Chapter 6: The Charming Sunlit Gentleman

Sister Qi came up and knocked on the door. Lingxin Kong turned around and called several times for her to come in, but Sister Qi kept knocking every now and then. Puzzled, Lingxin Kong walked over to open the door and said, "Didn't I just tell you to come in?"

Sister Qi was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, "Second Madam, you do like to joke. The soundproofing in this house is so good, I couldn’t possibly hear you speaking."

Lingxin Kong masked her embarrassment with a smile. "What delicious food are we having today?"

Sister Qi replied, "Your favorite—shrimp with scrambled eggs, steamed bass, and lettuce in oyster sauce. Also, Madam heard you were coming back today and specifically called the kitchen to prepare a double-boiled old hen soup for Second Madam. She said it’s to help you recuperate and hopefully bear a grandson for the Meng family."

Hearing this, Lingxin Kong’s thoughts were immediately drawn to her sister’s diary and the despair it revealed. A chill involuntarily surfaced in her eyes.

Sister Qi suddenly realized her words might have stirred unpleasant memories for Second Madam and quickly apologized.

Lingxin Kong patted Sister Qi on the shoulder. "It’s alright. Come on, let’s go downstairs."

Sister Qi was stunned for a moment at the touch—Second Madam’s temperament had changed completely since the miscarriage.

Three dishes and a soup were laid out on the dining table. Lingxin Kong only saw one set of bowls and chopsticks; this meal was enough for her and her mother for a whole day. She turned to Sister Qi and asked, "Am I the only one eating?"

Sister Qi thought she meant to ask why Meng Zexiao wasn’t eating lunch and hurriedly replied, "Young Master went out; he’s not eating at home."

Lingxin Kong responded with an "Oh," then sat down. Looking at Sister Qi and the woman standing beside her—who seemed to be a kitchen helper—she said, "Why don’t you two sit down and eat with me? I can’t eat that much anyway."

Sister Qi and the helper exchanged glances. Sister Qi said, "Thank you, Second Madam, but that’s not proper. After we serve you well, A Cui and I will eat in the kitchen. The servants have quite a bit of food today, too."

Hearing this, Lingxin Kong realized that at her core, she was still Wang Lingyi. Since she was the Second Madam of the Meng family, there was no need to adopt any populist policies. It was best to treat the servants according to tradition.

She picked a few grains of rice with her chopsticks and looked around, feeling a deep loneliness—the vast house was utterly lifeless. Eating alone like this, she imagined how her sister must have felt each time she came downstairs to find only one pair of chopsticks waiting.

After the meal, unwilling to stay in the oppressive house on her first day back, Lingxin Kong informed Sister Qi that she wanted to go out shopping.

The driver took Lingxin Kong to the city center, but she insisted on getting out.

After sending the driver away, Lingxin Kong bought a map of City B from a newsstand by the roadside. Having grown up in a county town, the furthest she’d ever been was the provincial capital. City B was a place she had always dreamed of visiting; she never expected to come here in this identity and under these circumstances.

Wearing a T-shirt and jeans with a baseball cap on her head, a backpack on her back, and a map in her hand, she looked every bit the tourist.

Suddenly, the cries of a child caught Lingxin Kong’s attention. As a preschool teacher, she had a keen ear for children’s cries; this one was filled more with fear than distress.

She scanned the area, following the sound—oh no! A child was standing alone in the middle of a busy street, with cars streaming past.

Without hesitation, Lingxin Kong ran to where the child stood, intending to carry him out of harm’s way.

Just as she scooped the child into her arms, a screech of brakes pierced the air—a black Mercedes had slammed onto her leg.

The child in her arms, perhaps frightened by the sudden situation, clung tightly, trembling.

The Mercedes driver got out, cursing loudly, "Can’t you watch where you’re going?!"

Though displeased with the driver’s harsh tone, Lingxin Kong patiently explained, "The child wandered onto the road. I’m very sorry."

The driver was relentless. "Damn! Not only are you blind, you’ve got no brains either! You can’t even look after a kid! If this kid lives to eighteen in your care, it’s pure luck!"

"You!" Lingxin Kong was too angry to reply.

At that moment, the driver of a Passat behind the Mercedes also got out and walked over. Looking at Lingxin Kong holding the child, he asked with concern, "Are you and the child alright?"

Lingxin Kong looked up and saw a strikingly handsome man—sunny, with sharp features, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a clear, warm gaze that made one feel comforted.

“We’re fine, thank you,” she said.

The handsome man then turned to the Mercedes driver, his warm gaze now filled with disdain. "Only impotent men born infertile would use such vile language to curse a child."

Lingxin Kong saw the Mercedes driver’s face contort with anger, and she felt a surge of satisfaction.

The Mercedes driver, clearly a bully who feared the strong, shriveled up at the sight of the taller, handsome man. Muttering curses, he walked over to the man’s car, pretending to take pictures of his license plate with his phone. Once back in his seat, he started the engine and dared to lean out the window, saying, "I’ve got your plate number. Just wait—you’ll regret it!"

Then he slammed the accelerator, and the car vanished immediately.

At that moment, a frantic mother dashed up to Lingxin Kong, snatching the child from her arms. "Guoguo, where are you running off to? Didn’t I tell you? With so many kidnappers around, if I were a moment later, who knows where you’d be taken!"

After speaking, the anxious mother shot a sharp glare at Lingxin Kong.

Lingxin Kong shrugged helplessly. "Next time, keep the child within your sight when you go out."

The sunny-haired man looked at the woman who showed no rush to explain herself, his eyes full of approval.

In a tender voice, the child said, "Mom, you misunderstood Auntie. Auntie saved me just now when I was almost hit by a car."

The mother’s face flushed with embarrassment. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry—I—I was so worried when you went missing."

Lingxin Kong waved her hand, signaling no need for apologies, and smiled gently. "It’s good the child is safe."

Then she made a funny face at Guoguo, making the child giggle.

“Bye-bye,” Lingxin Kong waved to the mother, child, and the handsome man, then walked into the weekend shopping crowd.

Unbeknownst to Lingxin Kong, across the street in the line of cars waiting at the traffic light, the Porsche that had brought her from the Kong family to the seaside villa was parked.

Meng Zexiao, in the driver’s seat, had witnessed everything that had just happened.

When he saw her dash into the road to rescue the child despite the danger, a strange feeling stirred in his heart.

The light had long since turned green, but he watched Lingxin Kong’s departing figure thoughtfully. The beautiful woman in the passenger seat urged him, "Zexiao, what are you thinking about? The light’s green."