"Come on, Feifei, get in the car." Gao Mengting's voice came from behind. Hou Feifei shivered and quickly snapped back to reality.
She swallowed hard and bent down to climb into the car.
Bang— The moment the car door closed, the whole world felt cut off.
The soft leather seats wrapped around her body, and a faint, high-end fragrance filled the air.
"Mengting, which neighborhood do you live in?"
"Hua Xing Garden, it's less than two kilometers from here."
"Got it." Tang Song set the navigation and fastened his seatbelt.
Accompanied by the deep, powerful hum of the engine, the Bentley Mulsanne slowly started up.
The neon lights and pedestrian traffic outside flashed by quickly.
Hou Feifei’s face turned red. She took a deep breath, a little nervous, overwhelmed by this entirely new experience.
Then she glanced sideways at Tang Song and her bestie next to him, still in disbelief.
Hou Feifei and Gao Mengting had basically grown up together—childhood friends and besties. No one knew her better.
And now suddenly, Gao Mengting had become a rich woman... and had this kind of boyfriend? The shock in her heart was beyond words.
“Hiss—ouch!” Hou Feifei yelped and turned her head quickly to her bestie, whispering, “What the hell, Mengting, why did you pinch me?”
Gao Mengting waved her phone and glared. “Why didn’t you tell me you answered the call? You even dragged Tang Song over?”
“I… I…” Hou Feifei stammered, guilty at first, then straightened her neck and said, “And you’re lecturing me? You didn’t even tell me you had a boyfriend! Are we even best friends anymore?!”
Hearing the words “boyfriend,” Gao Mengting’s face flushed slightly. She muttered, “Just don’t go telling anyone about this.”
Hou Feifei looked confused. “Why not?”
Gao Mengting gave her a sharp look and said seriously, “No reason. Just don’t.”
“Alright, fine. Whatever you say, rich-lady Mengting.” Hou Feifei pouted, then turned toward Tang Song in the driver’s seat with a shy smile. “Um… sorry about earlier, Tang Song. I… I was just joking around.”
Hitting on your best friend’s boyfriend in the middle of the street—if that got out, she’d never live it down.
“No worries, haha.” Tang Song chuckled and waved it off. “I actually thought it was pretty funny. By the way, Mengting, you and Feifei have known each other since you were little?”
“Mm, we grew up in the same neighborhood. Even went to the same high school.” Gao Mengting smiled gently, then started chatting with Tang Song about their childhood.
Hou Feifei chimed in from time to time. The atmosphere gradually relaxed.
A few minutes later.
The Bentley Mulsanne slowly pulled up to the north gate of Hua Xing Garden.
Gao Mengting lowered the window and spoke to the security guard. With a look of surprise on his face, the car rolled through the gate and parked in a space downstairs.
“Thanks, Tang Song. I’m heading home now. You two chat—bye!”
“Bye-bye!”
Hou Feifei waved at the two of them, made a face at Gao Mengting, then carefully closed the car door. She gave the luxurious Bentley another glance before quickly walking toward her building.
The car fell silent.
Tang Song unfastened his seatbelt and turned toward Gao Mengting, a faint smile on his lips.
Gao Mengting shifted awkwardly, her voice soft. “It’s all Feifei’s fault. Sorry to trouble you.”
“It’s okay. I wanted to see you anyway—makes me happy to be here.”
“Oh.” Gao Mengting smiled and rested her bag on her lap. “I’m happy too. Thank you.”
They stared at each other for a long moment as more doors opened and closed in the background.
The streetlights bathed the neighborhood in a warm glow. The night was calm and quiet.
The damp night breeze gently lifted their hair.
Gao Mengting brushed a strand from her cheek. “It’s getting late… so, goodnight then. I might come a bit later tomorrow.”
After speaking, she looked at Tang Song’s handsome face, clearly waiting for him to say something more.
“Mm. Bye.”
Gao Mengting lowered her head slightly and turned toward the building entrance.
She pulled out her keycard and swiped it.
Before going in, she turned back to glance at her business partner under the night sky and waved again. “Text me when you get back to the hotel. Drive safe.”
Then she stepped inside.
Hua Xing Garden was an old community built in 2000, with six-story walk-ups.
Gao Mengting slowly made her way up the somewhat worn staircase, pausing occasionally.
When she reached the third floor, she glanced out the stairwell window.
The Bentley was already gone.
A sense of disappointment quietly welled up in her chest.
Actually, she had hoped Tang Song would say something like “Want me to come up for a bit?” or “Should I say hi to your parents?”
But clearly, he didn’t mean to.
Gao Mengting wasn’t the type to chase or force things. She wanted love to happen naturally and wouldn’t push him.
Biting her lip, a bright smile soon returned to her face.
She continued up two more floors and arrived at apartment 501. Just as she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open.
A tall, burly figure stood in the doorway—it was her father, Gao Jinshan.
Gao Mengting was momentarily stunned, then beamed. “Dad!”
“Haha! I knew it was my girl just by your footsteps. Come on in!” Gao Jinshan’s booming voice carried his thick northeastern accent, echoing through the hallway.
As he spoke, her mom, Zhao Suyun, hurried over. “Aiyo, my daughter’s finally home! Come in, quick! I made pork rib soup for you. Drink it while it’s hot!”
Before Gao Mengting could react, her mom dragged her into the house.
The familiar smell filled her nose. She took a deep breath, as if all her exhaustion had instantly melted away.
“Mom, why’d you make soup again? I just had BBQ with Feifei.”
“BBQ doesn’t count as a real meal! You’ve been gone for seven or eight months now, and you’ve lost weight again.” Zhao Suyun nagged as she ladled a steaming bowl of pork rib soup and handed it to her.
Holding the warm bowl in her hands, Gao Mengting’s eyes misted over.
Since leaving home after New Year’s, she’d gone through betrayal from classmates, a failed business… back then, she couldn’t even eat properly.
Later, she started a new venture with Tang Song, and only now was she finally catching her breath.
Compared to New Year’s, she really had lost nearly ten pounds.
In the cozy living room, laughter and conversation filled the air.
After finishing the soup, Gao Mengting smelled like BBQ, so she returned to her small bedroom.
She opened her wardrobe. It was packed with neatly folded clothes.
Since she used to be in the clothing business, both she and her parents had a lot of clothes.
She rummaged through for a bit until her eyes lit up. She deliberately picked a cream-colored high-neck sweater—one that looked a lot like Tang Song’s.
After changing, she came back out of the bedroom—just as a knock sounded at the door.
“Coming!” her dad, Gao Jinshan, responded, getting up to answer.
The door opened to reveal a slightly chubby man in his late forties.
He wore a loose floral shirt, a cigarette in hand, with a friendly smile on his face.
Gao Mengting stood up and greeted him with a smile. “Uncle Guoqing.”
Zhang Guoqing grinned at her words, revealing a set of slightly yellowed teeth. “I heard Old Gao laughing from inside just now, figured it had to be your daughter coming home—and I was right.”
Gao Jinshan let out a hearty laugh. “Of course I’m happy! My Mengting hasn’t been home in eight months. She’s finally willing to come see us—how could I not be overjoyed?”
Zhang Guoqing nodded, his gaze falling on Gao Mengting. “Aiya, this girl’s getting prettier and prettier—better looking than the stars on TV.”
Gao Mengting lowered her head and smiled. “Uncle Guoqing, you’re just flattering me.”
“Hey, don’t be so modest!” Zhang Guoqing waved his hand, his tone half-joking. “I heard from your dad that you started your own company in Yancheng, making a ton of money. Now you’re a big boss, huh? Amazing.”
Gao Mengting shot her father a glare. “Dad, stop bragging! It’s not that exaggerated.”
Her father was great in many ways, but he loved to have a few drinks and show off while he was at it.
“My daughter’s doing well—can’t I be proud?” Gao Jinshan beamed, then pretended to sigh. “Everything’s great, except she’s so focused on her career that she doesn’t even have a boyfriend.”
At their age, most conversations boiled down to comparing children’s success or health. His daughter had always been his pride—top of her class growing up, started making money in college, bought a car and opened a shop right after graduation.
When her business failed, he and his wife had hoped she’d come back to Wushan and even considered pulling strings to get her into a state-owned company.
Who would’ve thought she’d pull herself up again and co-found a clothing company?
Even though it was still early days and the earnings weren’t massive, it didn’t stop him from using it as bragging rights.
Zhao Suyun chimed in, “That’s right. She’s already this age and hasn’t even had a boyfriend yet. Not like your Qianqian—she’s getting married soon. Old Zhang, you’ll be holding your first grandchild in no time.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for!” Zhang Guoqing chuckled twice, pulling out a box of Soft Chunghwa from his pocket and offering a cigarette. “My son-in-law dropped off a pack earlier—company benefit, he said. Old Gao, want one?”
“Oho, Chunghwa! That’s the good stuff! Zhibin’s a good kid—knows how to show appreciation.” Gao Jinshan’s eyes lit up as he took the cigarette.
Zhang Guoqing waved it off, tone casual but smug. “Besides the Chunghwa, he also left me two bottles of Dream Blue M3. Said I should take my time with them. Next time, let’s call Old Sun over for some dipping dishes, marinated meat, peanuts—have a few drinks together.”
“Now that sounds great.” Gao Jinshan lit the cigarette, his face showing envy.
Zhang Guoqing’s future son-in-law worked at a major local company and held a minor leadership role. He’d regularly bring gifts—good stuff too.
Jinshan didn’t have any big hobbies, just liked to smoke and drink. Hearing Zhang talk about M3 and Chunghwa stirred some jealousy in him.
Right then, Gao Mengting’s phone suddenly rang.
The three of them immediately stopped chatting.
She glanced at the screen, paused for a second, then quickly answered the call without bothering to hide it.
“Hello? Tang Song, what’s wrong?”
It had only been about ten minutes since they’d parted—there was no way he’d made it to the hotel that fast. Her first thought was he might’ve had an accident.
Soon, that familiar voice came through the receiver: “Nothing, I just missed you.”
Gao Mengting breathed a sigh of relief and quickly walked aside, speaking softly, “Drive safely, don’t get distracted just because you’re calling.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Tang Song chuckled, then suddenly said, “Partner, since I came all the way to Wushan, shouldn’t I stop by your house? Meet your parents?”
Her heart skipped a beat. Nervously, she asked, “You… you want to come?”
Tang Song shot back, “Well, do you want me to come?”
She was silent for a moment, glanced at her parents, her cheeks burning, and softly said, “Mm.”
“Okay, open the gate downstairs for me.”
Just as he finished saying that—
Ring ring ring— The intercom at the entrance buzzed urgently.
And her call with Tang Song was cut off.
Gao Mengting’s eyes widened. She instantly realized what was happening.
Her father, who was already near the door, casually picked up the intercom. “Hello? Who is this?”
“Dad! It’s my friend!” she shouted, rushing over and pressing the unlock button.
Gao Jinshan blinked, confused. “Mengting, why are you so worked up? Which friend?”
“N-nothing, it’s a friend from Yancheng, visiting our place for the first time.” Gao Mengting’s eyes darted nervously.
Tang Song showing up like this, and clearly as her boyfriend—she didn’t even know how to explain. She hadn’t prepped them at all.
“A friend from Yancheng?” Zhao Suyun, the more observant of the two, stood up abruptly, her face lighting up. “Is it a guy?”
“I…” Gao Mengting murmured, “Mm.”
“Aiyo! Why didn’t you tell us earlier? We didn’t prepare anything!” Zhao Suyun quickly started tidying up the coffee table.
Gao Jinshan noticed something was off too. “Mengting, this guy—he from your company?”
“He’s the partner I mentioned before.”
“The one who helped you get back on your feet? Well then, we’ve got to properly thank him.”
Zhang Guoqing, catching on, chuckled, “Oh, so your business partner, huh? Don’t tell me… he’s your boyfriend?”
The moment he said that…
Zhao Suyun and Gao Jinshan both turned their full attention to their daughter.
Gao Mengting’s face turned beet red. Her lips moved, voice stammering, “K-kind of… I mean, we just started…”
Just then, heavy footsteps approached from outside.
Knock knock knock— came a rhythmic knock on the door.
“He’s here. I’ll get it.” Gao Mengting bit her lip, grabbed the doorknob, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
And there stood Tang Song, smiling warmly.
At his feet were two cardboard boxes.
Gao Jinshan and Zhao Suyun were stunned on the spot. Their eyes scanned Tang Song up and down, faces full of surprise and delight.
They’d heard about this “partner” before from Mengting, but they never imagined he’d look like this.
Tall, broad-shouldered, strikingly handsome—he looked sharp and refined.
“Mengting,” Tang Song greeted softly, then nodded politely toward the living room. “Hello, sir. Ma’am.”
“My dad, my mom, and Uncle Zhang,” Gao Mengting introduced quickly, heart pounding.
Tang Song smiled, bent down to lift the boxes, his movements smooth and confident. His tone was calm and respectful. “Uncle, Auntie, sorry for dropping by so late like this.”
Zhang Guoqing stood off to the side, eyes glued to the two boxes in Tang Song’s hands. His throat bobbed involuntarily.
Zhao Suyun snapped back first. She pushed her daughter aside and greeted enthusiastically, “Aiya, come in, come in! Don’t stand at the door catching cold!”
Gao Jinshan recovered as well, grinning ear to ear. “Xiao Tang, is it? Come on in, sit down! You didn’t need to bring anything, we’re not outsiders here.”
“I came in a hurry, didn’t have time to prepare a proper gift,” Tang Song said with a light smile. “But it’s my first visit—I couldn’t come empty-handed. Mengting told me Uncle likes a little drink now and then, so I brought a bit of that. The other box is cigarettes.”
He set the boxes aside casually, every gesture thoughtful and composed.
Zhang Guoqing took a couple steps forward, voice a little dry as he marveled, “That’s what you call ‘a little something’?”
Only now did Gao Jinshan and Zhao Suyun take a proper look at the boxes. Their expressions froze.
Under the light, the labels on the boxes stood out clearly: 【Kweichow Moutai】and 【Chunghwa】.
Gao Jinshan’s face flushed red. His eyes bulged. “This… this is way too generous…”
Just a moment ago, Old Zhang had been bragging about his future son-in-law’s gifts. Now, their daughter’s boyfriend had come and absolutely one-upped him.
A case of six bottles of Moutai typically sells for around thirteen to fourteen thousand on the market; a case of fifty cartons of Soft Chunghwa cigarettes is worth over thirty thousand.
Together, that’s easily close to fifty thousand yuan.
Old Gao had lived all these years and never received such an extravagant gift—he hadn’t even seen one before.
Especially in front of Old Zhang, this was more than enough to earn him some serious bragging rights.
Zhao Suyun waved her hands excitedly, “Aiya, Tang Song, this is way too expensive—we really can’t accept it!”
“Uncle, Auntie, it’s just a small token from me. After all, it’s my first visit. Besides, Mengting has worked alongside me through thick and thin. Both in work and in life, she’s helped me tremendously. I’ve always wanted to find a chance to express my gratitude.” Tang Song’s voice was calm and composed, yet carried unmistakable sincerity.
“This… this…”
Gao Mengting blushed and interjected, “Okay, Dad, Mom—just accept it.”
Gao Jinshan and Zhao Suyun exchanged a glance and saw the excitement and joy in each other’s eyes.
Their daughter had given them a huge surprise tonight—she brought someone home without a word, and that someone arrived with such pomp and generosity.
Gao Jinshan slapped his thigh and laughed heartily. “Alright then, since the young man is so sincere, we won’t turn it down. Thank you, Xiao Tang. You’ve really gone out of your way!”
“Come in, come in! Old Gao, go get some fruit!”
Immediately, the couple got busy, completely ignoring Zhang Guoqing for the moment.
Tang Song followed Gao Mengting into the living room and sat down on the couch.
The coffee table was soon filled with all kinds of fruit, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and hot tea.
Zhang Guoqing looked at Tang Song sitting there, then at the Moutai and Chunghwa on the floor—his expression was... complex, to say the least.
After a moment, he smacked his lips and forced out a sentence, “Well, I’ll leave you guys to it. I’m gonna go watch some TV.”
“Sure!” Gao Jinshan laughed, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Old Zhang, I’ll swing by your place for drinks tomorrow! Let’s call a few of the old guys and have a proper get-together!”
Zhang Guoqing’s mouth twitched. “Yeah… alright.”
The front door shut again.
Gao Jinshan dragged over a stool and sat across from them, chatting about business and entrepreneurship.
Zhao Suyun bustled around, constantly offering Tang Song snacks and tea, while discreetly observing his every move. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became—her face was practically glowing.
The atmosphere in the living room grew livelier and more cheerful by the minute.
Gao Jinshan’s face was flushed with excitement as he started sharing stories about his younger days running small businesses.
Since Wushan bordered the northeastern region, the climate was relatively mild, and many of the residents had migrated from the three northeastern provinces.
Gao Jinshan was no exception—his speech carried that bold and hearty tone, making him instantly likeable.
Tang Song listened attentively and asked a few timely questions, which earned him even more of Gao Jinshan’s approval.
After a while, Tang Song felt someone tug his arm. He turned to see Gao Mengting standing there, looking like she wanted to say something but was hesitant.
“What’s wrong?”
Gao Mengting bit her lip and whispered, “Come with me.”
Then she tugged his arm and stood up. “Dad, Mom, we’re going to hang out in my room for a bit.”
“Oh, go ahead, go ahead,” both parents responded quickly.
Click— The door shut gently.
Tang Song looked around curiously.
The room wasn’t big—about 13 or 14 square meters. The decor was old, but it was tidy and neatly arranged.
Near the window was a single bed. On the nightstand were all sorts of odds and ends: an alarm clock, dog-eared magazines, a ceramic cup, and several scattered photos.
On the wall hung a corkboard filled with snapshots, sticky notes, and movie ticket stubs. At the top, a sentence was written:
"When I forget who I am, please remember that I once loved this world."
Tang Song’s gaze fell on the photos, many of which were taken during her middle and high school days.
Her shoulder-length hair, chubby cheeks, and bright, youthful eyes—always smiling with her head tilted slightly.
Noticing his attention, Gao Mengting’s face turned red as she stepped in front of him. “Don’t look—it’s all old stuff.”
Tang Song looked at his partner and gave a big smile. “You were really cute back then. I like it.”
Gao Mengting smiled shyly and, after a moment of silence, softly asked, “Why’d you suddenly want to come to my house?”
“Actually, when I dropped you off, I already wanted to come up and meet your parents. But since it was last minute and I hadn’t prepared anything, I couldn’t just show up empty-handed.”
Hearing this, warmth and emotion surged in Gao Mengting’s chest.
So when he was downstairs, he hadn’t just ignored her feelings.
“Thank you.”
Tang Song looked at the glowing girl in front of him and suddenly said, “Saying thank you is too dry. Let’s do something more real.”
“What do you mean?” Gao Mengting blinked in confusion.
Tang Song chuckled and pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply.
Gao Mengting didn’t resist—instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, greedily enjoying his intimacy.
Breathing in her pleasant scent, Tang Song slowly slid his hand down her slim waist, grasping the curves beneath her jeans.
She let out a soft moan, her body trembling.
Feeling her smooth and perfect curves, Tang Song’s desire burned hotter, his actions growing bolder.
Ziiip— The zipper on her jeans came undone.
“Don’t move!” Gao Mengting suddenly lifted her head, blushing furiously. “This is my house!”
Tang Song hushed her and tugged her shirt down.
“Ah!” she gasped, quickly biting her finger to muffle the sound, body trembling but not daring to move.
Waves of pleasure rushed through Tang Song.
Soon, Gao Mengting went limp in his arms.
Tang Song gently laid her on the bed and pressed down on her.
Looking at her delicate, flushed face, he boldly explored her beautiful, slender figure.
A moment later, Gao Mengting’s body stiffened. Her eyes widened and she gasped like she was about to faint.
Seeing her intense reaction, Tang Song gave her a squeeze and winked. “Partner, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me you—”
“You! You! Don’t say it!” Gao Mengting bit his lip hard.
Tang Song chuckled and stopped teasing her.
This gentle, artistic partner of his was the most sensitive girl he’d ever met.
He barely had to lift a finger, and she was already at her limit.
But that contrast… was kind of fun.
In the quiet and steamy room—
Riiing— The phone suddenly rang.
Gao Mengting turned her head and glanced at the screen. She whispered, “It’s Qiuqiu!”
“Wanna answer it?”
She nudged him aside and picked up the phone. “Hello? Qiuqiu.”
“Oh, Tang Song’s here with me.”
“We’re fine, don’t worry. He’ll head back soon.”
Just then, Gao Mengting’s eyes widened, and she let out a soft gasp, “Ssshhah—”
She quickly grabbed Tang Song’s hand off her chest, bit her lip hard, and muttered, “No, no, I’m just eating spicy strips. Ah! So spicy. I’ll talk to you later—bye!”
