When Ning Yuwei heard those words, her entire body stiffened.

What did that mean?

Did Old Master Ning not know that she was also his granddaughter? No. That was impossible.

Since they had managed to track down Ning Zhen and Ning Xiaoyu, there was no reason they wouldn’t know about her existence.

Then was Old Master Ning…… refusing to acknowledge her?

Just then, a passing guest overheard the conversation and laughed, saying, “What a coincidence, my surname is also Ning. Going by that logic, I guess the old master and I were family a few hundred years ago.”

Old Master Ning let out a hearty laugh. “That’s right, we were all one family a few hundred years ago.”

Just like that, Ning Yuwei’s identity had been reduced to that of a passerby who happened to share the same surname. She didn’t even know how she left that place. All she knew was that she felt completely out of sorts, as if her soul had left her body.

Why?

As soon as she reached a quiet corner, she immediately pulled out her phone. Her hand trembled slightly as she dialed Zhang Xue’s number.

The repeated beeping from the receiver seemed to stretch endlessly.

Each sound felt like a blow to her heart, making it hard for her to even breathe.

After a while, Zhang Xue finally picked up at a leisurely pace.

“Hello? Weiwei?”

Ning Yuwei spoke with a slight sob in her voice, “Mom, did you watch the variety show livestream?”

Zhang Xue’s voice was calm and indifferent, “No, I didn’t. Why? Did Ning Xiaoyu bully you again?”

Ning Yuwei shook her head silently. Ning Xiaoyu hadn’t bullied her directly, but today, Ning Xiaoyu had been the center of attention, admired and surrounded by everyone, while she could only look up from the sidelines. That feeling hurt even more than being bullied.

With a nasal voice, she said, “Mom, do you know? Dad is actually the youngest son of the founder of Ningface.”

As soon as those words left her mouth, a voice filled with disbelief came from the other end of the phone.

“What? That’s impossible!”

That useless ex-husband of hers, who had nothing going for him besides his looks— how could he possibly be the son of the founder of Ningface?

“Weiwei, you must be mistaken. Your father couldn’t possibly be—”

For the first time ever, Ning Yuwei forcefully interrupted Zhang Xue. She raised her voice slightly, her sobs growing clearer, “It’s not impossible! The founder of Ningface just said so himself! He said he had some disagreements with Dad, so Dad hasn’t been with him all these years. I’m at Ning Silang Manor right now— the estate named after Grandpa. He’s here, throwing a birthday party for Ning Xiaoyu……”

Zhang Xue couldn’t quite make out the rest of Ning Yuwei’s words.

Her ears seemed to be ringing, as if thunder had exploded in her mind.

What?

The founder of Ningface personally admitted that Ning Zhen is his son?

Ning Zhen…… is a rich second generation?

Ha.

How could that be?

Him?

But then, memories from when they first met slowly resurfaced in Zhang Xue’s mind.

It was during their second date. Ning Zhen had shown up in a well-fitted, handsome white shirt. He looked sunny and dashing.

The white shirt and jeans he wore looked simple, like any ordinary brand. But even the plainest clothes looked different on him.

While she waited in line for milk tea, she overheard two girls whispering about the brand of Ning Zhen’s clothes.

She hadn’t even heard of those brands. As for the price— she had even less of a clue. It seemed to be some foreign custom-made label. She had forgotten the name almost immediately.

When she asked Ning Zhen about it later, he casually brushed it off, saying it was just a knockoff.

At the time, she thought he was like her— a person who liked to dress up and put on appearances. Back then, she also liked to buy knockoffs.

She thought they were a perfect match, with similar tastes and temperaments.

But looking back now, those clothes on Ning Zhen were probably real, not fakes! If he truly was the second young master of the Ning family, how could he have worn counterfeits?

So…… had Ning Zhen been lying to her from the very beginning?

Ha…… Haha……

Tears welled up in Zhang Xue’s eyes as she let out a laugh.

Sensing her odd behavior, the housekeeper walked over, her face full of concern.

“Madam, is everything alright?”

Zhang Xue pressed her lips together and quickly schooled her expression into calmness. “It’s nothing.” But the slight redness in her eyes still betrayed her true emotions.

The housekeeper nodded. “Sir’s driver called earlier. He’ll be home in about thirty minutes.”

Zhang Xue gave a soft “Mm”, then said, “Alright, I know.”

After the housekeeper left, Zhang Xue hurriedly said a few words to Ning Yuwei before hanging up.

If it had been before, hearing that Shen Ke would be home in half an hour, she would have gone to her room to take a hot shower, dress up carefully, and finish it all with a spritz of light perfume.

But now, she had no desire to dress up.

She needed to see Ning Zhen immediately and get to the bottom of everything.

She wanted to confront him face-to-face and ask whether he really was the youngest son of the Ningface founder. She wanted to know why he had pretended to be an ordinary man in front of her.

Was it because he had been guarding himself against her from the start? Afraid that she’d covet his wealth?

More than anything, she wanted to know— when their living standards dropped to middle-class and he couldn’t afford the bags she wanted— had he ever thought of telling her the truth? Had he ever considered reconciling with his family for her sake?

Those questions— only Ning Zhen himself could answer.

Zhang Xue threw a coat over her pajamas and ran out, ignoring the housekeeper’s repeated calls behind her.

“Madam! Madam, where are you going?”

Zhang Xue got into a bright red convertible in the garage, slammed her foot on the accelerator, and drove off without a second glance.

Ning Zhen! Ning Zhen! She had to ask him face to face!

After a wild, breakneck drive, Zhang Xue’s car finally screeched to a halt in front of the hospital.

She jumped out without hesitation and dashed toward the inpatient ward.

Along the way, many passersby turned to look at her in astonishment.

She knew she must’ve looked like a complete mess. She was still wearing her thin pajamas, hastily covered by a long down coat.

Her hair was unkempt, and she hadn’t bothered with perfume. She knew she looked far from elegant and nothing like the graceful and refined Madam Shen. But none of that mattered anymore.

Winter in the capital was bitterly cold.

She hadn’t dressed warmly enough and her body was starting to feel the chill. But no amount of cold could compare to the ice in her heart at that moment.

Zhang Xue had thought her heart was already frozen, but she never expected it could grow colder.

When she arrived at Ning Zhen’s hospital room, she had planned to storm in and confront him directly.

But the door wasn’t fully shut.

Through the narrow gap, she caught sight of a stranger inside. It was a face she had never seen before.

She pushed the door open at once, her breath ragged. “Where is Ning Zhen?”

The patient had casts on both arms and legs, clearly suffering from multiple fractures.

He stared at her in confusion, letting out a bewildered “Huh?”

Slowly, he asked, “What?”

Zhang Xue suddenly felt like she was unraveling.

She screamed hysterically, “I asked where is Ning Zhen?! The patient who used to be here— where did he go?!”

The patient had no way to answer. He had just been admitted today and knew nothing about the previous occupant of the room.

It was a hurriedly arriving doctor who finally gave her an answer.

“To ensure Mr. Ning has a better recovery environment, he’s been transferred to another hospital.”

Transferred……

Just like that— without a word, he had transferred.

Was this hospital not good enough? Or did he believe that her presence was hindering his recovery?

Seven years really had changed so much.

The Ning Zhen of the past would never have left without a word and would never have treated her with such cold indifference.

Zhang Xue suddenly laughed— loud, unhinged laughter. And as she laughed, tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

Her perfectly maintained and delicate face seemed to age dramatically in that moment.

She had always believed that the Ning Zhen who once loved her so humbly, who lowered himself into the dirt for love, was the clown.

Only now did she realize that she was the clown all along.

From beginning to end, she had always been the clown!

────ρя


While Zhang Xue was losing all composure in the hospital, screaming with hysteria, Ning Xiaoyu and Ning Xuchen were slowly wheeling Old Master Ning back to his room.

On the way, Ning Xiaoyu couldn’t stop yawning.

She had woken up early that morning, and after the emotional rollercoaster of identifying relatives, she was truly exhausted.

Old Master Ning noticed her teary eyes from all the yawning and chuckled. “If you’re tired, go to bed early.”

Ning Xiaoyu nodded.

When they reached Old Master Ning’s room, he handed her a thick stack of documents he had prepared in advance.

Ning Xiaoyu took them in confusion. “What’s this?”

Old Master Ning explained, “These are equity transfer documents, property gift agreements, and so on. Sign them when you have time. If anything confuses you, ask Xuchen— he’ll help you.”

Ning Xiaoyu instinctively glanced at Ning Xuchen beside her.

Old Master Ning having another granddaughter meant Ning Xuchen’s share would shrink. Originally, all of this should have been his.

Sensing her gaze, Ning Xuchen waved a hand and smiled. “Don’t look at me like that. I already have more than enough.”

Old Master Ning continued, “The company used to be inherited by your uncle, but after an unfortunate accident, he passed away years ago. From then on, Xuchen had been managing it. You’ll receive a large dividend every year, just like your father used to.”

Ning Xiaoyu had just come into a sizable fortune, yet her expression remained calm. It was as if she were holding a stack of regular papers, not documents transferring equity and gifting real estate.

She rubbed her sore eyes from fatigue and replied, “Alright. Though it’s fine even if I didn’t get any of this.”

“No. If it’s yours, then you should take it.”

That came from Ning Xuchen.

Old Master Ning smiled. “Alright, Xiaoyu, go back to your room and rest. You’ve brought Grandpa this far, that’s enough.”

Ning Xiaoyu nodded. Just as she was about to leave, Old Master Ning reminded her, “Don’t forget to sign.”

If it were anyone else, gaining so much all at once would have left them overjoyed and spinning in delight. No need for a reminder to sign.

But this was the salted fish queen herself— unmoved by fortune or misfortune. Even after suddenly becoming a little heiress, she still wore a deadpan face, her expression so calm it was almost frightening.

“Okay.”

When Ning Xiaoyu reached the door of her room, she unexpectedly ran into the cameraman from the show who had been waiting for her there.

【The princess has returned!】

【Congratulations to the salted fish queen on her new title: Little Princess of the Ning Family.】

【What’s that in her hands?】

The cameraman shared the same curiosity as the viewers.

He immediately noticed the thick stack of documents in her hands and blurted out, “Xiaoyu, what’s that?”

Some things couldn’t be hidden. The news that she had received a significant portion of the Ning family’s assets would get out sooner or later. So Ning Xiaoyu answered calmly, “Oh, just some equity transfer documents, and property gift agreements and stuff.”

【’Just’…… ‘just’……】

【That thick stack…… she must have gotten a lot of properties.】

【Ahhhh! I’m just a bystander and I’m already this excited! How is the salted fish queen staying so chill?!】