The doctor came over and cleaned Wen Zhaoning’s “wound,” applying an anti-inflammatory ointment.
After all this fuss, Wen Zhaoning was exhausted and had no desire to pick out another dress. She casually tried on a floral embroidered gown, felt it was acceptable, and decided to have the sales associate send it to Fulin Garden.
As Wen Zhaoning left, He Huaiqin was still downstairs with Shen Yajing, helping her choose a dress.
She couldn’t understand why this man, who already had a girlfriend, was still bossing her around.
Fortunately, today’s ordeal ended without any major incident.
Three days later was Mrs. Shangguan’s birthday banquet.
During these three days, Wen Zhaoning asked Lu Hengyu to send her daily videos of Qing Ning. Her daughter was one reason, but Wen Zhaoning also hoped to find clues in the background of the videos to locate where Lu Hengyu was hiding Qing Ning.
Unfortunately, Lu Hengyu was very cautious. The videos he sent provided no useful background information.
Wen Zhaoning was at a loss, which made her even more worried about Qing Ning, and each day felt like an eternity.
He Huaiqin also had a rough three days. The day after they met at the dress shop, he went downstairs with the bag of seasonings Wen Zhaoning had left at his place and knocked on her door.
Su Yunxi opened the door.
Su Yunxi was stunned when she saw He Huaiqin. "Are you looking for Ning Ning?"
"Returning her things."
"But she's already moved out."
He Huaiqin’s face immediately darkened.
She had moved out; did she really not want a divorce anymore?
He Huaiqin thought of Lu Hengyu’s hand on her waist, of her returning to Lu Hengyu’s side, and the possibility that they might be sharing an intimate husband and wife life every night. An inexplicable rage burned in his chest cavity.
With a "bang," He Huaiqin threw the entire bag of seasonings that belonged to Wen Zhaoning into the trash can in the corridor.
Su Yunxi was startled. After he left, she quickly went back inside to call Wen Zhaoning.
"Ning Ning, He Huaiqin came looking for you."
"What did he want with me?"
"He was carrying a plastic bag, said he was returning something to you. It looked like cooking seasonings."
Wen Zhaoning thought, he even came down to return these seasonings that are worth only a few dollars. He Huaiqin really knows how to keep things clear.
"But when he heard you moved out, he just threw the stuff away," Su Yunxi said.
"Let him throw it away. Don't mind him."
"Ning Ning, what I actually wanted to say is, should we ask He Huaiqin for help in finding Qing Ning? He has power and influence now, and a wide network. He'll surely find Qing Ning quickly. After all, he is Qing Ning’s biological father."
"No need. Lu Hengyu promised that if I accompany him to social engagements and speak well of them at Mrs. Shangguan’s birthday banquet, he will return Qing Ning to me."
Wen Zhaoning didn't want He Huaiqin involved in this matter. After all, she and Lu Hengyu were not yet divorced, and if Qing Ning's parentage were revealed, it would be detrimental to her subsequent divorce. Moreover, He Huaiqin already had a girlfriend, and she didn't want to disturb his new life. Of course, He Huaiqin might not accept this child either.
"Alright, I hope that scumbag Lu Hengyu keeps his word."
Mrs. Shangguan’s birthday banquet was held in the banquet hall of the Jinling Hotel in the city center.
When Wen Zhaoning and Lu Hengyu arrived, his father, Lu Qianyong, and mother, Zhao Manli, were already there.
Mother-in-law Zhao Manli, holding a champagne flute, was fawning over Mrs. Shangguan, Jiang Qiu Ping. As soon as Jiang Qiu Ping saw Wen Zhaoning, she immediately turned away from Zhao Manli and came to greet her.
"Ning Ning, you're here!"
"Mrs. Shangguan, happy birthday!"
"I'm happy when you're here." Jiang Qiu Ping held Wen Zhaoning's hand. "You haven't asked me to play tennis in a while. Is something wrong?"
Lu Hengyu and Zhao Manli simultaneously cast a pressured gaze at Wen Zhaoning, signaling her not to speak carelessly.
"Nothing's wrong. I went away for a few days recently and was a bit tired when I got back, so I didn't ask you."
"It's good that nothing's wrong. You must ask me to play when you have time. I've gotten really good at the two moves you taught me, and I'm waiting for your approval."
"Okay."
They hadn't chatted for long before other guests began to enter the banquet hall.
"Ning Ning, make yourself at home. I need to greet some people. We'll chat later."
"Okay, please go ahead."
As soon as Mrs. Shangguan left, Mother-in-law Zhao Manli pulled Wen Zhaoning aside.
"I heard from Hengyu that you're trying to get a divorce recently? Just because Hengyu accidentally touched you when he was drunk, you want to call the police and accuse him of domestic violence?" Zhao Manli said indignantly. "Wen Zhaoning, are you out of your mind? The Wen family is bankrupt, you're no longer a young lady of a wealthy family, and your maternal family is drowning in debt. Without our Hengyu, who would want you? What right do you have to divorce him?"
Zhao Manli was a typical doting mother-in-law. In her eyes, her son Lu Hengyu was always right and perfect. As for Wen Zhaoning, from the moment Lu Hengyu took an interest in her, even her breathing was wrong.
"If you know what's good for you, stay by Hengyu's side and quickly give him a healthy baby boy to continue the family line. If you can't have sons, you don't need to mention divorce; our Lu family won't want a woman who can't lay eggs."
Zhao Manli was extremely patriarchal. When Wen Zhaoning gave birth to their daughter, Qing Ning, Zhao Manli learned it was a girl and didn't even go to the hospital. She directly called Wen Zhaoning, who was still in the hospital bed, and ordered her to keep trying for a boy until she had one.
Unfortunately, Wen Zhaoning's stomach never showed signs of another pregnancy. Because of this, Zhao Manli repeatedly instigated Lu Hengyu to divorce her. When Lu Hengyu was unwilling, she strongly supported him in keeping lovers outside, even actively finding female internet celebrities and minor actresses for him.
Zhao Manli had said that the Lu family was wealthy and could afford to support as many illegitimate children as Lu Hengyu might have.
Unfortunately, what she didn't know was that the one who truly couldn't lay eggs was her precious son. As for illegitimate children, her son would never have any in this lifetime. Her husband, however, had one behind her back.
"Yes, yes, yes, you're right, everything you say is correct." Over the past six years, Wen Zhaoning had grown accustomed to Zhao Manli's baseless hostility. She never took Zhao Manli's words to heart. Every time Zhao Manli came looking for trouble, she would just let it go in one ear and out the other. After Zhao Manli finished speaking, she would earnestly placate her, "Don't worry, I'll work hard and give you a big baby boy to play with soon!"
As soon as Wen Zhaoning finished speaking, she felt a chill run down her spine.
Such a familiar sense of dread.
She turned around and, as expected, saw He Huaiqin standing by a Roman column not far away.
He Huaiqin was wearing a black suit again today. He seemed to like black, but indeed, no one suited black better than him. A black suit was his domain; the same black, he could always wear with a different flair, like today, exuding a perfectly gloomy, ghostly aura.
When Wen Zhaoning met his gaze, the skin on her neck, which he had fiercely sucked, instantly began to ache faintly.
Heaven knows she had applied two layers of foundation to her neck today just to cover up those love bites.
She didn't want what happened in the fitting room a few days ago to happen again, so she quickly averted her gaze.
✦✦✦