Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Indeed, the bodyguard then brought Jin Bao’er over to them. Although Jin Bao’er was struggling and resisting with all her might, there was nothing she could do since she was small and weak.
Shi Shaochuan turned around furiously to hold his daughter’s hand before returning to their seats. Noticing that her father was upset, Jin Bao’er lowered her head and said, “Daddy, I followed your instructions and remained inside the Ladies’ throughout, but that uncle dragged me out. I didn’t want to follow him.”
“I don’t blame you.” Shi Shaochuan then whispered into her ear again before saying, “Got it?”
“Yes.”
When it was time to toast to the guests at Shi Shaochuan’s table, Jin Bao’er addressed Jin Qingyue as her mother loudly before bawling and wailing, greatly catching the attention of all the other guests.
Although Jin Qingyue had already mentally prepared herself for trouble, she was nonetheless infuriated.
“Mommy, you don’t want me anymore, do you!?!” Jin Bao’er exclaimed.
“Of course not, but what can I do if you’re not willing to stay with me?” said Jin Qingyue, remaining composed. She wiped her daughter’s tears and continued, “Don’t cry, baby. You won’t look pretty anymore if you keep crying.”
“Mommy, you…”
Before she could even finish speaking, Jin Qingyue gently covered her mouth and said softly, “Mommy has a gift for you.”
Jin Qingyue then struggled to pick her daughter up in her arms before scurrying away hurriedly.
Ling Ciye looked at Shi Shaochuan with a smile and said, “Here, let me toast to you.”
Shi Shaochuan clinked glasses with him. Although they were both smiling, they were, in fact, cursing at each other deep down.
There were no mishaps or slip-ups throughout the wedding, and everything seemed to be in Ling Ciye’s control.
News of their wedding had caused the knotty situation that Jin Qingyue was embroiled in with Shi Shaochuan to be overturned, which was also Ling Ciye’s ultimate motive.
Shi Shaochuan had initially wanted to use his daughter to make a fool out of the newlyweds. Yet, not only did his plan backfire, he was even used by Ling Ciye!
——
Although An Xiaoning did not attend their wedding, she nonetheless gave them a huge red packet as their wedding gift. After all, it was only appropriate to make sure they receive her gift despite her absence.
It would be the New Year tomorrow.
An Xiaoning assigned her subordinates to perform some errands in preparation for ushering in the new year.
They were each given a title.
Everyone gathered together to make some dumplings while An Xiaoning lay on the couch quietly to read a book and listen to their chatty conversations.
She felt like her team of subordinates was just like a family. They seemed to be much more optimistic about life and often had smiles on their faces, now that they had broken free from slavery and human trafficking.
They began boiling the dumplings after they were done wrapping them and served the first bowl of fresh dumplings to An Xiaoning.
“Sis, give it a try and tell us your opinion,” said No. 14, handing her the bowl of piping-hot dumplings.
She sat up straight and put her book aside before taking the bowl from his hands. “I bet it’s going to be delicious. Let me try it,” she said with a smile.
She picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and placed it inside her mouth. “It’s pretty good.”
No. 14 smiled and said, “I’ll scoop you another bowl after you finish this one, Sis.”
“I can’t finish so many dumplings. One bowl is enough for me,” said An Xiaoning, sitting cross-legged on the couch.
Just as she finished the last dumpling, No. 7 scrambled in frantically with a look of terror. “Bad news, Sis. That woman is here again with a huge bunch of people!” he reported anxiously.
A grave expression formed on An Xiaoning’s face as she put on her slippers and rose from her seat. “So what if she’s here? What are you worried about?”
“No, Sis, she’s here with a lot of gangsters.”
An Xiaoning whipped her phone out and quickly dialed the police station’s number. “Hello, is Ma Jianguo in?”
“Ah… Xiaoning!?!” Ma Jianguo exclaimed in shock and took a look at the caller display before continuing, “You’re still alive!?!”
“Duh, do you think a ghost called you otherwise? Are you in the police station now?”
“No…”
“There’s a bunch of gangsters from the triads crowding my doorstep in Sanqiao Estate. Please contact Chief Pan and help me settle this.”
“Why don’t you call Chief directly?”
“I don’t have time, hurry!” She hung up immediately.
She chucked her mobile phone inside her pocket, pulled the zipper, and walked outside while all her subordinates followed closely behind.
She opened the door slowly to see that there were twenty-odd gangsters standing by the entrance, along with five cars.
Each and every one of them was holding a steel rod in their hands. An Xiaoning looked up at the shell-shocked Sister Zhang and said, “It’s New Year’s Eve, what brings you and your men to my doorstep on such an occasion, Ms. Zhang?”
“You’re still alive?”
Raising her chin slightly, An Xiaoning quipped, “Are you very disappointed? Ms. Zhang, you and I barely know each other. Even if you’re a gang leader, we still have to follow the rules. I’m not selling my person back to you. Just what are you trying to do by showing up here time and time again? Are you trying to bully my people just because I wasn’t around?”
“You’re the one who doesn’t know any better. I’m willing to pay such a high price to buy him back. His absence won’t make a difference to you anyway. I only resorted to this because I didn’t have another option. Like what I said before, name your price. I hope you’ll consider it carefully,” said Sister Zhang, taking a puff out of her cigarette.
An Xiaoning turned around to look at No. 8, who was visibly frightened and intimidated.
“Don’t worry,” she said to him softly.
“Thank you,” No. 8 said with a look of immense gratitude.
A sullen expression formed on Sister Zhang’s face upon the sight of their exchange. She glared at An Xiaoning and sneered, “Ms. An, you’re really different from others, huh? Why? Have you gotten sick of toying with outstanding men like Jin Qingyan and Gu Beicheng, such that you’ve resorted to toying with a slave? Or did you decided to buy so many men at once because two aren’t enough to satisfy your needs in bed?”
“Shut your trap! Who are you to insult our master? Mind your words!” No. 8 hollered in exasperation.
“Rip her mouth into shreds!”
“Exactly, she’s going overboard!”
An Xiaoning motioned for them to stop. “Hush.”
Just as they quietened down, Sister Zhang scoffed and said, “Yun Chen, you’re such a shameless wimp. You’re just her lapdog.”
An Xiaoning interjected, “Talking to you would be an insult to my intelligence. Did you drink so much alcohol that your brains got fried? It has nothing to do with you whether or not he’s a lapdog. You’re just a toad lusting for men. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. Even the best beauty salon in the world can’t save your face. How dare you come out here and provoke me, you vicious wretch? Who do you think you are? Do you really think you’re in any place to buy my subordinate?”
“Seems like you’re asking for a hard time.” Sister Zhang threw her cigarette onto the ground and snubbed it with her feet. She then waved at the bunch of gangsters behind her, after which the tall and burly men began approaching An Xiaoning.
Remaining calm and composed, An Xiaoning swiftly pulled a rope out from her waist and cast it toward Sister Zhang. The rope coiled itself around the latter’s neck in no time.
An Xiaoning tugged it forcefully, pulling Sister Zhang toward her.
The gangsters immediately stopped in their tracks.
