Chapter 552: Chapter 547: Chang Ru, What Is the Meaning of Your Second Life?
White snows atop the mountain peak.
The elderly man watched the young woman standing with her hands behind her, full of worry.
Her expression was cold, revealing no emotion.
But he knew Ji Ning already harbored murderous intent.
And he had long been aware of this outcome.
The elderly man’s palm suddenly clenched, and he resolved fiercely, "Chuck, I will personally clean house."
"You still want to spare his life?"
"I..."
"Conspiring with the remnants of the Eternal Life Sect to infiltrate Beizhou, harming my people, and now trying to trap me? He truly dares to dream."
The elderly man sighed, "Leave him with a full body."
"Fine."
The elderly man immediately turned, leaping down from the mountaintop without a hint of his 150-plus years.
Half an hour later, he returned to the mountaintop carrying a man and a woman.
The man was already dead, the woman sat collapsed in the snow, trembling.
Whether from fear or cold was unclear.
"Ji... Ji Ning... save me... I don’t want to die..."
Chang Ru had been terrified by the elderly man, saw Ji Ning as her lifeline, quickly crawled forward, clutching Ji Ning’s pants, eyes full of pleading.
"Why were you at Chuck Vis’s place?" Ji Ning asked coldly, hands behind her back.
"I... I was taken there by his people..."
"What did he want from you?"
Chang Ru’s trembling hand paused, shifting her gaze, "I... don’t know... we hadn’t discussed the main issue before he died..."
"Really? I heard he wanted you to lure Bai Xiaotang out, leading me to rescue someone..."
Chang Ru hastily answered, "Ji Ning, I didn’t agree to him."
"You didn’t have time to agree before he was dead, right?"
Ji Ning bent down, unfastened her fingers, staring directly at her, "Chang Ru, what’s the meaning of your rebirth? Just to deal with Bai Xiaotang?"
Chang Ru’s pupils constricted, eyes widening in disbelief, "How... how did you..."
"Is it hard to guess?"
Ji Ning straightened up with a light chuckle, looking down at her, "From what I know of Bai Xiaotang, she probably lived well in her previous life, even extending care to you amidst her dissatisfaction. But you took these cares as her flaunting and humiliation. So when you woke again, you crazily sought revenge on Bai Xiaotang, attacking the Bai Family, wanting her to be your stepping stone to success, correct?"
"No... I didn’t..." Chang Ru trembled, refusing to admit it.
Yet Ji Ning’s pupils grew deeper, stirring her most unbearable memories.
Chang Ru’s eyes reddened, expression growing increasingly ferocious.
She roared, "Bai Xiaotang, why can she easily obtain what I strived a lifetime for? Just because she’s well-born, talented at reincarnation?"
Ji Ning sneered, "Indeed, she’s just fortunate. Born at a height ordinary people may never reach. Heaven’s favoritism toward her, but how does this concern you?"
"How does it not concern me? Throughout my life, no matter how hard I try, I never gain recognition. At family gatherings, everyone surrounds her, buying her the best, most expensive gifts, even though she’s a talentless waste. But what about me? My studies are better, my talents superior, yet no one notices, not even allowing my birthday alone. Born just three days apart, why share a celebration? Why not celebrate separately?
And marriage, both of us parentless, yet she can marry into the Fu Family, becoming the future Family Head’s Wife, enjoying everyone’s admiration. And me? Why must I marry someone from a small family, be looked down upon, and let her stand up for me, suffocated to death? I’m like a born supporting character, forever living in her shadow..."
Covering her face, Chang Ru cried, her voice choked and sorrowful.
Ji Ning silently watched her for a while, raising a hand to create an invisible barrier around her, blocking the mountaintop’s chilling wind.
"Chang Ru, this world is a vast stage, everyone plays their own role. You may see yourself as an insignificant character in Bai Xiaotang’s play, but to her, you could be the gleaming protagonist.
One’s existence isn’t defined by others, but by oneself. Only you can decide whether you are the protagonist or the supporting character in your own life’s script.
Bai Xiaotang admired you from a young age, hoping to become an excellent girl like you, but you hurt her due to jealousy. You even orchestrated her kidnapping, ignoring the deaths of those who loved you.
Chang Ru, what’s the significance of living another life? Is it just such petty revenge?"
Moreover, Bai Xiaotang has actively broken off her engagement with Fu Yuanxuan. What you value isn’t what’s most important to her..."
Chang Ru’s eyes widened again, seemingly unable to believe the news, shaking her head, refusing to accept these truths.
"Impossible, how could she call off the engagement? That’s the Fu Family, how could she bear to? This must be false... yes, it must be false..."
Ji Ning watched the seemingly deranged woman, scoffed coldly, and left, bypassing Chang Ru.
The elderly man glanced at Chang Ru, full of sympathy.
The same outcome as before.
Chang Ru went mad.
"How is she handled?"
"Send her back."
Amidst the cold wind, a crystalline tear slipped from an eye, rolling down a cheek, becoming ice mid-air, crashing heavily onto the snowy ground.
***
"Mm..."
Bai Xiaotang, asleep, suddenly whimpered.
Fu Yuanxuan anxiously approached, "Uncle Ye, is her wound hurting again?"
Ye Xingyan rolled his eyes, "She’s not your fiancée anymore, why are you so concerned?"
"How do you know?" Fu Yuanxuan’s expression turned awkward.
Ye Xingyan sighed in disappointment, "You must be the first among our three families to be rejected in marriage, right?"
Fu Yuanxuan was silent for a moment, somewhat bitterly saying, "She is young, should be given more choices."
Ye Xingyan sighed shaking his head, "Just like your father."
"My dad?"
"When he pursued your mother, he also wasn’t proactive, only indulged in secret love. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be born."
Ye Xingyan, reminiscing, suddenly burst into laughter, his shoulders trembling.
He tossed Fu Yuanxuan a bottle of medicine, laughing, "Apply it to her burn."
Fu Yuanxuan quickly opened the bottle, using a cotton swab to dip the ointment, carefully applying it to her shoulder.
Her fair skin had a large patch of deep red, with blistering that was painful to see.
Ye Xingyan clicked his tongue twice with admiration and exited the rest room.
As he opened the door, he saw Ji Ning standing outside.
She gestured for silence.
Ye Xingyan immediately closed the door, speaking in a muted tone, "Not going to check on her?"
"Is this minor injury needed for me?" Ji Ning teased lightly.
Ye Xingyan smiled knowingly, accompanied Ji Ning towards the lab area.
"The interrogation results are out, that person is a remnant of the Eternal Life Sect. They infiltrated Beizhou to avenge the Josen Family."
Ji Ning wasn’t surprised, a faint smile gracing her lips, "Truly loyal. Since they admire the Josen Family so much, then they can accompany them below."
Ye Xingyan paused slightly.
"The base warriors have already reported to the International Alliance."
"Does it make a difference?"
Ye Xingyan stared at Ji Ning, shook his head, "Unexpectedly, it’s also likely a death sentence."
"Early or late death, it’s still death, isn’t it?"
Ye Xingyan stopped in his tracks, but Ji Ning’s pace didn’t halt.
The cold, indifferent silhouette appeared unfamiliar.
She seemed somewhat changed...
***
The lively investment conference wasn’t halted by the sudden incident.
In merely three days, 100 projects were divided clean by the companies who attended.
Beizhou Space Research Center netted 80 billion, enough to cover research costs for five years.
Every researcher was as excited as caffeine-fueled fervor.
Only Ji Ning indifferently watched the data compiled by [Zero], her face void of expression.
Ye Xingyan suspected Ji Ning had a problem, subtly queried Fu Yuanxuan and Quell Vis.
But neither noticed anything, only Masha spoke bluntly.
"Sister has gained colors I dislike..."
"What colors?"
"Hard to describe, somewhat like black, but not entirely, this color makes me uncomfortable."
"Could it be an issue with the Star Stone Energy?"
