Chapter 181

Zhong Ning: I don’t care (repeated) I don’t care I don’t care I don’t care (repeated) we’ve already broken up.

Xie Shiqing (copycat version) (rubbing her face): I’m going to be an honest person (rubbing her face) mm, this helps calm down, this is what Ning Ning does, it must be right.

Chapter 65

The meeting with Ms. Xue was scheduled for Friday afternoon.

The Lanheng Foundation was large in scale, but in reality, not many people actually worked on-site. Most of them were out conducting field inspections and following up on how each donation was being used.

At two o’clock sharp, Zhong Ning arrived downstairs at the foundation building. There, she saw Xie Shiqing again, sitting on the sofa across from the front desk. She was still dressed in loose white clothes, her long hair hanging straight down, exuding a subtle, frail vibe.

In all the times she had seen her since returning, she hadn’t worn a cheongsam again.

Zhong Ning pressed her lips together lightly and pretended not to see her. She walked up to the reception desk and said, “Hello, I’m Zhong Ning. I have an appointment with Ms. Xue at two in the afternoon to visit the foundation.”

The receptionist glanced at her, then shifted her gaze to the side.

“I’m the one assigned to receive you, Ning Ning.” Xie Shiqing had somehow walked over and now stood beside her, gazing at her softly.

“My mother used to be the president of Lanheng. After she passed away, I took on some responsibilities here at the foundation as well.”

As if afraid she would be rejected, she added, “I really am here to give you the tour.”

“Alright, then let’s go.”

Zhong Ning agreed.

She didn’t want to care, and she wouldn’t show any sign of being unsettled.

They were strangers now. Zhong Ning wouldn’t treat her differently. Refusing her would only imply she still held weight in her heart.

The corners of Xie Shiqing’s lips clearly lifted, unable to hide her good mood. “This way, Ning Ning.”

“Call me Miss Zhong.” Zhong Ning said indifferently.

Xie Shiqing’s smile instantly flattened.

That bit of joy disappeared quickly, turning into a dull, bitter ache.

She had meant to say more, but the words stalled at the tip of her tongue. After a moment, she muttered, “I asked Aunt Xue, and she told me you were coming today. That’s why I came—specifically to see you. It’s not a coincidence, I came here on purpose.”

Zhong Ning: “……”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Xie Shiqing gave her a pitiful look. “I want to be an honest person, only speak the truth, no lies.”

Zhong Ning was a little speechless, not knowing what to say for a moment.

“...Weren’t we doing a tour? Why haven’t you started introducing things?”

Xie Shiqing gave a wronged little “mm”.

She actually took the introduction seriously, going from one department to the next. She knew the names of the staff, their positions, what they were responsible for—she laid everything out in full detail. It didn’t feel like a tour; it felt more like a report to a superior.

Zhong Ning asked suspiciously, “Wait, are you even allowed to share this?”

Xie Shiqing shook her head. “Technically, no. But telling Miss Zhong is fine.”

Zhong Ning glared at her, and she blinked innocently.

“Don’t do unnecessary things.”

But Xie Shiqing leaned in and asked, “Is Miss Zhong requesting me? Or commanding me?”

Her eyes sparkled, as if agreeing would mean falling into some strange trap.

Zhong Ning, of course, denied it.

But Xie Shiqing said again, “Then how I want to speak is my freedom.”

“You can speak however you like, and I can choose to have someone else.”

Xie Shiqing’s smugness vanished instantly, and she reverted to that listless, unhappy self, quietly returning to the main topic without daring to say anything more.

Where Xie Shiqing couldn’t see, Zhong Ning’s brows furrowed slightly.

She had actually rehearsed in her mind what it would be like to run into Xie Shiqing again—whether this person would once again act unreasonably, try to soften her with tears, and repeat everything that had happened before.

But now, Xie Shiqing’s reaction had left her feeling empty.

It was as if she had changed all of a sudden. Her face was bare of makeup—her blacks darker, her reds redder—but it was a kind of pure beauty. Even her aura had softened, making her seem almost like a different person.

...But that sly nature hadn’t changed.

She was genuinely feeling wronged, but she was also deliberately acting pitiful—just to make sure Zhong Ning saw it.

Zhong Ning clenched her palm.

Stop!

No more thinking about this person.

She could do whatever she wanted—it had nothing to do with you.

For the rest of the tour, Xie Shiqing behaved properly, like a real guide. She didn’t speak unnecessarily and was perfectly disciplined.

Ms. Xue hadn’t come to the foundation today at all. It seemed she was quite confident in letting Xie Shiqing handle things. Of course, it was also possible Xie Shiqing had said something to her.

The Lanheng Foundation covered a wide range of causes, including Hope Project schools in mountain regions, textbooks, and the treatment of critically ill children.

Moreover, their procedures were well-developed. Foundation staff were involved throughout the entire process, ensuring that all donations were properly implemented and that nothing would go wrong along the way.

Zhong Ning gradually became fully focused as she listened, forgetting entirely who was standing beside her.

“I need to go back and think about it carefully.” She wanted to consider where exactly she wanted to donate her money.

Xie Shiqing said, “Alright. Miss Zhong, if you’d like to come again, you can contact me anytime.”

“Shall we add each other as friends? From now on, I’ll personally handle all your matters related to the foundation.”

What a blatantly self-serving yet righteous-sounding excuse.

Xie Shiqing took out her phone and pulled up a QR code with an utterly straightforward expression. “Since I’m already just a stranger with no connection to you, I’m only the person in charge at the foundation.”

How sharp she was. After her eyesight recovered, her ability to read people had leveled up—just from the slight changes in Zhong Ning’s expression, she had guessed her thoughts.

But Zhong Ning didn’t play along and showed no intention of taking out her phone. “I’ll speak with Ms. Xue directly. No need to trouble Miss Xie, who must be extremely busy.”