Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Li Ying heard this, she stepped forward to criticize Nan Zhi. “You still say that you didn’t do anything? Zhen’er is the most honest servant in the Qiao family’s castle. We all know her character very well. She would never lie!”
Madam Qiao frowned.
Li Ying was right. Honest Zhen’er would not wrongly accuse people.
But Madam Qiao did not believe Nan Yao.
Madam Qiao looked at Zhen’er sharply. “Zhen’er are you telling the truth?”
Zhen’er’s legs turned weak and she knelt on the ground, shaking her head with tears rolling down her face. “Madam, I’m telling the truth.”
“Sister, with Zhen’er’s testimony, do you still not believe that Nan Zhi intentionally retaliated against Nan Yao? She’s trying to kill our Pei family’s descendant! You can’t let such a vicious woman like this stay in the Qiao family!”
Madam Qiao looked at Nan Zhi. “Zhizhi, I want to hear what you have to say. Did you push Nan Yao?”
“No.”
“You’re still denying it?” Li Ying wanted to skin Nan Zhi alive. “Would Yaoyao have jumped into the lake herself?”
Nan Zhi smiled faintly and was calm as a placid lake on a winter’s day. “Why not?”
Nan Yao shook her head, tears falling. “Nan Zhi, I have Zhen’er to testify for me. Do you have anyone to testify for you? Why don’t you admit that you’re trying to harm me?”
“Why should she admit what she hadn’t done?” A tall figure came out from behind the big tree by the lake.
Seeing Qiao Yanze’s appearance, Nan Yao felt terrible.
Why were all the people she was interested in all so good towards Nan Zhi? And she ended up having a child of a fool?
“Yanze, don’t be charmed by that vixen Nan Zhi. Although she’s your niece, she has not lived with you from young. You don’t even know her character at all!”
Qiao Yanze came out to the crowd and took out the digital video camera in his hand. “What a coincidence. I was taking a video for Zhizhi by the lakeside and Nan Yao was like a mad dog running out to bite people. I’ve recorded everything.”
When Nan Yao heard this, her face paled.
Zhen’er who was kneeling on the ground started to tremble and she kept kowtowing to Madam Qiao, her head smashing against the ground. “Madam, I am wrong. Nan Yao threatened me because my mother fell sick after retiring and needed a large amount of money, but the butler refused to lend me the money. So I secretly stole your wild ginseng to sell and was seen by Nan Yao…”
Nan Yao’s lips trembled. “Zhen’er, you…” Before Nan Yao could finish, Li Ying, who had finished watching the video, slapped Nan Yao hard.
“Slut, how dare you jump into the lake yourself! Do you want to get rid of my grandson?” Li Ying’s face was red with anger and she slapped Nan Yao again.
Nan Yao never thought that Nan Zhi would ask Qiao Yanze to take a video of everything behind the tree.
Nan Zhi saw through Nan Yao’s doubts. She came up to her, looking at the red and swollen cheeks slapped by Li Ying, a small smile on her face. “Since I entered the castle, you have been looking at me with evil intentions. During the meal, when Li Ying mentioned that you were pregnant, you gripped your spoon tightly, looking indignant but could only hold it down. From what I understand of you, you must have hated the child. You set me up before during your last pregnancy, so I felt that you would do it another time…”
Nan Yao only reacted after a while and she glared at Nan Zhi with red eyes. “After the meal, you deliberately said that you were full and wanted to go for a walk, in fact, you wanted to lure me over, didn’t you?”
“You wanted to use my hand to make you miscarry, of course I would choose a good spot for you.”
Nan Yao got up from the ground and rushed towards Nan Zhi with a frightening expression. “You slut!”
Qiao Yanze asked the servant to hold Nan Yao and said coldly, “Mom, I planned to let Sister and Zhizhi move back home, but there are too many outsiders in the house. It’s time for you to make a decision.”
Li Ying heard Qiao Yanze’s words and she reeled back as if he had slapped her. “Yanze, this was Nan Yao’s fault and I’ll teach her a good lesson. I’m your aunt, how could I be an outsider?” Then Li Ying looked at Madam Qiao. “Sister, you can’t ignore your brother and sister-in-law just because you have your daughter back!”
Madam Qiao rubbed her throbbing temples. “Didn’t you have a place in the Capital? Move back to your own villa. I’m getting old, the things in the castle will be overseen by Yanze.”
Li Ying fell to the ground with an ashen face. She finally got to live in the castle but because of Nan Yao, she was being kicked out.
How could she face the upper class society in the future? Li Ying slapped Nan Yao roughly twice on the face.
Nan Yao fell to the ground, her tears flowing out from the pain.
She was hateful but she was powerless to do anything.
…
Time flew by.
Three months had passed in a twinkling of an eye.
Qiao Yanze helped Nan Zhi and An Feng with the migration procedures and both mother and daughter were living in the castle.
Because Nan Zhi would think of Mu Sihan from time to time and worry about his safety on the battlefield, Qiao Yanze did not want her to think too much and arranged for her to work for the Capital Satellite Broadcasting Station.
He originally wanted her to be an anchor, but she insisted on depending on herself and so he did not force her.
Entering again into a new working environment, and it was because of connections, there was much gossip and many also questioned her ability.
But Nan Zhi was not a newcomer in the workforce. She was able to find ways to solve these problems.
She joined the military channel and started out by being a reporter.
Every day, she had to pay attention to the situation at the Yukou border, but there were few reports from the front line. She only knew where the bombings were and how many soldiers had died.
There had not been any news about Mu Sihan, but to Nan Zhi, no news was good news.
It was proof that he was still safe.
That day, Nan Zhi was sorting out her manuscripts before leaving work when suddenly, a colleague ran over and said excitedly, “I heard that Yukou border and the neighbouring countries have ceased fighting. The two sides are going to sign an alliance treaty of peace! There’s going to be a batch of wounded soldiers coming back tonight.”
The tight feeling in Nan Zhi’s heart finally relaxed and the fingers typing on the keyboard curled slightly.
The war was finally over, would he be back soon?
“Nan Zhi, come with me to report live when the wounded soldiers are back.”
Nan Zhi nodded. “Okay.”
…
7.30 p.m.
Several helicopters, accompanied by roaring wind, landed at the military hospital entrance.
Nan Zhi was reporting in front of the camera.
She watched as the wounded soldiers being carried into the hospital, some had their arms broken, some their legs, some their eyes… And Nan Zhi’s heart tightened.
The last soldier being carried down was a familiar face to Nan Zhi.
Bo Yan.
He seemed to have injured his arms and legs.
