Free Web NovelChapter 138: Chapter 138: The Invitation
Shen Ningning was slightly taken aback.
She had once heard Qin Fangmei brag that the reason Landlord Du took such good care of her family was because her aunt, Wang Cuizhi, owed them a debt of gratitude.
The two sisters, Wang Cuizhi and Wang Guihong, were very close.
Back then, when Wang Cuizhi had just given birth to her first son, she was weak from blood loss.
It was her younger sister, Wang Guihong, who rushed to her side and tirelessly cared for her for nearly a month.
At the time, Wang Guihong wasn’t even married herself, yet she spared no effort to help, which deeply moved Wang Cuizhi.
Therefore, Wang Cuizhi doted on her sister’s child and had helped the Qin Family many times.
Once Shen Ningning figured this out, the expression on her little face returned to normal.
She placed her books into her satchel one by one.
"If she’s exonerated, she’s exonerated. The law says she can be, so we can’t say otherwise."
Ren Yu was indignant. "I’m just so angry for you! Qin Fangmei is so vile. She’s tried to harm you time and again, yet she’s like an unkillable dung beetle."
Her words were so crude and blunt that Shen Ningning couldn’t help but chuckle.
Ren Yu covered her mouth, looking a little embarrassed. "I learned that word from the old women at my estate."
"Anyway, I just hate her."
Shen Ningning pulled a packet of loquat candy from her bag.
"Ren Yu, this is for you. Have some candy and don’t be angry anymore."
Ren Yu’s eyes lit up. She took the candy and thanked her twice.
The two left the private school together. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw a group of people standing beside the carriage sent by Magistrate Fu.
They were dressed as maids and servants. Upon seeing Shen Ningning, the head maid leading them immediately approached.
"Miss Shen, we are servants from the Wang Mansion."
Years ago, with Landlord Du’s help, Wang Guihong’s father had started an oil press business. freёwebnoѵel.com
Even though Landlord Du had run into trouble this time, the Wang family was not implicated, and their business was as prosperous as ever.
Shen Ningning gazed at them with a cool, dark look. "Is there something I can help you with?"
The head maid expressionlessly handed over an invitation.
"Tomorrow morning, our mistress intends to formally adopt Young Miss Qin. According to the law, a blood relative must be present as a witness. Please take this invitation to Grandma Qin and ask her to attend."
Ren Yu stepped in front of Shen Ningning, saying resentfully, "Can’t you deliver it yourselves?"
The head maid’s tone was hostile. "We went to Xiangyun Village, but the villagers there are united and refused to tell us where Grandma Qin is living now. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have made a special trip to find you, Miss Shen."
Shen Ningning pressed her pink lips together and reached out her small hand to take the invitation.
"I will give it to Grandma, but whether she goes or not is up to her."
The head maid scoffed, raising an eyebrow with an air of imperious arrogance.
"How could Grandma Qin possibly not go? After all, our Young Miss is her own granddaughter."
"I advise you, Miss Shen, to hand the invitation to Grandma Qin obediently and not say anything unpleasant. After all, our Young Miss has the blood of the Qin Family in her veins."
Ren Yu’s brows shot up. She pointed an angry finger at the maid. "What do you mean by that? Do you think Ningning would try to stir up trouble between Grandma Qin and Qin Fangmei behind their backs?"
The head maid pursed her lips and rolled her eyes.
She didn’t admit it, but that was clearly what she thought.
Shen Ningning, however, remained calm. She already had experience dealing with this kind of person.
The little one reached out and slowly pulled Ren Yu back.
Then, looking at the head maid, she said in her soft, sweet voice, "Although I despise Qin Fangmei, what Grandma thinks of her doesn’t depend on anything I say."
"You just need to go back and ask Qin Fangmei if she pleaded for Grandma when Aunt Qin sent her up the mountain to be locked away. That will be enough." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"You think I would stir up trouble, but why don’t you consider whether Qin Fangmei has ever been filial to Grandma at all?"
The head maid’s words caught in her throat, and she was at a loss for a rebuttal.
Shen Ningning wasted no more words on her. After bidding Ren Yu farewell, she boarded the carriage and left.
After returning home, the little one immediately took out the invitation and told her grandmother about it.
At that moment, Grandma Qin unhurriedly brought over a bowl of iced pear soup for Shen Ningning to drink.
Only then did she take the invitation and read it over.
Shen Ningning held the large bowl with her small hands, drinking with big gulps. Her bright, dark eyes glanced at her grandmother’s expression from time to time.
She saw that her grandmother’s expression remained unchanged from beginning to end.
When Shen Ningning had finished drinking, Grandma Qin finally said, "In that case, Ningning, you can come with Grandma to the Wang Mansion tomorrow."
"There are some things we need to make perfectly clear. We can’t let them just adopt this child in a muddle."
Shen Ningning was completely bewildered.
But she still nodded. "Okay! I’ll go with you tomorrow, Grandma!"
The Black Wolf King stood up as well and licked the little one’s hand.
He wanted to go too.
He was still frustrated that he hadn’t been able to personally bite to death the people who had bullied Shen Ningning.
If anyone dared to bully Grandma and the little one tomorrow, the Black Wolf King would show them no mercy.
Shen Ningning wrapped her small hands around the massive wolf’s head, about to playfully cuddle with the Black Wolf King.
But out of the corner of her eye, she saw her grandmother stand up. "Ningning, you play here at home. Grandma is going out for a bit."
Then, Grandma Qin picked up the long horsewhip.
Shen Ningning quickly asked, "Grandma, are you taking the carriage? Let me go with you!"
Grandma Qin chuckled. "No need. I’m going to the village to ask that boy from the Chen Family to help me drive. Grandma is just going to Yu’an County to see an old friend. I’ll be back soon."
Hearing this, Shen Ningning didn’t insist further. She just blinked her round, puzzled eyes as she watched Wolf Three escort her grandmother away from the house.
「The next day.」
Chen Ye drove the carriage, with Jiang Zhi accompanying them, as Shen Ningning took her grandmother straight to the Wang Mansion.
Just as they arrived at the entrance of the Wang Mansion, they heard a string of firecrackers.
The gates were thronged with guests; the Wang family had invited all their friends and relatives.
It seemed Wang Cuizhi truly doted on Qin Fangmei from the bottom of her heart and genuinely wanted to make her her own daughter.
Shen Ningning helped her grandmother out of the carriage, and a sharp-eyed servant immediately came forward to greet them.
"Oh, it must be Grandma Qin. Please, come in."
But when Shen Ningning tried to follow her grandmother inside, the servant blocked her.
The man had a sharp, unpleasant face. He said sternly, "Our masters only invited Grandma Qin. We are not receiving any other riffraff!"
Chen Ye and Jiang Zhi were about to make a move.
But Grandma Qin, calm and composed, turned her head. "If you don’t let Ningning in, then you don’t welcome me either. Ningning, let’s go."
If Grandma Qin left, Qin Fangmei would have no blood relative present to verify her identity.
The servant scrambled to stop them with a fawning expression. "Grandma Qin, please don’t be angry. This humble one didn’t realize you two were together."
Jiang Zhi sneered, "Are you blind?"
Having been rebuked, the servant didn’t dare to provoke them further. He bowed and gestured toward the mansion. "Please, this way, please."
Grandma Qin took Shen Ningning’s little hand and, along with Chen Ye and Jiang Zhi, successfully entered the Wang Mansion.
They had just followed a servant into the rear garden when they saw Qin Fangmei approaching like a moon surrounded by stars.
It was a world away from her previous appearance as a prisoner.
