The summer morning sunshine was particularly brilliant. Zhou Yun Sheng, standing in front of a French window, stretched his body, then he washed his face, brushed his teeth, put on a set of casual clothes, and strolled downstairs.
"Good morning, did you sleep well last night?" Unexpectedly, Ning Si Nian greeted him in an unprecedented way. Sitting beside him, Ning Wang Shu also looked at him with shining eyes.
Good morning, did you enjoy your face slapping last night? Zhou Yun Sheng criticized in his heart, but the surface exposed a humbly flattered expression. He nodded very slightly then blushed, sitting in the farthest position.
Ning Si Nian didn't rush to work today, rather, he patiently fed his son congee, occasionally looking out from the corners of his eyes at the youth, whose head was buried. The guilty look turned into shyness, gloominess turned into melancholy fragility, the feminine appearance that was resented in the past now felt exquisite. Smart, gentle and agreeable, in short, why did today's Ning Si Nian look at Wei Xi Yan and think 'cute'?
This was probably a true portrayal of suspecting someone of stealing an axe.
Thinking of this, Ning Si Nian felt ashamed, his ears faintly reddening. At this time, Zhao Xin Fang, wearing a lilac dress, came downstairs. Her face that had not been touched by makeup looked gentle and innocent.
"Xin Fang, last night, when Wang Ma woke up in the middle of the night for a drink of water, she fell down the stairs and broke her legs. Can you visit her in the hospital for me?" Ning Si Nian withdrew his sight from the younger man and said in a warm voice.
"Ah? She fell and broke her leg? Why didn't I hear any movement?" Zhao Xin Fang was shocked.
Zhou Yun Sheng, with acting skills comparable to an Oscar level actor, also exposed timely doubt.
"When she fell, her head hit the handrail and she fainted. This morning, Xiao Li found her when she got up to make breakfast. It's been a tough few months, you have to accompany her in the hospital often. You know, she personally raised me, I've never seen her as just a nanny." Ning Si Nian reached out and rearranged a lock of hair on Zhao Xin Fang's cheek to behind her ear, his attitude was intimate and gentle, but his dark eyes hid a faint cold light.
He was also an Oscar level actor.
Zhao Xin Fang still had some doubts at first, but after hearing this, she immediately stopped dwelling on them. She meekly promised on the surface, but her heart was extremely annoyed. That old bitch has never fallen before, of all times, why did she need to fall now? How was her plan going to work now? Who was going to execute it? Did she really have to let Wei Xi Yan dangle under her nose for a few months? Qian Yu frequently went in and out of the Ning residence, she couldn't guarantee that one day Wei Xi Yan wouldn't run into him again and get suspicious.
Her heart was choking with resentment, then she opened her mouth, as if hesitating, "Si Nian, what about the baby?" After speaking, she glanced meaningfully at Wei Xi Yan.
Was this a vague reminder to deal with Wei Xi Yan sooner? Ning Si Nian sneered in his heart, but revealed a helpless look on his face, "My parents called me yesterday. They hired a doctor to help take care of the children, Dr. Qin Li. She should be here in a moment. Dr. Qin Li is the head of the Adolescent Mental Health Center, she has a lot of expertise on the psychological problems of teenagers. She'll care for the children, so they can quickly get better."
Didn't this mean that he wasn't going to drive Wei Xi Yan away? He was also intending to heal his psychological shadow? Damn old people, so nosy! Zhao Xin Fang's heart was edgy, but she had no choice but to nod in agreement.
After breakfast, Dr. Qin Li really arrived as planned. She was almost sixty, her tone was gentle, not urgent nor slow, listening to it felt like bathing in a spring breeze, so she wasn't rejected by Ning Wang Shu.
Ning Si Nian and Qin Li talked for a long time in the study, nearly an hour, before he headed to the company for work. When Zhao Xin Fang saw Qin Li bring Ning Wang Shu to the studio to watch Wei Xi Yan paint, she considered stopping them, but was afraid of making the other woman suspicious, and was also afraid of what the other woman said to Ning Si Nian in private. She had no choice but to pick up a bundle and go to the hospital to see Wang Ma.
Wang Ma's two legs were wasted, this finally made her understand Ning Si Nian's true ruthlessness. How could she dare reveal anything in front of Zhao Xin Fang?
"Xin Fang, as you can see, my fall is really untimely. What to do about Wei Xi Yan and Ning Wang Shu? You want to do it yourself? That won't work! Si Nian sees me as a godmother, he would never doubt me if I do it. But you're different, you're a stepmother, if you do it yourself, Ning Wang Shu will be able to show his fear of you to some extent, and after a while, Ning Si Nian will definitely suspect you. So, just wait for me to be discharged, I'll help you do it. The money...…"
All that rambling, isn't it all about the money? As the wise saying goes, money will make the Devil turn millstones! Zhao Xin Fang sneered in her heart, but she had no choice but to admit that Wang Ma was correct. If she personally abused Ning Wang Shu, Ning Si Nian would surely suspect over time. She originally hadn't planned to deal with Ning Wang Shu this early, it was just a coincidental opportunity.
Forget it, that little bastard Ning Wang Shu could wait until Wang Ma was discharged, she first needed to find a way to get rid of Wei Xi Yan.
Putting aside how Zhao Xin Fang racked her brains to come up with a plan after she returned, Zhou Yun Sheng and Ning Wang Shu's relationship was becoming more and more intimate. Qin Li deserved to be called an expert in adolescent mental health. She didn't give the two children a heart to heart chat, nor deliberately brought them closer together, she just guided the two children to interact together more, letting them explore life's joys by themselves.
While Ning Wang Shu wrapped around Zhou Yun Sheng, she simply moved over a rattan chair, sitting under some tree shade in the garden and enjoying the view, not excessively managing them, nor excessively questioning.
This nanny was much more leisurely than Wang Ma.
Zhou Yun Sheng was forced to be a villain by the Lord God, but that didn't mean that he was a bad guy in reality. Of course, after experiencing so many tragic deaths in his reincarnations, he was more or less a little abnormal, but it was really hard to be cold towards children.
Whenever Ning Wang Shu clung to his leg, staring up at him with big, watery eyes, he could only silently sigh. Then he long-sufferingly helped him set up the artboard, and held his little hand to teach him how to draw straight lines, curves, circles etc.
These basic things, to adults they seemed very boring, but Ning Wang Shu was contrarily attentive, practicing over and over again to try and figure it out. Over time, Zhou Yun Sheng unexpectedly found that he was very talented in painting, and taught him more and more earnestly.
—————–
Ning Si Nian recently developed a habit. Every lunch break, he liked to stare at the computer. The secretary delivered a cup of hot coffee to the office, saw him staring at the screen as usual, and quietly exited.
However, at this moment, the computer screen wasn't showing the so-called stock market trends, futures contract prices, and other such business information, rather, it was two figures, one big, one small.
The slender teenager encircled the small child in his arms, his big hand holding the child's small hand, painting on the canvas. Opposite the two was two apples and a banana, which was their source material for today.
The youth gradually let go of the child's hand, letting him freely express his creativity, taking two steps back. He looked at the small child with a gentle and focused expression. After a long time, he picked up his palette and brush, quickly painting on his own white canvas, his gaze casting over to the child from time to time.
He used the oldest painting technique, except for thin splashes of color, no shape could be made out, only he himself knew how amazing the painting would be after it was completed. He was gradually immersing himself into the wonderful world his mind had built when the child suddenly pulled his clothes.
The hand holding the brush visibly stiffened, so the dab of color under his brush was a little heavier. But he didn't get angry, he just bent over to appreciate the child's scribbles. He didn't say anything, only rubbing the child's head to show approval. The child pursed his small mouth, revealing an excited expression.
They were so quiet, serene, leisurely, and happy, even more warming than the sunshine spilling everywhere outside the window. Ning Si Nian had been staring in awe for a long time, unaware of how gentle and indulgant his expression was.
Suddenly, the teenager, as if noticing something odd, unexpectedly looked directly at the camera. Ning Si Nian instantly stiffened in his leather chair. Only when the youth looked away indifferently did he find that he was so tense he had forgotten to breathe.
He didn't find out, did he? Doubt streaked across his heart. He knew that this daily peeping behavior was really somewhat abnormal, but he couldn't control it. Just now, he was amazed to find that the young man had a pair of very beautiful peach blossom eyes. Even if he was pokerfaced and not very eloquent, as long as he blinked those eyes and slowly looked over, his whole body seemed to glow with a soul-moving luster.
Ning Si Nian's heart jumped wildly, he couldn't help but light a cigar, blowing the smoke out at the screen. After a long time, his chaotic mood slowly calmed down. But he also felt a type of impression, as if he'd once sat in this same position, quietly watching the young man on the screen, feeling that the world was as it should be.
—————
Zhou Yun Sheng knew that Ning Si Nian was still monitoring him, so he deliberately peered into the camera to give him a scare. He felt happy imagining the man holding his breath with a face, in fear of being found.
After carefully storing Ning Wang Shu's first masterpiece, Zhou Yun Sheng grabbed a pencil and sketchbook, and took him outside to sketch nature.
The studio was empty, for a long time no one showed up. Ning Si Nian felt like his heart was also empty. He quickly switched to the other surveillance videos, but couldn't find the two people. He became somewhat anxious, immediately throwing away the cigar and calling Zhao Jun.
"They're sketching by the lake, it's a public green belt, so I didn't install a camera. If you want to see, you'll have to monitor the neighborhood. Boss, with all due respect, I feel that Mr. Wei has a normal mind, and his character is also very good, he won't harm Wang Shu." Zhao Jun was standing near the two people, observing the surrounding environment while on the phone.
"Fix all the places Xi Yan frequents with cameras, I want to see what they're doing anytime, anywhere." Ning Si Nian's tone was somewhat agitated, he paused for a few seconds before adding, "I'm not suspecting Xi Yan. I know he's a very good person."
Covertly monitoring him through the screen, detailing his every move, every frown, every smile, Ning Si Nian also knew that these actions were very abnormal. But he couldn't quit, he also felt pretty helpless about it.
Zhao Jun was silent for a moment before he agreed, then he hung up. After an interval of one second, the phone rang again, the caller ID was still BOSS.
"Boss, is there something else?"
"I remember your house also has a monitor, can it see Xi Yan's movements?"
"Yes, what's the problem? Do you want me to keep an eye on it?"
"No, immediately remove it…. and later, you're not allowed to monitor Xi Yan," A moment of silence, then Ning Si Nian sternly added, "You're also not allowed to listen to him."
"Yes, I understand." Zhao Jun hung up the phone, inwardly lamenting his boss' more and more indefinable thoughts.
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T/N:
suspecting someone of stealing an axe – stereotyping, making judgments about people without evidence.
money will make the Devil turn millstones! – with money, you can do anything you like. Money makes the world go 'round