Li Mengyao is Shao Jinhai's cousin from the mother's side; in other words, his mother's younger sister's son.
He looked so different from ten years ago, he was just twelve, when he travelled overseas to continue his studies and now he's back; grown into a full man, only if he wasn't still so dumb as before.
He had height but couldn't outrun Shao Jinhai's. His Viking-gold hair, bristle eyebrows, imperious nose and an angular cheekbone carved down towards a flinty jaw.
He had changed a lot, physically, travelling him outside the country wasn't a bad idea. While they were still young, they never really got along, every summer holiday at the Shao's, they both end it with a fight and Li Mengyao gets home with a broken nose.
As they grew, they realized, it was all worth more, crazy and funny memories.
Shao Jinhai wore an impenetrable expression, as he lucidly stared at Li Mengyao.
"Okay okay. Are you not surprised to see me?" Li Mengyao asked with a flicker of sadness in his eyes and disappointment. Shao Jinhai shrugged
"You've changed a lot." He said and walked away.
Li Mengyao raised his brows,
He began to deduce on the thought that his big cousin actually meant it the other way round; that he misses him.
He knew Shao Jinhai too well, he says things that are contradictory to his actual thoughts. Li Mengyao walked faster to meet up with him, he then nudges him playful and began to banter.
"Hehe, don't be so hard, just say you miss me. It won't kill you."
"Cut the crap!" Shao Jinhai flared. Li Mengyao retreated immediately, he wouldn't want to go back home after so many years with a broken nose again.
Shao Jinhai easily gets irritated when he's been pestered; and that seemed to be Li Mengyao's natural talent, to piss people off. Of course, he surely didn't escape the wrath.
"Aunt told me you got married, surprising." Li Mengyao began after the long silence, stealing glances at the cold Shao Jinhai through the corner of his eyes.
Still no reply from him, Li Mengyao pressed his lips tightly, and inhaled shortly before witting.
"I was astonished to hear that, bad thing I didn't attend the ceremony. Something is quite confusing, you of all mortal men, married?" Li Mengyao chuckled at his words and didn't mind to continue.
"You hardly fell for a woman, in fact you have never. Even Ming Yue who was giving you an obvious greenlight, was bitterly turned down. Even I, personally thought you were..."
Li Mengyao paused when Shao Jinhai suddenly halt, he turned around, his tall body shrouding his. Li Mengyao gulped dryly, even his height itself was a bully.
"I was what?" Shao Jinhai asked plainly but to Li Mengyao it felt like he was chewing on his flesh with every word he asked.
He wouldn't risk to take his cousin's dare, he had better swallow the rest.
Li Mengyao grinned widely and tapped Shao Jinhai's shoulder in a generous manner,
"Hehe no no, I meant you were obviously waiting for the right woman."
Li Mengyao gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation and snickered as he spoke.
Shao Jinhai wasn't stupid, he knew what his cousin wanted to say. In the past, a lot of rumours were made up that he wasn't straight and into men.
Simply because he doesn't associate with women, Ming Yue had done him the justice then; she had been a really good friend. Shao Jinhai stopped thinking,
"I wonder how she looks like, some S-line D cup sized lady. Cherry red lips and..." Li Mengyao continued to fantasise about his cousin's bride.
"Shut it!" Shao Jinhai exclaimed angrily
Li Mengyao flinched, and saw his cousin walk away. His strong silhouette paving way through the scanty crowd.
"Why is he mad?"
Li Mengyao shrugged and walked away to nowhere, just wander around perhaps until he finds a pretty lady to while away time with.
Chan Juan walked down the stairs, she met three female servants in the living room, doing only God knows what, only whispering conspiratorily among themselves;
Chan Juan tore her eyes away from them, not like she was interested in their busybodyish talk.
And then, they said something which quite caught her attention. Chan Juan paused to listen..