Chapter 939: A Million Times for You (301)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Are they afraid that I would execute them both together with Shi Xiaoyu?
They’ve been overthinking. I’ll never lay a finger on the innocent.
But of course, I’m not sure if they would try to kill me first like the Lin family did… if I were to disagree.
An Xiaoning grabbed the cup of coffee that No. 5 had handed her and said, “Ms. Feng, I’d be glad to make peace with you. I’m never the type to start a feud with someone out of my own accord. Although I’ve met you once during your wedding, we’ve never actually interacted much before. However, it seems you really live up to your name as a scholarly woman. You’ve got brains and beauty.”
“You really flatter me, Sister-in-law.” Seeing that An Xiaoning has agreed, Feng Qiubai let out a smile of relief and said, “I’ve never liked making enemies either. Sister-in-law, you may stop calling me ‘Ms. Feng,’ that’s so formal. Just call me by my name straight. That’ll make me more at ease too.”
“Sure, Qiubai,” An Xiaoning answered with a nod.
She definitely isn’t genuine about standing on my side, but regardless of whether she meant it or not, the gesture’s good enough, isn’t it?
In order to express her sincerity, Feng Qiubai said, “Grandpa has been trying to see Mother-in-law in the past few days but he has never gotten the chance to. He’s now planning to look for Auntie and use her to make the Autumn Palace release Mother-in-law.”
The word “Auntie” seemed to roll off her tongue effortlessly.
“Really?”
“Yes. He looked Hancheng up last night to tell him about this. I heard it with my own ears.”
“Alright, I understand. It must have been tough on him to have to come up with such a despicable idea.” An Xiaoning took a sip of her coffee with a smile before continuing, “I have a question for you. Although I can roughly guess the answer, I’d still like to ask you personally. Don’t all women only gain true happiness by being with a man whom she loves and loves her back? I know why you married him back then, but why haven’t you divorced him yet? Why do you still bother forcing yourself to bear with the misery? Don’t tell me, you’re still hoping that he would have the chance to become the next president in the next election after this one?”
Faced with such a blunt question, Feng Qiubai was at a sudden loss for an answer.
After some thought, she said, “I’m well aware now that he probably would never have the chance to become the president again, especially since he didn’t even qualify as a candidate this time. What more next time? Truth be told, he has never slept on the same bed as me ever since we got married. We’re really only married in name. Which woman wouldn’t want to be together with the man she truly loves? My family keeps saying that I hold my expectations too high, but really, I just haven’t met a man whom I genuinely fancy. You’re right, I married him back then after I found out about his sexual orientation. I also admit that it’s because I was carrying hopes that he could become the next president. When that happens, I’ll become the president’s wife. That’s such a glorious and wonderful title. However, in hindsight, I was really being too foolish and I absolutely regret being blinded by the illusory benefits of marrying him. All the education I’ve received have gone in vain. I don’t even have such common sense. It’s only a matter of time before we end up in a divorce. However, the time is not right yet. We’ll definitely not make it ’til the end, though.”
Although An Xiaoning was not sure if she was airing her innermost thoughts and if she had meant every word she said, she could tell that there was more or less some truth in her confession.
“It’s not too late to realize it now. You’ll at most be labeled as a divorcee, but that doesn’t matter at all. At the end of the day, stigmas are only superficial and it won’t hinder you from pursuing your happiness as long as you don’t let it affect you. Give me your mobile number.”
Feng Qiubai hurriedly gave An Xiaoning her mobile number, which the latter then dialled and hung up on, so as to leave her own number in Feng Qiubai’s mobile phone.
After Feng Qiubai left, Shi Qingzhou sat down beside An Xiaoning and finally broke her silence. “Although she didn’t do anything to harm you, she’s probably afraid of being implicated. Otherwise, why would she have come forth?”
“She’s rather intelligent. However, I never thought of harming them to begin with. It has nothing to do with the two of them anyway. Yet, she actually came here on her own. Well, that’s not a bad thing actually, at least we now have a snitch.” An Xiaoning put down her coffee, shrugged her shoes off, and sat cross-legged on the couch. Facing her mother, she continued, “Mother, do you see it now? Who’d dare to bully us now that we hold power and authority? This is also the reason why Feng Qiubai married Tuoba Hancheng despite knowing full well that he was interested in men and that they will forever only be married in name. Power has always been the root of evil ever since history began. Always been and always will.”
Shi Qingzhou leaned back against the couch and said, “However, living like this is way too tiring. I don’t want you to tire yourself out and I want you to be more relaxed.”
“How many people in this world can truly live a relaxed life? Everyone has their own problems to face. Some are driven to their wits’ end by life’s troubles, some are battling illnesses, some don’t have any kin or family while some are met with endless difficulties in love and relationships. I’ve experienced a great ton of what life has to offer, and all of these experiences have taught me what to do when handling situations from now on.”
“By the way, how’s the progress at the set of the television series?”
“We’re almost reaching the end of filming. The entire filming process takes way too long. However, we mustn’t be slipshod in producing the series if we want it to become a blockbuster and earn more money. What’s important is that we produce a top-quality series. It doesn’t matter how long the filming takes, so long as the results are excellent. I hope the post-production won’t disappoint me and Mingxi. After all, we’ve each invested 500 million dollars in the production. It doesn’t matter how much we earn as long as we can recoup our capital and make some gains.”
Shi Qingzhou asked, “I miss my grandson. When are you going to bring him home?”
“Why don’t I go pick him up later?”
“Sure, sure. I have to go prepare a delicious feast now. Xiaoning, go fetch him now, hurry,” Shi Qingzhou said eagerly.
“Mother, why are you so eager?”
“I miss him. By the way, bring your adopted son over too. He’s also my grandson since you’ve adopted him. Great, I have two grandsons now.”
“Okay.”
—
The arts and culture lessons in the boot camp are separated into different bands.
For example, Jin Yiheng, Wen Yuechan, Long Wenlun, and Shi Bao’er attend grade one lessons while Long Xiaoxi, Ji Gui, and Rongyan attend higher-grade lessons.
They were separated into two classes: A and B.
The two classes were worlds apart.
The lessons in Class A were usually strict and solemn. As much as Shi Bao’er dreaded attending lessons, she dared not jeopardize the peace during lessons.
On the other hand, none of the students in Class B were attentive at all.
Ji Gui was a little dense while Rongyan was quiet and reserved.
However, Long Xiaoxi had led them astray.
Every lesson would follow the same pattern.
Once they understood the things taught by the teacher, they would begin fiddling with their own items or doing whatever they preferred, completely ignoring the teacher.
Meanwhile, Ji Gui was obsessed with calculators and would ruin a perfectly good one by dismantling it into parts. He would then reassemble them again, all while the teacher was teaching.