On Her Lap

As Yun Huaizhu went to park the car, Tang Xiaoman seized the chance to pull Lin Meng aside and whisper, "Mengmeng, who exactly is this friend of yours? How can she afford a car like that? And I keep thinking she looks like a celebrity—is she some kind of internet influencer?"

Lin Meng was speechless.

Could she actually be that celebrity?

Lin Meng smiled. "She has money, sure, but she's a good person. Xiaoman, you don't need to be nervous."

The more Tang Xiaoman heard, the more uneasy she felt. "I can't shake the feeling that the way she looks at me is... unkind. Did I do something to offend her?"

Lin Meng blinked. "I don't think so. That's just how she is. She's cold to everyone."

Tang Xiaoman's face scrunched in confusion. "Cold to everyone?"

But she's incredibly warm to you. She practically wants to plaster herself against you.

As the thought crossed Tang Xiaoman's mind, a sudden realization struck her—could this so-called "friend" of Lin Meng's be secretly in love with her too?

She liked Lin Meng—that was why she wore such a terrifying expression whenever anyone got close to her.

Yes, if you looked at it that way, everything made sense.

Tang Xiaoman's expression fell. The woman was beautiful and rich; if it came down to competing with her, Tang Xiaoman wouldn't stand a chance.

Seeing Tang Xiaoman's face fall, Lin Meng hurried to smooth things over. "That's right, she's just naturally cold. But once you get to know her, you'll find she's really a good person."

Tang Xiaoman shuddered at the suggestion. If she went out of her way to approach that woman, she'd be lucky if the woman didn't bite her.

Just then, she wanted to ask Lin Meng the woman's name, but before she could get the words out, a hand reached between them from behind and separated her from Lin Meng.

The chop was forceful enough that Tang Xiaoman couldn't help but flinch aside.

Seeing the gap between them, Yun Huaizhu wedged herself into it. She didn't spare Tang Xiaoman a single glance; instead, she turned and took Lin Meng's hand. "Mengmeng-jie, which private room are we in?"

Lin Meng checked the reservation on her phone.

The restaurant Huo Yi had given her the voucher for was a high-end establishment—ordinary people had to book in advance just to get a table. When she'd added the receptionist on WeChat and sent the voucher, the receptionist had forwarded her the contact for a "Manager Wang."

Later, Manager Wang told her it was a complimentary meal voucher that only the restaurant's premium VIP members could enjoy. After Lin Meng confirmed the time and location, Manager Wang said they'd be dining in the "Blooming Wealth" room on the sixth floor.

They took the elevator up to the sixth floor.

The whole way, Tang Xiaoman kept trying to find an opening to join the conversation, but that woman was pressed so close to Lin Meng that she couldn't squeeze in no matter how hard she tried.

Lin Meng had assumed the "Blooming Wealth" room would be like any other restaurant's private dining room, but the decor was steeped in the feel of ancient pavilions. Several folding screens stood in the room, their double-sided embroidery exuding understated luxury.

Tang Xiaoman had heard long ago that this place was elegant, but it was far too expensive, so she'd never been. Today, she was basking in Lin Meng's good fortune.

Manager Wang had said over WeChat that any customer who presented the voucher could enjoy everything at Fenghe Xuan free of charge.

Tang Xiaoman sat stiffly beside Lin Meng, while that woman—as if she and Lin Meng were incredibly close—took the seat nearest to Lin Meng.

She couldn't shake the feeling that the woman's gaze was too naked, too scorching. Could Lin Meng really not have noticed this woman's intentions?

Just as Lin Meng sat down, Manager Wang, who was handling their table, promptly brought over a menu. "Miss Lin, please order."

Lin Meng took the menu and handed it to Tang Xiaoman first. "Xiaoman, I'm treating you today. You order first—get whatever you'd like."

Tang Xiaoman was still marveling at the elegant decor. When she heard Lin Meng's words, her mouth fell open in surprise. "Really?"

Manager Wang immediately smiled. "Since both ladies are friends of Miss Lin, you naturally enjoy the same treatment. Please rest assured, everything you consume here today is complimentary."

Yun Huaizhu's eyes narrowed. She turned to the woman in the black uniform, whose words were so smooth and practiced. "Is that so? Because I don't recall your establishment ever issuing meal vouchers to VIP customers. For premium VIPs, you're already being generous just giving them a small gift."

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Manager Wang's face, but years of professional polish kicked in immediately. She smiled. "May I ask if you are also one of our premium VIP customers at Fenghe Xuan? If so, our staff will contact you shortly. Please provide your name and VIP account number, and we will credit the complimentary vouchers to your account."

Yun Huaizhu didn't need to think twice—this was a trick Huo Yi had pulled to make Lin Meng feel comfortable accepting the voucher.

Normally, getting Lin Meng to go out for a single meal was an ordeal. Yet Huo Yi, with one underhanded scheme, had made Lin Meng come willingly to *her* territory to eat.

What a despicable little schemer!

Yun Huaizhu also knew this Manager Wang's name—Wang Qi, the general manager of Fenghe Xuan. Someone of her stature wouldn't personally attend to VIP customers for no reason.

So who had sent her?

The answer was obvious.

Yun Huaizhu gave a subtle roll of her eyes. "No need. I don't have that many schemes up my sleeve; I'll pay whatever is owed. After all, if you're coming to a place like this, why quibble over every little thing?"

Wang Qi caught the barb in her words and offered an awkward smile.

Just then, Tang Xiaoman—who had been flipping through the menu—finished choosing. She passed the menu back to Lin Meng. "Mengmeng, I'm done. See if there's anything else you'd like."

When she stretched her arm past the woman to hand the menu to Lin Meng, the woman unceremoniously intercepted it. She flipped through it beside Lin Meng, then turned to her with gentle eyes. "Mengmeng-jie, I remember you really liked the Huai cuisine at that Chinese restaurant we went to last time. Why don't we order the same dishes? For tea, how about Mengding? Oh—do you drink juice?"

As she spoke, Lin Meng caught sight of Tang Xiaoman's expression cooling by the second. Yes, she'd agreed to let Yun Huaizhu come along today, but Tang Xiaoman was supposed to be her guest. Leaving her sitting there ignored felt wrong.

Lin Meng lowered her head. "Um... you know my tastes. Just order like that."

Hearing Lin Meng's words—which implied a closeness between the two of them—Yun Huaizhu's lips curved upward. "Alright, then I'll add a bottle of wine. You must have an '82 Lafite in stock, right? Since VIP customers eat free, surely that can be included too?"

Wang Qi froze. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to bang her head against a wall. Yes, she'd been instructed to take special care of this Miss Lin, but no one had said anything about opening the wine cellar and bringing out the reserved red wines.

That one bottle alone cost as much as several tables' worth of meals here.

Wang Qi struggled to maintain her professional smile. "I apologize, but I'll need to apply for that with my superiors."

Yun Huaizhu's smile widened. "Oh, I see. Then you'd better hurry. If the food arrives before the wine, the meal won't taste as good. You're all VIP customers here—surely whoever's above you wouldn't begrudge a single bottle of wine?"

Who *is* this woman? How is her tongue so sharp?

As the general manager of Fenghe Xuan, Wang Qi had dealt with her share of difficult customers over the years, but never one who could render her speechless like this.

She quickly nodded and bowed. "My sincere apologies, I'll go ask right away. Please wait a moment!"

Seeing this, Lin Meng felt a pang of sympathy—at the end of the day, Manager Wang was just an employee. She rose and tugged at Yun Huaizhu's arm. "Zhuzhu, there's no need for this, really. It's fine if we don't drink; she can just swap it for something else..."

Hearing this, Wang Qi looked at Lin Meng as if she'd seen an angel.

Seeing Lin Meng voluntarily coaxing her, Yun Huaizhu patted the back of her hand reassuringly. "It's fine. I'm sure that with the owner of Fenghe Xuan's resources, they won't deny you this bottle. Besides, if Mengmeng-jie gets drunk, I can take her home."

With that, Yun Huaizhu pulled Lin Meng back into her seat, then squinted at Wang Qi. "Go notify your superior. Otherwise the wine will arrive after the food's gone cold."

Wang Qi wanted to cry but couldn't. She nodded repeatedly. "Please wait a moment."

Though Tang Xiaoman didn't know what that woman was scheming, she did know what an '82 Lafite meant—a bottle worth tens of thousands, even over a hundred thousand yuan. The entire meal they were eating probably couldn't cover the cost of that one bottle. Sure, the voucher covered the food, but could such expensive wine really be given away freely?

Lin Meng thought Yun Huaizhu was acting strange today. She'd never seen Yun Huaizhu show such open hostility toward an ordinary person before.

Slowly, she withdrew her hand from Yun Huaizhu's grasp, rose, and moved to sit closer to Tang Xiaoman.

After all, Tang Xiaoman was the guest today. She couldn't be too inconsiderate.

Seeing Lin Meng's displeasure, a hint of grievance flashed across Yun Huaizhu's face.

Lin Meng knew nothing. If she knew about Huo Yi's scheming, could she still sit here so calmly and eat?

...

About half an hour later, the dishes arrived one after another, but the wine Yun Huaizhu had ordered still hadn't appeared.

Yun Huaizhu couldn't help but sneer—that woman was just petty. It was only a bottle of red wine, and she couldn't even bear to give that to Lin Meng. That meant she wasn't fit to compete on the same stage.

Yun Huaizhu looked over at Lin Meng, who sat between them, one seat away.

She was nothing like that stingy Huo Yi. Whatever Lin Meng wanted, she could give.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, someone knocked on the private room door. Lin Meng looked toward the door past the folding screens. About half a minute later, Huo Yi appeared before her as if by magic, a bottle of red wine cradled in her arms, her arms folded over it.

Lin Meng thought she was seeing things. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. By the time she reacted, Huo Yi had already reached the round table and set the wine on the glass lazy Susan. "Since Mengmeng wants to drink, of course I'll oblige."

Only when Huo Yi spoke did Lin Meng snap out of it. She rose hastily from her seat. "Yi Yi, what are you doing here?"

Huo Yi shot a provocative look at Yun Huaizhu, whose face had darkened the instant she entered. "I'm here to deliver the wine in person, of course. This vintage is a bit old, so it's been kept in the cellar. I just brought it up—once it's chilled in an ice bucket and the sediment settles, it'll be ready to drink."

Lin Meng blinked.

Yun Huaizhu had already stood. The tension among the three of them was strange. Yun Huaizhu frowned at Huo Yi. "Mengmeng-jie was asking why *you* are here."

Huo Yi spread her hands innocently. "I'm the owner of Fenghe Xuan. Why wouldn't I be here?"

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu turned to Lin Meng, her expression saying: *See, Mengmeng-jie? She admitted it herself. She lied to you about the voucher.*

Lin Meng's mind went blank for a moment. Then it clicked.

Right—the person who gave her the voucher was Huo Yi, so of course the restaurant on the voucher had to be connected to Huo Yi!

But... the wine wasn't for her; it was for Yun Huaizhu. If she'd made Huo Yi come all this way just for that, wouldn't it seem a bit unfair?

Lin Meng hurried to speak. "Perfect timing—the food just arrived, and no one's touched it yet. Yi Yi, would you like to stay and eat with us?"

Yun Huaizhu's eyes flew wide.

Before Yun Huaizhu could react, Huo Yi had already claimed the seat beside Lin Meng. "Of course! It's been so long since things were this lively—especially with you here, Mengmeng."

Yun Huaizhu's face nearly turned purple with rage. She sat back down, stewing in silent fury.

At the far edge of the table, Tang Xiaoman—seeing yet another friend of Lin Meng's arrive—was utterly lost.

It took her a while to recover. "Mengmeng, this one is...?"

Hearing an unfamiliar voice, Huo Yi stood and offered the person a polished smile. "Hello, you must be Mengmeng's coworker. I'm Huo Yi, Mengmeng's good friend. Hasn't she mentioned me?"

Tang Xiaoman stood and shook her hand politely. "Hello... Mengmeng is very reserved at work; she doesn't talk about personal matters with us."

Hearing this, the corner of Huo Yi's mouth curled upward.

That meant Lin Meng hadn't opened her heart to anyone at the company.

That was what reassured Huo Yi the most. Lin Meng was friendly but distant with everyone; their relationship was already exceptionally close.

Huo Yi turned to Lin Meng with an ambiguous, suggestive look. "Yes, our Mengmeng is the most reserved. You two are coworkers—please look after our Mengmeng for me. She's very capable, but in daily life she's careless. She always eats takeout and doesn't take care of herself at all."

Tang Xiaoman noticed that although Huo Yi was speaking to her, her eyes were fixed intently on Lin Meng—who was avoiding her gaze. She grew even more flustered. "Of—of course. Mengmeng is great; she's helped me a lot."

After saying this, Tang Xiaoman suddenly felt an icy stare directed at her from beside Huo Yi.

She couldn't shake the feeling that both of these people treated Lin Meng... unusually.

And come to think of it, she never would have guessed that this Huo Yi was the owner of Fenghe Xuan.

The two people beside Lin Meng—one drove a luxury car worth millions, the other ran a hotel with a market value in the billions...

Where on earth had Lin Meng met all these wealthy heiresses?

Most importantly, Lin Meng interacted with them like ordinary friends. Were they really *just* friends?

Tang Xiaoman couldn't make sense of the dynamic between the three of them, and she was thoroughly shaken. In any case, she really had come here to eat, so once the food arrived, she buried her head and got to work. After all, a place like this—unless she struck it rich—she'd probably never set foot in again.

Throughout the meal, Huo Yi kept putting food in Lin Meng's bowl, while Yun Huaizhu reached across her to place peeled shrimp in front of Lin Meng.

The atmosphere among the three of them was excruciatingly awkward.

Yun Huaizhu, as if competing with Huo Yi, kept piling food into Lin Meng's dish, while Huo Yi loaded all sorts of things onto a plate and pushed it toward Lin Meng—she even poured Lin Meng a glass of red wine.

Watching the two of them, Lin Meng's scalp prickled.

What on earth were they doing?

Tang Xiaoman was still right there!

Yun Huaizhu and Huo Yi waged their silent battle, brandishing chopsticks without eating, while Lin Meng, caught between them, barely touched her food.

In contrast, Tang Xiaoman—who sat on the sidelines like a spectator watching a show—ate her fill. She was the first person in the room to finish. Sensing that these two must have a lot to say to Lin Meng, she drank the rare glass of red wine, then picked up her bag and said goodbye. "Mengmeng, I'm full. I just remembered I have something to take care of, so I'll head out first. Take your time eating."

Lin Meng rose quickly. "What is it? Is it urgent? Maybe I should walk you out."

Tang Xiaoman shook her head. "No, no. I ate very well today. Thank you for treating me—I'll treat you next time, as long as you don't mind."

Lin Meng said, "Of course not. Then... see you around."

Tang Xiaoman picked up her bag and headed for the door. "Mm, see you!"

...

After Tang Xiaoman left, only the three of them remained in the private room—Lin Meng, Huo Yi, and Yun Huaizhu.

With the outsider gone, the stifling, awkward tension in the room finally eased somewhat.

Actually, when Lin Meng had stood up earlier to walk Tang Xiaoman out, part of her motivation had been to slip away herself.

Seeing the other woman gone, Yun Huaizhu rose and moved to Lin Meng's other side. Now she sat very close, and she placed her slightly cool hand on Lin Meng's thigh, exposed beneath the hem of her dress.

Lin Meng jolted from the cold.

She reached down to discreetly move Yun Huaizhu's hand away, but in the next moment Huo Yi leaned in with a smile. "Mengmeng, I thought it would just be you and your friend today. I didn't expect Miss Yun to come too. I thought Miss Yun always found me so distasteful—what brings her to grace this humble establishment with her noble presence today?"

At the provocation, Yun Huaizhu's cool hand slid further up Lin Meng's thigh. Lin Meng frowned slightly, quickly grabbing Yun Huaizhu's wrist, then turned to Huo Yi with a guilty smile. "I insisted on bringing Zhuzhu. If you mind, Yi Yi, I'll return the vouchers—I can't use that many anyway. And the per-person cost here isn't cheap. Last time I only did you a small favor; you really don't need to spend so much to thank me."

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu shot Huo Yi a mocking smile. "Exactly. What era is this, that a high-end place like yours hands out meal vouchers? If you're so set on thanking Mengmeng-jie, then stay away from her. Whatever Mengmeng-jie wants to eat or have, she'll tell me. What business is it of yours?"

Seeing that Yun Huaizhu wasn't even bothering to pretend anymore, Huo Yi smiled and stepped forward to take Lin Meng's arm. "Because I like Mengmeng. She's not just my good friend—she helped my mother when she was in trouble. I can never repay that kindness. Never mind treating Mengmeng to meals for a year; I'd do it for a lifetime."

Yun Huaizhu grabbed Lin Meng's other hand and, without any attempt to hide it, pulled Lin Meng to her side.

Sensing the hostility in both their voices, Lin Meng was still trying to figure out how to mediate when Yun Huaizhu suddenly tugged her into an embrace.

Seeing this, Huo Yi tickled the palm of the hand still holding Lin Meng's, as if teasingly asking her: *Mengmeng, my treating you to a meal is what you deserve. Don't feel you're unworthy. After all, I like Mengmeng; we're good friends.*

Yun Huaizhu rolled her eyes dramatically. As if accusing Huo Yi of scheming, she said to Lin Meng, "Mengmeng-jie, did you know? Fenghe Xuan has *never* given free meal vouchers to VIP customers. Your 'friend' kept this from you—she probably didn't have good intentions."

Lin Meng, held in Yun Huaizhu's arms with one hand still caught by Huo Yi, didn't know what to do.

The two of them traded barbs back and forth until Lin Meng's head spun.

Hearing Yun Huaizhu's words, Huo Yi admitted it magnanimously. "That's right, our restaurant doesn't have that rule. I created that rule specifically for Mengmeng. If anyone else ever did for me what Mengmeng did, I'd make an exception for them too."

Hearing this, Yun Huaizhu's arm around Lin Meng tightened.

This cunning woman. She might not look as domineering as Su Yutang on the outside, but she was far more difficult to deal with.

By now Lin Meng finally understood—the voucher she'd received was a special exception Huo Yi had made so she wouldn't feel burdened. Fenghe Xuan had never had such a policy.

And she'd naively believed it was real.

This meal, plus that bottle of wine, had to cost at least a hundred thousand yuan.

All she'd done was help Huo Yi's mother into her rented apartment and give her an inhibitor shot. That was a small thing in itself.

Yet Huo Yi had treated her to a meal worth over a hundred thousand.

A sense of unease welled up in Lin Meng's heart. She struggled out of Yun Huaizhu's embrace, stood, and withdrew her hand from Huo Yi's grasp.

She bowed politely but distantly to Huo Yi. "Yi Yi, thank you!" She raised her head and spoke earnestly. "I know you had no ill intentions—you just wanted me to accept it. But I can't accept such an expensive gift. This meal is more than enough to repay that small favor I did for you, so I'll return the vouchers. If you won't take them back, then I won't use them again."

Huo Yi's eyes narrowed instantly.

Yun Huaizhu, meanwhile, gave her a triumphant smile.

Huo Yi's habit of narrowing her eyes was actually to conceal the killing intent in her heart—because when her eyes flew open and her murderous aura rose, she was truly terrifying. She didn't want to frighten Lin Meng.

But she also felt that Yun Huaizhu really deserved a lesson. Su Yutang's hatred for Yun Huaizhu was genuinely justified.