5th Break: Gossip

Qiu Shisi was about to say that their boss was shameless when he stopped. Even though their boss always wore a veil to cover the lower half of his face, just the exposed part of his face already makes one fantasize about him. The other members of Huichen also do (fantasize) so, but of course, they are not blatant since they highly respect their boss.

Unlike Lin Ze's manly handsomeness, their boss is a mysterious beauty. Just look at that pair of peach blossom eyes that make your soul hooked, and those light pupils that look like gems that make your heart beat fast. Thus, their boss really isn't shameless, but just stating facts.

Seeing Qiu Shisi's silence, Meng Xing thought that there was still a problem. "Find some authors to write about Meng Ruyan's paramour." He said. This way, the story would be more believable! He is really a genius!

"Yes, boss." Qiu Shisi answered and immediately left to do the task.

And so, the next day, the gossip about Meng Ruyan changed.

"Did you hear? Meng Ruyan actually has a white moonlight!" a middle-aged man with a beer belly spoke as they waited for their dishes to be served.

"Really?!" someone exclaimed in shock.

"Yes. And I heard that his white moonlight is from jianghu!" The middle-aged man said. "Unfortunately, this white moonlight is an orphan so the Meng family is against them!" He said and sighed in pity.

"But, isn't it because this Meng Ruyan looks like a beast, so the Meng family is ashamed of him?" The other person asked.

"No, no!" The middle-aged man shook his head. "Even if this white moonlight is a person from jianghu because the Meng family is reluctant to let go of their second child, they don't want a pig to eat their family's cabbage, too!" He said.

"Isn't this an exaggeration? Why do you talk as if Meng Ruyan is a beautiful person?" The other person asked.

"Because he is!" The middle-aged man answered. "Daji can't even compare to him!" He told him.

"Really?!" The other person said, feeling doubtful.

"Huh, then why do you think the Meng family doesn't let him out? Wasn't it because they were afraid that he would be snatched by other people?" The middle-aged man asked.

"It makes sense." The other person was finally convinced.

Lin Ze, who was listening from the next table, lowered his head and was not convinced. It doesn't make sense. He thought when he recalled what his family told him before about Meng Ruyan. Meng Ruyan is not favored by his family, so what is this with his Meng family reluctant to let him out?

"Cousin, is Meng Ruyan actually a first-class beauty?" Lin Yao asked. Albeit a man, he could propose to Meng Ruyan.

"I don't know." Lin Ze answered. "I have never met him." He said.

Lin Yao looked at him. "This is what I am puzzled about... why did you stop the family before coming to the Meng family to find Meng Ruyan?" He asked.

"Since Meng Ruyan doesn't want to." Lin Ze answered.

Lin Yao pouted. "But, the Meng family's attitude really confirms that this Meng Ruyan should be very beautiful." He said and sighed. "Cousin, if I go and find Meng Ruyan, you wouldn't object, right?" He asked. After all, Lin Ze and Meng Ruyan were engaged before, though they don't have feelings for each other.

"You will go?" Lin Ze was surprised. Then, he hesitated whether to tell his cousin about what his family told him before that Meng Ruyan really was just mediocre.

Lin Yao saw his hesitation and sighed, thinking that Lin Ze was now finally moved by Meng Ruyan. "I won't go. It just happens that I found a beauty yesterday." He said.

"Who?" Lin Ze asked.

"Meng Xing." Lin Yao answered.

Lin Ze recalled that veiled young man. He doesn't need to see one's face to recognize someone. Just that pair of eyes alone, Lin Ze knows that he never met that young man before. Since no one in the imperial capital, where he grew up, possesses such a beautiful pair of eyes.

Lin Yao is right. Meng Xing is beautiful.

"Right, cousin. Do you know where he lives?" Lin Yao asked.

"I don't." Lin Ze answered. "But, I am sure he is not from the capital." He said. "He shouldn't be a merchant, either." He added. The officers always check the people passing the gates, including their goods.

Even though Lin Ze had been away from the imperial capital the past five years since he went to jianghu to make a name for himself, he has a good memory and so when he returned to the imperial capital one week ago after his elder brother called for him, he already memorized the faces of everyone here in the imperial capital.

Thus, he can conclude that he has never seen Meng Xing before.

"But he is also not a spy." Lin Ze told Lin Yao.

Lin Yao almost choked on his drink. "Then, there are only two possibilities." He said as his eyes widened. "Either he is someone from the royal family, or... he is from jianghu!" He exclaimed.

"He is not from the royal family." Lin Ze said. "I already asked elder brother and he told me that there was no such person in the royal family." He said. Before Lin Yao could speak, he continued. "Not jianghu, either, since I already checked and he is not a practitioner." He told him.

Lin Yao was stunned. "Then... then where is this person from?!" He asked. "He really isn't a spy?" He felt suspicious.

"Didn't I already tell you that I met him in Huichen?" Lin Ze said.

Lin Yao fell silent. Of course, he knows Huichen, this famous detective agency. Thus, his suspicions disappeared, leaving only bewilderment. "Then where is he exactly from?" He muttered.

Lin Ze didn't answer since he also didn't know. At this time, they didn't know that in the imperial palace, Lin Hao, Lin Ze's elder brother, was having an audience with the emperor.