Chapter 99

After the interview was broadcast, Ning Xi’s popularity among women rose. Countless fans wanted to give birth to her children or become her wife.

The fervour from female fans made some people realise what women were chasing after in psychological welfare, as well as … addressing the gender inequality in society.

Ning Xi’s popularity soared, hence when the Dongnan Police Department shared a post on their official website about the investigation outcome of a murder disguised as a suicide, the entire country was shocked.

Even though the suspects and victim’s names were abbreviated, the omnipotent netizens could immediately tell that this was the case that Ning Xi reported more than a month ago. It turned out that the suicide was truly a murder, and the culprits were Ning Xi’s relatives.

Before their son’s ashes had settled, her grandparents had hastily conspired with their other children to harm their daughter-in-law, just for their son and daughter-in-law’s family fortune.

This was truly petrifying. These people were truly vicious.

When the police released the news, they had only touched on Qin Yi’s death. No one knew that there were a multitude of other implications behind this matter.

In truth, when Jiang Hongkai saw the police’s statement, that small worry in his heart disappeared without a trace. Back then, he didn’t handle his drink-driving incident well, and had to create all those troublesome matters subsequently. Fortunately, Chen Yunan was a meticulous man, so the Ning family didn’t know his identity, otherwise there would be even more problems.

He was in a good mood, naturally he would invite his scoundrel friends to eat, drink, race and flirt with women. He was having fun till after 10PM at the club when he suddenly recalled that his only daughter hadn’t been spending much time at home recently for unknown reasons. Thinking of this, that irresponsible fatherly mood of his surfaced. He released the woman in his hold, then walked out of the entrance reeking of alcohol.

“Second Master Jiang, do you need us to get you a replacement driver?” A server sent him to the door, and seeing him stumbling around, he dutifully went up to ask, but was glared at furiously by Jiang Hongkai.

Jiang Hongkai was humming a song as he opened the door to his car. After entering the driver’s seat, he didn’t fasten his seatbelt when he started his engine. However, before he could drive off, the sirens from several police cars sounded, and instantly, Jiang Hongkai’s sports car was tightly surrounded.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Hongkai popped his head out of the window and shouted, “How dare the police block a civilian’s car? Is there no law anymore?”

Captain Li swung the door open and alighted the car, then took out his ID and arrest warrant, as he looked impassively at the drunk Jiang Hongkai. “Jiang Hongkai, you are under suspicion of murder. Please cooperate with the police.” Then, before Jiang Hongkai could react, he dragged the latter out and handcuffed him.

“He stinks of alcohol,” Officer Liu instructed another officer to bring Jiang Hongkai to the police car. Turning to look at the sports car that was worth millions, he said, “He’s drank so much, but still wants to drive. It’s fine if he doesn’t care about his own life, but he still wants to drag others down.”

Captain Li’s expression was somber. He got another officer to arrange for Jiang Hongkai to be towed away, then told Officer Liu, “Such people really cause a lot of trouble.”

Officer Liu sighed when he heard this. In this world, there were philanthropists who would selflessly help others; yet there were also people who were pure troublemakers. They would court trouble and still harm others; describing them as the scum of society could even be considered kind to them.

No matter what, they had already obtained a substantial amount of evidence. Regardless of how rich Jiang Hongkai was, he couldn’t escape from the crutches of law anymore.

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Ning Xi turned off the tap and took the phone that she placed by the basin, brushing her teeth with one hand, while checking her messages on the other.

After reading the message, Ning Xi’s smile widened, to the point that she was grinning gloriously. She turned to look at her reflection in the mirror, took her cup to rinse, then used a towel to leisurely wipe the corners of her mouth clean.

“A money debt has to be repaid, a murder should be repaid with the murderer's life.” She shook her head, then reached out to wipe off the layer of fog on the mirror, “That’s good.”

The reflection showed a woman whose smile was flowery, as though she was an innocent young lady of the age of eighteen.

Chang Shi Gui was flipping a finance magazine by the bedside. When he saw Ning Xi in her sleeping gown, her hair still wet, he put down the magazine and waved her over. He sat her down beside him, then took the towel and helped to dry her hair.

“When is the filming for your current movie going to end?” When Chang Shi Gui was drying her hair, he would “accidentally” touch Ning Xi’s face or lips. Yet, he pretended nothing had happened, causing Ning Xi to almost believe that he was as serious as he acted.

“Soon.” Ning Xi lay down on his legs, then casually took the magazine that he ditched and flipped through it. After a couple of pages, she added cheerily, “The Jiang Corporation’s shares have dropped so much these few days.”

Noticing the smile on her face, Chang Shi Gui caressed her hair and said dotingly, “In future, the Jiang Corporation’s shares would dip even lower. You won’t be disappointed.”

Ning Xi stopped flipping the magazine. She rolled over, then looked up and faced Chang Shi Gui. Unfortunately, from her vantage point, she could only see his sexy chin and alluring Adam’s apple. She couldn’t resist it as she reached out and touched his Adam’s apple.

Chang Shi Gui’s Adam’s apple bobbled. He looked down at Ning Xi, his gaze fervent. “Xixi, I heard Zhang Qingyun say that you don’t have many scenes tomorrow.”

“And so?” Ning Xi smiled innocently.

“So, we could do some pleasurable exercise…”

In the end, the exercise was really pleasurable, but the effects of over-exertion were obvious. Ning Xi’s legs were so sore that she almost lost all feelings over her legs. Under the warm and soft blanket, she leaned into Chang Shi Gui’s embrace, listened to the howling sounds outside, then suddenly said, “Is it going to snow soon?”

This time last year, the city was already snowing, but the first snow this year had yet to fall.

Chang Shi Gui chuckled softly, “Yes.”

Last winter, he could only secretly observe her, wanting to approach her but was afraid of scaring her away. Now, they could finally lie in the same bed, do what they loved, and no matter how stormy the outside was, they were in their bed, feeling warm like spring.

“Xixi…”

“Hmmm?”

“Goodnight.”

I love you.

Ning Xi smiled as she opened her eyes and observed Chang Shi Gui, then snuggled up against him and fell into a deep sleep.

In her dream, apart from herself, there was sunlight, flowers, the ocean, the beach, and… Chang Shi Gui.

She felt that she hadn’t slept so well in a while. Before she slept, she didn’t have to think about what she had to do the next day, and when she woke up, she didn’t need to consider whether there was anything she didn’t do well the previous day. She also didn’t have to ponder about how she should act, what she should say, or what type of smile she should show so that she could attract more fans and increase her popularity.

The final block in her heart, the Jiang family, was going to be defeated soon. To her, this was the best present of her eight years of hard work.

After breakfast, Chang Shi Gui gave her a lift to the set. By the end of filming, she received a call from the police. The police told her that the mastermind of the murder case had been found, and this person was the real culprit behind her father’s car accident.

Ning Xi sat down and watched the people running around the set, the intense acting from the actors in the filming zone, as well as Zhang Qingyun and Xiao Yang’s concerned expressions, then abruptly laughed. She laughed so hard that she teared up.

Perhaps she should cry, she should be angry, she should curse, but she simply held her phone and started laughing.

Eight years. Her parents had laid underground for eight whole years, suffering an injustice because as a daughter, she was useless, and couldn’t punish the murderer who harmed them. These few years, she felt almost ashamed to appear before their graves.

They loved her, pampered her, and protected her like a treasure. Yet, as their daughter, she couldn’t protect the inheritance that they left for her, and even had to witness the glorious lifestyle of the people who harmed them for eight entire years.

They paved her life for her, but all she could do for them was this.

“Miss Ning, Miss Ning?” Officer Liu heard the laughter that sounded worse than crying, an inexplicable feeling in his heart. The origin of this case was school violence and drink-driving, but that wasn’t important anymore. Yet, the aftermath of the incident was something that many didn’t want to see, nor were they willing for it to happen.

“What’s the matter?” Captain Li asked curiously, “Is the victim’s family still stable?”

Officer Liu shook his head as he covered the mouthpiece, “It’s hard to tell.”

“Sister Xixi, what’s wrong?” Xiao Yang saw how unstable Ning Xi’s mood was, so she walked over worriedly. “What happened? Don’t panic, tell us what happened. Brother Zhang and I are here for you.”

“I’m fine,” Ning Xi smiled. Her expression gradually calmed, as she spoke into the phone, “Thank you Officer Liu, thank you.”

After hanging up the call, Ning Xi wiped the corner of her eyes and instructed Xiao Yang, “Xiao Yang, get the make-up artist over to help me touch up.”

“Oh, alright.” Xiao Yang ran out to find the make-up artist, but even as she ran, she still turned back to watch Ning Xi.

It was only when Ning Xi looked up and smiled at her that she finally relaxed.

Zhang Qingyun wasn’t as innocent as Xiao Yang was. He could tell that something was bothering Ning Xi, but since she wasn’t willing to tell, he didn’t probe further.

After her scenes were completed, Ning Xi sat down at a corner and called Chang Shi Gui.

“I’m sorry, give me a moment.” Chang Shi Gui cut Xu Zhou’s work report off, then took out his personal mobile and answered the call.

“Shi Gui.”

Chang Shi Gui unwittingly smiled, “Xixi, was filming tiring?”

“It’s fine,” Ning Xi took a sip from the drink that Xiao Yang gave her, then whispered, “I miss you somehow.”

Hearing this, Chang Shi Gui could feel a flush creep up his face. He glanced at Xu Zhou, then replied softly, “I miss you too.”

Ning Xi laughed, and the couple chatted happily for more than ten minutes before ending the call. After the call, Ning Xi’s expression improved quite a bit, and the rest of the scenes were filmed smoothly.

After another dialogue scene, she had just taken a seat when she heard the staff telling her that someone was looking for her.

She closed the script in her hand, then looked up at the staff. Behind him was a man about the age of fifty or sixty, his expression warm and his figure was well-maintained, giving off a refined presence.

“Miss Ning,” The man smiled before speaking, appearing extremely cordial. “I’m the President of Jiang Corporation, Jiang Yuanpeng. I need a few minutes with you, I wonder if you mind?”

Ning Xi was noncommittal as she smiled, “Mr. Jiang came all the way here, what’s the use if I mind it or not?”

Jiang Yuanpeng ignored her cold response as he sneered, “Miss Ning is indeed unique, no wonder my nephew likes you so much.”

“I’m afraid that Mr. Jiang’s memory has failed you," Ning Xi chuckled, “I recall that Second Aunty Tao has already filed for divorce with you. My Shi Gui and you… are no longer related in any way.”

The crew around them noticed that the atmosphere was strange, so they tactfully stood further away to prevent more troubles.

Having suffered Ning Xi’s taunting, Jiang Yuanpeng couldn’t hold onto his smile, and his gaze turned frigid, “Miss Ning, it’s always my understanding that it’s not that a person can’t change her mind; it’s just that the benefits are insufficient.”

Ning Xi sipped her drink, remaining quiet.

“I wonder how much chips Miss Ning requires before you’re willing to let my useless brother off?”

Ning Xi wasn’t angry at his words. Instead, she smiled, “Mr. Jiang, what do you mean by this? Second Master Jiang had committed a criminal offense, and was charged by the prosecution. What can a powerless civilian like me do?”

Jiang Yuanpeng sat down behind her, his voice chilly, “Miss Ning is a smart person, don’t you know that you have to leave some leeway when you do things?”

Ning Xi shook the cup in her hand, “Mr. Jiang, do you know what the word ‘shameless’ is?”

Jiang Yuanpeng furrowed his brows, but before he could reply, the entire cup was splashed onto his face.

Ning Xi waved the empty cup in her hand and sniggered, “If you don’t want your face, I’ll help you wash it clean.”