Zhang Xue clearly hadn’t expected Ning Zhen to refuse her. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly and a trace of displeasure from being defied appeared on her beautiful face. “What did you say? Are you trying to go against me, Ning Zhen?”

Ning Zhen gave a bitter smile and closed his eyes.

Zhang Xue looked down at the man she had once loved. She had once been young and naive, believing that love outweighed money. But the grind of daily life— meals, groceries, oil, and salt— had worn away all the affection she had once had for Ning Zhen. Eventually, she had grown tired of those repetitive, mundane days.

Carrying designer handbags every day, frequenting high-end venues, traveling in luxury cars, and living the life of a wealthy lady— wasn’t that far more appealing? Why should she spend her days enduring hardship with Ning Zhen?

Could love satisfy hunger? What a joke.

Now, looking at Ning Zhen again, there wasn’t a single trace of leftover emotion in her heart.

She had never once regretted her decision. The only thing she regretted was not meeting Shen Ke earlier.

She had wasted the best years of her life on Ning Zhen.

With a cold sneer, Zhang Xue said, “Ning Zhen, I’m ordering you to call Ning Xiaoyu right now and make her apologize to Weiwei in front of the livestream audience— or I’ll get angry.”

Ning Zhen, I want a branded bag. Will you buy it for me? If you don’t, I’ll get angry.

Ning Zhen, does this coat look good on me? If you say no, I’ll get angry.

Ning Zhen, you have to do all the housework at home. I don’t know how to do it.

Ning Zhen, this place is so dirty. Clean it up now, or I’ll get angry.

Fragments of memories suddenly flooded Ning Zhen’s mind.

Back then, every time Zhang Xue said ‘I’ll get angry’, he would immediately lower himself to coax her. No matter what she asked for— whether he could do it or not— he would agree without hesitation and try his best to fulfill it.

The only thing he had failed to give her was the life she wanted.

It wasn’t until he left his family that he realized, without their support, Second Young Master Ning couldn’t even afford a Maybach.

Yet in the past, a Maybach’s price had only equaled two months of his allowance.

Once so proud, Second Young Master Ning had turned into someone even he didn’t recognize— all for the sake of so-called love.

Ning Zhen closed his eyes, unwilling to look at the woman who evoked both love and hate in him. He reminded himself not to soften, not to hold Ning Xiaoyu back anymore.

He had already been wrong for too many years. He couldn’t continue making mistakes.

His tone turned cold as he forced himself to speak, “I won’t make that call. No matter what she does, I will support her.”

Zhang Xue was momentarily stunned, thinking she had misheard. This is utter rebellion, isn’t it, Ning Zhen?

She sneered and crossed her arms. “I’ll give you one more chance. Think carefully about how you want to answer me.”

Suddenly, Ning Zhen felt exhausted.

Why had he ever found Zhang Xue beautiful and adorable?

Now that the illusion had shattered, he realized she was nothing more than an aggressive and unreasonable woman.

He assumed a posture that clearly meant ‘please leave’. “I’m tired. I need to rest now.”

Zhang Xue looked at him in disbelief. “Ning Zhen, you—”

At that moment, the doctor happened to arrive on rounds. Ning Zhen immediately said, “Doctor, please see her out.”

Since marrying Shen Ke, Zhang Xue hadn’t suffered this kind of humiliation. She let out a cold laugh and pointed a perfectly manicured finger at the man in the hospital bed. “You’re doing just fine, Ning Zhen. I’ll come back later. In the meantime, think carefully about your decision.”

As she turned to leave, Ning Zhen spoke lightly, “Doctor, please help me contact some security guards. Thank you.”

Zhang Xue gritted her teeth, then turned on her ten-centimeter heels and walked away with sharp, clicking steps.

As soon as she left, Ning Zhen finally exhaled, the tension in his body easing. He suddenly seemed to have aged several years.

The doctor said, “CEO Ning previously mentioned transferring you to another hospital. It’s quieter there, no one would disturb you, and it would help with your recovery. What do you think……”

Ning Zhen kept his eyes closed, his voice weary, “Let’s go with his suggestion.”

“Alright.”

────ρя


Elsewhere, the show’s guests were in the car, trying to get information from the driver.

“Xiao Xiang, where are we going now?”

Xiao Xiang smiled. “Don’t worry. With so many of you, there’s no way I could sell you off, right?”

Xi Rui chimed in, “We’re not worried about that. Just curious.”

Xiao Xiang gave a flawless response, “It’s just a birthday party. What’s there to be curious about?”

Shi Chao ran a hand over the seat beneath him. “Is this car rented or borrowed?”

Xiao Xiang: “……”

He merely smiled and didn’t respond.

This limited-edition car— could it even be rented? Which rental agency had one? He’d love to know.

People who could borrow this kind of car probably had a garage full of luxury vehicles. They wouldn’t need to borrow anything.

Xi Rui held her face in her hands. “How much longer?”

Xiao Xiang replied patiently, “Very soon.”

When they pulled up outside a small convenience store, Xiao Xiang suddenly stopped the car.

Ning Yuwei spoke up right away, “Is it that little restaurant next door?”

She had sharp eyes and had been observing the eateries nearby.

The other guests quickly noticed the small, somewhat yellowed restaurant beside the convenience store as well.

Some of them began to open the car doors, preparing to get out.

Xu Cheng looked out the window. “Is Xiaoyu inside?”

Xiao Xiang maintained his composed demeanor. “I’m just stopping to buy a bottle of water. We haven’t arrived yet. Please be patient.”

Ning Yuwei bit her lip. “Ah, are we still not there yet? It’s been going for quite a while already.”

The manor was built in the suburbs, so naturally the drive took some time.

But Xiao Xiang couldn’t be bothered to explain.

He got out of the car to buy a bottle of water, took a few sips, then got back in.

Once the car started moving again, the guests’ curiosity faded a little.

They couldn’t help it. After sitting in the car for so long, they were starting to feel tired.

Lu Jingdu had been resting with his eyes closed ever since getting into the car, showing not the slightest interest in where the driver was taking them.

Shen Yueyue’s eyes were sparkling, though no one knew what she was thinking about.

Ning Yuwei lowered her head and sent a message to Zhang Xue, 【Mom, how are things going?】

This time, Zhang Xue didn’t reply immediately.

Ning Yuwei’s heart grew uneasy again.

────ρя


Meanwhile, Ning Xiaoyu had arrived at Ning Silang Manor before the other guests.

It had to be said that the manor was truly grand and impressive.

But her face didn’t show any sign of the wide-eyed awe or envy one might expect from someone stepping into such a lavish place for the first time. She still wore her signature deadpan expression, calm and composed.

To be honest, there wasn’t much to be envious of.

That was just the salted fish mindset— tough as nails.

What was meant to be hers would eventually be hers. If it wasn’t, there was no need to force it.

There was no need to envy others.

Envying others was exhausting. It was enough just to live well as oneself.

As soon as Ning Xiaoyu stepped into the manor’s grand hall, the butler led her to Old Master Ning’s side.

At the moment, Old Master Ning was surrounded by several old men who looked to be around the same age as him.

“Lao Ning, is this your granddaughter? She’s beautiful!”

“How old is the child? Does she have a boyfriend?”

As it turned out, no matter their age or social standing, elderly people loved to ask if the younger generation was dating.

Hearing that, Old Master Ning immediately waved them off. “Go, go, go. I still plan to keep my granddaughter around for a few more years. No marriage. Absolutely no marriage.”

One of the gray-haired old men laughed heartily. “Fine, no marriage. But Lao Ning, you should let your granddaughter meet more peers. Who knows? She might just run into someone she likes!”

Old Master Ning was already prepared for this. “Didn’t I ask you all to bring your grandsons and granddaughters today? Introduce them to Xiaoyu Later.”

“Of course!”

“So her name’s Xiaoyu? Easy to remember and sounds nice.”

“Lao Ning, your granddaughter is truly something.”

Ning Xiaoyu sat quietly to the side like a mascot.

Thankfully, Old Master Ning hadn’t intended to marry her off. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stayed there at all.

Old Master Ning had originally assumed that his granddaughter would find chatting with their group of elderly men boring, but to his surprise, in just a short while, she had seamlessly blended into their circle.

Ning Xiaoyu said, “Ah, my hobbies? Normally, I enjoy fishing and walking birds. But most of the time, I like sunbathing and taking naps.”

As soon as she mentioned fishing and bird walking, the other old men lit up and had plenty to talk about with her.

“Xiaoyu, your hobbies are really something else.”

“Xiaoyu, if you’ve got time, how about joining us old men for some fishing?”

“Xiaoyu……”

Old Master Ning: “……”

Old Master Ning was stunned.

Weren’t young people these days into clubbing, concerts, skiing, and karaoke? How had it come to fishing and bird walking with Ning Xiaoyu?

Those hobbies…… they were actually pretty great.

As her grandfather, he shared the same interests. In the future, they could organize group fishing outings with all the old fellows!

────ρя


Just as Ning Xiaoyu was hitting it off with a bunch of old men, the limousine carrying the guests was drawing closer to the manor.

Shi Chao, a rising filmmaker from a good background, realized something as soon as they entered the area.

This part of town was a tacitly acknowledged district for the wealthy.

Anyone who lived there was either rich or influential.

If Ning Xiaoyu’s birthday party was being held there, then it probably meant she had recently latched onto someone powerful.

Clinging to someone’s coattails wasn’t rare.

Still, it felt like a bit of a waste. Ning Xiaoyu— such a laid-back girl— had bowed her head to reality after all.

While Shi Chao was silently sighing in his heart, the manor finally came into view.

Xi Rui let out a gasp. “Xiaoyu’s birthday party is being held here?”

Xu Cheng’s face was full of barely concealed astonishment. “What estate is this?”

Ning Yuwei’s face turned slightly pale. She didn’t look good at all.

The limousine cruised smoothly into the estate, and the manor’s grand and majestic view unfolded before the guests’ eyes. The place was extremely beautiful.

At that moment, Xiao Xiang’s calm, strong voice came from the front seat, “Allow me to introduce this place. This is Ning Silang Manor. It was built twenty years ago, expanded five years ago, and has changed hands twice. The current owner purchased it at the beginning of this year for a nine-figure sum and renamed it ‘Ning Silang’.”

The guests exchanged glances.

“Ning Silang? Who’s that?”

“His surname’s Ning? Same as Xiaoyu!”

“So, Ning Silang and Xiaoyu are……?”

After the introduction, Xiao Xiang fell silent, not answering their questions. Some guests weren’t short on connections or sources, but the name ‘Ning Silang’ was genuinely unfamiliar to them. When had such a wealthy person suddenly appeared?

Ever since entering the estate, Ning Yuwei’s mood had plummeted to rock bottom.