"Master, I heard that Ning Nanfeng caused a scene at the company today. Aren't you worried about Miss?" Seeing Ning Xuan casually wiping a string of bracelets, Ling couldn't help but speak up.
Ning Xuan put down the handkerchief and lifted the string of bracelets, holding it up to the light. The bracelet was all white, emitting a faint glow. Ling waited for Ning Xuan to speak, but when he thought Ning Xuan wouldn't say anything, a magnetic voice broke the silence.
"Ning Nanfeng is just a paper tiger now. Besides making empty threats, he can't do anything. Let him struggle... It seems that sister listened to my advice." There was a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
Ling wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had a feeling that once the master heard what he was about to say, his good mood would evaporate.
"Master, Ouyang Manny is here... She's been waiting outside for a while. Shall I let her in?"
Ning Xuan relaxed against the back of the chair, his outstretched hands lazily resting on the armrest. He said indifferently, "Let her in."
Ouyang Manny was wearing an elegant dress, but from behind, it was cut out, revealing her slender back and butterfly bones.
Ling watched as Ouyang Manny arrogantly passed by him and walked straight into the room. He found her contradictory – the way she looked at the master with such longing, as if she wanted to cling to him, yet she also wore a proud and arrogant demeanor...
Ning Xuan caught a whiff of a sickly sweet smell in the air. His eyes flashed with disgust, but he didn't show it. Instead, he waved towards the person at the door.
Ouyang Manny's face lit up with shyness and joy, seemingly unable to believe that Ning Xuan would let her in. She walked over slowly, but suddenly pretended to trip over the coffee table and fell into Ning Xuan's arms, to her surprise, he didn't push her away.
Ning Xuan's dry hand gently supported her shoulder, not resisting her but also not letting her fully lean on him, which made her posture... a bit unsustainable after a while.
She didn't understand Ning Xuan's intentions. Just as she was lost in her thoughts...
"Your skin isn't fair enough, your waist isn't slim enough, your back isn't beautiful enough, you fall far short..." He then casually threw her to the side of the sofa, calmly stood up, and wiped his hands with a handkerchief.
The taste of going from heaven to hell must be like this. Ouyang Manny's face turned red, realizing Ning Xuan was comparing her to someone else. She felt both unwillingness and resentment growing in her heart.
"Ning Xuan! Why can't you just look at me properly! I'm the one who loves you the most, I can do anything for you, can Ning An do that! You know your relationship with her is impossible!"
Ning Xuan finally gave her a glance, his eyes deep but cold.
"Willing to do anything for me? Then I happen to have something I need help with..."
Ouyang Manny's eyes lit up with hope, but then she heard Ning Xuan's words, and a strange expression appeared on her face.
"You go and sleep with Nangong He."
"Not willing? Didn't you say you're willing to do anything for me?"
Ouyang Manny was stunned. "But..."
Ning Xuan continued, coaxingly, "I like sensible women. If you can ruin their relationship, I can give you a chance to stay by my side. It's up to you."
Ouyang Manny looked at the man in front of her with a mixture of confusion and resentment. She suddenly remembered her conversation with her father...
"Mani, how's your relationship with Ning Xuan? Although he's an illegitimate child of unknown origin, if the marriage between the Nangong family and the Ning family really happens, there will be no place for us in Hua Jiang."
"You only have two choices now: either find a way to make Ning Xuan fall in love with you, or make sure the marriage between the Nangong and Ning families doesn't happen!"
She gritted her teeth fiercely. There was nothing she wouldn't sacrifice to stay by Ning Xuan's side.
"I'll do it."
Ning Xuan's hand lightly brushed her face, as if caressing a docile pet.
"Go, I'll wait for your good news."
Ning An stood at the company's entrance, refusing Qin Li's offer to drive her home... She was waiting for Uncle Li to come pick her up. She glanced around casually and suddenly saw Ning Xuan across the street, feeling nervous. Had Ning Xuan seen her with Qin Li?
"Sister, how was your day at the company?" Ning Xuan approached her through the crowd, familiarly taking Ning An's hand, ignoring her struggles.
"Let go, Ning Xuan! We're still at the company entrance." Ning An, unable to escape his grasp, said irritably, hoping Ning Xuan would consider the situation.
But she forgot that Ning Xuan was someone completely uncontrollable. The more she struggled, the more he wanted to force her.
"Come on, be good, Sister... I'll take you somewhere."
...
Ning An stood at this muddy intersection, the air filled with a foul smell from the accumulated rainwater and garbage on both sides of the road. A winding path between the dilapidated residential buildings seemed particularly narrow in the dim light.
She felt that the surroundings were somewhat familiar, as if she had seen them in her dreams...
To verify something, she took a few steps forward and indeed saw the old mailbox where the woman in her dream had stood.
Ning Xuan had not let go of her hand all the way. Seeing the girl standing still, he walked up to her.
"What's wrong, Sister?"
Ning An concealed the resentment in her eyes and pretended to be impatient. "Ning Xuan, did you bring me here from so far away? I wanted to go home early."
Ning Xuan smiled, ignoring the impatience in her words. He bent down in front of Ning An.
"Forget that Sister has been tired all day. I'll carry you; it's not easy to walk through the puddles ahead."
Ning An looked into the distance, the dusk drawing near, the narrow and dark path becoming even more daunting in the fading light.
She had never been in a so-called commoner's area, but this was her chance to understand Ning Xuan. Reluctantly, she obediently lay on Ning Xuan's back.
Ning Xuan showed a face of expectation. He effortlessly carried her, as if carrying the weight of his whole world.
The farther they went, the fewer people there were.
It was obviously an abandoned residential area, with only a few lonely households emitting faint signs of life from inside.
Ning Xuan effortlessly carried her up to the fifth floor, put her down in front of a dilapidated door, and unlocked it. Ning An entered, finding the room small but clean and tidy, not as dilapidated as she had imagined.
Because of the lack of ventilation for a long time,
the air was filled with dust and particles, along with a stuffy smell.
The door was locked with a click. Ning An's deep-seated panic rushed out of her pores...
Recalling some unpleasant memories, Ning An nervously grabbed her clothes.
Ning Xuan sensed something and comforted her, "Don't be nervous, Sister. I won't do anything to you."
"This is where I used to live. Sister has never been here before, right?"
Hearing this, Ning An breathed a sigh of relief... She thought Ning Xuan would lock her up as before.
"I haven't been back for a long time, since Mom passed away... But today is my birthday, and I suddenly wanted to bring Sister here to see."
His birthday?
She remembered the faceless woman in her dream. Perhaps she would find answers here.
"Today is your birthday? Then let me make you a bowl of longevity noodles. You go buy some ingredients." Ning An looked at Ning Xuan sincerely.
Ning Xuan was momentarily stunned, then smiled, looking like a bright and flesh-and-blood young man for the first time.