Chapter 21

By the time Xu Yuan came out of the bathroom, Meng Zhengrong had already taken a shower in the guest room and was lying on the bed.

Both of them avoided eye contact as if they had an unspoken agreement. Xu Yuan silently sat down at the dressing table and began her skincare routine, while Meng Zhengrong held his phone, seemingly engrossed in it. They didn’t exchange any words or even make eye contact, creating an atmosphere that appeared quite peaceful.

Meng Zhengrong tried his best to pretend to be calm and nonchalant. He wasn’t a teenager anymore. Besides, he hadn’t seen anything inappropriate. Thinking this way, he pushed aside the disappointment that had welled up within him.

As for Xu Yuan, she felt like poking out Meng Zhengrong’s eyes and kicking him out, but she couldn’t do that. Since she couldn’t vent her frustrations, she could only keep a low profile. Even as she played the role of a quail, she aimed to be the most composed one.

In this way, both of them went to sleep with similar thoughts.

That night, Meng Zhengrong had a dream, a dream that couldn’t be described, a dream that, upon closer reflection, felt a bit lewd.

In the dream, he was intimately involved with Xu Yuan, and when he woke up, Meng Zhengrong was left feeling unsatisfied.

Early in the morning, before the sun had even risen, Meng Zhengrong sat on the toilet in the bathroom. The self-control he was proud of was on the verge of collapse. Is it because he had been abstinent for too long?

Unfortunately, it seemed that he would have to continue abstaining for the time being.

It wasn’t that he lacked confidence in himself, but he knew that once someone was emotionally wounded, it was challenging to recover in a short time. Even though Xu Yuan was his wife now, he didn’t want to force her into doing something she didn’t want to do.

Sighing deeply, Meng Zhengrong realized that all his conscience seemed to revolve around Xu Yuan in this life. He had never been this considerate before.

In the morning, as Xu Yuan and Meng Zhengrong sat at the breakfast table, the meal was as sumptuous as ever. Just as Meng Zhengrong was about to suggest going for a drive with Xu Yuan, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was a call from Meng Zhengrong’s mother.

Xu Yuan glanced at Meng Zhengrong, feeling a bit uneasy, and quickly answered the call. “Mom, is there something you need?”

Meng Zhengrong’s gaze shifted between Xu Yuan and the phone. Only two women in their lives were referred to as “Mom.” Was it her own mother or his?

On the other end of the phone, Mother Meng was sitting in front of her dressing table, selecting jewelry for the day. “Xiao Yuan, do you have some time today?”

When the mother-in-law calls, one’s schedule is always subject to adjustment. Xu Yuan understood that her mother-in-law probably had something in mind. She replied politely, “Yes, I am free mom. What’s the matter?”

Her tone was exceedingly polite, and Mother Meng’s smile widened. “It’s nothing significant, just a luncheon today. Mom wants to introduce you to some relatives.”

These “relatives” she mentioned were actually her friends. However, Mother Meng’s friends were all wealthy wives, and Xu Yuan was expected to represent the Meng family in socializing with these people. This was a part of her gradual integration into the social circle.

Mother Meng had a plan in mind. In a social circle, secrets were often spilled inadvertently, and Xu Yuan would become the key player in gathering information. As time went on, she would replace her mother in maintaining these connections.

These friends of Mother Meng would also bring their daughters-in-law to social events, and this cycle would eventually form a new social circle. Generation by generation, they would pass down these roles.

Mother Meng had this in mind, and it was beneficial for Xu Yuan. Although Mother Meng was not in front of her at the moment, she still replied with a smile on her face, “Sure, I’ll come over.”

Mother Meng was satisfied with Xu Yuan’s response. “Great! We can have lunch together. Just come over when you’re ready.”

After ending the call, Xu Yuan didn’t say anything to Meng Zhengrong. She believed he could guess what was going on. So, after breakfast, she went upstairs to change and do her makeup.

Surprisingly, Meng Zhengrong followed her upstairs and even entered the dressing room with her.

Xu Yuan, who didn’t want to engage in any conversation with Meng Zhengrong, continued to browse through her clothing. She was going to meet relatives, so she needed to dress modestly yet not too conspicuously. While she was contemplating which dress to wear, Meng Zhengrong, leaning against the door, finally spoke up, “If you don’t want to go, I can refuse it on your behalf.”

Meng Zhengrong could tell that his mother was behind this invitation. But why would his mother want to meet with Xu Yuan? He couldn’t fathom the reason.

Before he got married, his mother had been talking about it at home, saying that after he got married, she would take her daughter-in-law out to meet people.

He knows the circle of ladies very well. Most of these ladies are elderly. What can a group of middle-aged women do if they get together? Either playing cards, shopping, eating and gossiping, maybe in a month or two I would like to participate in some charity auction event, and then most of the time they would attend this banquet or that dinner, which is really boring.

Anyway, in his opinion, it would be better to go for a pleasant ride on the beach with him rather than spending time with this group of people.

Without looking at Meng Zhengrong, Xu Yuan continued to choose her clothes. Her response was casual, “I don’t mind going.”

In truth, no matter how dull the luncheon might be, it was still better than spending the entire day with Meng Zhengrong. She hadn’t forgotten what had happened yesterday. If she continued to stay with him today, the embarrassment might be suffocating.

Hearing Xu Yuan’s response, Meng Zhengrong didn’t press further. He simply stood upright and said, “Then get ready. I’ll drive you there later.”

She wanted to be a good daughter-in-law, so naturally he couldn’t hold her back.

Xu Yuan finally turned around and nodded to him.

==

Mother Meng was delighted to see Meng Zhengrong. She had initially wanted to invite him to join them for lunch, but he declined.

“Come back for dinner on weekends. Your sister is hardly ever at home, and neither are you,” Mother Meng sighed. She then shifted her focus to Xu Yuan, realizing that her previous comments might not have been suitable in front of her. She quickly changed the subject, “Do you know what your sister has been up to lately? She’s been going wild lately. It’s been a week since I last saw her. It’s simply outrageous.”

Meng Zhengrong furrowed his brows. “Pingting is an adult now, and she knows her limits.”

Mother Meng had more to say, but Meng Zhengrong interrupted, “Mom, I still have something to do. When you are done, give me a call and I will take you home personally.”

After saying these words, Meng Zhengrong glanced at Xu Yuan and then turned and left.

Mother Meng muttered a few complaints but proceeded to lead Xu Yuan into the club. There weren’t many people around as they reached the door of a private room.

Mother Meng knocked on the door, and it was promptly opened by a woman of a similar age. When she saw Xu Yuan, she greeted her with a cheerful smile, “You’ve finally brought your daughter-in-law out to meet us. Come on in.”

Xu Yuan lowered her head, suppressing a smile. Now was the time to play the role of a good daughter-in-law.

Mother Meng was delighted and held Xu Yuan’s hand as they entered the private room. “It’s not that I don’t want to bring her out; you all know that they’re newlyweds, with plenty of private matters to attend to. Now that they have some free time, I try to bring her along to say hello.”

Xu Yuan sat quietly in the room as she was introduced to the other ladies. Observing her surroundings, she could tell that these women were all either wealthy or from influential families.

“I’ve met Xiao Yuan before. At that time, she was still quite young, always following her mother around. Oh my, we all watched her with so much affection. At that time, a few of us even privately discussed who would be lucky enough to marry a daughter from the Xu family,” said the lady from the Wang family in the northern part of the city. She had a good relationship with Mother Meng and was considered the eldest among this group of wealthy ladies. Xu Yuan had seen her in the news on her phone recently, participating in charity activities for children with leukemia.

When she had checked the news earlier, most of the comments had praised this lady’s benevolent appearance and made people feel warmly toward her.

Mother Meng couldn’t hide her joy. “Exactly! This child is truly endearing.”

She also believed that her judgment was sharp. When her son had agreed to get married, her first thought had been of Xu Yuan.

After introducing the others to Xu Yuan, the conversation shifted to different topics. Xu Yuan sat quietly, sipping her tea. She didn’t feel neglected, knowing that she had spent most of her previous life as a background character. She was accustomed to standing silently in the background for extended periods when people gathered and talked.

“Xiao Yuan, being with us middle-aged women must be boring, right?” Madam Wang, who had somehow taken a seat next to Xu Yuan, asked with a warm smile.

Without much thought, Xu Yuan shook her head. “Not at all.”

She didn’t find it boring at all. In her previous life, she had often watched the emperor review memorials for an entire day without feeling bored.

“I heard you’ve started working at the company now?” Madam Wang asked, showing genuine interest.

In this matter, Xu Yuan felt she needed to give credit to Meng Zhengrong. He had handled the situation well, framing it as an opportunity for her to learn. Besides, Mother Meng had accepted it without objections. So, she replied, “Yes, Zhengrong wanted me to gain some experience at the company.”

Madam Wang nodded in understanding. Her next question, however, was more specific and direct. “I wonder if you have any interest in participating in charity activities, Xiao Yuan?”

Xu Yuan had briefly checked Madam Wang’s background on her phone earlier. She seemed like a prominent figure among these wealthy ladies. Her commitment to charity work had also contributed significantly to her family’s excellent reputation. In other words, Madam Wang was an influential figure in shaping her family’s public image.

Xu Yuan couldn’t think of any valid reason to refuse such a request, even if it was just a formality. However, she wanted to be cautious and discuss it with Meng’s mother and Meng Zhengrong before committing. So, she replied hesitantly, “I’m not sure if I can be as dedicated as you, Madam Wang.”

Even if it was just a formality, Xu Yuan felt that she should inform the Meng family before accepting.

Madam Wang expressed understanding and exchanged contact information with Xu Yuan. “If you ever have this intention, feel free to give me a call. We don’t have to worry about food and clothing, but there are still many compatriots in this world who are suffering.”

Xu Yuan felt a bit awkward hearing this. In her past life, she hadn’t been a good person, and it seemed like she wouldn’t become one in this life either. Suddenly, hearing such words made her feel uncomfortable.

As the dinner was coming to an end, Xu Yuan went out to take a phone call. When she was about to return to the private room, a woman’s voice called out, “Xiao Yuan?”

Xu Yuan turned around and saw a middle-aged woman standing not far away. Seeing Xu Yuan’s response, the woman quickly approached, her smile carrying a hint of flattery. “Xiao Yuan, it’s really you, what a coincidence.”

Since she didn’t know who this person was, Xu Yuan didn’t want to say anything inappropriate, so she simply smiled politely.

“Are you here alone?” The middle-aged woman obviously wanted to have a chat with her.

After some consideration, Xu Yuan replied, “No, I’m here with my mother-in-law for dinner, and she’s waiting for me.”

She didn’t recognize this person at all, and it wasn’t appropriate to engage in a lengthy conversation right now. If she accidentally said something wrong, it wouldn’t be worth it.

Xu Yuan didn’t think this person was particularly important either. She had been in this era for some time, and if this person were significant to the Xu family or the Meng family, she would have met her by now.

“I see,” the middle-aged woman’s face revealed a trace of awkwardness. “Could you spare a few minutes to chat with Auntie? It won’t take up too much of your time, just a few minutes. Auntie is concerned about your recent situation and doesn’t know who else to ask.”

“Alright.” Since she had already agreed in this manner, Xu Yuan didn’t know how to refuse.

Finally, Xu Yuan followed the woman to a small restaurant in the club. There weren’t many people there at the moment.

“Xiao Yuan, Auntie knows you’re a good girl. Your uncle and I used to treat you like our own daughter. When Haohao did what he did, your uncle nearly beat him to death…”

Now Xu Yuan finally understood who this middle-aged woman was. If she guessed correctly, this should be the mother of the original owner’s ex-boyfriend.

The original owner had broken up with Chen Hao, and she was now married. So, what did this woman want to say to the original owner?

Mother Chen glanced at Xu Yuan, feeling nervous. She and her husband had scolded their son for months because of his irrational behavior. He insisted on being with that girl, rejecting a perfect match like Xu Yuan. The entire Chen family was deeply distressed.

The Xu family was one of the top business families in A City. Earlier, the Chen family was doing well too, but in recent years, they had fallen into decline. When their son chose to be with Xu Yuan, their family’s fortunes seemed to take a turn for the better. If they formed a connection with the Xu family, the Chen family might be able to recover its former glory. However, they hadn’t expected their son to be so unreasonable, secretly falling in love with that girl from a humble background and eventually being discovered by Xu Yuan, leading to their breakup…

Mother Chen and her husband had almost exhausted themselves trying to persuade their son to reconcile with Xu Yuan. However, just when their son was starting to consider getting back together with Xu Yuan, they learned that Xu Yuan had hastily married Meng Zhengrong, putting an end to their hopes.

She didn’t expect Xu Yuan to divorce Meng Zhengrong and remarry into their family. She simply hoped that Xu Yuan would transfer all her grievances to that girl named Sun Zhi, so as not to involve the Chen family. What if Xu Yuan decided to take out her anger on the Chen family one day because she was unhappy?

Mother Chen carefully glanced at Xu Yuan. Seeing that she remained silent, she continued, “Haohao is still young and fickle-minded. You’ve known him for many years, and you should know that he’s not a bad person. Haohao does have feelings for you. He’s just temporarily misled by Sun Zhi. Now he regrets it and has been in a state of despair every day. As his mother, I’m both angry and heartbroken…”

Xu Yuan listened with an emotionless expression. These were the kinds of words she would have heard when she first entered the palace. If this person only knew how to say such childish and immature things, it was really a waste of her precious time. She might as well go and learn more about Madam Wang charity work.

Seeing that Xu Yuan showed no emotional reaction, Mother Chen felt disappointed, but she continued, “Auntie will be honest with you today. Your uncle and I only recognize you as our daughter-in-law. Our family currently doesn’t have that good fortune. That Sun Zhi should never enter our family’s door. Xiao Yuan, if you want to blame someone, blame me. It’s my fault as a mother for not raising my son properly. I have let you down. Now I just hope that you can be happy. If you’re happy, Auntie will be satisfied.”

If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, Xu Yuan would have wanted to cover her ears. How could there be someone so clueless? How had they survived this long in this era? Xu Yuan couldn’t help but wonder. This era must be quite forgiving.

If she were as innocent and naive as Mother Chen, she probably would have been taken advantage of within two days of entering the palace.

“Well, Auntie, I understand what you said.” Xu Yuan glanced at her watch and continued, “My mother-in-law is probably looking for me. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way. We can chat another time.”

Xu Yuan stood up with her handbag, glanced at Mother Chen again, and said with a pleasant smile: “Auntie, Chen Hao must really love Miss Sun. I will also sincerely bless them if they get married. You and uncle should be more open-minded. If you have any feelings, A happy ending is when people finally get married.”

After saying this, she said goodbye and left.

Mother Chen was stunned and couldn’t believe the outcome. She remained in a daze for a long time.

Mother Meng owned shares in this club. When Xu Yuan met Mother Chen, Mother Meng quickly found out about it. After the dinner was over, Mother Meng was still thinking about it. In fact, Xu Wan had such a relationship before getting married. It was really not a big deal. She also had an ex-boyfriend before marrying her husband. However, it would be very subtle if she still kept in touch with her ex-boyfriend after getting married.

Mother Meng did not want to see such a situation.

After contemplating for a moment, she asked with concern, “What happened earlier? Why did you come back so late? Are you feeling unwell?”

Xu Yuan realized that Mother Meng was aware of the encounter, so she didn’t hide anything and replied honestly, “I met someone earlier, the mother of an old friend. We had a brief chat.”

Mother Meng felt relieved hearing Xu Yuan’s honest response. She was concerned about her son, but she wasn’t so biased that she couldn’t see Xu Yuan’s point of view. “Next time, if you meet someone, please let me know. You should have informed me earlier; otherwise, people might say we’re impolite.”

Xu Yuan accepted the advice, saying, “Sure, I will.”

Mother Meng, despite her excessive attention to Meng Zhengrong, was reasonable and understanding. Xu Yuan felt relaxed dealing with her.

By the time Xu Yuan returned home, it was already evening, and Meng Zhengrong was waiting for her to have dinner. In order to divert attention, Xu Yuan mentioned Madam Wang’s proposal. She was genuinely interested in participating because those who supported Madam Wang’s charity work were usually prominent figures. By getting involved, she could expand her social circle, which was only beneficial for her. Plus, it would earn her a good reputation. Why not seize this opportunity?

Even if Meng Zhengrong disagreed, she was determined to find a way to make him agree.

Of course, unless Meng Zhengrong had a mental issue, any normal person would agree because her involvement in charity would benefit the Meng family without any harm.

After listening to what she had to say, Meng Zhengrong thought for a moment and readily nodded, “If you want to do it, then go ahead.”

Meng Zhengrong was actually quite supportive of her idea. He also wanted to get involved in charity work, but due to his busy schedule, he hadn’t had the time. Mother Meng had done charity work in the past, but she had gradually stopped. Meng Pingting, on the other hand, was too young and just played around all day, lacking the awareness of charitable activities.

Now that Xu Yuan had taken the initiative, Meng Zhengrong naturally agreed. It was an excellent opportunity to promote the Meng family’s image.

Both of them had different reasons for supporting charity work, but their thoughts aligned. They had a certain level of understanding between them, and in a way, this married couple had a silent understanding.

As they had to work the next day, they both went to bed early. Xu Yuan felt that their current situation was getting better and more favorable for her. She slept soundly, waking up feeling content. Meng Zhengrong was still asleep.

Usually, Meng Zhengrong would wake up earlier in the morning due to his regular biological clock. It was June, and the nights were warm enough that they only needed a thin blanket.

Perhaps it had become a habit, but Xu Yuan, although still uncomfortable sharing a bed with Meng Zhengrong, was no longer as repulsed or frightened as before.

She glanced at him and was momentarily stunned when she noticed a certain reaction under the blanket.

Meng Zhengrong had an indescribable dream again last night. Although it was hard to describe, it had certainly led to a physical response in the morning. This was something he couldn’t control.

He gradually woke up and saw Xu Yuan looking at a certain part of him. Instantly, he became completely awake.

It was a normal reaction. But why did he feel so embarrassed that he couldn’t breathe?

It had happened before, but at those times, he had always woken up before Xu Yuan. This was the first time he had faced such an embarrassing situation with her awake.

Meng Zhengrong moved slightly, wanting to say something to ease the tension in the air. However, when Xu Yuan looked back at him, their eyes met.

…!!!

Meng Zhengrong was on the verge of going crazy because he clearly saw a look of disgust in Xu Yuan’s eyes.

Disgust? Disgust? Disgust?!

What was she disgusted by?!

Xu Yuan was not completely ignorant of matters between men and women, and she hadn’t completely forgotten about their previous encounter a couple of days ago. At this moment, she just felt that Meng Zhengrong was a dirty pervert!

She averted her gaze and left for the bathroom to freshen up, not bothering to acknowledge Meng Zhengrong.

Leaving Meng Zhengrong sitting on the bed feeling utterly foolish.

They had a silent breakfast and silently went to work together.

When Xu Yuan arrived at the office, sister Zhou was not there yet, so she had some time to think about what had happened in the past two days. She had learned how to type in Pinyin during this time, although not very quickly. While lost in thought, she took out her phone from her bag, found Meng Zhengrong in WeChat, and slowly changed his nickname one character at a time to “Dirty Pervert.”

She felt much better after doing this.

On the other hand, Meng Zhengrong appeared to be preoccupied throughout the meeting. When he returned to the office, he sat on the sofa, deep in thought about the events of the morning and Xu Yuan’s look of disgust.

Unbeknownst to him, the thing that men feared the most was seeing that particular look in a woman’s eyes, and even Meng Zhengrong was not an exception to this.

He ran his fingers through his hair, and the expression on his face was indescribable. Why on earth was Xu Yuan disgusted with him?!

Why?! Why?! Why?!

He was perfectly normal, for heaven’s sake! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Thus, Meng Zhengrong, who was usually calm and composed, spent the entire day in a state of turmoil.