“Xiao Ye is already engaged to Miss Sun Lina. They’re holding their wedding at the end of this month.”
The mention of the wedding struck Su Ning like a thunderbolt!
She thought they were only engaged, never expecting the wedding to be so imminent!
Yet Qin Muye had still brought her to the Qin family home, almost mockingly?
In that instant, Su Ning heard the sound of her heart shattering!
Without thinking, she shoved the bank card back into Qian Xuejuan’s hand.
“I don’t need any compensation. Please keep it!”
As she spoke, she fixed her cold gaze on Qin Muye’s face.
“I’m not worthy of you. I wish you and Miss Sun eternal happiness and everlasting love.”
Su Ning didn’t know how she managed to leave the Qin family villa.
She only knew that when she stood on the deserted street, everything before her turned dark.
Her entire world had collapsed.
She only knew that after five years in prison, she had nothing left.
Her grandmother was gone.
Her mother’s house was gone.
Even the love she wanted to protect for a lifetime had vanished!
She bit her lip hard, refusing to let the tears in her eyes fall.
She roughly wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
Tears were the most useless thing.
Yet her heart still ached uncontrollably!
The rain continued pouring relentlessly, beating coldly against Su Ning’s face.
It thoroughly soaked her clothes, leaving her body icy cold, her heart freezing along with it!
Before, she thought life in prison was purgatory.
Only now did she realize that the outside world she had yearned for was more terrifying than hell. She had nothing left!
“Mom…”
“Grandma…”
“Brother Muye…”
She cried out their names desperately, but only silence answered her.
All her loved ones had left her.
Su Ning didn’t know how long she stood in the rain before finally collapsing.
The next day, when Su Ning woke up, everything was white before her eyes, the air filled with the smell of disinfectant.
Why was she in the hospital?
She clearly remembered collapsing not far from Qin Muye’s home.
Her head still felt dizzy, and there seemed to be something cold stuck to it.
When Su Ning touched it, she realized it was a cooling patch.
Just then, the hospital room door opened, and Qin Muye entered carrying a thermos.
“Ning’er, you’re awake? You have a fever—rest a while longer!”
A shadow crossed Su Ning’s eyes. “Did you bring me to the hospital last night?”
“Yes.”
Last night, after Su Ning left the Qin family villa, Qin Muye had argued with his mother before rushing out after her. When he found her, she had already collapsed in the rain, so he had no choice but to bring her to the hospital.
Qin Muye set the thermos on the bedside table and poured a glass of warm water for Su Ning.
“Ning’er, I’m sorry about what my mother said last night—”
“I’ve already forgotten.”
Su Ning couldn’t bear to hear it and cut him off.
“Thank you for bringing me to the hospital. You can go now.”
“Ning’er, you’re angry, aren’t you?”
What did it matter if she was angry?
Su Ning spoke the cruel truth. “Muye, please leave. We’ve called off our engagement. You have no obligation to take care of me.”
He was already engaged to Sun Lina, with the wedding at the end of the month. She had no reason to cling to his life and refuse to let go.
“Ning’er…”
“Go!”
Su Ning shouted harshly at Qin Muye.
She was a woman who had served time in prison. From the moment Qin Muye broke off their engagement, she lost any right to be with him.
“Ning’er…”
“Stop caring about me. From now on, let’s never see each other again!”Su Ning pulled out the IV tube, got out of bed, and pushed Qin Muye out of the hospital room.
She closed the door, locked Qin Muye outside, and leaned her back against the door.
She clenched her jaw tightly, refusing to make a sound, allowing her teeth to cut her lips, allowing Qin Muye to pound on the door until it shook violently!
Only when Qin Muye was dragged away by the hospital security did her weakened body slide down along the door.
She collapsed powerlessly onto the floor, burying her face between her knees, her rationality nearly crumbling.
Muye was driven away by her.
The only person who loved her besides her mother and grandmother was driven away by her.
Her heart ached terribly, as if being gnawed by thousands of ants.
But now was not the time to grieve.
She needed to be strong.
She needed to find her grandmother and reclaim her mother’s house!
Thinking this, she stood up, intending to tidy herself up, when the phone on the bedside suddenly rang.
Su Ning assumed it was Qin Muye calling and ignored it, pretending not to hear.
However, the caller was persistent, dialing repeatedly without giving up.
Reluctantly, Su Ning picked up the phone and realized it wasn’t Qin Muye but a number both unfamiliar and familiar.
Instantly, she answered without hesitation, and a soft, tender voice came through, “Mommy, are you busy with work today like usual?”
In an instant, the soft voice pierced deep into Su Ning’s soul once again.
“Sweetie, I’ve told you, I’m not your mommy,” Su Ning explained again.
During her five years in prison, apart from Qin Muye’s regular visits, this little girl was the only one who called her.
It had been three years since the first call, about ten calls in total.
Every time she called, she would address Su Ning as “Mommy,” her soft, childish voice unintentionally striking a chord deep within Su Ning’s soul.
The first time was on the little girl’s birthday when she called, crying heartbrokenly, begging Su Ning to come back and celebrate with her.
The second time was on Mother’s Day when she called to wish Su Ning a happy Mother’s Day.
The third time was during the Spring Festival when she called to wish Su Ning a happy New Year.
This went on for three years, always at the same times each year.
In prison, Su Ning’s heart was lonely and tormented, and her life was utterly exhausting.
Every day, aside from being “disciplined” by the Boss Ladies until she was covered in bruises, she also had work to attend to.
Living a hellish life, the child’s concern was undoubtedly a ray of light in Su Ning’s existence.
However, Su Ning’s only love was Qin Muye—she had never married and had no children.
So, every time the little girl called, Su Ning would earnestly tell her that she wasn’t her mommy.
“You are my mommy. I know you’re studying magic at the Magic School and have lots of homework every day, so you can’t come back to see me. But I got burned—can you please look at me?”
“Just one glance, I promise I’ll be very good and obedient. I promise I won’t make a fuss. Just one glance, please… Wuwu…
Mommy, it hurts so much. Nian Nian’s feet really hurt, covered in white blisters, wuwu…”
By the end, the little girl named Nian Nian couldn’t hold back her sobs.
The heart-wrenching cries tugged at Su Ning’s heart, tearing it into countless pieces.
Instantly, Su Ning’s heart softened: “Where is your daddy?”Nian Nian was sobbing uncontrollably, her words choked with tears. “He’s never home. All he does is work, work, work.”
“What about the rest of your family?”
“They don’t love me either. All they do is scold me all day. Mommy, please come back. I’m begging you, Nian Nian is begging you—come see me, even if it’s just for a moment.”