Chapter 157

“We may have our conflicts, but we share the same blood—yet you actually sided with an outsider!”

“Look at what you've done, and look at what she’s done!”

Too many incidents had erupted at Zhong Corporation recently. Most people were already fatigued by the constant drama and no longer wished to follow the news.

Zhong Ning was also in class when she received the message. She had been focused on jotting down key points in her notebook, when the sudden glow of her phone screen cast a flicker of light into her eyes.

Ever since the fallout, Zhong Zinuan hadn’t spoken to her, nor did she bother keeping up the pretense of sisterly affection. The look in her eyes was always dark and ominous, as if hiding countless malicious schemes brewing within her festering black heart.

Yet strangely, nothing had happened to Zhong Ning during this time.

Perhaps it was because Zhong Corporation had been teetering on the edge lately, forcing Zhong Zinuan to pause her attacks?

So then—why was she suddenly reaching out now?

Zhong Ning, puzzled, pulled her phone closer, unlocked the screen—and saw the nightmare she least wanted to face in this life.

Why had it turned out like this? How could it have turned out like this?

For a long while, Zhong Ning’s mind was blank. Her vision, too, was a blinding white. It was as if she had lost the ability to think.

At the birthday banquet, her mother had declared her the heir and transferred 8% of the company’s shares to her, allowing her to rightfully participate in company affairs and solidify her identity.

Not long after, Xie Shiqing asked her for those 8% of shares, saying she would exchange them for shares in the Xie Corporation—it was a standard part of any arranged union, and Zhong Ning hadn’t thought too much of it.

Her transfer went through quickly. But when Xie Shiqing attempted to transfer her own shares in return, a minor issue had arisen.

It just so happened to coincide with a routine audit.

So things were delayed.

She had never imagined that those mere 8% of shares would be used this way.

In the video, Zhong Lin’s expressions alternated between fury, urgency, and sorrow. Zhong Ning only glanced briefly at her, then looked away—her eyes were locked firmly on Xie Shiqing.

The audio in the surveillance was a bit distorted, but the video was crystal clear, plainly showing Xie Shiqing’s expression of disdain.

——Just playing around.

Those tears, those embraces, those kisses—were they all just for fun?

Zhong Ning didn’t want to believe it. She couldn’t believe it.

Did Xie Shiqing really not love her? They had gone on walks together, held each other as they fell asleep together, and even that morning, they had parted with a lingering kiss. Was that not love? Was it all just an act?

More than those words, what Zhong Ning couldn’t bear to examine deeply was the fact that Xie Shiqing had kept everything from her.

Secretly acquiring Zhong Corporation’s shares couldn’t have happened overnight—it must have been a long-planned scheme. But she hadn’t said a word, keeping it all hidden.

That morning, when she left, she’d said she was going to a shareholders’ meeting. Zhong Ning hadn’t realized she’d meant Zhong Corporation’s shareholders’ meeting.

While she was devouring Zhong Corporation, she faced Zhong Ning’s smile every day, spoke to her with affection, listened to her talk about the company’s recent challenges—even offered advice and strategies. And in her heart… what had she truly been thinking?

Did she worry Zhong Ning would object? Or did she simply not care about her feelings enough to think it was worth mentioning?

Zhong Ning had thought she knew this person. She believed their relationship had grown deeper, that Xie Shiqing’s mental state had gradually improved, and that she was finally willing to open up and share her thoughts with her.

It all felt a bit self-deceiving now.

She didn’t reply to Zhong Zinuan’s message, nor did she attend the next class.

Zhong Ning drove home, took out Pine Mushroom’s leash, and said, “Wanna go out for a walk?” Pine Mushroom wagged her tail and followed happily behind her.

As she reached the door, she happened to run into the butler. With a calm demeanor, she said, “I’m taking Pine Mushroom out for a walk.”

The butler even helped by opening the car door.

“Thank you.” Zhong Ning gave her a small smile, turned the car key, and the engine rumbled softly. Her foot pressed on the gas pedal, and she drove away.

…

Xie Shiqing’s first order of business upon arriving at Zhong Corporation was to search Zhong Lin’s office safe, halt all previous actions targeting Zhong Corporation, and have someone monitor trending searches.

She didn’t want this matter to be exposed too early.

She...

How was she supposed to explain all of this to Zhong Ning?

Xie Shiqing didn’t know.

But she gave a strict order to everyone—not a word of this was to be told to Zhong Ning. The longer they could keep it from her, the better.

Zhong Ning would forgive her. She would.

The shareholders’ meeting that marked the change of ownership had actually been conducted very discreetly. The regular employees still had no idea what had happened. Aside from a few shareholders and their chief secretaries, the matter was still a secret.

There was nothing particularly unusual about Xie Shiqing appearing at Zhong Corporation’s headquarters. Her engagement to Zhong Ning wasn’t exactly a secret.

But Zhong Lin’s words had left her restless. Her already uneasy mood was only growing more agitated.

At that moment, she received a phone call. The caller was the private investigator she had hired to look into the car accident.

“There’s a lead?” she asked urgently.

“There is!” The excitement in the other party’s voice was barely concealed. “It was very late that night, but the streets of Fengcheng are never completely empty. I’d almost lost hope, but when I was running image searches for anything similar, I suddenly came across a selfie posted online by a bystander from back then.”

“The background is a road sign for Huxi Road. Huxi Road is only two intersections away from the scene of the accident.” The voice over the phone quickened. “And in the background of that photo, I saw a sports car.”

As Xie Shiqing held her breath, the investigator continued in a grave tone, “The driver’s seat is visible. It’s a bit blurry, but it’s definitely not the driver they claimed. There were two young people. I’m sending the photo to you now.”

Evidence.

The evidence she had desperately sought—was it really being handed to her just like that?

Xie Shiqing was on the verge of losing her mind from excitement.

She couldn’t see the photo herself, but Assistant Fang could. After carefully examining it, Assistant Fang gave her the answer she’d been hoping for.

“It was Le Xi driving. The passenger seat was Zhong Zinuan.”

The photo had a timestamp and date. It was enough to prove exactly who was the true driver causing the accident.

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