"Uncle Meng?" Qin Anyu paused for a moment, immediately worriedly asked, "Is there something wrong with my grandfather?"
"No, Mr. Qin is still in good health," Meng Jin replied, his gaze moving to the living room. Under the gentle light, Mo Xiaolin was dressed in a purple casual outfit, her face adorned with a sweet smile. Even if it was only a day, less than a day since they had parted, but the house in Jianan Prefecture felt empty without Mo Xiaolin.
Meng Jin could hardly stay for an hour.
Knowing that Mo Xiaolin had come to Tang Yue's place, Meng Jin felt reassured in his heart. It didn't count as a breach of promise to visit his future daughter-in-law's family.
"Then..." Qin Anyu, hearing that her grandfather was fine, felt relieved, but then she wondered, what was Uncle Meng here for?
"Brother Jin, why are you here?" Mo Xiaolin heard Meng Jin's voice, turned her head, and at the moment she saw him, her entire face bloomed bright and beautiful like a flower.
Especially since Mo Xiaolin had a very good temperament, this gentle smile made people feel very comfortable.
Qin Anyu was wondering how Granny Yue knew Meng Jin. Next, she saw Meng Jin naturally take Mo Xiaolin's hand, and the two of them chatted and laughed as they walked into the house.
Qin Anyu's eyes nearly popped out.
Of course, the other people in the house weren't much better off.
Tang Mingli and his wife knew that Mo Xiaolin was a single mother. Si Yu's father, they had never heard of him and assumed he was dead. But, having been in Jing City for just a few days, how did it happen that she got along with... someone so quickly?
Bai Qing's eyes darted towards Tang Yue, feeling that something about the situation was off.
Lian Qingyang nearly stood up on the spot to ask who he was.
Seeing this, Tang Yue quickly pulled Lian Qingyang back, whispering, "Let me explain this to you later."
Lian Qingyang sat down huffily. He didn't want to have anything to do with the Meng Family.
"Uncle Meng..." Tang Yue hesitated for a second. Even Si Yu hadn't switched how he addressed him, so it didn't seem right for her to do so. Therefore, she went to the kitchen to add another set of bowls and chopsticks.
"Xiao Yue, I apologize for dropping in uninvited," Meng Jin said, looking at the table full of dishes. He commented, "Xiao Yue's cooking skills are really getting better and better."
One of the dishes, stir-fried pork with green peppers, looked exactly the same as what he had at the motorcade that day.
"Uncle Meng, you flatter me," Tang Yue said as she saw Qin Anyu still standing there. She stepped forward and pulled Qin Anyu, "Sister An Yu, it's time to eat."
"Xiao Yue, what's going on with Uncle Meng and your mother-in-law?" Qin Anyu felt like the world was mystical; she muttered, "Is your mother-in-law looking to find a stepdad for Si Yu?"
"Cough, this is his real dad," Tang Yue said quietly. Qin Anyu's mouth gaped open in surprise, looking like she was about to scream. Tang Yue quickly covered her mouth and said, "Sister An Yu, this isn't known to others yet. Don't make a scene."
Qin Anyu took her seat, looking at Meng Jin and then at Mo Xiaolin, feeling that the world was... so small.
The woman Uncle Meng had waited for his whole life turned out to be Si Yu's mother.
Meng Jin now looked much gentler, his face full of smiles, unlike his earlier forced smiles. This smile was heartfelt, and on closer inspection, even though his temples were frosted with age, such a smile made him look younger.
Mo Xiaolin had no choice but to go along with Meng Jin as she couldn't break free from his grip upon sitting down. She introduced, "Brother Jin, these are the in-laws, the uncle and aunt, Tang Mingli and Wei Jiajia."
"Uncle in-law, you've raised Xiao Yue very well. Our Si Yu is fortunate to marry her," Meng Jin said enthusiastically. He was well aware that Mo Siyu fancied Tang Yue. To gain Mo Siyu's approval, it was essential to treat Tang Yue kindly.
"Uh..." Tang Mingli looked bewilderedly at Tang Yue. Even if Meng Jin had a thing for Mo Xiaolin, why was he being so... enthusiastic about our Si Yu?
Could this stepfather, who hasn't developed any affectionate bond, be this passionate?
"Uncle, this man is Si Yu's biological father," Tang Yue said, and it dropped like a boulder into a still lake.
"Sister Xiao Yue, you're kidding, right?"
Lian Qingyang was the first to disbelieve, saying, "Back then, Meng Yanzhi harmed you, and now Meng Yanzhi's father has become Mo Siyu's biological father?"
"Who is Meng Yanzhi, and why would he want to harm Xiao Yue?" Tang Mingli didn't care about the biological father matter. Hearing that Meng Yanzhi had hurt Tang Yue, his brows immediately furrowed.
"That..." Tang Yue found it difficult to explain for the moment.
Lian Qingyang, however, quickly explained the whole situation in a nutshell, including the part about the ten-year sentence, with crystal clarity.
Only after hearing this did Tang Mingli breathe a sigh of relief. He thought to himself that Mo Siyu did the right thing. If you covet Xiao Yue, you should bear the consequences of your actions. However, Meng Yanzhi was Meng Jin's adopted son, and Mo Siyu had put him behind bars. This matter...
"Uncle in-law, to be honest, I'm not ashamed to say that I failed to fulfill my duties as a parent. These years, I've been engrossed in the company, only returning home once or twice a year. The fact that Yanzhi did such a thing is my fault."
Meng Jin took a deep breath, stood up, and sincerely apologized to Tang Mingli.
Tang Mingli, not daring to accept such an apology, quickly replied, "It's over now. He has already been punished by the law."
"Xiaolin, I don't blame Si Yu. Even when my dad wanted to save Yanzhi, I stopped him. Yanzhi made a mistake and deserved to be punished," Meng Jin consoled her. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novel⟡fire.net
Mo Xiaolin hesitated, ultimately remaining silent.
Throughout the meal, only Meng Jin ate happily. Having Mo Xiaolin by his side, he felt blissful and joyful about his life.
After Mo Xiaolin left, she remembered that she meant to ask Tang Yue for the keys to the new house, with plans to hire someone for the renovation. However, she had forgotten all about it due to Meng Jin's unexpected visit.
"Brother Jin, Meng Yanzhi is your adopted son?" Mo Xiaolin asked.
"Yes, my dad thought I was lonely on my own and brought him to me. Before he was seven, I managed the company, and our relationship was neither good nor bad. After he turned seven, I was absorbed in the R&D company and not often in Jing City," Meng Jin explained eagerly, answering her question before Mo Xiaolin even had a chance to ask.
"Xiaolin, if I hadn't seen my father all alone, I would never have agreed to adopt a child," Meng Jin explained hastily, worried that Mo Xiaolin might be upset.
Mo Xiaolin said nothing, just gazing deeply at him.
Meng Jin grew even more anxious and said, "Regarding Yanzhi's affection for Xiao Yue, I had already warned him. But I never expected him to do such a thing. Fortunately, it did not cause any substantial harm to Xiao Yue, and he has indeed been punished."
"Brother Jin, does your father, by any chance, detest Si Yu?" Mo Xiaolin asked softly, her gaze fixed on Meng Jin. Even if Meng Jin hadn't said anything, she could deduce from what Lian Qingyang had said earlier, as well as Meng Jin's following remarks, that Mr. Meng most definitely liked Meng Yanzhi, the grandson he had adopted.