This blame was thrown like a bomb—an absolute king bomb.
It successfully placed everyone on a roasting rack over the fire. No one could escape, and no one could get away unscathed.
At this moment, Mother Fang, who had been listening nearby, anxiously spoke up, “Xuan’er, Xuan’er, you mustn’t be so heartbroken, you mustn’t cry like this. It’s especially bad for the baby.”
Mother Fang’s eyes welled up with tears of distress.
She wasn’t necessarily distressed for Meng Xuan, but she was certainly distressed for the only bloodline left by Fang Chen.
That would soon become her lifeline, the continuation of their Fang family!
Mother Fang’s intervention made this battle even more difficult.
Meng Xuan let go of her hands, her eyes blurred with tears, and said, “Mom, I know, I’ll try my best to hold back, but I…”
She left the rest unsaid, but the unspoken accusation seemed to point directly at Ning Shu.
Sure enough, Mother Fang turned her gaze to Ning Shu.
Ning Shu suddenly felt a suffocating pressure.
It was as if refusing would make her wrong, a sinner, a sinner for all eternity.
Yet, it was Xie Jinghong who once again took over the conversation. He was like an exceptionally ruthless and seasoned manipulator, ready to take over a situation on the verge of collapse at any moment.
Xie Jinghong said, “I’m not sure what you mean by ‘getting along well.’ What do you like? What do you want to talk about? I think… I can handle anything. For the sake of the baby, I can cancel all my commitments during your pregnancy to accompany you. Whatever you want to talk about, we’ll talk about it. Whatever you want to buy, we’ll buy it.”
Xie Jinghong delivered these words calmly and methodically, and indeed, the atmosphere fell silent and tense.
But many of the silent onlookers suddenly felt a twinge of envy for Meng Xuan.
That was Xie Jinghong, after all!
The way he spoke… to those unaware of the specifics, it might have sounded like a top-tier tycoon confessing to the love of his life.
The level of indulgence was off the charts.
Even Meng Xuan was taken aback for a moment. Xie Jinghong seemed to have painted her a grand picture and offered her the sweetest candy.
But the next moment, Xie Jinghong added, “I’m already half a member of the Fang family. This child is my nephew, my responsibility and duty.”
With these words, he once again created distance.
But Meng Xuan knew all too well what kind of person Xie Jinghong was, so she said, “This is too much trouble for Hong Ye. Besides, Yanshen and I have already discussed it, so there’s no need to keep changing plans. The only things we can talk about are academic topics, since we share the same major.”
Both Meng Xuan and Fu Yanshen had graduated from acting programs.
Fu Yanshen had been a child star, gaining fame at a young age, and later naturally entered an acting program. Meng Xuan had also been admitted to the same program and was even in the same class.
Back then, they could indeed be said to have been a perfect match, childhood sweethearts.
If not for the later accident, both of them would have become shining stars.
Fu Yanshen had starred in several productions before achieving legendary status and winning awards.
Meng Xuan’s path wasn’t as smooth, but she had also acted in some productions, though without much impact.
Later, the accident happened where Ning Shu and Fu Yanshen ended up sleeping together.
After that, Fu Yanshen lost interest in acting, stepped behind the scenes, founded a film and television company, and steadily expanded his business empire.
Thus, Fu Yanshen’s trump card was his film and television company.
When Meng Xuan said they “got along well”… it was indeed reasonable and well-founded.
After that incident, Meng Xuan turned around and married Fang Chen, also giving up acting.
So, for Meng Xuan, this was an area where she could be said to have regrets.
Just then, she added, “After the baby is born healthy and safe, I want to continue acting. Yanshen is a professional in this field, so we have common topics to discuss.”
As she spoke, a faint, sorrowful smile appeared on her face.
Perhaps she wanted to express that without her lover, she also needed to find a spiritual anchor for herself.
Such as the career she had always loved but was forced to abandon before.
Xie Jinghong was offering a soft approach, but Meng Xuan kept pushing back aggressively.
In response, Xie Jinghong said, “I can also set up a film and television company specifically for you, serving only you. Whatever kind of team you want, I’ll make it happen for you.”
Since she wanted to play hardball, then they would all play along.
Tit for tat.
Tang Yue’ai chimed in, “Exactly. If you want to act, then… the more money, the better. That industry is inherently expensive. Sister Xuan, don’t worry, no matter what kind of lavish, diamond-studded team you want, it’s no problem. We can invest as much money as needed.”
Tang Yue’ai’s words were decisive and reasonable.
It would be inappropriate for Meng Xuan to argue further.
But Meng Xuan said, “Yes, the more money, the better. But does Hong Ye understand film and television? Can he act? Can he rehearse lines or perform in plays with me?”
This was truly a headache.
Asking someone like Xie Jinghong to act was really pushing it.
Xie Jinghong also felt a lump in his throat and couldn’t answer.
Just as he was about to say he could find a whole team of people to rehearse with Meng Xuan, Fu Yanshen spoke up, “Alright. Meng Xuan and I have already made arrangements, so let’s not complicate things further.”
Tang Yue’ai was genuinely tempted to hit someone and couldn’t help glancing at Ning Shu.
Ning Shu seemed to be standing there numbly.
In this situation, Ning Shu would only be forced to agree.
There wasn’t even a reason for her to refuse.
Despite everyone’s efforts to stop it, they couldn’t.
Originally, the conversation could have ended here for now, to be continued later.
But Meng Xuan looked at Fu Yanshen, her still-red eyes filled with confusion, and cautiously asked, “Yanshen, didn’t you say Xiao Shu agreed?”
After saying this, she immediately frowned, looking deeply troubled, and added, “Is it because Xiao Shu…”
“No!” Fu Yanshen cut her off immediately. “Xiao Shu agreed.”
He had said this to Meng Xuan when they were together earlier.
But it wasn’t the truth, because Ning Shu had always disagreed and had been resisting all along.
Now, saying this in front of Ning Shu, for some reason, Fu Yanshen felt uneasy.
He was actually afraid that Ning Shu would deny it outright and embarrass him.
Meng Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and happily turned to Ning Shu, “Xiao Shu…”
But as soon as she finished saying these two words, her expression fell, and she asked, “You… you don’t want to?”
Ning Shu’s expression at that moment clearly showed her reluctance.
Ning Shu struggled to open her mouth, but before she could, Mother Fang immediately said, “Xiao Shu, Auntie begs you!”
Ning Shu knew then that she couldn’t escape this predicament today.
She had to agree, whether she wanted to or not.
As she spoke, Mother Fang stepped forward, grabbed Ning Shu’s hand, and tearfully pleaded, “Xuan’er is just staying temporarily. Only if she’s happy and in a good mood will the baby be healthy!”
Mother Fang knew it was inappropriate, but she had no other choice. She just wanted to protect her grandchild!
Everything else could be sacrificed.
Even if Meng Xuan remarried immediately after giving birth, she wouldn’t care.
As long as the child was born safely, she was willing to trade her own life for it!
So Mother Fang tightly gripped Ning Shu’s hand, pleading desperately.
Ning Shu looked at her tear-streaked face and finally said, “Alright, Mother Fang, I understand.”
Then Ning Shu turned to Meng Xuan, forcing a strained smile, “Sister Xuan, welcome.”
Meng Xuan seemed instantly cheered up, her tearful gloom swept away. “Xiao Shu, you’re really too kind!”
Ning Shu didn’t speak, only feeling increasingly unwell.
She also felt that her resistance over the past few days had been utterly laughable.
So…
In the end, she had to agree.
She couldn’t even… find a reason not to.
Ning Shu suddenly recalled a phrase.
Clichéd, melodramatic, exaggerated.
It went: Sadness flows backward into a river.
She used to wonder how that could be possible?
Now she suddenly understood—it really could…