Li Yifei’s face was extremely ugly. She glared darkly at Ning Zhou but didn’t dare utter another word. Ever since Meng Ting was married into the Yan family, she had always harbored such fears. It was only because she wasn’t ruthless enough back then…
Ning Zhou looked at Li Yifei, the mockery at the corner of her mouth and the anger in her eyes had disappeared.
She had finally seen clearly that people like Li Yifei would never admit their mistakes. Even if she was forced by circumstances to bow and beg for mercy, it wasn’t because she thought she was wrong, but merely because she was forced.
She simply had no conscience. She didn’t love Meng Jia, nor even her own children. They were just tools for her to climb higher. Once they threatened her own interests, everything could be discarded, all dignity and anger could be set aside.
Sure enough, under Ning Zhou’s gaze, Li Yifei’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, but before she could speak, Ning Zhou coldly interrupted again.
“Stop acting. You know how disgusting you are. I’m telling you, it’s absolutely impossible.”
Li Yifei wanted to act out her regret, her tears, or her groveling… but Ning Zhou was afraid of dirtying her own eyes.
As she spoke, Ning Zhou also stood up, taking two steps back in disgust. “Let me tell you one more thing…”
“You think my father loved you, and my mother was pitiful? I’ll tell you, before my father died, he held my mother’s hand and said he was sorry to her, and that he wanted to be her husband again in the next life…”
As Ning Zhou said this, she also felt a deep sorrow for her mother, Jian Yun, who still believed her father’s words, believing that he had given her all his love and loyalty.
“Even if he didn’t love my mother, he didn’t love you either.” Otherwise, why would he say such things to her mother before he died?
“You stay in there, and soon enough, maybe your whole family can be reunited!”
Ning Zhou would not let Li Yifei off, nor would she spare anyone connected to Li Yifei. There was no need to rush; she would cut off all of Li Yifei’s hopes bit by bit, making her taste the bitter fruit of her own making.
With that, she turned and left. Staying with Li Yifei for even half a minute longer made her feel nauseous.
Li Yifei was stunned for a moment, then suddenly screamed, “I don’t believe it! You’re lying to me! How could he love Jian Yun… how…”
Ning Zhou didn’t listen to the rest, but just hearing those few words made her feel extremely uncomfortable. Yet, she really had no reason to lie to Li Yifei.
What gave Li Yifei the confidence to think she was better than her mother? Her mother was indeed naive and kind, but that naivety was protected by her family, even her husband.
Ning Su’s infidelity was unforgivable, but he had spent his entire life deceiving Jian Yun. If it weren’t for Li Yifei’s revelation, he might have deceived Jian Yun and their children for a lifetime.
Jian Yun might be pitiful, but she had not experienced much unhappiness in her life. The protection she received was something Li Yifei could never have even in several lifetimes.
Rather than saying Li Yifei had an obsession with Ning Su, it was more accurate to say she had always been jealous of her mother’s happiness and peace. Since she couldn’t have it, she didn’t want Jian Yun to have it either.
***
“Mom,” Xiao Zi’ang and Xiao Zimo were at the entrance of the visitation room, supporting Ning Zhou as she came out. They didn’t say much, but they could see that Ning Zhou didn’t look well.
They had many questions in their minds, but they didn’t rush. It wasn’t until they got into the car that Xiao Zi’ang finally spoke.
“Did you find out anything? Was she involved in the kidnapping incident back then?” If she was, then what role did the Meng family play in it? Everything would need to be reconsidered and investigated again.
Ning Zhou gently shook her head. “I didn’t ask about that. Even if I had, she wouldn’t have told me.”
Li Yifei was already facing a long prison sentence. Unless there was irrefutable evidence, she would never admit to anything. Ning Zhou had understood this before meeting her, so she didn’t waste her time.
She sat quietly for a while, then suddenly raised her gaze to carefully examine her two sons, making them feel both awkward and puzzled.
“What’s… wrong?” Xiao Zimo asked, touching his face. Was it because he and Xiao Zi’ang both looked so much like Xiao Huimin? He occasionally found it surprising, but they were both men, and it wasn’t a big deal that they hadn’t inherited Ning Zhou’s good looks.
But after meeting Meng Ting, he couldn’t help but sigh again. The genes for appearance inherited by their three brothers are really extreme.
“If either of you dare to cheat on your spouses or deceive your partners in the future, don’t consider me your mother anymore!”
Xiao Zi’ang and Xiao Zimo found this statement baffling, but they nodded nonetheless. With Ning Zhou in such a mood, even Xiao Huimin would have to obediently comply.
In wealthy families, messy marital relationships are not uncommon, even the Xiao family has had its share of scandals.
However, only their main house is an exception. Xiao Huimin and Ning Zhou have maintained a harmonious relationship for decades. There’s no mention of affairs; they’ve barely even argued. Growing up in such an environment, Xiao Zi’ang and Xiao Zimo naturally turned out well.
They don’t need arranged marriages for business alliances. If they ever fall out of love, they would simply divorce and part ways amicably. Cheating and deceit within marriage are out of the question.
But Ning Zhou’s sudden warning made them uneasy.
The two brothers exchanged glances, and finally, Xiao Zi’ang spoke up, “Does Li Yifei have her eyes on Dad?”
Xiao Zi’ang looked incredulous. Li Yifei was much older than Ning Zhou and didn’t even come close to her in looks. More importantly, she was already a second wife to an old man, had children, and even grandchildren.
“She dare!” If Li Yifei really had designs on Xiao Huimin, Ning Zhou wouldn’t be this calm. Whether they had three children together or decades of marriage, she would still make a scene and demand a divorce.
Ning Zhou just felt sad, especially for her mother, Jian Yun, who loved Ning Su all her life, yet that life had been built on his lies. Betrayal is betrayal, even if he repented in the end.
Ning Zhou didn’t want to dwell on such disgusting matters. She remained silent in the car until they reached the hotel, where Xiao Huimin was waiting. Only then did she share what Li Yifei had told her.
Xiao Huimin could tell what Ning Zhou was thinking at first glance, but he truly felt unjustly accused. He hugged her, even if she resisted, “It’s not worth ruining your mood over her. Think more about Nuo Nuo.”
“It’s because of Nuo Nuo that I feel even worse,” Ning Zhou leaned into Xiao Huimin’s embrace, her eyes slightly red. “The sins of my father have fallen on our Nuo Nuo… He died cleanly[mfn]死得幹淨 (sǐ dé gàn jìng): T/N: I’m guessing this means Ning Su died without anyone knowing his sins. They all thought he was loyal to his wife.[/mfn], and I can’t even blame him anymore.”
Xiao Huimin sighed softly, unsure how to comfort Ning Zhou. After a moment, he changed the subject.
“Nuo Nuo’s identity has been confirmed. We should go back and explain it to the Old Master.”
He had received several calls from Old Master Xiao since arriving in Haicheng, but he didn’t reveal anything. He feared the old man would overthink. Xiao Huimin was generally filial and, aside from major principles, was willing to heed the elders’ advice.
“Nuo Nuo and Yan Sui are married, and their relationship is good. We’ll visit them more often in the future.”
It’s no longer realistic to bring Meng Ting back to their ancestral home in Beicheng, but with modern transportation, visiting is easy. As their relationship improves, they might even have Meng Ting and Yan Sui stay in Beicheng for a few days.
At the moment, the entire family was staying in Haicheng, which really wasn’t the best situation.
But as soon as Ning Zhou heard this, her eyes turned red again, “I can’t bear to part with Nuo Nuo…”
“Then can you bear to part with me?” Xiao Huimin was at a loss with Ning Zhou, but he didn’t want to be left alone either. After some thought, he added, “The 11th is Yan Sui’s birthday. We can come back then, okay?”
After agonized hesitation, Ning Zhou finally gave a reluctant nod. But she hadn’t forgotten the previous topic. She looked at Xiao Huimin with a serious and resolute expression.
“If one day you don’t love me anymore, just tell me. I won’t cling to you, but if you dare to lie to me, dare to cheat…”
Ning Zhou’s gaze swept over Xiao Huimin’s lower body, making her meaning very clear. She would absolutely make Xiao Huimin’s later years miserable.
“That won’t happen, Ning Zhou. You have to believe me.”
Xiao Huimin was helplessly caught in the crossfire, but he didn’t know what else to say.
Ning Zhou stared at Xiao Huimin for a while longer, then let out a soft hum before finally letting it go. She hugged Xiao Huimin and threatened once more, “You dare to try? I’ll make sure you never forget it…”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare…” Xiao Huimin said, giving a meaningful look to Xiao Zi’ang and Xiao Zimo, signaling them to leave. He and Ning Zhou were being affectionate, and there was no need for the two big boys to watch.
***
At the Yan residence, Yan Sui quickly received a call from Xiao Zi’ang. He also relayed to Yan Sui what Li Yifei had disclosed to Ning Zhou. There was no further discussion or warnings, but they felt it was necessary for Yan Sui to know, especially since it concerned Meng Ting.
Moreover, as of now, Yan Sui still had more information than they did. Perhaps uncovering the truth about what happened back then would still require Yan Sui’s help.
Yan Sui put down the phone just as Meng Ting, who had just finished writing an answer, looked up. Their eyes met, and Meng Ting smiled at Yan Sui.
“Teacher Wang called earlier. She said I did well on the exams and can continue self-studying at home.”
“Mm,” Yan Sui nodded, putting his phone back in his pocket. After a moment of thought, he said, “Tomorrow, Xiao… tomorrow, Mom and Dad are returning to Beicheng. Let’s go see them off.”
Meng Ting had already acknowledged Ning Zhou and Xiao Huimin. As Meng Ting’s spouse, it was only natural for Yan Sui to adjust his way of addressing them.
“Alright,” Meng Ting nodded, finding nothing unusual about Yan Sui’s way of addressing them. He had also adjusted his way of addressing Yan Yu and the others very smoothly.
After a brief pause, Meng Ting added, “My injuries have healed. After we see off Mom, Dad, and my brothers tomorrow, can I go back to the lab?”
The perfume he’d been crafting for Yan Sui was already finished, so there wasn’t an urgent need to return to the lab. However, staying at home made Yan Sui worry about him. Meng Ting knew Yan Sui was very busy, and he had already taken up so much of his time.
Yan Sui didn’t immediately agree. He looked at Meng Ting, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “I’ll ask Gu Li. If he says it’s okay, then it’s fine.”
Meng Ting didn’t find anything wrong with Yan Sui’s response and nodded in agreement.
“That’s fine. After dinner, we’ll go find him together.”
Meng Ting actually quite enjoyed talking to Gu Li. The stories Gu Li told were both bizarre and thrilling. Not only did Meng Ting enjoy listening to them, but even Zhen Han did too. Meng Ting was thinking about asking Gu Li to finish telling them about his experiences in Country D later.
Of course, it wasn’t Meng Ting who had initially thought to ask Gu Li to share these stories. It was Gu Li who had teased Meng Ting into wanting to hear them. Gu Li’s language was witty, his tone appropriately exaggerated, and he always told just enough to keep Meng Ting intrigued.
[dropdown title=”List of Idiom in Chapter 077.1″]
後悔莫及 (hòu huǐ mò jí): to be too late to regret (idiom); It is useless to repent after the event; be too late to repent/regret.卑躬屈膝 (bēi gōng qū xī): to bow and scrape; to cringe; to act servilely or obsequiously; to bow and bend the knee (idiom); fawning; bending and scraping to curry favor; grovel; kowtow; truckle. 卑躬 (bēi gōng) (bēi gōng qū xī), 屈膝 (qū xī) means to kneel. It describes a spineless and servile flattery.
證據確鑿 (zhèng jù què záo): proven; irrefutable evidence; the evidence is certain; upon valid evidence; the evidence is reliable and cannot be denied.
無所适從 (wú suǒ shì cóng): to not know what course to take; to be at a loss of what to do; at loose ends not know what to do; at a loose end; at a loss; uncertain what to do; confused and disoriented; not knowing which course to follow; bewildered; perplexed. A Chinese idiom that comes from a historical story. It means not knowing who to follow or what to do.
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