128: Chapter 128 When the Plums Ripen: Childhood Sweetheart Male Lead 6

"Is this what a scholarly family, an ancient clan, looks like? I love it, I love it."

"Families like this might not necessarily be super rich, but their heritage is absolutely incredible."

"Exactly, who knows, even the vases used for flower arranging might be antiques."

"Let's not go that far, that's too exaggerated, haha."

The comments were right; the Meng Family didn't quite fit the mold of those families seen in other movies—the kind that could cover the sky with one hand or destroy companies on a whim. That wasn't really their style.

In fact, even Meng Zhu couldn't dictate everything single-handedly at the Meng Group these days.

"I'll take your luggage to Tingyu Pavilion first."

Meng Zhu carried the suitcase and walked in front.

Tingyu Pavilion was a detached small building on the east side of Qinghe Garden. The second-floor bedroom window faced a pond of summer lotus flowers; it was the courtyard Meng Zhu had specifically chosen for Nan Li back then.

However, Nan Li ignored him, as if she had long known that Meng Zhu would help her unpack.

As soon as her toes touched the ground, she was like a bird that had broken free from its leash, rushing out like a gust of wind, leaving behind only a crisp, drifting sentence.

"Brother, I'm going to see Grandmother first!"

Meng Zhu carried the luggage and shook his head helplessly as he watched her vanish in a flash at the end of the path, which was lined with lush trees and flowers.

Nan Li was naturally familiar with Qinghe Garden. She passed through a flower bed and skillfully navigated around the craggy rockery, and soon, a wide, small lake appeared before her eyes.

From afar, she saw Meng Zhu's parents leisurely fishing by the lake.

Her eyes darted around, and she quietly slowed her pace, tiptoeing closer like a little cat. Then, when she was about ten steps away from them, she suddenly stood up straight and shouted with all her might:

"Uncle Meng! Aunt Liang! I'm back!"

The clear, bright voice pierced the quiet of the afternoon, startling Father Meng and Mother Meng by the lake.

When they turned around and saw the figure rushing toward them, their shock turned into pleasant surprise.

"You girl!"

Aunt Liang tapped her playfully.

"Why do you walk without making a sound?"

"Hehe, I wanted to give you a surprise!"

Nan Li hugged Aunt Liang's arm and swayed back and forth coquettishly.

Father Meng watched from the side, a smile appearing on his usually stern face.

He looked Nan Li up and down.

"You seem a bit thinner. Did you not eat well at school?"

"No way! I've been eating plenty!"

Nan Li puffed out her small chest and leaned toward Father Meng.

"Uncle Meng, I really want to eat the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish you make!"

"Hahaha, alright, I'll make it for you tonight!"

"Thank you, Uncle Meng! I'm going to see Grandmother first! I'll come back in a bit!"

Before the two elders could say anything more, she waved her hand like a butterfly and ran off in another direction, her footsteps clattering away.

She passed through the long veranda, heading toward the elegant small building deep in the garden.

She repeated her old trick, sneaking silently to the door and peeking inside through the gap in the carved wooden window.

She saw an elderly woman with gray hair and an elegant demeanor—Old Madam—wearing reading glasses, sitting in front of a rosewood embroidery frame, focusing on her needlework.

Beside her, Auntie Hua, the housekeeper of Qinghe Garden, was carefully helping her separate silk threads.

Nan Li took a deep breath and jumped out from the side of the door, her voice sweet and bright:

"Grandmother! Auntie Hua! I'm back!"

"Oh my!"

Old Madam's hand shook, and she almost pricked herself with the embroidery needle, but there was not a hint of reproach on her face, only boundless surprise and affection.

"Zhaoyu is back?"

Grandmother took off her reading glasses, pulled Nan Li into her arms as she pounced forward, and patted her back.

"You pull this stunt every time; you're going to give your grandmother a heart attack."

"Pfft, pfft, pfft. Grandmother's heart is perfectly fine; you will definitely live to be a hundred."

Nan Li acted coquettishly, but her words were a sincere blessing.

Auntie Hua, the housekeeper, was grinning from ear to ear.

"Once Zhaoyu is back, this Qinghe Garden seems to come alive all of a sudden."

"Auntie Hua, you're teasing me again."

Nan Li pretended to be angry.

"How would I dare? You little ancestor, you're completely lawless."

Auntie Hua had watched Meng Zhu grow up, and naturally, she had watched Nan Li grow up too.

All the old staff at Qinghe Garden doted on Nan Li.

After Nan Li finished patrolling her territory in Qinghe Garden and had coaxed all the elders into beaming with joy, she finally remembered someone she had left behind.

"Auntie Hua, where is Brother Xiujie?"

Nan Li didn't really want the answer.

She was just feeling a bit puzzled.

Hadn't Xiujie gone to Tingyu Pavilion to put away her luggage? Why hadn't she seen him for so long?

"The Young Master? He can't get away right now."

Meng Zhu had just finished putting away the luggage when a phone call summoned him directly to the front hall.

At this moment, he was sitting quietly on a rosewood armchair, his posture as upright as a pine tree.

He let the man opposite him ramble on at length.

Meng Zhu listened quietly without interrupting. Those black eyes, which usually held indulgence, were now as deep as a bottomless lake.

An oppressive aura of natural authority radiated from him.

After his uncle-in-law finished speaking, the entire front hall fell silent for a few seconds.

Meng Zhu then raised his hand unhurriedly.

His long, slender fingers gently pinched the celadon teacup beside him, while his other hand elegantly supported the saucer.

He lifted the lid, lowered his eyes, and used the lid to methodically skim the floating tea leaves on the surface of the water.

His movements were fluid, steady, and self-possessed.

"I have previously reviewed the proposal for the project you mentioned, Uncle."

Meng Zhu's voice was low and calm, without the slightest fluctuation, yet it carried an unquestionable sense of power.

"The profit margin is indeed considerable, but the risk assessment report shows loopholes in the supervision of the third-party capital chain. The Group's focus for the second half of the year is stability; this project is currently unsuitable."

These words were watertight, but his uncle-in-law's expression stiffened slightly.

His wife was the elder sister of Meng Zhu's father. How could this kid be so heartless?

After a few more negotiations, Meng Zhu still wouldn't budge.

His uncle-in-law, Lu Yu, finally became irritated. You don't care about our relationship, do you?

Fine, then I'll tear off the mask and see just how heartless you can be.

He naturally knew Meng Zhu's temperament, so he revealed his true intentions, stabbing straight at the heart.

He looked at Meng Zhu, enunciating every word clearly.

"What about Zhaoyu?"

He didn't wait for a response and continued.

"If you are going to be so cold-hearted, don't blame me for being ruthless. I think Zhaoyu is old enough. This year, at the ancestral worship, I want her to choose a marriage partner from the younger generation of the Meng Family."

After saying this, Meng Zhu's movement of holding the tea finally paused, and he glanced at Lu Yu.

The Meng Family would not allow 30% of the Meng Group's shares to fall into outside hands; this was the beginning of a forced marriage.

It was possible that Lu Yu was acting on impulse, but speaking it out so naturally suggested it might not be a spur-of-the-moment thought.

Back when Nan Li's parents had just passed away, the Meng Family had wanted to arrange a childhood engagement, but Meng Zhu had blocked it.

But this matter, as expected, was not over yet.

"I will discuss this matter with my grandparents."

"Hmph, you'd better not play any tricks. You can hide for today, but you can't hide forever."

After saying this, his aunt added a few words of comfort from the side.

Saying that her husband didn't mean it that way, that it wasn't intentional.

These kinds of people—one playing the good cop, one playing the bad cop—really had great acting skills.

Unfortunately, Meng Zhu didn't buy it at all; he never acted impulsively.

When Nan Li arrived, she happened to see Meng Zhu's aunt and uncle-in-law leaving.

Meng Zhu set down his teacup, his handsome, cold profile looking like finely carved cold jade under the lights of the hall.