Chapter 62

Ning Zhen immediately called the Governor’s office. 

She asked the adjutant to have the Chief of Staff take the call. 

“The Governor and the Chief of Staff left early this morning,” the adjutant informed her. 

“I’m just returning a call from yesterday; it’s not urgent. Please let the Chief of Staff know I’ve called back,” Ning Zhen said. 

The adjutant hesitated for a moment. 

Then he told Ning Zhen, “Madam, it was actually the Governor who called you last night.” 

Ning Zhen:  

“Would you like to call back later?” the adjutant asked. 

“Alright.” 

It was necessary to return the call. 

The superior wouldn’t call her for no reason; Ning Zhen didn’t dare let him call again. 

Ning Zhen felt uneasy all day, wondering why Sheng Changyu needed to speak with her. 

Was it because of the secrets Cheng Baisheng had shared, and Sheng Changyu was warning her not to divulge them? 

Her anxiety ruined her appetite. 

She hadn’t eaten much all day and, by 7 PM, thinking he might have returned to the office, she called again. 

After the call was connected, the adjutant asked Sheng Changyu to come to the phone. 

Sheng Changyu did answer, but his tone was very puzzled: “Do you need something?” 

Ning Zhen: Wasn’t it you who called me first? 

She decided to get straight to the point: “Governor, I went home yesterday, and Cao Ma said you called me. Is there something you need?” 

Sheng Changyu: “Yesterday?” 

Ning Zhen:  

The adjutant wouldn’t have intentionally misled her, would he? 

Why did it seem like Sheng Changyu didn’t remember? 

“I had a bit to drink yesterday, so I might have called by mistake,” he said. 

Ning Zhen: speechless 

He added, “I might have wanted to remind you of something, but I don’t recall now.” 

Ning Zhen: ! 

She had been anxious all day just for this? 

She wanted to smash his head. 

She took a deep breath, planning to hang up, but heard Sheng Changyu call her name: “Ning Zhen.” 

The tone was familiar, as if he was calling her out. 

Ning Zhen: “I’m still here, Governor.” 

“You said you went where yesterday?” he asked. 

Ning Zhen replied without hesitation, “I went home.” 

There was a sudden silence on the other end. 

Ning Zhen: “Governor?” 

“Hmm.” 

“Is something wrong? I’m not lying; my family can vouch for me,” Ning Zhen said. 

Sheng Changyu: “Ning Zhen, where exactly is your home?” 

Ning Zhen was taken aback. 

She hadn’t expected him to bring up this issue. 

She wanted to say, you and your mother haven’t treated me as one of your own, so why should I treat your family as mine? 

“… I meant, I went back to my parents’ home,” Ning Zhen said. 

Sheng Changyu paused, and there was a bit of noise on the line, as if he wanted to say something but swallowed it. 

He hung up. 

Ning Zhen held the receiver, her emotions mixed and complex. 

She had previously felt some sympathy for Sheng Changyu after hearing Cheng Baisheng’s account, thinking he had a hard time. 

Now, she felt that pity often came with contempt. 

— He was tormented by his mother and then took it out on others! 

The best way was to detach herself from their problems. 

Ning Zhen wasn’t a savior. 

She had barely eaten all day and was upset; her hands shook slightly as she put down the phone. 

Cao Ma noticed her pale face and quickly supported her arm: “Madam, what’s wrong?” 

Ning Zhen sat down on the sofa and, after a while, said, “Make me a bowl of wontons. Maybe eating will improve my mood.” 

Cao Ma: “Alright. I’ll go make it.” 

She added, “Madam, try to stay positive. As long as you can eat and drink, the world won’t come to an end.” 

Ning Zhen nodded. 

While eating a late-night snack, Ning Zhen thought about how, when the Great Commander was alive, the Ning family could refuse Sheng Changrong because the Great Commander was reasonable and valued her father. 

But with the Great Commander gone and Sheng Changyu in power, the Ning family had lost their support. 

Even if a daughter is treasured and well-raised, if her family sees her as more precious than a pearl, a slight trick from the Sheng family could leave her as a widow in her own home. 

Yet, Sheng Changyu still blamed her for not treating the house as her own. 

If Ning Zhen were less composed, she would have been furious enough to get sick. 

She ate her wontons; although her mood didn’t improve significantly, she felt much calmer. 

Yawning, Ning Zhen washed up and went to bed. 

Sheng Changyu, however, was still awake, sitting on the sofa and smoking. 

Cheng Baisheng wasn’t at the Governor’s residence that night; his Chief of Staff, Cheng Yang, had gone to the garrison, leaving no one to talk to. 

Sheng Changyu couldn’t remember why he had called Ning Zhen the night before. 

He had an engagement that evening. 

A high-ranking official from the municipal hall invited him for drinks, so he went. 

There were courtesans accompanying them at the event. 

One young lady was tall and beautiful, with a certain air of Ning Zhen’s decisiveness. 

Others introduced her as someone who had also studied abroad, in London. 

Sheng Changyu looked at her several times. 

It wasn’t because she resembled Ning Zhen or because of her overseas education, but because she was wearing a white fox fur stole. 

She wore a thin long-sleeved cheongsam and glass stockings, not appearing particularly cold; the stole seemed to add a touch of elegance. 

Everyone praised her for her charm and outstanding demeanor. 

The more Sheng Changyu looked, the more annoyed he became. The fur on the stole swayed around messily, making his eyes ache. 

He couldn’t help himself: “Where did you get that stole?” 

“The Governor is asking,” the lady replied gracefully. 

She mentioned a store known for its high-quality, expensive furs in Suzhou. 

“If the Governor likes this stole, have her sit closer so you can take a better look,” someone suggested. 

Sheng Changyu responded, “The quality is so poor, what’s there to see? Who brought it? Is this what you serve at my dinner? Do you have issues with me?” 

The crowd turned pale with fear. 

The lady was even more terrified. 

She repeatedly explained that the stole was expensive, not inferior quality, and that she hadn’t intended to neglect the Governor. 

Sheng Changyu: “Can’t I tell if it’s good or not?” 

The lady was led out. 

Sheng Changyu was displeased the entire night. 

He drank quite a bit, but the officials accompanying him drank even more; almost everyone ended up vomiting, which somewhat relieved Sheng Changyu’s frustration. 

Indeed, he had drunk too much the previous night. 

So, he had little recollection of calling Ning Zhen or what he intended to say. 

Drunk people have fractured logic. 

Sheng Changyu thought about it for a while, couldn’t remember, and gave up, going to bed. 

The next day, Cheng Baisheng arrived early at the Governor’s residence. 

“I found out what happened the other night. It was someone named Feng who caused trouble. General Feng has many spies, and he learned that you and Ning Zhen were shopping for stoles all over town, so he deliberately arranged that incident,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

Sheng Changyu’s face was expressionless: “That old fox, even plotting against me.” 

He was also quite angry, “Plotting against me, yet so cheap, unwilling to buy a decent stole.” 

Cheng Baisheng: “… He bought an identical one.” 

Sheng Changyu remained indifferent: “Nonsense. Can’t I tell if it’s identical or not?” 

He continued, “People used to pull these tricks before; they still do now, showing no progress. Back then, with someone like Su Qing’er, at least they found someone somewhat comparable. Now, it’s not even close. I don’t know if it’s meant to insult me or Ning Zhen. If Ning Zhen looked like that, she’d be furious enough to jump into a river.” 

Cheng Baisheng: