Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 9

“Who does she think she is?!” Nie Lan roared, her voice trembling slightly. As soon as she finished speaking, she threw the crystal wine glass in her hand against the wall. The glass shattered instantly, and red wine splashed onto the wall, slowly dripping down. The eerie yet beautiful scene unfolded before her eyes.

Han Ning sat cross-legged on the sofa, with Thunderstorm sleeping soundly in her arms. She looked down at the sleeping cat and murmured softly, overwhelmed by maternal affection, “You’re also a black-and-white cat, but why are you so different from our silly one at home?”

Thunderstorm let out a soft hum but did not wake up. Han Ning held her breath, gently placed it on the sofa, and stood up, walking toward the study.

Shen Xi had been inside for two hours…

They had practically sped all the way back. When the car finally stopped in the garage, Han Ning truly felt what it meant to have a brush with death.

As she unfastened her seatbelt, her hands trembled slightly. Getting out of the car, her legs felt weak, her face was pale, and her stomach churned violently—she nearly threw up.

Shen Xi, however, acted as if nothing had happened. She crossed her arms, kept a cold expression, and said nothing. She stood straight in the elevator, forming a stark contrast with Han Ning, who was weakly supporting her knees and making retching sounds beside her.

After arriving at Han Ning’s home, Shen Xi threw her bag onto the sofa and locked herself in the study, not coming out since.

Knock, knock, knock.

Han Ning knocked three times on the door. “Shen Xi, can I come in?”

There was no response. Han Ning rested her hand on the doorknob and thought for a few seconds. “If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as a yes… I’m coming in now.”

With that, she pushed the door open gently and walked inside. She saw Shen Xi typing away furiously on her keyboard, the dimly lit room shrouded in darkness with the curtains drawn. Han Ning sat beside her, resting her chin on her hand, staring at the screen before shifting her gaze to Shen Xi’s focused profile.

After a few minutes, Shen Xi finally stopped, rubbed her fingers, and turned to meet Han Ning’s gaze. Han Ning did not look away; instead, she smiled even brighter, her eyes sparkling. She reached out and poked Shen Xi’s waist. “Are you done? Can you play with me now?”

Shen Xi felt ticklish and dodged, laughing. “Stop it…”

With that laugh, the dull heaviness in her heart completely vanished. Not only was the feeling gone, but looking back, she found her reaction a bit ridiculous—like she had taken the wrong medicine…

“Ever since we got into the car, you’ve been ignoring me and not saying a word. I don’t even know why…” Han Ning picked up a chestnut beside her and peeled off the shell. A perfectly round and smooth chestnut emerged. She fed it to Shen Xi, who chewed it silently.

Han Ning looked at her with puppy-dog eyes, sounding a little aggrieved. “Also, you were driving way too fast. It was really dangerous. My legs are still weak. Don’t do that again next time…”

Bringing someone home only to ignore them for over two hours, driving too fast and scaring her nearly to death—yet she still peeled chestnuts for her.

Thinking about it, Shen Xi felt she might have been too harsh. A hint of guilt flashed in her eyes as she pursed her lips and nodded softly. “Mmm… I understand.”

“The chestnut is soft and sweet…” Shen Xi murmured. “When I was in school, this was my favorite snack. My mom used to buy it for me all the time…” She hesitated for a moment, then sighed.

Han Ning blinked but pretended not to notice, refraining from asking further. Shen Xi was too much of a mystery in her eyes. She always felt that Shen Xi had many secrets she hadn’t shared.

But Han Ning didn’t want to pry. She believed that even if they had a strong bond, their acquaintance was still relatively short. If she were in Shen Xi’s shoes, she wouldn’t reveal everything either.

In time, as their relationship grew closer, Shen Xi would surely open up to her.

As they chatted and laughed, they unknowingly finished the bag of chestnuts, leaving shells scattered all over the table. Outside, the sky gradually darkened. Han Ning bid farewell and returned home.

Checking the time, she figured it was about time to head out. After changing clothes and feeding the cat, she grabbed her car keys and left the house again.

On the way, she thought—if only her mother didn’t gamble.

Shen Fengmei wasn’t always like this. She used to dote on Shen Xi. When Shen Xi was little and loved chestnuts, her mother would go out of her way to buy them for her, never eating a single one herself. But as Shen Xi grew older, she realized her mother wasn’t avoiding chestnuts—she just wanted to save them all for her.

During the winter break of her first year of middle school, she had a high fever and cried for chestnuts late at night. Shen Fengmei had no choice but to brave the cold, riding her old bicycle far away to buy them.

Later, Shen Fengmei got involved in gambling, lured by the idea of improving their living conditions. At first, she tasted success, and their lives did improve. Shen Xi still remembered the day her mother bought them so many new things. But good times didn’t last.

After getting hooked, Shen Fengmei fell into a trap, lost everything, and racked up a huge debt.

Even now, that debt was not fully repaid…

Shen Xi sighed, her eyes reddening. After getting out of the car, she stood still for a moment to collect herself, then transferred 50,000 yuan to Shen Fengmei’s account.

She put her phone on silent mode and walked into the restaurant.

Just like last time, she chose a seat by the window. A waiter approached, asking what she needed. She smiled and said, “Just some tea for now. I’m waiting for someone.”

“Alright, please wait a moment,” the waiter replied politely.

About ten minutes later, Zhou Heyang’s car pulled up in a designated spot. He stepped inside, and as soon as he entered, Shen Xi waved, “Over here.”

Zhou Heyang sat down and took a sip of tea. “You’re early.”

“I live nearby,” Shen Xi smiled.

As they chatted, the waiter came over with a tablet to recommend dishes. Zhou Heyang asked, “What do you want to eat?”

“I just had chestnuts, so I’m not too hungry. You decide.”

“Chestnuts, huh…” Zhou Heyang chuckled. “Alright then, I’ll just pick a few dishes.”

After making his selections, he handed the tablet back to the waiter.

Shen Xi was feeling drowsy and yawned, covering her mouth just as Zhou Heyang caught sight of it. Amused, he teased, “Hey… what’s that supposed to mean?”

Shen Xi chuckled. “Sorry, Director Zhou. I barely slept last night and spent over two hours writing this afternoon… When the brain works hard, the body tires easily.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll get straight to the point, then let you go home and rest.” Zhou Heyang nodded and poured her some tea. “I want to hire you as our company’s screenwriter.What think?”

Shen Xi’s eyes lit up. After a few seconds of contemplation, she took the tea he handed her, smiled, and said, “I’d be honored.”