Chapter 1123 Xu Youning’s Obsession
“Daddy, did you get bullied?”
Mumu blinked his innocent big eyes as if he had just inadvertently asked this question.
He didn’t know how embarra.s.sing it could be for Kang Ruicheng.
The moment he finished speaking, the whole dining room fell into dead silence.
Everyone, including the maids, was holding back their laughter.
Once they laughed out loud, it would be disrespectful to Kang Ruicheng.
If it were in normal times, they might only be fired.
But today, Kang Ruicheng was obviously in a bad mood, and he was embarra.s.sed enough. If they laughed out loud, it would only intensify his embarra.s.sment. The consequences would be far more than being expelled, and it was very likely that there would be a cruel punishment awaiting them.
Therefore, they could not laugh no matter what.
Mumu was still young and didn’t know much about the ways of the world. In addition, his attention was focused on Kang Ruicheng, so he didn’t feel the current embarra.s.sment at all.
Seeing that no one spoke, the little boy tilted his head innocently and said to Kang Ruicheng, “Daddy, Auntie Youning said that silence is tacit approval! So, are you tacitly agreeing that you did get bullied?”
The air suddenly became quiet. The atmosphere was not only awkward but also stiff.
At this point, the maids realized that they could not stay any longer.
They could hold back their laughter, but they couldn’t stop Mumu.
If they stayed any longer, Kang Ruicheng’s skeleton in his closet would be exposed to them, and they would still be punished.
A stewardess coughed and said, “Mr. Kang, we’ll go clean up the kitchen. Call us if you need anything.”
The maids obviously left for the sake of Kang Ruicheng.
Because of this, their actions were extremely deliberate at this moment.
A feeling of awkwardness spread to every inch of the air.
However, only Kang Ruicheng and Xu Youning could feel the embarra.s.sment.
Mumu was immersed in his own world and didn’t realize that something was wrong at all. He only found that Kang Ruicheng had been silent.
He firmly believed that his dad was unwilling to admit his mistake.
The little boy began to reason with Kang Ruicheng seriously. “Daddy, you’re wrong!”
Kang Ruicheng still did not speak.
He wanted to know what he had done wrong.
Mumu didn’t care about Kang Ruicheng’s reaction at all. He a.n.a.lyzed seriously and said, “Daddy, since you got bullied, you should go to the one who bullied you and take revenge. Why would you vent your anger on Auntie Youning?” After a pause, he added, “Auntie Youning is innocent!”
This time, Kang Ruicheng still remained silent.
Mumu didn’t get Kang Ruicheng’s answer for a long time, so he naturally thought that Kang Ruicheng was ignoring him.
The little boy was really angry and raised his voice. “Daddy, you’re making trouble for no reason!”
Kang Ruicheng seemed to find it funny, so he slowly started talking and asked Mumu, “Do you know what it means to make trouble for no reason?”
“Yes!” Mumu explained in detail, “You were doing that when you talked to Auntie Youning just now!”
Xu Youning had been holding back her laughter when she saw Mumu negotiating with Kang Ruicheng like a young adult.
However, when she heard the last part of Mumu’s words, she almost broke down.
She still knew Kang Ruicheng very well. When he was angry, those who had their names heard by him would be punished.
“Why did Mumu have to suddenly mention me?
“I wasn’t in this!”
For a moment, Xu Youning’s scalp went numb, and she thought to herself, “Can I take back Mumu’s words just now? Or can I reverse time and have Mumu take them back?”
At that moment, Kang Ruicheng looked at Xu Youning with a gloomy look. He said in a cold voice, “A Ning, you’ve taught Mumu well.”
These words were obviously demeaning rather than praising.
“It’s not like that!” Xu Youning hurriedly denied, “Mumu is so smart. I believe it has more to do with heredity!”
The implication was that Mumu was smart yet mischievous, but it had nothing to do with her education. If possible, she even wanted to deny that she had taught Mumu.
Xu Youning just wanted to shift responsibility. If the little boy’s intelligence was not inherited from his mother, then it was inherited from his father, Kang Ruicheng.
“If Kang Ruicheng is to look into something, he shouldn’t go after me.”
Of course, Kang Ruicheng knew that Xu Youning wanted to stay out of this matter. He snorted with a fake smile and turned to look at Mumu. “Go upstairs now.”
Mumu looked at Kang Ruicheng and then looked at Xu Youning. He was still worried and refused decisively. “I won’t go upstairs. I won’t let you bully Auntie Youning!”
At this time, Kang Ruicheng was not in the mood to reason with his son.
Xu Youning was the most important to him at the moment.
Kang Ruicheng casually called a subordinate over and ordered, “Take Mumu to his room upstairs. He can’t come down until I leave home!”
“No, I don’t want to go upstairs! Daddy, you’re a bad guy. Save me, Auntie Youning. I don’t to be locked up. Boo-hoo…”
Before Kang Ruicheng’s subordinate could respond, Mumu screamed and tried to break free from his grip, but he was only five years old and was no match for an adult. He was quickly picked up and carried toward the stairs.
The little boy knew that he couldn’t struggle, so he could only quiet down and cast a “take care” look at Xu Youning to compromise with evil forces.
When they reached the stairs, the little boy suddenly thought of something and looked at Kang Ruicheng angrily. “Daddy, you’re not allowed to bully Auntie Youning when I’m not around. Otherwise, I will definitely avenge her, humph!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Mumu was carried up to the second floor, and his tender little figure completely disappeared from the first floor.
Twilight had yet to descend at this point.
The setting sun shined through the window and sprinkled on the dining room floor. It was as if it was painted with a thin layer of golden light on the ancient wooden floor. It looked particularly peaceful and beautiful.
Since the maids sensibly left and Mumu was also taken away, only Kang Ruicheng and Xu Youning could see such a beautiful scene.
Unfortunately, neither of them was in the mood to enjoy the sunset.
Kang Ruicheng had been staring at Xu Youning. His eyes were gloomy, unclear, and undisguised, with a hint of threat.
He hoped that Xu Youning would respond or take the initiative to speak.
It turned out that he had underestimated her.
Xu Youning had been with Mu Sijue for so long that she had already cultivated enough willpower.
She didn’t mind Kang Ruicheng’s gaze.
No matter how he looked at her, she didn’t move at all, as if he were just a lifeless statue. His eyes didn’t work on her.
She had been glared at by Mu Sijue, so how could she easily compromise?
In the end, Kang Ruicheng admitted defeat.
He found that he couldn’t subdue Xu Youning with that move. He slowly looked down and said in a less harsh tone, “A Ning, I hope we can have a good talk.”
“If you insist on me having the operation, we have nothing to talk about.” Xu Youning’s tone was cold, and her att.i.tude was unexpectedly tough. “I won’t take the operation. Give up.”
“Why?” Kang Ruicheng looked at Xu Youning in confusion. “A Ning, in the past, even if there was only a 1% chance of success, you would have grasped it tightly and never given up easily. Now there is a 10% chance, why are you retreating?”
In the past, Kang Ruicheng often gave Xu Youning some difficult tasks.
Because only by handing them to her could he have a higher chance of success.
Xu Youning never refused.
At that time, she was still very young. The more difficult and challenging it was for her, the more she liked it.
During these days, Xu Youning’s temperament had almost changed greatly, so Kang Ruicheng naturally felt confused.
Xu Youning didn’t speak but sneered in her heart.
It was true that she had helped Kang Ruicheng with a lot of dangerous missions. His current achievements were related to her courage to take risks.
A few years ago, when she still had feelings for him, she felt that she was very brave and could even be awarded a Medal of Bravery.
She was not afraid of death for Kang Ruicheng’s sake because she believed in him.
She believed that even if she died accidentally, he would help her take care of her grandmother.
However, it was the person she trusted the most that had got her only family member killed.
It seemed that it was not courage but stupidity that made her fearless. She could not see through the essence of things at all.
Kang Ruicheng was obviously taking advantage of her to expand his power and wealth. She was just a p.a.w.n, but she was willing to do things for him.
She even felt honored to do something for Kang Ruicheng.
She did not know if any other girls had experienced such a period, but she was really stupid and ignorant at that time.
“Yes, I was ignorant but not naive.
“Fortunately, I’ve seen through Kang Ruicheng. I will never make the same mistake again.”
Xu Youning looked at Kang Ruicheng calmly and said slowly, “If you want to know the reason, I can tell you.”
Kang Ruicheng didn’t speak, waiting for Xu Youning to continue, while secretly observing every tiny expression on her face.
She pondered for a moment and said, “Do you know why I was fearless before? At that time, I didn’t have a goal that I had to achieve, but now, I must avenge my grandma.”
Kang Ruicheng didn’t say anything.
Xu Youning seemed to be gritting her teeth and continued to say determinedly, “The failure rate of the operation is so high. If I suddenly die during it, I’ll be too embarra.s.sed to see my grandma in that way.”
This time, Xu Youning didn’t mention who she was going to take revenge on or Mu Sijue’s name.
She knew that what she said was Kang Ruicheng’s greatest weakness at the bottom of his heart. As long as it was mentioned, he would inevitably feel guilty.
Kang Ruicheng also automatically defined Mu Sijue as Xu Youning’s target of revenge. He slightly changed the subject and asked, “Youning, since your grandma pa.s.sed away, it has been your greatest obsession to avenger her, hasn’t it?”
“Yes.” Xu Youning snapped the cutlery in her hands. “I must avenge my grandma.”