Not long after arriving at the Ning family villa, Lin Xun'er decided to leave. Ning Xingchen wanted to see her off, but she politely refused. Her feelings for Ning Xingchen were very complex, and she didn't know how to interact with him alone.
For now, it was best for them to take some time apart and think about what kind of relationship they wanted to maintain in the future.
After Lin Xun'er left, Zhou Sitong received a phone call. After a few words, her face changed, and her eyes reddened, surprising even Su Juan, who didn't know what had happened to the girl.
"Sitong, are you okay?" Ning Xingchen asked with concern.
"Senior, can you take me somewhere? My grandpa is not doing well." As she spoke, Zhou Sitong started to cry. Among the Zhou family, she was closest to her grandfather.
"Okay, don't worry. I'll drive you there right away."
Following the address Zhou Sitong provided, Ning Xingchen drove to a wealthy villa area in the suburbs. The people living here were either rich or noble, and the largest mansion in the center belonged to the Zhou family.
At the villa entrance stood ten strong bodyguards, who naturally recognized Zhou Sitong.
Seeing her get out of the car, they quickly greeted her respectfully, "Third Miss, you're back."
Zhou Sitong nodded without saying much, leading Ning Xingchen into the villa and towards the main building.
In the first-floor lobby, Butler Wu, upon seeing Zhou Sitong, breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "Third Miss, the master is anxious to see you."
"Butler Wu, how is my grandfather?" Zhou Sitong asked, full of concern.
"Not good," the butler shook his head, honestly conveying the situation to Zhou Sitong.
"Senior, let's go to the second floor," Zhou Sitong said to Ning Xingchen.
"Third Miss, who is this gentleman?" The butler was wary, knowing that it was best to avoid disturbances today.
"Butler Wu, he is my best friend, not an outsider," Zhou Sitong explained.
The butler nodded, saying nothing more, though he was a bit surprised. Could this be her boyfriend? After all, Zhou Sitong had never brought a boy home before.
The largest room in the villa was the master bedroom of the Zhou family head. Two men in black stood at the door. Seeing Zhou Sitong approaching, they opened the door with force.
Inside, Ning Xingchen was slightly surprised to see so many people, a dense crowd of men and women, young and old. However, they all had one thing in common: they were adorned with gold and silver, wearing luxury brands, clearly the offspring of wealthy families with noble bearing.
Among the crowd, Ning Xingchen spotted Chen Rong. This woman was something else, even in this setting, she winked at him flirtatiously and licked her lips. Ning Xingchen lightly coughed, deliberately turning away, pretending not to know her.
"Sitong, why did you come so late? Hurry over here," Zhou Wei said to his daughter, slightly reproachful.
"Grandpa, I'm sorry I'm late," Zhou Sitong said, feeling apologetic as she approached her frail-looking grandfather Zhou Yuanda.
"Sitong is here, my dear granddaughter…" Zhou Yuanda's face lit up with a trace of happiness. He had been hoping to see Zhou Sitong one last time before his death, his most beloved granddaughter.
But Zhou Yuanda's voice was faint, and speaking was extremely difficult for him. Even saying a single word left him gasping for breath, as if he had no strength left in his body, his cloudy eyes void of spirit.
"Grandpa!"
Tears welled up in Zhou Sitong's eyes as she gently held her grandfather's hand, unsure of how to comfort her dying loved one.
Zhou Yuanda's body was too weak, on the brink of death.
Zhou Fei, Zhou Yuanda's eldest son and Zhou Sitong's uncle, couldn't bear it and sighed, asking Butler Wu, "When will Doctor Su arrive?"
"In half an hour," the butler replied after glancing at his watch.
"Call him and tell him to hurry. Money is not an issue. The Zhou family can afford any amount," Zhou Fei said, worried that his father might not last the half hour.
...
Butler Wu nodded but silently complained that Doctor Su had already rushed from the capital at nearly rocket speed. If they wanted him to be faster, he'd need wings.
With Doctor Su's superb medical skills, money wasn't an issue for him. If it weren't for his old friendship with Zhou Yuanda, he wouldn't have come, being busy attending to high-ranking officials.
"Tongtong, I fear I won't live to see the day you get a boyfriend and get married," Zhou Yuanda said weakly, his love for Zhou Sitong bordering on the extreme, to the point where her uncles suspected he might pass the family head position to her.
"Grandpa, don't say that. You will get better. As for a boyfriend, I already have one," Zhou Sitong said, blushing.
"Where is he? Bring him over for me to see," Zhou Yuanda said, his spirit lifting a bit.
Zhou Sitong turned and walked to Ning Xingchen, signaling him with a wink to play along.
Understanding her intent, Ning Xingchen played his part.
"Grandpa, this is my new boyfriend, Ning Xingchen," Zhou Sitong said, holding Ning Xingchen's hand as they approached the bed.
Previously, everyone in the room had focused on Zhou Yuanda, barely noticing Ning Xingchen. Upon hearing he was the Third Miss's boyfriend, many scrutinized him, curious. From his attire, he seemed like a wealthy young man.
However, a young man in the room flashed a look of malice, his eyes filled with hatred towards Ning Xingchen. He was the son of one of the group's shareholders and Zhou Wei's godson. Having grown up with Zhou Sitong, he had always been infatuated with her, but she never reciprocated.
Seeing that Zhou Sitong now had a boyfriend infuriated him. He believed that Ning Xingchen was only slightly better-looking than him, but in other areas, he could overpower him.
"Sitong, is he really your boyfriend? Don't tell me you hired an actor from outside," the young man sneered.
"Ma Hongyu, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute!" Zhou Sitong glared at the young man.
"Little sister Sitong, I'm just making a reasonable guess. After all, you haven't dated for a long time," Ma Hongyu continued, unconcerned.
"Enough!" Zhou Yuanda's weak voice cut through the air, but with a thunderous authority that startled Ma Hongyu, making him sweat and instinctively step back.
Though Zhou Yuanda was on the brink of death, a tiger is still a tiger, exuding a fierce aura. As a long-time leader, his mere presence could be overwhelming.
Ning Xingchen smirked coldly, glancing at the foolish Ma Hongyu. Even if the relationship was fake, no one would be stupid enough to expose it on the spot. Zhou Yuanda only sought peace in his final moments, and Ma Hongyu's idiocy was evident.
Brains are a good thing, but unfortunately, he didn't have any.