The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 752 - 751: Not Getting a Divorce

Chapter 752: Chapter 751: Not Getting a Divorce

Facing Ning Yuan’s self-deprecation, Father Ning infuriated him with a light remark.

"People not fancying you is normal, just make sure they fancy the Ning Family."

"Forget it, I won’t divorce!"

He left, fuming, after dropping that line.

Yan Jing watched her husband, "Is this your own idea, or is it from the main family?"

Ning Wenqian: "Does it make any difference?"

"Haven’t you heard, wrecking someone’s family gets you struck by lightning? Besides, he’s your own son, can you really bear to let Manman and Enbao lose their real mom?"

Ning Wenqian said, "I just casually mentioned it, I didn’t force him, whether to divorce or not is up to him."

Yan Jing got up without bothering with further words and went upstairs.

Ning Wenqian looked at her graceful retreating figure, "Help me run a bath, I’d like to soak."

"You’ll sleep in the guest room tonight."

"Why?"

"I don’t want to see your face, it’s irritating."

"..."

"Mommy, I want Mommy! Why hasn’t mommy come back yet?"

When Ning Yuan returned home, he heard the children’s clamoring from upstairs the moment he walked in.

Over the years, Zhuang Xueqi had always taken care of the twins, taking them everywhere she went, and if she couldn’t have them by her side, she would do her best to soothe them before leaving.

But today she left hastily, without leaving a word, naturally, the children were not pleased.

Ning Yuan ran upstairs to calm them, but failing to do so, he had to call Zhuang Xueqi.

"When will you be back, Manman and Enbao are making a fuss wanting to see you."

"I understand."

Or...

Before he could finish asking if she wanted him to pick her up, the call was hung up, and when he tried calling back, the line was busy.

Ning Yuan had no choice but to throw down the phone and jump onto the bed to comfort the children.

"There, there, stop crying, your mom said she’ll be right back."

His brother Ning Yanqing blinked his tearful large eyes, "Really?"

"Of course, why would daddy lie to you."

Ning Yanqing wiped his eyes, pouting, "Then swear it, if you’re lying, then you don’t have a ’pee-pee’."

"Pah, don’t curse me, how do you think you came to be if I didn’t have that thing?"

His sister Ning Yanxi spoke crisply, "Mommy said, we were picked up by her from the hospital."

"She’s bullsh..."

Catching himself in front of the children, he forcefully swallowed his words, "She’s fooling you, you were both born to her and me together."

"Then how did you and mommy make us?"

The curiosity of children is endless.

"Just by lying in bed and sleeping."

"Ah, if my sister and I sleep in the same bed, will we also make a baby?"

"No, you won’t."

"Why not?"

Exhausted to the bone, he finally managed to coax the two children to sleep.

Man, I’m truly beat.

Collapsing on the sofa, Ning Yuan grew more convinced that he couldn’t divorce: if he really did, he’d have to soothe the kids every day, they’d run him ragged.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to divorce, but for the sake of the two children.

"Hey Yan Yi, you think I’m great, right? For the kids, I suffer and sacrifice my own freedom and happiness."

In Yan Yi’s place, Ning Yuan swilled his glass, his face oozing a "praise me" smugness:

"Even if I were to divorce, it wouldn’t be now, I’m not that low to kick someone when they’re down. Besides, even though the Zhuang Family has been severely weakened by this air crash incident, they still have their roots intact, right?"

Yan Yi looked at him, "The situation isn’t as simple as you think."

Those who do big business seldom have clean slates.

Especially under the current national situation, to manage a business to a certain height, having brains and ability alone is far from enough; background is critical.

Years ago, Zhuang Shiqing had made connections with a high-profile leader, and in recent years, his influence had surged.

Now, the ship led by this prominent leader was showing signs of capsizing, and Zhuang Shiqing, who was on the same boat, naturally found it difficult to extricate himself.

Yan Yi sipped his drink and said, "Even without this accident, the Zhuang Family being held to account was just a matter of the past one or two years."

Though Ning Yuan was extravagant, he was not a fool ignorant of worldly affairs.

"Isn’t there any other way? If it comes down to it, we can abandon our domestic business and go overseas."

Yan Yi said, "If it were just a matter of money, the Ning Family would naturally not stand idly by."

...

Zhuang Family.

As new information about the accident flooded in, the entire Zhuang Family seemed to be engulfed in a dark cloud, so oppressive it left people gasping for air.

"Tick tock tick tock."

Seeing the clock strike twelve, Zhuang Xueqi, who was worried about her children, stood up: "Dad, I’m heading back. Let me know immediately if there’s any news."

Zhuang Shiqing said, "I’ll see you out."

"No need."

Zhuang Shiqing acted as if he hadn’t heard and walked towards the front gate on his own.

Seeing this, Zhuang Xueqi no longer said anything and followed with her bag in hand.

"Xueqi."

As they reached the front of the garage, Zhuang Shiqing called for her.

Zhuang Xueqi turned around and, through the blurry night, was shocked to see that the other’s temples had gained many more streaks of gray.

"Live your life well with Ning Yuan. From now on, the future of this family depends on you. Take good care of your mother and Xiao Xu."

"Dad!"

The unease in Zhuang Xueqi’s heart was even denser than the darkness above.

But Zhuang Shiqing, unwilling to say more, turned back and left.

Even an outsider like Yan Yi could see the Zhuang Family’s dire state; how could he, the family pillar, not foresee his own end?

She returned to Mingyuan, her mind unsettled.

Seeing lights still on in the main building, Zhuang Xueqi walked over.

"Dad, you’re still up?"

Watching Zhuang Xueqi approach the living room step by careful step, Ning Wenqian nodded slightly, "Hmm."

Zhuang Xueqi sat respectfully across from him, "Dad, you know more than I do, and you see further. I want to ask, how much does this plane crash impact the Zhuang’s situation?"

Ning Wenqian swirled the wine in his glass, speaking indifferently, "Didn’t your father tell you? There was a team of anti-aircraft missile experts on the plane who had just returned from training abroad. According to the latest news, this team of five experts perished, and the loss is immeasurable."

Zhuang Xueqi struggled to argue, "But it was an accident. It can’t be blamed on my father..."

"Xueqi."

Ning Wenqian interrupted her, "There are some things you are better off not knowing – it’s a kind of protection. I think that’s why your father hasn’t told you too much. But you have to be clear about one thing: if there was any possibility of turning this around, the Ning Family would not stand by. After all, your father is also Manman and Enbao’s grandfather."

"Thank you, Dad. I understand."

...

As Zhuang Xueqi left the main building, she bumped right into Ning Yuan on his way home.

"You..."

Noticing her reddened eyes, the words Ning Yuan wanted to say got stuck.

By the time he came to his senses, Zhuang Xueqi had already passed him and walked towards her residence in the annex.

Thinking of something, he hurriedly followed her, "What did my dad say to you?"

Seeing Zhuang Xueqi didn’t respond, he reached out and pulled her back, "I’m asking you, what did my dad say to you?"

"None of your damn business!"

"Why the hell are you getting mad?"

"Get lost!"

As if you don’t realize who you’re depending on for your meals now, still thinking it’s like the old days?

Ning Yuan followed behind her nonchalantly, grumbling to himself.

Back at her place, Zhuang Xueqi first went to the third floor to check on the children.

After seeing the kids and returning to the bedroom, Ning Yuan was there too, brazenly sitting on her favorite armchair, exuding an air of "I’m the boss."