Meng Shangzhi

Bai Yunsheng stood frozen in place, forgetting to move his gaze as he looked directly at the man before him.

The umbrella continued to tilt.

A gust of wind blew raindrops inside, brushing across Bai Yunsheng's face. He blinked instinctively, and the icy chill jolted his mind back into motion. His gaze fell on the man's shoulder. "Your clothes are wet."

The man barely moved the corners of his lips. "It's fine." Then he asked, "Why aren't you in the banquet hall either?"

Bai Yunsheng's thoughts shifted. "They don't like having me there."

The man's expression changed after Bai Yunsheng said that.

Bai Yunsheng looked at the umbrella above them and stood up. "Thank you for the umbrella. My name is Bai Yunsheng. What's yours?"

The man said, "Meng Shangzhi."

Bai Yunsheng paused, then immediately said, "I've heard your name before."

Meng Shangzhi kept his eyes on Bai Yunsheng's face. "A lot of people have heard my name."

The rain grew heavier and heavier, until the distant scenery became hard to see.

Meng Shangzhi said, "Let's go back. The rain is getting worse."

Bai Yunsheng lowered his eyelids as though he were afraid of something. "I told you, they don't like—"

Meng Shangzhi interrupted him. "With me here, no one will dare say no to you."

From the backyard to the corridor, not a single drop of rain touched Bai Yunsheng. Their shoulders brushed from time to time, and Bai Yunsheng could not help looking up. Meng Shangzhi's striking bone structure imprinted itself on his mind at once. "Thank you, Mr. Meng."

Meng Shangzhi's gaze shifted slightly, and he pressed his lips together. "You're welcome. I was only passing by."

The people waiting by the entrance opened the door. Just as the two were about to enter, Meng Shangzhi's phone rang. He stopped. "Go in first." With that, he turned and walked away.

Bai Yunsheng nodded. Most of the guests inside had already arrived and were likely waiting for Meng Shangzhi. They had gathered near the entrance, and when the doors opened, their gazes all turned toward it. But after a few seconds, the one who appeared was not Meng Shangzhi, but an unfamiliar young man.

"Who's that?"

"Someone close to Chairman Meng?"

"Why does he look a little familiar?"

"..."

Bai Yunsheng accepted the dense stares and the discussions from every direction without changing expression. He swept his gaze over the room and happened to meet Feng Yanshan's unfriendly eyes. Bai Yunsheng had no idea how he had offended Feng Yanshan again. Irritation rose in his heart, but his expression remained composed as he watched Feng Yanshan approach.

"Where did you go?" Feng Yanshan reprimanded in a low voice.

Bai Yunsheng said, "Big Brother said I shouldn't show myself before Meng Shangzhi arrived."

Before his words had even faded, Feng Yanshan grabbed Bai Yunsheng and reminded him, "Is Chairman Meng's name something you can call so casually?"

Feng Tingfan deliberately raised his voice beside them with a cheerful smile. "Bai Yunsheng, don't go calling Chairman Meng by his name in front of him too. That would be rude."

The moment the name Bai Yunsheng came up, many people around them figured out who he was. As for why so many people knew Bai Yunsheng, Feng Tingfan deserved thanks for all his publicity. If not for those young masters spreading it by word of mouth, others might not have known Bai Yunsheng was associated with the words "illegitimate child."

"So this is that illegitimate child from the Feng Household?"

"But didn't they say he was too ugly to show his face? He looks pretty good."

"An illegitimate child is still an illegitimate child. At such an important banquet, he couldn't even be found." The speaker let out a snicker.

Though the chatter was chaotic, it was not quiet. Everyone could hear it clearly. Feng Yanshan's face turned half-red, half-pale, and the way he looked at Bai Yunsheng became even more displeased.

Surrounded by those ugly remarks, Bai Yunsheng's expression did not change in the slightest, as though they were not talking about him at all.

The discussion had not yet ended, but Feng Yanshan's expression was unpleasant enough that those with tact, or those who needed to curry favor with the Feng Household, wisely stopped speaking. Only a few scattered teasing remarks remained, accompanied by laughter.

Those voices were quickly cut off. At some point, Meng Shangzhi had appeared at the entrance. Half his clothes were still soaked, making his black suit seem even darker. The noise around them immediately softened, and several people hurried forward to fawn over him.

"How lively." Meng Shangzhi's tone was even. "Were you discussing illegitimate children?" He gave a low laugh, the Buddhist beads on his wrist somehow already clenched in his palm. "Have you forgotten that I, Meng Shangzhi, am also an illegitimate child?"

The instant those words fell, the area went silent. It seemed as if even the sound of breathing had vanished.

Meng Shangzhi said nothing more and walked straight toward Bai Yunsheng. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he lowered his head and asked gently, "Did you get wet?"

Feng Yanshan, standing nearby, was startled, while Feng Tingfan's expression became even more interesting.

Bai Yunsheng said, "No. Mr. Meng's umbrella shielded me from all of it."

Meng Shangzhi gave a hum. He seemed to hesitate for a second, but only a second. Then he raised his hand and lightly brushed over Bai Yunsheng's hair. "Your hair is a little wet. You must have gotten wet while sitting on that bench." Then he turned to Feng Yanshan. His tone remained calm, but his eyes carried a heavy pressure. "Your young master's hair is wet. Your Feng Household servants are awfully high and mighty if they failed to notice."

In just a few seconds, Feng Yanshan sorted through the situation. He turned and berated the servants, "What are you still standing around for? Go get a towel!" Then he said ingratiatingly to Meng Shangzhi, "Chairman Meng, your clothes are wet. Would you like to go upstairs and change into another set?"

Meng Shangzhi said, "I never enter strangers' rooms." After a few seconds, he asked, "Is it Yunsheng's?"

Thinking of Bai Yunsheng's room, which was extremely close to the servants' quarters, Feng Yanshan instinctively glanced at Bai Yunsheng.

Bai Yunsheng obediently understood the meaning in Feng Yanshan's eyes and answered directly, "Mr. Meng, I don't like strangers entering my room either."

Bai Yunsheng's refusal gave Feng Yanshan a fright. Meng Shangzhi's actions and words had clearly been deliberately drawing close to Bai Yunsheng. At a time like this, Bai Yunsheng should have found another excuse to brush it off, rather than rejecting him so coldly and bluntly. Feng Yanshan cursed Bai Yunsheng several times in his heart for being unable to handle himself in public. He quickly looked at Meng Shangzhi, but fortunately, there was no anger on Meng Shangzhi's face.

Meng Shangzhi said, "I was presumptuous. If that's the case, then forget it." As he spoke, he cast a glance at those who had been discussing illegitimate children. The moment their eyes met Meng Shangzhi's, they all instinctively took a step back. The smug smiles on their faces froze, and cold sweat inexplicably broke out over their bodies.

In all of Kyoto, no one dared offend Meng Shangzhi.

Meng Shangzhi ignored their fear. "Watch your mouths."

Ever since Meng Shangzhi entered, Bai Yunsheng had been observing him and testing his limits. Refusing Meng Shangzhi had been his first test.

It was not that he did not believe Meng Shangzhi liked him. He had already recognized Meng Shangzhi's deep feelings for him at the grave.

But those feelings were utterly inexplicable.

After all, Bai Yunsheng had never met Meng Shangzhi before.

So he wanted to do something that would put his mind at ease.

Even if it was only a small refusal.