Chapter 36

This wasn’t the first time the second and third concubines of the Sheng family had clashed. 

Ning Zhen knew this before she got married, and it wasn’t her first experience with it. Last time, she even fired a gun and wounded Fanfan to protect the third concubine, Xu Fangdu. 

But with these “wars” becoming more frequent and escalating, Ning Zhen was getting fed up. 

“The root cause is the conflict between the old lady and the governor. As long as they don’t reconcile, these ‘wars’ will keep breaking out,” Ning Zhen thought. 

They were mother and son, and with Sheng Changyu in power, their relationship wouldn’t deteriorate further, nor would it become a life-or-death situation. 

They would have to reconcile eventually. 

How that would happen, Ning Zhen didn’t know. 

She had once boasted to her grandmother that being the governor’s wife was an easy role and that she could handle it. 

She had overestimated herself. 

During the third concubine’s recovery, the old lady hadn’t handed over the keys to the storeroom to Ning Zhen; it was still being managed by the third concubine’s maid. 

—Even though the third concubine had lost her child, she remained the old lady’s closest confidante, and Ning Zhen couldn’t surpass her. 

Ning Zhen had her usual monthly rest day. 

When September 15th arrived, Ning Zhen had a rare break and called her second sister-in-law, Jin Nuan, the day before, inviting her to a hot spring retreat to relax. 

Jin Nuan happily agreed and said, “Let’s leave early tomorrow. We’ll first stop by the Russian bakery to get some cream chestnut cake to bring to the hot spring.” 

Ning Zhen teased, “You’re always craving something.” 

“It’s not for me. It’s for our eldest sister-in-law,” Jin Nuan replied. 

“Eldest sister-in-law is coming too?” 

“She’s free tomorrow, so I thought I’d invite her,” Jin Nuan said. 

Ning Zhen was delighted. “Great, check with her. I’ll go buy the cake early and then drive home to pick you and our eldest sister-in-law up.” 

The two of them made plans. 

Knowing that the Russian bakery opened at 10 a.m., Ning Zhen finished her tasks by 9 a.m. and made sure everything at Zhaiyuju Residence was in order before heading out. 

She didn’t bring any maid’s, only placed two rifles in the passenger seat and had a handgun tucked at her waist. 

While driving, Ning Zhen spotted Cheng Baisheng and Sheng Changyu, both dressed in suits and stylish cashmere cloaks, looking fashionable and refined. 

They seemed to be out for leisure. 

The bakery was across from a teahouse, and Ning Zhen saw them enter the teahouse as she parked quickly. 

After buying the cake and heading back to her car, she heard someone call out, “Ning Zhen?” 

She quickened her pace, eyes straight ahead, deliberately avoiding any glance toward the teahouse. 

The voice called out again, louder this time: “Ning Zhen?” 

She jumped into the car, hit the gas, and sped away. 

She was on her break—her boss wasn’t about to boss her around today. 

Whenever she saw him, she ended up having to work. 

“…She didn’t hear us, did she?” Cheng Baisheng asked as they watched her car disappear down the street. 

Sheng Changyu snorted coldly, “Didn’t hear? Look how fast she drove off. What, is she rushing to reincarnate?” 

“Maybe she really had something urgent,” Cheng Baisheng replied. 

Sheng Changyu let out another cold laugh. “Pretending to be deaf and dumb, and you’re still making excuses for her.” 

Cheng Baisheng smiled broadly. “She’s definitely avoiding you. You lost the bet.” 

“I’m not senile,” Sheng Changyu said. “I never agreed to the bet.” 

He added, “Why would she avoid me?” 

Wasn’t she always eager to throw herself at him, showering him with affection? 

Did she find some other support now? 

The old lady’s side? 

But the old lady had Xu Fangdu and didn’t take Ning Zhen seriously. Ning Zhen wasn’t foolish enough to completely give up on Sheng Changyu. 

Or was it because of Meng Xinliang? 

As Sheng Changyu pondered without finding an answer, Cheng Baisheng spoke up, “You yelled at her last time. She’s still angry.” 

Sheng Changyu turned his head slowly, incredulous. “Her father gets scolded in front of me, and she’s mad about being scolded?” 

Cheng Baisheng struggled to suppress his laughter. 

“What are you laughing at?” Sheng Changyu demanded. 

“I’m laughing because you two think the same way. When I asked her about it, she also said, ‘My father’s so much older, yet the governor scolds him like it’s nothing.’” Cheng Baisheng chuckled. 

Sheng Changyu: “Who spoiled her into having such a spoiled young lady’s temper?” 

“Women, you know, they’re sensitive. Last time when there was a visit to the official residence, she didn’t go, and I told you she’s avoiding you,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

Sheng Changyu found this absurd: “Let her avoid me. There will come a time when she needs me.” 

Gradually, he started feeling unsettled. 

That day, he was so exhausted that he could barely lift a finger, relying on cigarette after cigarette to stay awake. When he got a call from Yao Wenluo, he summoned all his energy to show up and maintain order for her. 

He had a fever, was dizzy, and felt like he was walking on clouds. 

He beat up Su Rong and all his hooligan friends, and since then, no one in the city dared to provoke Ning Zhen—not even the family of Su Qing’er. 

Hadn’t he done enough? 

If Ning Zhen weren’t his wife, what right did she have to order him around like this? 

He had said a few words to Ning Zhen in the car, deliberately dismissing the adjutant first. Only when no one was around did he speak. 

Sheng Changyu had always been the type to confront whoever displeased him, even if it was his own parents. 

He never considered whether his father could gracefully back down after a confrontation. 

He had never been so cautious in dealing with anyone before. 

Besides, he hadn’t even said anything harsh; it was just how he normally spoke. So why was she upset? 

She had gotten into Meng Xinliang’s car—did he get angry about that? She had flirted with Meng Xinliang, but he trusted her to stay loyal and believed in her innocence—did he get angry about that? 

No. 

And yet, she was angry. 

Sheng Changyu felt this frustration clogging him up, like cotton stuffing his chest, making it hard to breathe. 

He was about to explode. 

Meanwhile, Ning Zhen picked up her sisters-in-law, and the three of them headed to the hot spring retreat. 

The hot spring retreat was about 50 miles from the city, and they still had to take a mountain road. 

They arrived around noon, visited a nearby temple to light incense, had a vegetarian meal, and only then went to soak in the hot spring. 

Jin Nuan had brought lots of delicious food. 

“…Sister-in-law, do you know about Meng Xinliang and Sister Anuo?” Ning Zhen asked. 

Her cousin, Yunnuo, was closer to her elder brother and sister-in-law, as they were around the same age. 

“How did you find out?” her sister-in-law asked, surprised. 

Ning Zhen recounted her encounter with Meng Xinliang. 

“It’s just like you guessed,” her sister-in-law admitted. 

“When did it start?” Ning Zhen asked. 

“Nearly ten years ago. Anuo was harassed by some thugs at the dock, and Meng Xinliang beat them up. That’s how they got to know each other,” her sister-in-law explained. 

“I had no idea,” Ning Zhen said. 

“Who would tell you kids about such things?” her sister-in-law laughed. 

“And then Uncle broke them up?” Ning Zhen asked. 

“Yes,” her sister-in-law confirmed. 

“Meng Xinliang’s quite something—handsome and now holding a high position,” Ning Zhen remarked. 

“Meng Xinliang has only risen rapidly in the last few years, jumping from position to position. Before that, he was just a low-ranking leader in Xinhetang,” her sister-in-law explained. 

She added, “Uncle is a scholar, maybe not a giant in the cultural world, but definitely a man of high standing. To him, Meng Xinliang was no better than a petty gangster. If he hadn’t sent Anuo away, she would have eloped with Meng Xinliang to Southeast Asia.” 

“Would Sister Anuo really have dared to do that?” Ning Zhen asked. 

“Why not? She had already hidden away some private money,” her sister-in-law replied. 

“What happened next?” Ning Zhen asked. 

“Uncle pulled some strings and got in touch with the Left Protector of the Hongmen, asking him to get rid of Meng Xinliang. Meng Xinliang was captured and beaten for a long time. Anuo threatened to kill herself if Uncle didn’t let him go. She finally agreed to go abroad, never to see Meng Xinliang again, and only then did Uncle release him,” her sister-in-law said. 

Ning Zhen was speechless. 

“But Uncle never expected Meng Xinliang to rise so rapidly. Last time Aunt came over for a visit, she told Mom that Uncle is a bit scared now, worried that one day Meng Xinliang might target him with a hidden bullet,” her sister-in-law added.