Chapter 79: What a Nice Term, Calling Me Sister
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
“Ah, Ning Qing!” Xia Xiaofu could see everything clearly from her angle. She stood up from a rattan chair and screamed, “There are real bullets inside!”
Ning Qing felt as if her feet were made of lead. Her black and white eyes were so focused on the rapidly approaching bullet that she forgot to respond.
The entire crew was shocked. These guns were fake. The sounds of gunshots were added and edited in post-production. No one had expected that there would be a real gun.
The bullet was flying at a speed of 856 meters per second.
Ning Qing was 10 meters away. It would only take a split second before the bullet hit her.
Time slowed as the studio became so quiet; a pin drop could be heard.
Hence, Xia Xiaofu saw that in that entire room, only a single man as moving. The figure in army green jumped directly onto the round table in front with a stretch of his long legs as he leapt forward.
There were too many extra actors in this chaotic scene. His black military boots stepped on the heads of those people so lightly, not a cry of pain could be heard. He closed in on Ning Qing so fast, throwing his military cap off his head like a cold blade and out of the sheath with one hand.
The weightless cap actually flew toward the bullet with a strong gust of wind.
And the teenager landed with his right knee on the ground, his left palm supporting himself, panting.
Ning Qing felt that her heart had stopped beating, the cap flying in mid-air was shot through by the bullet, but at the same time, the bullet was deflected and whizzed through the tip of her hair.
With a bang, the bullet pa.s.sed through the wall.
She had escaped death.
“Ning Qing!” Xiao Zhou screamed and rushed forward to help Ning Qing, who was about to collapse.
The crew looked at Ou Luoxi, who was still half kneeling on the ground, in shock. He had a martial arts background and was fast enough to be invisible, and could deflect bullets with his bare hands.
However, at this time, Ou Luoxi’s blood vessels bulged at his neck, his handsome face that was as beautiful as a sculpture was tense. The young boy had evolved into a man. Under the light, his jawline was as sharp and firm as a carving. He didn’t have time to wipe the cold light from his gaze. He was simply too handsome like this.
“Some…somebody help, they’ve fainted.” This time, the little girls outside the studio had fainted.
“Sister Fu, are you alright?” Xiao Li bent down and asked Xia Xiaofu as she slumped down in the rattan chair behind her. She didn’t hear her clearly. She placed her little hand over her heart, which was thumping violently.
She glanced up and looked at the teenager secretly, and she heard the sound of flowers blooming.
“What happened? Who can explain to me why any of these guns would be loaded? The props team… What do you do for a living? Didn’t you check the guns carefully before filming? How could this accident happen?” Director w.a.n.g roared with a bad temper.
The team leader of the props team trembled as he came forward, full of fear. “Director w.a.n.g, I really did check the props. I don’t know where the bullet came from.”
Director w.a.n.g was about to continue shouting when Ning Qing came forward and said, “Director w.a.n.g, this is a life-threatening matter, the team leader would never play this joke, so I think that the team leader had nothing to do with this. But this matter was very strange. There are too many extra actors and actresses on the scene and it’s so hectic that it would be difficult to check for fingerprints on the gun. Our drama is about to wrap up and it’s not good to have negative news about us. I suggest containing the spread of this news then making a report to the police in secret and collecting evidence. Then we can catch the real perpetrator.”
The first thing to do when facing a problem was to a.n.a.lyze calmly. Director w.a.n.g gave Ning Qing an appraising look.
Director w.a.n.g looked at Ou Luoxi who was walking towards them and asked, “Luoxi, do you agree with Ning Qing’s method?”
Ou Luoxi was still expressionless as he nodded and said, “Yes.”
With the consent of the two parties, Director w.a.n.g ordered his men to take care of the matter.
…
After two more scenes had been filmed in the morning., Ning Qing and Xia Xiaofu had agreed to have lunch together, but Xiao Zhou brought an iPad that contained very bad news.
“Ning Qing, something has happened to your mother.”
Ning Qing’s heart clenched as she quickly took the iPad and looked at the latest news of the morning.
“Ning Qing, these are photographs secretly taken by reporters. This morning, Li Meiling went to the hospital to visit your mother. Your mother reached her hand and gave her a slap in the face. The internet is fighting over it furiously, no matter which side they stand on, Li Meiling had obviously succeeded in bringing your mother into the whirlpool of public opinion.”
Ning Qing looked through the photos, which showed Li Meiling in tears, acting pitiful in front of her mother, like a little daughter-in-law who had suffered a lot of abuse.
And Mom’s eyes were resolute; that slap had been full of anger and strength.
Ning Qing’s mouth curved in a sneer, Li Meiling had finally begun to fight back. In Xu Junxi’s words, what an actress!
But out of all the things that Li Meiling shouldn’t do. She shouldn’t have involved her mother. She’ll make her regret this!
“Ning Qing, I just heard that Li Meiling has announced to the public that she will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. this afternoon to formally explain and clarify all the rumors.”
4 p.m., looks like Li Meiling couldn’t wait anymore.
Ning Qing took out her phone and called Xia Xiaofu. She explained that she could not go for lunch with her as something had come up. Xia Xiaofu expressed her understanding and said that they’d just meet next time.
After putting her phone away, Ning Qing walked forward. “Xiao Zhou, book me a ticket, I want to fly to T city.”
“Ning Qing, are we going to attend Li Meiling’s press conference?”
“Of course. Didn’t Li Meiling set the time at 4:00 p.m just so that I can go back and watch? Well then, I’ll gladly go. I’d like to see how her clever tongue can confound right and wrong.
…
Ning Qing arrived in T city at 3:30 p.m.
Ning Qing took out her phone and found Lu Shaoming’s number after she’d stepped out of the airport. He had told her to call him before taking any action.
“h.e.l.lo.” A clear, rich, gentle, and pleasant voice sounded at the other end after the phone rang once.
“h.e.l.lo, Shaoming,” Ning Qing roughly filled him in on what had happened in the hospital that morning, “So I’m going to attend Li Meiling’s press conference now. I’m going to tear her apart.”
“Alright,” the man at the other end said softly, lowering his eyebrows as he spoke. “Are you ready?”
“Of course, I’m ready. I’m on the side of justice; evil will never suppress justice.” Ning Qing’s autumn pupils sparkled with confidence and determination.
“Did you say Mom slapped Li Meiling?”
“Yes, Mom’s character is very gentle. Li Meiling must have said something very ugly to agitate her, and then mom must have fallen into her trap and slapped her to then be photographed by reporters.”
The other end was silent for three seconds. He must be in a very quiet place. Every syllable he uttered was laced with the gentleness that he usually treated her with but was also strong enough to really hit her. “Mom’s ward is guarded by bodyguards. Li Meiling can’t get in, so Mom must have sent her bodyguards away and went to meet Li Meiling in private.”
Ning Qing had a feeling that there was more to his words. “Shaoming, what do you want to say?”
“What I want to say is that Li Meiling had specially gone to the hospital to see Mom before the press conference. Obviously, she wanted to involve your mother. Li Meiling set press conference at 4 o’clock, giving you enough time to fly back to T city to tear her up. Li Meiling thought that she had the winning ticket. Mother’s behavior was a bit abnormal. If I’m not wrong, there is a secret between Mother and Li Meiling. This secret is Li Meiling’s biggest trump card.
Ning Qing was stunned. She hadn’t thought about that.
In her mind, Mom was always so gentle and virtuous. Everything was all Li Meiling’s fault and mother had always been the innocent injured party.
She had never considered that her mother would have so-called secrets.
After only listening to her brief words in such a short time, the man at the other end had objectively and calmly a.n.a.lyzed the entire thing and had given the wisest and sharp guess.
That was how this man could make her admire and trust him.
“President Lu, it’s almost time for you to give your speech…” A pleasant female voice suddenly sounded at the other end.
But the female voice stopped abruptly, she must’ve been waved away mid sentence.
Ning Qing felt guilty. “Shaoming, are you in a meeting? Sorry, I’m not calling at the right time. You go in. I’ll call you again in the evening.”
“Alright,” said the man, laughing lazily and enticingly. “Didn’t you want to be independent? Then go to the press conference. There will be many challenges in life, we must learn to face them. That’s it, bye.”
The man hung up.
Listening to the busy dial tone, Ning Qing bit her cherry red lips with her pearl white teeth. How could he just hang up like that?
To be fair, she was the one who had asked him to hang up.
He had said, “Didn’t you want to be independent?” This was what she had told him when she flew to Shanghai to shoot for a drama half a month. At that time, he had promised her solemnly, but his tone was obviously laced with a slight hint of disapproval just now.
He was laughing at her!
How could he do that? Yes, she was as childish as a blank sheet of paper in front of him, but she was only 21 years old. He had to let her grow up slowly.
Ning Qing stomped her feet in embarra.s.sment, but she could not stop the corners of her lips from curving up.
His words always carried the straightforward decisiveness that was clean cut, which was so attractive.
The key was that his light smile was so indulgent as if she were his little girl.
Whoops, this feeling of “Father” came again.
Sobs. This is so embarra.s.sing.
…
Ning Qing went to the hospital to see her mother first.
There were bodyguards outside the door of the ward and professional nurses on duty inside. They hadn’t seen each other for half a month. Dr. Luo had said that her mother was recovering well and could soon be discharged from the hospital.
During her absence, Lu Shaoming had given her mother the best care.
Yue Wanqing was leaning on the bed, deep in thought when Ning Qing pushed the door open. Yue Wanqing looked good, but she was frowning as if her heart was heavy.
“Mom.” Ning Qing went in.
“Qingqing, you’re back?” Yue Wanqing was delighted as she held her daughter’s little hand.
Ning Qing sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around her mother’s shoulder. “Mom, what did Li Meiling say to you today? Why did you slap her face?”
“She said a lot. She said that she’d started her affair with your father 20 years ago and said that I was silly for always regarding her as a good sister. It would have been alright if she had just talked about me. She also scolded you for being the same as me, treating Ning Yao as your sister, and finally losing your fiance. Qingqing, why didn’t you tell Mom that you and Xu Junxi were engaged?”
“Mom.” Ning Qing rested her head on her mother’s shoulder, whispering to her, “The man who could act like that has no place in our family. I’m already married to Shaoming now; why mention that Xu Junxi.”
Yue Wanqing was relieved to see that her daughter had really forgotten about the past. She nodded her head with relief. “Shaoming is really a good boy. He had spent almost every day this month chatting with me. I told him about your childhood. Every expression of his indicates to me that he likes you.”
“Mom,” Ning Qing replied, with a shy and sweet smile on her little face as if she had smeared honey on her heart. “Don’t talk about everything with him. When I was a child, I didn’t know anything. He’d laugh at me if you were to tell him something embarra.s.sing about me.”
“You have the heart of a petty girl. Shaoming was very happy and he always listens carefully. Don’t think ill of him.”
There it is. She hadn’t been here for even half a month and her mother’s heart had totally deviated towards her son-in-law.
However, the 30-year-old man’s speech and manners were indeed gracious, and his elegance cultured manner, and cultivation from n.o.bility were impeccably perfect. Men like him are impressive to her mother’s generation.
Of course, a little girl like her likes it too.
But my mother didn’t know that the man was so bad when he was with her.
He would bully her, hooking his rough big palms around her to restrict her from moving. His unfathomable eyes would look at her, very evil, s.e.xy and charming, telling her his desires with his eyes.
She didn’t know how to refuse him when he was like that at all.
Men of his status would also have times when he would try to suppress his panting, biting her, uncontrollably and spewing words that would make her blush…
Ning Qing blushed and forcibly threw the man off her mind. She asked her mother, “Mom, what else did Li Meiling say to you today?”
She did not know how to ask about the “secret” that Lu Shaoming had suggested.
“Yes, Li Meiling said that she would hold a press conference at 4 p.m. this afternoon. Qingqing, please take me there with you, I want to see what she has to say.”
“Mom…” Ning Qing didn’t want her mother to take part in this too much.
“Qingqing, Mom has the right to know about this matter. My 25-year marriage with your father and 22-year sisterhood with Li Meiling has made me a fool, but I want to live without being in the dark for once.”
…
Ning Qing took Yue Wanqing to the press conference and opened the door. Reporters filled the room and both Li Meiling and Ning Yao were there.
Ning Qing glanced around and saw that Xu Junxi was absent.
Looking at Ning Yao’s fiery eyes, Ning Qing knew that she must have suffered losses and grievances with the Xu family. Otherwise, how could Xu Junxi not come and support the mother-daughter pair on such an important occasion?
“Miss Ning, Aunt Ning, here you are. Please say a few words.” Reporters flocked towards them upon seeing them.
But these reporters were blocked by bodyguards, keeping them at a meter’s distance. To ensure her safety, Yue Wanqing sat in a wheelchair, Xiao Zhou pushed the wheelchair, and Ning Qing stood beside her mother.
“Sister,” said Li Meiling, with tears of joy and guilt on her face as she walked over. “Sister, you are finally willing to listen to my explanation.”
Hmph. Explanation?
Ning Qing wanted to speak.
But her slender arm was pulled by Yue Wanqing. Yue Wanqing laughed desolately as she said. “What a nice term, calling me sister. I’m here today to let everyone witness our sisterly love.”
“Women who sang operas in the 1990s were also the lowest-ranking women in society at that time…”