He Meili understood the implied meaning in Zhang Dan’s words and subtly brought up Ning Zhongyi.
“Her father quite approves of the Gu family’s household style. He already agreed.”
Zhang Dan nodded and said a polite remark.
“Alright, then it’s settled. My family won’t mistreat Ning You.”
Though she said that, she looked down on the Ning family in her heart.
Her son was perfect in her eyes, but she also knew that truly loving families would not willingly marry their daughter into hers.
He Meili: “…Yes, yes, go ahead and mistreat Ning You however you want. The harsher the better!”
After that, the two women privately settled the bride price, waiting for the matchmaker to formally come for the engagement.
After finishing this, He Meili was in a very good mood.
She got rid of a freeloader and could also receive a generous bride price—such a good deal!
When she returned home, she told Ning Zhongyi about it.
Ning Zhongyi’s dark, gloomy face finally looked slightly better.
When Ning You returned to the residential building, she was stopped by a neighbor before she even went upstairs.
“Xiao You, the factory issued a notice. Your father wasn’t on the list. He’s furious right now. Be careful when you go back. If he dares take it out on you, just scream loudly—Auntie will call the neighbors to help you!”
Warmth rose in Ning You’s heart.
“I understand. Thank you, Auntie.”
“No need,” the woman waved her hand. “Go on, be careful.”
After watching Ning You leave, she called her own troublemaking son over.
“Brat, watch the Ning house. If you hear your Sister You calling for help, come get me immediately!”
The boy bargained with her.
“Give me a candy, or I won’t do it.”
The woman gritted her teeth. This brat really needed a beating.
But Ning You’s safety mattered more than a piece of candy, so she temporarily held back her anger.
“…Fine!”
So a black-faced little boy ended up sticking his ear against the wall outside the Ning house, listening.
Having successfully ruined her scummy father’s opportunity, Ning You was in a great mood and even walked into the house smiling.
That smile was especially piercing to Ning Zhongyi.
A flash of hostility crossed his eyes.
He went straight to the point.
“Ning You, you’re not young anymore. Your Aunt He has arranged a matchmaker for you. The son of the turbine factory director is about your age. The Gu family will come in a few days. Get ready.”
His tone was cold and firm, leaving no room for discussion—this was an order, not a suggestion.
Ning You already knew about this and wasn’t surprised. She only smiled faintly in a meaningful way.
“Your Ning Hong is almost twenty. At her age, other people’s kids are already running around calling ‘mom.’ She hasn’t even been married yet—why am I in a hurry?”
One sentence hit Ning Hong right in the heart.
Ning Hong’s expression froze, her look of watching the show stiffening on her face.
What does this have to do with me?!
He Meili sighed helplessly.
“Our Yuyu is still young, and your father and I both work. We just want to keep your sister at home for a couple more years.”
Ning You looked at Ning Hong sympathetically and openly sowed discord.
“Oh, I see! So the son is the real child, and the daughter was picked up from a trash can!”
“I thought the stepmother married into this family out of love and kindness, but turns out she just wanted a free housekeeper. Ning Hong, are you really your mother’s biological child?”
Ning Hong wasn’t very bright and couldn’t distinguish right from wrong well.
She absorbed Ning You’s words and looked doubtfully at He Meili, her eyes turning red.
Was her mother not caring about her marriage because she wanted to keep her as a free servant?
Even though she knew she shouldn’t think this way, she still wavered.
All sorts of thoughts swirled in her mind…
He Meili almost laughed at Ning You’s words, but when she turned and saw Ning Hong’s suspicious expression, she nearly had a heart attack from anger.
It felt like she had been slapped in the face.
Originally, she thought such obvious provocation wouldn’t work on Ning Hong.
Now she was speechless.
She could only force a smile.
“Honghong has a job, and there are plenty of young men in the factory. I was planning to let her find her own partner. After all, it’s her life—finding someone she likes would make life more comfortable.”
This temporarily calmed Ning Hong.
But then Ning You spoke again.
“Sigh.”
She sighed softly.
“As expected, if you’re not born from your own belly, there’s always favoritism.”
“Listen to that—textbook double standards.”
Double standards?
The others didn’t quite understand the term, but they knew it wasn’t a good thing.
They just wanted her to shut up.
But Ning You pretended not to notice and continued slowly:
“The turbine factory director’s son—tsk, such a good match. I don’t deserve it. This kind of good intention should go to Ning Hong instead. She’s almost twenty. If she doesn’t get married soon, she’ll become an old maid…”
With that, she turned and went back to her room without looking back.
The living room fell into silence.
After a moment, He Meili spoke somewhat aggrievedly.
“Zhongyi, maybe I shouldn’t handle this anymore. You saw her attitude. This is a marriage proposal, not picking a fight. If she causes trouble when the Gu family comes, how am I supposed to explain it?”
Ning Zhongyi’s expression remained unreadable as he thought silently.
He Meili knew the man was cold-hearted—he only cared about things directly related to him.
So she continued.
“I’m a stepmother. No matter how well I do, it won’t help. My identity is already like this—my reputation won’t be good no matter what.
But you’re different. Your career is rising, and you have big ambitions to fulfill. If bad rumors spread, it will affect you.”
She wasn’t just complaining—everything she said was for his sake.
Hearing this, Ning Hong panicked.
What? Her mother wasn’t going to care anymore?
That won’t do…
She still wanted to see Ning You’s downfall.
“Mom, no—”
Before she could finish, He Meili grabbed her arm, afraid she would ruin things.
“Honghong, your father and I are talking. Can you not interrupt?”
Her eyes warned her.
Ning Hong swallowed her words back down, feeling wronged.
In her heart, she inevitably began to resent He Meili a little more.
Could it be… that what Ning You said was true?
Lost in thought, Ning Hong slumped back to her storage room, depressed.
What about her marriage? If this dragged on, she really would become an old maid…
He Meili ignored Ning Hong’s thoughts and planned to explain later.
She said to Ning Zhongyi:
“…Think about what I said.”
Ning Zhongyi snapped out of his daze.
“What is there to think about?”
He looked at her with dissatisfaction.
“You mean, as the woman of this house, you can’t even handle something so small?”
He Meili: “…”
She forced herself to explain again.
Ning Zhongyi stared at her.
“You’re saying you can’t even handle this, and still call yourself the mistress of the house?”
He Meili: “…”
She had no temper left.
“I’m just worried she’ll blame you…”
“Blame me?”
Ning Zhongyi suddenly laughed coldly, his eyes turning sharp and dark.
“Then just make sure she has no chance to speak.”
His voice was icy—without a trace of warmth.
He Meili felt a chill run from her spine all the way down to her feet.
“…Alright.”