Chapter 408 The Home Changed.
“Exploit me?” Xia Ning wonders how.
Zhou Mengyao gives a sign. She says helplessly, “Junhao and I don’t have any children. Junhao has pa.s.sed away and I become the president of Junhao Group. The problem is that I am over fifty years old now. I can’t manage Junhao forever. Many people have some plans on Junhao Group. Many of the time, I can’t avoid them. I made secret investigations and found that quite some senior managers in the company wanted to combine to exclude me. It is not safe for me to have the people previously work for me to do some things. If you come to help me, at least, you won’t betray me, will you?”
Xia Ning shakes her head, “Aunt Zhou, don’t worry. I won’t do that to you. Junhao Group belongs to you. I have nothing to do with it. So, betrayal is an issue out of discussion for me.”
“You might not have anything to do with it in the past. But you have some now.” Aunt Zhou smiles. She takes out a contract, “Come on. Sign this contract. From now on, you will be my personal a.s.sistant.”
Looking at the ready contract, Xia Ning feels surprised. She finds that she falls into the “trap”.
She didn’t expect that Gu Luan would “sell” her.
“Aunt Zhou, Junhao Group is a big company. I am afraid that I may not be capable enough to help you.”
“You only need to stay with me and you will be helping me.” Zhou Mengyao pushes the contract to Xia Ning, “Don’t worry. Director Gu has agreed. This is only between us three. You are hired by me. They are not familiar with you and won’t be able to get any information from you. You stay with me during these days. My purpose is to warn those people to slow down. So that I can make some preparation.”
Xia Ning comes to understand that Aunt Zhou hires her to be a secretary because she wants to make some time for herself.
Every enterprise will need to make some important changes when it gets to some stages. Aunt Zhou’s worry is in fact quite comprehensible.
“I have to remind you of one thing, Ning.” Zhou Mengyao says in a serious voice, “Since you are in, you will be put in danger. I have to tell you clearly about this. I am selfish to make this arrangement. But it is up to you to make the decision. If you accept it, I will also arrange some people to protect you. Well. You may think it over first and reply to me tomorrow.”
Xia Ning quietly looks at the contract on the table. The words her mother-in-law said just now echo in her brain. Is she really going to combine with Aunt Zhou?
Xia Ning thinks for a while. She realizes that she also needs to mention something, “Aunt Zhou, my mother-in-law doesn’t like you. Just now, she called me to blame my combining with you to go against her. If I sign this contract, we are really going to combine together…”
“Your mother-in-law is right. You and I are really going to combine to go against her.”
Not expecting that Zhou Mengyao will admit directly, Xia Ning feels shocked.
“Ning, you may think further. Even if we don’t sign this contract, your mother-in-law will still believe that you are on my side. After all, your father-in-law and I have known each other for a long time. To your mother-in-law, I am the biggest threat. However, your father-in-law Yi Xian has been married with your-mother-in-law Zheng Yao for so many years. If they screw their marriage simply because I appear and do some unimportant things, it will only prove that there were cracks between them before. Even if I don’t show up here, there will be alienation in their affection.”
“Anyway, your father-in-law Yi Xian is an excellent man. How can he change his opinions just because of someone’s appearing?” Zhou Mengyao pauses and gets closer to Xia Ning. She says in a low voice word by word, “Unless it is arranged by your father-in-law, your mother-in-law alone can never find out Yi Xian’s secrets.”
Xia Ning feels shocked. If what Zhou Mengyao said is right, everything is just a plan of her father-in-law Yi Xian.
“Ning, your mother-in-law has some bias against you. No matter what you do, in her opinion, you will never become a qualified daughter-in-law. You have your own career and your own opinions. If you don’t feel guilty in your heart, why do you care about what other people say? You are really going to combine with me. So what? You can’t always stand in the position waiting for beating. Or, Rui will be worried about you.”
When Yi Yunrui is mentioned, Xia Ning feels her heart tightened. Aunt Zhou is right. No matter how she tries, her mother-in-law will not like her. In addition, if she quarrels with her mother-in-law, Rui will surely be worried about her…
Thinking about this, Xia Ning closes her eyes to take a deep breath. Yes, she needs to fight back. She needs to protect herself!
“OK. I agree, Aunt Zhou.”
Zhou Mengyao smiles and her lips curve, “Then, you may sign.”
“But, Aunt Zhou, my mother-in-law told me to go home by twelve tomorrow. So…”
“Well. That is great.” Zhou Mengyao takes out her phone and checks her agenda, “I need to go to B City later. We may go together.”
To go with Zhou Mengyao? That will drive her mother-in-law crazy.
Xia Ning is just going to respond when Zhou Mengyao holds her hand and says, “Ning, tell you a secret. Yi Yunrui asked me to look after you before he left for Beijing.”
Hearing this, Xia Ning feels surprised. Why doesn’t she know anything about that?
“If you don’t believe, you may check with him.”
They book the tickets for the flight at four in the afternoon. Xia Ning goes back home and starts to pack her luggage. Zhang Hai finds that Xia Ning is getting ready for a trip. He feels nervous at once, “Mrs. Yi, where are you going?”
“My mother-in-law told me to go to B City to deal with some issues. I have booked the ticket for the flight at four this afternoon.”
“Go back to B City?” Zhang Hai widens his eyes, “You go alone? No. I don’t think you should go.”
Xia Ning feels surprised to hear Zhang Hai’s words. She wonders why Zhang Hai also disagrees on her going home issue.
“Zhang, I am going to my husband’s home. Why do you disagree on that?”
“Aunt Zheng doesn’t treat you kindly. And the mayor of B City is Yin Tianyang, who is a great threat to you. Without the commander around, I think you’d better not go there. Commander told me to protect you before he left. I don’t allow anything to happen to you.”
Xia Ning smiles, “Don’t worry. My mother-in-law may be unkind to me, but she won’t hurt me. Mayor Yin won’t do anything at this time, either. So, don’t worry. In addition, isn’t my father-in-law at home? He likes me.”
Zhang Hai realizes that he can’t stop Xia Ning. He says helplessly, “Mrs. Yi, are you going alone? You may at least take someone with you. I think Jing Shu is a good option. She can fight.”
Xia Ning feels shocked, “I am going home. What am I taking so many people with me for?”
Zhang Hai fails to convince Xia Ning. He can’t but book the ticket at once. He is going with her.
It is funny that Zhang Hai and Xia Ning take the same flight. The difference is that Xia Ning and Zhou Mengyao sit in the first-cla.s.s seats while Zhang Hai sits on the economy-cla.s.s seat.
After they get off the plane, Zhou Mengyao has some other things to deal with. They separate. Zhang Hai insists on going with Xia Ning.
They take a taxi and go home. Once they enter the Yi Villa, Xia Ning finds something wrong at once.
The door is locked. She presses the doorbell for quite a while and no one comes to open the door.
It is surprising. Isn’t her mother-in-law at home? Where is Nanny Huang?
They wait for quite a while but no one comes to open the door. Xia Ning takes out the key and wants to open the door. But she finds that the old key doesn’t work.
As if something gives her a fierce scratch in her heart, Xia Ning turns a little pale.
“What’s wrong?” Zhang Hai is aware of the uneasiness on Xia Ning’s face. He asks at once, “Mrs. Yi, what’s wrong? Can’t you open the door? Do you want me to have a try?”
Xia Ning instinctively draws back her hand, “Maybe the lock is broken. I may call my mother-in-law first.”
Then, Xia Ning puts the key aside. She takes out her phone and dials her mother-in-law’s number.
“Mom, I come back. I am just out of the door. Would you open the door for me?”
Zheng Yao hangs up with no responses. Xia Ning feels sad. She finds that Zhang Hai is looking at her worriedly. She turns around at once and puts her phone aside.
Soon, Nanny Huang opens the door. Zhang Hai asks, “Nanny Huang, why didn’t anyone come to open the door? Mrs. Yi and I have been waiting here for quite a while.”
Nanny Huang murmurs, “Oh. I was cooking. I didn’t hear the bell. Sorry.”
Zhang Hai clearly notices the embarra.s.sment on Nanny Huang’s face. He feels more confused.
When they enter the house, they see Zheng Yao sitting in the living room. Xia Ning politely greets, “Mom, I come back. I go upstairs to put down my luggage first.”
“Wait a minute.” Zheng Yao responds coldly, “Your room is not upstairs. Nanny Huang, take her to another room.”
Xia Ning feels surprised to hear her words. Zhang Hai can’t help asking, “Aunt Zheng, that room belongs to Commander and Mrs. Yi. Why do you tell her to change the room?”
Zheng Yao darkens her face, “It is none of your business. Go out!”
Zheng Hai feels stuck. He feels angry in an instant. He wants to talk back but is stopped by Xia Ning, “Zhang, you go out. Go to find a good hotel. I will pay for that. Well. Do you bring enough cash with you? Do you need any money?”
Zhang Hai feels warm, “Mrs. Yi, don’t worry. I am an army man. I am fine to manage myself. But Mrs. Yi, please be careful. It doesn’t look right here.”
“She may at most says some bad words to me. There won’t be anything. I am sorry. You need to leave for now.”
Zhang Hai hesitates for a while. He grits his teeth and turns around to leave.
“Madam, this way please.” Nanny Huang leads the way.
That is to the rooms for guests to stay.
When the door is opened, Xia Ning sees the facilities inside. For an instant, Xia Ning feels that she doesn’t belong to the family.
Rui has gone to Beijing. At this critical moment, she should not cause any conflicts with other people. Or, Rui will be worried about her.
Xia Ning tries her best to calm down. She puts down the luggage. She takes a deep breath and then goes out as if nothing happens.
She goes back to the living room and sits down by Zheng Yao. She asks, “Mom, what do you tell me to come back for?”
Zheng Yao looks dismissively at Xia Ning, “Am I familiar with you? Don’t sit so closely to me!”
Xia Ning purse her lips and get a little away from Zheng Yao. Then she adjusts her gesture and waits for Zheng Yao to give her a lecture.
Nanny Huang brings the tea for her, “Madam, this is Pu’er tea with chrysanthemum. It is suitable for the hot summer. You may drink some.”
“Thank you, Nanny Huang.” Xia Ning takes up the tea for a sip. It is obvious warm tea, but it becomes cool in her throat and provides some flavor. It tastes very good.
Zheng Yao forcefully puts down the tea cup on the table. It cracks, which frightens Nanny Huang and Xia Ning.
“Nanny Huang, you may leave now. Don’t come to the living without my permission!”