Nangong saw Ning An and immediately stood up in a panic, his previously handsome face filled with shame and confusion. He called out weakly, "An'er."
Ning An took a while to finally process the shocking scene in front of her. Ouyang Manni, who was crying on the bed, annoyed her to the point of stepping forward and slapping her hard.
"Stop crying! Someone explain to me what's going on!" Ouyang Manni stopped crying, holding her face in disbelief, her expression twisted. At this moment, she had completely forgotten her composure.
"Ask your wonderful fiancé! Yesterday I was drinking at 'Dark Night,' and he had the nerve to take advantage of me, saying he would take me home, and then he did this to me while I was drunk!" She pointed angrily at Nangong, speaking with conviction.
Nangong's gentle face showed a trace of confusion. He rubbed his forehead with a trembling hand, shaking his head. "It's not like that, An'er. It was... it was her..."
Before he could finish, a wave of people burst in from the door, instantly filling the room, their camera flashes going off continuously.
Ning An was a bit stunned. She instinctively turned to look at Ouyang Manni, who also seemed bewildered. Seeing the reporters crowding the room, Ning An used the phone on the bedside table to call the bodyguards to remove all the reporters.
When the room was quiet again, only a painful silence remained.
"An'er, let me explain," Nangong said, stepping forward and gripping Ning An's shoulders tightly, murmuring, "Someone set me up, An'er! Ouyang Manni said she was drunk last night, and I was worried about her as a girl, so I brought her to the hotel. But as soon as we got into the room, I lost consciousness! I can swear, I didn't do anything!"
Ouyang Manni came out of the bathroom, her face still showing anger and guilt. Hearing Nangong's words, she sneered, "Nangong, are you trying to clear yourself? Are you saying that while I was drunk, I managed to undress you and force you to sleep with me?"
Nangong's face turned pale. He opened his mouth but couldn't find a way to refute her.
Ning An had calmed down by now. Although she knew this was a setup... she took a deep breath and said wearily, "Let's focus on containing this situation. Those reporters are good at stirring things up. Although I've detained them, there's no guarantee those photos won't get out."
Ouyang Manni stiffened at her words, seemingly realizing something, and her face turned white. She cast a hateful glance at the two of them. "Pay off the reporters to make sure the photos don't get out. Otherwise, it will damage the reputation of all three families." She then hurried out.
Ning An didn't know how to face Nangong. Seeing his helpless and lost expression, she knew he was also a victim. She forced a smile. "Nangong, go back. I know your character. Maybe someone is deliberately trying to cause trouble."
When Ning An returned home, she saw Ning Zefeng and Ning Xuan sitting on the sofa. Ning Xuan still had his usual cold demeanor, the gloom from the morning seeming like a distant memory. Her gaze lingered on Ning Xuan briefly before Ning Zefeng's angry face reminded her that bad news travels fast.
Although she and Nangong had dealt with the photos quickly, ordinary people might not know what happened, but there was no hiding it from Ning Zefeng since it happened in a Ning family hotel.
Seeing Ning An's slightly red eyes, Ning Zefeng's anger grew. "This is outrageous! I always thought Nangong was steady and decent, growing up with you. How could he do such a thing?" Ning An, feeling drained, sat on the sofa, far from Ning Xuan. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it, defending Nangong.
"Dad, you always said you watched Nangong grow up. You should know his character. Although the news of the Ning family and Nangong family's engagement hasn't been announced, it's an open secret..." She paused, glancing at Ning Xuan. Noticing her look, Ning Xuan lifted his head, meeting her gaze with an innocent smile. Ning An's heart sank, and she continued, "I think someone is trying to sabotage our families' alliance."
Ning Zefeng nodded thoughtfully. "You might be right, but Nangong still let you down. Maybe we should call off this engagement."
Before Ning An could speak, someone else interjected. "Of course, we should cancel it. And we should be the ones to bring it up first. Otherwise, if we wait for the Nangong family, it will be a real disgrace for the Ning family." Ning Xuan turned his head, his dark eyes looking at her with a smile that cut like a knife. "Don't you agree...sister?"
Ning An bit her lip, her eyes stubbornly meeting his, filled with unshed tears. "I'm tired. Let's discuss this later. I'm going upstairs."
Ning Xuan's gaze deepened. With Ning An gone, he found no reason to stay. As she went upstairs, she sensed someone following her but didn't react. When she reached her door, she quickly slipped inside and locked it behind her, all in one fluid motion. Ning Xuan, left outside, awkwardly rubbed his nose.
Late at night, Ning An quietly opened her door, using her phone's flashlight to illuminate the dark hallway. She looked toward the locked room at the end of the corridor. The door, old and rusty, seemed ominous in the luxurious villa. When Ning An was younger, she had tried to sneak in out of curiosity but was caught by her father. Usually gentle and loving, Ning Zefeng had lost his temper, scolding her caretaker, Aunt Sun, and forbidding anyone from going near the room.
The experience had scared Ning An so much that she fell ill for several days, frightening Ning Zefeng. Since then, she had obediently avoided that door. Now, standing before it again, she felt a bit nervous. Holding a master key that Qin Li had secretly made for her, she carefully inserted it into the lock. The rusty lock mechanism made a faint scraping sound as she turned the key with some effort. Finally, she heard a clear "click."
She succeeded!
Ning An glanced around nervously, only to see a shadow at the stairway's corner. Startled, she shone her flashlight in that direction, revealing Ning Xuan's sharp features.
Seeing him, her first reaction was relief that it was him.