him in her daily posts on her moments feed, so many that they knew his sharp, well-defined features inside and out. All of them turned to look at her in unison.
"Why are you here?"
Ning Zhen stepped forward, tilted her head up to look at him, and asked in a soft voice.
Meng Xianwen was helpless when it came to her mind, which could be clever one moment and utterly clueless the next. Did she really think things had just blown over that easily?
He looked at her — strands of hair had fallen loose around her cheeks because she'd been too busy to retie her ponytail. Suddenly, to the astonishment of Song Tao's secretary and assistant, he reached out and naturally tucked the stray strands behind her ear. "I was passing by and had some business to take care of. Are you done?"
"Pretty much!"
Ning Zhen had long grown accustomed to such intimate gestures, so she didn't find anything amiss. She replied briefly before noticing her colleagues beside her, and quickly stepped aside to make way. "Well, go do what you need to do. We're heading off too."
"Mm."
Meng Xianwen looked away and took in the equally familiar faces, offering a slight smile and a nod as a greeting.
Ning Zhen's moments feed was quite rich indeed. She didn't just show off her romance; she showed off everyone in her life — her parents, relatives, friends, lovers, and her colleagues who fought side by side with her.
Fang Li, the chief editor, was tempted to exchange a few pleasantries, but the timing wasn't right. Knowing there would be plenty of opportunities later, she just smiled and gave a nod in return.
Ning Zhen turned back and watched Meng Xianwen walk out of the elevator hall and into Song Tao's office, until he was completely out of sight. Her colleagues lowered their voices and started teasing her with whistles and raised eyebrows. "Lucky Zhenzhen, getting paid to date on company time!"
"Who's dating? He's here for work, and so am I!" Ning Zhen laughed as she stepped into the elevator, unable to deny that her mood had lifted considerably. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, carrying a hint of inexplicable pride.
Fang Li stared at her for a few seconds, then let out a soft laugh. "You've all been run ragged going back and forth lately. If you want to head back to the office, ride with me. If you want to knock off early, you're on your own."
"Really?"
"Wow, boss, I want to marry you!"
Ning Zhen joined in the cheering too. Going back to the office was absolutely out of the question. The other two colleagues wore exaggerated expressions of being revived from the dead and pulled her aside to discuss whether they should have hotpot or barbecue. But she, unsettled at an inopportune moment, found herself remembering the look Song Tao had given her before she left.
Something felt off.
She knew very well that Meng Xianwen's schedule was packed almost every day, and it was nearly impossible for it to change at the last minute.
He'd said he was just passing by.
With his character being so meticulous and steady, would he really drop by to visit an elder without an appointment, without even a courtesy call first?
"Zhenzhen, what do you think?" her colleague tugged at her, pressing for an answer.
Ning Zhen snapped out of her reverie with a smile. "You guys go ahead. I have something to do today. Hotpot next time, on me."
She swore, she really, really didn't want to read too much into it, but she had no choice. Keep company with the wolf and howl, as they say. She lived with Meng Xianwen. He was the last person she saw each day and the first she saw when she woke up. Immersed in his influence day in and day out, it was only a matter of time before she picked up his habits.
Ning Zhen didn't go down to the parking garage. She thought it over — if she went to wait in his car, and it turned out his visit to Hongxin had nothing to do with her, he'd see through her wishful thinking in a second, and he'd mock her with that look that said, "A few drinks in and you're dragging me into your rom-com fantasy."
Better to head to that café Yuqing had taken her to last time.
...
In the office.
"Xianwen, why didn't you give me a heads-up before coming over?" Song Tao had his assistant brew some tea and handed a cup to Meng Xianwen. "Try it, see if the Longjing suits your taste. Your father and grandfather both have a fondness for it."
Meng Xianwen wore a humble smile on his face. "What a coincidence. I happened to be passing by on some errands and thought I'd drop in. It's been a while since I last visited you, so I figured I'd try my luck."
"Are you fully recovered now? I heard from your father about the incident in Nancheng. Your Aunt Zhao and I were worried and wanted to visit you at home, but we kept putting it off for fear of interrupting your important work."
As he spoke, Song Tao shifted the conversation. "Yuqing has dinner plans with her mother this evening, so she probably can't make it. How about this—Song Hang just came back a few days ago. He said he wanted to ask you for some advice. How about we grab a meal together and chat?"
"You're too kind." Meng Xianwen took a sip of tea, set down the cup, and said warmly, "But you know, I've been incredibly busy lately. I still need to get back to the company in a bit. Song Hang can give me a call directly if he has questions—he's no different from Jiaran to me."
He paused briefly, then mentioned as if casually, "Uncle Song, is Song Yue around?"
Song Tao's expression didn't change. "He's here. Why, do you need him for something?"
"If he's available, I'd like to ask him about something." Meng Xianwen gave a faint smile. "Just wondering if he's busy."
With the conversation pushed this far, Song Tao let out a silent sigh in his heart. "Xianwen, Song Yue is a blunt speaker. If he's offended you in any way, please, for my sake, don't hold it against him."
The smile in Meng Xianwen's eyes deepened. "Uncle Song, I'm not sure I follow. Has he done something to offend me?"
This wasn't going to be dropped.
Song Tao really didn't want to put this matter on the table. Doing so would be beneath him. After a few shifts in expression, he walked over to his desk, dialed the internal line, and asked for Song Yue to come up.
Within minutes of hanging up, Song Yue pushed the door open, his face ashen.
He was utterly defeated—convinced, completely. He didn't need another cold remark from his aunt, nor another warning from his uncle. He swore that from now on, he would steer as far away from Ning Zhen as possible.
He couldn't even imagine how many lessons Meng Xianwen's arrival would cost him with his uncle.
"Mr. Meng." Song Yue walked over and stood beside Song Tao, his eyes lowered and his demeanor proper, completely stripped of the teasing tone he'd had when Meng Jiaran came last time. "Long time no see."
"It's nothing major, really." Meng Xianwen turned his gaze to him, his expression calm—at least on the surface, he showed no displeasure toward him. "Zhenzhen mentioned that the drinks in the Hongxin break area are quite good. She likes them, and they're not available anywhere else on the market. I wanted to know which supplier you use."
Even Song Tao, who had weathered many storms, kept his composure.
Song Yue, on the other hand, almost lost it. Seriously—such a trivial little thing was worth using as an excuse?
Then it dawned on him. Meng Xianwen couldn't be bothered to come up with a clever pretext to string him along. This was an outright message—to him and to his uncle—that Meng Xianwen had made a special trip here today solely for Ning Zhen.
"Go ask around." Song Tao let out a genial chuckle. "Yuqing mentioned it before too."
Song Yue swallowed his frustration and said, "Yes."
"Thank you for the trouble."
Meng Xianwen had said he was just passing by for a visit, and that was all it was. After the pleasantries, he stood up and took his leave from Song Tao.
No matter what, Song Tao was still an elder, so he only walked Meng Xianwen to the office door before stopping, giving Song Yue a look that meant he should personally escort him to the parking lot. Song Yue groaned inwardly.
The two walked down the corridor, with an assistant trailing behind them.
After a few steps, Meng Xianwen paused. Song Yue, walking beside him, had no choice but to stop as well. Under Meng Xianwen's mild yet oppressive gaze, he gritted his teeth and spoke first: "Mr. Meng, I don't know what you might have heard—"
Song Yue wanted to say something, but Meng Xianwen already knew exactly what it was.
Nothing more than: it was all a misunderstanding, everything was a misunderstanding. But whether it was a misunderstanding wasn't for Song Yue to decide, was it?
He gave a faint smile—a smile that cut off Song Yue's words. Then, as if making casual conversation, he asked, "I heard you have some issue with how Zhenzhen and I conduct ourselves?"
Song Yue's face turned crimson. This man simply didn't play by the rules! If he was going to hold someone accountable, why would he ask such a treacherous question?
Could he say he had an issue? Would he dare say he had an issue?
"No, no—how could I possibly!"
Meng Xianwen seemed quite satisfied with that answer. He patted Song Yue on the shoulder, with a somewhat reassuring gesture. To anyone watching, the scene might have even suggested the two of them had a good rapport.
Only Song Yue felt his scalp go numb as he heard Meng Xianwen's tone, laced with coldness, say, "Then be a bit more courteous the next time you see her, alright?"
