Chapter 303: Mum, Let Us Not Lose Hope
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
These words, “People died, and the plane crashed.” Started a commotion among the crowd, and everyone’s expression changed drastically. They were all talking amongst themselves.
Yin Shuiling walked over to Ning Qing’s side and softly said, “Ning Qing, what is Zhou Zhilei’s intent? Whether Young Master Lu is dead or not, nobody can be sure of that right now. What rumours is she trying to create?”
Song Yajing had a solemn expression on her face as she said, “A person’s words can cause much harm. Once the news of Shaoming being in a plane crash gets out, the results would be out of our control. That is the reason that we have been suppressing the flow of this news. How did Zhou Zhilei find out that Shaoming was involved in an accident? Those old things could not have revealed the news that Shaoming was in an accident to anyone else, as they wanted to keep this a secret and quickly replace Shaoming. They would never go attract these journalists and media outlets. What does Zhou Zhilei want exactly?”
Ning Qing pursed her red lips together and did not speak.
Xiao Zhou, who was on the other end of the line, could not help but ask, “Ning Qing, what should we do right now? Could we actually allow Zhou Zhilei to continue on? Should you go out and make a rebuttal?”
Ning Qing shook her head and said, “I can’t. Ever since I got pregnant, I dedicated myself to a year-long hiatus from the entertainment industry, and now that this matter has occurred, it would definitely attract the attention of many journalists. The Lu family is in a mess right now. I cannot attract more attention from these journalists and media outlets.”
“Ning Qing, what do you want to do then?” Yin Shuiling asked.
Ning Qing was still unable to make a decision in this short span of time, and at this moment, a lithe figure appeared on the screen of her phone. “Miss Zhou.”
Ning Qing had a glance and was instantly overcome with joy. “It’s Xiaofu.”
Xia Xiaofu appeared.
Xia Xiaofu was dressed in a lilac dress, and her supple and exquisite face that was the size of an ostrich egg was mesmerizing and full of life. A journalist saw her and quickly handed the microphone over to her. “Goddess Xia, it is perfect timing that you are here. Miss Zhou said that Young Master Lu has died in a plane crash. You are Director Ning’s best friend; what do you have to say?”
“Died in a plane crash?” Xia Xiafu curled up the corners of her lips, and she had a light smile on her face as she looked at Zhou Zhilei. “Miss Zhou, on what basis are you saying all these things? A few days ago, I went to visit both Ning Qing and Little Young Master Lu. I even personally heard Young Master Lu and Ning Qing chat on the phone, and they were extremely sweet in doing so.”
Zhou Zhilei heard her words and coldly snorted, “Miss Xia don’t lie to the public and believe false truths. You said that Young Master Lu is still alive, but what evidence do you have?”
“Hah.” Xia Xiaofu snorted coldly, and she continued to say, “Miss Zhou, you are clear on who is misleading the public. you said that Young Master Lu died in a plane crash, but what about your evidence?”
“I…” Zhou Zhilei’s eyes had a flash of angst. The movements of the Lu family were too clean, and she did not have a single piece of evidence.
“Look, Miss Zhou is at a loss for words now? I am Ning Qing’s good friend; we are best friends. I can speak on behalf of Ning Qing. As for Miss Zhou, what position are you in to be commenting on the matters regarding Young Master Lu? Oh, there’s something I recall — Miss Zhou has had a crush on Young Master Lu for 26 years! You do not regret being so foolish? I remember that Young Master Lu had once described Miss Zhou as a flea that he is unable to shake away.”
“You…” Zhou Zhilei’s scar inside the depths of her heart was taken out and revealed so heartlessly, and her embarrassment immediately turned into anger.
“Pfft…” The journalists who were on the scene all covered their mouths while they tried to hide their laughter.
“Miss Zhou, we pity you. You know that you are unable to get what you want, hence you have hate in your heart, but as for these rumours, I still have to ask Miss Zhou to be careful with whatever misinformation you are trying to spread.”
“Goddess Xia.” At this moment, a journalist said, “You probably still do not know about this, but Miss Zhou is dating the second son of the Tang family, Tang Xueli right now.”
Zhou Zhilei opened her mouth immediately and said, “That’s right. I already have a boyfriend, so how would I have hate for Young Master Lu? Why would I create rumours?”
Xia Xiaofu snorted coldly and said, “I didn’t know that Miss Zhou was already dating someone, but since you have a boyfriend already, how could you place all of your attention to Young Master Lu? Even the Lu family does not have any reaction to Young Master Lu being involved in an accident. You are the one who is so emotionally affected; what is going on exactly? Is your heart dark or twisted?”
Zhou Zhilei’s hands balled up into tight fists, and she looked at Xia Xiaofu with hate in her eyes.
Xiao Xiaofu graciously adjusted the train of her skirt and looked towards the camera before saying, “Okay everyone, let’s leave. It is acceptable for Miss Zhou to create rumours, but you cannot write nonsense. You have to consider when Young Master Lu returns to the country very quickly, if Young Master Lu becomes furious, then do any of you think that would be able to withstand his fury?”
“Goddess Xia, don’t worry. We don’t have the guts to write nonsense, Miss Zhou is spouting nonsense, and we will treat it as her joking with us.”
“Okay.” Xia Xiaofu nodded her head to show that she was satisfied and turned away to leave.
The journalist all started to leave, but Zhou Zhilei was left in her original spot, all frozen by herself.
“Ning Qing, this is great. Xiaofu is so influential.” Yin Shuiling applauded.
Ning Qing’s heart was full of gratitude and thankfulness. Xiao Fu was way too capable.
“Ning Qing, Young Master Lu should definitely be fine. You don’t have to worry about the matters happening in the studio. I will manage it well. We will all support you,” Xiao Zhou said.
“Yeah, Xiao Zhou, it has been hard on you.”
Song Yajing looked on and was very emotional. It was during tough times that you could really see a person’s true colours. When Ning Qing was in trouble, so many people surrounded her to help her, and it was enough to show Ning Qing’s character as a person, and how successful she was at winning people’s hearts.
“Qingqing, I didn’t expect Zhou Zhilei to actually be such a person. In the past, I really had a wrong impression of her. Qingqing, as for you, Miss Yin, and Miss Xia, in the past, I treated all of you like that. I was really very wrong in doing so.” Song Yajing sighed in deep regret.
“Mum.” Ning Qing held onto Song Yajing’s hand as she said, “I don’t blame you for it. Both the Lu and Zhou families have been friends for generations, and Zhou Zhilei has packaged herself up too well. You merely succumbed to preconceived notions. It is still not too late now; let us reunite as a family.”
“That’s right, Aunt, none of us blame you,” Yin Shuiling said with a smile.
…
A day’s time passed by very quickly, and Ning Qing stood before the French windows to look at the sun setting outside. Seven days had come and gone, and there was still no news of Lu Shaoming.
Tomorrow morning, those elders would definitely make their way here.
The second war was going to start.
Yin Shuiling carried Little Young Master Lu and came to Ning Qing’s side. “Ning Qing, what are you thinking about?”
Ning Qing stretched out her hand to pinch her son’s small, soft face. “I am thinking of his father,” she replied in a gentle voice.
“His father is definitely thinking of him also, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Hmm, I am not worried, when his father left, he asked me to wait for him to come back. I am waiting calmly. Humans can continue living without many things, but there are only two things that we cannot live with: confidence and hope.”
Ning Qing kissed her son’s small face, and she lifted her gaze to look at Song Yajing who was standing some distance away. This pair of mother and daughter-in-law’s gazes met, and they each broke into a smile.
This was a silent form of determination.
At this moment, the doorbell of the main doors of the villa rang out in the air, and the helper went to open the door. The butler ran in hurriedly.
“Old Madam, Madam, there is news from Old Master. He has news of Young Master.”
News of Lu Shaoming?
Ning Qing’s irises contracted violently, and her heart was beating so vigorously that she felt it was going to leap out of her chest. She did not dare believe it.
She had been waiting for news, and now, the news had finally arrived.
“What news? Say it quickly.” Song Yajing walked forward briskly.
The butler handed the thing in his hands over to Song Yajing. “Old Madam, Old Master found Young Master’s watch in the lower stream near the forest of Lake Baikal.”
Song Yajing held the wrist watch in the centre of her palm. The tears in her eyes flowed down her face, and she choked up as she looked towards Ning Qing. She handed the watch over to her while she said, “Qingqing…”
Ning Qing walked forward, and her expression was confused as she received the watch over.
Her small, pale fingers caressed the glass of the watch. The glass on the front was already shattered, and it was a bad premonition.
But the hands of the watch were still ticking, and it did not rest for a single moment.
The tip of Ning Qing’s nose was very sour, and she was totally unable to control the tears in her eyes. It was not wrong, this was Lu Shaoming’s watch. It was his.
She was once mesmerized by his wrist watch.
She could only confirm one point; he really was involved in that plane crash.
Was this piece of news: good or bad?
“Did they just find a single watch? Did Old Master have any other news?” Song Yajing asked the butler.
The butler carefully glanced at Ning Qing’s facial expression and spoke in a low voice as he said, “Old Master had only said that this watch was found in the forest, and that forest had a beast appear in it before. Old Master asked Old Madam and Madam to prepare their hearts.”
“Prepare our hearts?” Song Yajing’s face was deathly pale as she took a step back, and she shook her head and asked, “What mental preparation? Shaoming was on the plane when it crashed; there is a very slim chance of him surviving. Now that forest that he is in has beasts that have been recorded to be there, is it… Can we even locate his body right now?”
“Aunt, don’t be too negative…” Yin Shuiling said.
But at the next moment, Song Yajing shut both of her eyes, and she started to collapse.
“Old Madam!” The helpers quickly came to help her up.
“Mum.” Ning Qing came forward and said, “Mum, what is wrong with you? Quickly, bring Old Madam to her room. Butler, call the family doctor over.”
“Yes, Ma’am!” The entire Lu family was busy and in a total mess.
…
Song Yajing slowly opened her eyes. She looked at that familiar crystal chandelier above her head, and she knew that she was lying in her own bedroom.
She heard a gentle voice in her ear. “Mum.”
Song Yajing looked sideways, and Ning Qing was sitting beside her bed. She was looking at her with beautiful, worry-filled eyes.
The tears in Song Yajing’s eyes came out once again.
“Mum, don’t cry anymore.” Ning Qing took a tissue and wiped her tears for her. “It is still not the time to give up yet, we…”
“Qingqing.” Song Yajing stretched out her hand to hold onto Ning Qing’s small hands, and her voice was full of emotion as she said, “Qingqing, Mum had a dream just now. I dreamt of Shaoming when he was young. He was especially intelligent, and he knew how to say Daddy and Mummy when he was only 6 months old. But it was only to pity that I was too busy at that time. I totally did not have any time to accompany him. When he learned how to walk, which date his birthday fell on, what kind of girl that he liked — I did not know a single thing…
“After that, I woke up, and I wanted to treat him well. I wanted to mend the years of regret that I had towards him, but… but he turned around…and he disappeared…”
“Mum, Shao Ming understands it all. He knows about it all, so you don’t have to feel regret. You gave him life, and it was you who brought him to this world to look at the luxury on earth; you are a good mother.”
Song Yajing shook her head and said, “Now that I turn back to have a look, I don’t even know where the years went. I have worked hard for half of my life, and it wasn’t until now that I learned that the most important thing in life is family, but Shaoming…”
“Mum.” Ning Qing held onto her as she helped her to sit up, “Mum, let us not give up hope, okay? Let us not despair.”
Song Yajing sat on the edge of the bed, and both her feet touched the ground. She looked outside the door and asked, “Where is Little Young Master Lu?”
Ning Qing stretched out to wipe her tears before saying, “Mum, Little Young Master Lu saw you faint, and he has been crying non stop. Shuiling is holding him now.”