Chapter 654: A Million Times for You (16)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“How are you adapting to life here?”
“Not too bad. I’ve lived under harsh living conditions for a long period of time before, so I don’t have any trouble adapting to life here,” Xu Baizhi answered, appearing much more gentle and warm, as opposed to the aloof attitude she had when they met in the Autumn Palace back then.
An Xiaoning chucked her hands inside her pocket and said, “That’s good. I can’t accompany Teacher every day. But with you around, I’m much less worried. Note down my mobile number. Contact me whenever Teacher is not feeling well during the times that I’m not around.”
“Sure.” Xu Baizhi saved An Xiaoning’s number in her own mobile phone and sent her number to the latter as well.
An Xiaoning saved Xu Baizhi’s number in her contacts.
“I’ll be taking my leave now then.”
Xu Baizhi nodded and stared at An Xiaoning’s silhouette from behind. If it weren’t for the latter’s facial features, Xu Baizhi would have really suspected her to be Mu Ning.
However, they looked far too different from each other to be the same person.
Apart from their voices, stature, and figure, they did not resemble each other at all. Besides, how could An Xiaoning, a person of status, possibly become a bodyguard in the Autumn Palace?
Bai Zhi looked away and continued to do the laundry.
——
Upon hearing footsteps approaching the dead-silent ancestral hall, Mo Li looked up to see a figure appearing at the door, which was opened.
It was none other than Ye Xiaotian.
She looked down at the ground, her eyes swollen and sore.
Ye Xiaotian walked toward her and said with a sigh, “Come home with me.”
Mo Li remained still and asked, “Are you going to make me give birth to the child?”
“Mo Li, Mother will hit the roof and go mad if you abort the child. You can tell just from the fact that she’s locked you up in here. I’m stuck in a difficult position, like how I was when she threatened me against marrying you back then. She’s been feeling ashamed about the fact that she doesn’t have a single grandson at all. Years ago, my mother was diagnosed with uremia and had to have a kidney transplant. Her body seems to be experiencing tissue rejection now; her health is deteriorating, and so is her emotional health. I’m really afraid that she’ll take her life because of this matter. If that happens, I’ll have to live the rest of my life in regret. So, I’d like to fulfill her wishes now,” said Ye Xiaotian.
His words were like daggers to Mo Li’s heart.
“You’ve chosen to abide by your mother’s wishes, but what’s going to happen to me? I thought we could finally live a peaceful life after we got married. In hindsight, we did have a blissful honeymoon phase, but that’s about it. Things just went downhill afterward. If I’d known earlier, I wouldn’t have agreed to come back and marry you,” Mo Li retorted.
Ye Xiaotian’s heart wrenched in misery. “Are you regretting it now?”
“You force me to give in to you every single time. Am I allowed the rights to regret at all?”
“Come home with me,” he repeated.
As soon as he finished speaking, Mrs. Ye showed up at the door. She entered and said, “Xiaotian, let her stay here until the child is born. I’ll feed her and provide her with everything she needs. What’s going to happen if you bring her home and she tries to abort the child?”
“Mother… I’ll talk to Mo Li about it properly.”
“That won’t do either! That’s not as safe as keeping her here with my guards watching her round the clock,” Mrs. Ye objected vehemently.
Mo Li remained silent since there was nothing she could say.
In the end, she continued to be locked up in the ancestral hall while Ye Xiaotian left.
“You’d better be good and stay here to nurse your pregnancy. I won’t force you against your will anymore once you give birth to the child,” said Mrs. Ye, trying to placate Mo Li’s feelings.
Mrs. Ye took her silence for consent.
She then instructed the bodyguards to watch Mo Li closely before leaving.
Mo Li sat on the bed and stared blankly into space. Why were my blissful days so short-lived? she wondered.
Peace was bliss to her.
Don’t all normal families lead a peaceful life?
She was even deprived of the freedom of calling her parents.
There was no one for her to confide in at all in this ancestral hall.
Mo Li’s lips curled into a lopsided smile. She yearned to have a man who will protect her. However, it seemed she could only depend on herself.
She envied An Xiaoning for being able to live well even without Jin Qingyan. Yet, she did not have the courage or bravery to divorce her husband.
Mo Li recalled the cheerful and bubbly girl she used to be before she met Ye Xiaotian.
She used to be a chatterbox who could not stop talking.
However, she had become a completely different person once she met Ye Xiaotian. Reality had shaped her into the person she was today.
She did not like her present self at all.
Pathetic and deplorable.
Mo Li’s vision began to turn blurry. She hugged her legs and buried her face in her knees while tearing up silently.
——
An Xiaoning proceeded to have lunch after leaving Beijia Bay, followed by returning to Sanqiao Estate.
Gu Beicheng had recommended two renowned interior designers to An Xiaoning, and they came up with a design sketch of a secret chamber based on the layout of her mansion in less than an hour.
They were highly efficient. An Xiaoning was pleased after taking a look at the sketch and immediately transferred their due wages to their bank accounts.
An Xiaoning then began her search for a team of contractors and finally settled on a prestigious construction team after meticulously browsing through her choices.
She handed the sketch to the construction team, who asked for a hefty sum, though they promised to build the secret chamber according to her demands and expectations. However, they would require some time since it was tougher to work in the winter.
An Xiaoning did not give them a time limit and merely demanded to see the results she wanted once construction was over.
Needless to say, she had her own reasons for building the chamber.
After having dinner, An Xiaoning began taking a stroll along the streets.
She shopped around and bought some trinkets she fancied.
She passed by a stall, which had on display thick cardigans made of a plethora of fabrics and designs. They were all exquisite and pleasant.
However, she already had several similar ones at home and did not need any for the time being.
She would usually refrain from buying things she did not need.
Thus, she left after taking a few glances.
After walking around for a while, An Xiaoning realized that there was nothing much left to look at. Thus, she walked past a stall and returned via another route.
She was exceptionally slow in her pace while window-shopping. Being the sharp and alert person she was, she turned around abruptly to take a look the moment she sensed that someone was shadowing her.
Was it Shi Xiaoyu’s bodyguards?
They would usually tail me from a distance away, why are they so close by this time?
Could it be…
She picked up her tracks and continued walking quickly.
Just as An Xiaoning was about to walk toward her car when she reached the end of the street, she turned around again to see a few men dressed in plainclothes walking in her direction. However, upon noticing that she had turned her head, the men hurriedly zoomed toward a nearby stall and pretended to be buying something.
She frantically whipped out her car keys, which were soon snatched away from her forcefully. “Get in,” said a deep-sounding voice.
Greatly taken aback, An Xiaoning stared at the man beside her who popped out of nowhere and got into the backseat. He then got into the driver’s seat and began driving away.