"Mom?" Xue Ning asked, now feeling more panicked. "Are you alright?"
"Oh I am, but our restaurant isn't." Her mother said, huffing. "They scared off our supper crowd! And the inside of our restaurant looks like a hurricane hit it. No matter what, Sun Haowei must pay for the repairs! I still think Sun Jingwei and his father are behind this!"
Jingwei heard that, and then decided to send another 20 million to Xue Ning's account. If they were repairing the restaurant, surely more money would come in handy. They could use this chance to renovate!
In fact, he decided to send a quick message to his family's personal bank manager - he was going to open a new account and deposit money just for Xue Ning alone. Hopefully his future mother-in-law would look more kindly at him!
Meanwhile, Yue Niang helpfully did not mention to her daughter that she contributed to the hurricane when she slammed one of the men through the table when he tried to take her hostage. Small details. But her actions certainly shocked her daughter-in-law though!
That's why she hurriedly told her son to take her away, despite her son protesting that he should be there to protect her and his father. No matter what, he was just one regular person, and he couldn't have done much to hold the group of thugs back.
She and her husband on the other hand… Well, the fact that they could still complain was a testament to their skills. But she could feel the ache in her muscles due to overexertion and old age, and wasn't that a humbling reminder of her own mortality.
"Mom, Jingwei can't have possibly sent thugs to attack you," Xue Ning protested, that she knew in her bones. "He would never."
"His father could have!"
Xue Ning then remembered that Sun Haowei's hospitalisation was not public knowledge. Based on his attitude, he definitely would have sent thugs to harass her family, but the timing wasn't right. She pissed him off so hard that he had a heart attack, and he had been unconscious since.
He wouldn't have time to order the attack!
"But Mom, how did you even know that Sun Haowei sent the thugs? Surely they wouldn't be stupid enough to tell you, right?" Xue Ning asked curiously. It wasn't as though she knew how thugs operated.
"Actually, they did." Her mother said proudly. "All it takes is some persuasion."
"Persuasion?" Xue Ning asked hesitantly. Did her family stuff fish balls down their throat until they confessed? Impossible, her family would never waste fish balls like this. "What did you guys do?"
"Nothing you need to worry about," her mother said flippantly. "More importantly, they said that Sun Haowei ordered the attack!"
"Mom… I don't know how to tell you this, but it's not possible." Xue Ning said. She covered her phone and whispered to Jingwei.
"Can I tell her your father got hospitalised? Is that sensitive information?'
Indecision warred on Jingwei's face.
"Can she keep it a secret?" Jingwei whispered back. "If other people find out, there'll be trouble."
Xue Ning paused. Her mother wasn't that great at keeping secrets.
"Why is that? And who are you whispering to? Is it Sun Jingwei? Get him on the line now!" Her mother fired a barrage of questions suspiciously.
"Just trust me! It's definitely not him!" Xue Ning insisted hotly, only responding to her first question. "You must have been fooled!"
"Me? Are you saying that your own mother is deaf?!" Her mother yelled, affronted. Xue Ning was going to be deaf if she kept it up. "How else am I supposed to interpret 'Sun Haowei sends his regards'? Of course it's due to him! I don't like you staying around his son. You know what - you should come home now. Don't hang around his son!"
"Nevermind that," Xue Ning said hastily, trying to divert her attention. There was no way to lessen her mother's suspicions without telling her the truth - that Sun Haowei was lying comatose on a hospital bed, barely able to breathe on his own, let alone order a hit.
"But you have a point about me visiting," she continued, biting her lip. Her parents had the tendency to downplay their problems, and the thought of them being more seriously injured would keep her up at night. Also, the thugs might return to create more trouble. "I'll come home in a few days to see how you're doing."
"That's my filial daughter," her mother replied warmly, with just a hint of smugness. "Stay for a while longer this time around! I know our tiny house probably isn't as luxurious to stay in compared to the houses Jingwei promised you, but at least our house exists!"
Wow. Her mother really didn't think much of Jingwei and his ability to keep his promises.
Meanwhile, Jingwei raised his head, his eyes wide with shock. Xue Ning was leaving so soon?
"See you soon, Mom. Make sure all of you visit a doctor. I'll see you guys soon." Xue Ning replied. All relaxation from the bath was now drained from how, replaced with an uneasy tension she knew would not go away until she saw her parents alive and well in person.
As she hung up, Xue Ning sighed tiredly and slumped face down on Jingwei's bed in exhaustion, screaming into a pillow.
"Xue Ning, is everything alright?" Jingwei asked worriedly as he stroked her head. "Come, let me dry your hair for you first. I bought a hair dryer especially for you, remember?"
"No thanks," Xue Ning said grimly, turning to gaze at him from the corner of her eyes as she kicked irritably at the mattress. "I'm sure you overheard the conversation. I'll need to pack now and book plane tickets for tomorrow. You can stay here with Ming Guang and Wei Yan."
"Book plane tickets?" Jingwei shook his head, as though the thought itself was ludicrous.
"How about you just take my private jet? It'll be a lot faster and more convenient. No luggage restrictions too." He offered, his heart aching at the thought of Xue Ning leaving him so soon.
"Really? I can do that?" Xue Ning asked blankly, not believing her ears. Sun Jingwei had a private jet! Of course he did.
"Sure! Just let me know when you want to fly, I'll get the flight crew to standby tomorrow. Do you…want me to come with you?"
Jingwei asked his question hesitantly. He knew the chances of rejection were high, but still, he had to ask, even if it would break her heart if Xue Ning said no.
Xue Ning paused, and didn't meet his eyes.
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