Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 52

Shen Xi froze for a moment. Her mind went blank, not knowing how to react. As soon as Han Ning finished speaking, she turned to leave. But before she could take a step, Shen Xi grabbed her. Han Ning turned back to look at her. Shen Xi opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say. Tears fell onto the back of her hand.

Heart aching, tears falling like rain—maybe this was what it felt like…

Shen Xi wasn’t the only one feeling sad. Han Ning’s nose tingled, and she steeled herself.

Gritting her teeth, she pulled her clothes from Shen Xi’s grasp and walked away.

Outside, the wind howled, sweeping dust and sand through the air. The weather suddenly turned bad, and soon, heavy raindrops began to fall. The rain became heavier and heavier, catching everyone off guard. Almost everyone got soaked, and the film crew had to wrap up early.

The rain poured endlessly, showing no signs of stopping.

Han Ning sat alone in her room. She had removed her makeup, taken a shower, and now lay in bed, feeling empty inside.

Even though she and Shen Xi had planned this fake breakup, and it was only temporary, now that it was happening, the pain was unbearable.

She sat on the bed, hugging her knees, glancing at her phone from time to time. But the screen remained dark.

“Of course… Xi Xi must be feeling overwhelmed too,” Han Ning thought, worrying about Shen Xi’s situation.

A troublesome mother, the tragic yet strong Shen Xi, the aggressive Nie Lan, and herself—alone against it all… Who wouldn’t have a headache in this mess?

Meanwhile, Shen Fengmei paced back and forth in the living room, her face full of anxiety.

Every few minutes, she would check the study door or press her ear against it, trying to hear any movement.

Since coming home, Shen Xi had locked herself inside the study for hours without coming out.

She was struggling inside, feeling the same pain as Han Ning. But the more it hurt, the more determined she became. She would never separate from Han Ning. A small sacrifice now was necessary to take down Nie Lan.

About ten minutes later, she opened the study door and stepped out as if nothing had happened. She casually asked her mother, “Are you hungry? What do you want to eat?”

Shen Fengmei was on the verge of tears. Shen Xi looked too calm. As someone not involved in their plan, Shen Fengmei had no idea what was going on. She feared that her daughter was putting on a brave front before doing something drastic—like jumping off the building in the middle of the night to end everything.

“Xi Xi… No hardship lasts forever. Breakups and reunions are normal in life. Please, don’t think too much… If you’re sad, just cry it out. You’ll feel better afterward…” Shen Fengmei sobbed, hugging her tightly.

Shen Xi frowned and pushed her away. “Mom… you’re too loud…”

Shen Fengmei, still crying, looked at her with teary eyes, unable to speak.

“Crying won’t change anything. At best, it’s just a way to vent emotions. It doesn’t solve any problems…” Shen Xi poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip. “Mom, your daughter isn’t the sentimental type. Even if Han Ning and I didn’t break up now, we might not last in the future.”

She spoke casually, but her clenched fists told a different story. Her nails dug into her palm, leaving red marks. She forced a smile at her mother and added, “To me, everyone is the same. Maybe I’ll end up alone in the future, but at least I’ll be a rich old woman.

Nie Lan… is much richer than Han Ning.”

She smiled brightly at Shen Fengmei, her eyes filled with greed and ambition.

Placing a hand on Shen Fengmei’s shoulder, she chuckled. “Mom, isn’t it good to have money?”

Shen Fengmei felt terrified. This wasn’t the daughter she knew. Shen Xi had completely changed, making her deeply uneasy…

And she really had changed. After that day, she quit her job as a screenwriter. Chen Rong called her many times, but she rejected every call. Furious, Chen Rong publicly accused her of being irresponsible, causing a huge stir in the industry. But Shen Xi no longer cared.

Everyone thought Han Ning would stand up for Shen Xi, argue with Chen Rong, and defend her. But Han Ning simply responded indifferently, “Shen Xi and I have broken up. We ended things peacefully. Her matters have nothing to do with me.”

Polite, distant, and utterly cold.

Shen Fengmei didn’t want to live with Shen Xi anymore. She packed her things and moved back to her own home. Shen Xi, too, no longer wanted to stay at Yuhe Xingyuan. One afternoon, she called Nie Lan.

On the other end of the phone, Nie Lan’s sweet voice trembled with excitement. “Baby, I’ll pick you up right away.”

Nie Lan brought her back to her villa. As Shen Xi entered, Nie Lan followed closely behind, eagerly introducing the rooms.

“This is the living room, this is the bedroom, over there is the bathroom… Outside, there’s a swimming pool and a garden. Do you like any particular flowers? I can have them planted for you. Oh, and I also prepared a study for you! I know you love writing novels.”

She opened the study door, revealing a beautifully designed space—far too luxurious for a simple study.

“It’s big…” Shen Xi looked around and smiled faintly. Her gaze landed on a bookshelf, where she spotted several of her own books. Surprised, she turned to Nie Lan, who smiled and picked up one of them.

“I don’t usually read novels, but I’ve been reading this one. I’m already more than halfway through~”

“Thank you for liking it. This one is my best-selling book.” Shen Xi saw through her intentions and decided to give her some emotional validation. Not only did she express gratitude, but she also praised Nie Lan’s taste.

“Really?” Nie Lan looked even happier. She hugged Shen Xi, her eyes shining with admiration. “Xi Xi, you’re amazing!”

Shen Xi smiled.

She smiled, and Nie Lan thought she looked stunning…

Nie Lan gazed at Shen Xi’s thin frame and held her hand. “Xi Xi, let’s go shopping. I haven’t bought you clothes yet.”

Shen Xi nodded, and they went out together.

Nie Lan bought anything and everything. If Shen Xi’s eyes lingered on an item for more than two seconds, Nie Lan would immediately order the salesperson, “We’ll take this one.

That one too. And that. Bring us one in every color!”

The salespeople beamed as they nodded. Shen Xi tried to stop her. “Nie Lan, I don’t need so much. Just one is enough.”

Nie Lan looked at her like she had found a rare gem. “Xi Xi, you’re so frugal~ That won’t do! It’s not enough. These are gifts from my heart. I like you, so I want to buy things for you!” Then she shot a cold glance at the salespeople. “What are you waiting for? Pack them up!”

The staff hurriedly carried the shopping bags to the counter.

Apart from drinking and smoking, Nie Lan had no other major hobbies—except clubbing.

She dragged Shen Xi along a few times. Though Shen Xi didn’t like noisy places, she wanted to get closer to Nie Lan, making her believe they were genuinely bonding. So, she pretended to enjoy it.

It worked. Nie Lan started sharing secrets—about the island Nie He gave her, her properties, her company shares…

One detail stood out. The island was in a small, seemingly peaceful country, but something about it felt off—like it was under someone’s control.

Shen Xi felt this information was important. So, she logged into a game on her phone, found Han Ning’s account, and left a message: “Meet me at White Bear Restaurant at 4 PM tomorrow.”