Chapter 8

The two of them returned to the villa, and Meng Zhengrong said to Xu Yuan, “Take some rest, and I’ll call you later. We’ll go to your parents’ house for dinner together.”

This was discussed earlier in the morning before they left. They planned to have lunch at Meng’s house and dinner at Xu’s house, treating both sides equally.

Fortunately, Mother Meng had no objections and secretly hoped that Meng Zhengrong would establish a good relationship with the Xu family.

Xu Yuan nodded and hesitated slightly.

Meng Zhengrong noticed and asked gently, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

He thought she might explain the car accident incident to him, and in fact, he was hoping she would. Although he didn’t mind Xu Yuan’s “obstinate willfulness” this time, as her husband, he still wanted to build a closer relationship with her through this incident.

Xu Yuan hesitated and said, “Um, can I borrow a few books to read from you?”

Before they got married, Meng Zhengrong and Xu Yuan weren’t very familiar with each other. Despite having a good relationship with her brother, Xu Nuo, there weren’t many interactions between them due to the age difference.

Meng Zhengrong was taken aback for a moment, thinking she might explain something about the car accident. In fact, he was expecting her to do so. 

“Of course, what kind of books would you like to read?” Meng Zhengrong asked.

Xu Yuan wasn’t particularly interested in history or similar books. How future generations would evaluate her was no longer a concern for her. She had a sense of self-awareness – in historical records, her image was undoubtedly depicted negatively, so she didn’t care about what happened after her death. What mattered most to her now was understanding this era and acquiring the necessary skills to adapt to it.

Reading books was the most straightforward way to achieve this, and she had nothing else to do at the moment.

Meng Zhengrong’s question stumped Xu Yuan. She didn’t know what books she should read to understand this world better.

Fortunately, Meng Zhengrong was considerate. He looked at her and pushed open the door to his study. “You can look for yourself.”

Regardless of the era, the study room was a private place for many people. Xu Yuan glanced at him and asked, “Is it okay?”

Meng Zhengrong felt that Xu Yuan was different from what he had known before. In his impression, Xu Yuan was a somewhat spoiled but still within acceptable limits rich girl. However, the Xu Yuan in front of him was entirely different.

She didn’t speak much in his presence, but she knew when to advance and retreat. He could feel that her restraint didn’t come from fear but rather a kind of… a silent attitude of observation.

Was his previous understanding incorrect, or had something changed in her during the time he was away?

“Of course, you can.”

Upon hearing Meng Zhengrong’s affirmative answer, Xu Yuan no longer hesitated. She followed him into the study.

Meng Zhengrong’s study was quite large, with two tall and wide bookshelves filled with books. He walked to the desk, turned on his computer, and said to Xu Yuan, “There’s a sofa here, you can read here.”

“Okay.”

Meng Zhengrong picked up the landline phone on the desk, made a couple of casual calls, and said, “Have afternoon tea prepared in the study, for both my wife and me.”

After making this internal call, Meng Zhengrong quickly got back to work. His slender fingers tapped the keyboard, producing a pleasant sound.

Xu Yuan, who had learned to be discreet from her previous life, didn’t need to make a conscious effort to stay quiet. She naturally avoided making any noise that could disturb others.

She opened one of the bookshelves, stood on tiptoes, and examined the books for a while. Some of the characters were unfamiliar to her, so she had to skip those for now. She randomly selected a few books and sat on the sofa, focusing on her reading.

Meng Zhengrong looked up at her, and the setting sun from outside the window bathed her in its warm light. Even though she was on the sofa, her posture was remarkably upright, and she turned the pages of the book gently and noiselessly.

Meng Zhengrong turned off his computer, stood up, and walked over to her. He spoke softly, “Well, we can leave now. Don’t want to keep my in-laws waiting too long.”

Xu Yuan reluctantly took her eyes off the book.

In her previous life, she had learned to acquire knowledge diligently, understanding that to climb higher in society, she needed to be well-informed. Now, she needed to adapt to this new environment as quickly as possible. Learning about this era and mastering the skills here was essential for her peace of mind.

Reading books was the most direct way to achieve that.

Meng Zhengrong noticed her state and couldn’t help but smile. He reached out and patted her head affectionately, an action that didn’t make Xu Yuan blush but rather startled her. She quickly got up, took a few steps back, and maintained a safe distance from Meng Zhengrong. “Okay, didn’t you say we can leave? Let me get ready.”

Whether Xu Yuan was being shy or trying to avoid something, Meng Zhengrong could not discern it.

Meng Zhengrong wasn’t a particularly proactive person when it came to romantic relationships, especially when he didn’t have strong feelings for the other person. He believed that he had done what needed to be done and said what needed to be said. He couldn’t find the extra energy to delve into Xu Yuan’s inner world.

The development between him and Xu Yuan would have to proceed naturally.

When they arrived at the Xu residence, surprisingly, Xu Nuo, who rarely ate at home, was also present. Xu Yuan had heard through subtle hints that Meng Zhengrong had a good relationship with Xu Nuo, but it seemed that the relationship was even better than she had thought.

Father Xu saw that the harmony between Xu Yuan and Meng Zhengrong seemed to be genuine, which put his mind at ease. He was a man of few words, especially in front of his wife, and usually played the role of a background figure.

What Mother Xu had told Xu Nuo was unknown to Xu Yuan, but after finishing the meal, Xu Nuo took Xu Yuan aside near the staircase and began to inquire.

Xu Yuan was undeniably beautiful, and Xu Nuo was no slouch either. He was slightly shorter than Meng Zhengrong but still stood at around 1.8 meters. He wore a dark blue suit, had a slick back hairstyle, and sported a pair of glasses. He exuded the air of a successful professional.

Seeing his sister patiently waiting for guidance, Xu Nuo sighed. He was the only family member who disapproved of this marriage, not because he thought Meng Zhengrong was a bad match, but because he believed that his sister was far from being a suitable partner for someone like Meng Zhengrong. She simply wouldn’t be able to handle him.

However, his opinion didn’t matter.

“Xiao Yuan, please be honest with me. What are your thoughts right now?” 

After what happened last time, Xu Nuo was very doubtful whether his sister would live a steady life in this marriage.

If this was the case, he really wanted to give her a piece of advice, never go too far. Meng Zhengrong seemed to have a good temper, but people who knew him knew that once he lost his temper, he was actually very willful. Horrible people.

What is the most intolerable thing for a man? Undoubtedly being cuckolded.

If Xu Wan shows any signs of wanting to get back together with her ex, then she is actually hurting her good ex-boyfriend, and Meng Zhengrong will definitely make that guy look ugly.

Meng Zhengrong looked like a gentleman, but his actual character was completely different from that of a gentleman.

Although the Xu family is not afraid of confronting the Meng family, no one wants to see a lose-lose situation.

What Xu Nuo didn’t know was that the girl standing in front of him was no longer the naive and a little willful sister. Xu Nuo could live well with several big men in the palace in her previous life, but she always said good things to everyone, and she never If you don’t tell the truth, trouble will come from your mouth. As long as you control your mouth, trouble will not come to you.

Only saying good things to anyone that others want to hear has become the instinct in the wishing body.

She knew that if what she said was what Xu Nuo wanted to hear, it must be what Meng Zhengrong wanted to hear, and maybe it would reach Meng Zhengrong’s ears.

Xu Yuan has analyzed her current situation very thoroughly. It is true that her support is the Xu family, but it is the Meng family that determines whether she can live a good life.

In any case, maintaining a good relationship with Meng Zhengrong has only advantages and no disadvantages for her.

Thinking of this, there is no need to deliberately pretend to make a wish, the expression on her face naturally becomes sincere, and even the tone is the same, “Brother, I have already married into the Meng family, and I must want to live a good life. Everyone in the  Meng family is very nice to me, and I’m not an ignorant person. Don’t worry, what happened in the past has passed away. I will definitely not miss anything in the past anymore…” She paused. He emphasized, “Anyone else.”

Although Mother Xu didn’t say it clearly when she was at Xu’s family house, she could also guess that the original owner must have liked someone before, and the car crash was also because of that person. When Xu Nuo asked, it must have been because of this incident.

Now that she has survived, she must live a better life.

From her point of view, having anything to do with the original owner’s past would be self-destructive.

The reason why the original owner married Meng Zhengrong meant that Meng Zhengrong was definitely much stronger than that person on very practical issues.

Past experience tells her that going against a strong person will not bring good results.

If you really can’t control yourself, just stay calm and wait until you are stronger than him.