"Ah…"
Luo Zhiqin took the slap squarely across the face, letting out a sharp cry, then crumpled to the ground as if right on cue……
"Zhiqin!" Jiang Jingya shrieked, rushing over to help Luo Zhiqin up. "Ningxi, Zhiqin was only worried about you—how could you treat her like this? Zhiqin, let Mom take a look..."
"Wuu, Mom, I'm fine. Little sis definitely didn't mean it…"
As Luo Zhiqin spoke, she slowly raised her face, revealing the five searing finger marks emblazoned across it—a vivid, burning red.
Luo Yi was also startled by the sudden scene. Coming to his senses, he caught sight of Luo Zhiqin's face—red and swollen—and felt his heart clench with distress, fury rising close behind. "Do you think none of us saw? She did that on purpose!"
Luo Zhiqin said nothing, tears streaming down her face in torrents — the sight of it only made Luo Yi even more furious.
"Luo Ningxi, your sister is kind-hearted — even after you hit her, she's still covering for you. Don't you feel ashamed? Now hurry up and apologize to her!"
"An apology?"
Luo Ningxi looked on coldly at Luo Zhiqin's hypocritical performance, as though she had just heard some amusing joke.
For over a decade, she had always told herself that Luo Yi was getting on in years—that the family might as well muddle through and let things be. But what she got in return was not their understanding. It was their schemes against her, more vicious than ever.
Then, starting from this moment, she would no longer be that weak and easily bullied Luo Ningxi!
"A disgusting, vicious wretch like her — what right does she have to demand an apology from me? Dad, instead of losing your temper at me, why don't you ask her what she's actually been up to?"
Luo Yi's brow twitched twice, and he looked toward Luo Zhiqin with suspicion.
Luo Zhiqin wept, tears streaming down her face like rain on pear blossoms. "Ningxi, I'm sorry — I truly never meant to steal Chengnan from you. It was only after the accident left him with no memory of you that I accepted his confession…"
Listening to her hypocritical attempt to change the subject, Luo Ningxi felt a nameless anger flare up inside her once more.
Did this shameless woman truly believe she would never breathe a word about the scandal — about giving herself to a male escort?
"Wuu, if being with Brother Chengnan makes you hate me this much, then I'll just tell him we're breaking up tomorrow…" Luo Zhiqin looked even more aggrieved.
Luo Yi hastily cut in, "You can't break up! Yu Chengnan is such a wonderful man — if you let him slip away, where are you ever going to find someone like him?"
The Yu family is a cousin branch of the Li family—the foremost aristocratic clan in the Imperial Capital. By attaching themselves to him, wouldn't the Luo Group be set to soar straight to the top?
Luo Yi turned and berated Luo Ningxi again, "Yu Chengnan fell for your sister — how can you blame her for that? You're the one who couldn't hold onto a man! But don't go saying your father doesn't care about you. I've found you a good man. In a few days, the two of you can have a meal together and get acquainted…"
"Heh, a bald, middle-aged pervert — and you call *that* a good man?" Luo Ningxi's eyes reddened with anger as she demanded coldly.
Luo Yi froze, then his expression darkened. "So you already knew? Well then, that works out perfectly. Brother Sheng is very fond of you — if you have no objections, just go ahead and set a date for the engagement."
"Dream on!"
Luo Ningxi shot back at him, then, before his furious face, pulled out a marriage certificate and slammed it onto the coffee table.
"Dad, get this straight — I'm already married! You want to use me as a bargaining chip to secure an investment? I'm telling you, you'd better drop that idea, unless you want to push me into committing bigamy……"
The vivid red marriage certificate came into view, and for a brief moment, silence fell over the crowd.
A few seconds later, Luo Yi snatched up the marriage certificate and flipped it open. The moment he saw the red official stamp on it, his vision went dark—he nearly blacked out from the surge of rage, and would have collapsed on the spot had Jiang Jingya not caught him in time.
"Luo Ningxi!" Luo Yi exploded in a rage. "Marriage is such a monumental matter — and you didn't even consult me? Do you still see me as your father? How on earth are we supposed to answer to Sheng Kai for this?"
Jiang Jingya put on a show of tearful complaint. "Ningxi, marriage is no joke. Did you just grab some random man to marry because Yu Chengnan didn't want you anymore? How could you do something like that? A husband has to be chosen with great care. You'd better hurry up and get divorced…"
"Divorce is absolutely out of the question — my husband and I are true love! I came back today just to tell you all: don't ever get any ideas about me again!"
“……”
This girl clearly found out about their plan, so she went ahead and got herself married off first!
Yet Sheng Kai was someone they couldn't afford to provoke…
If this isn't handled properly, the Luo family can just wait for their downfall!
Luo Yi was so enraged he raised his hand, ready to strike Luo Ningxi.
Jiang Jingya's eyes darted, and she stopped him, persuading, "Honey, young people always have a bit of impulse when it comes to marriage. Why don't we meet this son-in-law of ours first and see what kind of person he is before we say anything more…"
At the same time, Jiang Jingya shot Luo Zhiqin a meaningful glance, and Luo Zhiqin joined in to persuade Luo Yi as well.
Luo Yi seemed to think of something, and at last relented. He gave a cold snort and said, "Fine! Let me see just what kind of wild young man has the nerve to run off with my daughter!"