Chapter 40
Zhong Ning clutched her head and rushed into the elevator.
Liu Rushi didn’t make any triumphant declarations. She wasn’t the victor—this report was proof that she was the victim.
Fu Nanshuang murmured, “I still don’t believe it. There must be something wrong. Little Ning is not that kind of person, right? You all know that.”
Her voice grew louder and louder. “I absolutely don’t believe it! Can’t identification reports be tampered with? I demand a retest.”
Liu Rushi replied wearily and indifferently, “The person involved has already accepted the result. What grounds do you have to object? What would I lie to you about? If I really had the ability to alter a test result, why would I even need money from Zhong Ning?”
Fu Nanshuang gave a short laugh. “Who knows.”
Zheng Xuan reacted swiftly and covered her mouth, stopping her from saying anything more inappropriate. She pulled her aside and whispered, “Calm down. Getting agitated won’t help.”
Fu Nanshuang forcefully pulled her hand away and glared at her. “Don’t tell me you believe it too?”
“How could I?” Zheng Xuan said helplessly. “Little Ning may not be a saint, but she’s not a monster either. Besides, she’s always been the one who couldn’t bear to see children suffer.”
—It reminded her of herself.
“But blowing up at Liu Rushi now won’t solve anything.”
Zheng Xuan continued, “I’ve got some leads on the surveillance footage. I requested the guest information and surveillance videos from the entire hotel floor that day. The footage that directly shows Zhong Ning’s room just happened to be deleted—only the hallway clip remains. That’s the suspicious part.”
“The hotel staff working that day has already resigned. I’m trying to get in touch. She’s a witness too.”
“The priority right now is to stabilize the engagement between the two families.”
Fu Nanshuang took a deep breath. “Where did Little Ning go?”
Zhong Ning, dazed and muddled, had gotten into the car. The driver had taken the initiative to bring her back to the Zhong family. By the time she regained her senses, the car was already at the doorstep.
Even though she kept repeating to herself to stay calm, trying to hypnotize herself into composure, when the execution blade fell, she still couldn’t help but panic.
With a bitter laugh, Zhong Ning slapped her own face lightly.
Evading responsibility was never in her dictionary. Since the outcome was already set in stone, she would accept it and face it.
She pushed open the car door and got out, only to be caught off guard by a familiar figure.
“Shiqing, what are you doing here?”
Xie Shiqing was wearing a white cheongsam embroidered with red plum blossoms. A bodyguard held an umbrella for her, casting a shadow over her elegant figure. She stood gracefully and smiled warmly. “Ah, Ning Ning, what a coincidence. Your mother invited me over, saying there’s something important to discuss.”
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It was a beautiful sunny day, the sunlight as dazzling as gold, but to Zhong Ning, it felt too harsh, almost enough to scorch her.
Even Xie Shiqing, standing in the sunlight, had become someone who could burn her.
Xie Shiqing said Mother asked her to come because there was something important to discuss.
What else, apart from the recent events, could be considered important?
Zhong Ning pulled at the corner of her mouth. She couldn’t manage a smile. “Ah, I see… then let’s go in together.”
“Shall we hold hands?”
A hand lifted in front of her eyes—slender and delicate, nails neatly trimmed, not a healthy pink, but the pale hue of shell flesh. She had once kissed every finger with obsession, worshipping the back of the hand as if revering a deity. Perhaps there would never be a chance to touch it again.
“Yes,” Zhong Ning said softly.
She grasped the hand solemnly, fingers interlacing. All the way into the villa, she didn’t shift her gaze anywhere else, focusing only on outlining Xie Shiqing’s profile, trying to carve it deep into her memory.
It was still the living room, still arranged just as it had been during her last visit. Zhong Li, Madam Zhong, her sister—each wore a different expression, but they all shared one thing in common—heaviness.
The Head of the Zhong family spoke. There was no disappointment, no frustration. She sounded like an outsider, like a judge. With a tone as cold as a death sentence, she recited everything about Liu Rushi’s situation, including the result of the paternity test.
Only when she turned to Xie Shiqing did her tone change, appearing apologetic as she sighed. “That disgraceful child—I had no idea she could do something like this. It’s like I, her mother, mean nothing to her. And I actually believed she could change. Zhong Ning, you’ve truly let me down!”
Zhong Zinuan cast an anxious glance at Zhong Ning, then said, “Mother, maybe things aren’t as you think. Little Ning might have her reasons. How could she be the kind of pampered brat who fools around and ends up with an illegitimate child?”
“Little Ning, explain quickly. Talk it out properly with Shiqing. I believe you wouldn’t do such a thing.”
She then looked at Xie Shiqing. “Shiqing, please don’t be angry. Little Ning is still young. She must’ve been tricked—she doesn’t understand anything yet.”
Zhong Ning quietly let go of Xie Shiqing’s hand. The bitterness flowing through her heart could have filled the moat that circled Fengcheng.
“Zinuan, don’t say any more.”
She slowly and painfully forced the words out from her throat. Every syllable seemed to drain the warmth from her body, leaving her a corpse frozen by guilt.
“It was my fault. I will take responsibility.”
After a moment of silence, she voiced the words she had organized and buried deep in her heart: “Miaomiao is an innocent life. Liu Rushi’s current tragedy was caused by me, and it should be me who atones for it. She wants full custody of Miaomiao and doesn’t want much contact with me. So, I will provide all of Miaomiao’s medical expenses and cover the living costs for both mother and child.”
“I won’t defend the mistakes I made. As for the engagement, continuing it would be a great disrespect to Miss Xie.”
Zhong Ning took two deep breaths before she could barely continue. “Let it cancel it. As for what I promised you before, I will still do it—if you’ll still accept it.”
“This is my fault, and I owe you an apology. But I swear, I truly don’t remember, and I never meant to hide it.” Her expression dimmed as she offered a meager explanation, unable to go on.