The girl was clearly smiling.
Yet, the moment her dark, obsidian eyes met Ming Tingxu's, he felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Ming Tingxu's mind flashed to the sight of the third and fifth brothers lying in their hospital beds.
He jolted.
His hand, reaching out towards Ming Zheng, froze mid-air.
This was the first time Ming Tingxu had experienced an aura that was almost terrifying.
Having navigated the business world for so many years,
He had never once flinched before anyone.
But now, standing before his own sister, whom he had always looked down upon.
He felt fear, a sense of dread.
Ming Zheng lifted her eyelids, the upturned corners of her eyes carrying a cold, mocking arc.
Then, she walked past him, heading towards the other direction.
The direction that would lead her away from him.
Father Ming immediately grew anxious, quickly opening the car door and rushing towards Ming Zheng, "Zheng Zheng, don't go, please don't go..."
He blocked Ming Zheng's path, no longer exhibiting the hysterical madness from earlier that afternoon. He even plastered on a falsely intimate smile.
"Zheng Zheng, I know you must not want to talk to Dad right now..."
Before he could finish speaking,
Ming Zheng casually raised an eyebrow, glancing at him sideways, "If you know, then move aside. Haven't you heard the saying, 'A good dog doesn't block the path'?"
Father Ming's face twitched.
She was clearly calling him a dog.
But, Father Ming didn't dare get angry easily, he could only suppress his rage and continue smiling, "Zheng Zheng, Dad knows he was wrong. Look, Eldest Brother even put aside his work to pick you up. Even if you don't want to see Dad, for Eldest Brother's sake, come home with us, alright?"
"Your mother made a table full of your favorite dishes at home. Third and Fifth also came back from the hospital when they heard you were coming home tonight."
"Let's all sit together as a family and have a good meal, okay?"
Looking at Father Ming's smiling face, Ming Zheng couldn't help but admire him.
He had come to her doorstep last night, causing such a scene.
Then in the afternoon, he had stood outside Zhengrong Group, alternately shouting insults and begging her.
And now, he was shamelessly approaching her again, putting on a fatherly act, attempting to play the family card.
The speed of his demeanor change.
It was truly remarkable.
This was the inherent baseness of the Ming family, wasn't it?
Ming Zheng let out a soft scoff, casually curling her ruby-red lips, and asked, "Where is Ming Zhi Rou?"
Father Ming's smile froze.
Ming Tingxu's expression also shifted subtly.
After a few seconds of silence,
Father Ming coughed lightly and continued to smile, "Zheng Zheng, you and Rou'er are both children of the Ming family. Don't worry, from now on, I will treat you the same as Rou'er, without favoritism."
"Zheng Zheng," Ming Tingxu said, his brows furrowed, his face hard, "You shouldn't compare yourself to Rou'er, nor should you be unable to tolerate her. She is already very pitiful."
Look at that.
As soon as Ming Zhi Rou was mentioned,
They started to lose their composure.
Fearful that she might propose, "If she stays, Ming Zhi Rou leaves," they were eager to quash any thoughts she had of targeting Ming Zhi Rou.
"What does it matter to me if Ming Zhi Rou is pitiful?" Ming Zheng looked up, meeting Ming Tingxu's cold gaze, and chuckled dismissively.
"If you can't bear to see me hurt your Rou'er, then stay away from me."
Ming Zheng's eyes were clear and indifferent, not showing the slightest emotional fluctuation due to their overtures. "Seeing you makes me sick, and when I'm sick, I can't help but do something to Ming Zhi Rou."
"Ming Zheng!"
Ming Tingxu's face immediately turned cold and ashen, his harsh eyes glaring at Ming Zheng, "How dare you?!"
"Losing your facade so quickly? Calling me by my name now?" Ming Zheng mockingly tutted, "With this little skill, don't try to put on a show of sibling affection in front of me."
"You!" Ming Tingxu gritted his teeth.
Father Ming quickly intervened, "Zheng Zheng, don't be angry. You know Eldest Brother's personality. He actually cares about you a lot, he just doesn't know how to express it."
As he spoke, he held Ming Tingxu's arm and continued to smile at Ming Zheng, "I know you're bothered by Rou'er. Since you don't like Rou'er, then... then I'll let Rou'er leave the Ming family, and you come back with us, okay?"
"Dad!" Ming Tingxu's brows immediately furrowed.
Father Ming turned and glared at him, stopping him from speaking further.
Then he smiled at Ming Zheng again, "Without Rou'er, you'll be happier, won't you?"
Ming Zheng couldn't help but tut again.
She wondered what Ming Zhi Rou's feelings would be upon hearing this.
It seemed Father Ming didn't dote on Ming Zhi Rou as much as she had imagined.
In the end,
Father Ming cared more about profit.
When the Ming family was carefree,
He could naturally treat Ming Zhi Rou as his little princess, doting on her.
Moreover, in her previous life, with her help, Ming Zhi Rou had become a so-called prodigious girl, even breaking through to the Xiantian realm and becoming a Xiantian expert.
Father Ming naturally doted on her even more.
Because Ming Zhi Rou could generate profit for him.
And now,
Because of her relationship with President Ning and President Bai,
Father Ming wanted to regain the cooperation between Zhengrong Group and Zhengtu Group.
He could unhesitatingly "discard" Ming Zhi Rou.
Of course, this "discard" was not a true abandonment like he had done with Ming Zheng.
It was a feigned "discard," a way to trick her into coming back first.
It was because she had been too eager before.
That's why they had developed the misconception.
That as long as they showed her a little kindness,
She would unhesitatingly grovel at their feet again?
Choosing to "discard" Ming Zhi Rou for her sake.
She would be grateful?
Dream on.
"Zheng Zheng, see... you're willing to get in the car with us now?" Father Ming quickly opened the car door, "If we can't bring you home, your mother will be very sad facing a table full of your favorite dishes."
Ming Zheng's expression remained devoid of any emotion, she softly uttered an "Oh."
Then, she casually raised an eyebrow and smiled, "How did Madam Chairman Ming's hands make a table full of delicious dishes when they can't even move?"
"And, do you even know what I like to eat?"
The moment they said "you like to eat," had anyone in the Ming family paid attention to her this past year?
Or did they think.
That making a ridiculously expensive meal was her preference?
Or perhaps.
That making a table full of dishes Ming Zhi Rou liked was her preference?
"Zh-Zheng Zheng..."
Father Ming was somewhat flustered by Ming Zheng's retort. He pursed his lips, "Th-that's... that's still your mother's thought. If you don't like to eat it, we'll make it again, we'll make what you like to eat... okay?"
"No."
Ming Zheng, not wanting to argue further, said, "Not interested."
Ming Zheng walked past him.
Father Ming's face immediately darkened.
He had put on such a grand performance, and he had smiled and appeased her as much as he could.
She still dared to give him a cold shoulder?
Did she really think so highly of herself?