Chapter 8: Being Overheard, The Calmer She Is, The Bigger the Issue

After Wen Zhaoyin said those words that day, she didn’t come over for several days for some reason.

Meng Huan was so bored that he wanted to take the initiative. Although the Wen Mansion had good food and clothing, he still craved freedom more. A flower is no longer pleasant to look at if you stare at it all the time; everything is better when it’s fresh.

However, as soon as he reached the gate, he was stopped by the guards, who said he wasn’t allowed to wander around and could only move within the Green Bamboo Courtyard.

Meng Huan felt angry just thinking about it. Where was the basic trust between people? He had been behaving so normally these past few days, yet Wen Zhaoyin still restricted his movements. Her vigilance was a bit too much.

With no other choice, out of boredom, he could only play Five-in-a-Row with Wen Xi using a Go board. They played from morning to night and got tired of it in a single day.

The next day, Wen Xi said he would tell him some gossip about the Wen Mansion. Meng Huan initially refused, thinking that only women indulged in gossip and stirred up trouble behind others’ backs. Later, unable to resist the temptation, he listened for a bit and found himself getting more and more interested.

“Young Master! Young Master!” Wen Xi, holding up the hem of his outer robe, ran towards Meng Huan with small, hurried steps.

To be honest, Meng Huan really looked down on this effeminate man at first. Then, whether it was because he got used to it or because everyone around him was like that, he actually found Wen Xi not so irritating to look at anymore.

He was currently tidying up the short shrubs at the corner of the corridor, trimming them with a special pair of large shears as a form of exercise. He looked up and rolled his eyes, “Why are you running so fast? Are you being chased by a wolf?”

Hearing this, Wen Xi slowed down, but Meng Huan then said, “What did I tell you? A man should take big strides! Walking with your legs close together all day, are you afraid of your bird falling off?”

These words were too crude. Wen Xi’s face turned red in an instant, and he wished he could directly cover Young Master’s unfiltered mouth.

“You… please speak softly. It’s not good if others hear it.”

He stepped forward to help Meng Huan dust off the dirt on the corner of his clothes, then took the shears and followed Meng Huan into the room.

“I heard a piece of good news this time. It’s said that Wang Fu, who previously served you, was found to have embezzled family property and secretly sold Zu Jun’s jewelry and such. He has now been taken away by the brokers and sold!”

Wang Fu wasn’t investigated early or late, but it just so happened that he was found to have flaws after bullying Young Master. Wen Xi, with his quick wit, immediately understood and guessed that the family head must have secretly played a role in this.

If one day he could gain the family head’s favor, would he also be taken care of like this…

Meng Huan and Wen Xi entered the room, casually placed the tools on the table, washed their hands in the basin, picked up the teapot, and took a big gulp of tea. Only after drinking did he say, “Mm, I see.”

Although he appeared calm and steady, he was actually quite pleased. Wen Zhaoyin’s attitude was usually lukewarm, but unexpectedly, she cared about him quite a bit.

“Find out what Wen Zhaoyin has been up to recently. How come she doesn’t even have time for a date?” Could it be that his performance in bed was not good, so she didn’t want to come?

“I heard that the women here can marry several men. Does she also have several men?”

This string of questions left Wen Xi confused. He had to sort out the order before answering one by one, “I can’t inquire about the family head’s whereabouts. Women can marry three husbands and four concubines, but the family head currently only has you in the rear courtyard.”

“Young Master, even if you don’t call her family head, at least address her as wife-master. Always calling her by her full name will seem very disrespectful.”

Wife-master, both a wife and a master. Meng Huan shook his head repeatedly. He had always kept his distance from the former term, and as for master, family head, and the like, he was also unwilling to say them out loud because it would make him seem inferior.

“I’m used to calling her that. It’s fine. If one day she finds it disrespectful for me to call her by her full name, she can just kick me out of the Wen family. I’ll be more than happy to leave.”

Wen Xi was shocked by his words and covered his mouth, “Young Master, what kind of joke are you making? If you leave, you’ll have no one to rely on, and life will be very hard for you.”

In fact, Meng Huan’s current situation was very awkward. He didn’t even have a proper status in the Wen family, and he had already been slept with. If he were really kicked out one day, he probably wouldn’t be able to return to his previous family and could only resort to begging on the streets.

“Aiya, let’s not talk about it anymore. Go and see if the kitchen has finished preparing the meal. That’s the only thing I can look forward to now.” Meng Huan didn’t want to hear Wen Xi’s brainwashing remarks and sent him out with a single sentence.

Just as Wen Xi stepped out the door, he ran into Wen Zhaoyin and Pei Lan standing at the entrance. He was about to greet them, but was signaled to keep quiet and then told to go about his own business.

He walked away, turning his head back every three steps. Even when he left the gate of the Green Bamboo Courtyard, his heart was still pounding wildly, and his mind was filled with random thoughts. He didn’t know how long the family head had been standing outside and whether she had heard anything she shouldn’t have.

Young Master said he wished to be kicked out of the Wen family. Would the family head be angry if she heard that? Perhaps she would be. After all, the family head was also a woman, and women would never tolerate their men being disloyal…

On this side.

Wen Zhaoyin stood at the door for a while longer before walking in like nothing had happened. She didn’t mention punishing Wang Fu for Meng Huan and only asked if the food was to his liking and if his body had gotten better.

Meng Huan had no sense of crisis and answered whatever he was asked. In the end, he even tried to apply for an expanded range of movement.

Pei Lan served them on the side, trembling with fear. She knew that the calmer the family head appeared, the bigger the issue was. Meng Xiaolang, ah, you’re in for a rough time these next few days.

Wen Xi returned, followed by a group of servants carrying dishes. They entered the room in a bustling manner, placed the dishes on the table, and then hurriedly left.

He didn’t follow them out but stood on the side, constantly winking at Meng Huan, trying to remind him to be cautious. Their earlier conversation might have been overheard by the family head.

After all, they were now tied together, not in a competitive relationship. If Young Master was disliked by the family head, his chance to get close to the family head would also disappear along with it.

But Meng Huan acted as if he were blind and never noticed no matter what.

On the other hand, Pei Lan, who was standing on the side, couldn’t bear to watch anymore. She quietly dragged Wen Xi out and only allowed him to wait quietly at the door for orders.

Wen Zhaoyin ate the meal in silence, put down her chopsticks, and moved to the warm couch by the window. She asked someone to bring the book she wanted to read and said that she wasn’t busy today and would stay to keep Meng Huan company.

Meng Huan was quite happy. He considered himself quite good at pleasing women. As long as the other party didn’t resist getting close to him, he could make them listen to him in everything after some time.

He studied the courses on the art of flirting bought online more diligently than his professional courses.

***

Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me (Female-dominant)

One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.

Synopsis:

Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.

But this is still far from enough.

He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.

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