Ming Huai Zhi spoke with such righteous indignation.
It was even tinged with a commanding tone.
Then, he continued with equal self-righteousness, "You offending Young Master Song because of your racing is your problem. Don't drag Rou'er into it."
"After Rou'er's situation is cleared up, you can go to the Song family yourself and beg for forgiveness, and then bring Rou'er back."
Ming Zheng found it all hilariously funny.
While laughing, she couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.
See? This is what you call being thorough.
Before asking her to exchange Ming Zhi Rou, he had to step forward to take the blame for Ming Zhi Rou, shifting all the criticism directed at Ming Zhi Rou onto herself.
He intended to squeeze out her last ounce of value.
"Heh," Ming Zheng raised her eyebrows slightly, her bright smile blooming on her lips like a poppy.
She was smiling.
But the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Instead, it lent a bone-chilling coldness to her expression.
"What are you laughing at?" Ming Huai Zhi frowned, his gaze turning sharp.
"Laughing at why you're so righteous, ordering me around here and there." Ming Zheng's mockery intensified, "Where do you get off?"
Ming Huai Zhi's defiant, handsome face turned ashen. "Because I'm your brother!"
"Tsk, you still remember you're my brother?" Ming Zheng's smile became even more sarcastic. "As my biological brother, you've never acted like a brother towards me for even a second. Now, for an adopted daughter, you're putting on airs as a brother?"
"For an adopted daughter, you'd push your own sister to her death."
"What? You usually forget you're my biological brother, don't you? But when you want me to die, you so naturally bring up your brotherly status?"
Her words paused for a moment.
Ming Zheng's delicate, bright eyes tilted slightly upwards, the corners of her eyes curving into a captivating arc. Her dark pupils seemed even deeper, like ink.
"But you see..."
"Ming Huai Zhi, your status as my brother is no longer useful to me."
Ming Zheng casually brushed her chin with the hand resting on her knee. Her gaze, filled with lazy, nonchalant mockery, made Ming Huai Zhi's heart subtly prickle, even through the phone screen.
Ming Huai Zhi could clearly feel it.
She was mocking his self-importance and overconfidence.
A wave of shame and anger washed over Ming Huai Zhi.
This was the first time anyone had dared to show him such utter disdain.
He had always been a superior being, admired by all.
A wild girl brought back from the countryside, living off the Ming family, dared to treat him like this?
Those past displays of timidity and pleas for favor...
They were probably just deliberate attempts to gain favor with everyone in the Ming family, so she could drive Rou'er out.
Now that she knew the Ming family wouldn't be fooled by her cheap and shameless tricks, and realized she couldn't compare to Rou'er, she had reverted to her true nature.
Therefore, she was now using these vicious means to try and kill Rou'er!
A thick murderous intent surfaced on Ming Huai Zhi's defiant brow. His eyes, sharp as knives, raked over Ming Zheng. "Ming Zheng, do you think by harming Rou'er to death, you can replace her? You can become the Ming family's only daughter?"
"I'm telling you, you'll never truly integrate into the Ming family in this lifetime! I will never acknowledge you as a member of the Ming family!"
Each word he spoke was accompanied by a deep, cold voice.
However, Ming Zheng's face showed no trace of panic.
She casually raised an eyebrow and said with a mocking smile, "So, what right do you have... to order me around?"
She slowed down her tone for the last four words.
That lazy, peculiar voice imbued those four words with an indescribable sarcasm.
He didn't even consider her a part of the Ming family.
So, why was he so self-righteously commanding her, using his brotherly status, to sacrifice herself for Ming Zhi Rou?
Were all members of the Ming family like this?
She always said the Ming family was blind in heart and mind.
In fact, in her past life, she herself was blinded by her obsession with family affection, unable to see the selfishness and malice of the Ming family.
But it was good...
This life was different.
Having extricated herself from the obsession and mire of family affection.
She had completely awakened.
No one in the Ming family could hurt her anymore.
Ming Zheng's curved crimson lips curved into a more genuine smile. "I'll tell you this too, I will never return to the Ming family in this lifetime, and I don't need you so-called relatives."
"I am Ming Zheng, the Ming Zheng who belongs to myself, and I have nothing to do with your Ming family."
Even if the Ming family were to beg her tearfully to return.
She would never set foot in the Ming family again.
She would never forgive the Ming family for what they had done to her!
On the video call, Ming Huai Zhi's gaze was fixed on Ming Zheng's mocking, bright face.
He caught the churning emotions in her eyes.
And he also caught... the intense hatred hidden deep within her pupils.
Hatred?
What was she hating?
The Ming family?
Him?
What did she have to hate for?
It was the Ming family who brought her out of the impoverished countryside.
Who gave her a life of privilege.
Who gave her a home.
All of these were bestowed by the Ming family.
Why should she hate the Ming family?
Now, it was she who had done wrong!
It was she who, in the most vicious way, had tried to kill Rou'er.
The ones who should be hated were clearly them, the Ming family!
Ming Huai Zhi's gaze towards Ming Zheng grew colder.
In his eyes, Ming Zheng was now an ungrateful wretch.
But just then.
From the phone, the girl's voice, lowered and laced with playful amusement, came again: "Do you still remember the song 'Qing'?"
Ming Huai Zhi frowned.
This song titled 'Qing' was the work that earned him the leading role in a famous director's film, propelling him to stardom and establishing his current position in the entertainment industry.
Of course, he remembered.
Why was Ming Zheng bringing up this song now?
In the frame, the girl's crimson lips suddenly bloomed into a radiant, captivating smile.
This smile sent a wave of unease through Ming Huai Zhi.
As expected, the next second...
He heard the girl's low, charming voice leisurely say: "'Qing', composed by the renowned Xia Country musician Ming Wei Zhou, with lyrics by the top trending star Ming Huai Zhi, an original work."
"Is it truly... your original work?"
The moment the last question was asked.
Ming Huai Zhi's breath hitched.
His face, from ashen, gradually turned dark.
His defiant brow, sharp as a blade, landed fiercely on Ming Zheng.
Seeing Ming Huai Zhi's changed expression.
Ming Zheng's lips curved into a smile devoid of warmth.
Then, she directly hung up the video call.
Standing up, she kicked the phone back towards Lu Man Qin.
Lu Man Qin immediately picked up her phone and looked at the video call request that had popped up again on the screen. She hurriedly tried to answer it.
Ming Zheng, with a indifferent expression, walked back to Mo Qi Yu's side.
Her lips curled into a slight, arrogant smile.
"Manager, this woman is seriously disturbing our meal. Please escort her out."