Edited by Relendria
Meng Yao got up early in the morning and headed down the restaurant to open it. Their workers were already waiting and so were some customers. Jia Yi didn't come to the restaurant with him because he needed to do some shopping for the house and wanted to hire a maid to help with housework.
After opening the restaurant, Meng Yao went to receive a delivery of fresh goods. Yes, he arranged his own delivery service with the Wen brothers. They had not only agreed to be his own personal farmers and delivery boys but they had also contracted with Mr. Ye. Men Yao paid them five gold ones for their work and rented his house to them. He had allowed them to enlarge the original home and build a set of rooms on the unused land on the side so that there was plenty of room from both families. Because they were paid so well by Meng Yao and Mr. Ye, the Wen brothers had plenty of resources to make their homes comfortable.
"Thank you, Mr. Liang!"
"No problem. How's your wife doing? Isn't he due to deliver soon?"
"I'm buying a few things for him and the children before I head back."
"I'm sure you'll find something nice while you're here."
Business taken care of; Meng Yao decided to walk around town for a while. He was in a great mood with the instant success of this restaurant and the wonderful night with his wife. As usual, people found him to be very beautiful and stared at him in awe.
"How dare you bump into me!" a boy yelled suddenly.
"I'm sorry young master but I didn't see --"
"Are you blind?!? I was clearly walking in front you!"
More people began to watch and whisper as the boy yelled at the man.
"Such a loud one!"
"Does his parents not teach him manners?!?"
"Doesn't his daddy teach him anything?"
The boy heard their whispers and flushed with anger.
"Mind your own business!" he yelled at the people around them.
The cursed him softly as they departed. Soon Meng Yao was the only bystander left. He approached the boy with a candy in his hand and held it out to the boy. The boy furrowed his eyebrows.
"Lǎorén, what are you doing?"
'Lǎorén?!? Me?!? I'm 19!' Meng Yao thought indignantly.
"Xiǎo nánhái, you shouldn't shout so loudly. It makes you look bad," Meng Yao said kindly, pushing down his irritation at the boy for addressing him as an old man.
The boy frowned more deeply and looked away.
"I'm not little!"
"And I'm not old," Meng Yao pointed out.
"What do you want?" The boy folded his arms aggressively.
"Oh, nothing really - wait! Now that I think about it... you're a noble's kid, aren't you?" Meng Yao asked the boy.
"Yes," the boy looked at him as if he were unbearably stupid.
"Where are your guards? Servants? Shouldn't there be someone with you?" Meng Yao wanted to know.
"I can take care of myself!" the boy asserted with a childish pout.
"Okay, then you don't mind if I kidnap you and use you for ransom, right?" Meng Yao asked lazily.
"Oi Laoren, how are you kidnapping me if you asked me?"
"It's a friendly kidnapping since you look sad," Meng Yao said with a hint of a smile.
"Who's sad? Not me!"
"Okay, okay, now let me kidnap you. This way..."
The little boy pouted more but he didn't really feel offended. In fact, he felt a strange attraction to Meng Yao in spite of the fact that they were total strangers. When Meng Yao began to walk away, the kid followed him.
"Ah! You're taking me to the Meng Yi?!?" he exclaimed as Meng Yao headed in to the restaurant.
"Hmm?"
"I heard some of my father's friends speaking about it! They say it's amazing and has the best food and wine! It doesn't look very impressive, though...," the boy added, looking around with disappointment in his eyes.
'Tch! Rich kids,' Meng Yao thought, keeping his disdain off of his face.
"Well, today is your lucky day because I'm going to be serving you," Meng Yao told him.
"Laoren, I can buy my own meals. In fact, I'll indulge you," the boy retorted.
He reached for his pocket but then patted it. It was flat and he blushed as he realized he had no money. His head drooped down in a mixture of embarrassment and shyness. Meng Yao found his dismay kind of cute. He wondered if this was what it would feel like if he had a little brother. He couldn't resist teasing the little thing.
"Oi, Xiao nanhai, how will you indulge me when you can't indulge yourself?" Meng Yao asked pointedly.
The little one blushed even more then looked up quickly and pointed at him.
"I - I just forgot my money! Next time I'll have so much money even your future generations will be rich!" he declared proudly.
Meng Yao looked him with a smile. This kid! Really, he is just too cute and funny!
"Okay, okay, rich little brother. I shall say no more! By the way what is rich little brother's name?" Meng Yao asked.
"My name is Feng Huan - remember it right!" he declared proudly.
"Feng Huan... Hmm, little brother is indeed rich," Liang MengYao said gently and sincerely as he bent down slightly to pat the boy's head.
Feng Huan blushed and looked aside. This leoren was very strange yet somehow comforting to be around.
"Liang Meng Yao," he introduced himself at last.