Sick or not

Meng Huai looked down at his casual clothes, then at the impeccably dressed people coming and going. He felt utterly out of place and was tempted to go no farther.

Yun Zimo looked at Meng Huai and said, "Why are you dragging your feet? The reception is about to start. It's bad manners to arrive late to an event like this."

Meng Huai smiled and said, "Look at what I'm wearing. I don't match you at all. I'll stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe I should just stay out of it!"

Yun Zimo rolled her eyes. "I never thought you'd care about that. Your wife is a gorgeous woman. Would you really feel comfortable letting her go drinking with other people all by herself?

"It's no big deal. You're my man. As long as you're comfortable wearing it and I'm comfortable looking at you, that's all that matters. Why worry about anyone else? You can't stop farming just because the mole crickets chirp."

Seeing how unconcerned Yun Zimo seemed, Meng Huai felt warmth fill his heart. As a powerful career woman, how could she possibly not care about such things?

He quietly drew a breath, smiled, and nodded. Holding out his arm for Yun Zimo to take, he strode inside with his head held high.

It certainly lived up to its reputation as the largest hotel in Dian City. The decor was dazzlingly lavish, with gold leaf covering the walls. Under the lights, it glittered so brightly that it made his eyes swim.

They reached the largest VIP Hall. The two servers at the entrance paused at the sight of Meng Huai, then glanced at Yun Zimo. In the end, they said nothing and simply stepped aside.

Meng Huai smiled and said, "If my wife weren't here, those two would've tossed me out."

Yun Zimo gave a faint smile. "They're just doing their jobs. Most of the time, you can't blame them. If anything, blame this snobbish society."

Meng Huai nodded, then surveyed the room. Anyone who could attend this event was either wealthy or influential, and their clothes and grooming were the very picture of high society.

Yun Zimo was well known in these circles, a famous ice-cold beauty. Naturally, her entrance on the arm of a man like him drew plenty of attention.

Not a single person attending the reception was a fool. Those brainless rich kids might turn up elsewhere, but certainly not here.

Many of the guests were figures at the very top, each wielding tremendous influence. If one of those idiots offended the wrong person, their entire family would pay for it.

People from powerful families weren't all idiots. If they really were, their families would have been devoured without a trace long ago. They could never have made it this far.

That was why, rather than looking down on Meng Huai for his clothes, everyone thought more highly of him. After all, a man who could have Yun Zimo so devoted to him could hardly be ordinary.

Stories of Cinderella and shepherds belonged only in fairy tales. They could never happen in the real world. Birds of a feather flocked together—that was no empty saying!

A young woman approached with a smile. "Zimo, why are you so late today? And who might this be? Judging by his clothes, he must be some kind of master!"

The others pricked up their ears, eager to hear the answer.

Yun Zimo smiled elegantly. "This is my fiancé, Meng Huai. He isn't a master of any kind. As for his profession, I'm not at liberty to tell you."

Lin Jinsu frowned slightly. She hadn't expected Yun Zimo to say that. She had seen gossip mentioning that Yun Zimo had a fiancé, but hadn't taken it seriously. To think it was actually true.

A profession she couldn't disclose was certainly no ordinary one. It meant his work must be beyond anything an ordinary person could imagine. Someone like that was not to be trifled with.

Just as Lin Jinsu was about to speak, Shan Meirong approached from the side, her face wreathed in smiles. "I didn't expect to see you here too, Mr. Meng."

Meng Huai smiled casually. "I didn't want to come, but I couldn't stop worrying about Zimo, so I had to tag along. You look well."

Shan Meirong sighed. "My son may be gone, but life still has to go on. I asked Zimo to come help me so she could eventually take over my position, but she simply refused!

"Still, it makes sense. With you by her side, Mr. Meng, she'll have nothing to worry about in the future. Why would she care for my little group?"

Everyone, Lin Jinsu included, was taken aback. The Fenglan Group ranked among the foremost companies in Dian City, and its strength was not to be underestimated.

Yet Shan Meirong had said something like that. This Mr. Meng was clearly no ordinary man; they simply didn't know what made him so remarkable.

While everyone was puzzling over it, a cough came through the speakers. An exceptionally businesslike middle-aged man stood at the front, smiling at the crowd.

Meng Huai paused slightly at the sight of the middle-aged man, then asked Yun Zimo, "Who's he?"

Yun Zimo lowered her voice. "His name is Chang Yanping. He's the president of the Chang Clan Group, the largest group in Dian City. He's the sort of man who could make the whole city tremble just by stamping his foot."

Meng Huai smiled unconcernedly. "I remember you saying last night that the fund was a little short of money. Well, here comes someone to give us some. He's sick."

Lin Jinsu had been hovering near the two of them. Hearing this, she froze in surprise. She hadn't expected Meng Huai to say such a thing. Could he be a miracle doctor?

Yun Zimo replied quietly, "Don't talk nonsense. You're not a doctor. How do you know he's sick?"

Meng Huai chuckled. "I can't cure the illnesses doctors can treat, but no one else can cure the ones I can. If he went to a hospital, they'd definitely say there was nothing wrong with him. But as far as I'm concerned, he's definitely sick.

"Still, there's no sense chasing after a customer. We just have to wait. His condition will flare up within two days, and the hospital won't be able to do a thing. Then he'll be coming to hand us money."

Yun Zimo's eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "You mean he's been..."

Meng Huai wagged a finger. "It's too early to say, but there's definitely a connection. I can only be sure once it flares up. How about we move? I feel like this place is getting more and more dangerous."

Yun Zimo glared at him. "How do you jump from one thing to another like that? Stop talking about things that don't matter. I still need to go speak to those sponsors."

Seeing Yun Zimo head off to one side, Lin Jinsu hurried over to Meng Huai, adopting an exceedingly elegant manner.

Meng Huai clearly had no interest in her whatsoever. He headed straight for the bar, casually picked up a bottle of brandy, and drank straight from it without bothering with a glass.

His uninhibited display made him the center of attention once again. Even Chang Yanping, who had been holding forth onstage, stopped speaking and turned his gaze toward him.

Meng Huai drained every last drop of brandy, then beckoned to a server. "This foreign stuff has no kick. Do you have any Hengshui Laobaigan? Bring me two bottles."

The server hesitated. "We don't carry that kind of low-end liquor here. If you'd like a Chinese liquor, sir, we have premium Moutai and Wuliangye."

Meng Huai said without a care, "Bring me a case of each. I'll take home whatever I can't finish. I don't usually get to drink such good stuff."

Everyone frowned at first, but when they saw Chang Yanping walking over, understanding dawned on them, and they couldn't help giving Meng Huai a thumbs-up.