C22 A Nightmare!

At the explosion site, Lu Bai's team discovered something, though it was charred beyond recognition. They planned to identify and restore its original appearance. It turned out to be Xue Ning's bracelet. When Lu Bai saw the photo, he recognized it instantly.

Why hadn't he noticed she wasn't wearing it after the explosion? Regret gnawed at him; he should have never given Xue Ning a chance and just dealt with her directly. Lu Bai stared at the photo on his phone, his eyes cold and calculating. But he wasn't worried; he saw Xue Ning as nothing more than a clown. In two weeks, she'd have nowhere to run.

The next morning, Xue Ning left early, telling Mrs. Zhao not to prepare her breakfast because she had plans. She arrived at a familiar restaurant where she and Tong Ru often met.

Checking the time, she knew Tong Ru would arrive soon. She glanced out the window, appreciating the bustling view. Sure enough, she saw a car pull up outside the restaurant. A man stepped out first, tall and exuding an unmistakable air of sophistication, even in a suit.

He walked around to the other side, opened the door, and carefully helped a woman out. It was Tong Ru.

The two of them walked in together, and Tong Ru quickly found Xue Ning's usual spot. It was their regular table.

"Xue Ning, I'm sorry, I overslept a bit today," Tong Ru apologized, her makeup perfectly done, clearly prepared for the occasion.

"No worries," Xue Ning replied, standing up to help Tong Ru with her seat, but a man beat her to it.

Xue Ning smiled and returned to her seat as the waiter brought out the steaks. The man behind Tong Ru attended to every detail, making sure everything was perfect for her.

Xue Ning watched quietly, noticing the close interaction between Tong Ru and the man, someone she had never seen before, and it piqued her curiosity.

When women gather, it's usually for gossip or the latest fashion trends. Throughout their conversation, Xue Ning kept an eye on the man, intrigued.

"Seeing you this happy, I think even Fang Zhou would feel at peace," Xue Ning said with relief, knowing Fang Zhou's departure had been a huge blow to Tong Ru.

At the mention of Fang Zhou, Tong Ru's expression changed, and she avoided Xue Ning's gaze.

Unconsciously, Tong Ru glanced at the man behind her. His steady gaze gave her courage, and she regained her composure, all of which did not escape Xue Ning's notice.

Though suspicious, Xue Ning kept her thoughts to herself. This man seemed unusual, and she resolved to look into him further.

"Yeah, I've come to terms with it. Life goes on," Tong Ru said, though it was hard to tell if she really meant it.

Xue Ning briefly touched on the topic of the Ark, but soon they moved on to other subjects, chatting away like old friends.

Checking the time, Xue Ning said, "It's getting late. I should head back."

"True, don't want your family worrying," Tong Ru teased as they said their goodbyes.

As soon as Tong Ru left, Xue Ning hurried back to the Lu family estate. She had someone look into the man who was with Tong Ru. With the resources Lu Bai provided, she knew how to make the most of them.

Sure enough, Lu Bai's people worked quickly. In less than an hour, Xue Ning had all the information about the man.

"Tang Yang," she murmured, looking over the details.

The photo of him looked a bit youthful, different from his current more composed demeanor. Tang Yang was once the heir to the Tang family business, a rising star. Unfortunately, the company later went bankrupt, and he vanished from the scene.

He resurfaced by Tong Ru's side. Who would have thought the man with her was once a family business heir?

What exactly was their relationship? It seemed like Tang Yang was serving Tong Ru, but there was something inexplicable between them that caught Xue Ning's attention.

This must be a woman's intuition; she always felt there was something unusual about their relationship. The man's appearance was peculiar, and she wondered if he had any connection to the explosion. But Xue Ning was determined to find out. After mulling it over, she decided she wanted to meet this man and called Tong Ru.

"Ring, ring." The phone connected.

"Hello, Xue Ning. What's up?" came the gentle voice on the other end.

"Tong Ru, I feel like we didn't get to chat enough today. How about afternoon tea tomorrow?" Xue Ning suggested.

"Sure, that sounds good," Tong Ru replied.

Xue Ning saw this as an opportunity and casually brought up Tang Yang. "By the way, who was that guy with you today?"

There was a pause, a silence that confirmed Xue Ning's suspicions that this man was someone special.

After a moment, Tong Ru's voice returned, but it was a bit distant. "He's just my bodyguard."

The tone was dismissive, clearly not inviting further questions.

"Why not bring him along for tea? Having a handsome bodyguard around would make us feel safe and look good," Xue Ning proposed, hoping to get closer when they met.

To her surprise, Tong Ru declined outright. "No need, he doesn't meet guests."

"Oh, and Xue Ning, I have plans tomorrow, so let's skip the tea. Bye." The call ended abruptly, leaving Xue Ning without a chance to respond.

Hearing the dial tone on the other end, Xue Ning felt a bit discouraged as she looked at the phone. This guy definitely had something going on; otherwise, Tong Ru's behavior was too suspicious.

"Ugh, maybe I was too eager and gave myself away?" Xue Ning wondered, feeling a twinge of regret. It was indeed hasty to want to meet him again after just one encounter.

But Xue Ning wasn't ready to give up. Her intuition told her this man was anything but ordinary. She was deep in thought, contemplating how to find another chance to see Tang Yang.

Just then, her phone rang on the table. Seeing Zhou Shuhui's name on the screen sent a chill down her spine. She wished she could throw the phone far away; nothing good ever came from Zhou calling. But Xue Ning knew the consequences of not answering, so she reluctantly picked up.

Before she could say a word, a piercing voice came through, prompting her to instinctively hold the phone away from her ear.

"Get back here right now." The tone was commanding, leaving no room for negotiation.

Xue Ning felt a wave of resentment. "I'm not coming back. I'm not feeling well today," she replied, making up an excuse. But she knew her foster mother wouldn't care about her well-being.

"What's wrong with you? I said come back, and that's final!"

Xue Ning could easily imagine the fierce expression on the other end of the line.

Zhou Shuhui, hearing the silence on the phone, grew even angrier. "You ungrateful brat, the Xue family has wasted their efforts on you."

"All these years, when has our family ever treated you poorly? You think you can just brush me off with some excuse?" The voice on the other end of the phone was harsh and accusatory.

The tone was so different from how they spoke to Xue Ya, always careful not to upset her. Xue Ning remained expressionless; she wasn't here to be scolded, so she hung up the phone.

Zhou Shuhui was in the middle of her tirade when she suddenly heard the dial tone. She glanced at her phone, incredulous that the ungrateful girl had dared to hang up on her!

As soon as Xue Ning ended the call, it rang again. She didn't want to deal with it, but the incessant ringing was annoying. Frustrated, she simply turned off her phone, thinking she’d finally have some peace. But soon after, Mrs. Zhao came to find her, saying her mother had called the front desk.

"Alright, I got it. I'll go home today," Xue Ning sighed, feeling exhausted. Her family was like a swarm of flies she couldn't shake off.

Gathering a few things, Xue Ning set off for home, a route she knew all too well. Every time she returned, she wished the road were a bit longer.

But roads always have an end. Arriving at her family’s doorstep, Xue Ning took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Zhou Shuhui was waiting on the couch. "Oh, I thought joining the Lu family made you bold," she sneered, her tone dripping with sarcasm, her expression just as unpleasant. Xue Ning was used to it.

"Did you get the project I asked you to secure? Did you get the contract?" Zhou Shuhui asked, her first question upon returning always about this project.

"No," Xue Ning replied bluntly, without a hint of guilt. In the past, she would have felt ashamed of her incompetence, but now she understood the true nature of the Xue family and felt no familial bond.

"What? I told you to go after it early, and you just ignored me?" Zhou Shuhui stood up abruptly, her gaze turning fierce as she looked at Xue Ning.

This ungrateful girl was becoming more useless by the day, unable to secure even a single project contract. It was a waste for the Xue family to have supported her all these years.

"What did you say last time when I told you to leave?" Zhou Shuhui pressed on, raising her hand as if to grab Xue Ning's ear.

Instinctively, Xue Ning swatted Zhou Shuhui's hand away, resulting in a sharp slap.

Zhou Shuhui, accustomed to a life of comfort, had never endured any hardship. The slap left her delicate skin red, and the pain shot straight to her head.

"Ow!" Zhou Shuhui exclaimed, clutching her hand, looking at Xue Ning in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Xue Ya, who had been pretending not to notice, was actually watching the whole scene unfold. Seeing Xue Ning slap Zhou Shuhui, she couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude. Xue Ning was in big trouble now.

"Mom, are you okay?" Xue Ya asked in surprise as she came out, her eyes full of concern as she noticed the redness on Zhou Shuhui's hand.

"What are you doing? After all these years she's taken care of you, how could you treat her like this?" Xue Ya questioned Xue Ning, her eyes red with emotion, clearly pained for Zhou Shuhui.

"Why are you asking her? My dear daughter, not everyone is as considerate as you. She's nothing but ungrateful!" Zhou Shuhui said, pulling Xue Ya close, advising her not to waste her tears on someone like Xue Ning.

Seeing her own daughter so concerned for her, Zhou Shuhui felt a deep sense of comfort.

Xue Ning watched the mother-daughter duo from the side, their display of affection leaving her cold. She thought to herself, who needs this kind of family love anyway?

"I don't have the contract, and I'm not going to beg Lu Bai for it," Xue Ning stated bluntly. She had already done enough for the family in the past. There was no way she was going to let them manipulate her now.

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