’Fuck.’ Luo Ming cursed inwardly, just in time for Fang Meiyan to speak:
"Oh my~" she drawled, her fox-like golden eyes never leaving his face, her smile widening ever so slightly.
Luo Ming didn’t move. He stood rooted to the ground, staring at her as if unable to look anywhere else.
And the more he looked, the more tangibly he felt the connection forming between him and Fang Meiyan, at an alarming pace.
It was unbelievable.
The feeling resembled what he’d felt with Wei Bing, or even High Elder Qisi, but far more pronounced, as if the woman in front of him weren’t even trying to hold herself back.
’What in the world is going on?’ Luo Ming was alarmed.
"I welcome you to the Wei household, Second Madam Meng Lin, and Young Master Luo Ming." Fang Meiyan spoke, her voice suddenly taking on an authoritative edge.
She peeled her eyes away from Luo Ming and turned them on Meng Lin, whose beautiful face wore a graceful, demure expression, nothing like the angry one she usually carried.
"It’s our pleasure to be welcomed by the Matriarch herself." She said respectfully, then gestured toward Luo Ming, "I know you’re already aware, but here’s my son, Luo Ming, the one I proposed engaging to your youngest daughter, Fairy Wei Ting."
Meng Lin glanced at Luo Ming, and he stepped forward, steeling himself, and bowed slightly in respect.
"It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Fang."
"This is our first meeting, isn’t it?" She said, "I can see the rumors about you weren’t false at all."
"Ha-haha." Luo Ming laughed nervously, "Might I ask which rumors exactly? I’ve been the subject of quite a few lately, I’m afraid."
Meng Lin said nothing, only the corners of her lips curving upward. Wei Bing’s face stayed perfectly flat, while Wei Ting’s expression shifted through several waves of panic.
She hated that her mother was speaking with Luo Ming, because at any moment he could reveal what she’d done.
And if he did...
’...no! I can’t let that happen!’
She had to find a way, no matter the cost. Nothing terrified Wei Ting more than disappointing her parents.
Fang Meiyan, meanwhile, was thoroughly entertained. "Quite a few rumors, indeed. But all lies, aren’t they?" She said, "And I’m even more convinced of that now, having met you, Young Master Luo Ming. I doubt you’d need to resort to that sort of thing to get someone into your bed."
Her lips curved in a way that felt aimed only at Luo Ming, since no one else reacted.
"Am I wrong?" She added.
"Absolutely not, Lady Fang." Luo Ming said, matching her grin, feeling strangely exhilarated by the aura Fang Meiyan gave off, "I doubt I’d even need to ask. A smile is probably more than enough."
"Then smile for me?"
"Wait, what?"
"I mean, it’s time for us to head inside." She said with an amused chuckle, then swiftly reclaiming her authoritative tone, glancing at Meng Lin, "I’ll have a little chat with your mother, while Ting’er shows you around the house."
Wei Ting sighed in relief. Almost too loudly, even.
Then she glanced at Wei Bing, "And you, dear, could you go make sure the cooks are on task and ready for dinner later?"
"Yes, mother."
Fang Meiyan clapped her hands, turning her attention back to Meng Lin and Luo Ming, "Shall we, dear guest? Forgive my husband’s absence, he’s in a critical phase of his cultivation."
"Completely understandable." Meng Lin said, giving Luo Ming a soft kiss on the cheek before walking toward Fang Meiyan, "I can relate, I have the same situation at home."
"They’re all the same, aren’t they?" Fang Meiyan joked, and once Meng Lin reached her side, she turned and led her into the house, making idle conversation.
Still, Fang Meiyan spared one brief but meaningful glance back at Luo Ming, her eyes smiling with something unnamed.
Before Luo Ming could even process the meaning behind that smile, Wei Ting was already beside him, on his left.
"Arrogant bastard, let’s go." She said, grabbing his right hand, ready to drag him off.
But with his newfound cultivation, he slipped free of her grip, swift as wind, and instead approached Wei Bing, who hadn’t moved, only watching him from a distance.
The guards and servants had already gone back inside by then.
"Hello, Wei Bing." Luo Ming said cheerfully, "I’m happy to see you again."
Wei Ting watched the scene with wide eyes, unable to believe he’d just done that to her.
Wei Bing’s face twitched as she fought to control her emotions, "I’m glad to see you too, Luo Ming. Was the trip not too difficult?"
"Not at all, it was quite peaceful." He said, "It’s a shame it’s not you showing me around."
’It’s a shame for me too.’ Wei Bing caught herself thinking that, her eyes widening briefly in surprise at her own thought, before she buried it again.
But Luo Ming had already caught the twitch in her expression.
"It’s fine." Wei Bing managed to say, already turning to leave, as if in a hurry, "We should catch up later. You did promise to play the zither for me, after all."
She didn’t wait for a reply, walking straight into the house, leaving only Luo Ming and Wei Ting behind.
He smiled, turned to look at her, and saw her face fall in dismay. But it didn’t last long, quickly replaced by boiling anger.
"What are you playing at, Luo Ming?!" She hissed, closing the distance between them, her voice dangerous.
Luo Ming remained unbothered. He raised his arm and draped it over Wei Ting’s shoulders as though they were old friends, making her freeze in surprise.
Then he spoke,
"Darling, I can see you’re deeply anxious about whether or not I’ll tell your mother what you did back at my clan." He whispered near her ear, "so here’s what we’ll do, my dear Wei Ting, if you want me to stay quiet about that rather unfortunate incident, the one where the woman I love broke my poor heart into pieces."
"You don’t love me." Wei Ting growled, glaring at him, "and don’t think you can blackmail me!"
"You’re sure I can’t?" Luo Ming chuckled, "Are you really sure about that?"
"Yes! You can’t—!"
"Alright. Then let me have a chat with my future mother-in-law about a certain Lin Han."
Wei Ting froze, dead to her core. Then slowly, mechanically, her eyes widened as she stared deep into Luo Ming’s silver eyes.
"You...you..."
"Oh, perfect." Luo Ming’s smile widened, "Now we’re getting somewhere, aren’t we?"
—End of Chapter 21—