The Scumbag Alpha's Redemption in a Sweet Romance - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Ning Chun couldn’t help but shrink back, deliberately turning over. She just missed the kiss that Yan Hua was leaning in to give her.

Yan Hua sighed inwardly. There was still time for them.

Ning Chun rubbed her eyes and then, as if just realizing it, noticed Yan Hua beside her.

Yan Hua didn’t expose her, but instead played along. “Did you wake up?”

Ning Chun nodded and sat up on her own. Before she could sit properly, Yan Hua leaned in. For a moment, Ning Chun didn’t dare to move, because if she turned her head, she would be right up against Yan Hua’s face.

Why did she get so close all of a sudden? It made her think of that chaotic night, and she felt ashamed.

She swallowed and turned her head slightly, her earlobes hot. “Don’t get so close, it’s a little stuffy.”

“But I was afraid you wouldn’t hear clearly.”

Forget it, Ning Chun closed her eyes. This was still acceptable.

“I still have to thank you for my sister. Although there are still many problems between us. Also, Auntie Xu wants to take care of you herself. What do you think?”

Ning Chun propped one hand behind her, turning her face slightly to the side, her tone a little surprised. “What other problems are there between us?” In her opinion, whether she was taken care of or not wasn’t important at all. What was important was what Yan Hua thought of her.

Subconsciously, Yan Hua had already become Ning Chun’s top priority, but she hadn’t realized it yet.

Yan Hua let out a bitter laugh. Sometimes she really couldn’t understand Ning Chun’s way of thinking. “What we’re talking about now is that Auntie Xu wants to take care of you so that I don’t have to be so… tired.”

“It doesn’t matter. You didn’t have to do anything for me in the first place.” Ning Chun subconsciously felt that something hadn’t been handled well.

Their relationship should be more honest, not so awkward.

Their interactions were always a bit awkward, even worse than before.

It’s okay. Ning Chun was used to finding solutions herself. If Yan Hua wasn’t willing to say it, she would find out herself. There would always be an answer.

Yan Hua also had many considerations. Her sister’s situation was very tricky right now, and she didn’t want to question Ning Chun at this moment. It would make the small amount of trust they had managed to build disappear.

You have to eat your food one bite at a time, and you have to deal with problems one by one.

“Then I’ll go take care of Qingqing. I’ll come see you when I have time.”

When Yan Hua left, Ning Chun felt that her ears hurt even more.

That night, Ning Chun felt very annoyed. She said that she only had a minor ear injury, her intelligence was still intact, and her limbs were fine. She didn’t need so many people to take care of her. And they were walking back and forth, which was distracting.

But Ms. Xu was very concerned for her safety and insisted on having at least two people in the room to care for her.

A regular hospitalization felt like house arrest. Even when she went to the bathroom, someone was constantly by her side.

Especially the two senior caregivers, who were so diligent and responsible that Ning Chun felt like a fragile mascot.

She made a phone call while in the bathroom. The other person’s lazy voice came through, accompanied by the sound of a pen smoothly writing on paper. “What’s wrong, my lady? Can’t you take it anymore?”

Ning Chun sighed helplessly. “I want to be discharged. And can you please get rid of those two caregivers? They’re making my eyes hurt just by walking around.”

Ning Qing thought for a moment. “I don’t think so. Mom will yell at me if she finds out.”

Ning Chun felt like she was going to die.

“But there’s an opportunity tomorrow. Song Xiaoran will probably come to see you. I can try to convince Mom to get rid of the caregivers then, but being discharged is probably out of the question.”

Hearing there was a chance, Ning Chun’s mood brightened considerably, but she also had a question. “Who is Song Xiaoran?”

Ning Qing was surprised. “Are you sure your mind is okay? You used to like her so much.”

“Who exactly is she?” Ning Chun pressed.

Unfortunately, Ning Qing was clearly getting busy. She just said, “We’ll talk about it later. I have some documents to handle. You rest up.”

The call ended instantly. Ning Chun rubbed her right earlobe, and she could faintly hear some sounds.

The phone screen was still on, and there were many red dots in her messaging app. On the afternoon of the incident, Yan Hua had sent her several messages, each one more serious than the last. Her eyes landed on the message that said “Let’s talk properly,” and something flashed in her mind, but she couldn’t grasp it.

Since Yan Hua said she was going to take care of her sister at noon, she really hadn’t shown up again. Compared to Ning Chun, who had so many people taking care of her, Yan Hua only had herself.

Ning Chun made an excuse to go to bed early and told the caregivers to go rest. She also called the butler and said that the late-night snack wasn’t needed tonight, as she had no appetite.

She lay in the dark room for twenty minutes. After making sure no one was outside, Ning Chun stealthily put on a mask and snuck out.

She was indeed full of energy, but the hospital was too big, and she didn’t know where Yan Qingqing’s room was, so she just wandered around.

Luckily, she had good luck. She found the right room.

Looking through the glass on the door, she could only see Yan Hua’s back. It seemed that her recovery wasn’t going well; she hadn’t woken up yet. The bed was just a simple hospital bed.

Ning Chun stood there for a while, and a kind person asked her if she needed help. She smiled and declined.

Yan Qingqing had a single room, but due to the different layout of the floor, it was nothing like Ning Chun’s room. It was more of a standard room.

She didn’t know how Yan Hua slept at night.

The first thing Ning Chun did when she returned to her room was to call the butler. “I suddenly felt that it would be a waste not to eat the late-night snack you prepared so hard. Bring it over and send it to Yan Hua’s room. And help her hire a caregiver and find a place to rest.”

“Oh, and don’t say I arranged it. Just say Ning Qing arranged it.”

The butler on the other end was stunned. That excuse wasn’t very good, was it? Besides, the gesture was so obvious that even without an explanation, Miss Yan would definitely guess it was her.

The young couple was having a spat. The butler could only agree.

That night, Ning Chun lay in bed with her eyes open for half the night. Just as she was finally sleeping soundly, she was woken up by a video call.

She squinted, and the phone almost fell on her face.

Ning Qing saw that she had answered and immediately zoomed in. “Hurry up and choose one.”

In the video, there was a black velvet tray with several diamond necklaces neatly arranged on it.

“What are you doing? Is it for your girlfriend?” It was the crack of dawn, disturbing her sweet dreams. Ning Chun couldn’t think of any better reason.

“What are you talking about? This is for you to choose. Song Xiaoran is returning to the country today, and Mom said you have to give her a gift to show our family’s sincerity.”

Ning Chun was even more confused. “Why do I have to give her a gift? We’re not even related. Besides, wouldn’t it have more weight if you sent it?”

She leaned in to look at the store’s decor. It looked familiar. “Is this the store on Chunxi Road? I ordered some jewelry there. Can you pick it up for me while you’re at it?”

“I called you to do something for me, not to run errands for you.” Ning Qing picked up a necklace from the tray and held it up to the light, where it sparkled brilliantly.

“It’s basically the same thing. Just pick it up for me. I’ll transfer the final payment to you.” Ning Chun buried her head in the covers, and the video feed went completely dark.

Ning Qing sighed helplessly. “What about the necklace?”

“You have good taste, you choose. My eyes hurt. I’m going back to sleep.” Ning Chun closed her eyes, overcome with sleepiness.

On the other end of the phone, Ning Qing was still arguing. “I choose, and you give it as a gift?”

“Whatever. I’m really going to sleep now.” Ning Chun’s voice became softer and softer, and she even forgot to hang up the phone.

She slept for who knows how long. In a daze, someone was calling her.

“Xiao Chun, get up and get ready.” The voice was very gentle, and the movements were light. She knew without guessing that it was Ms. Xu.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes. She hadn’t slept well, and her eyes felt a little uncomfortable.

Ms. Xu handed her a warm, damp towel. “Wipe your face.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Ning Chun covered her face with the towel. The warmth was comforting.

“That girl, Xiaoran, has a flight back today. She’ll definitely come to see you after she leaves the airport. You two have a good talk and don’t argue.”

Why was everyone mentioning Song Xiaoran? Who was she, anyway?

“Why would I argue with her?” Ning Chun genuinely didn’t know the reason.

Ms. Xu was a little surprised. “You two had such a huge fight back then, threatening to die and live. It scared us all. Have you forgotten?”

It wasn’t that she had forgotten; she simply didn’t remember.

Ning Chun immediately covered her temples, her expression one of discomfort. “Maybe it’s a post-traumatic effect. I feel like I’ve forgotten some things.”

Seeing her like this, Ms. Xu didn’t ask any more questions. “You handle your own affairs. I brought you some skincare and makeup. Get yourself ready.”

Ning Chun flipped through the bottles and jars, feeling that it was unnecessary. She was in the hospital, not a beauty pageant. There was no need to get all dressed up.

“I don’t want to. I want to be discharged.” She pushed the items aside.

“We’ll talk about it after the doctor gives you an examination and determines you can be discharged.”

So it was a distant dream.

Ms. Xu couldn’t stay with her all the time, so she called the butler to take over. But as Ning Qing had said, the two caregivers didn’t appear today.

When the butler arrived, he was carrying two identical jewelry bags. Ning Chun reached for them and opened one, taking out two square boxes. It was a pair of rings she had custom-ordered.

Ning Chun took out the one she liked and put it on her left ring finger, admiring her good taste. Look at that diamond sparkle.

The other box was noticeably heavier. It was a diamond ring custom-ordered with Yan Hua’s birthday, extravagant and elegant, with a beautiful design.

But how should she give it to her?

Just as she was thinking, the door was pushed open from outside. Yan Hua came in with a box of fruit. Ning Chun immediately fumbled to put things away, closing the box and shoving it, along with the bag, under the bed.

The moment their eyes met, she inexplicably felt guilty.

“Why are you here all of a sudden?” Ning Chun secretly used her right hand to cover the ring on her left ring finger.

“I ordered too much fruit, so I brought some for you.”

Yan Hua handed her the cut fruit. Ning Chun pressed her left hand under the box and ate with the fork in her right hand.

Her posture was perfect, with no flaws.

“Qingqing’s condition is much better. The doctor said she’ll wake up in a few days.” Yan Hua paused and said, “I don’t have a source of income right now. I might need you to pay for this. I’ll pay you back everything when I get my shares back.”

“Don’t worry about it. She’s my sister too. I’m happy to pay for it.”

“There’s something else I wanted to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Before we met, did you ever do anything to hurt my family?”

“Of course not.” Ning Chun subconsciously denied it. No, that’s not right. She didn’t know anything about what happened before she transmigrated. What if the original host had?

Ning Chun fell silent. She couldn’t give a full guarantee.

“You don’t look so good.”

After Yan Hua left, Ning Chun quickly found a mirror. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, her skin was pale and not rosy, almost like a ghost. She really didn’t look good.

…

“Hello, excuse me, where is Room 36?” A gentle, kind voice sounded to her side.

Yan Hua looked up. It was a very young woman with long, curly chestnut hair and sunglasses that covered most of her face, only revealing a pointed chin and pink lips.

She was dressed very fashionably and was carrying an expensive handbag. She also held a cute insulated lunch box, clearly there to deliver something.

Her first impression was that she had an outstanding presence and was very gentle.

But Yan Hua wondered, she’s here to see Ning Chun. What’s her relationship with Ning Chun?

Out of politeness, Yan Hua didn’t ask, just pointed the way. “It’s to the left.”

“Thank you.” The other woman gave a sweet smile and headed left with her things.

Yan Hua stood still, watching her enter Ning Chun’s room.

Ning Chun had applied some lip balm to make herself look better. After applying it, she looked down in her bag for other makeup to brighten her complexion.

“Xiao Chun!” A joyful voice came from a distance, and before she could see who it was, she was embraced tightly.

The oddly shaped makeup products pressed against her, and the person’s hug was so tight that Ning Chun almost had the life squeezed out of her.

“Hey, let go of me. I can’t breathe.” Ning Chun tried to lean back as much as possible, but she couldn’t create any distance. In the end, she had to grab the person’s arms and pull them off her.

She rubbed her chest. It hurt so much.

The girl was forced to separate and looked a little flustered. “Xiao Chun, do you hate me?”

Ning Chun was helpless. No, sister, with those big sunglasses, who could tell who you were?

“Take off your sunglasses before you talk.” Ning Chun moved the items she was holding and pulled the blanket up to her waist.

“Oh, right, I forgot.” The other person took off her sunglasses, revealing a face as clear as a lotus in water, smiling happily at Ning Chun. “I brought you some wontons from the shop near the university. They’re filled with crab roe and shrimp. You used to love them the most.”

Ning Chun looked at her for a moment and tried to say, “Song Xiaoran?”

“What’s wrong? Don’t move. I’ll get you a bowl.”

It was indeed the visitor Ms. Xu had mentioned.

Seeing her in a daze, Song Xiaoran reached out to touch her forehead. Ning Chun reflexively recoiled.

The hand awkwardly hung in mid-air. “I just wanted to see if you were feeling unwell. Do you need me to call the doctor?”

“I’m fine. I just don’t like this kind of intimacy.” Ning Chun turned her face away and frantically yelled for the system in her mind.

The system came online quickly. [Character Song Xiaoran is the host’s former secret crush, the host’s “white moonlight.” They had a falling out three years ago and separated. She has returned this time to win back the host’s feelings.]

Ning Chun felt a chill down her spine. So Song Xiaoran’s existence was to torment the female protagonist in love and to add drama to the plot for herself.

One wave had just subsided, and a bigger one was already rising.

Was the world of angsty novels so dramatic?

“Miss Song, thank you for coming to see me today, but I just ate some fruit and can’t eat anything else right now.” She went against her inner desire and sternly rejected the steaming, fragrant wontons.

“But you haven’t eaten lunch yet.” Song Xiaoran said kindly, trying to convince her to eat at least a bite, but Ning Chun was firm.

Song Xiaoran had to put down the bowl of wontons, a little dejected. “You used to call me Xiaoran. Do we really have to be so distant?”

“Sorry, I’m not a nostalgic person. I can’t reminisce about the past with you.”

Ning Chun generously showed her left hand. The ring on her ring finger was dazzling, almost hurting Song Xiaoran’s eyes. “I have a partner.”

“You, you’re married?” Song Xiaoran was shocked. She couldn’t believe it. “You’re not that kind of person. If you really loved her, you would have a grand wedding to announce it to the world.”

Perhaps when a person is stubborn, they have their own logic and don’t listen to what others say. Song Xiaoran was one of them. Before returning, she was very confident in Ning Chun’s feelings, but after just a short meeting, she was utterly defeated.

“I don’t believe it.” Her watery apricot eyes were red, and she looked pitiful, on the verge of tears.

Ning Chun also didn’t want to see a pretty girl sad, but she also didn’t want to get tangled up. She simply bent down, took the jewelry bag from under the bed, and without even looking, stuffed it into Song Xiaoran’s arms.

“This is a welcome gift from the Ning family for you. It’s getting late. I’ll have someone send you back to rest.”

Song Xiaoran held the jewelry bag, trying hard to control her emotions. “I think there are some misunderstandings between us that haven’t been cleared up. I’ll come see you again in a while.”

Ning Chun had a headache. She had been so clearly rejected, but she still wouldn’t give up.

Love was truly torturous.

Her phone suddenly chimed with a notification. Ning Chun opened it and saw she had received a few photos in her email.

The person in the pictures was wearing a black coat and a baseball cap, sitting in the driver’s seat of a Mercedes, smoking. The lighting was dark, and the white smoke from the cigarette just happened to cover their face, only revealing their chin.

The sender was an overseas account. Ning Chun zoomed in and looked at the pictures again and again, but she couldn’t make anything out. It was too blurry.

She figured it was a mistake and chose to ignore it.

The doctor performed several tests on her, especially on her hearing recovery. The tests took a whole morning, and the conclusion was that her recovery was going well and she could be discharged early.

The doctor also detected a small amount of differentiation factor in her body and suggested she get a simple physical examination. Ning Chun wanted to be discharged immediately, but Ms. Xu’s pressure was too much, so she had to get the physical.

The results were healthy, but the “Differentiation Level” column had changed from the original C to A.

Ms. Xu was overjoyed, saying that Ning Chun was lucky and that this was a blessing in disguise. She wanted to personally arrange a family dinner to celebrate Ning Chun’s recovery.

Ning Chun felt that the celebration was fake and that the real reason was to invite the Song family over for a get-together.

This couldn’t be blamed on Ms. Xu. She and Song Xiaoran’s mother were best friends and had been since childhood. Their friendship was deep. It was only natural that they would want to get together more after being reunited.

Especially since their last meeting was so rushed, and they hadn’t even had a few words, Ms. Xu had been holding a grudge and was determined to find another opportunity to see her again.

So, Ning Chun was directly taken back to the family’s old estate and was told to live there for a while.

As soon as she got home, Ning Chun was presented with a large bouquet of flowers.

“Sister Chun, welcome home. This is a bouquet I carefully chose for you.” A Xuan greeted her at the door. “I’ve been so busy recently that I haven’t had time to visit you. You’re not mad at me, are you, Sister?”

“No, no.” Ning Chun waved her hand and sneezed unexpectedly. She rubbed the tip of her nose. It was so itchy.

The bouquet was beautiful, made with several rare flowers. The overall color was a light yellow, with a vibrant spring feel. But she seemed to smell the scent of jasmine.

It was very similar to Yan Hua’s scent.

Yan Hua must still be at the hospital taking care of her sister. Ning Chun had specifically messaged her when she was discharged, but Yan Hua said she couldn’t get away to see her off.

Ning Chun took her things upstairs. During that time, she felt her face itching. She couldn’t resist scratching a few times. It wasn’t until she went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror that she realized the lower half of her face was red and swollen.

She hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since she got home. The only thing she had touched was the bouquet of flowers. Could she be allergic to pollen?

Breathing became more and more difficult in her throat, and her neck was swollen and red.

Ning Chun immediately looked for allergy medicine. The butler of the old estate was also shocked to see her. “Young Miss, did you touch jasmine?”

After taking the oral allergy medicine and applying the special topical ointment to her face, the feeling of suffocation in her chest slowly subsided.

In addition to the shock, she felt a sense of dread. She was actually allergic to jasmine pollen.

“Jasmine has never been allowed to be grown in this house, especially by the Madam. She doesn’t even allow anyone to use jasmine scents or perfumes. How could you suddenly have an allergic reaction?” The butler was bewildered, but also relieved that nothing serious had happened to Ning Chun.

“Can you check if there’s any jasmine in that bouquet for me?” Ning Chun pointed to the flowers on the table.

The butler carefully checked each one and shook his head at her.

There were no jasmine flowers or even jasmine petals to be found.

Ning Chun felt a surge of anger in her chest. “Can you quietly get rid of it for me?”

What was this Xu Axuan trying to do? Before, she thought she just wanted to get attention from the family. Now, it seemed it wasn’t that simple.

As for this pollen allergy, she had multiple reasons to explain it away, so it wouldn’t be seen as intentional on her part.

This place wasn’t very safe. Ning Chun didn’t want to live here anymore.

She wondered if Yan Hua was going to be home tonight.

Ning Chun went back to her room and locked the door. She opened Yan Hua’s chat window on her phone and typed and deleted a message.

[I’m back at the old estate. Do you want to come?] It’s a little stiff. Deleted.

[I’m actually allergic to jasmine, but I think your pheromones smell nice.] A little too flirty. Deleted.

[A bad person is trying to harm me, and my face is all swollen now.] A little strange. Deleted.

[There’s a get-together at the old estate tomorrow. Do you want me to pick you up?]

Oh, what am I doing? Ning Chun lay sprawled out on the soft bed. She was so bored.

She looked at her phone again. The message had been sent.

Ah! Ning Chun immediately sat up and unsent it, but the other person must have received the notification. She could only try to salvage it, finally sending a very official-sounding message.

[How is Qingqing’s recovery going? :)]

Then she turned off her phone, deciding not to check for a response.

Ning Chun turned the ring on her finger, but her mind was on the other one that she hadn’t given away yet.

She started searching her suitcase again, but after checking every corner, she couldn’t find the 11.15-carat diamond ring.

No way. It was lost before she even gave it to her. Could she be this unlucky?

Her empty ring box was still there, but the other ring, along with its box, was gone.

Ning Chun was anxious. This was the first gift she had truly intended for Yan Hua. How could she lose it?

Could it have been left at the hospital?

She immediately called Kan Yu and asked her to help her look. Kan Yu said she wouldn’t help but still went to the old room and searched everywhere, but it wasn’t there.

Ning Chun’s heart sank completely.

At the hospital, Yan Hua had just gotten some hot water. Her phone screen flashed, and a message popped up. [There’s a get-together at the old estate tomorrow. Do you want me to pick you up?]

Before she could reply, the message quickly disappeared, and another one popped up. [How is Qingqing’s recovery going? :)]

Why was she so conflicted?

She replied, “She’s recovering very well.”

Sitting on her bed, Ning Chun was still annoyed. When she saw Yan Hua’s reply, she couldn’t help but overthink it.

“She’s recovering very well.” What did that mean?

Was she saying yes? Or did she see the unsent message?

Did she see it or not?

So she was willing to let me pick her up.

That’s probably what she meant.

So complicated.

First, she had to solve the problem of the ring. Ning Chun called the saleswoman who had helped her before and asked if she could custom-order another one. The saleswoman regretfully told her that to ensure the uniqueness of the ring, that style had been discontinued and recommended she choose another design.

Ning Chun politely refused. She also took off the ring on her own hand. She wouldn’t wear it for now.

It wasn’t until the next day at the family gathering that Ning Chun saw Song Xiaoran, all dressed up, and noticed the ring on her hand.

A warning bell went off in Ning Chun’s mind. Was a huge misunderstanding about to happen?

She wasn’t going to stand for it and was about to go get it back.

“Sister Chun, I heard this Miss Song is your first love. She’s so pretty.” A Xuan appeared out of nowhere, looking at Song Xiaoran in the garden with an envious expression.

“You’re so young, and you’re already listening to rumors and your eyesight is bad. Find a time to go to the hospital for a physical. I’ll pay for it.” Ning Chun said, her demeanor full of bravado.

Just as she was about to speak, Ms. Xu pulled her to her side and introduced her to her best friend. “This is my eldest daughter. Quick, say hello to Auntie Zhao.”

Ms. Xu gently nudged her twice, and Ning Chun said with a fake smile, “Hello, Auntie.”

She looked to her right at Song Xiaoran, wanting to take her somewhere private to get the ring back. But Song Xiaoran saw her gaze and smiled brilliantly.

Her fingers, with the diamond ring, moved from her face to the diamond necklace around her neck. They looked quite well matched.

Great. The damn misunderstanding had already happened.

“Xiao Chun, can you go to the kitchen and see how the fruit is coming along? Bring some out for everyone to share.” Ms. Xu saw that there were only desserts on the table and urged Ning Chun to get some fruit.

Fine. She would go get the fruit, then go get the ring.

The exquisite fruit platter was already prepared in the kitchen. Ning Chun’s phone suddenly rang. It was Yan Hua. She said she was coming back to get some things and asked if Ning Chun could pick her up.

“Of course. Wait for me a moment.” Ning Chun handed the fruit platter to the maid and asked her to take it to the garden. She planned to drive away herself.

She took one of Ning Qing’s car keys and headed to the underground garage.

The garage was filled with a row of luxury cars. Ning Chun pressed the remote, and a Porsche’s lights flashed. Ning Chun got in the driver’s seat and drove out. As she left the garage, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a black car in the corner, and a sense of familiarity came over her.

But she was focused on picking up Yan Hua, so she didn’t think much of it. She stepped on the gas and left.

She passed a flower shop on the street and impulsively bought a bouquet of sunflowers. While the florist was arranging them, she asked if they had any jasmine.

The florist shook her head. “It’s not in season yet. The earliest they’ll bloom is next month.”

The radiant sunflowers were eventually placed on Yan Qingqing’s bedside table. The little girl’s face looked much better, but she still hadn’t woken up.

“Ning Chun, let’s go.”

After carefully giving the caregiver instructions, Yan Hua left with Ning Chun.

“What do you need to get? If it’s something from home, I can help you.”

Yan Hua shook her head. “I’m planning to buy some clothes for Qingqing. We don’t have any at home.”

She was right about that. So they didn’t have to go home.

Ning Chun turned the steering wheel, intending to go to the mall. Ms. Xu’s call came in, telling her to hurry back.

“I’m with Yan Hua. She’s with me to get some things.”

There was a two-second pause on the other end of the line. “Then come back first, and you can go after lunch. There are so many guests here. What kind of a host are you to leave?”

That was exactly what Ning Chun wanted to hear. When she appeared in front of Song Xiaoran with Yan Hua, she would surely know when to give up.

The call ended. Yan Hua’s mind was racing, and she casually asked, “There are guests at home?”

“Yeah, they’re Mom’s guests. We just have to have lunch with them.”

But as soon as the car stopped at the gate, they heard a lot of noise coming from inside.

At the entrance of the hall, Ning Qing and her secretary were in a standoff with A Xuan.

Ning Chun was curious. “What’s going on with you two? You’re standing at the door instead of going in. Are you playing a game of statues?”

When A Xuan saw Ning Chun return, she immediately ran over and grabbed Ning Chun’s sleeve. “Sister Chun, today’s gathering is for us and the Song family. Sister Qing insists on letting her secretary come too. She’s an outsider. She can’t come in, right?”

Ning Qing rolled her eyes and looked at Ning Chun at her leisure. “Ning Chun, you’re the eldest. We’ll listen to your decision.”

The light words carried a hint of threat.

Ning Chun looked at Ning Qing’s secretary. Her eyes were red, but her expression was stubborn. She stood obediently by Ning Qing’s side, not saying a word about being wronged.

What a resilient little white flower.

“What’s all this about insiders and outsiders? It’s just a get-together. It’s not so exclusive that someone can’t be here. Lunch is almost ready, so everyone, come inside.”

Ning Qing almost laughed out loud. Ning Chun left with Yan Hua.

A Xuan was left standing there, so angry that she stomped her foot.

In the dining room, various plates, knives, and forks were already in place. The butler had arranged the chairs according to the number of people and came up to Ning Chun. “The Madam wants you to go to the wine cellar to get a bottle of red wine for the guests.”

This was probably to show some kind of sincerity.

Ning Chun nodded in agreement and turned to Yan Hua. “You can sit wherever you want for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Yan Hua smiled at her. Her gaze shifted to the girl not far away—Ning Qing’s secretary.

Ning Chun conveniently poured the wine into a decanter to let it aerate. After doing this, she realized that Yan Hua wasn’t waiting for her in the hall.

With nothing to do, Ning Chun went to look for her.

The garden scenery was beautiful, filled with various flowers and plants.

Under a wisteria waterfall, Yan Hua had her back to her, and she didn’t seem to notice the scattered petals on her shoulders.

Ning Chun quietly walked over, intending to pick the petals off her.

But she suddenly heard A Xuan’s envious voice. “Sister Song, the style of your necklace is so pretty. Where did you order it? I want to buy one too.”

Song Xiaoran looked down at the words, her smile sweet. “This isn’t something I bought. It was a gift from someone else, so I don’t know where it was ordered.”

A Xuan was even more envious. “Oh my god, that necklace isn’t cheap. To be able to give such a gift, they must be Sister Song’s suitor.”

At that moment, Song Xiaoran’s vanity was immensely satisfied, not because of the value of the necklace itself, but because it was given to her by a special person.

Although Ning Chun had said some harsh things that day, it wasn’t necessarily because she was mad at her. Especially since the gift included a unique ring.

Song Xiaoran held her left hand to her chest. The diamond ring on her middle finger was sparkling.

“This ring is so beautiful. Sister Song, are you engaged?” A Xuan said, propping her chin up with her hands, full of envy.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Your Sister Chun gave me this. It’s a style I really love.” Song Xiaoran touched the ring, and a sense of hope rose in her heart.

Ning Chun felt a deep sense of fatigue. She had done nothing, yet she had caused such a big mess.

Yan Hua, who had heard everything, was in a somber mood. As she turned to leave, she didn’t notice Ning Chun standing not far away.

“Yan Hua.” She called out to the slender figure and ran to catch up.

This call naturally caught the attention of A Xuan and Song Xiaoran.

Ning Chun grabbed Yan Hua’s wrist, wanting to take her over to hear the explanation, but she resisted so much that she didn’t want to embarrass herself.

“Don’t be difficult. I didn’t give her a ring. That’s your thing. How are you going to get it back if you don’t go?”

This line made Yan Hua momentarily confused. What did she mean “her thing”?

“You need to explain it to me first.” Yan Hua wasn’t a person without a temper. She was determined not to go with her.

“That ring was bought for you. It’s your property. I just don’t know why it ended up in Miss Song’s hands. I was just about to get it back.” Ning Chun explained briefly, pulling Yan Hua toward Song Xiaoran and A Xuan.

She was very direct. “Miss Song, I think there’s a misunderstanding here. This necklace is indeed a gift for you.” She pointed to the ring. “But this is not. This belongs to my wife. It must have accidentally fallen into your gift bag that day. I’ll have to ask you to return it to my wife.”

Her words were extremely polite and without any impropriety.

If it were anyone else, they would have already returned it, but Song Xiaoran wasn’t just anyone. She was a little stubborn.

She also really wanted to know who Ning Chun’s wife was.

Song Xiaoran’s expression wasn’t very good. She looked at Yan Hua and felt a sense of familiarity. “You’re the person who gave me directions at the hospital that day.”

“Yes, it was me.” Yan Hua nodded.

Song Xiaoran suddenly felt ridiculous. So the other person had already seen her and even knew who she was, but she had been so pleased with herself, thinking she was still the one who came first.

She still wouldn’t give up and tilted her pointed chin up. “You say this ring is hers. What proof do you have?”

Ning Chun rarely fought a battle she wasn’t prepared for. “I have the receipt for this ring. This ring has a special meaning. It’s 11.15 carats, which is my wife’s birthday.”

At these words, Song Xiaoran’s face turned pale, A Xuan’s face was filled with surprise, and Yan Hua’s was filled with disbelief.

Only Ning Chun’s expression was calm, and she held out a hand to ask for it back.

Song Xiaoran couldn’t save face. She had no choice but to take it off and return it to her, then she ran away crying.

Ning Chun pouted. Don’t blame me for being heartless; it’s because I have no feelings for you.

“You actually remember my birthday.” Yan Hua felt a little thrill inside, not just because she remembered her birthday, but because of the precious sentiment.

Ning Chun walked ahead, leading the way. “I know a lot of things.”

She found a clean cotton cloth, wiped the ring clean, gently took Yan Hua’s hand, and put it on her finger.

“Do you know the biggest purpose of a ring?”

Yan Hua guessed, “To show that a person has a partner.”

“Almost. When you wear this ring, single people won’t come to bother you. It saves a lot of unnecessary trouble.” Ning Chun told her about the things she encountered at her company. The more Yan Hua listened, the more she felt something was wrong. Ning Chun genuinely thought wearing a ring was to avoid trouble.

It wasn’t romantic at all.

“So you only custom-ordered this one ring for me? You don’t have one?” Yan Hua pulled her hand back, suddenly not wanting to wear it anymore.

“How could that be?” Ning Chun said, taking her own ring out of her pocket as if by magic. “These two are a pair. Look, the patterns on them are the same.”

“Yours is so simple.” Yan Hua watched her put the ring on her ring finger, thinking that Ning Chun still valued her, after all, the diamond on the ring was huge.

“It’s not bad. It’s very convenient to wear when I’m at work. It doesn’t get in the way of flipping through documents. This style caught my eye at first sight. It’s beautiful, right?” Ning Chun looked at it and was more and more satisfied.

Yan Hua always felt that something was off. Was this really a gift that Ning Chun had put her heart into?

At mealtime, the two families sat facing each other.

But most people’s expressions were not good.

Song Xiaoran was angry, but she was still well-behaved. Her expression wasn’t good, but her emotions were stable.

Ms. Xu’s smile was also a little strained, her eyes occasionally falling on Ning Qing.

Ning Chun quietly took everything in, pulling Yan Hua to her seat.

The meal was awkward, and everyone had something on their mind.

Ning Chun nudged Ning Qing and whispered, “What’s going on?”

Ning Qing let out a fake laugh and turned her head to whisper back, “Your white moonlight wants to marry into our family.”

Song Xiaoran was an Omega, and she could only marry an Alpha. But the only one in the Ning family who wasn’t married was Ning Qing. It seemed she had become Ms. Xu’s target.

The family usually looked harmonious, but when it came to major life events, everyone had their own ideas. This was true for Ning Chun and also for Ning Qing. They would not easily accept Ms. Xu’s arrangements.

Even though in the eyes of the elders, Song Xiaoran was a rare good daughter-in-law.

Ning Chun put a shrimp on Ning Qing’s plate and whispered, “You’re really going through a lot.”

Ning Qing replied, “This is just the beginning. I’m taking a hit for you. You have to compensate me.”

Ning Chun nodded at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely compensate you.”

After the meal, they saw the Song family off. Ms. Xu completely lost it. “Xiaoran is such a good girl. I just wanted you two to get to know each other. I never said you had to be together. Why do you have to go against me?”

Ning Qing dropped a bombshell. “I have someone I like.”

Ning Chun thought she was always working and had no time for love. She never expected that she would dare to rebel for love.

“Which family’s daughter is she?” Ms. Xu asked patiently.