Chapter 186

Chapter 186

◎Don't play with fire.◎

On the day when Liang Wenkai's interviews were appearing everywhere in Yu'an County, Meng Qi, Qu Liang, and Zhao Zheyuan followed Ren Suiyi and boarded the helicopter that had originally transported Elder Dong and his two grandchildren, leaving Sunflower Elementary School.

No one had welcomed them when they arrived, and so as not to upset the children, they sneaked into the helicopter during class time. Therefore, apart from Elder Gu, Li Qingjiang, and Liang Wenkai, no one else saw them off.

Looking through the helicopter's porthole at the ground getting farther and farther away, Meng Qi quickly became overwhelmed with sorrow. He pressed his face against the window and took a deep breath, but still felt his nose sting so much that tears threatened to spill at any moment.

To be honest, he didn't like or get used to this tendency to cry so easily. He had endured so many unimaginable hardships in the past without shedding many tears, so why was it that now that his life had improved, he had become a perpetual tear machine?

He really, really, really disliked this out-of-control weakness that went against his will.

Not long ago, Li Qingjiang had explained to him that it was normal to be more emotional during this time. He had advised Meng Qi not to worry or feel anxious, just to go with the flow. Once the baby was born, his hormone levels would gradually return to normal, and then he wouldn't be so prone to bouts of melancholy and tears.

At least he could go back to being himself.

His due date was in early April of the following year, and it was currently the end of December, meaning in less than four months, he could be himself again! Hope was within reach!

As his thoughts wandered, the tears brought on by the recent parting were instantly replaced by irrepressible excitement. Meng Qi suddenly felt revived, and when he looked up at the sky again, it seemed even brighter than before.

Ren Suiyi, who had been keeping an eye on Meng Qi's emotional state while working, relaxed his expression and smiled as he gently pinched Meng Qi's soft earlobe. However, he was very busy these days, almost never without his tablet in hand, so after Meng Qi smiled back at him, he immediately plunged back into work.

Seeing this, Meng Qi pulled his small blanket up higher, stopped disturbing Ren Suiyi, and closed his eyes to rest.

Two hours later, the helicopter landed in front of a three-story villa nestled among lush trees.

This would be where Meng Qi and the others would stay for the foreseeable future.

Except for the slightly remote location, Meng Qi found everything perfect. He was especially fond of the vast blue sea a hundred meters away—standing in front of the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor of the villa, he could clearly see the half-meter-tall waves crashing against the rocks, hear the crashing sound of the waves hitting the reef, and even occasionally catch a whiff of the salty sea breeze.

This place was exactly like the image Meng Qi had fantasized about countless times; it was a dream come true.

Although in his original fantasy, he had been accompanied by his grandparents, and their absence now left him with a sense of regret, the thought that Ren Suiyi was by his side eased much of that feeling.

He had found a new family and a new life, gaining abundant happiness and joy. His grandparents would surely be happy for him, wouldn't they?

Just as he was thinking this, Qu Liang and Zhao Zheyuan came upstairs to find him.

Qu Liang held up his phone, laughing loudly at the screen. When he spotted Meng Qi, he tapped the screen once and said to the person on the other end, "Young Master Meng is here. Come say hi to him."

Meng Qi gave Qu Liang a questioning look about who he was talking to, but before Qu Liang could answer, Li Qingjiang's voice came through the phone's speaker. Clearly still cheerful from his conversation with Qu Liang, he spoke with clear amusement, "My dear apprentice, without your master here to keep an eye on you, have you been studying your books properly these past two days?"

"I have. There's nothing else for me to do." Hearing Li Qingjiang's voice, Meng Qi eagerly took the phone from Qu Liang, turned the screen around, and switched to the front camera to chat with him.

Besides Li Qingjiang, Liang Wenkai was also on the other end. The two handsome faces crowded into the small screen, smiling brightly.

As soon as their eyes met, Liang Wenkai raised his hand and waved, hastily asking Meng Qi, "Are you settling in well there, Young Master Meng?" Before Meng Qi could answer, he quickly added an explanation: "Right after you left, our Sunflower was swarmed by a group of journalists and influencers. We've been busy hosting them for the past two days and haven't had a chance to ask about your situation."

Actually, they had already called Qu Liang and Zhao Zheyuan, but they hadn't found the right opportunity to ask Meng Qi directly.

As Liang Wenkai said, the moment they left, before the helicopter sounds had even faded, a crowd of journalists and influencers arrived at the school for interviews and videos. From early morning until eleven or twelve o'clock at night, they hosted them for two consecutive days.

No matter how early or late, he could always contact Qu Liang or Zhao Zheyuan freely, but not Meng Qi, because someone who is pregnant needs adequate sleep. None of them would disturb Meng Qi during his rest; it was an unspoken rule.

Despite this reason, Liang Wenkai still felt a bit guilty when asking Meng Qi.

Instead of answering right away, Meng Qi walked over to the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, raised his right hand high, and showed himself with the view behind him. Then, with excitement, he asked Li Qingjiang and Liang Wenkai, "Can you see the sea? Hear the waves?"

Liang Wenkai leaned in closer to listen for a moment and replied regretfully, "I can see it, but I can barely hear it."

"Want to hear it? I'll go out later and record a clip for you—waves, sea breeze, seagulls—it all sounds great, like a lullaby. You can fall asleep listening to it." Meng Qi said enthusiastically.

This was the first time he had ever seen the sea in his life, and even after two days, he was still caught up in the excitement. He wanted to tell everyone about the ocean's grandeur and wonder.

He had even dragged Ren Suiyi to the beach twice.

But it was winter now, and the sea breeze was strong and cold. After he sneezed once on the beach, Ren Suiyi forbade him to go down there anymore.

However, Ren Suiyi had gone out early that morning on business and hadn't returned yet. If Liang Wenkai and Li Qingjiang also really wanted to hear the waves, he could take the opportunity to sneak down to the beach and record a video.

Li Qingjiang said, "I'd like to hear it, but we'll come over in a while. A-Kai and I will listen to the live version."

"Yeah, the live version is indeed better. And with the sea breeze blowing on your face, it feels even more amazing." Meng Qi said with the air of an experienced person.

Li Qingjiang and Liang Wenkai both laughed on the other end.

After laughing, Li Qingjiang, still most concerned about Meng Qi's health, asked if he felt any discomfort and urged him to be honest and not hide anything, no matter how minor.

Meng Qi felt perfectly fine, even more comfortable now that a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

Yesterday, Ren Suiyi had invited several medical professionals to the villa for a thorough prenatal check-up. The conclusion was that both he and the baby were very healthy. Although those doctors had never dealt with a male pregnancy case, they still confidently assured him that with their skills, they could ensure Meng Qi and the baby's safety.

"The people Young Master Ren found must be very skilled. Just follow their instructions, stay calm, and don't overthink it," Li Qingjiang advised.

Meng Qi nodded. "I know, Master. Thank you for always taking such good care of me. Even if they're very capable, I still hope you can come when the time comes. I'll feel more at ease with you there."

Liang Wenkai piped in with a laugh, "Don't worry, Young Master Meng. The miracle doctor won't miss it. If he doesn't go, I'll carry him on my back if necessary."

Time passed quickly in laughter and chatter. Before they knew it, ten days had passed at the seaside villa.

During these ten days, Ren Suiyi was even busier than he had been at Sunflower, leaving early and returning late almost every day, visibly more exhausted than before. Meng Qi felt a pang of sympathy for him; he wanted to share the burden but didn't know where to start.

He had grown up in the countryside, and the most powerful person he had ever known was the county party secretary. The most complex and deceitful human interactions he'd experienced were the bullying by immature youths. His life experience and perspective were far too shallow compared to Ren Suiyi's, so no matter how much he wanted to help, his hands were tied.

Gradually, he fell into a new sense of anxiety. He began to ponder why, throughout history, people had tirelessly repeated the phrase "being well-matched in family status," and why Jia Qing's parents had forced her to marry Meng Zhenchao.

He loved Ren Suiyi, and he was one hundred percent sure that Ren Suiyi loved him, but...

Could an unequal love last?

Being new to love, Meng Qi couldn't figure this out on his own. With something on his mind, his mood naturally dampened.

Ren Suiyi, just back from a long day of work, opened his arms to Meng Qi. Meng Qi understood and went over, burying himself in Ren Suiyi's embrace. Ren Suiyi buried his face in Meng Qi's neck, breathing deeply, then let out a contented sigh. "My little catnip, I missed you so much. I wish I could put you in my pocket and take you everywhere."

Meng Qi wrapped his arms around Ren Suiyi's waist and back, pulling him toward the sofa in the middle of the living room. Ren Suiyi stayed in the embrace and followed his steps.

After hearing Ren Suiyi's words, Meng Qi smiled. "I missed you too, so much."

"Just wait a few more days. Once everything settles down, I won't go anywhere. I'll be with you from morning till night." Ren Suiyi nuzzled against Meng Qi's cheek, like a cat.

By then, Meng Qi had pulled him to the sofa. As his calves touched the sofa, Ren Suiyi pulled Meng Qi down with him, and they both lay down on the sofa. Meng Qi stumbled but then laughed, straddling Ren Suiyi, cupping his face, and kissing him for a long time.

Both seemed to have separation anxiety, desperately needing to feel connected to each other.

After the kiss, both were slightly intoxicated, but Ren Suiyi still noticed from Meng Qi's subtle expression that something was on his mind. However, since Meng Qi didn't say anything, his guess veered off track. He mistakenly thought Meng Qi was worried about how to deal with Li Jinqiu, so he shifted to the side, letting Meng Qi lie on his side comfortably next to him as they talked.

"The conflict with Li Jinqiu will soon be resolved. Don't worry anymore, okay? Stop overthinking and trust your brother Yiyi."

This time, Meng Qi rested his head on Ren Suiyi's neck, shifting left and right to find a very comfortable position, and said lazily, "Of course I trust you. I wasn't overthinking."

Ren Suiyi rubbed his chin against the top of Meng Qi's head and asked doubtfully, "Really? But I feel like you're not in a great mood."

Meng Qi thought to himself, what's on my mind is something else that's affecting my mood, so naturally I can't get cheerful, but I just don't know how to bring it up with you.

An ordinary guy like me ended up dating a world-class big shot. I wouldn't even know how to handle an average relationship, let alone something like this... I can't find the words.

"'No secrets, be honest with each other' — it hasn't been that long since we made that promise. You shouldn't have forgotten it, right? So come on, tell me what's on your mind. I'm ready." Ren Suiyi encouraged Meng Qi to voice his doubts.

"I haven't forgotten..." Meng Qi's voice was muffled and subdued, clearly lacking confidence.

Ren Suiyi sat up, looked Meng Qi straight in the eyes, and once again urged him to bravely express his thoughts.

Mesmerized by Ren Suiyi's gaze, Meng Qi gritted his teeth, steeled himself, and said, "I feel like I can't help you with anything. I'm afraid you'll find me stupid, that you'll... that you'll leave me and the baby like Ms. Jia did."

He genuinely had this fear. He became so sad that his nose stung and he wanted to cry again.

Hearing this, Ren Suiyi was stunned for a long moment, then burst out laughing and ruffled Meng Qi's hair, making his smooth locks fly like dandelion seeds in the wind. Afterward, he gently smoothed Meng Qi's hair back into place and asked him patiently, "Think about it—are we the same as them? Did Ms. Jia leave Uncle Meng because she thought he was stupid? And once Ms. Jia found her Mr. Zhong, did she ever leave again?"

No. No. She never left again.

There was no love between Ms. Jia and Meng Zhenchao; Ms. Jia was deeply in love with her Mr. Zhong.

The answer was obvious: as long as there is love, you can walk together to the end.

Thinking this, Meng Qi felt very annoyed and scolded himself for being so muddled, getting tangled up in such clear logic.

He looked at Ren Suiyi with a dejected expression, wanting to apologize, but the words stuck in his throat.

Ren Suiyi kissed Meng Qi and said with a smile, "Is it possible that what I like is precisely your 'stupidity'?"

Meng Qi frowned slightly, seriously considering that possibility.

Ren Suiyi went on, "Silly, naive, pure, fragile... You may never understand how attractive you are to me like this. This is exactly the you I love."

Okay, no need to say more—those aren't all positive words.

Alright... alright, no need to say more, he understood. He would never feel lost again.

Meng Qi turned over and pinned Ren Suiyi down on the sofa, a mix of shyness and sweetness welling up in his heart, turning into a surge of courage and impulse that made him kiss Ren Suiyi without a second thought, using all his strength, setting Ren Suiyi's mouth, face, and neck on fire with kisses, leaving marks that were uniquely his.

Suddenly, he understood why Ren Suiyi liked kissing him so much.

At first, Ren Suiyi accepted it calmly, but in the end, his restraint hit rock bottom. He shook his head and dodged with a smile, asking Meng Qi with a grin if he was hungry and why he had suddenly turned into a little dog.

Meng Qi said fiercely, "I'm going to eat you up." Then he bit Ren Suiyi's neck again.

Ren Suiyi, caught between laughter and tears, pushed Meng Qi away, and said through gritted teeth, "Stop teasing me. Have you forgotten what Elder Dong told you?"

Of course, Meng Qi remembered—that his body was different and he couldn't do that kind of thing during pregnancy.

But he just couldn't help wanting to nibble on Ren Suiyi, wanting to make Ren Suiyi completely his own.

Being a few years older and having a bit more self-control, Ren Suiyi pushed Meng Qi away, sat up, then moved back half a meter, leaving a gap between them. Pretending to be calm, he said to Meng Qi, "For your health, we can't continue. Even though Brother Yiyi wants it more than you do, we have to stop here for today. Get up. I'll take you back to your room first to take a shower and calm down."

"What about you?" Meng Qi glanced at the sweat beads on the bridge of Ren Suiyi's nose, and at that moment, he felt guilty.

That look of regret finally broke through Ren Suiyi's last defenses. Ren Suiyi could no longer stay calm. Shaking his head with a wry smile, he replied, "I'll go to another room. Sweetheart, we need a little time apart."

"Author's Note"

I originally planned to finish at chapter 186. 186—sounds like "time to get rich" in Chinese, such a great meaning—but plans change.

It seems our Meng Qi and Ren Suiyi aren't ready to say goodbye just yet [hug]. Let's keep going!