Chapter 41
She truly hadn't done it, but the sins committed by the original owner were now one with her, inseparable. What use was there in explaining?
"...If you want to scold me, or hit me, punish me in any way, I will accept it. I only hope it can make you feel a little better."
A wave of grievance and sorrow overwhelmed her. Speaking these words exhausted all of Zhong Ning's strength, as if a hand had scooped out her bones and flesh, leaving behind only a hollow shell, standing dazed in place, awaiting the judgment that was sure to come.
She truly was innocent, but wasn't Miaomiao innocent too? Wasn't Liu Rushi, who had been hurt, innocent? At least she had only suffered mental torment, whereas these two had endured physical harm, plain and undeniable.
She was someone with empathy, unable to turn a blind eye.
So be it.
At least she had done what she believed was right.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Xie Shiqing, waiting for her final pronouncement.
Xie Shiqing gently brushed the red plum blossoms embroidered on her cheongsam, her fingertips caressing the fine stitches. A faint smile played at her lips, as if lost in her own thoughts.
After a while, she seemed to return to herself. "Ah, is it my turn to speak? I do have a few things to say."
With a graceful gesture, her assistant behind her brought forward a document folder and placed it on the table.
"Everything I want to say is in here."
Zhong Li was the first to pick it up. There were only a few sheets of paper inside. After reading them, she remained silent for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Truly worthy of Shiqing."
She said meaningfully, "I'm not surprised, and yet a little surprised."
The Head of the Zhong family patted her clothes and stood up. "I need to go check if the formal dresses are ready. Tell them to hurry up so they don't delay the schedule."
"You all continue."
With that, she actually just walked off, leaving the living room to the rest.
Madam Zhong was the second to take the folder. A quick glance inside made her eyes widen in shock. Her lips trembled slightly, then she quickly forced a smile, speaking in a warm tone, "Is Shiqing staying for dinner tonight? I can tell the kitchen to prepare."
"I've been reading too many documents lately and have a bit of a headache. I want to go back early and rest, so I won't stay." Xie Shiqing replied leisurely.
"Alright, alright." Madam Zhong let out a few dry laughs. "I'll go check how the dresses are coming along too."
Her departing figure looked somewhat rushed.
The folder ended up in Zhong Zinuan’s hands. Her gaze grew solemn, but she didn't open it immediately. Instead, she glanced at Xie Shiqing, seemingly already guessing what was inside.
Xie Shiqing merely lounged comfortably on the sofa, picking a strawberry from the tea table and popping it into her mouth, lips stained crimson from the fruit.
Zhong Zinuan lowered her head and pulled out the papers for a look. Suddenly, she laughed. "Nothing escapes you, Shiqing."
Then, her eyes narrowed slightly. "You've changed."
Xie Shiqing crossed her legs and said leisurely, "I'm not close to you."
Zhong Zinuan’s hand clenched around the documents, then she flung the folder onto the tea table, her gaze cold as a glacier. "Fine."
Her eyes swept past Zhong Ning without a word, then she turned and walked away.
Only Zhong Ning was left, utterly confused. Wasn’t this supposed to be her trial? Why had everyone left?
With slight hesitation, she picked up the folder from the table and looked down.
"Parentage Test Certificate"
Another parentage test… wait…
Zhong Ning’s heart suddenly began to race. She flipped straight to the result.
— Based on the available information and DNA testing, there is no biological relationship between Zhong Ning and Liu Miaoyi.
What was going on!
Zhong Ning's breathing grew heavy. She suddenly looked up at Xie Shiqing, unable to stop herself from staring.
Xie Shiqing lazily held a strawberry between her fingers, her smile tender. "Ning Ning, want some? It’s very sweet."
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"How could I be in the mood to eat strawberries!" Zhong Ning was about to lose it. "What exactly is going on? How do you even have a parentage test, and this result is..."
"Different from what you expected?" Xie Shiqing, seeing she wasn’t eating, popped the strawberry into her own mouth. The soft flesh crushed between her teeth.
She looked like a proper guest attending a formal meeting—if only this hadn’t been Zhong Ning’s public shaming, and if the hosts hadn’t all just walked out.
Zhong Ning had no idea what was happening. Her mind was spinning rapidly, as if someone had thrown her into a washing machine—she couldn’t tell north from south.
How did Xie Shiqing know about this? How could she possibly produce a parentage test? Even she herself, the party concerned, had just seen the result!
Didn’t this mean Xie Shiqing had found out long ago?
"There’s more than just the parentage test inside. Don’t you want to see it?" she said, her tone unusually comforting.
Zhong Ning couldn’t speak. When a person had too much to say, sometimes not a single word came out.
Maybe it was because every thought was jamming out, all clogged up in her throat.
Not knowing what to say, she could only press her lips together, look toward the folder, and pull out the rest of the documents. They stated that the hotel footage from last year’s Lantern Festival had been tampered with by a former employee. Her bank account had received large, unexplained transfers.
There was also a statement from a hotel server, whom Zheng Xuan had called in to take care of the drunk Zhong Ning. She had stayed in the room with herself the entire night and could confirm Zhong Ning had slept through without ever leaving the room.
The folder even contained a video authentication report. The surveillance footage that had been leaked was actually a fabricated and spliced version.
There was one discrepancy, very slight but definitive.
The emergency exit sign in the hallway had once been damaged and replaced. The current sign looked newer, but last year’s old sign had a tiny scratch above the green light. It was easy to miss, but once noticed, the difference was obvious.