Chapter 1626: Ning Shuqian at Her Wits’ End!
Ning Shuqian wasn’t a stupid person—she was even rather intelligent.
Over the past two years, Zhang Hui had been asking her for money intermittently. She didn’t dare to reject him, but this didn’t mean she didn’t have other plans.
She had secretly transferred part of her a.s.sets to an American account and kept some valuable jewelry in the safe at the bank, secretly keeping some wealth to herself.
However, Zhang Hui had acc.u.mulated huge sums of gambling debts and broke his arm while getting chased by debtors. Thus, he had tortured and pressurized her even more, threatening her to find a way to get him some money to settle his debts—otherwise, he would post her photos and videos online.
This made Ning Shuqian horribly terrified.
Now, she had been thoroughly abandoned by that person, as well as Wen Haowen, who had cheated on her. She only had the status of Madame Wen left. She couldn’t lose this. Otherwise, she would really have nothing left.
Thus, left without a choice, she could only fork out the money to settle Zhang Hui’s debts. However, even after taking account of all of her money and a huge portion of her jewelry, it still wasn’t enough to repay that huge amount of gambling debt.
She had no choice but to turn to Xia Ruya for help.
“Aunt Ning, why did you especially come over today?” Xia Ruya was slightly impatient.
At this point, Ning Shuqian was really of not much value to her.
It was just because Mr. Z didn’t clearly express that he had already abandoned Ning Shuqian, so it wasn’t good to burn the bridge.
Also, she wanted to understand and step into the entertainment city project, which would require Ning Shuqian’s a.s.sistance. Thus, although she was sick of Ning Shuqian, she still controlled her emotions.
Ning Shuqian looked at Xia Ruya with a complicated look in her eyes. “Ruya, be honest with me—did Mr. Z abandon me? Did you come back this time to replace me and thoroughly take over the entertainment city project?”
Xia Ruya—
This name had been stuck with her since she was brought back to the Wen Family.
She held an expensive British porcelain dish elegantly as she gracefully sipped the floral tea in the teacup, exuding an exquisite cla.s.s all over. The Xia Ruya now had gotten rid of her awkward ident.i.ty as the illegitimate daughter of the Xia Family and the burden of being the foster daughter of the Wen Family. She was no longer that haggard homeless dog who’d fled the Capital city previously.
But from the Li Family of the Harbor City, Mr. Z’s most entrusted person.
She was living a life a notch more superior than that when she was at the Wen Family previously.
In contrast, Ning Shuqian was no longer that elegant and cla.s.sy Madam Wen then. Wen Haowen had grown tired of her, Mr. Z had abandoned her, Zhang Hui was pestering her incessantly, and Ning Yuya was degenerating endlessly. She had gone to the haggard side.
She had too much resentment in her heart.
Xia Ruya frowned slightly and said, “Aunt Ning, I’ve already told you previously that as long as you serve Mr. Z wholeheartedly, Mr. Z won’t abandon you. After all, you’ve been driving the entertainment city project for many years and you’re still very much needed for this project.”
With the completion of the entertainment city project nearing, Mr. Z definitely had his reasons for keeping Ning Shuqian. Thus, she could only patiently console her.
Ning Shuqian was rather suspicious and didn’t believe her. “Ruya, if that’s really the case, why hasn’t Mr. Z contacted me in such a long time? Regarding the entertainment city project, he has also stopped asking about it like before?”
At this point, she had really reached her wits’ end!
However, she still had a glimmer of hope that Mr. Z had yet to completely abandon her.
That was why she had asked such questions in front of Xia Ruya.
Xia Ruya said gently, “Indeed. Mr. Z wanted me to step into the entertainment city project. However, think carefully—based on my ident.i.ty, it’s totally impossible for me to take over this project completely. You know more clearly than me just how much effort Mr. Z had put into the entertainment city project. Seeing that this project is about to be completed, for added security, Mr. Z has asked me to a.s.sist you. My main mission for my return this time is regarding T-K Corporation’s acquisition plan.”
Obviously, Ning Shuqian wasn’t easily fooled this time. Although Xia Ruya’s words were only partly true, they were facts.
Ning Shuqian pleaded with her. “Ruya, I know that Mr. Z trusts you very much. On the account of our relations.h.i.+p over so many years, please put in a few good words for me in front of Mr. Z!”
She thought about Xia Ruya’s words carefully and felt that she made sense.
Xia Ruya had never taken part in the Wen Corporation’s entertainment city project and wouldn’t be able to step in at all.
Xia Ruya looked at Ning Shuqian’s old and deformed face as a tinge of distaste flashed past her eyes. “Aunt Ning, don’t worry. I still remember that it was also due to your help then that I had the fortune of knowing Mr. Z.”
Indeed, she wouldn’t give up on Ning Shuqian easily.
After all, the enemy of your enemy was your friend!
Ning Shuqian hated Wen Xinya!
It was better for Wen Xinya to have one more enemy!
Perhaps, when dealing with Wen Xinya in the future, Ning Shuqian could come into good use.
A glimmer of hope arose in Ning Shuqian’s heart. She held Xia Ruya’s hope in agitation. “Ruya, thank you for being willing to help me like this.”
Regardless of whether Xia Ruya was telling the truth, she had decided to get into Xia Ruya’s good books for the time being—she couldn’t burn the bridge with her.
Xia Ruya patted her hand as a sign of consolation and then smoothly removed her hand that was being held by her, pretending to accidentally spill some tea on her hand, retrieved her pure white silk handkerchief, intently cleaned her hand gently, and threw the silk handkerchief into the bin.
Ning Shuqian looked at Xia Ruya with slightly avoidant eyes, finding it difficult to speak. “Ruya, can I beg you for something? Can you…”
Zhang Hui was pressing too hard on her. She had no choice but to do this.
Xia Ruya lifted her teacup, covering the silky coldness in her eyes and her impatience, not replying.
Ning Shuqian felt even more awkward now. However, she had no choice but to take a deep breath and said shamelessly, “Ruya, can you lend me some money?” Saying which, she looked down and secretly wiped her eyes. “Yuya got addicted to drugs six years ago. I’ve tried means and ways to help her quit without any success. Over the years, her drug addiction worsened and she often frequented those questionable places and even often got into trouble. I…”
Xia Ruya knew about Yuya’s matters. She interrupted her, asking, “How much?”
To Xia Ruya, money was just a number. It didn’t hurt her at all to lend money to Ning Shuqian.
However, Ning Shuqian was very wealthy. Even if Ning Yuya was taking drugs, she shouldn’t be borrowing money from her. Also, Ning Shuqian was prideful and wasn’t the sort of person who would borrow money from others. There must be something she didn’t know.
Perhaps she should check on Ning Shuqian.
Seeing that she took it so well, Ning Shuqian couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief and said, “Five million yuan!”
Xia Ruya retrieved a check from her bag on the spot, filled it out for six million yuan, and pa.s.sed it to her.