Chapter 50

Ning Zhen and Yao Wenluo walked downstairs. 

At a bend in the staircase, Yao Wenluo let go of Ning Zhen’s arm and blocked her path, quietly staring at her. 

Ning Zhen didn’t move and folded her arms, observing Yao Wenluo in return. Since Yao wasn’t speaking, Ning Zhen didn’t feel the need to either. 

“…AYu invited the old generals for dinner. Why are you here?” Yao Wenluo asked coldly. 

Ning Zhen replied, “That’s a question I should be asking you. My husband invited his subordinates for dinner. Why are you here?” 

“AYu invited me.” 

“You can keep lying to yourself. I wasn’t invited by anyone—I was brought by the Governor himself,” Ning Zhen said. “He personally went to the old house to pick me up, and waited for two hours while I got ready.” 

Yao Wenluo’s cheeks tightened, clearly clenching her molars. 

Ning Zhen remained calm. “Are we going backstage or heading home? Miss Yao, you’d be wise to behave. If you offend me, not even your father will help you.” 

“You’re wielding your position like it’s a decree,” Yao Wenluo sneered. “AYu is only supporting you because of appearances. His wife represents his face. It doesn’t matter who it is.” 

There was truth to her words. 

Regardless of who held the title of the Governor’s wife, Sheng Changyu would defend them. 

It wasn’t just about saving face; it was also about establishing authority. 

Ning Zhen was like a medal on his chest. He might not care which medal he wore, but whichever one was on him had to be polished and gleaming. 

“You think you’re so special, don’t you, Ning Zhen?” Yao Wenluo said coldly. “I’m different from you. I’m a daughter of the Yao family. Even without any official status, AYu will still side with me. You’d best not cross me.” 

“Miss Yao, you should be clear on one thing: I am the Governor’s wife right now,” Ning Zhen said with a smile. 

Yao Wenluo:  

“You think anyone could be the Governor’s wife, but for some reason, it’s not you,” Ning Zhen added. 

Yao Wenluo’s face twitched. 

It looked like she wanted to make a move. 

But Ning Zhen was not only taller than her by a head, she was also more agile. 

The Ning family had always employed martial arts instructors, and every boy in the family was required to practice martial arts and memorize military tactics from a young age. 

It was said that Ning Zhen could hold a horse stance for two hours by the time she was five—not because she was forced, but because she watched her brothers practice and thought it looked fun. 

Her brothers and the instructors would tease her, which only fueled her determination. 

Yao Wenluo had fought with her once and knew all too well how powerless she was under Ning Zhen’s strength. 

Yao Wenluo suppressed her urge to act. 

“Soon enough, you won’t be the Governor’s wife either,” Yao Wenluo said viciously. “If you’re smart, you’ll find an excuse to leave. Otherwise, you’ll regret ever crossing me.” 

“I’ve always regretted it,” Ning Zhen said. “It lowers my standards and makes it seem like I’m on your level. I regret it so much it hurts. When people see me fighting with you, they mock me for being overqualified.” 

Yao Wenluo’s face had already turned pale with anger. 

Ning Zhen remained calm, standing still and watching her quietly. 

Yao Wenluo turned on her heel and stormed down the stairs, her footsteps pounding loudly with each step. 

Ning Zhen chuckled and slowly followed her down. 

Instead of going backstage, she lingered in the lobby, waiting for Yao Wenluo to return. 

Upstairs in the private box, Sheng Changyu and the old generals weren’t discussing anything serious. 

His invitation to the opera was simply to strengthen personal connections. 

General Yao, whom Sheng Changyu addressed as “Teacher,” mentioned a man named Ge Ming from the railway bureau. 

“…He came to me begging, and I refused him outright. I even scolded him. Can’t even manage his own daughter, and he has the audacity to overestimate himself. The Governor didn’t execute him, and that’s already a mercy,” General Yao said. 

Sheng Changyu lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said, “It’s always reassuring to know Teacher understands my difficulties.” 

“I warned him too, not to trouble the Governor by pulling strings anymore. He’s been loyal for years—of course the Governor knows that. After the New Year, when things settle down, he’ll get what’s due. What isn’t his, he can’t force. If he keeps pushing his luck, I’ll be the first to deal with him,” General Yao added. 

Governor Li stood by listening, without saying a word. 

Sheng Changyu seemed to enjoy the conversation. “Let’s talk after the New Year,” he said. 

When the conversation ended, they began discussing trivial matters. Sheng Changyu, feeling a bit tired of sitting, thought of getting up to stretch. Ning Zhen and Yao Wenluo had been gone for quite some time without returning. 

He asked his adjutant, “Which way is the makeup room backstage?” 

“Just go downstairs, second door on the left, Governor,” the adjutant replied. 

“No need to show me the way,” Sheng Changyu said as he descended the stairs. 

At the bottom, he spotted Ning Zhen. 

She sat idly on a bench, leaning against one of the theater’s pillars, holding a pocket watch and looking at it. 

Sheng Changyu thought she was checking the time, but then realized her gaze was focused on the cover of the watch, where a small portrait could be placed. 

He considered coughing to announce his presence so as not to startle her. 

But just as he was about to, someone crept up behind Ning Zhen. 

Before he could say anything, Ning Zhen seemed to sense something. She sprang to her feet and, with a swift motion of her left hand, splashed a bowl of paint all over Yao Wenluo. 

The paint spilled everywhere, splattering onto Ning Zhen as well. Her white fox-fur collar was drenched in red paint, staining it a deep crimson, like blood. 

Sheng Changyu suddenly felt a wave of irritation. 

Yao Wenluo, stunned for a moment, then burst into tears, her wailing loud enough to reach those upstairs. 

Sheng Changyu descended the stairs and commanded, “Silence!” 

Yao Wenluo’s face and hair were smeared with the bright red paint meant for stage makeup, making her look like a boiled shrimp—utterly disheveled. 

“AYu, look at her! I was just showing her the paint, and she threw it all over me,” Yao Wenluo sobbed. “My hair and clothes are brand new, and now they’re ruined, AYu!” 

From where Sheng Changyu had been standing, a pillar blocked his view, so he had only seen Yao Wenluo approach Ning Zhen but not what happened afterward. 

However, the large red stain on Ning Zhen’s collar was proof enough that Yao Wenluo had intended to throw the paint at her, only for it to be deflected back. 

“Where did the paint come from?” Sheng Changyu asked coldly. 

“I brought it… I…” 

“If you hadn’t brought it or approached her, none of this would have happened,” Sheng Changyu said sternly. 

Yao Wenluo stood there, stunned for a moment, then resumed crying. 

Just then, several Generals came down to see what was going on. 

Yao Wenluo ran to her father, smearing his military uniform with red paint. 

“Father, AYu and Ning Zhen are bullying me. Look at my face! I’m in this state, and AYu is still taking her side and scolding me!” Yao Wenluo sobbed uncontrollably. 

The onlookers:  

“She tried to throw the paint at me first,” Ning Zhen said calmly. 

General Yao gave a forced smile. “Madam, I apologize. Wenluo has been spoiled too much, like a child. It’s her fault today.” 

Governor Li added, “Who doesn’t pamper their daughters? Zhen’er is probably even more cherished by her family than Wenluo.” 

“Yes, they’re both spoiled. Wenluo’s just a bit more rebellious—probably takes after me. Unlike Madam, who takes after old Ning, with a sense of the bigger picture,” General Yao said. 

The other General:  

Mentioning “old Ning” was a precise way to subtly undermine the Madam. 

Everyone knew that Sheng Changyu disliked Ning Zhoutong, Ning Zhen’s father. 

Ning Zhoutong was a capable man, not someone Sheng Changyu could easily deal with, which only deepened Sheng’s resentment toward him. 

Marrying Ning Zhoutong’s daughter had been a tactical move at the time—a way for Sheng to deal with the consequences of his own impulsiveness. 

Bringing up Ning Zhoutong at this moment was a clear attempt to take a jab at Madam. 

“Miss Yao doesn’t take after her parents. Her mistakes are her own,” Sheng Changyu said. “Someone, escort Miss Yao home. In the future, unless I personally invite her, Miss Yao is not to approach Madam or me.” 

General Yao: