Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 73

At home in Lingchao City, Han Ning sat with her future mother-in-law. She glanced at Shen Fengmei, who seemed preoccupied. Their conversation felt different from usual—distracted, absent-minded. Han Ning’s instincts told her something was wrong. She cautiously asked,
“Auntie… there’s no one else here. Just tell me, how much did you lose this time?”

Shen Fengmei snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Han Ning. Her expression was hard to describe—almost like fear…

“I didn’t… I quit gambling a long time ago,” Shen Fengmei said with a smile.

Hearing that, Han Ning felt a wave of relief. She took a sip of tea, rubbed the tip of Lei Bao’s ear, and exhaled. “Then why do you look so worried? Do you want to go home?”

“A little…”

Shen Fengmei didn’t just “want” to go home—she desperately wished she could teleport straight to Shen Mengmeng’s side.

Just half an hour ago, she had received a message from her friend Su Yu as she returned from a walk downstairs.

Ever since Shen Mengmeng’s surgery, she had been sent to an orphanage. Shen Fengmei and Su Yu used to visit her regularly, but life got in the way. Su Yu got into a serious relationship and was busy with wedding plans, while Shen Fengmei was caught in Nie Lan’s schemes, struggling to protect herself. With everything happening, Shen Mengmeng had been neglected.

Now that things had finally settled down, they decided to visit Mengmeng. But when they arrived, the orphanage director told them that Mengmeng’s health had deteriorated again.

Shen Fengmei hadn’t even had time to understand the details before Shen Xi dragged her back home.

Seeing Shen Fengmei’s worried expression, Han Ning felt uneasy too. But since it wasn’t about gambling, she figured it couldn’t be too serious. Holding Shen Fengmei’s hand, she sincerely said,
“Auntie, just tell me. We’re family, right? Maybe I can help!”

Shen Fengmei looked at Han Ning, a flicker of hope in her eyes, but it quickly faded. She muttered, “There’s no way… it’s too absurd.”

“What is it?” Han Ning’s curiosity was piqued. She stared at Shen Fengmei and playfully insisted, “Come on, Auntie, just say it! Keeping it bottled up will only make you feel worse!”

“Han Ning, what do you think of Xiao Xi’s temper?” Shen Fengmei suddenly asked.

“Huh?” Han Ning thought for a moment. “She’s great. I’ve never seen her lose control or get really mad.”

“Well… you might see it in a few days.” Shen Fengmei let out a helpless smile. She had made up her mind—there was no hiding it anymore.

Han Ning frowned, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words. “What do you mean?”

Shen Fengmei took a deep breath and said calmly, “Besides Xiao Xi, I have another daughter. Her name is Shen Mengmeng.”

“…WHAT?!”

Han Ning’s jaw dropped. She had just eaten dinner and was feeling sleepy, but this news jolted her awake like an electric shock.

After leaving the café, Shen Xi and Yu Xin went their separate ways. Shen Xi headed to the website headquarters to sign a contract.

The whole trip, she felt a strange sense of unease, like something was about to happen.

After signing, she didn’t linger. She rushed home, enduring a three-hour car ride. When she finally arrived at the underground parking lot of Yuhe Xingyuan, the feeling of anxiety only grew stronger.

She took the elevator upstairs and opened the door. The house was empty.

“Where is everyone…?”

She took out her phone and called Han Ning—no answer. Then she called Shen Fengmei—also no answer.

Glancing around, she noticed something: the two cats were gone. That put her slightly at ease. They were probably out for a walk and hadn’t heard the phone.

Changing into comfortable clothes, she went to freshen up.

Downstairs, near the flowerbed, Han Ning and Shen Fengmei sat on a bench, holding their phones in silence. Neither dared to answer the calls. They clutched the two cats, unsure what to do.

“So… this little girl still needs treatment?” Han Ning asked.

Shen Fengmei nodded. “She was born prematurely and has always been weak. I worry she won’t live past eighteen…” Her eyes welled up with tears.

Without the orphanage, she wouldn’t have been able to raise Mengmeng, let alone afford the expensive surgeries. No matter what, she had to ask Shen Xi for help.

“You’ve decided?” Han Ning asked, her voice trembling.

Shen Fengmei looked determined. She grabbed Han Ning’s hand. “Come with me… upstairs… please.”

“I… I’m scared,” Han Ning mumbled, following behind reluctantly.

Back at the apartment, Shen Xi was relaxing with a face mask on. When she heard them return, she sat up.

“You two are unbelievable. Do you even use your phones?”

“Didn’t hear it…” Han Ning lied without hesitation.

“Mom, I swear, on the way home, I had the worst feeling—like my heart was about to jump out of my chest,” Shen Xi grabbed Shen Fengmei’s wrist and placed it over her heart. “Feel that? It’s still racing!”

She tossed the face mask in the trash, rubbed the serum into her skin, and washed up.

When she came back, she caught Shen Fengmei and Han Ning exchanging glances—practically having a conversation with their eyes.

She raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. “Are you two hiding something from me?”

“Auntie has something to say!” Han Ning immediately betrayed her teammate.

Then she grabbed the cats and fled, locking herself on the balcony, peeking through a tiny gap.

“Han Ning, you traitor!” Shen Fengmei smacked her leg in frustration. “We were supposed to face this together!”

Han Ning whistled, pretending she didn’t hear.

“Mom?” Shen Xi’s sharp gaze was filled with suspicion. “What’s going on? Did you start gambling again?”

“No!”

“Then what is it?”

Shen Fengmei hesitated. Han Ning grew impatient. “Auntie, just say it!”

“Did you get a boyfriend?” Shen Xi guessed.

“No…”

“Then what? Just spit it out already!” Shen Xi was losing patience.

Shen Fengmei smiled awkwardly and cautiously asked, “Xiao Xi, do you like little sisters?”

“Huh?” Shen Xi was confused.

Han Ning cracked the balcony door open and whispered, “Auntie had some free time a few years ago and gave you a little sister!”

Shen Fengmei shut her eyes, bracing herself.

But three minutes passed. No explosion.

Even Han Ning, now out of hiding, stared at Shen Xi in disbelief.

Shen Xi blankly turned to Han Ning. “Do you have a knife?”

Han Ning panicked. “No, no, no—who do you want to kill?! That’s your mom!”

“I want to end myself,” Shen Xi muttered weakly, before collapsing onto the sofa.

“This is too much… Han Ning, I can’t take this anymore. I can’t imagine what other messes she’ll bring me…” She let out a bitter laugh. “Life is just a journey from having something to having nothing. I’ll go first!”

She got up and headed for the kitchen. Han Ning quickly grabbed her. “Hey, suicide hurts!

And you won’t get reincarnated, you know!”

“Who wants to be human again… it’s too painful…” Shen Xi whimpered, resting her head on Han Ning’s shoulder.

When she calmed down, Han Ning explained everything.

“She’s just a kid. No father, no mother, and she’s sick… Isn’t that too tragic?”

“I know,” Shen Xi sighed. She looked at Shen Fengmei. “Mom, take us to see her.”
One hour later, at the orphanage.

Shen Fengmei pointed to a small girl sitting alone on a bench. “That’s Mengmeng.”

“She’s adorable, Xi!” Han Ning beamed.

Shen Xi scoffed. “Your sister.”

Mengmeng spotted them, hesitated, then called out sweetly, “Auntie~”

Shen Fengmei’s eyes turned red. “She thinks Su Yu is her mom… let her call me whatever she wants.”

Shen Xi knelt in front of Mengmeng. “Do you like cats?”

Mengmeng nodded. “Yes!”

“Then come be their little owner,” Shen Xi said, offering her hand.

Han Ning and Shen Fengmei were speechless.

And just like that, Mengmeng came home.

-The End-