Chapter 19: Quite The Wild Thoughts
Pei Yuzhou didn’t open his eyes, his lips parting slightly, “Still looking.”
Meng Shuyou hurriedly withdrew her gaze.
Did he grow a third eye? He was too perceptive.
They soaked peacefully for over ten minutes.
Meng Shuyou broke the silence, “Mister Pei, I’m done soaking. I’ll go first.”
He gave a faint “Mm” in his subdued tone.
Meng Shuyou returned to her room and took another shower.
She couldn’t figure it out; where exactly was the problem?
In that kind of atmosphere earlier, with nothing happening, was that normal?
Could it be that Mister Pei had no such thoughts about her?
She wasn’t bad-looking, and her figure was decent enough, almost C-cup at least. Was she really that unattractive? Couldn’t arouse even a bit of his interest?
Meng Shuyou sighed, unable to make sense of it.
–
The terrace next door.
A tall figure leaned against the railing smoking, the night thick and dark, the spark at his fingertips flickering on and off.
Smoke exhaled from his lips was scattered by the wind.
His mobile phone vibrated.
Pei Yuzhou stubbed out his cigarette and pressed to answer, “Grandfather.”
The voice on the other end was deep and resonant, “When are you coming back?”
“In a couple of days.”
“I heard the Arthur Family has been restless lately.”
“I’ll handle it. You don’t need to worry.”
“Mm.” The Old Master truly didn’t worry about business world matters; this telephone call had an ulterior motive, “You’ve been putting off your marriage all along. Isn’t it about time to consider it now?”
“It’s still early, no rush.”
“You always fob me off with that line. There are plenty of eligible girls from other families. Can’t you find a suitable one?”
Pei Yuzhou had heard these words many times and cut the topic short, “It’s late. If there’s nothing else, I won’t disturb your rest. I’ll be back in a couple of days to play chess with you.”
The Old Master was helpless against him, “I’m too lazy to care about you anymore.”
The call ended.
Pei Yuzhou sat on the terrace for a while.
He recalled not long ago in the hot spring pool, the girl’s soft body pressing against him, the faint jasmine fragrance filling his nostrils.
A certain spot in his lower abdomen tightened.
He had never been a man driven by desire, yet this was the first time he felt a primal impulse toward a young girl.
At first, he just wanted to scare her, but she wasn’t afraid at all.
She seemed so obedient and pure on the surface, but actually not; she had quite a wild mind.
–
The next morning, Meng Shuyou had to return to school and learned that Mister Pei was also heading back to the city, so she wheedled her way into catching a ride with him.
On the way, Mark kept reporting on work.
Securities investment, stock market trends, currency trading…
A bunch of professional terms and various numerical percentages; Meng Shuyou felt like she was listening to a heavenly script and quietly huddled in her seat scrolling her mobile phone.
No wonder people like him made millions in minutes; he didn’t even waste time while riding in the car.
After finishing company matters, Mark brought up, “Sir, the invitation letter from Phillips Auction House has arrived. Twenty-fifth at seven p.m.”
Meng Shuyou finally caught a sentence she could understand and turned to the man beside her, asking, “Mister Pei, can you take me to the auction?”
Pei Yuzhou glanced sideways, “What for?”
“I heard Phillips Auction House often auctions master paintings. I want to see the world.” Meng Shuyou’s eyes were full of expectation, “Is it convenient to bring me? I’ll just stand by quietly, absolutely won’t disturb you.”
Before Pei Yuzhou could answer, the driver slowly braked, “Miss, the school has arrived.”
Meng Shuyou waited a moment but got no reply, knowing she had been presumptuous, “If it’s inconvenient, then forget it…”
“That afternoon, someone will come pick you up.” His voice sounded at the same time.
Meng Shuyou’s eyes lit up, and she gave him a brilliant smile, “Thank you, Mister Pei!”
She grabbed her bags and folding drawing board and got out of the car, waving, “Then I’ll head back to school. See you next time.”
Pei Yuzhou watched her jog through the school gate, her skirt hem fluttering, her figure light and graceful.
Girls this age brimmed with youthful vitality.
Meng Shuyou returned to her dormitory to drop off her things and then went to the art studio.
Winnie saw her and asked, “How was your weekend?”
Meng Shuyou curved her lips, “Not bad.”
Seeing her in a good mood, Winnie guessed blindly, “Any progress?”
Meng Shuyou thought back, “Seems like none.”
“Seems like none—what do you mean, is there or isn’t there?”
“Got his contact info. Does that count as progress?”
Winnie was surprised, “Chased him for so long and only just got his contact info?”
Meng Shuyou shrugged.
Actually, it had gone smoother than expected.
–
The Meng Family had recently been busy preparing Meng Yan’s wedding, reportedly set for September.
Meng Shuyou kept stumbling upon Meng Yan’s lovey-dovey Moments posts every few days.
That group of plastic sisters in the circle said pleasant things on the surface but trashed her behind her back in the group chat.
“It’s just a marriage. Showing off every day—aren’t you bored?”
“Haven’t you heard? The more you’re lacking something, the more you flaunt it. She just wants to prove she’s better than Second Young Master Zhao’s white moonlight.”
“Meng Yan is apparently going to America for this year’s Phillips Auction.”
“Where’d she get the invitation letter? You can’t just go to Phillips Auction like that. The Meng Family doesn’t even meet the threshold.”
“The Zhao Family gave it, obviously. Her husband is taking her, says they’re bidding on a gemstone for the wedding ring.”
“No wonder she’s been so smug lately.”
“Items at the auction aren’t cheap. If she doesn’t win the bid, it’ll be embarrassing.”
“Then we’ll have a good show to watch.”
Meng Shuyou then learned that Meng Yan was also coming to America for the Phillips Auction.
If Meng Yan saw her with Mister Pei, there would probably be trouble again.
Looked like she’d have to avoid her then.
Unexpectedly, two days before the auction, Meng Yan contacted her first.
Meng Yan: “I’m in America. Let’s have afternoon tea.”
Meng Yan: “By the way, give me the club membership card. Dad said so.”
Meng Shuyou didn’t want to spend even a moment with her, “I have classes and no time. Come to my school and get it yourself.”
Meng Yan: “Just time for one coffee. Won’t take long. Sending you the address.”
The appointment was for three p.m.
Meng Yan had dressed up specially, with exquisite makeup and a Dior blue vine check set from the recent fashion week runway, carrying a rare leather bag.
In the end, she waited forty minutes in the coffee shop before Meng Shuyou arrived.
She suppressed her temper, not wanting to cause a scene in public, “Do you have any sense of time? You don’t answer calls—what’s the meaning of this?”
Meng Shuyou calmly sat across from her, pulled out the card from her bag and handed it over, “I told you I have classes and no time. If you didn’t want to wait, you didn’t have to.”
Meng Yan held back, then laughed instead of getting angry, “I’m going to the auction the day after tomorrow. There are several master paintings in the lots. You should be interested, but too bad I don’t have an extra invitation letter.”
She took a sip of coffee, “If you’d gotten together with the one from the Xu family sooner, maybe you could’ve gone with Mister Xu.”
Meng Shuyou ignored her, her expression calm throughout, “I need to hurry back for class. Drink slowly.”
She left after saying that.
Meng Yan frowned tightly, like punching cotton—no reaction from the other side, utterly deflating.
She disliked Meng Shuyou’s uncompetitive, self-righteously aloof attitude. Just an illegitimate daughter—she should stay under her foot forever.
