Chapter 257
Chapter 257
Zhong Ning: 【Quick, help me analyze this. Didn’t Xie Shiqing and I agree on a fair deal—she would be my little lover, and I would return the Xie family to her? But these past two days, I don’t know what happened, she’s been like she’s lost her soul, and she doesn’t even want the Xie family anymore!】
Her typing speed was so fast it almost left afterimages, as if she had brought out a pro gamer’s hand speed, tapping rapidly across the screen.
She explained her conversation with the butler, talked about the near car accident today, and recounted their earlier dialogue word for word.
At the end, she said: 【I really don’t understand. What exactly is she thinking?】
Fu Nanshuang: 【…You really are something else!】
Zhong Ning replied suspiciously: 【Why does that not sound like a compliment?】
Fu Nanshuang: 【Is it that hard to understand? Her life goal has always been to become the best, the strongest person. Then you show up and cap her ceiling. She can’t surpass you, so she breaks down.】
【Let me give you an example. The game you play—you want to be number one on the leaderboard, and that top spot has always been yours, right?】
Zhong Ning: 【Yeah】
Fu Nanshuang: 【Now suddenly someone drops in out of nowhere and leaves you far behind. You look and see they’re playing with both hands and both feet on the keyboard—they’re just better than you. No matter how much you practice, you can’t beat them. The number one spot you want will always belong to them. How would you feel?】
Zhong Ning thought very seriously for quite a while before replying: 【I think she’s pretty amazing.】
Fu Nanshuang: 【…】
Zhong Ning: 【Both hands and feet! Isn’t that incredible? That’s insanely impressive. It’s only natural she’d be first. My feet aren’t that flexible—she totally deserves first place.】
Fu Nanshuang: 【That’s how you think, but it doesn’t mean Xie Shiqing thinks that way. A lot of people just get stuck in their own heads. This has been her only goal her whole life, and now she can never achieve it.】
【Let me put it another way. Suppose we suddenly enter the interstellar era—everyone has a spaceship, but you can never pilot one. You can only watch others do it. Or spiritual energy revives and everyone can cultivate immortality, except you don’t have a spiritual root. How would you feel? Or a new fully immersive game comes out—everyone can play it, but you’re not compatible, so you simply can’t.】
Zhong Ning’s expression fell: 【I think I get it… that would feel so devastating…】
Fu Nanshuang: 【And what Xie Shiqing is feeling would only be even more severe than that.】
【But why are you so invested? Don’t tell me you’ve actually started to like her?】
Like?
Zhong Ning opened her mouth slightly. Had she?
Probably not. They had only known each other for a few days—how could she like someone that quickly? Besides… what did liking someone even feel like? For someone who had never experienced emotions like that, how could she tell whether this was liking, or something else?
It was like someone who had never seen a mangosteen—just by looking at its exterior, there was no way to imagine what it looked like or tasted like inside.
【I just feel like we get along pretty well, that’s all. Besides, I can’t just watch someone die. How is that any different from indirect killing? I’m not that cold-blooded.】
Fu Nanshuang: 【Alright, alright, fine, you’re kind. I need to get back to work. Damn it, my mom assigned me more tasks again.】
Zhong Ning: 【Don’t go! You haven’t told me the solution yet】
【Just analyzing it isn’t enough—we need to turn Xie Shiqing back into how she used to be!】
Fu Nanshuang: 【Am I some kind of immortal!!! Or do I have Doraemon’s abilities? Are you imagining me to be a bit too omnipotent?!】
Zhong Ning: 【You are. Hurry up and think, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick—I'll buy you a sports car!】
Fu Nanshuang didn’t even hesitate: 【No need to buy a new one. I want the Silver Wind C303 in your garage】
Zhong Ning: 【…Bandit. Fine, you’ll get it if this works】
Fu Nanshuang: 【Try this…】
The other side sent a long, detailed explanation, filling the entire screen with green chat bubbles. Zhong Ning’s eyebrows twitched as she read.
But when she thought of Xie Shiqing’s half-dead state, she gritted her teeth.
Although Xie Shiqing was listless, when Zhong Ning pulled her to eat and placed the spoon in her hand, she would still eat—it was just unbearably slow. A single meal would go cold before she could even finish one bowl.
Sometimes Zhong Ning couldn’t stand watching anymore and would pick up the spoon to feed her herself. She didn’t feed particularly fast, but it was definitely much quicker than Xie Shiqing’s dragging pace.
With more food in her mouth, this person would chew a bit faster.
After a few days like this, Zhong Ning pulled her over and stuffed a phone into her hand. “I got you a gift.”
Xie Shiqing’s phone had an accessibility mode for the visually impaired—tapping the screen would read out the content.
It was a share transfer agreement.
Zhong Ning had transferred all of her shares in the Xie family back to Xie Shiqing, keeping only 5% for herself, just enough to remain a minor shareholder in name.
Although she believed in science, her luck really was exceptionally good. As long as her name was still attached to the company, the Xie family would definitely flourish.
“You’re now the chairman of Xie Corporation’s entertainment division again. This was part of our deal.”
Xie Shiqing’s breathing slowed almost imperceptibly for a moment.
“You know how to dance ballroom, right?” Zhong Ning asked again, her tone carrying a hint of certainty.
After all, social dancing was a basic skill in their circle.
As expected, Xie Shiqing nodded.
“To celebrate, dance one with me?” Zhong Ning leaned closer beside her. “No matter how you look at it, I’ve treated you pretty well, haven’t I? I kept my promise and returned the company to you. And in such a short time, I even brought your cash cow several international sponsorships and film offers. The newly released TV drama also sold extremely well. It’s just one dance—will you?”
“Come on, okay? Even if I don’t have the hard work, I at least have some credit, right?”
“Come on, come on, come on, please!”
When Zhong Ning really set her mind to pestering someone, ten people wouldn’t be enough to outtalk her.
Moreover, the transfer agreement was real. Even though Xie Shiqing had been disheartened and said she didn’t want the Xie family anymore, now that it had returned to her hands, it was impossible for her heart to remain unmoved.
After all, it was a career she had fought for nearly half her life.
“One dance?” she spoke.
Because she hadn’t spoken for a long time, her voice carried a slight hoarseness.
“Yes!”
Zhong Ning rolled off the bed, then turned back and pulled her up, dragging her toward the hall used for hosting parties. “Wait for me a moment.”