A vine-woven swing chair, nestled amidst a riot of flowers, swayed gently in the breeze.
Inside the swing chair, it was as soft and spacious as it had been before.
The moment Ming Yanlun saw the swing chair, it was as if memories flooded back – the time when he and his brothers, to win Ming Zhi Rou’s favor, had worked together to build this very swing chair.
He still remembered.
Ming Zhi Rou had adored the swing chair back then.
She had hugged each of her brothers and given them a big kiss.
Saying that she loved them, her brothers, the most.
And that she loved this gift from them dearly.
At that time, they were all pampered young masters. It was their first time making a swing chair, and they had ended up covered in scratches from the rattan.
But seeing Ming Zhi Rou smile so happily, they felt it was all worth it.
He also remembered…
When Ming Zheng was brought back to the Ming family.
She had also come up to the third floor and heard Ming Zhi Rou say that the swing chair was a gift made by her brothers. Ming Zheng’s eyes had been filled with envy and reverence.
And because of Ming Zheng…
Reaching out enviously to touch the swing chair.
Her brothers had then berated Ming Zheng harshly.
All sorts of humiliating and insulting words were thrown at Ming Zheng.
When he saw the swing chair again.
Ming Yanlun was first immersed in the memories of making the swing chair.
What followed immediately was a deep sense of guilt.
Why had he treated Ming Zheng that way back then?
He could clearly see the expression on Ming Zheng’s face as she looked at the swing chair… it was so full of yearning and hope.
Yet he had still used such words to accuse Ming Zheng of overreaching.
His eyes welled up again, and his voice choked and hoarse as he uttered, "...I'm sorry."
Ming Zheng: "???"
What was this person feeling inexplicably melancholic about now?
She didn't reply.
Ming Yanlun added, "Ming Zheng, later… I will definitely make you a swing chair myself."
Ming Zheng: "...You really don't have to."
She had no interest in any swing chair he might make.
Nor did she need one.
Ming Zheng, too lazy to deal with this person who was being overly dramatic, directly zoomed in on the surveillance footage of the third-floor balcony.
After Ming Zhi Rou walked onto the balcony.
She took out her phone and made a call.
Ming Zheng operated the controls, turning on the sound from the surveillance feed.
The other party didn't answer immediately.
Ming Zhi Rou, growing impatient,
Kicked out her foot and violently kicked the vine swing chair.
It had been so long since anyone had touched the swing chair, and this kick sent it swaying precariously, emitting a "creak, creak" sound.
Extremely grating.
Ming Zhi Rou immediately reached out to steady the swing chair, her face showing panic. She quickly glanced towards the closed door.
Fearing that the sound just made might attract those people in the Ming family.
After a few seconds of silence.
There was no sound of any movement.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Immediately after, she glared fiercely at the swing chair, her voice filled with indignation as she said, "Jinx!"
The disdain and annoyance in her eyes.
Were extremely obvious.
Those two words, along with her look of disgust, pierced Ming Yanlun's heart.
He looked at the person on the surveillance feed in disbelief.
He couldn't reconcile the person before him with the Ming Zhi Rou he remembered, who had smiled so innocently and genuinely when she received the gift.
She had explicitly said she loved this gift the most.
And had been so upset when Ming Zheng touched it even slightly.
Was it all a lie?
Ming Zhi Rou sat down on the swing chair and continued calling the other party.
The call wasn't picked up.
She irritably began to pick at the vines and flowers decorating the swing chair.
Muttering to herself, she complained, "Back then, they should have just given me gifts, but giving me something useless like this. It would have been better to give me luxury items worth millions or tens of millions."
The disdain in her tone was thick.
Ming Yanlun's heart was stabbed yet again.
His face turned ashen.
Just then.
The call she had been persistently making was finally answered.
Ming Zhi Rou's face lit up with joy, and she quickly brought the phone closer to her ear, "President Wang!"
The voice on the other end was very low, and the words couldn't be heard.
Only Ming Zhi Rou's excited reply could be heard: "Yes! The items have been obtained, and everything is as Mr. Chi predicted."
"I not only got the core technology from the Wang family, but I also obtained the Ming family's core data."
"Alright! I'll bring them to you now."
"But President Wang, what I've obtained this time also includes the Ming family's core data! You've always wanted to suppress my father, to step all over him, haven't you? If you use this data well, you can seriously humiliate my father."
Ming Zhi Rou's expression at this moment appeared exceptionally unfamiliar to Ming Yanlun.
His eyes were filled with astonishment, staring intently at the screen, at Ming Zhi Rou smiling with such great joy and malice.
This…
Was this really the Ming Zhi Rou he remembered?
The Ming family had treated her well!
Not to mention before, when they thought she was their biological child, she was a treasure they held in the palm of their hands.
Even after they brought back their real daughter, Ming Zheng, they still focused solely on her feelings and chose to ignore their own daughter.
What's more, for her sake, they had repeatedly humiliated their biological daughter.
Not to mention how much their father and mother doted on her.
But now…
She not only stole the "core technology" that was crucial for the Ming family's future and had been painstakingly obtained – the Ming family's only chance to turn things around…
And sold it to their rival, who had animosity with the Ming family?
Even saying…
That the other party should step on her father and humiliate him?
When did Ming Zhi Rou… become so terrifying?
Or perhaps, this was her true face all along?
At this moment, Ming Zhi Rou continued to speak, "Yes, I guarantee it, this is the Ming family's core data, it concerns the Ming family's survival."
"As long as you add a figure to the compensation you promised me before, I can hand all of this over to you."
The other party likely said something about her being ruthless, even willing to betray her own family.
Ming Zhi Rou let out a cold laugh, "Family? They never treated me like family. Anyway, I'm not a true member of the Ming family. What does it matter to me if they live or die?"
"If one doesn't look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them. They can no longer accommodate me in their hearts and eyes. All they think about is Ming Zheng!"
"Of course, I have to consider myself, think for myself."
"Okay, let's meet at our usual spot."
Perhaps having received an affirmative answer, Ming Zhi Rou revealed a satisfied and pleased smile.
She said a few more words to the other party.
Then she hung up the phone.
She slipped her phone back into her bag.
She looked down at the bag containing the USB drive and the Ming family's core files.
She patted it, a sinister smile curling up at the corner of her lips.
"This way, I won't have to worry about being abandoned by them if the Ming family goes bankrupt."
"If anyone's going to abandon, it'll be me, Ming Zhi Rou, abandoning them first!"
"They are all a bunch of hypocrites, selfish and greedy people!"