Chapter 1481: Play Mahjong
To make it easier for everyone, the karaoke center was pretty near. It was just right opposite the building, so Ning Xi walked over after she came out of the exhibition center.
Hmm… If she could predict the future, if she had known Jiang Muye would make her life so miserable, she would never have gone…
When she reached, Ning Xi gave Jiang Muye a call as she walked upstairs. "Blondie, I found it. Which room are you guys at?"
"Uh, well… About that…" Jiang Muye stuttered.
"Which one? You don't even know which room you're at?" Ning Xi was exasperated.
Jiang Muye coughed lightly. "No, that's not it… Ning Xiao Xi, I think… You'd better not come…"
Her annoyance flared. "Blondie, are you messing with me?! I'm already here!"
"That's not my name though," Jiang Muye said weakly.
"Stop changing the topic! Which room is it? Are you drinking a little too much?" Ning Xi frowned, sensing that Jiang Muye's tone was odd.
Someone had probably overheard that Ning Xi was on the phone, so the person yelled towards Jiang Muye's phone, "Is it Bro Xi? We're in room VVIP 888. Come quickly!"

Ning Xi did not think much about it. She hung up after hearing the room number. She looked around and saw room 888 was just nearby. Ning Xi walked over and opened the door…
It felt like a thunderbolt struck her the moment she opened the door…
One second…
Two seconds…
Three seconds…
Ning Xi instantly slammed the door shut again, then she screamed in her mind.
Ahhhhhh!
What the heck did she just see!?
Even if it was just for a split second, with the room full of people inside, it was impossible to miss any of the few people that stood out!
Jiang Muye…
Mo Yuxiu…
Yun Shen…
Lu Tingxiao…

…
Damn you, Jiang Muye! What happened to having fun?! How do I have fun here?! How about the four of you go and play mahjong?!
Forget about Mo Yuxiu! Why were Yun Shen and Lu Tingxiao here too?
As Ning Xi was contemplating about what she had just seen outside, the door was opened from the inside, and two ladies excitedly dragged her inside.
"Bro Xi, what are you doing outsid?! Come in!"
"Quickly come, Bro Xi! The big boss is here today, and so is CEO Yun…"
…
Before Ning Xi could say anything, she was pulled into the room.
Because they knew she was on good terms with Jiang Muye, they had left an empty spot beside him.
Ning Xi avoided the eyes of the other three as she glared at Jiang Muye. "Jiang Muye! Do you want to die?! You tricked me!"
She had a tough time struggling through the charity event, and just when she thought she could breathe a sigh of relief, the four of them were gathered once again!
Jiang Muye looked innocent and backed off. "I didn't call for them, alright? I didn't know they would come! I also warned you just now and asked you to not come…"
Ning Xi pinched her glabella and clenched her teeth. "Thank you so much! Thanks to you and your whole family!"
Because of these few guys, she had no energy left to think about the other ex again…
Was this fighting poison with poison?
Chapter 1482: You’re Here After All
Jiang Muye was just trying to throw a small private party, then Lu Jingli wanted to join in, but he did not only bring himself. He had brought Lu Tingxiao over too.
Because Lu Tingxiao was joining, several top leaders of the business industry from the charity event just now followed him as well. In the end, even Yun Shen came here…
A private party had suddenly become a business gathering. It was not really a place to go wild. They might as well go back and sleep after the event ended, but now they had to endure it longer.
Ning Xi sat there uneasily. She could not feel comfortable at all, so she felt bored and just kept on drinking until her sweetheart looked at her.
A lot of people were around Lu Tingxiao and there was not a free moment at all, but he still stared at her guzzling the drinks.

After the warning stare, Ning Xi smiled and sent Lu Tingxiao a text message: [You're here after all!]
So, it was okay even if she drank a lot!
Lu Tingxiao pretended to listen closely to a CEO talking beside him, then his phone vibrated. He took a glance at it and his expression softened. He did not stop Ning Xi from drinking anymore.
From time to time people talked to Ning Xi out of curiosity with the intention of knowing more.
"Bro Xi, you're really amazing! So many people came to your event! I'm so shocked!"
"Right, I thought the guests for Ning Xueluo's wedding were jaw-dropping enough, but compared to you, that's nothing at all…"
Ning Xi sipped some wine before she said plainly, "It's just a coincidence that the company is promoting this. In addition to our Boss's attendance today, I'm just lucky to be the representative this time…"
The few artistes seemed to understand after hearing what Ning Xi said.

The line-up of the guests today was impressive and they could not help but think that there was someone else backing Ning Xi up, but when they thought about how Ning Xi had become famous, it did not seem very possible. If she really had a powerful supporter, Ning Xi did not have to be cast in so many minor roles and villain roles before getting to the top…
The people with really strong backing were people like Meng Shiyi, who had never cast as any minor characters before. Every one of the movies she acted in was directed by famous directors, and she received the best actress award in her first movie, which would be the perfect example of a rising star.
So, after they heard what Ning Xi said, they did not doubt her at all. In fact, they felt Ning Xi was really down-to-earth due to her honest vibes.
There were a lot of youngsters in the room, and they suggested to play truth or dare. Ning Xi felt a headache the moment she heard them suggest that game. Playing this with the four of them around was digging her own grave!
Without hesitation, Ning Xi used the toilet as an excuse!
She went to an empty corner to take a breather, but just a while of resting while leaning outside the window, there was the sound of footsteps behind her.
Ning Xi turned around and saw a drunk Mo Yuxiu as he stood in front of her.
Ning Xi felt her headache intensify. "Mo Yuxiu, I've already told you what I've got to say. Just what do I need to do to settle things between us? Tell me now!"
Mo Yuxiu ran his fair fingers through his hair, his eyes looking wild as he laughed coldly. "Settle things between us? I freaking lost to a useless man that's ugly, poor, and doesn't even have a strong family background at all! Do you think I can just accept it as it is?"
Chapter 1483: Who’s My Man?
Ever since he realized Ning Xi was in an ambiguous relationship with Ke Mingyu, Mo Yuxiu had been holding a grudge against him.
He had been wondering what kind of man could make her fall in love. Who knew it was a useless man! How could he accept it?
Ning Xi's mouth twitched. A useless man… Was he talking about her sweetheart?
"Are you talking about Ke Mingyu?" Ning Xi raised her eyebrows as if challenging him.
"Don't tell me there's nothing going on with him! I've been watching you guys for a very long time. If there's nothing between you guys, I'll swallow this rubbish bin whole!" Mo Yuxiu pointed randomly at a steel bin nearby

Ning Xi made a "tsk-tsk" sound. She realized that Mo Yuxiu had sharp eyes. He did get the person right on his first try after all although she was assuming he would suspect Jiang Muye first.
She did not answer the question clearly. Instead, she returned with a question, "Then, who does my man need to be in order for you to accept it? I'll get him now and make you choke on the reality of it here and now."
"You… You're the one choking!" Mo Yuxiu almost gagged on her words.
"Hey, I'm serious! Tell me! Tell me a name that can make you accept the fact! We'll settle the score today once and for all!" Ning Xi said.
Mo Yuxiu looked at the girl in front of him, feeling like she was messing around with him, but since he was the one holding a grudge and actually thinking about it…
Not that he was bragging, but to him, all the male artistes in the entertainment industry, even including Jiang Muye, none of them were up to his standards. As for people outside of the industry, there were not many people he looked up to as well.
One could not blame Mo Yuxiu for being so arrogant. His father was a rich businessman in Hangzhou, and his second uncle was the Vice CEO of Hollywood's TL Entertainment. On top of that, his family was one of the more prestigious families as well.
Many people were rich in this era, but most of them would be older men in between 50 to 60 years old. There were many second-generation rich families, but none of them were as good-looking as him…

Mo Yuxiu thought about it for some time. Only several candidates crossed his mind. The people who could make him really impressed would be…
"Hey, are you done thinking yet?" Ning Xi prodded impatiently.
Mo Yuxiu leaned against the wall, lit up a cigarette, and put on an evil grin. "Give up, woman, unless it's Lu Tingxiao or Yun Shen, we wouldn't be done no matter who your man is!"
The Lu family was the top family in Imperial, and Lu Tingxiao was a legend in the business world. Although Yun Shen had just suddenly appeared in the country, his background was a secret and there were even rumors that he was the king of the underground society…
Mo Yuxiu purposely gave her two names that seemed impossible, obviously trying to challenge her.
However, after Ning Xi heard those two names, her expression turned odd…
She did expect Mo Yuxiu to call out Lu Tingxiao, but she did not expect him to include Yun Shen. She felt a little creeped out when she heard the two names together.
Nevertheless, the main point now was to settle as much of the problem as possible. After Mo Yuxiu finished his piece, Ning Xi took out her phone and made a call. "Hey, sweetheart, I'm at the emergency exit near the end of the hallway. Can you come over? I need you for something… Yes, now. Mmm, okay… I'll be waiting for you!"
Mo Yuxiu frowned when he saw Ning Xi make a call. "Who are you calling?"
Ning Xi smiled broadly. "Take a guess!"
Chapter 1484: Jump Onto Him
Mo Yuxiu frowned. He heard Ning Xi calling someone "sweetheart" just now, making him feel disgusted. Could she be calling that man over?
And from her tone, this man seemed to be someone in the room!
Who could it be?
Or was this woman fooling with him again and playing tricks on him!?
Mo Yuxiu looked at her with alarm. "Tang Xi, what are you going to do?"
Ning Xi shrugged innocently. "I'm seriously trying to solve the issue! Please keep your promise later and don't go back on your words!"
Mo Yuxiu laughed incredulously. "Are you going to tell me your man is Yun Shen?"

Mo Yuxiu's expression changed a little as they reached this point because he remembered that during the filming, Ning Xi seemed to have a strange relationship with Yun Shen, and it was rumored that Yun Shen was a big fan of Ning Xi's. He had invested and acted in the series all for her…
Could Yun Shen really be Ning Xi's man?
However, when Ning Xi told him she had a man already, it was when they were filming the ads, and Yun Shen had just returned not too long ago, so he probably still did not know Ning Xi at that time.
This damned woman was tricking him again!
As Mo Yuxiu was thinking about it, Ning Xi shook her head. "That's wrong. Yun Shen's the ex, the current one is Lu Tingxiao!"
Mo Yuxiu was speechless…
Mo Yuxiu was appalled by Ning Xi's words. He was so annoyed and demanded angrily, "I must be crazy to talk rubbish with you here for so long. Just how much did you drink tonight?"
Ning Xi spread her hands. "So, no one's believing the truth nowadays?"
Mo Yuxiu was furious beyond words. The look on his face was saying that he definitely would not believe what she said anymore. "Nonsense! It's because I believe you that I'm this outraged now!"
"But I really didn't lie…"

"Get lost!"
…
As they were arguing, the sound of solid footsteps came nearby.
Mo Yuxiu turned around, then he saw a tall man in a full black suit walking towards Ning Xi and him with a frigid face. In the end, he stopped right in front of Ning Xi.
Lu Tingxiao…?
What was he doing here? Was he here to take a breather too? Or had he been tricked by Ning Xi?
As Mo Yuxiu was having countless thoughts running through his mind, Ning Xi suddenly jumped onto Lu Tingxiao… She jumped onto him… Jumped!
Besides that, the more shocking matter was that after Ning Xi jumped onto Lu Tingxiao, she clung onto Lu Tingxiao's neck, and pulled his neck down, then kissed him forcefully… She kissed him forcefully!
Mo Yuxiu was taken aback. He just stared at what was unfolding in front of him until he felt a sharp pain on his fingertip. The cigarette had burned to the end and stung his finger.
In the phone call before, Lu Tingxiao had not asked Ning Xi why she called him over. He just went, but did not expect Mo Yuxiu to be there as well.
There was a shine in Lu Tingxiao's eyes. Before he could say anything, his wife jumped onto him wordlessly.
Lu Tingxiao was fully focused on her only as he gently held the girl's body. He also lowered his head, cooperated with the girl and let her kiss him…
Chapter 1485: Romance-Ending Device
Ning Xi was like a puppy, hugging the man as she nibbled playfully on him, her eyes full of possessiveness.
Lu Tingxiao laughed heartily as he gently caressed her head and said in a pampering and indulging tone, "What are you up to now?"
Ning Xi hugged Lu Tingxiao, then she glared furiously at Mo Yuxiu who had turned to stone on the side. "Nothing much, I'm just a little bored from getting some air here myself! So, I asked you to come over!"
Lu Tingxiao caught a glimpse of Mo Yuxiu from the corner of his eye. How could he not fathom Ning Xi's thoughts?
To help his wife defeat his romantic rivals and being his wife's shield was obviously all that he could wish for and would endure gladly.
Besides, him and Ning Xi had dated in secret for so long that it was a rare change for Ning Xi to initiate publicizing his identity.
At this moment, there were no indifference, alienation, or signs that told one to keep away from Lu Tingxiao. He looked at the girl with a gentle expression that could drown one in sweetness as he leaned over slightly and kissed the girl's lips lightly again. "Want to go home?"
Ning Xi nodded. "I've long wanted to go home! It's all that Jiang Muye's fault! He's so unreliable and swindled me…"
…

Until the two had already left only did Mo Yuxiu finally return to his senses behind them. He quickly called out, "Wait!"
Ning Xi paused her footsteps up front, then she turned around to look at Mo Yuxiu. "Hey, you're a grown man. You wouldn't go back on your words, right?"
Mo Yuxiu did not respond to Ning Xi. Obviously, he was afraid of Ning Xi's tricks. He still could not believe her up until this moment, so he did not give up as he stared at Lu Tingxiao and said, "CEO Lu, I apologize for presumptuously asking, but what is your relationship with Ning Xi? Who is Ning Xi to you?"
Mo Yuxiu clenched his fists tightly. He thought that these two were just putting on a show. They might be lovers, friends with benefits, or even simply messing around…
After all, Lu Tingxiao had announced to the outside world that he had long had a stable girlfriend that he was in a relationship with!
This damned woman! She kept saying that she was not the same species as him, yet in reality, she was just the same…
Lu Tingxiao looked expressionlessly at the man opposite him, then he answered with that calm and unwavering ice-cold face, "My future wife."
Then, without caring what Mo Yuxiu's reaction turned to, he just pulled Ning Xi and turned around to leave.
Behind them, Mo Yuxiu's face turned blank. He was completely stupefied…
The legendary rightful girlfriend of Lu Tingxiao's… was Ning Xi?
He thought that Ning Xi was just slurring drunk, but it had been real?
Lu Tingxiao was really her current boyfriend. Then, was Yun Shen really her ex?

Mo Yuxiu dared not to continue thinking about it.
Ever since he met this woman, she had never been conventional…
…
When Lu Tingxiao came over to look for her, he had already bid goodbye to everyone in the room and announced that he had to leave first. Lu Tingxiao went to the car park to wait for her first while Ning Xi bade farewell to the crowd in the room too.
When she returned, Yun Shen was not there. It seemed like he had left early too.
On the way home.
They managed to get through the daunting night without any mishaps. Ning Xi looked like she had a huge weight off her mind as she said, "Sigh, finally I settled one! My, darling, you're really useful! You're practically the ultimate romance-destroying tool! From the looks of Mo Yuxiu's expression, I'm sure that even if he had an erectile dysfunction forever, he won't come bothering me ever again!"
Tsk tsk, her romantic misfortunes could indeed only be resolved with Lu Tingxiao…
Lu Tingxiao laughed lightly. "Thank you for the compliment."
"But… There's one more that's probably not that easy to cut off… Sigh, what do I have to use to chop that one off?" Ning Xi muttered softly.
She thought that Lu Tingxiao did not hear her, but moments later came Lu Tingxiao's calm voice, "A marriage certificate."
"Uhh…" Savage.
Chapter 1486: Thorough Preparation
In order to quickly earn enough dowry and begin her journey to her life's peak to exchange the ultimate romance ax, the "marriage certificate", Ning Xi had run over in the middle of the night to Ling Zhizhi's place as if she had been injected chicken blood .
After the charity event ended, Ling Zhizhi did not go home. Instead, she had gone straight to the office. Apart from that, Xiao Tao and the public relations staff had all been called over that very night too.
This time, Ning Xueluo's so-called "wedding of the century" had been completely ruined. Starlight Entertainment would not sit idly and would most likely accuse them. Thus, the moment the event ended, Ling Zhizhi immediately summoned all the manpower and made thorough preparation to respond to Starlight Entertainment's tricks.
Early morning the next day, all the newspapers and the entire Internet were filled with reports on the wedding banquet between the Su and the Ning family.
What was different from everyone's expectations was that all of the wedding reports had been followed by Ning Xi's name and an unknown charity event.
"Ning Xi's Charity Fund Ceremony Rapidly Wiped Out The Wedding Of The Century"

"Exclusive Deciphering Of The Mystery About Ning Xueluo's Wedding Of The Century's Premature End"
"Charity Function Of The Century Versus Wedding Of The Century"
…
Related reports had described the entire flow of events in incredible detail. Ning Xueluo's wedding had gone from a full house to being deserted, and the charity event upstairs was a controversial grandeur in the entire Imperial…
"Pfft, this is too funny! I want to see how the people from Starlight are going to gloat after this! They've been completed wiped out by us Glory World!"
"Exactly, our Glory World's little charity ceremony was already enough to crush their wedding of the century!"
"Ever since Su Yimo collapsed, many people have said that our Glory World is about fall and they come up with all sorts of badmouthing. It's so infuriating! Now, I'd really like to see if they dare shoot their mouth! Elevating another A-lister is a piece of cake for Glory World, alright?"
"I'm just afraid that it'll be another Su Yimo…"
"Probably not. I feel that Ning Xi didn't change at all after she was promoted. She's still quite nice. Previously, when I was bullied by Meng Shiyi, she even helped me out!"

"Speaking of which… The last time my show was interrupted by Starlight people, it was also Ning Xi who helped me resolve it. Bro Xi's fighting skills are super strong! She had only said a few words then and frightened that director into immediately returning the show's slot to me…"
"Mmm… Previously, when Su Yimo was around, she only knew how to extract from us, especially us female artistes who have clashing opportunities against her. She watched us as if she was afraid that we'd waver her position but Ning Xi is quite helpful in covering up our errors instead…"
"That's the difference between someone with capabilities and someone with none, okay? Based on our Bro Xi's capabilities, she wouldn't be worried about being rattled!"
…
Compared to Glory World's Entertainment's light-hearted and pleasing atmosphere, the entire Starlight Entertainment was pervaded with a layer of dark clouds.
Yesterday, half of their company had gone to support Ning Xueluo's wedding. As they watched Ning Xueluo being embarrassed and awkward, they felt ashamed too. Of course, there were many who were rejoicing in this misfortune of hers…
Inside Chang Li's office.
On the first day of her newlywed status, Ning Xueluo had arrived early, and the expression on her face right now was an unprecedented indication that storms lay ahead.
Chang Li was frantically busy. When she was finally free, she said, "Xueluo, just let them gloat for a little while. In the afternoon, I've prepared to leak out the good news… This time, we'll definitely make Ning Xi receive the consequences!"
When she heard Chang Li's words, Ning Xueluo's expression did not soften. Just because they had tricks up their sleeves did not mean that Ling Zhizhi's side was not on guard. It was not realistic to topple Ning Xi with just these. They needed a more effective strategy…
Chapter 1487: Comments War
Several days ago, the Internet was filled with all sorts of big shots and celebrities riled up with posts of Ning Xueluo's wedding invitation and door gift. Everyone was waiting to see how popular it would be after the actual wedding happened.
In the end, no one would have thought that the wedding would conclude with such a pathetic ending.
Ning Xueluo's grand wedding had been slapped in the face by Ning Xi's small charity event until they could not lift their heads…
Suddenly, there were all sorts of voices online. There were those laughing at Ning Xueluo, and there were some gossiping about Ning Xi's supporters. There were also many who thought that Ning Xueluo spending more than a billion on a wedding was luxuriously wasteful. On the other hand, the first thing Ning Xi did after she rose to fame was charity, making the difference between them obvious when they were compared to each other.
Very soon, this netizen's comment was pushed to the list of hot topics. Suddenly, all those who had initially been unhappy with Ning Xueluo's great fanfare of a wedding started to speak out.

[Hehe, Ning Xueluo wasn't organizing her own wedding. She was just giving the media a wedding! It was all for show only!]
[I've long wanted to say that these few days, Feng Yilan, who had won the Nobel Prize and brought honor to our country, didn't receive any attention. Instead, the coverage was all on a female artiste's wedding. Can this society be any better?]
[I think that this Charity Fund Association and the upper-class people probably can't bear to watch, and had intentionally made this happen to fix the morale of the entertainment industry!]
…
Initially, the Internet was full of ridicule and criticisms towards Ning Xueluo. When afternoon came, the course of events had slowly changed.
[Despite things turning out like this, don't you think that this has been rather strange from the start to the end? Why was Ning Xi's charity event coincidentally on the same day as Ning Xueluo's wedding, and was even just upstairs?]
[Even if this whole thing was the upper society's intentions, there are so many senior big shots in the entertainment industry. Why did they choose a female artiste that had become popular overnight?]
[Wedding is the most important thing in a woman's life, so what if it was a little grand when they have the means? It's not only Ning Xueluo who's like this! It's a little unfair to condemn her for this, don't you think? Instead, it's Ning Xi's charity event that was done too deliberately, as if she was putting on a show!]

[Hehe, there's more to this charity fund. Do you think artistes aren't really setting up charity funds to earn money? Have you guys forgotten Wang Hao and Fang Yihua's scandal?]
…
Up until the end, the comments led towards the three points: "Ning Xi intentionally choosing this day to steal Ning Xueluo's limelight", "Ning Xi has strong supporters", and "Ning Xi is using the charity fund to fish for a quick buck".
The former two were fine since almost all female artistes would encounter such gossip. Those with no evidence would fall apart after several days, but it was the latter that was severe enough to ruin an artiste.
Previously, Wang Hao's charity fraud had caused her reputation a devastating decline. The vague accounts under Fang Yihua's fund and other scandals had not only caused him to be unable to continue in the entertainment circle, but he was even almost imprisoned…
One could see how vicious this move of Ning Xueluo's was.
"Dang, these people are so shameless! We clearly decided on the time and venue in advance. Who would want their event to intentionally be on the same day as theirs?!" Despite preparing in advance, when they saw the comments online, Xiao Tao was still furious.
"Put up the first evidence first," Ling Zhizhi instructed.
"Mmm, understood!" Xiao Tao immediately logged on to Weibo and put up the evidence of them booking the time and venue three months in advance.
Chapter 1488: Instant Turn
Just moments after Ning Xi made her clarification, Ning Xueluo changed her ammunition. They knew they could not bring Ning Xi down with the first two points, so they focused on the third one.
Soon, some users started claiming that they were insiders and were going to leak news. They accused Ning Xi of being an evil hypocrite. The false rumors of her using the funds collected from the charity for her own purposes and earning loads of money in the name of charity seemed extremely detailed as if they had been hiding under Ning Xi's bed all along and knew about every single thing she did.
The matter this time around involved the senior management. If Ning Xi were to have such nasty rumors flying around, they would not sit idly by and do nothing about it. They would at least investigate her as a result of the pressure from the public.
Although Chang Li did not have any solid proof, too many artistes had been doing such tactics in the industry, so she assumed that Ning Xi must have done it as well. If she were able to spread this across the Internet and involve the higher-ups, the moment they found one bit of her dirty deals, then Ning Xi would be done for…
"Xueluo, do you know how much Ning Xi's house in Peachwood costs? And she bought several sports cars recently… Even if she became famous now, it's only recently that she shot to the limelight. It's impossible for her to have made this much money. Including her pay from filming and her endorsements, she still wouldn't have this much! Something must be going on here…" Chang Li smirked confidently.

Of course!
Ning Xueluo laughed coldly. DId Ning Xi think she could live peacefully after hooking onto Zhuang Keer?
She was going to turn them into bitter curses…
With Ning Xueluo's effort, rumors soon floated around on the Internet. Many netizens were not smart enough to distinguish the truth, and they just sided with whichever direction the discussion was progressing towards. At this point, everything was going smoothly as Ning Xueluo had predicted.
She did not believe that the Zhuangs would still do nothing when Ning Xi messed up like this. They would never let Ning Xi bring them down!
Although she could not find traces of Ning Xi's underhanded activity, if the Zhuang family was involved, they would surely be able to…
And yet…
This time, Ning Xueluo's plan failed again.

Chang Li started off by attacking Ning Xi's character. She made up various statements and defamed her, framed her as a hypocrite of using charity as a veil to cover up her dirty deals, and she tried to convince everyone that Ning Xi would pocket the charity funds.
Then, when the matter became more severe and they were about to bring it a step further, a document was released on Ning Xi's official Weibo account.
The document recorded the charity activities Ning Xi had done in the past.
They included receipts of fund transactions and gratefully written letters from sponsored students. There was a trail of Ning Xi having been involved in charity since she was 18, and she had never stopped until now.
If Ning Xi had really been doing charity just for show and as a method to stand out from her peers, then what about before she joined the entertainment industry? Why did she have to do all these?
Ling Zhizhi did not have to do anything else. The journalists went to the areas mentioned in the document and started collecting evidence…
If it were just a few places or several people, it might still be fake, but after going through all the listed sources, they were all proven real. Following that, the whole discussion instantly took a different turn.
At first, no one knew why the higher-ups had picked Ning Xi, even appointing and fully supporting her to become the ambassador of the charity fund, but now they understood why.
Chapter 1489: Not Brought Up Wrongly
Many people were looking closely at the activities on the Net.
…
In the Zhuang's living room, Zhuang Liaoyuan, Zhuang Zongren, and Meng Linlang were present.
They knew what was happening. It was obvious that someone was pulling some strings behind the scenes. If it were not handled properly, it would become really troublesome. The worst thing was that if they intervened, even if the final result proved that Xiao Xi was innocent, the rumors would never end. People could still accuse them of protecting Ning Xi…
Out of wanting to protect Ning Xi's reputation, they had to consider carefully. As the three of them were discussing what actions to take, Zhuang Keer, who was looking at her laptop, screamed with excitement. She took her laptop to them hurriedly. "Father, Mother, Grandfather… Look at this!"
The three of them looked at each other questioningly, then stared at the screen together. They then saw the large number of transaction details and the gratitude letters from the children, including the childish words and drawings…
Zhuang Keer searched through some of the latest news about Ning Xi's work in charity which consisted of interviews with various people, including caretakers, teachers, and also many innocent faces of children…
"Yes, Sis Xiao Xi just came by a few days ago! She brought us many food and books!"

"I like Sis Xiao Xi the most!"
"When is Sis Xiao Xi coming again?"
…
Not just interviews, the journalists also found a lot of old videos…
Zhuang Keer looked really proud when she saw these. "I told you guys there's nothing to be worried about!"
For some reason, no matter what happened, she had complete trust in Xiao Xi.
Even though she knew Ning Xueluo was her cousin by blood, she would never waver to stand on Ning Xi's side.
The discussion on the Internet was overturned. The negative rumors about Ning Xi as well as the suspicions of the higher-ups and even the Charity Fund Association all disappeared.
There was no need for them to intervene anymore. No doubt this was the best outcome.
Zhuang Zongren looked at the videos and sighed with sympathy, "Such a good child, yet she had to go through so much…"
Meng Linlang knew what Zhuang Zongren was thinking about and she smiled. "Father, you should be happy that Ning Xi didn't grow up with her parents! If not, she might've been brought up wrongly! Look at how great she is now!"

"Uhh…" Zhuang Liaoyuan coughed lightly. Despite his wife being a little blunt, she was telling the truth.
…
Of course, just getting a tie was not enough.
Ling Zhizhi had to make a counterattack, but she did not have to do anything really. Many people on the Net could easily think of who was behind this accusation towards Ning Xi.
The overlooked Ning Xueluo was once again brought into the spotlight, but for all the wrong reasons.
[Now, I understand what it means by "don't judge a book by its cover". Not all beauties are evil!]
[Ning Xi is actually pretty unfortunate. Everyone said that she's only relying on her looks, but to me, not only did her looks not help, her looks attracted her a lot of unfair treatment too!]
[Seriously, with Bro Xi's gorgeousness, if she really wanted to, she could've just married into a rich family already! Why suffer so much in the entertainment industry?]
[Someone should really shut up now! Whatever it is, she can't travel back five years in time to do all these things, can she?]
[A certain someone's really great at pulling strings! As for who's that certain someone, I believe I don't have to specify who it is, do I?]
…
Chapter 1490: Only To Pave Way For Others
Chang Li sat down on the chair, her face looking dreadful.
It was a big miscalculation…
No matter what, they could never have guessed that Ling Zhizhi could provide such solid evidence!
Ning Xi had already been doing charity work way before she entered the entertainment industry. It did not matter what they said anymore. This even helped to boost Ning Xi's popularity, reputation, and image. In other words, they had just done a free promotion for her.

This had a much better effect than just posting the information from Ling Zhizhi's side to boost Ning Xi's image.
After spending so much effort, it only paved the way for someone else.
Chang Li started to regret helping Ning Xueluo go against Ning Xi.
She realized that things had been going way out of hand, not just once or twice, but numerous times! It must not be a coincidence as Ning Xi had proven to be a very tough opponent.
As expected, soon came the loud sound of things breaking and Ning Xueluo's scolding.
Ning Xueluo's temper had been getting worse lately as she was having a pretty bad time herself.
Everyone outside assumed that Ning Xueluo was very ladylike and gentle, but only she knew the true colors of Ning Xueluo. However, after knowing so many secrets about her, it was too late to regret now.

Sometimes, when she saw Ning Xi and Ling Zhizhi and saw how they chatted gaily with each other like friends, she would be lying if she were to say she did not feel anything.
After Ning Xueluo was done throwing her tantrum, she growled with a ferocious expression, "There's no need for panic! I've said before, Ning Xi is just a piece of meat on my chopping board. No matter how high she leaps, I can grant her her death any moment I want!"
However, they both had secrets in each other's hands, except that it was not the right time to reveal it at the moment…
By the time they were to really go against each other for real, Ning Xi would be the one in a grave situation!
She had to do what she had to, if not, Ning Xueluo might get triggered again. Chang Li covered her bleeding wound caused by the shattered ceramic pieces just now before she injected energy into her voice and said, "Let's just lay low for a while now and wait until the discussion dies down. I've just gotten news that 'Mountain' has been nominated in the Golden Film Awards this year, and you've been nominated as a candidate for the best actress. Soon, I'll find a suitable time to release this news. Also, I've been talking to Director Robert on a collaboration, so it shouldn't be difficult to get a role… As an actress, in the end, people will still judge you by your work…"
Ning Xueluo pinched the space between her eyebrows with a dark expression. After spending so much effort, she had finally got a nomination! In addition to getting a role in a Hollywood movie, although it might just be a few minutes appearance, it was a rare opportunity for an Asian to be cast in Hollywood films. This indicated that she was breaking into the international market, and her career would enter a new chapter! That witch Ning Xi who had fallen to filming series could never compare to her!
"Keep an eye on Ning Xi…" She was sure that one day she would be able to get ahold of her dirty secrets!
Chang Li just nodded, but Ning Xi was guarded tightly by Ling Zhizhi. Apart from that, she felt there was another force working in the dark because after such a long investigation, nothing really came up. It was futile no matter how much she tried.
Nevertheless, she could never bring herself to tell Ning Xueluo that. Even if she did, she would only get scolded…
Chapter 1491: Real Lady
To Ning Xueluo, the entertainment industry rumor was not the most troubling one. Compared to going against Ning Xi, she had more important things to be done.
She made Chang Li turn down most of the recent jobs as she wanted to spend more time with Su Yan as well as get on Zheng Minjun's good side.
If people from the Zhuangs had turned up at her wedding, her position as the eldest daughter-in-law of the family would be secured. However, now not only did she have to act lowly in front of them, she had to put up with the witch Zhao Shanshan, listening to her insults.
"Mother, History is going to be invited to Lorraine Fashion Week soon. Here's a first-row ticket for the show. If you're free on that day, come by and have a look."
Zheng Minjun seemed happy when she accepted the ticket. She knew that this ticket could not have come by easy, and it was a first-row seat. "Thanks, Xueluo, that's very nice of you!"
Ning Xueluo beamed. "You're welcome, Mother."

At this moment, Zhao Shanshan came down from the stairs, holding the newspaper in her hands. She purposely walked in front of Su Yan's mother and Ning Xueluo, speaking in a weird tone, "As expected from a daughter from a prestigious family, Mother. Just look at her attitude and her aura… She's done so many kind things without leaving her name…
"This is how a real lady acts. With the blood of a prestigious family, her nobility lies in the blood! Not like someone else being so small-minded, showing off to the whole world the moment she made some small achievements…"
"You…" Ning Xueluo was so mad that she was shaking.
Zhao Shanshan really had an evil mouth!
She had to do something now. If not, her position in the Su family would always be maintained as passive.
"Okay, Shanshan, stop being like that. Xueluo is your sister-in-law!" Because Zhao Shanshan was the wife of her husband's illegitimate child Su Xun, of course, she would take the side of Su Yan's wife, Ning Xueluo.
Still, Zhao Shanshan's words hit the spot where it hurt the most.
Ning Xueluo's identity still remained one of the biggest thorns she had in her heart.
"I'm just telling the truth. She is a wild fowl from the rural area!" Ever since Zhao Shanshan found out about this nickname that could trigger Ning Xueluo, she had been using it happily.

Suddenly, the maid, who Ning Xueluo had brought over to the Su family after she was married, rushed over. She seemed to be boiling with anger and had been holding it in for some time. "Second Madam, you're really too much! You're bullying her when she just married into this family! She was brought up by our Madam since young. Not only is she highly educated, she's not small-minded at all. The one who's not presentable is the rural girl Ning Xi. Do you really think she's as nice as she looks? She…"
Ning Xueluo looked pained as she pleaded with an aggrieved expression, "Xiao Ling, stop it!"
"Xueluo, why did you stop her? Let her speak! Xiao Ling, what is it? What did Ning Xi do?" Zheng Minjun quickly demanded.
She already felt that something was odd back then. Why did her son, who had initially insisted on being with Ning Xi, suddenly break up with her?
She thought her son had found out that Ning Xueluo was the better choice and changed his mind, so she had been happy for her son and did not think much about it. Furthermore, Ning Xi had also been sent overseas. Now that she thought about the whole incident, she felt that something was not right…
Xiao Ling was actually acting following Ning Xueluo's glance, and was about to tell what Ning Xueluo wanted her to say after her signal, "Ning Xi…"
At this moment, there was an extremely aloof voice from the entrance. "Shut up."
It was Su Yan.
A scary expression had taken over Su Yan's ever gentle face. Xiao Ling was so scared that she could not say anything and her body trembled.
Chapter 1492: Still Have Feelings For Ning Xi?
Even Ning Xueluo was shocked by Su Yan's reaction. "I'm sorry, Bro Yan. I didn't train her well enough…"
"Go and get your salary for the month, then get out," Su Yan ordered heartlessly.
Xiao Ling was trembling in fear. "Master-in-law, it was wrong of me… I really was wrong to say that… Please don't chase me out…"
"Bro Yan, please forgive her. Xiao Ling has been always by my side. She's been taking care of me for a very long time. She just couldn't help it…" Ning Xueluo then looked at Zhao Shanshan's direction with teary eyes.
"Fine, that's enough! You guys just got married. What a mess you're making! Xiao Ling, you can give us some space now! Shanshan, go back to your room too!" Zheng Minjun snapped.

Zhao Shanshan pouted and left with a dark expression, thinking about how well-practiced Ning Xueluo's pity acting was. No wonder Su Yan was controlled by her!
"Su Yan, why are you so angry? At least listen to what she has to say," Zheng Minjun sighed.
Su Yan frowned. "Mother, you know I'm really against the servants talking about the people they serve. The things she wanted to say were probably about the things Xiao Xi did because she wasn't aware of the social norms at that time. What else could she say?"
Zheng Minjun thought about it. Xiao Ling would not have known much since she was just a servant anyway, so she stopped pressing on the matter.
Then again, when she saw her son being so protective, some thoughts lingered in her mind…
He had come out from her womb after all, and she knew him the best. Could Su Yan still have feelings for that girl?
After a while, in Su Yan and Ning Xueluo's room.
"Bro Yan, are you still angry?" Ning Xueluo carefully walked to the balcony.

"What was Xiao Ling trying to tell Mother just now?" Su Yan leaned on the railing, his expression hidden in the dark and his tone slightly cold.
Ning Xueluo freaked out a little, but she soon calmed down. "What else? Probably just about how Ning Xi made a fool out of herself because of her bad manners…"
Su Yan turned around, glaring intensely at the woman beside him directly into her eyes. His expression was deathly serious. "Xueluo, remember what I told you back then. That incident affected Ning Xi so much. No one can know about it! Including anyone in my family! And it was our fault!"
"Bro Yan, of course I know it'll affect Sister greatly. I'd never tell anyone about it! Bro Yan, do you not trust me? You… Do you think I wanted Xiao Ling to tell Mother about this?" Ning Xueluo had a look of disbelief on her face as if she was almost going to break down.
Su Yan remained silent.
He had managed to stop Xiao Ling just now, so there was no point in finding out what she was trying to say in the first place anymore.
Now, tears flowed down Ning Xueluo's face as she staggered backwards with a sad and pitiful expression. "Bro Yan, in your heart, am I really such a mean person?"
When he saw how distressed the girl was and thought about how much she had gone through in the past two days, Su Yan's heart softened. "I didn't mean that. I'm just reminding you. Stop crying now. I sounded too harsh, I'm sorry."
Ning Xueluo leaned into Su Yan's chest and sobbed, "Bro Yan, I'm sad. I'm really sad… I just wanted to be with you. I just wanted to marry you… Why is everyone saying things like that?"
Chapter 1493: Stay Away From Imperial
"You don't have to care about Zhao Shanshan. We'll accompany Father and Mother for a while before we move out of this old residence to live alone. As for the rumors online, don't look at them anymore. Those who believe you will naturally do so," comforted Su Yan.
Ning Xueluo looked disappointed and uneasy. "Bro Yan, do you also think that my sister is better? I… My family background… I don't match you at all…"
"What're you saying now? If I cared about this, why would I be with you since the start then?" Su Yan frowned as he lightly patted her back. "In a few more days, I'll take you out and drive away your worries. I've already made the bookings for our honeymoon. For now, don't let your imagination run wild."
Ning Xueluo nestled against his embrace and nodded. "Mmm, Bro Yan… I won't think of anything else right now. I just want to quickly bear your children…"
Aggressive as she was, she was ready to let Zheng Minjun know about Ning Xi's scandal from the last time through Xiao Ling. However, unexpectedly Su Yan had seen it. In fact, he had such a huge reaction. What made her even more nervous was Su Yan's attitude towards Ning Xi. She kept having a feeling that it was not just guilt he harbored…

Now that Su Yan was already suspecting her, she could only drop it for now. Wait till she had Su Yan's child and the Su family's eldest grandchild! Zheng Minjun and Su Hongguang would have nothing to say about that!
Whether it was for the Su family or the Ning family, this child was extremely important.
Now, she could not tolerate any more mistakes.
The next day, Ning Xueluo made some time to call the Tang family.
Since the past few years, this was her first time making the initiative to call them.
On the other end of the phone was Sun Lan's tone that sounded unusually emotional as if she was still in disbelief. "Hello…? Xue… Xueluo?"
"It's me."
"Xueluo, why have you called me? Is there anything wrong? I wanted to attend your wedding, but I was afraid that you wouldn't like it, so I didn't go… Have you been well?" Sun Lan asked carefully.

Ning Xueluo went straight to the point. "Send me your account number. Just tell me how much money you want, but it'll be just this once."
Sun Lan immediately rejected with an embarrassed tone, "No need, no need. The matter's been resolved. The people who borrowed our money have already returned it to us! Xueluo, sorry… Back then, the group of people came to our doorstep with knives every day. We were really desperate before I asked Xiao Nuo to go look for you in Imperial… I really didn't intend to trouble you…"
"Okay, I don't have to talk about all of this with you. Since it's resolved, then forget it. I want to know which city did Tang Nuo choose for his first choice of university?" Ning Xueluo asked.
Sun Lan thought that Ning Xueluo was concerned about her brother, so she quickly answered proudly, "Xiao Nuo! Yesterday, Xiao Nuo told me that he was going to put all of his top choices in Imperial! This child… He's been wanting to make it to Imperial since he was young. His results are pretty good, so it shouldn't be much of a problem.
"He hasn't really left the house since he was young, so I'm really worried about him. Wait till he goes to university. I thought about going over to accompany him, but Xiao Nuo said there was no need for me. Sigh, all of these are matters for the future. We'll discuss again then…"
Sun Lan was long-windedly telling her all of this while Ning Xueluo was frowning deeper and deeper on the other end of the phone. "Let Tang Nuo change his first choice. Tell him to choose other cities."
"Ah…?" Sun Lan was stunned when she suddenly heard this. There was silence as if she had not reacted.
"If you really feel any guilt towards me at all, if you really see me as your daughter, let Tang Nuo change his first choice. Stay far away from Imperial!" Ning Xueluo's words were remarkably straightforward and cruel.
Chapter 1494: Taking Away Opportunities
"I… Of course, I see you as my real daughter! But how is this related to which city Xiao Nuo will go to university in?" Sun Lan anxiously questioned.
Ning Xueluo's tone turned even more bitter. "Ning Xi has already leaked out my real identity. Even my in-laws know that I'm not the real daughter of the Ning family and that I'm just the daughter of a rural woman! Do you know how awkward of a situation I'm being placed in? And now Tang Nuo is coming to Imperial. Plus, you're even following him! Don't you think enough people know about this already?"
Sun Lan's heart ached when she heard the line "daughter of a rural woman."

She did not expect her daughter to detest them that much…
Sun Lan's tone trembled slightly, "Xueluo, I understand that it's difficult for you, but this is related to Xiao Nuo's future! I can choose not to go to Imperial, but Xiao Nuo won't be changing his first choice… Xiao Nuo has been looking forward to going to Imperial. If I were to tell him to change now, he wouldn't be able to take it…"
Ning Xueluo laughed coldly, "You just said that you can do anything for me, but you're acting like this the moment your son is involved. This is the extent of your so-called love?"
"Xueluo, no. I… Xueluo, let me think about it… Give me some time, alright? This isn't something I can decide on alone."
…
In Spring Breeze Town, Chang Chun City.

Inside a single-story house, Sun Lan was weeping by the table while Tang Shan smoked, squatting on the doorstep.
The young man's face was full of rage. "Why?! Why should I change my first choice?! Who does she think she is?! Who gives her the right to make us do this?! While it's true that she's never been under your care, but what about her? She has never fulfilled her filial duty! No one owes her!"
Sun Lan was sobbing, "Xiao Nuo, don't say that… She's your sister anyhow, and she's in a difficult situation right now. She said her identity has been revealed. Her in-laws know about it, so she's in a tight spot…"
Tang Nuo's expression looked worse. "So what if it's been revealed? Everyone should've known about it five years ago! Does she think she's really the daughter of the Ning family? All of that belongs to my sister… to Sis Xi! She took away Sis Xi's opportunities for so many years. Was that not enough? Mother, can you not be so selfish?! Even though Sis Xi isn't your real daughter, she stayed with us for 18 years. She's the first one to help us when we're in trouble!"
"I'm not. I don't mean that Xiao Xi isn't good. We're talking about Xueluo now… What should your sister do? She's worried that if we go to Imperial, more people will know about her identity. I know these opportunities are supposed to belong to Xiao Xi, but your sister has come a long way…
"She just got married to a rich family. It must be hard for her. If we're close to her, even if we don't look for her and no one finds out, she'd still feel uncomfortable. She'd always live in fear…"
"Hard for her? She married into a rich family and gets to enjoy life every day. Which part of that is hard for her? After taking away Sis Xi's opportunities for so long, she deserves to live in fear! Mother, think about how she treated us along the years. I really don't understand why you're feeling guilty towards her!" The young man's face was bright red with anger.
"Father, do you agree that I should change my first choice as well?" The young man looked at his father challengingly.
Chapter 1495: Nothing’s More Important Than My Grandson
The mother and son kept on arguing, but Tang Shan did not say anything at all. He never really had an opinion of his own. At this moment, he had no idea what to do.
He looked at his wife when his son asked him, then he stuttered, "Xiao Nuo, actually, your mother has a point. It's not a must for you to go to Imperial. There're a lot of good schools out there too. You can always find a university that's in a city near Imperial…"
Tang Nuo was enraged and disappointed. "You two… No matter what, I'll not change my first choice! I want to go to Imperial! No one's stopping me!"
It was not just about the fact that he had been longing to go to Imperial since he was little. Ever since Ning Xi left, his desire to go to Imperial grew stronger. He missed his sister dearly. After enduring it for so long, he looked forward to the day when he could finally get into a university in Imperial. Then, he could be closer to his sister and could look for her more often…

And now, with just a word from her, they want me to give up my hopes and dreams! Why?!
She detests me, but I hate the fact that my sister was taken away too!
"I heard you arguing the moment I came in. What is it about? Xiao Nuo's having his exams soon. Why don't you let him study quietly?! Did… Shan lend others money again?" An old, stern, white-haired woman came in.
"Grandmother…" Tang Nuo greeted her.
"That's not it, Mother. How could I?!" Tang Shan quickly explained.
Sun Lan was nervous when she realized that her mother-in-law had come.
Her mother-in-law had lost her husband when she was young, so she had brought up her son alone. Since she was the straightforward and headstrong dictator at home, Sun Lan was always a little afraid of her.

"What's the matter? Xiao Nuo, my dear grandson, tell Grandma about it!" The elder looked at Tang Nuo with a gentle expression.
Tang Nuo's eyes brightened. She was like his savior. He went up to the elder and told her everything.
The young man gave her a massage while recounting the injustice he had just experienced. "Grandmother, just because of a laughable excuse of her feeling uncomfortable, my parents want me to change my first choice and not let me go to Imperial… but you know me, Grandmother, I've been longing to go to Imperial since I was little. I also promised to bring you there for fun one day!"
The elder was crossed. "Nonsense! Who's going to make my dear grandchild change his first choice?! Who does she think she is to decide on such AN important matter? That little witch dares to overstep her boundaries?!"
Sun Lan subtly nudged her husband, then Tang Shan spoke up helplessly, "Mother, you're overreacting… Whatever it is, she's my daughter… and your granddaughter…"
"Nonsense, she has never even been in this house before. How is she my granddaughter? Since she was given away, she's someone else's daughter. I don't want to be near her anyway. She had better not dare intervene in our matters! Especially regarding Xiao Nuo!" The elder's voice was strong and loud. "Nothing's more important than my grandson. If I hear you and Shan make Xiao Nuo change his first choice again, go back to the Sun family!"
Sun Lan did not dare to say anything, and Tang Shan kept quiet as well.
Well, of course, they did not want to disappoint their son as well, but somehow they missed this daughter who had never been by their side…
In the end, the matter was closed after the elder intervened. The both of them decided to let it go…
Chapter 1496: Did Darling Not Miss Me?
After she finished filming in Movie City, Ning Xi followed the crew of "Nine Realms" and traveled across the country to shoot in different locations.
Some time passed, and finally, after the shooting session today, she could return to Imperial.
Coincidentally, the last scene was filmed in Chang Chun City, and it was exactly in the maize field in Spring Breeze Town.
A sex scene in "Heroes of War" had been filmed here. So was the last time she had jumped onto her darling… Too bad they did not do it then…
During this period of time, there were no scenes of Ke Mingyu at all. It had been a long time since she last saw Lu Tingxiao, and Ning Xi was really longing to see both the big and the little bun, but now that she was in Chang Chun City, she might as well take the chance to fulfill her promise to Tang Nuo.
After she talked to Tang Nuo about it, Lu Tingxiao called her.
"Hello!"

"Are you coming back today?"
"Mmm, I remembered that I promised Xiao Nuo to have dinner with them. Coincidentally, I'm at Chang Chun City today, so I'll head over for dinner before going back. I'll probably be home pretty late!" Ning Xi said.
"Don't rush back if it's too late. You can come back tomorrow."
"Mmm, I got it!"
"Going to a meeting in a bit. Talk to you soon."
"Okay, get back to work! My work's starting soon as well!"
Ning Xi was a little down after she hung up the phone. After not seeing each other for so long, did her darling not miss her at all? He had actually asked her to not rush and come back tomorrow…
Evening soon came.
All the scenes were completed that day. Ning Xi bade farewell to the crew, then she told Xiao Tao that she was going nearby to visit a relative. Afterward, she drove towards the Tang residence.
There was a path that could not be accessed by car, so Ning Xi parked her car by the roadside and started walking.

The moment she got down from the car, she saw a familiar silhouette.
"Sis!" Tang Nuo was a little taken aback when he saw her, but he appeared overjoyed.
Ning Xi did not disguise herself as a rural-looking girl this time. She was dressed as her real self. She had removed her makeup and put on her normal clothes after she was done with work. Although her face was bare, her skin glowed, and her facial features looked really pretty. Her naturally curly, seaweed-like hair matched her mint-green long dress, making her look youthful and beautiful.
"Xiao Nuo, why are you here?"
"I'm here to get you!" The young man said as-a-matter-of-factly. His eyes were shining as he looked at her. "Sis, people online say that you look really amazing… I didn't believe them at first! I thought it's all the work of Photoshop…"
Ning Xi was speechless. "Please! I'm the real deal, alright? Are you really my brother?!"
Ning Xi said it without giving much thought to it, but after that, she realized it made things awkward between them…
Ning Xi quickly changed the topic, "Let's go now. Don't let your parents wait for too long!"
"Mmm! After knowing that you're coming, Mother went to the market very early in the morning. Father went fishing as well and caught some very fresh produce…" Tang Nuo started chatting with Ning Xi.
"Ah, I almost forgot! You've gotten a really high mark on your exams, so there shouldn't be any problem for you to get into a university in Imperial, should there? My brother is amazing! Have you gotten your university acceptance letter? Let me take a picture and show it off!"
Tang Nuo looked a little embarrassed. "Not yet! I'm still waiting for it…"
Chapter 1497: Drastic Changes
They reached the Tang residence.
Sun Lan had already prepared a full feast, and Tang Shan was waiting by the doorstep. When they saw the two of them, they quickly welcomed them in.
Compared to the awkward atmosphere last time, it was much better this time around. Although they were still pretty courteous and distant, it was not cold at all.
"Xiao Xi's here. Come in quickly! I'm really sorry. You left the last time before I could make you stay for dinner!"
"That's alright. It's just a piece of cake. Do you need help?"
"No need at all. Just sit around and wait for dinner. There's still the soup left to prepare, but it'll be ready soon!"
…
After a while, the family of four reunited together at the dinner table.
Sun Lan looked at Ning Xi, feeling a little awkward. "Such drastic changes! I almost can't recognize you anymore…"
Tang Shan nodded in agreement. "Xiao Xi, you've become prettier!"

They did not really notice it since she had disguised herself the last time they met her, but they now discerned the transformation of the girl who was once their daughter. Both her outlook and her aura had turned into something exceptional to them.
It might be awkward for them to talk about other topics, thus slowly they started talking about Tang Nuo. They were talking about how Tang Nuo had gotten himself into a good university, and how proud Sun Lan and Tang Shan were.
"This child, he has been looking forward to going to a university in Imperial and he finally did it!"
"Boys should go out and take a look at the big city and go through some hardships!" Ning Xi said.
Tang Shan nodded. "That's right!"
Sun Lan and Tang Shan were really glad about their decision when they saw their son's excellent grades. If they had actually made Xiao Nuo change his first choice, then it would really affect his future pathway.
"But the acceptance letter hasn't come yet. It's quite worrying…" Tang Shan frowned.
"Why are you being so worried? The acceptance letter won't just fly away!" Sun Lan commented.
As they spoke, Tang Nuo's grandmother ran over to their house.
All of them stood up when they saw her.
"Grandmother…"
"Mother, why are you here at such a late hour?"
The elder had a restaurant in town, and she usually stayed there.

The elder looked into the house and saw that there was an extra person. "This is…?"
"Grandmother, she's my sis! Tang Xi!" Tang Nuo held onto Ning Xi's shoulder as he introduced her.
"Tang… Tang Xi… Why is she here?" The elder was surprised, but she did not say anything else about it. Instead, she quickly took out a large envelope excitedly. "Xiao Nuo, your acceptance letter is here!"
"What?!"
"Your university acceptance letter!"
…
Suddenly, everyone was focused on the envelope the elder was holding.
"I couldn't wait for it. I always went and checked for Xiao Nuo's letter every once in a while. I finally got it! Open it and see! Read it for me…" The elder looked like she was over the moon.
Tang Nuo took the envelope with trepidation, then he took a deep breath and opened it. Sun Lan and Tang Shan gathered around him.
Ning Xi was really thrilled for Tang Nuo when she saw the four of them so happy together.
The next moment, Tang Nuo's expression suddenly changed.
It was a university acceptance letter indeed, but it was not an acceptance letter from the university in Imperial! It was from a university in Xi Jiang, somewhere extremely far away from both Chang Chun City and Imperial…
"What happened?! What is this Xi Jiang Polytechnic Academy? I didn't put this in any of my choices at all. Why did I get an acceptance letter from them?"
Chapter 1498: Something Went Wrong
"What? Xi Jiang?" Startled, Sun Lan asked her husband to quickly take a look at it since she could not read.
Tang Shan took the acceptance letter and looked through it. "This… How did it turn out this way? Why is it not Imperial University, but an academy in Xi Jiang? Did they send it to the wrong person?"
"But Xiao Nuo's name is written on it!" While Sun Lan could not read, she could still recognize her son's name in the familiar Chinese script.
Elder Madam Tang did not expect this outcome after she had jovially gone over. She quickly asked Tang Nuo, "Xiao Nuo, did you mistakenly fill in the wrong name for your university choices?"
"Impossible! I never picked any school in Xi Jiang at all, and I've checked it over and over again. I definitely wouldn't have gotten it wrong!"
"Then, what happened? Does someone have the same name as you, or did the school from Xi Jiang make a mistake?" Madam Elder Tang made a guess.

Tang Shan shook his head. "The possibility of a mistake by the school is very low. If Xiao Nuo didn't choose this school, how could they have Xiao Nuo's information?"
Sun Lan's face was pale. "Xiao Nuo, quickly check what kind of school this is."
Tang Nuo was already on it. He looked up from his phone with a darkened expression. "It's a school in the second-tier priority listing. The place is really far away. In order for them to get more students, one can get into it with just around 300 marks…"
"Second… Second tier… With Xiao Nuo's marks, he deserves to go to a top-tier school! Why did it end up becoming this school?! And it's so far away! It'll take two days and two nights just to get there! I heard it's a really messy place. The order there is questionable as well… How can Xiao Nuo go to school there?! What should we do?" Sun Lan started weeping.
Tang Shan was flustered. "Well… Let's give it some time. Maybe we'll receive the acceptance from Imperial University a few days later."
Sun Lan boiled. "The teacher already said that it wouldn't happen. A person cannot be accepted by two schools at the same time! If he's really been accepted by this school, then he can't go to Imperial University anymore! Damn… Why does Xiao Nuo have to go through this?"
"Stop crying! What help can that do?!" Elder Madam Tang became heated when she saw Sun Lan crying.
…
The silent Ning Xi spoke up, "It's really late now and we probably can't contact anyone. We'll wait for tomorrow to call the schools to ask what happened."

Sun Lan nodded when she heard Ning Xi. "That's right… We'll call and ask! Something must've gone wrong!"
Tang Nuo grabbed the acceptance letter in silence.
Tang Shan's head drooped miserably. "That's all we can do now…"
Elder Madam Tang looked at Ning Xi and did not say anything.
…
That very night, the Tang family discussed Tang Nuo's issue again, but of course, it was not fruitful.
"Sis, it's really late now. It won't be safe to drive back tonight. Why don't you stay here for the night?" Tang Nuo cheered himself up and invited Ning Xi.
Ning Xi gave it some thought, then she nodded. "Okay."
She had planned to go back to Imperial tonight, but now that Tang Nuo had encountered this issue, she could not just leave him alone. She agreed to stay, so she then quickly sent a text message to Lu Tingxiao and told him about what had happened.
Chapter 1499: You’ll Definitely Get In
"Sis, you can sleep in my room! I've washed and dried my bed sheets!" Tang Nuo announced.
After he received the call from Ning Xi this morning, he had gone out of his way and washed his bedsheets, just in case she needed to stay for the night.
Previously, Ning Xi slept in the small storeroom with various knickknacks lying around. After so many years, of course, that room could not be slept in anymore.
"Where will you sleep?" Ning Xi asked.
"I'll just sleep on the floor in the living room!" Tang Nuo did not seem to mind.
At that moment, Elder Madam Tang's expression changed into aghast. "How can you do that? What if you catch a cold?"
"Grandmother, I'm a man. I'm alright with sleeping on the floor. I can't let a girl do that, can I?"

"No, your body is weak. The floor is really humid. How can you sleep there?!" Madam Elder Tang glared stubbornly as if Ning Xi was trying to murder her grandson.
…
"Uhh…" Ning Xi coughed lightly, "Xiao Nuo, it's alright. I'll just bunk at an inn in the town for the night."
"That's worse! The rooms at the inn are horrible and messy!" Tang Nuo frowned as he shot his stubborn grandmother a look. Then, he pleaded to Ning Xi with his eyes. "Home is still better. Then, Sis, you'll sleep in the living room. I'll prepare thicker sheets for you to sleep on!"
"Okay." Ning Xi nodded when she saw Tang Nuo's determined eyes.
Elder Madam Tang did not say anything this time around. She dragged her son and daughter-in-law aside to demand, "I haven't asked you two. Why is this brat here today?"
Tang Shan coughed lightly, "Mother, she's the daughter of a rich family now… She's not your granddaughter…"
"We fed her for so many years. All for nothing, and she's now become the daughter of another family! I already said that we should've thrown her out back then, but the both of you didn't listen to me! Great, we raised a daughter for someone else!" Elder Madam Tang grumbled.
Tang Shan quickly dragged his mother further away. He spoke with a low voice, "Mother, stop it! If we really had thrown her away and her family came for her, we'd be in real trouble!"
…

The voices of the three of them went further and further away. After Tang Shan and Sun Lan sent the elder off, they went into their room.
Tang Nuo was setting up the bedsheets in the living room. "I'm done!"
"Thank you!" As Ning Xi was about to lie down, Tang Nuo dragged her up. "What are you doing, Sis?! You think you're really sleeping here?! I was just lying to Grandmother. I could never let you sleep right here! Get into the room and sleep!"
Ning Xi was taken aback as she was reminded of some old memories. Her eyes watered, and the next moment, she stepped forward and hugged the young man. She did not want him to see her teared-up eyes. "Brat…"
Tang Nuo scratched his head innocently. "Sis, what's wrong?"
Ever since they had been kids, he was always like this, protecting her at all times.
Ning Xi kept her emotions in check and she let Tang Nuo pull away. "Nothing."
"Sis, quickly go and sleep now. You'll get dark circles if you sleep too late!"
"Okay, I'll not argue with you about this. Oh, right, don't worry too much about the acceptance letter. It'll be alright!" Ning Xi comforted him.
Tang Nuo's expression darkened when the topic of his acceptance letter was mentioned. He smiled bitterly. "How can I not worry about it? I've been looking forward to it for so many years. I put in so much effort. Actually, Sis, I'm really, really sad. I'm afraid… What if I really can't get into Imperial University?"
Ning Xi patted the young man's head. "Don't worry, I assure you, you'll definitely get in!"
Chapter 1500: Outcome of Despair
The next morning, Elder Madam Tang came over early to ask her son and daughter-in-law to start making calls to the university.
No one picked up as it was still too early for anyone to be in the office.
Elder Madam Tang, Tang Shan, and Sun Lan all looked weak and sleep-deprived. They probably had not gotten any rest the whole night. As for Tang Nuo, probably because of Ning Xi's comforting, he had actually fallen asleep.
They waited until office hours commenced, then Tang Shan called the number to Xi Jiang Polytechnic Academy, but he was too nervous to speak clearly. In the end, Tang Nuo took over the phone and turned on the loudspeaker.
"Hi, is this Xi Jiang Polytechnic Academy? I'm a third-year high school student from Yu Lin High School in Chang Chun City. My name is Tang Nuo. I received an acceptance letter from your university, but I didn't put your school on my list of choices, so I just hope you could check for me if something went wrong…"
"You received an acceptance letter?"
"Yes."
"Since you've received an acceptance letter, then our school has accepted you. What's wrong with that?"

"But on my list…"
"Then, you must have filled it in wrongly. You should look for the related department in the district council, or just ask your teacher."
"I'm going to, but I'd like to confirm if there was a mistake here…"
"You can go and check your list first. If there's nothing wrong, then call back again!" Then, the person hung up.
…
"What's wrong with this person?! It's about Xiao Nuo's life. How could he push away the responsibility?! How much time would it take him to check?" Elder Madam Tang fumed.
"Whatever, he's probably busy. Xiao Nuo, make a call to the district council and ask!" Tang Shan said.
Tang Nuo frowned a little, but he made the call anyway.
He was sure that he had not made a mistake, but since the school in Xi Jiang said so, he just had to double check.
Checking the information took some time. After a long wait into the afternoon, they finally received a call. The final outcome had everyone in despair…
"There's no mistake. Xi Jiang Polytechnic School was stated as your first choice!"

"Impossible! I didn't write this school down at all. I wrote Imperial University!" Tang Nuo vexed.
"Mister, can't we change it?" Sun Lan asked carefully.
"If every student came and told me they didn't choose their school wisely and say 'I didn't choose this school', do you think it's possible for me to just change it?"
"I have a teacher as my witness!" Tang Nuo said.
The person on the phone chuckled coldly, "Who knows if you guys are working together? Let me tell you, I've seen a lot like you! You're the third of such a case today!"
"I'm not… I really didn't put that down…"
"Sure, sure, stop quibbling! Your choice now is either to attend the school in Xi Jiang or to repeat another year!"
The phone call ended.
There was dead silence.
Tears of disbelief filled Tang Nuo's eyes and he clenched his fists tightly. "I don't believe it… I don't believe it… I didn't make a mistake!"
Ning Xi suddenly spoke up, "Could someone else have changed it?"
Of course, she believed that Tang Nuo would not make such a low-level mistake, but the main point was that Tang Nuo did not even know about this school and had not put it as an alternative as well. How could he have magically filled it in wrong?