Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 62

Shen Xi pretended to look troubled as she spoke, but the glimmer of amusement in her eyes betrayed her. Nie Lan, who was particularly sharp at the moment, noticed it immediately.

She suddenly looked as if she had realized something and exclaimed, “So you’ve been waiting for this day all along? You want to escape from me, don’t you?!”

Nie Lan, in a fit of rage, grabbed Shen Xi’s arm with incredible strength, causing her immense pain.

“Are you crazy?! Let go!” Shen Xi struggled hard to break free. She finally managed to shake off Nie Lan, picked up her phone from the floor, and walked back to her room without arguing further.

Meanwhile, Han Ning and A Tian were on their way back from Jiuhua Mountain. Hours passed after Shen Xi returned to her room, and she never came out. Nie Lan knocked on her door, but there was no response.

Thinking Shen Xi had fallen asleep, Nie Lan eventually left the house.

However, Shen Xi was not asleep. She sat on the sofa, gazing out the window. Only when she saw Nie Lan drive away from the villa did she pick up her phone and call Han Ning directly.

The phone vibrated in Han Ning’s arms just as she was about to drift off to sleep. She was slightly annoyed by the interruption, but when she saw the caller ID, her irritation instantly disappeared, replaced by pleasant surprise.

She hadn’t expected Shen Xi to contact her so directly. Suspicious, she hesitated for a moment before declining the call. If it really was Shen Xi, she figured she would log into the game and leave her a message.

Sure enough, shortly after logging in, she found a letter in her inbox. She opened it and saw: “Stinky Ning Ning, pick up the phone!”

Just as she finished reading, her phone rang again. This time, she answered immediately.

“I missed you, baby~ Mwah mwah~” Han Ning, completely ignoring A Tian sitting beside her, blew kisses at her wife over the phone.

“Save that for later. I had a huge argument with Nie Lan this morning around ten. She just left the house. She must have heard about what happened to the Nie family and likely went back,” Shen Xi said.

“An argument? It didn’t turn physical, did it? We’re on our way, but the earliest we can get there is five in the afternoon. Until I arrive, don’t provoke her, okay?” Han Ning said, worried about Shen Xi being alone. The Nie family was in complete chaos now, and Nie Lan, being a public figure, was under intense scrutiny.

Given Nie Lan’s unstable personality, Han Ning could only imagine how unhinged she might become after such a blow. If she lost control and took it out on Shen Xi…

“I know…” Shen Xi murmured, her arm still aching. She pursed her lips, staring across the river at the distant city. Her voice was soft yet firm: “I’ll wait for you to come back.”

“I promise I’ll come for you.” With that, Han Ning ended the call and clutched her phone to her chest, silently praying for Shen Xi’s safety.

The car sped down the highway. Every passing minute felt agonizing to Han Ning. If only she could split herself in two and bring Shen Xi home right this moment.

Not long after the call ended, Nie Lan returned. She marched straight to Shen Xi’s door, knocking loudly. “Shen Xi, come out! I need to talk to you.”

Shen Xi didn’t respond, but Nie Lan kept knocking. “I know you’re not asleep. Do you really think locking the door will keep me out?”

She pulled a hammer out of her bag and, with a few strikes, broke the lock open.

Pushing the door open, she saw Shen Xi sitting on the bed, groggily rubbing her eyes.

“What do you want?”

“Cut the act. Tell me, do you have anything to do with what happened to my family today?

Did you orchestrate it?” Nie Lan sat on the sofa across from her, her tone accusatory, as if she were interrogating a criminal. This irritated Shen Xi.

“Don’t talk to me like that. I’m not your prisoner.”

Hearing this, Nie Lan burst into laughter, her laughter growing wilder by the second.

After a few moments, she stopped, pointed at Shen Xi, and sneered, “Aren’t you, though?

Did you really think I’d let you wear that nine-million-dollar sapphire ring? How ridiculous! Hahaha…”

Seeing her opportunity, Shen Xi played along. With tears streaming down her face, she acted out a tragic love story filled with betrayal and heartbreak—manipulation, coercion, and ultimate abandonment.

After all, she had learned a few tricks from Shen Fengmei’s past tantrums for money.

Playing the role came naturally to her.

“If you don’t love me, then why have you treated me so well? Was it just to spite Han Ning?” Shen Xi collapsed to the floor, sobbing.

“Not entirely… but there’s no point in explaining now.” Nie Lan observed her carefully, then asked, “The Nie family is on the verge of collapse. I might inherit a significant fortune. Do you really want to be with me?”

“Leave here?” Shen Xi’s heart skipped a beat. She suspected Nie Lan was planning to flee.

Her mind raced, calculating Han Ning’s arrival time. Maybe she should play along for now—securing her safety was the priority.

Nie Lan was alone now. What she needed most was companionship. If Shen Xi agreed to go with her, she could buy time and find a way to escape once Han Ning arrived at night.

With that in mind, Shen Xi nodded. “I do. I’ll go anywhere with you.”

“No need to go that far. I have a private island in another country. Wouldn’t it be nice to live there, away from the world?” Nie Lan helped Shen Xi sit up, her expression softening. She whispered, “I was just angry before. I thought you and Han Ning had plotted to leave me…”

“I wouldn’t…” Shen Xi gazed at her with determination.

“Thank you, Shen Xi. Thank you for staying by my side…” Nie Lan suddenly hugged her, resting her head on her shoulder. “I don’t care what the world thinks of me. Let them say what they want. I’ll just quit the industry.”

Shen Xi patted her back, thinking, You think you’re the victim here? You’d be lucky to get just ten years in prison for your crimes…

“You’re right. The entertainment industry is exhausting. You should enjoy the rest of your life.” Shen Xi murmured. Then she asked, “When do we leave?”

Nie Lan hesitated. Her father hadn’t passed away yet; she had to wait for the funeral before leaving.

She smiled. “No rush. My father’s matters aren’t settled yet. Once they are, I’ll take you away immediately.”

“Alright,” Shen Xi replied.

Online, public outrage against Nie Lan and the entire Nie family was overwhelming. Other members of the family were also suffering due to Nie He’s disgrace. Though furious, they couldn’t do much—Nie He was on his deathbed, and there was no point in holding a dying man accountable. But Nie Lan’s phone never stopped ringing. Her cousins bombarded her with calls, one after another.

Frustrated, Nie Lan simply turned off her phone to escape the noise.

As time ticked by, she sat alone by the pool, deep in thought. Shen Xi couldn’t read her mind, but she knew one thing—Nie Lan was extremely dangerous. She couldn’t trust a single word she said.

Shen Xi wasn’t afraid that Han Ning wouldn’t come today. What truly terrified her was waking up on a plane, forcibly taken to that island, where escape would be impossible.

At 7:30 PM Beijing time, Han Ning’s car exited the highway—only to be sideswiped by another car making a turn.

Fortunately, she wasn’t driving too fast, so there were no injuries. She and A Tian got out to check the damage. It was just a minor scrape, but the other driver, seeing the expensive car and realizing Han Ning was a celebrity, tried to negotiate a lower settlement.

After over ten minutes of arguing, Han Ning, growing impatient, turned to A Tian. “Call the police.”

It took another half an hour for the traffic officers to resolve the issue. A Tian took the car for repairs, leaving Han Ning without a vehicle. She called Kou Kou for a ride, but she was stuck in a company meeting.

Han Ning groaned—if the company was in a meeting, it meant even Liang Xun couldn’t come.

She had just exited the highway, still quite far from the city. Walking back wasn’t an option…

Looking around, she spotted a motorcycle rental stand nearby. Eyes lighting up, she jogged over. “Boss, do you sell or rent these bikes?”

The owner glanced at her impatiently but then did a double take. “Wait… Are you Han Ning?!

My daughter is your biggest fan! She collects all your photo cards! She absolutely adores you!”

“Oh, really? Thanks…” Han Ning chuckled before pointing at a bike. “So, what’s the deal with these?”

“Oh…” The owner hesitated, then grinned. “I can rent it to you—if you give me an autograph.”

“That’s it?” Han Ning blinked in surprise.

“Yep!”

“How about I record a video for your daughter too? What’s her name? I’ll tell her to study hard,” Han Ning offered. She understood the dad’s excitement—he was indulging his daughter’s love for her.

The owner was overjoyed and quickly agreed. Han Ning recorded the video, paid the rental fee, and got on the bike.

The owner didn’t even ask for a deposit, which touched Han Ning. Before leaving, she asked, “By the way, how much does this bike cost?”

“About 28,000 yuan. If you want it, I’ll give you a 30% discount!”

Han Ning nodded. “Alright, I’ll contact you later.” With that, she hopped on and sped off.

At this crucial moment, she was grateful to Liang Xun. Because of a police drama, he had forced her to get a motorcycle license. Now, it seemed like fate!

She rode westward, passing through the city and skirting its edges. At a red light, she checked the time—9:00 PM. She sent Shen Xi a message: “I’ll be at Nie Lan’s villa in 15 minutes. Xi Xi, I’m coming to take you home.”